Page 20 of Curse of Ancients

He reached back, rubbing his neck. “It’s not that I mind, but being around you, knowing you are my mate…” Bayu blushed, and the lightbulb went on.

“Please don’t worry about that, my tiger. It’s a perfectly natural response. I’ll only look where I need to for the pictures, but we do need to get this done before they disappear completely.”

Bayu stepped out of his shoes, removed his shirt, and dropped his pants. That left him in a teeny pair of briefs that barely hid his bulge. Carleigh did her best to keep her eyes on the markings only, but it was difficult. Her mate was lithe, his chest was hairless, and she wanted her hands all over him. “Hold your arms out please.” Bayu did as she asked, and Carleigh snapped all of the ones Silas hadn’t done earlier.

“Okay, I have them.” Carleigh turned her back to give him privacy, but Bayu had other ideas. He stepped close to her, pressing his front to her back, his semi rubbing against the top of her butt. Carleigh tossed her phone on the bed and turned so she was facing him. She ran her fingertips across his pecs. “You are too sexy, my tiger,” she whispered.

“May I kiss you?”

Instead of answering, Carleigh threaded her fingers in his hair and pulled his head down to hers, pressing their mouths together. She had kissed a few men, but never had it lit her up like kissing her mate. If they were alone, she’d be as naked as he was. Or more so. Bayu gripped Carleigh’s hips and gently pushed her back when she rubbed up against his fully hard dick, leaving several inches between them. “Sorry,” she muttered against his mouth before diving back in. Bayu had been hesitant at first, but when he took control of the kiss, she was there for it. Carleigh moved her hands down to his shoulders, then around to his back, scratching gently at his skin. Bayu shivered, pulling away from her lips, the blue of his eyes darker than usual.

“We should talk.”

Carleigh hated those words, but she moved away and sat on the edge of the bed. Bayu put his clothes on and joined her. He picked up her hand, turning her palm up, and traced designs there. “When we get back, would it be okay if Juni and I move in with you?”

“Yes. One hundred percent yes. There’s plenty of room for all of us plus Silas while he’s on duty. We’ll need to get Juni mini-sized furniture. Help me pick it out, and I’ll have it delivered. Juniper can let the delivery guys in.”

Bayu leaned his arm against Carleigh’s. “Just like that?”

“Just like that. We’re a family now, my tiger. All of us. My parents are going to be pissed they moved. When they find out about Juni, they might turn around and move back in. Crap. There’s not a fence around the pool. We’ll need to see about having one installed.”

“Pretty sure if he fell in, he’d shift to his tiger.”

“Tigers can swim?”

“Very well, so maybe we don’t worry about the fence right away?”

“Carwee!” Juni cried out, and Carleigh couldn’t help but laugh.

“I think I’m being summoned.” She stood and held out her hand. Bayu got to his feet, and she kissed him quickly. “Together, my tiger.”

When she opened the door, Juni stood across the threshold with his hands up, his plushy dangling from one of them. Carleigh lifted him, placing the boy on her hip. “I’m right here.” Juni pressed his face to her neck and sighed. She was indeed in love already.

“It’s close to his bedtime. Let me get the bag.” Bayu skirted past them and returned with his things. He pulled out the letter Gemi wrote, scanning it. “Gemi says he has a light snack with milk before bed, otherwise he wakes up in the middle of the night hungry.”

“Did she say what kind of snack?” Celeste asked. “I have veggies I can cut up. I also have some fruit and dip that’s sugar-free.”

Carleigh swayed back and forth. “I don’t think it matters. He’s zonked.”

“Do you want me to put him on the bed?” Bayu asked.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to hold him. He’s had a big day, and I don’t want him to wake up alone.”

Bayu pressed his hand to her cheek. “I don’t mind.”

Instead of sitting on the sofa, Carleigh took one of the captain’s chairs and reclined it so Juni would be more comfortable. One hand fisted a strand of her hair, while the other held onto his stuffed tiger. With the time difference, Carleigh figured it would take a few days for the boy to get adjusted once they were in Atlanta. Speaking of, she whispered, “Bayu, please grab my phone off the bed. I want to look at furniture.” Bayu did as she asked, and he took the seat next to hers, leaning over so they could both see what their options were. Once they chose what they thought was appropriate for a toddler, she placed the order. Then she typed out a detailed email to Juniper, copying Harlow and her parents, letting them know about Juni. Oh… Juni and Juniper. Her sister was going to be over the moon.

“I just realized Juni’s name is like my sister’s. Juniper is probably going to abandon her apartment so she can help out. I asked her and Harlow to put him in the room across from the master suite.”

“I cannot thank you enough, Carleigh. The thought of doing this by myself, especially now that I cannot feel Tiger, is disheartening. What if I never get him back?”

“You will. It might take a while, but we will figure this out. Do you mind if I look at the journal?”

Bayu rose and removed the box from the bag. He sat down, placing it on his lap, then traced his fingers over the designs before lifting the lid and removing the journal. Bayu opened it and held it out so Carleigh could see it more easily. When he opened the cover, she read, “The Council of Shen. Do you know who or what Shen is?”

“No. I’ve never heard the name. Maybe I could reach out to this council and they could help us.” Bayu continued flipping pages, and when he stopped, he pointed. “This is where the words become obscure as though they are in a foreign language. If I cannot get the curse removed, I’m afraid I will never be able to read the information I need.”

Carleigh couldn’t read it either, but when they got home, she would scan a few of the words, not enough to give Bayu’s secrets away, and try to figure out if this was an actual language. Her phone buzzed, and when she read the incoming texts, she chuckled softly. Since she had sent the email to them all, her dad had copied Juniper and Harlow on the text.