Page 6 of Enchanting Her Monsters
Arran lifts my chin with his finger and makes me look into his eyes. “I love you, Jade.You’reall I need.”
“Okay.” I hate that I’m so worried, but they are all so special to me, and I don’t want to disappoint them.
Osen’s voice breaks through my barrier I’ve learned to create to block him out.“Just be you, and you won’t disappoint them. They picked you because you’re perfect the way you are. You don’t need to change or be more. You just need to remember the confident version of yourself before Rob hurt you,”Osen speaks in my mind, then pauses.“We will help you get there.”
I take a deep breath. I used to be more confident before Rob the Worm infiltrated my mind.
“You want to help me?”I ask.
“As best I can… considering what I am.”
“You feel stronger,”I say, trying to change the subject. His kind offer makes me want to leak water from my eyes (as Flint might say), and I don’t want to get emotional over something he’s said since I’m still irritated with him.
“Your mating powered me up. But we can talk more later. I’ll let you have your time with Arran now.”He pauses and I feel the tension inside me brewing.“We must talk about the situation with your grandmother.”
“Okay.”I send him a mental wave goodnight to let him know I appreciate his support and care.
“Talking with Osen?” Arran asks.
“Uh, sorry.”
“It’s okay. I could see that you were somewhere else.”
“It’s weird to have your former friend and lover inside me, isn’t it?”
“It’s all weird, but it’s what it means to be with you.” Arran leaves a trail of kisses from my shoulder, up my neck to my mouth. Then he claims me with a fierce kiss. “For now, I’m going to hoard your attention, because to do otherwise might kill me.” Arran licks over the bite again, and I moan with need. “I need to be inside you again… soon.”
3
FAMILY BINDS
CALDER
Thankfully, after Jade showered off her mating dance dirt, the guys initiated nothing more with her.
I’m not jealous. Okay, maybe a bit. I wish I could enjoy someone’s touch again. Now that Flint has overcome his aversion, it’s given me some hope, but he was never broken like I am. He didn’t lose a huge part of himself because he died a horrific death.
I will never be the same. Though, perhaps I don’t have to be completely healed to endure being close to someone again?
Remembering the moment with Osen, while he was inside Jade’s body, I mull over how I was able to share a kiss with my old love.
That’s something, isn’t it?
But if I had to listen to my entire pack fucking that sweet witch while basically in the same room?AndI couldn’t join in? Nope, that’s a whole new torture.
I might be over the possible evil witch thing with her, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to pursue something with Jade. Besides, I don’t expect that she would be into me. Not after what an ass I’ve been.
I wouldn’t want her to think I liked her just because Osen possessed her, either. For some wild reason she confessed to me she worried about that with the other guys, and it struck me hard in my gut. If I’m honest, I don’t want to make that mistake with her if it really is Osen’s energy that attracts me to her. It wouldn’t be fair to any of us.
In the morning, I wake to discover Jade’s magical creatures sleeping on me—Sage, the rabbit, and Trouble, the guinea pig. I’m scratching the bunny behind the ears when Jade shuffles into the main room and finds me snuggling with the little ones. Her sexy curves are barely contained in her skimpy sleep shorts and tank top. Not that I’m looking.
When she sees her creatures with me, her eyes soften and the corners of her mouth lift in a small smile. She takes a step toward me, but then thinks better of it and asks, “Can I pet them too?”
“They’re your familiars, so yeah,” I say in hushed tones, not wanting to wake the other guys. I flick my chin for her to come over.
“Uh, I didn’t want to encroach on your space.” Jade kneels down beside my makeshift bed on the couch and strokes Trouble’s soft fur.
We share a quiet moment where it feels like the terrors of the realms aren’t pressing in on us. I watch her gentle fingers gliding down the guinea pig’s fluffy coat and find myself enchanted byher delicate hands. Loving hands. She isn’t at all like the witches that have hurt my pack and me.
