The descendants, p.9
The Descendants, page 9
He was right but Damien’s deep green eyes and sharp, stubbled chin made it hard to think about midterms. The dorm was running warm and he’d peeled down to a slim gray t-shirt that kept riding up and showing his tight stomach. There was also the fact that I’d read a couple of short stories he’d written for a literary magazine and his writing turned me on as much as Asher’s paintings.
I said, “How about if I get it right, I give you a treat?”
“Um…” Damien chuckled at that, which made me think he wanted me to make the first move.
“So shy,” Ben whispered in my ear.
“Shut up,” Damien murmured. Ben nudged Damien’s leg with his foot and Damien rolled his eyes but he was smiling.
I rose to my knees and tugged at Damien’s shirt. “Romanesque.”
“That is correct,” Damien said, his eyes glimmering. He sat up and knelt in front of me and I pulled him forward into a kiss. I felt I knew Damien the least of the Quinns but my connection to him was just as strong and his kiss just as electrifying. I curled my tongue around his, pulling him closer.
“I think I’ll go pick up some snacks from the vending machines you two enjoy your...treat,” Ben said, starting to get up. I was so wrapped up in Damien, I barely heard him leave. His hand was massaging my breast through my shirt and I had deciding he had the best tasting neck of all the brothers.
Things would’ve gotten much sweatier in another minute if my phone hadn’t buzzed and I remembered that I was going to a study meet-up for my Aesthetics & Philosophy class.
“Shit,” I mumbled, as Damien made out with my collarbone. “I have to go.”
Damien whimpered helplessly. He sounded like a whiny puppy. It was out of character for him and it made me smile.
“Trust me,” I murmured. “Already starting to regret it. But - midterms.” I tipped Damien’s chin up and he kissed me once softly. “Aesthetics and Philosophy.”
Ben returned with candy bars and frowned to see Damien getting ready to leave. “Wait, is it over? What about my treat?”
“I’ll save your treat for later, Benjamin,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Midterms,” Damien said. “We understand.” He reached behind me, thwacking Ben in his flume of hair. “C’mon, you horn dog.”
Ben tossed the candy bars on my desk and sighed. “Ya know, Asher knows all that Aesthetics and Philosophy stuff. You could study with him?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Clearly I get a lot of studying done with you guys.”
“Sorry,” Damien said, looking sheepish. “I wanted to help.’
“That’s okay,” I said, kissing his cheek. “You’re sweet.”
“I wanted to help too!” Ben piped up. I spun around, raising an eyebrow. “I’m just bad at it.”
“You tried,” I said, and kissed him with a loud smack. “You guys better go. I’m liable to start tearing off my clothes at any second.”
They both froze and gaped at me, blinking. “Don’t wait for that happen!” I said, laughing. “Scram!”
“Okay,” Ben said, grabbing his sweater. He pointed to the ceiling. “What about…?”
“He hasn’t done anything since you guys put the spell whammy on him,” I said. “But don’t pretend there aren’t gonna be a couple of giant wolves hanging around tonight just in case.”
“Well...yeah,” Damien said shrugging. “Although making sure one or two of us are here all the time is getting…”
“Complicated,” Ben finished for him.
That gave me a bad feeling and I flushed. “Oh! Guys, you don’t need to do that at all, you know. Aiden hasn’t done anything since then and if I suspected -”
“Nah nah.” Ben waved a hand. “Selena, you’re our mate. You know that now. Asher’s not gonna let you go unguarded when we know there’s a potential threat to you. It’s just not gonna happen. We’ll figure it out.”
“Okay,” I said, still feeling a little guilty.
Damien fixed me with one of his steady gazes. “Please don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Just focus on your studies. We’ll figure out the rest.”
I nodded, leaving them with one more kiss each and saw them to the door, wishing Aiden would just leave school or, I don’t know, keel over and die suddenly.
“Sweetheart?” Ben said, nudging Damien. “That’s so cute.”
“Shut up,” Damien said.
I chuckled at their little interplay, closing the door behind them. I wished I could just go home with the Quinns. School had been so busy but a routine had developed of one Quinn or another meeting me in the morning or hanging out with me at some point during the day if only to have lunch. Where they hid as wolves while they guarded me during the night, I didn’t know. But I slept soundly with the assurance that they were out there, just in case. My schedule, not to mention the Quinns’, had been so jam packed, I hadn’t gotten the chance to see their place. I’d heard it described as a ‘lavish penthouse’ downtown. But I’d had papers and tests and no chance to visit.
The next morning I went to Medieval Art class, my head with my studies but my heart with the Quinns. I was setting up my laptop near the front of the auditorium when I saw Aiden walk through the door. It was strange, but I hadn’t even thought of him lately which only made me realize how much I’d had him on my mind before, in the worst way possible. Before, I’d gone to classes I knew Aiden would be attending with a sense of dread even if it was only in the back of my mind. Was he going to ask me out again and make me scramble to find a reason to say no when I didn’t need to give a reason? Was he going to block my way or pepper me with questions I didn’t feel comfortable answering?
I sat at my desk and and risked a look in Aiden’s direction. He was staring straight ahead. I focused on class but a part of me waited for him to bother me and he didn’t. When he walked out at the end of the lecture without a word, I felt a near thrill. Perhaps my new wizard-wolf boyfriends had knocked him into submission. I found myself grinning at the thought, my feet feeling light as I made my way out of class.
“Hey, beautiful!” That was Carter, appearing in front of the Arts building, and I tossed him a wave and took his hand, bringing him into a kiss. “How are you today? I just saw Aiden go by. He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”
“I’m wonderful now that you’re here,” I said, batting my eyes. He threw an arm around my waist as we walked. “No, not a peep from Aiden. I think he’s finally gotten the message.”
“Well, I hope so,” Carter said, as we walked to my next class. “But you know we’re gonna want to keep an eye out as long as he’s around. The only problem is, with everyone’s schedule…”
A ripple of anxiety coursed through me. I was too much trouble for them, no matter what Asher said. How presumptuous of me to think they could just keep watch at all hours when they had lives of their own. Of course, they had better things to do. I must’ve had my worry on my face because Carter stopped walking and turned to face me, tipping my chin up.
“Hey,” Carter said. “Don’t look so sad. I’m here with good news. Or, I hope so anyway.”
“What’s that?” I said, still feeling anxious.
“Well, Asher and, well all of us think it would just be easier if... “ He took a breath. “I don’t know why they sent me to ask, it’s like they knew I’d be nervous about it…”
“Geez, Carter. What?”
“We wanted to know if you’d consider moving in,” Carter said in a rush. “With us.”
I should’ve worried about the speed of things, I supposed. But all I felt was giddiness at the very idea. I guess next to dating wizard brothers who could also turn into wolves, moving in quickly really didn’t sound too shocking.
“Really?” I said. “Are you serious?”
“Well, yeah,” Carter said, as if I was being ridiculous. “You’re our mate. We were going to ask you eventually.”
“I like being your mate,” I said, kissing the corner of his mouth. “Of course, I’d love to.”
Carter lit up at that. “That’s great! You’d have your own room too, you know. We’ll make all kinds of space for you and -”
“You make it sound like I’m doing you a favor,” I said.
“That’s how we look at it, silly,” Carter said. And just for that, I kissed him again.
Selena
“I think I can carry one thing,” I said, even as Benjamin grabbed my backpack. Asher took my hand, helping me out of his shiny, black Tesla. He kissed my knuckles as I stood. With the Quinns helping me, I’d packed up my dorm in no time. Now we were parked in their building’s parking structure, our voices echoing as the guys shouldered my bags.
“Don’t think of it, m’lady,” Ben said, tossing me a wink.
“We are at your disposal.” Asher wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “We have keys for you, a parking card. No alarm codes for the penthouse though. It’s just spelled to hell. Very well protected.”
“Yeah,” Damien said gravely. “None of that weak hand stuff either”
“And you can borrow any of the cars whenever,” Carter added.
“Oh!” Ben said. “No, we should buy her a car though. She’s gotta have her own car.”
“Well, I figured we would eventually,” Carter said. “I just meant for now.”
“Don’t buy me a car!” I sputtered.
They all gaped at me. “But you don’t have one,” Asher said.
Ben shrugged. “Can’t live in L.A. without a car. I think it’s illegal.”
I opened my mouth, unsure of whether I should go along with such an absurdly generous offer or not. Damien patted my shoulder, frowning at his brothers. “Guys, you’re overwhelming her. One thing at a time.”
“Thank you,” I said, covering his hand with mine as we walked across the structure to the elevator. “I could actually go for a good burger more than a car about now anyway.”
“Oooh, burgers!” That was Carter, his eyes big. “That does sound good. Asher makes a great burger.”
“Accurate,” Asher said, nodding. “I think we have some good beef around if Damien didn’t eat it all. Damien gets into his moods and holes up writing for days and then gorges on meat. Still too thin though.”
“I didn’t eat it all,” Damien said quickly as he pressed their floor. “This time.”
“Huh.” I leaned against Asher in the elevator. I’d worn a new pair of heels that day and they were hurting my feet. I rubbed my left leg with my right foot under my skirt and saw Damien’s eyes follow the movement. “Didn’t figure you guys for burger types.”
“We’re wolves,” Ben said. “We love meat.”
“Oh, right.”
“I can cook,” Asher said. “But it’s Carter’s turn for clean-up.”
“Damn,” Carter muttered. “I’m beat, Ash. Rehearsals.”
“I’ll cover you,” Ben said, giving him a nudge.
“We could eat out,” Damien said. “I wouldn’t mind eating out.”
I leaned towards Damien in the tight space of the elevator and reached up to play with his hair. “You wouldn’t, huh?” I said in his ear.
He blushed so intensely I could feel it. But the brother who Ben claimed was ‘shy’ turned his head and softly said, “I’d love it.”
“Get a room!” Ben said, grinning. He pushed up his glasses and stuck his tongue out at us, seemingly gleeful, just as the elevators opened.
“I’m working on it, smartass,” I cracked.
I’d expected something luxurious with the way the boys threw around the word ‘penthouse’ but even that didn’t do their home justice. The Quinn residence was really the top three stories of a big brick building near Little Tokyo. The elevator opened into a spacious foyer. I’d expected modern design too but the floors were dark hardwood and the interiors were part exposed brick and part deep colored wallpapers in greens and woody browns, that is where a bookshelf didn’t take up a wall. Most of the furniture was antique. Even as huge as it was, the first word I thought of was ‘homey’ as Asher led me into a parlor where a spiral staircase led to a circular balcony on the second story. Floor to ceiling windows looked out on the city and I forgot to breathe for a second, trying to get my head around the idea that I would be living in such a place. Me, a girl who had slept on a couch in a crappy apartment for three years as a kid.
I strolled by an antique looking globe and gave it a spin. The place actually did look like wizards might live in it. Cool, young wizards anyway. “How many rooms does this place have?”
Carter stroked his chin. “Well, we each have a bedroom and then I have a dance studio, Ash has a studio, Ben has a music room, and there’s a library, and now you have the room where Damien’s office was.”
I whirled around to look at Damien who stood sheepishly leaning on a blue velvet chaise. “I’m putting you out of your office?”
“No no.” He waved a hand. “I don’t need an office. We have a library too. I’ll be writing in there. We’re absolutely spoiled with space.”
“Well, that was sweet of you,” I said, kicking his shoe.
Damien nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and locking his elbows. He looked like a nervous teenager on a date.
“I’m gonna get started on dinner,” Asher said, clapping his hands. “Damien, maybe you could give Selena the grand tour?”
“Excellent idea,” I said, taking his hand.
The tour took longer than it should have, even considering the size of the place. I had to sit down a few times when I became dizzy trying to get around this new reality. Fortunately, the Quinns had a series of fancy antique side chairs at convenient points in the penthouse, perfect for an overwhelmed mate trying to catch her breath. Damien showed me my room last and I could tell they’d had it remodeled a bit to suit me. Red Wolf hung on the wall, now properly displayed, and the interior design was a little more bohemian than the common rooms of the house. My stuff took up hardly any space but they’d supplied me with art books packed into a huge shelf next to the windows that looked out on downtown. They’d set up a little reading nook of big comfy floor cushions on the plush carpet. There were even prints of posters for concerts of my favorite bands on the wall and I knew that was Ben’s touch.
Outside, the city at night looked like an ocean of stars and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It’s exactly what I would have wished for,” I said, my voice breaking. “If I could pick anywhere to live in the city.” I felt Damien come up behind me and I turned a little to take his hands so he would wrap his arms around my waist. He sighed and kissed my neck and I reached back to ruffle his dark hair.
“We wanted to make a home for you that you’d like,” Damien said, and I shut my eyes as he pressed kisses to my throat. “I’ve never seen my brothers like this and I’ve never felt like this either. We just sit around trying to think of ways to make you happy.”
I turned around in the circle of his arms and kissed him softly. “You really don’t have to try.” We got caught up in kissing and I’d been thinking about Damien since that moment in the dorm with Ben but then his stomach rumbled I pulled away and giggled.
“I guess I am hungry,” Damien said, blushing.
“I’d make another joke about eating out,” I said. “But I’m guessing burgers are more filling for now.”
“For now,” Damien agreed, and I tugged him forward one more time and moaned a little when he bit my lip. He smiled, pulling away. I seemed to be working on relieving his nerves and that pleased me. “Oh, hang on.” He reached into his pocket and pressed something cool and metal into my hand. “We made you this ring. Well, we spelled the ring. For protection, I mean. We didn’t make it. It’s an heirloom, goes back to the first Quinn mate in the tenth century.”
“The tenth century,” I said gasping. I opened my palm and gaped at the intricate band of gold with a neat oval of emerald at its center. My hands shook as Damien took my hand and slipped the ring on my finger. “Damien, what if I lose it? What if something happens to it?”
“Don’t worry.” He kissed my hand. “It’s enchanted. It’s really hard to lose enchanted things. They have a way of making their way back to you. We spelled this ring to repel unwanted men.”
“As long as it’s only unwanted men,” I said. “Or I’ll be very lonely.” I mumbled the last few words into his mouth but I was a little weak with hunger too and reluctantly took a step back. “God, it’s like I’m on Spanish Fly. Let’s go see if dinner’s ready, huh?”
“After you, sweetheart,” Damien said, gesturing to the door.
I smiled, feeling almost bashful. There was something so old-fashioned about the endearment. “I like when you call me sweetheart,” I said.
“Then I always will,” Damien said, as we made our way out.
I was half through my second burger at dinner when Asher proposed a toast. I found myself hungrier than usual and wondered if there was some kind of magic working on me as the Quinns’ new mate. I would’ve been almost embarrassed by how much I was eating except that the boys kept pushing food in my direction and themselves ate with such gusto, not at all acting as if I shouldn’t be eating exactly the same way.
“A toast to our mate,” Asher said, looking a little glassy-eyed. “And to a future of shared love, shared desire, and shared lives.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and murmured, “Cheers.” Carter must’ve seen me looking teary because he squeezed my knee under the table.
“I never thought we’d have a mate,” Damien said, shaking his head. “Much less one so...astonishing. Of course, I haven’t looked at the lore in fifty years or so, maybe it was more detailed than I remember.”
I choked on my arugula and aioli topped burger and swallowed with difficulty, wiping my lips with my napkin. Thinking I must’ve misheard, I chuckled and said, “I’m sorry, how many years?”
“Fifty,” Damien said, shrugging.
Asher looked a little pale suddenly and said, “Uh oh.”
“What?”
“Asher,” Ben said darky. “You told her how old we are, right?”
My eyes went wide and I threw back the rest of my wine, bracing myself. Wizards, wolves...they could be five hundred for all I knew. I didn’t know how magic worked. Or were they immortal like vampires?
I said, “How about if I get it right, I give you a treat?”
“Um…” Damien chuckled at that, which made me think he wanted me to make the first move.
“So shy,” Ben whispered in my ear.
“Shut up,” Damien murmured. Ben nudged Damien’s leg with his foot and Damien rolled his eyes but he was smiling.
I rose to my knees and tugged at Damien’s shirt. “Romanesque.”
“That is correct,” Damien said, his eyes glimmering. He sat up and knelt in front of me and I pulled him forward into a kiss. I felt I knew Damien the least of the Quinns but my connection to him was just as strong and his kiss just as electrifying. I curled my tongue around his, pulling him closer.
“I think I’ll go pick up some snacks from the vending machines you two enjoy your...treat,” Ben said, starting to get up. I was so wrapped up in Damien, I barely heard him leave. His hand was massaging my breast through my shirt and I had deciding he had the best tasting neck of all the brothers.
Things would’ve gotten much sweatier in another minute if my phone hadn’t buzzed and I remembered that I was going to a study meet-up for my Aesthetics & Philosophy class.
“Shit,” I mumbled, as Damien made out with my collarbone. “I have to go.”
Damien whimpered helplessly. He sounded like a whiny puppy. It was out of character for him and it made me smile.
“Trust me,” I murmured. “Already starting to regret it. But - midterms.” I tipped Damien’s chin up and he kissed me once softly. “Aesthetics and Philosophy.”
Ben returned with candy bars and frowned to see Damien getting ready to leave. “Wait, is it over? What about my treat?”
“I’ll save your treat for later, Benjamin,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Midterms,” Damien said. “We understand.” He reached behind me, thwacking Ben in his flume of hair. “C’mon, you horn dog.”
Ben tossed the candy bars on my desk and sighed. “Ya know, Asher knows all that Aesthetics and Philosophy stuff. You could study with him?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Clearly I get a lot of studying done with you guys.”
“Sorry,” Damien said, looking sheepish. “I wanted to help.’
“That’s okay,” I said, kissing his cheek. “You’re sweet.”
“I wanted to help too!” Ben piped up. I spun around, raising an eyebrow. “I’m just bad at it.”
“You tried,” I said, and kissed him with a loud smack. “You guys better go. I’m liable to start tearing off my clothes at any second.”
They both froze and gaped at me, blinking. “Don’t wait for that happen!” I said, laughing. “Scram!”
“Okay,” Ben said, grabbing his sweater. He pointed to the ceiling. “What about…?”
“He hasn’t done anything since you guys put the spell whammy on him,” I said. “But don’t pretend there aren’t gonna be a couple of giant wolves hanging around tonight just in case.”
“Well...yeah,” Damien said shrugging. “Although making sure one or two of us are here all the time is getting…”
“Complicated,” Ben finished for him.
That gave me a bad feeling and I flushed. “Oh! Guys, you don’t need to do that at all, you know. Aiden hasn’t done anything since then and if I suspected -”
“Nah nah.” Ben waved a hand. “Selena, you’re our mate. You know that now. Asher’s not gonna let you go unguarded when we know there’s a potential threat to you. It’s just not gonna happen. We’ll figure it out.”
“Okay,” I said, still feeling a little guilty.
Damien fixed me with one of his steady gazes. “Please don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Just focus on your studies. We’ll figure out the rest.”
I nodded, leaving them with one more kiss each and saw them to the door, wishing Aiden would just leave school or, I don’t know, keel over and die suddenly.
“Sweetheart?” Ben said, nudging Damien. “That’s so cute.”
“Shut up,” Damien said.
I chuckled at their little interplay, closing the door behind them. I wished I could just go home with the Quinns. School had been so busy but a routine had developed of one Quinn or another meeting me in the morning or hanging out with me at some point during the day if only to have lunch. Where they hid as wolves while they guarded me during the night, I didn’t know. But I slept soundly with the assurance that they were out there, just in case. My schedule, not to mention the Quinns’, had been so jam packed, I hadn’t gotten the chance to see their place. I’d heard it described as a ‘lavish penthouse’ downtown. But I’d had papers and tests and no chance to visit.
The next morning I went to Medieval Art class, my head with my studies but my heart with the Quinns. I was setting up my laptop near the front of the auditorium when I saw Aiden walk through the door. It was strange, but I hadn’t even thought of him lately which only made me realize how much I’d had him on my mind before, in the worst way possible. Before, I’d gone to classes I knew Aiden would be attending with a sense of dread even if it was only in the back of my mind. Was he going to ask me out again and make me scramble to find a reason to say no when I didn’t need to give a reason? Was he going to block my way or pepper me with questions I didn’t feel comfortable answering?
I sat at my desk and and risked a look in Aiden’s direction. He was staring straight ahead. I focused on class but a part of me waited for him to bother me and he didn’t. When he walked out at the end of the lecture without a word, I felt a near thrill. Perhaps my new wizard-wolf boyfriends had knocked him into submission. I found myself grinning at the thought, my feet feeling light as I made my way out of class.
“Hey, beautiful!” That was Carter, appearing in front of the Arts building, and I tossed him a wave and took his hand, bringing him into a kiss. “How are you today? I just saw Aiden go by. He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”
“I’m wonderful now that you’re here,” I said, batting my eyes. He threw an arm around my waist as we walked. “No, not a peep from Aiden. I think he’s finally gotten the message.”
“Well, I hope so,” Carter said, as we walked to my next class. “But you know we’re gonna want to keep an eye out as long as he’s around. The only problem is, with everyone’s schedule…”
A ripple of anxiety coursed through me. I was too much trouble for them, no matter what Asher said. How presumptuous of me to think they could just keep watch at all hours when they had lives of their own. Of course, they had better things to do. I must’ve had my worry on my face because Carter stopped walking and turned to face me, tipping my chin up.
“Hey,” Carter said. “Don’t look so sad. I’m here with good news. Or, I hope so anyway.”
“What’s that?” I said, still feeling anxious.
“Well, Asher and, well all of us think it would just be easier if... “ He took a breath. “I don’t know why they sent me to ask, it’s like they knew I’d be nervous about it…”
“Geez, Carter. What?”
“We wanted to know if you’d consider moving in,” Carter said in a rush. “With us.”
I should’ve worried about the speed of things, I supposed. But all I felt was giddiness at the very idea. I guess next to dating wizard brothers who could also turn into wolves, moving in quickly really didn’t sound too shocking.
“Really?” I said. “Are you serious?”
“Well, yeah,” Carter said, as if I was being ridiculous. “You’re our mate. We were going to ask you eventually.”
“I like being your mate,” I said, kissing the corner of his mouth. “Of course, I’d love to.”
Carter lit up at that. “That’s great! You’d have your own room too, you know. We’ll make all kinds of space for you and -”
“You make it sound like I’m doing you a favor,” I said.
“That’s how we look at it, silly,” Carter said. And just for that, I kissed him again.
Selena
“I think I can carry one thing,” I said, even as Benjamin grabbed my backpack. Asher took my hand, helping me out of his shiny, black Tesla. He kissed my knuckles as I stood. With the Quinns helping me, I’d packed up my dorm in no time. Now we were parked in their building’s parking structure, our voices echoing as the guys shouldered my bags.
“Don’t think of it, m’lady,” Ben said, tossing me a wink.
“We are at your disposal.” Asher wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “We have keys for you, a parking card. No alarm codes for the penthouse though. It’s just spelled to hell. Very well protected.”
“Yeah,” Damien said gravely. “None of that weak hand stuff either”
“And you can borrow any of the cars whenever,” Carter added.
“Oh!” Ben said. “No, we should buy her a car though. She’s gotta have her own car.”
“Well, I figured we would eventually,” Carter said. “I just meant for now.”
“Don’t buy me a car!” I sputtered.
They all gaped at me. “But you don’t have one,” Asher said.
Ben shrugged. “Can’t live in L.A. without a car. I think it’s illegal.”
I opened my mouth, unsure of whether I should go along with such an absurdly generous offer or not. Damien patted my shoulder, frowning at his brothers. “Guys, you’re overwhelming her. One thing at a time.”
“Thank you,” I said, covering his hand with mine as we walked across the structure to the elevator. “I could actually go for a good burger more than a car about now anyway.”
“Oooh, burgers!” That was Carter, his eyes big. “That does sound good. Asher makes a great burger.”
“Accurate,” Asher said, nodding. “I think we have some good beef around if Damien didn’t eat it all. Damien gets into his moods and holes up writing for days and then gorges on meat. Still too thin though.”
“I didn’t eat it all,” Damien said quickly as he pressed their floor. “This time.”
“Huh.” I leaned against Asher in the elevator. I’d worn a new pair of heels that day and they were hurting my feet. I rubbed my left leg with my right foot under my skirt and saw Damien’s eyes follow the movement. “Didn’t figure you guys for burger types.”
“We’re wolves,” Ben said. “We love meat.”
“Oh, right.”
“I can cook,” Asher said. “But it’s Carter’s turn for clean-up.”
“Damn,” Carter muttered. “I’m beat, Ash. Rehearsals.”
“I’ll cover you,” Ben said, giving him a nudge.
“We could eat out,” Damien said. “I wouldn’t mind eating out.”
I leaned towards Damien in the tight space of the elevator and reached up to play with his hair. “You wouldn’t, huh?” I said in his ear.
He blushed so intensely I could feel it. But the brother who Ben claimed was ‘shy’ turned his head and softly said, “I’d love it.”
“Get a room!” Ben said, grinning. He pushed up his glasses and stuck his tongue out at us, seemingly gleeful, just as the elevators opened.
“I’m working on it, smartass,” I cracked.
I’d expected something luxurious with the way the boys threw around the word ‘penthouse’ but even that didn’t do their home justice. The Quinn residence was really the top three stories of a big brick building near Little Tokyo. The elevator opened into a spacious foyer. I’d expected modern design too but the floors were dark hardwood and the interiors were part exposed brick and part deep colored wallpapers in greens and woody browns, that is where a bookshelf didn’t take up a wall. Most of the furniture was antique. Even as huge as it was, the first word I thought of was ‘homey’ as Asher led me into a parlor where a spiral staircase led to a circular balcony on the second story. Floor to ceiling windows looked out on the city and I forgot to breathe for a second, trying to get my head around the idea that I would be living in such a place. Me, a girl who had slept on a couch in a crappy apartment for three years as a kid.
I strolled by an antique looking globe and gave it a spin. The place actually did look like wizards might live in it. Cool, young wizards anyway. “How many rooms does this place have?”
Carter stroked his chin. “Well, we each have a bedroom and then I have a dance studio, Ash has a studio, Ben has a music room, and there’s a library, and now you have the room where Damien’s office was.”
I whirled around to look at Damien who stood sheepishly leaning on a blue velvet chaise. “I’m putting you out of your office?”
“No no.” He waved a hand. “I don’t need an office. We have a library too. I’ll be writing in there. We’re absolutely spoiled with space.”
“Well, that was sweet of you,” I said, kicking his shoe.
Damien nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets and locking his elbows. He looked like a nervous teenager on a date.
“I’m gonna get started on dinner,” Asher said, clapping his hands. “Damien, maybe you could give Selena the grand tour?”
“Excellent idea,” I said, taking his hand.
The tour took longer than it should have, even considering the size of the place. I had to sit down a few times when I became dizzy trying to get around this new reality. Fortunately, the Quinns had a series of fancy antique side chairs at convenient points in the penthouse, perfect for an overwhelmed mate trying to catch her breath. Damien showed me my room last and I could tell they’d had it remodeled a bit to suit me. Red Wolf hung on the wall, now properly displayed, and the interior design was a little more bohemian than the common rooms of the house. My stuff took up hardly any space but they’d supplied me with art books packed into a huge shelf next to the windows that looked out on downtown. They’d set up a little reading nook of big comfy floor cushions on the plush carpet. There were even prints of posters for concerts of my favorite bands on the wall and I knew that was Ben’s touch.
Outside, the city at night looked like an ocean of stars and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It’s exactly what I would have wished for,” I said, my voice breaking. “If I could pick anywhere to live in the city.” I felt Damien come up behind me and I turned a little to take his hands so he would wrap his arms around my waist. He sighed and kissed my neck and I reached back to ruffle his dark hair.
“We wanted to make a home for you that you’d like,” Damien said, and I shut my eyes as he pressed kisses to my throat. “I’ve never seen my brothers like this and I’ve never felt like this either. We just sit around trying to think of ways to make you happy.”
I turned around in the circle of his arms and kissed him softly. “You really don’t have to try.” We got caught up in kissing and I’d been thinking about Damien since that moment in the dorm with Ben but then his stomach rumbled I pulled away and giggled.
“I guess I am hungry,” Damien said, blushing.
“I’d make another joke about eating out,” I said. “But I’m guessing burgers are more filling for now.”
“For now,” Damien agreed, and I tugged him forward one more time and moaned a little when he bit my lip. He smiled, pulling away. I seemed to be working on relieving his nerves and that pleased me. “Oh, hang on.” He reached into his pocket and pressed something cool and metal into my hand. “We made you this ring. Well, we spelled the ring. For protection, I mean. We didn’t make it. It’s an heirloom, goes back to the first Quinn mate in the tenth century.”
“The tenth century,” I said gasping. I opened my palm and gaped at the intricate band of gold with a neat oval of emerald at its center. My hands shook as Damien took my hand and slipped the ring on my finger. “Damien, what if I lose it? What if something happens to it?”
“Don’t worry.” He kissed my hand. “It’s enchanted. It’s really hard to lose enchanted things. They have a way of making their way back to you. We spelled this ring to repel unwanted men.”
“As long as it’s only unwanted men,” I said. “Or I’ll be very lonely.” I mumbled the last few words into his mouth but I was a little weak with hunger too and reluctantly took a step back. “God, it’s like I’m on Spanish Fly. Let’s go see if dinner’s ready, huh?”
“After you, sweetheart,” Damien said, gesturing to the door.
I smiled, feeling almost bashful. There was something so old-fashioned about the endearment. “I like when you call me sweetheart,” I said.
“Then I always will,” Damien said, as we made our way out.
I was half through my second burger at dinner when Asher proposed a toast. I found myself hungrier than usual and wondered if there was some kind of magic working on me as the Quinns’ new mate. I would’ve been almost embarrassed by how much I was eating except that the boys kept pushing food in my direction and themselves ate with such gusto, not at all acting as if I shouldn’t be eating exactly the same way.
“A toast to our mate,” Asher said, looking a little glassy-eyed. “And to a future of shared love, shared desire, and shared lives.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and murmured, “Cheers.” Carter must’ve seen me looking teary because he squeezed my knee under the table.
“I never thought we’d have a mate,” Damien said, shaking his head. “Much less one so...astonishing. Of course, I haven’t looked at the lore in fifty years or so, maybe it was more detailed than I remember.”
I choked on my arugula and aioli topped burger and swallowed with difficulty, wiping my lips with my napkin. Thinking I must’ve misheard, I chuckled and said, “I’m sorry, how many years?”
“Fifty,” Damien said, shrugging.
Asher looked a little pale suddenly and said, “Uh oh.”
“What?”
“Asher,” Ben said darky. “You told her how old we are, right?”
My eyes went wide and I threw back the rest of my wine, bracing myself. Wizards, wolves...they could be five hundred for all I knew. I didn’t know how magic worked. Or were they immortal like vampires?
