Page 15 of Enchanting Her Monsters
“I won’t go rogue again. I realize how my stupid, impulsive decisions have hurt my pack, most significantly Calder and you.”
Entering our empty cabin, I shuffle to the enormous bed and flop down. My mind wanders over all the things I should be doing now for my author career. I have promotions to run. Books to write and edit.
“Do you think I can set up my computer stuff and check my accounts?” I ask Osen.
“I think there might be too much interference with Amira’s cloaking magic. Besides, it’s probably best to ask Maxum to portal you somewhere else far from here, just in case Rob can track you somehow.”
Not being a computer expert, I don’t know how likely that is. But I’ve seen spy movies that suggest if Rob has someone skilled in hacking, they might be able to ping my location. “You’re right,” I say with defeat in my heart. Things may never be normal for me again.
“Rest now, Jade. We can get all that figured out when you wake up.”
As I close my eyes and drift off, Osen’s presence shifts from just a disembodied voice in my head to a fully formed male in my dreams. He’s standing in front of me in what he calls the shadowscape—where an incubus’ magic resides.
He hasn’t bothered to render imagery of the surrounding setting. We stare at each other amidst the darkness. There’s only enough light to see each other. I study his handsome face since it’s the first time he’s appeared in a highly detailed human form. Before, I’ve only seen him as a shadow person, each time with increasing detail.
He’s also completely naked and my eyes dip down to appreciate his toned and well-equipped body. But it’s his intense gray eyes that draw my attention. His shoulder-length, wavy brown hair frames his masculine face in a casual, yet stylish, way.
Seeing him how he was in life assures me that Osen never had an issue feeding his magic with sexual partners.
He’s fucking gorgeous.
Even his dead body was beautiful, since it hadn’t decayed at all. The only thing that took away from his allure was the obvious lack of life in his body as it rested in a glass coffin.
Too bad that true love’s kiss couldn’t wake his sleeping beauty.
But then part of me wonders if anyone tried. Calder probably didn’t attempt that with his aversion to touch.
“Your mind is somewhere else.” Osen smirks. “I thought seeing me naked like this would at least amuse you.”
“My mind has more than one track,” I tease. “Horny isn’t the only setting I have.”
It’s strange that he can’t just read everything going on inside my mind. But I’m grateful for that now. My chaotic, wandering author's mind would likely baffle him.
“We need to ask Maxum about your body—why it looks so well preserved,” I say with a frown of concentration. This has been low-key bugging me since the bunker when I saw his body in person.
“Yes, I hope now that things have settled, we can unravel that mystery,” Osen agrees, then opens his arms.
I don’t fall into his embrace even though his gorgeous naked form is acting like a magnet to my nether regions. “What if I’m a lust witch? You heard that, right? Isn’t that what you thought I was when we first talked?”
“I was worried that you were seducing my pack, yes.”
My heart squeezes with fear. “What if it’s not really me?—”
“Shush.” Osen’s face becomes fierce. He steps closer and places a thumb on my lips. “If you even have that ability, it isn’t why they like you. I should know. You aren’t the only one who has dealt with this bullshit.”
That thought shuts me up. He’s an incubus. I imagine that’s a far more powerful influence over others than a lust witch.
I move my trapped lips to talk. He slowly drags his thumb away as he stares at my mouth with interest.
I resist the urge to bite my lip and force myself to remain focused. “In your life, you’ve worried about whether your intimate partners actually cared for you, too.”
“Constantly.” His jaw flutters with the emotions raging inside him. “Always.”
“How did you deal with it?” I ask.
“I didn’t. It’s only now I realize that Calder really cared for me.”
“Cares,” I remind him firmly. “Helovesyou.”
