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“Hey.” Erik reaches out and places a hand on my shoulder. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you or Lilli. Not while I still stand on this earth.”
His voice is deep, wrapping around me. It resonates with power and his dragon magic, a rumble of heat and storm. A shiver runs through me. He lowers his hand back down to his side, and I have the strongest urge to step closer to him. To feel that warmth again.
“Can I ask you something?” he continues.
I nod.
“Lilli’s magic… it feels different than a normal witch.” He trails off and his eyes search my face.
“That’s because she’s only half witch,” I say softly. “Her dad was fae.”
Erik’s eyes widen slightly. “Fae. That makes sense, then.”
He’s still looking at me with a question on his face, and it’s not hard to guess what that question is.
“He died,” I say. “When Lilli was just a baby.”
“I’m so sorry.” Erik’s eyes grow stormy. “What happened?”
I hesitate, and he adds, “Sorry to pry. You don’t have to answer that.”
“It’s okay.” I shake my head. “He had a rare magical disease. Something that effects the faeries in certain bloodlines.”
“That’s terrible.” Erik looks like he regrets asking.
“It’s also ironic,” I say, “Because he was an orphan, so he didn’t know about it ahead of time, not until it happened. He never knew who his parents were, but the fact that he got the disease helped us narrow down his lineage to one of a couple dozen different faerie families. It’s the closest we ever got to tracing his history.”
“So, you still don’t know who Lilli’s family is on that side?”
I shake my head. “As you know, the supernatural community likes to stay pretty segregated, and the faeries most of all. I haven’t had luck obtaining any faerie history books or speaking to any potential family members. They aren’t interested in me or Lilli. Not in the least.”
Erik’s jaw tightens. “They shouldn’t treat you that way.”
My gaze drops, and I wrap my arm around myself again. “It’s unfortunate. Being a single parent is hard enough, let alone being shut out by your community. All of the fae, and most of the witches, too. Even my own mother didn’t approve of my decision to be with Lilli’s dad.”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment. When he does, his voice holds that deep rumble again. “You’re clearly very strong to have gotten through all of that on your own.”
I shrug. “I’ve certainly tried my best.”
Erik is looking at me with that strange expression again, the same one he wore down in the wine cellar. I feel a flutter in my stomach.
“Well,” I say, my voice a tad unsteady, “The good thing is since Lilli is half witch, she won’t get the disease. That much I was able to figure out, thankfully.”
The tension between us passes, and Erik nods. “That’s a relief, for sure.”
An awkward silence falls. “So, um, I guess I’ll get back to my research, then. I’m trying to find out more about Darkness and Light.”
“Oh?” His eyebrows go up.
“Yeah, I think I remember something in one of my books. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
Erik nods and returns to his post by the door, and I return to my office. It’s starting to get late, but I’m not quite ready to go to sleep yet. I’ve got too much energy buzzing through my veins. Seeing how Erik interacted with Lilli has my nerves all in a jumble. How can he be both incredibly strong and soothing at the same time?
I’ve been fine on my own all these years, I haven’t needed anybody. I’m perfectly capable of handling what life has thrown my way. But now, for the first time, I realize something.
It’s true that I don’t need a man in my life.
That doesn’t mean, however, that I don’t want one.
