AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I acted as sentry, not sure if we were safe yet. “Don’t drink too much at first, Lexi. You don’t want to get sick.”
Nodding, she stopped drinking, pausing to fill up her canteen.
Tamerin had finished as well, now moving over to the smaller pool. He stripped off his clothes and lowered himself into it, sighing with relief.
“Why couldn’t we have come here before?” Lexi’s voice was hoarse from disuse.
“They would have heard us. They still can if anyone comes this way, so be quiet,” the older man stated, his whisper carrying in the vast cavern. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the rocky edge.
Lexi got up and waved to me, and I scrambled down to drink. Once I rinsed the grit from my mouth, I drank my fill of the water before filling my canteen. Glancing up, I realized my sister had moved over to the smaller pool where Tamerin was.
She stood there, studying him. He looked like he had fallen asleep almost as soon as he had sat down.
She didn't care about his nudity, not that you could see much with his body hair. Lycanthropes in general were casual about being naked because of shifting. Besides, we had spent long enough with the man in enclosed areas, it had become a moot point. None of us cared.
So I wasn’t sure what she was thinking about right now.
Moving closer to the pool, she crouched down and dipped one hand into it. She shot up, dropping her backpack and stripping off her clothes in record time. She slid into the water, shifting opposite Tamerin, letting out a loud groan as she settled in.
“It’s heated, Soren. And it is the perfect temperature!” Sighing again, she closed her eyes as she took out her braid, combing her fingers through the long strands once they were freed.
Fuck keeping guard.
Gazing around the cave, I found a spot out of the way to put my stuff. Then I undressed, folding each piece carefully before realizing I would have to wash them later as they smelled. Or I could burn them, if I couldn’t remove the stink of wearing them for several days. I dropped the remaining pieces onto the ground, kicking them out of the way.
I stepping down into the pool, I exhaled. Gods, was this heaven! A small ledge stretched underneath the surface that the other two were sitting on. So I found a spot between them where I could stretch out my legs and not kick my companions.
Leaning my head back, I closed my eyes and smiled.
A premonition about Lily filled my head.
She was in a room I didn’t recognize, reading a book. I studied the place, noticing how expensive the furnishings were, and frowned.
A large, scowling man entered the room and placed a tray on the table in front of her. She looked up a minute before a flash of mischievousness crossed her face. Lily never was the snarky one, but it appeared that side of her had risen to the surface wherever she was right now.
“Good morning! Good morn…ing!” She sang out. I recognized the song from an old movie she loved to watch when she was feeling melancholy.
If it was even possible, the man’s glare got darker. He clinched his fists and for a second, I thought he was going to punch my mate, but he turned away and headed for the door.
Lily switched to a different tune. “Goodbye! Good…Bye!” Waving a hand, it almost looked like she was practicing being a storybook princess.
The door slammed shut, rattling several figurines that sat on a nearby shelf.
She laughed, her voice gleeful. I had to grin, seeing how happy she was.
A short, squat woman shuffled in from another doorway. Her salt and pepper hair was up in a bun with wisps straying from the confinement. Her brown eyes rolled, while the smallest of smiles touched her lips.
“He is going to slip his leash one day, miss.” The woman’s accent was strong, but I was having a hard time placing it. Yet, it sounded like one from Earth. Greek? Turkish? I frowned again.
Lily shrugged. “He doesn’t dare. Apollo still has use for me.”
The woman moved to the table and poured from a ceramic pot on the tray, the rich dark liquid filling the cup. Steam rose from it as she added one small cube of sugar and a touch of milk. She handed it to my mate, who took it, smiling with affection at the woman.
Lily sipped it and hummed.
The woman lifted the covers on several dishes and unwrapped the napkin, exposing utensils.
“Well, be careful. Because once the master has no more use for you, he might give you to Octavius instead of sending you home. Then you will regret all your teasing.”
