The Archer (The Blood Realm Series Book 3)(146)
Before the conversation could continue, the glass shimmered and a woman stepped through. Her shoulder length blonde hair shared the same air of disarray as her husband Etienne’s, giving the impression the wind had more to do with its current state than a comb. She wore a simple blue cotton dress that was caked with mud at the hem and smeared with dirt most other places. A slash of white over her shoulder and across her chest drew attention to the sling she wore and the little bundle of fur therein.
“Is she wearing a puppy?” Marian's voice was soft with the unmistakable appreciation for cuteness that struck everyone when they saw fluffy animal babies.
Adonis grinned. “A wolf, yes.” He took another sip of his whiskey. “It’s probably injured. Loupe takes her self-appointed guardianship of the wolves very seriously.”
“Is it a…werewolf pup?” Robin glanced from Loupe to Etienne.
The insinuation finally registered, and Adonis choked as his whiskey threatened to escape down the wrong tube. “No, just a wolf,” he wheezed.
Loupe’s attention landed on Etienne and she scurried across the floor to him without so much as a glance at anyone else in the room. Etienne’s face softened when he saw his wife, the aggression melting from his body like candle wax under the midday sun. His eyes darkened to chocolate brown, and he arched an eyebrow in amusement as his wife tugged on his shoulder and began whispering furiously in his ear.
Irina came through moments after Loupe. The rusalka was a raven-haired beauty with skin so pale one might easily believe she was a vampire like her husband. She wore a white blouse beneath a tight black bodice and a red skirt that flared around her legs as she walked. You couldn’t tell by looking, but Adonis knew Irina was nearly as well-armed as Kirill, her weapons hidden by her skirt, but easily accessible through a variety of well-disguised slits and open bottomed pockets.
Adonis perked up and nudged Robin. “That’s Irina, Kirill’s wife. Very politically savvy, but unlike her husband, she believes a friendly attitude and sincerity can be just as valuable as blackmail and contracts. You’ll like her. Watch Kirill’s face.”
Kirill’s blue eyes warmed from icy blue to a spring sky, his mouth curving into a very real smile that offered only a hint of fang. Irina put a hand on the side of his face and leaned in to lay a soft kiss on his lips before tucking her face into his neck and cuddling her body close to his. Adonis knew she was likely putting her ear near her husband’s mouth so he could give her a brief summary of what was going on, but it was still touching to watch.
The mirror shimmered again and Adonis set his glass on the floor. “Ah, and here is my wife.”
Ivy was dressed in a glittering golden gown that looked as if it could have been stitched together by threads of her own sunlight-fueled power. It shone as she walked, catching the firelight until it seemed as if she were wearing living flame. The display was so dazzling, it almost distracted from the multi-colored paint spatter that decorated the gown—along with Ivy’s ivory cheeks and long sunshine yellow hair. Her hair was still passing through the portal when she reached Adonis’ side and she took a moment to reel it in, tugging on the braid until it coiled in a pile beside her.#p#分页标题#e#
Adonis swept her off her feet, curling his wings around her to hide them from the room. Taking full advantage of their meager privacy, he closed his mouth over Ivy’s, kissing her with all the hunger that had built up inside him during their time apart. She sighed happily against his mouth, parting her lips to let him taste her, to satisfy the part of himself that ached so badly when they were apart. He’d fed before he’d left that evening, but even sated, his power licked hungrily at the hint of passion sparked by the kiss. An incubus was never truly full.
A new ripple of magic washed over them, ruffling his wings with its passing and announcing another arrival. Adonis reluctantly pulled away from Ivy and lowered his wings. Ivy swayed slightly when he put her back on her feet, sending a surge of masculine satisfaction through him. Her cheeks were a fetching shade of pink when she offered Robin and Marian a warm smile.
“You must be Robin and Marian. Adonis has told me so much about you, I feel as if I know you already.”
Robin took her hand in his, bending low to lay a kiss on her knuckles. “He has spoken much of you as well, Ivy. Though may I say, even his endless rambling about your beauty fails to do you justice. You are radiant.” He tilted his head, humor twinkling in his eyes. “And very colorful.”
Ivy’s hand flew to her cheeks and the tiny splatters of colors that dotted her skin like freckles. “Oh my, I must look a fright. I was painting when they came to get me and I didn’t have time to wash up.”