Page 12 of Dream Lost (The Fae Universe #12)

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B ridget had been thinking of kissing him, and it took every ounce of Bas’s strength not to take advantage of that. It certainly didn’t stop him thinking about it as he drove her home through the tight Dublin streets and across the river. Bridget was chewing on her lips, her eyes unfocused and not saying anything.

“You okay?” Bas asked when they got stuck at traffic lights.

“Yeah, it’s going to sound silly, but I’m trying to remember how dirty my apartment is before I let you up there?” she replied.

Bas laughed. “That’s not going to bother me, and it shouldn’t bother you either. Magicians are all chaotic, and cleaning really isn’t high on their priorities list.”

“But your house is perfect…”

“And cleaned by magic. You really see Valentine running about with a feather duster anytime soon?”

Bridget stopped chewing her lips as laughter bubbled through them. “I don’t know about Valentine, but I think you’d look cute in a maid’s outfit.”

Bas pulled a face. “Don’t have the legs for it. Cleaning spells are easier. Honestly, I don’t know which relative set up the spells, but they have remained strong. The Greatdrakes have lived in that house for centuries.”

“Explains all the books,” Bridget said with a small sigh. “You might struggle to get me out of that library.”

“You can stay as long as you want,” Bas replied.

How about forever? his dragon echoed. It was not going back to sleep. Maybe he needed to have a talk with Taranis. Was it really his dragon, or was it a side of his personality that he just referred to as his dragon?

Bas pulled into a park down the street from the store’s entrance way. “Marge first or your apartment?”

“Marge. She’s going to ask questions and probably flirt with you and think that we are...that… you know...” Bridget struggled.

“That we are dating?”

Bridget coughed. “That’s the sanitized version of what she would be thinking. Trust me, I have seen her reading preferences, and let’s just say they are adventurous.”

“Then let’s play that up. I don’t want her panicking that there’s some monster loose in Dublin because she talks to everyone,” Bas replied. A thought occurred to him, and he paused with his hand on the door. “Unless it would make you uncomfortable at the thought of dating me?”

“I’ll keep that a secret, like you know, the dragon shit you haven’t told me about,” Bridget replied with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Oh, like that, is it,” Bas said, opening the door for her.

“Yup.”

Marge was pouring herself some tea from a Royal Albert pot covered in roses, and she beamed at them as they approached the counter.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Basset Greatdrakes. You are making a habit of this, my boy,” she said and then tapped her cheek.

Bas dutifully kissed it. “Marge, would you be terribly upset if I whisked your Bridget away for a few days? I have a place in the north I would love to show her. It’s by the sea. Terrible weather is due, but it would be a good excuse to stay inside. By the fire.”

Bridget made a choking sound, but Marge threw her head back and cackled wildly.

“Praise the goddess! She’s finally going to get out for a few days. I’ve heard of the mystical powers that the Greatdrakes have, but this is truly a miracle.”

“Thanks, Marge. Just tell him I never date, why don’t you,” Bridget muttered, her ears going a dusky pink.

Marge’s grin turned even dirtier. “Don’t worry about that. I’m sure a clever lad will see you’ve just been selective. He can blow the cobwebs out for you.”

“She did say I’d look good wielding a feather duster,” Bas replied, making Marge howl.

“I’m going to pack my bag, and if you keep teasing me, I’m going to change my mind and stay home,” Bridget declared.

Bas took her hand and kissed it. “Quickly now. Lead the way so we can get your clothes.”

“Not that she’ll need them,” Marge called behind them.

“You’re the worst,” Bridget said, opening the door at the back of the shop that revealed an internal staircase.

“Let her believe it. She won’t worry that way,” Bas replied, following her up. “Besides, you never know; I might have a feather duster somewhere if there are any cobwebs you need cleaning.”

Bridget gave him the finger over her shoulder and opened another door. Inside was filled with books, and Bas expected nothing less.

“Don’t mess with the piles. They are all in a special order,” Bridget warned him. She headed for her bedroom, and Bas knew better than to follow.

One wall was covered in clippings and articles, a lot of them about the fae and Morrigan’s attack on Dublin. She had said they had saved her life, and it looked like she had been keeping tabs on their activities.

The stack of books beside it were graphic novels, Doctor Strange and Moon Knight dominating. Bas couldn’t help but smile. They were his favorites too. One pile of books was translations of the Hermetica , and another was a collection of science magazines specifically about brains. One had an article he had written that made him smile, but he didn’t move it to the top because he promised her he wouldn’t touch anything. There were stacks of theology, philosophy, and ancient history.

“You really are a magician,” he said, looking over the titles. He called out. “Which Doctor Strange is your favorite?”

“The Loki: Sorcerer Supreme arc that starts in issue #381,” Bridget replied, returning to the lounge with a black backpack slung over her shoulder. “I love Loki too, so it was a double bonus. Why are you grinning?”

“Because you are going to get along really well with my extended family,” Bas replied, and because he couldn’t resist trying to impress her, he added, “We might be the guardians of Fenris’s resting place.”

Bridget’s eyes went wide. “Are you fucking with me right now?”

“Nope.”

“Bas, why would you tell me that? Do you know how dangerous it would be for anyone knowing that? If crazy people find out, they would torture the information out of you and would try and wake him up.”

“Crazy people already did, sweetheart. We stopped them, and that’s why we are now his guardian,” Bas said. He picked up a copy of Moon Knight. “If you were to be the avatar of any god, which would it be?”

“Who would you be?” she countered.

“Let’s say it at the same time. Ready? One, two, three...”

“Hermes,” Bridget said.

“Thoth,” Bas said. He beamed down at her. “You really are the perfect woman.”

“Ha! Said no one ever,” Bridget replied.

Bas touched her lightly on the cheek. “I’m standing here, saying it right now.”

Bridget stared up at him, the vulnerability in her eyes smacking him in the guts. “It might take some time to believe it. I haven’t had the greatest life, Bas.”

He pointed at the wall of newspaper clippings, the ones all about the fae.

“You said they saved your life. Does that have something to do with it?”

“Yeah, it does,” she said and swallowed hard. “But you’ll need more than cookies to get it out of me.”

“Hmm, so it’s more of a chocolate and hazelnut torte situation?” he replied, trying to chase the shadows from her eyes.

Bridget huffed out a laugh. “Definitely a torte worthy conversation. Rum involved. Lots of rum.”

“When you are ready, let me know. I’ll get out my grandmother’s recipe for it and raid the cellar,” Bas replied, holding out a hand. “Let me carry that, or Marge will rip shreds off me.”

“I can carry my own bag,” Bridget grumbled but still passed it to him. “She’s going to heckle us anyway, and it’s your own fault.”

Bas only smiled and let her go first down the stairs. She waited at the bottom and then took his hand. “Just to keep up appearances.”

Bas’s heart tripped as her slender fingers twined with his. He didn’t dare open his mouth and risk her letting go.

“Okay, Marge, we are leaving,” Bridget called out through the stacks as they wended their way to the front door. “Stay off the damn ladders while I’m gone, and no online gambling or flirting with anyone who claims to be an African prince who just came into his fortune.”

“You want to ruin all of my fun,” Marge said, coming around the corner with a pile of books under one arm. “Remember to use protection and hydrate, you crazy kids.”

“We will,” Bas replied and winked.

“Oh my god,” Bridget groaned. “Go. Now. Or she’ll start suggesting positions.”

When Bridget didn’t let go of his hand when they were out of the store, his heart soared. Bas knew their dating ruse wasn’t real, but his dragon didn’t know that. He was happy in the knowledge that Bridget would be tucked safely under his wings…where she belonged.

Yeah, it was definitely time to talk to Taranis.