The glee in Charles’ voice was unmistakable.
“You nearly died, you’re burnt to hell, but you’re excited about more battles to come. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“In a nutshell? I still have to be your bodyguard. Although, you are entertaining, I’ll say that much. If your moods weren’t so bad, it might be a fun gig.”
“If my moods weren’t so bad? You have way worse PMS than I do!”
Charles raised his chin with an important air about him. “I am a man—I am not moody, I am stressed because I am important.”
I shook my head with a smile. “Idiot.”
*****
It took me two days to get on my feet. Stefan told me he wouldn’t have sex with me because he worried about my wellbeing; but when I took blood from him, then climbed in his lap, the fight went out of him.
We ate breakfast and dinner together, and slept in the same bed—a practice he wanted to continue forever. I wasn’t so sure. What would happen when he had to take a mate? Three people in a bed were too many for my taste. Plus, I wouldn’t be able to share him. I didn’t want another woman so much as looking at him for too long. It made our future extremely uncertain.
Add to that a bigwig coming to this clan specifically to evaluate my strange and usually not working brand of magic and…I needed a fast ride. I hadn’t made Charles scream yet, but I wanted to give it another try.
“Hurry up!” Charles yelled. He’d been waylaid with me, not admitting he needed time to heal. Thankfully, he didn’t have to. He was still my bodyguard, so he got to rest while I did. So, now that we took the opportunity to go for a drive, in which I would absolutely speed, he was antsy.
“Jesus, slow your roll. I had to put on my shoe—“ I cut off.
Sitting in the driver’s seat of my car, wearing a black and gold bowtie, was a ‘me’ sized teddy bear.
“What the hell is that?” Charles asked, staring.
I smiled, my heart filling with love. I felt an answering warmth through our shared link. “Stefan is fulfilling his duty.”
The drive was fantastic, flying over hills and speeding around turns. I felt as light as air. Charles swore three times. And all the while, the teddy bear was in the back, bouncing around like it was in a jumpy-house, grinning happily—a symbol of the love Stefan and I shared.
THE END