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Chapter11
Ember
Slowly, I turn until I’m face to face with Conary. “I’m an early riser.”
His golden gaze does not waver from my face, even as he cocks his head to the side in a move that’s so fast it’s not the least bit natural—at least, not for a human. “Oh? I am, too. Would you grace me with a walk and early morning conversation? I can offer you coffee.”
Coffee.It’s been so damned long since I was able to drink it. Still, if I didn’t need his trust to obtain the key hidden somewhere on his body, I would have turned him down. “Coffee sounds great, thank you.”
He smiles and reaches out to thread my arm through his. Simply touching him makes my stomach churn. The man is a damned snake, something I need to remember every moment I’m in his presence. “I wish you nothing but apologies for my behavior upon our first meeting. I assure you, had I known who you were, I never would have been so hard.”
Sure you wouldn’t have been. I bet you’re a big ol’ murdering teddy bear, aren’t you?“Not a problem. I didn’t exactly look innocent when we met.”
He chuckles. “No, you didn’t.” We move down the hall and into the kitchen. It’s not bustling with people, though there are a few women inside. All three of them eye Conary with an uncomfortable wariness that tells me damn near everything I need to know about him. “Ladies,” he says, softly. “Have you met our guest, Ember?”
All three women lift their gazes to me. “Good to meet you, Ember. I am Bonny.” A slender woman who looks to be in her early twenties—human years, at least—is the first to greet me.
A woman with dark hair and a scar on her cheek offers me a nod. The third woman, short and stocky, forces a smile. “We’re happy to make your acquaintance, miss. Should you need anything, the name is Annie.”
“So nice to meet you guys.”
“Great. Coffee is this way.” Conary guides me to the other side of the room, and as soon as he’s turned away, I glance over my shoulder. All three of the women are watching me with concern in their bright gazes.
I offer a tight smile, hopefully reassuring them I know what I’m up against. I can smell a perverted bastard a mile away, thanks to more experiences brought on by never having anyone to protect me.
“Do you enjoy cream in your coffee?”
“No. I don’t like cream,” I lie. I know it’s ridiculous, but I don’t want to leave any room for interpretation with this man—not even a simple possible innuendo.
“Wonderful.” He smiles and fills two ceramic mugs with steaming dark liquid from a glass carafe.
“I didn’t realize you had access to coffee here.”
“We grow it. A few decades ago, a traveler to your world brought back a plant. Ever since, we’ve harvested our own.”
“That’s neat.”
He offers me a mug then retrieves his own and takes my free arm again. “I enjoy taking my coffee in the garden. Interested?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Together, we move out through the side door and into the early morning sun. The air is crisp, the light bright, and morning dew drops dot the greenery surrounding us on either side. This is not the same garden as yesterday. Here the hedges are taller, the plants so high no one can see us.
Fuck.
“So how are you enjoying your stay?” he questions as he releases me and takes a drink of his coffee.
“Murder aside?” I question, and he smirks at me. A monster shielded by a handsome exterior.
“Yes, again, my apologies.”
“Not necessary,” I reply, with my own forced grin. “I am beginning to see that this is very different from where I’m used to.” I take a drink of coffee and nearly groan as the potent flavor hits my tongue. Even without cream, there’s a sweetness with a hint of what I believe to be vanilla. Maybe some cinnamon?
“The coffee is to your liking, then?”
“It is. Very much so. How is it so sweet?”
“We took your methods and made them better. When we roast ours, we add cinnamon and vanilla beans. The combination gives us quite a sweet flavor.”
