Page 51 of Wild Kiss

"This town is everything to me. And although I grew up a Hunter, my allegiance is with it. And I knew if things ever went sour, the Hunters would come after me, or any of the many enemies I happen to have. So I found a sympathetic witch, and I asked her to put enchantments on the entrance so there would be protections. We’ve never had a stranger actually make it through thanks to the lake and the waterfall, and the room beyond the waterfall. It’s all guarded with magic."

I was in awe. "Had I known about all of this before?"

He shook his head, staring at me intensely. "We hadn't gotten that far where I was bearing all of my secrets," he said slowly.

I cocked my head. He'd already declared his love to me earlier, so how far had we gotten?

"What was the status of our relationship before I got…taken?"

I frowned and stared back out the window after asking the question, realizing I hadn't gotten the story of how I’d ended up in the Fae Queen's hands in the first place. I doubted a lot of my memory, but that interaction, that period of time, it lived in my mind like a living, breathing thing.

"I’d say we started as enemies, went to friends, and were well on her way to the lovers’ part," he joked.

I snorted, despite the dark turn my thoughts had taken. "We wanted to cover the full breath of tropes, then?" I asked lightly.

"Oh, for sure."

I was getting tired again. Whatever the Queen had done to me, I still hadn’t completely recovered. I still found myself tiring more easily than I had before. Or at least what I remembered from before.

"So how did I get in the Fae Queen's hands? How long was I there?"

A dark shadow passed over Ares’s features. "I will kill her for what she did to you," he growled, and his sharp fangs popped out with a hiss.

I gasped, because honestly… I'd forgotten he was a vampire.

"Sorry," he grimaced, retracting his teeth. "Do you know how long you were with Alistair?"

"I think it's been about a month since he first got me. I'd fallen asleep for a few days, but I'm pretty sure it's been at least a month since then. All I can remember were two days with the Fae Queen. Is that right?"

There was a tick in his jaw as he thought about it. "You've been missing for about forty days. So I would think that you were with the Queen for about four or five days on that timeline."

"So where have I been for the year before that?" I mused, mostly to myself.

"Amarok," Ares said, sounding reluctant. "It was my understanding that you drove around for a few months after you escaped Alistair, and then you found yourself settling in that little town. And that's where I met you."

I tried to grab onto any memory surrounding such a place, but not even the name sounded familiar. It was so frustrating.

I was sure there was more to the story, but my exhaustion was taking over so fast that I was fine saving my questions for tomorrow. Ares probably had a lot to catch up on anyway, seeing as how he'd been gone for years. My heart ached for him, thinking of him having this beautiful place in the back of his mind, but unable to come here because he needed to protect the people.

"I'm glad you were able to come home," I said softly, watching the stress melt off his features, butterflies taking flight at the brilliant smile he gave me.

"Me too, sweetheart," he murmured. "But I'm most happy that you're here with me. I have a feeling it wouldn't have felt as it used to now that I’ve met you."

I blushed, not knowing what to say. At least it didn't feel as stilted and awkward as when Alistair had tried to make such declarations. The difference was that I believed Ares, even though I had little reason to yet.

"I know this may seem strange, since you don't know me from Adam, but you've become my home."

I stared at the floor, biting my lip as my cheeks continued to burn.

"Come on, let me show you to your room," he said gently, saving me from any further embarrassment.

Ares led me towards a wooden staircase which led up to a long row of doors. I noticed that everything was dust free and sparkling, obviously someone had kept up the place while he’d been gone.

Or he wasn't telling the truth, the snarky voice said in my head. But… I didn't think that was the case. He walked me to the second door on the left and opened it with a flourish, revealing a gorgeous bedroom, that while not as fancy as the one I'd had at Alistair's, was a million times more homey. It came with a deep red velvet comforter with red, white, and gold pillows, fluffy rugs on the polished wooden floor, and a comfy looking window seat with shelves on each side loaded down with books.

"This is gorgeous," I said softly, turning towards Ares. I blushed when I saw how intensely he was staring at me.

I shifted uncomfortably, "So…where's your bedroom?" I asked, a bit of dread seeping through my veins.

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