Part 75 (2/2)
We thought it was awesome.
”I'm already keeping my eye on it,” I told Apollo.
”Good,” he murmured, his voice lower, quieter, even more drowsy, and thus very sweet.
Therefore I whispered, ”Goodnight, baby.”
He gave me a light squeeze and whispered back, ”Goodnight, dove.”
I felt his big body relax, s.h.i.+fting slightly forward, some of his weight settling into mine.
And when it did, I tipped my head back.
Apollo had extinguished the lights but the fire in the grate was still blazing. Still, the weak light of the flames barely illuminated the shadows dancing across his features.
He was beautiful at rest.
He was beautiful all the time.
His beauty s.h.i.+ned outwardly and reached deep into his soul.
He had it all to give and he wanted me to have it.
And I was taking it.
I lay in that bed in the warm safety of Apollo's arms, having it all.
Yet, I still felt empty.
Two nights later, the lamps out, the firelight dancing, Apollo having decided he wanted to feel the silk of my nightgown against him as he slept so he'd dressed me again after he'd made love to me, I lay on top of his body, running my lips along his collarbone.
”Can I ask you something?” I whispered against his skin.
His hands spanning my hips tensed, giving me a squeeze when he answered, ”You can ask anything, poppy.”
I lifted my head, slid up him and raised my hand. I watched my fingers drift through the dark hair that had fallen on his brow, smoothing it away and I left my fingers in it as I turned my eyes to his.
”What gives with the wolves?” I asked.
His brows drew together as his hands at my hips glided around so he could hold me. ”What...gives?”
It was cute, and sweet, how he reacted to the way I said things in the terms of my world.
I didn't tell him that.
I explained, ”That night, after those things attacked us and you showed, you talked to a wolf and, I mean, I know men can talk to wolves and such, but it seemed like something more.”
”Ah,” he murmured but said no more.
”Ah?” I pushed.
”You do not know.”
”No, I do not know,” I confirmed the obvious, since I was asking.
”I am an Ulfr,” he stated, and I stared.
When he said no more, I informed him, ”Uh, I know that, sweetheart.”
”The Head of my House,” he went on.
”I know that too.”
”Ulfr Heads command the wolves.”
At that, I blinked.
Apollo kept talking.
”The House of Ulfr has always commanded the wolves. It's more than talking to them. They do our bidding, specifically, if needed, during war.”
Wow.
The book on the Houses that I read in Fleuridia hadn't mentioned that!
And that was cool!
”Seriously?” I asked.
He grinned and his arms tightened around me. ”Seriously, dove.”
”So, you bid them to help me when I was in danger?”
”For the most part, yes. The night before the gale, I felt you were protected but I had concerns and wanted to be certain. So I called to the pack leaders and bid them to stay alert, patrol, and come to your aid if it was needed.”
”That was what you were doing before you came back to bed,” I noted.
”It was.”
That explained that.
Apollo kept the information flowing. ”The alliance between the Head of the House of Ulfr and the wolves is strong. This is because, during war, they can sustain many casualties thus we do not call on them often, only if the situation is important or dire. And if they do sustain casualties, we avenge them. Therefore, someone involved in this plot, if found, tried and deemed guilty, as treason carries the death sentence without question, they will be turned over to the wolves. The wolves will then tear the perpetrator to shreds as vengeance.”
Uh.
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