sigh of relief. Things could have been beyond awkward, but it was
fine.
He spread out the items on the bed, and I joined him to
inspect his haul. “These should do for right now,” he said, staring down at
the clothes. “I’ll find you something better as soon as I can.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you have better things to do than
cater to me.” He was an emperor after all. I bit my lip. I really needed to
get out of here.
Ville shrugged. “I want you to be comfortable here.”
There was a knock at the door and Ibbe drifted in,
carrying a pair of kid boots and some stockings. She looked pissed. Apparently,
the wolf was out of the bag.
I glanced at the elegant dress that lay on the bed and
back at her in dawning horror. “Are these your clothes?”
The pale blond Fallen regarded me with eyes like dark blue
daggers. “Ville asked me for a nice dress. Does it not suit your taste? Would
you prefer a flour sack and some rope?”
“Ibbe…” Ville’s voice was full of warning. “Please treat
Wren with respect. She’s important to me.”
He gave me an apologetic look and started for the door.
“I’ll meet you in the dining room in a bit. I have some things to do first.”
The door closed and I turned to the icy woman, bracing
myself for an attack. Instead, she crossed to the bed and picked up the dress,
then returned to me with a neutral expression on her face. “I think this will
fit, but we might have to make some alterations. I have a few other dresses
that we’ll have tailored. It will be faster than going to town to purchase
something.”
I regarded her warily. “Why are you being nice now?”
She arched an eyebrow at me. “I know you’re a Shifter. I
don’t trust you, and I certainly don’t think a disgusting beast like you
belongs in Ville’s bedroom.” At least she was honest. She shrugged, and some
of the tension left her shoulders. “However, he has asked me to treat you with
respect, so I will.”
I crossed my arms and regarded her with disbelief. “You’ll
be kind to me- even let me wear your clothes- just because he said to play
nice? Even when he’s not here?”
She nodded and handed me a pair of lacy underwear. “You
may not understand this, because your people are so barbaric, but we follow
Ville because we trust and love him. If he asks us to do something, we do it
because he’s our friend, not out of some fear of punishment.”
I slipped into the bits of lace and took the proffered dress.
It was a high necked, short-skirted thing in the Victorian style, with dozens
of buttons and ruffles down the front. Possibly the most beautiful thing I’d
ever worn. “Thank you,” I said softly.
She inclined her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement.
“If you ever endanger him, I’ll kill you.”
I met her eyes. “Thank you.”
She looked startled at my response. Giving herself a
visible shake, she came and helped me with the buttons, and then she stood
back, frowning. “Well,” she said with a sigh. “I suppose it will be okay.
The others will need to be let out a bit though… and we’ll have to take up the
hem.”
I opened the wardrobe and studied myself in the mirror on
the inside of the door. The dress was flattering on me from the waist up,
fitting perfectly over my small chest. However, the bottom was a bit…
stretched… over my generous butt.
I forced a smile. “It’s fine.”
Ibbe regarded me with suppressed amusement. “Breakfast
will be waiting for you.” Her eyes rested on my rear end. “But maybe you
should skip it.”
I accompanied Ville down to the cozy little dining area
where he had sat with Ibbe and Marshall the night before. I was more than a
little surprised that the Fallen even observed mealtimes. I wondered just what
they were going to eat for “breakfast.” And what would I do if they dragged a
human in here?
When we arrived,
fine.
He spread out the items on the bed, and I joined him to
inspect his haul. “These should do for right now,” he said, staring down at
the clothes. “I’ll find you something better as soon as I can.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you have better things to do than
cater to me.” He was an emperor after all. I bit my lip. I really needed to
get out of here.
Ville shrugged. “I want you to be comfortable here.”
There was a knock at the door and Ibbe drifted in,
carrying a pair of kid boots and some stockings. She looked pissed. Apparently,
the wolf was out of the bag.
I glanced at the elegant dress that lay on the bed and
back at her in dawning horror. “Are these your clothes?”
The pale blond Fallen regarded me with eyes like dark blue
daggers. “Ville asked me for a nice dress. Does it not suit your taste? Would
you prefer a flour sack and some rope?”
“Ibbe…” Ville’s voice was full of warning. “Please treat
Wren with respect. She’s important to me.”
He gave me an apologetic look and started for the door.
“I’ll meet you in the dining room in a bit. I have some things to do first.”
The door closed and I turned to the icy woman, bracing
myself for an attack. Instead, she crossed to the bed and picked up the dress,
then returned to me with a neutral expression on her face. “I think this will
fit, but we might have to make some alterations. I have a few other dresses
that we’ll have tailored. It will be faster than going to town to purchase
something.”
I regarded her warily. “Why are you being nice now?”
She arched an eyebrow at me. “I know you’re a Shifter. I
don’t trust you, and I certainly don’t think a disgusting beast like you
belongs in Ville’s bedroom.” At least she was honest. She shrugged, and some
of the tension left her shoulders. “However, he has asked me to treat you with
respect, so I will.”
I crossed my arms and regarded her with disbelief. “You’ll
be kind to me- even let me wear your clothes- just because he said to play
nice? Even when he’s not here?”
She nodded and handed me a pair of lacy underwear. “You
may not understand this, because your people are so barbaric, but we follow
Ville because we trust and love him. If he asks us to do something, we do it
because he’s our friend, not out of some fear of punishment.”
I slipped into the bits of lace and took the proffered dress.
It was a high necked, short-skirted thing in the Victorian style, with dozens
of buttons and ruffles down the front. Possibly the most beautiful thing I’d
ever worn. “Thank you,” I said softly.
She inclined her head ever so slightly in acknowledgement.
“If you ever endanger him, I’ll kill you.”
I met her eyes. “Thank you.”
She looked startled at my response. Giving herself a
visible shake, she came and helped me with the buttons, and then she stood
back, frowning. “Well,” she said with a sigh. “I suppose it will be okay.
The others will need to be let out a bit though… and we’ll have to take up the
hem.”
I opened the wardrobe and studied myself in the mirror on
the inside of the door. The dress was flattering on me from the waist up,
fitting perfectly over my small chest. However, the bottom was a bit…
stretched… over my generous butt.
I forced a smile. “It’s fine.”
Ibbe regarded me with suppressed amusement. “Breakfast
will be waiting for you.” Her eyes rested on my rear end. “But maybe you
should skip it.”
I accompanied Ville down to the cozy little dining area
where he had sat with Ibbe and Marshall the night before. I was more than a
little surprised that the Fallen even observed mealtimes. I wondered just what
they were going to eat for “breakfast.” And what would I do if they dragged a
human in here?
When we arrived,
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