Page 53 of Witchbane
“If Sebastian made me his scion, would his power sustain me?”
Nick seemed to think about that for a minute, while I was stunned by my mate’s idea. “Perhaps? The magic sustains Sebastian because he is part fae. In theory it would for you also.”
“Thank you. I have a lot to think about, and might have more questions for you,” Liam said. “We will see you in the morning? Perhaps Seb can try doors again?”
“Sure,” Nick agreed. He seemed to want to say something else, but shrugged and headed toward the door, closing it on his way out.
I reached out for Liam, grabbing his shirt and pulling him against me. He was still cold while I felt like a furnace. “Liam?” I asked, searching his face for answers.
“It’s a thought,” he said. “Our bond is not enough, obviously. A mate bond, versus a scion bond. There is nothing in the books about mate bonds. Only that the scion is a sharing of power.” He looked at the tray of food. One side with a sandwich, the other a jar of seeds, and a cup of water. “The mate bond ties us together, but it doesn’t give either of us access to each other’s power.”
“Can we do that though? If you’re a werewolf and not human?”
“I am human,” Liam said. “Right now, I am nothing but human. Would you be willing to share your power? Add one more bond to our already complicated tie?”
“Yes,” I said. If he’d asked me months ago, while I was still running from Felix, I’d have said not just no, but hell no. But Liam was mine, chosen by fate or not, he was mine, and I planned to bask in him until the end of my days. “I’d give it all to you if I could.”
“I think you are what you’re meant to be,” Liam said. “And if this scion thing ties us closer together, I’m fine with it. It would give us more time to learn to control your power, and to look for the Volkov.”
“He may be dead. I get the impression that it’s been years.”
“Decades,” Liam said. “Which means we’ve probably been gone only a few hours in our world. I still don’t want to linger longer than we have to.”
“But we don’t know how to get home either. And my magic is wonky; I can’t even open a simple door.”
He grinned. “I have ideas about that too.”
“About why I suck?”
“I like the way you suck,” he teased.
I groaned. “Stop being sexy.”
“Yep, sure. I’m being sexy on purpose.” He stood there being himself, and that was all it took to rev me up. “And that’s what you really want. You’ve had a day full of disappointment and are angry at yourself that you are tempted to go face some Underhill monster alone, and you want me to let you dissolve in depression rather than tempt you with all this?” He waved at his body.
“You don’t get how hot you are,” I reminded him.
“You tell me lots. As long as I’m it for you. Kiran is quite dashing, a fae prince and all that, and Nick has certainly become a very well-defined man.”
Was he jealous? “Uh…” I pointed to him and then myself. “Mated. For. Life.”
“Stop brooding and focus on me for a bit. I promise to make it worth your while.” He kissed me, a gentle touch of his lips to mine. He knew me far too well for a man who’d only been mine for a brief time.
“But I still have questions. What do we have to do?” I asked. “To make you my scion?” I glanced toward the food. If it would solve that problem, I was all in. We could figure everything else out in time. Making sure he was safe was most important.
“I have some more reading to do about that. But again ideas. Why don’t you eat? We’ll get comfy and maybe get a bit of rest? Sleep on the idea?”
“I need to read whatever you were reading.” Because I wasn’t going to put him in danger again. I wondered if I had to track Nick down to get those books back. “My magic is more likely to blow us up than do some sort of scion thing.”
Liam pointed to the one he’d kept, that Nick had written. “It’s good information, if a bit scarce in the beginning. He wasn’t coerced. But he also didn’t know much about what was happening. The book is a bit disjointed. But I’ll point out areas that seem to be clearer. I have faith in you. It takes two to make this work.”
“Should we just do it?” I hated the idea of him getting a cup of water and a handful of seeds. It wouldn’t be enough for any regular person.
He tugged me toward the bed. “Snuggles and sleep first. I’m fine. You’re probably more worn out than me. You created lots of brick walls today.”
I scowled. He kissed me again. “If you weren’t amazing and mine…” I grumbled at him.
Chapter 14