Havermouth, Present TimeAislen’s jaw dropped and then she laughed, leaning back against Talen, and turning so that she was cradled on his lap like a child. He wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face into the hollow of his neck beneath his chin.“Of course, you know,” she couldn’t believe her own stupidity. As the Triquetra knew what Talen was, he would know what they were. “I was torturing myself tonight to try to tell you…” She toyed with the key that he wore on a fine gold chain around his neck and the chest hair that curled in the v of his collar.“Hmm,” he lowered his head until his cheek was against hers and his beard tickled her skin. “You should not fear to tell me anything, Morgana.”“This is sort of a big something, though,” she told him. “The supernatural world does not like it when humans find out about them.”“Humans, yes,” he said softly. “But that is not what you are, is it?”“You know what I am?” She was surprised. “I don’t even know what I am.”“Not specifi

Havermouth, Present TimeInside the master bedroom, Talen framed her face with his hands. “Close your eyes little demon,” he murmured pressing his lips to her forehead.She smiled and obeyed. “But I like to see you, daddy, and there’s just so much to see…”His lips curved against her skin. “Just for a moment.” He lifted her chin, kissing the point of her cheek and then brushing his lips over hers. With her eyes closed, the sensation was intensified, and without his thoughts intruding on her own, she found herself focusing utterly on what he would do next with a devotion of attention that she did not normally get to experience during sex.She could feel the warmth of his skin and breath, the tickle of his beard as he took his time, hovering his mouth just off of hers before joining their mouths again. His hands stroked through her hair, trailing down to its ends, resting against her shoulder blades before moving down to her waist, the slight pressure encouraging her to lean against him

Havermouth, Present Time“There is no need to answer now,” Talen continued. “It is not something that should be rushed. I had not intended to raise it with you so soon,” he touched her collar, adjusting it on her throat. “This is enough for me for the time being.”“It means that I am yours?” She reached up to touch it.“To others, it means that you are under my protection,” he made a slight gesture with his head that was not quite a nod. “To me, it means that you have chosen to… allow me to spend time with you,” his lips curled in a half smile. “With the goal of persuading you to accept me as your mate.”She felt a fission cross her skin, and she blushed, squirming a little under the look in his eyes. “I’ve never been courted before,” she admitted shyly. “But it sounds nice, and I like that you want to court me.”He hummed in his throat and stroked his hand over her skull, drawing her to him and wrapping his arms around her, resting his cheek of the crown of her head as he embraced he

Havermouth, Present TimeShe woke with Talen as the grey light of dawn peeked through the window, her cheek and hand on his chest and her leg over his as if holding him to the mattress. He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Sleep, Morgana,” he murmured. “There’s no reason that you need to wake.”“There is actually,” she sat up and slid from the bed as he did. “I have an errand to do this morning before the town wakes.”He raised his eyebrows as he pulled up his jeans. “A pre-dawn errand?”“Yeah,” she felt silly admitting it to him. “I am the Secret Keeper.”He paused in buttoning his shirt and laughed. “Of course, you are,” he reached out and ruffled her hair. “I should have made the connection. You would know all the town’s secrets. A dangerous game though, Morgana,” he observed. “One that will bring you many powerful enemies.”“Yeah, that’s what the Triquetra said too,” she sighed as she pulled on her dressing gown. “But this town has been festering in it’s little secrets, and I’m s

Havermouth, Present Time“Oh my god, what happened?” June exclaimed from the front door.Aislen looked up from scrubbing red paint off the hallway wall. “Looks like blood, doesn’t it?” She said with false cheer. “I’m like a murderer hiding my crime. Except, it wasn’t my crime. Or, at least,” she amended. “I wasn’t the one with the spray paint. I did f-k the Triquetra, though, so I guess I did the crime. Still do the crime occasionally, it seems,” she added to herself.“Who did this?” June was horrified.“A good question,” Aislen dropped the scrubbing brush into the bucket of water and peeled off her gloves. “Someone who doesn’t want me to sell the house because who the f-k is going to buy a place which looks like a murder scene?”“Wow,” June looked through the open door into the master bedroom. “Just, wow.”“Playroom,” Aislen told her with a mischievous grin. “The bed’s designed for a lot of play.”“I’m not sure I even understand what you mean by that,” June admitted walking in and tr