Pushing out two half-orc babies isn’t for the faint of heart, but I’d prefer not to think about it. I need to find a way to stay busy, find something useful to do with myself until I know for sure Tilly and the babies are okay.
I roll back my shoulders and lift my chin. “Okay. While Tilly births two new beings, I’m going to their cottage to tidy up a little. I want to make sure the dishes are done and put away and that she has a couple of meals prepped before she returns.”
Nori nods encouragingly. “That’s a great idea. Do you need help?”
Arran clears his throat and his grip on my waist tightens the tiniest bit. “That’s a generous offer, Eleanor, but I’ll assist Audrey tonight.”
Fuck. I don’t think the word “assist” will have a neutral meaning ever again.
I don’t plan on anything else happening between us at Tilly’s cottage, but this could be a good opportunity for me and Arran to chat and set some boundaries. I can bring up the ‘let’s not catch feelings and simply enjoy all the benefits of being roommates’ talk.
Mind made up, I bump Arran playfully with my shoulder. “I can use a good assistant in the kitchen. Let’s see how good you are with your hands.”
A quick change into some comfortable clothes and dry underwear later—and clearly a new, unrumpled kilt for Arran too—we’re on a short starlit walk to Bodin and Tilly’s cottage.
In the distance, the soft, rhythmic whooshing of waves crashing against the shore helps to ground me, settling a little bit of the unusual anxiousness I’m feeling tonight.
“Tilly will be okay,” Arran assures me while keeping a close yet respectable distance from me. “The babies, too.”
I give him a sidelong glance. “Of course she will. If anything bad happens to her, I’ll kill her myself.”
It takes Arran a moment to sort through my reply, and I’m still unconvinced he fully understands my threat, but he wisely chooses to leave it alone.
Right now, I don’t need empty promises. I need distractions.
Taking a deep breath in, I let the salty night air wash over me and turn to Arran. “Can you tell me about Starry Hill?”
“What would you like to know?”
I give my answer some thought, considering the list of things I’m curious about. Like, who was the first creature to join him here? Who named the shops? How is it so peaceful all the time? Who’s his usual fuck buddy?
As we round the final bend that leads to Bodin and Tilly’s cottage, I decide not to ask any of those questions—yet—and start at the beginning so I can understand the vampire I’m cohabiting with a little better.
“You founded the town, right? How did that all come to be?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Well, stud, I’ve got time.”
Arran opens the cottage’s yellow door for me and I step inside to assess the space.
The living room is relatively tidy, but the couch pillows are creased where Bodin and Tilly sat and the throw blanket is on the floor, as if they left in a rush.
I don’t think Bodin would’ve been okay with them taking the time to tidy the house while Tilly was in labor. He probably scooped her up and carried her straight to Shinsu’s dock on the northern edge of the island before she could argue.
I’ve always liked that about Bodin. How deeply he cares for those he loves. I wasn’t super impressed with him at first because he kind of treated Tilly like shit when they met, but after hearing more about his history and why he acted that way, I’ve come to understand him a little better.
Plus, the way Bodin’s made up for initially acting like an asshole can go down in the history books. He’s a devoted husband to Tilly and I couldn’t have picked a better partner for her if I designed him myself.
I head for the jizz couch and start fluffing pillows while Arran returns from the kitchen with a broom in hand.
Arran moves the colorful mats out of his way and begins sweeping the stone floor. “It’s been a long time since I’ve told this story, since someone asked me about how I came to be here, so bear with me.”
Finished with the first couch, I start tidying the one across from it as I give Arran time to gather his thoughts.
He doesn’t look up as he sweeps. “I was born on the mainland and grew up way up north between formidable mountains and stormy dales. The rugged landscape was my home, the mist-shrouded peaks as familiar to me as the back of my hand.”
Wide-eyed, I stare at Arran, hugging the pillow I’m fluffing a little closer as I picture the setting, so different from the rolling hills drenched in sunshine and wildflowers that we’re surrounded by now.
