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The next thing I knew, Dex's hand was on my hip. His tongue plunged between my lips. He tasted of spices and wine.
I barely had a chance to catch my breath before he pulled away. The look he gave me was as clear as if he shouted the words. He meant to have me. Asylum was a courtesy, because in the end he would own me anyway.
Hades, it was everything I fought against, but in that moment it seemed inevitable. Fuck me, even desirable.
"We should take it slow," he said.
"Right." I licked my lips. "Yes." I stepped away, once again to clear my head.
Dex nodded. He turned and spoke to a guard in a low voice. The guard saluted with a fist to his chest, turned on a booted heel and left the balcony.
"I've arranged for a servant to take you to the woman's sanctuary. You can have a nice long bath and spend the night there, then decide later what you want to do."
"Okay," I said, barely able to put one word together, much less more.
If my reaction bothered him, he gave no sign.
What had Calista said? Some of the women in the sanctuary became Dex's consorts? I would probably be one of any number of women.
"A bath sounds great," I replied slowly. "Any chance of a map of the place?"
"No," he said a little too quickly. "You'll soon learn your way around. In the meantime, you'll be accompanied at all times. I would hate for you to get lost."
Of course, he didn't want me wandering around the place in case I went somewhere I shouldn't. That was fair, why should they trust me? I sure as Hades didn't trust them.
I was somewhat outnumbered though. At least if I avoided using my power.
I didn't assume the shifters didn't have power of their own. My ability to convert scent to witch power came from somewhere. For all I knew, Dex could throw me all the way back to the Council without a thought.
Not literally. Even full of the strongest scent, I couldn't hurl a fully grown person more than a few metres.
I murmured agreement. "I wouldn't want that either." If I was honest with myself, I probably couldn't find my way back to the room I was allocated in the first place, much less anywhere else.
"I'll come and check up on you tomorrow." He gestured for me to precede him inside as the door opened to admit a young woman in the familiar pale yellow and dragon wristbands.
"Ah, here's—" Dex cocked his head at her.
"Czari, Lord Keeper." The servant gave him a nod. She had long, wheat-coloured hair and bright green eyes. I presumed she was also a shifter. No human had eyes that colour.
"Ah, of course," Dex said, as if he'd known her name all along, but just forgot. "Take good care of Viva, and don't make her angry. She knows how to use weapons."
I grimaced. "I'm harmless," I told the servant. I was anything but harmless, but the whole place didn't need to know that, did they?
"If you say so," Czari replied, her tone respectful but wry.
I smiled and shook my head.
Dex didn't seem even slightly annoyed. Clearly his description of his people as outspoken was accurate.
Czari led the way out the door. "I'll show you to the sanctuary."
* * *
Refreshed,with my skin tingling from the scent of bath oils, I followed Czari deeper into the sanctuary.
I asked after Izzy, not because I was overly worried, but it seemed the right thing to do.
Czari had no answer for me.
