Ethan spoke. “Your Floromancer’s banshee scared the shit out of everyone, and Halvar was just being himself.”
I almost laughed. Ethan sounded so over it.
“She’s not my banshee. Tess is her own person.”
The banshee gave us a cheery wave.
“Is she always like that?” Ethan muttered.
“Depends. I’ve never seen her quite that feisty, but Halvar wasn’t exactly friendly to any of us.”
“Lords don’t need to be friendly,” Ethan said, his eyes resting on my face.
“Ah,” I said lightly. “There you are. For a moment, you seemed to be somewhat human.”
Moira snorted.
Ethan bared his teeth at me and turned away.
Caelan’s stormy gray eyes held a touch of worry. “Did anything else happen?”
The question was directed at me.
“No. Halvar isn’t a fan of Floromancers or maybe just me,” I said tightly. I wanted to tell him how relieved I was to see him, but that would make it weird. Caelan had saved me. From what, I didn’t know, but I’d come within inches of battling a Shifter Lord in my shop, I could feel it in my bones.
And that tinge of red …
I had to be imagining it.
Rowan plunked two more plants and a massive bouquet of seasonal flowers next to the register. “This is it. I swear.”
Moira’s eyes went a little wide, but she rang him up. Before she gave him the total, I went over and added a twenty percent discount. Rowan grinned when I told him the total.
“Nice! I got the friends and family discount?”
Caelan growled. “I’ve never received a discount.”
I shrugged. “Rowan didn’t come in here demanding anything nor has he thrown his weight around.”
Rowan’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, Caelan. I am a polite and demur customer. Not an oaf. You should try it sometime.”
Caelan smacked the back of Rowan’s head, which only served to make the other Lord laugh.
He leaned over the register desk. “Do you want me to be nice to you, Evie? Is that what you like? A kind and gentle man?” His eyes flashed with impotent rage, and I knew he wasn’t speaking in generic terms.
I handed Rowan his receipt and smiled. “Being kind and gentle isn’t a weakness, Caelan. Women always respond more to inner strength than outer physicality, no matter how good that outer shell looks.”
His lips pulled back in a savage smile. “So you’re saying you think I’m pretty.”
I laughed. “I’m saying Ben is kind and gentle and pretty.”
Rowan’s brows hitched up, and he took a step back.
Moira and Tess edged from behind the register. “We’re going to grab a box to pack up Rowan’s stuff,” the vampire murmured quietly.
“I should kill him for that,” Caelan whispered, his eyes flaring gold.
I blinked. “For what? Ben has the right to pursue whomever he wishes.”
