I could ask them to portal me as well, but I’ll need the trip to prepare myself. It would be strange if I didn’t escort Ramanu to Catalina, which means I’ll see her again. For the first time since I shoved her legs apart and tasted her pussy.
Desire shudders through me, and I do my best to mask the movement by slipping into the water. Goddess, her taste. The way she cried outmyname when she came. If I didn’t know better, I’d think her a witch who put a spell on me.
In fact...
The longer I swim, the more it makes sense. Yes, that must be it. People of our realm and those of the human realm don’t interact overmuch. The realms used to be easier to cross, but that hasn’t been the case for generations. Still, there were those trapped on the human side when the realms closed to each other. Their bloodlines run through select humans to this day. It’s entirely possible that some ancestor of Catalina’s dallied with someone magic. A siren, perhaps. It’d certainly fit with the way she draws me.
I swim to the surface near my home’s entrance. As promised, Ramanu stands on the small rock outcropping near the edge of the ward. They look vaguely uneasy to be surrounded by so much water with no shelter, which only serves to reinforce that they’re not a fool.
The sea holds any manner of dangers, even without me or one of my people dragging an enemy into the deep.
I surge out of the water and move to the ward. “I’ll need your blood.”
“Naturally.” They press their palm to one of their eye horns and then offer it to me.
I drag my fingers through the blood and then paint the symbol in the air in front of the ward. It’s keyed to me, so it allows me to modify it so Ramanu can enter. A few seconds later, the symbol flares a deep blue. “You may come and go as you please.” I glance at them. “As long as you behave yourself.”
“Darling, I never behave myself.” They give me a wolfish grin, but it falls away as quickly as it appears. They turn to the tower of rock in front of us. “Lonely place you have here. Why isn’t she in the keep?”
Admitting I might not have my people in line is admitting weakness. It’s one thing to do it with Embry, my heir. I certainly won’t be sharing those details with a bargainer demon. “Privacy.”
They snort. “If you say so.” Without an invitation, Ramanu steps forward and through the doorway into the tower that makes up my home.
I almost turn around and leave. If not for the fact that Ican’t, I certainly would. There’s absolutely no relief in the fact I must follow Ramanu through the door, that the choice is taken from my hands. I must follow Ramanu to ensure this check-in goes as it should.
We find Catalina in one of the bedrooms. She’s still wearing the torn dress from last week, though she’s obviously made some attempt to clean it. She’s lying on a bed and twirling her hair around one finger. “So. You came back.”
Ramanu takes in the room in a single sweep and spins on their heel to shove me back out the door. I allow it. I’m too shocked to do anything else. They slam the door to the bedroom and snarl at me. “What the fuck is this, kraken?”
“I don’t...” I clear my throat. “I don’t know.”
“This might not have triggered the contract, but don’t play the fool with me. This is not the living conditions Azazel expects for his humans and you know it.” They poke me in the chest with one long black claw. “I’m taking her out of here.”
“It’s fine.”
We both turn to find Catalina in the doorway. She looks paler than the last time I saw her, and there are dark circles beneath her eyes. She surveys us and shakes her head. “There’s no reason to fight about it. As you can see, I’m fine.”
“From what I cansee, that’s not the word I would use.” Ramanu has softened their tone, though. They poke me one last time. “I’m going to speak with her, and if I don’t like what she says,you’renot going to like whatIsay.”
There’s no time to respond, and honestly, I’m not sure what I’d say. Catalina is so clearly not okay that I don’t know how to wrap my mind around it. I’m a man of action, though, and there’s one action in particular I can take.
I find my staff, a young woman and an old woman, in the kitchen. They both straighten as I stalk into the room. There’s a proper way to do this, but I’m too frazzled to think clearly. “What’s the meaning of this? Why is Catalina still clothed in the same dress from a week ago and staying in a room covered in dust?”
The old woman, Della, frowns at me. “We’re following your lead, sir. She’s cast out, and so our actions reflect that.”
My lead.
Goddess, I’ve made a mistake.
I almost snarl at them, but I know this is my fault. Not theirs. Instead I say stiffly, “Catalina is my honored guest and shall be treated as such.”
Annis blanches. “I’m sorry, sir. I had no idea. If I’d known—”
“My fault,” I cut in. “But see that it doesn’t happen again. Have you at least been feeding her?”
“Of course.” Della draws back as if struck. “We’re not villains. She’s been fed.”
Annis leans around Della’s back to look at me. “We gave her plain bread,” she says helpfully.