“Lorry?” I asked, wracking my brain for the English-to-American translation.
“A truck, you American Luddite,” he clarified. “For now, we’re going back to the penthouse. I’ve something specific in mind for this afternoon.”
‘Something specific’ turned out to be code for utilizing Guthrie’s home gym for what Rans generously labeled training. From my perspective, it felt more like being alternately pummeled by a stronger, more experienced opponent, and forced to the edge of my endurance on a succession of treadmills, ellipticals, and weight machines.
“This is never going to work,” I complained as we squared off, well aware of how ridiculous the idea of me trying to fight off Fae with a sword or dagger was. For Christ’s sake, I was a waitress.
“Not with that attitude, it won’t,” Rans agreed, and swept my legs out from under me almost casually. “But as long as you refuse to utilize your other skills in a fight...”
I gritted my teeth, and tried for the hundredth time to implement the countermove he was attempting to teach me. Shock of shocks, it didn’t work.
When I glanced up to find the sky dark beyond the wall of windows, I was surprised. If the idea had been to distract me from my worries, the hours of abuse masquerading as a workout had done its job, I supposed.
“What time is it?” I asked in a daze.
Rans glanced outside as well. “Time for a shower, followed by a soak in the hot tub. I expect the fireworks will be kicking off soon. Seems like as good a place as any to watch from, and your muscles will thank you tomorrow.”
I frowned at him. “But... I didn’t think to look for my swimsuit when we were at the house. I don’t have anything to wear.”
His slow blink was about as innocent as a hunting lion’s. “And your point is...?”
I blinked back. “Um, never mind. I’ll just go take that shower now.”
Half an hour later, I was naked in a rooftop Jacuzzi, leaning back in the arms of an equally naked vampire. My robe lay abandoned on a chair nearby, snuggled up to the loose pair of track pants Rans had been wearing. Fireworks lit the sky, the thunderous explosions of sound muffled by the distance separating us from the riverfront.
Rans had been right on at least one count—my muscles were thanking me already for the massaging jets and soothing heat of the water. I let my head loll back against his shoulder, aware of the hard length pressed to my back and the thread of sexual energy flowing from his body to mine. He smoothed my hair back from my temple as a fresh starburst of purple and white exploded in the sky.
“Try something for me,” he murmured against the shell of my ear.
I made a questioning noise. Exhaustion was starting to overcome my ennui surrounding this anniversary, but his words kindled a spark of curiosity.
His erection nudged my ass, sending a new tingle through me. “I can’t be around you like this without wanting to shag you, luv,” he said. “But I want you to see if you can isolate the feeling of my animus flowing toward you.”
“I can,” I said lazily. “I’ve been able to do that for a while now. Why?”
“Because I want to see if you can block the flow,” he said. “Just temporarily, mind.”
I straightened enough that I could crane around to look at him, not liking that request. “Again—why?”
He eased me back to rest against him as I had been doing before. “Because cultivating that ability will be important for something else I have planned in the next few days. This is just a test run... dipping your toe in the hot tub, as it were. We’re not shagging right now. I’m hard for you—that’s all. It’s a trickle, not a blast from a fire hose. It shouldn’t be that difficult for you to block me out.”
“So, you want me to stick my finger in the hole like the little Dutch boy and his dike?” I grumbled.
He snorted. “Are you trying to be provocative?”
I elbowed him in the ribs, feeling how the flow of his energy flickered as he absorbed the blow with a muffled oof.
“Vixen,” he grumbled. “How did you know I like it rough?”
“Lucky guess,” I retorted in my most withering tone. “Are you going to tell me why you want me to do this?”
“For now, I’m just interested to see how much control you have over it,” was all he said.
Even though the request still made me mildly uncomfortable for reasons I couldn’t articulate, now I was curious, too. I wriggled my ass against his dick, zeroing in on the sensation—trying to determine where it originated and how it flowed into me.
When I concentrated, I could feel warmth growing in the same chakra Caspian had instructed his magical lackey to attack when I’d been his prisoner in Dhuinne. That made sense, I supposed, though it also reminded me of things I really didn’t want to think about on today of all days.
Or... maybe those awful hours of torture were exactly what I should be thinking about. Somehow, my magic had protected itself from the Fae’s attack. The problem was, Rans’ animus wasn’t a threat to me. Quite the opposite. It was nourishment. Support. My succubus nature didn’t want to shut it out.
“You’re over-thinking this, aren’t you?” Rans asked, flexing his hips.
I sighed. “Probably. I’m not sure how to convince my body it doesn’t want what you’re offering.”
He paused for a moment. I could almost hear the gears turning inside his head.
“All right,” he said eventually. “Let’s reframe it, then. We’re not lazing in a hot tub, enjoying the celebration of your uppity little colony’s independence. We’re someplace else. I’m in danger. I can’t afford to leak any of my power out through my cock—I need to keep it all for myself.”
Almost despite myself, I pictured Rans in Caspian’s hands, fighting for his life. Something inside me jerked painfully,
