Guardian by Sam Cheever

the room’s many floor to ceiling windows with a frown on his handsome face. Somehow I didn’t think it was because of our sleeping situation.
    “Okay, then I’ll sleep on the divan.”
    He shrugged his shoulders, “If that makes you happy.” But his voice told me he was only half listening.
    I walked over to the window and looked out. The room where Faerydae had put us was high in a turret at the back of the castle. The window we stood before provided a beautiful view of the ocean in the near distance, just over a narrow ridge of rock that bounded the castle grounds on one side. The wide, sparkling strip of blue was dotted with ships. I knew Faerydae sold her Elvin wares around the world, in the human as well as the magical realms. “What’s the matter?”
    He glanced at me. “I’m not sure. I feel as if someone watches us.”
    I peered around a moment longer and then turned away. “I’m sure someone is watching us. It seems you have enemies everywhere you go.” And, stuck to him as I was, I was inheriting his enemies.
    After another moment he turned away from the window, but he pulled all of the drapes closed. I walked over to a large table that held a basket of fruit, some of which I didn’t recognize, and a decanter of something in a pretty amber color.
    I poured myself and Ian a glass and walked over to hand his to him. I sat down on the divan, grimacing as my butt nearly pinged off its hard surface.
    I would have to make sure he was the one who slept on the divan.
    “We need to get rid of the binding charm you’ve placed on me.”
    My gaze jerked to his. I shook my head. “Not happenin’, Elfaery.”
    His eyes narrowed. “Very funny.”
    I grinned at him. “It’s better than half breed isn’t it?”
    He just shook his head. “If you don’t remove the bind Aubrie will use it against me.”
    I sipped the amber liquid. It was very sweet, with a small tang. I licked my lips. “Mmm, what is this?”
    Ian looked at his glass and set it down. “Ambrosia.”
    I took another sip. “I like.”
    “Take it easy on that stuff. It tastes like nectar but it’s extremely potent.”
    I took another sip. “I can handle it.”
    Ian’s brown eyes took on a speculative glint but he didn’t respond. He walked over and sat down beside me on the divan. “You do know how to remove the bind don’t you?”
    I blinked. “Huh?” I took another sip. “Mmm. Dat’s good.”
    Ian grabbed my hand before I could slug back another mouthful of the ambrosia. “The bind you put on me…we need to remove it. The sooner the better now that Aubrie knows about it. You can remove it right?”
    I grinned at him. He was very pretty. “Of course not.”
    “Damn!”
    “You’re pretty.”
    His gaze jerked up and he grinned. “That didn’t take long.”
    I blinked. “What didn’t?” He was damned pretty. Suddenly I wanted a little taste. My gaze focused on his lips. They were full, and looked very soft. Maybe just one little nibble. I leaned closer, my eyes fixed on his mouth. I lost my balance and fell forward, catching myself with a hand on his leg before I landed face first in his crotch.
    Ian gasped. “I’d prefer you not use that particular part of my body as a crutch.”
    I looked down and blinked. My hand was cupping the pretty bulge at the juncture of his muscular thighs. “Oops!”
    I started giggling.
    But I didn’t remove the hand.
    Finally Ian pulled my hand away from his family treasury. “I told you to go slow with that stuff.”
    “I am going slow. I only wanted a taste.”
    He frowned at me. “Maybe we should put you to bed for a while.”
    I purred, waggling my eyebrows at him. “Oh yeah. Let’s go to bed. I want a taste.”
    He shook his head and stood, pulling the glass out of my hand.
    I held on so hard he nearly had to break the glass to pry it out of my fingers.
    He set the pretty crystal, which was nearly empty, on the floor and, before I knew what he was planning, scooped me up and threw me