Falling in Love with the King of Beasts

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*****

GAHRYE

Nerves trilled in Gahrye's stomach as they walked out of the dining room and into the large, main hallway that held the massive, central staircase. He ached to touch her, but there were too many doors, too many staff that might see. But his hand was twitching toward her when Shaw must have appeared in the doorway behind them, because his voice rose, echoing in the long hallway, calling to Gahrye.

Gahrye wanted to kick something—most especially Shaw—but he knew that wouldn't help him get away to the real purpose for this night. So, keeping his expression neutral, he paused and turned to face the fat little man behind them.

At least Shaw didn't have that wide, bright smile that turned Gahrye's stomach. "I had meant to ask you this evening, Gahrye, if we could arrange your interview for the histories? We have left it far too late to be fresh, but there is still value in lodging the predictions of the voices. And you're close enough to the throne that I'm sure there are many leadership and societal gaps you could fill in for us for this modern time. Can we perhaps chat tomorrow?"

"Not tomorrow," Gahrye said flatly. "The task Elia has assigned will fill my day tomorrow. But perhaps the day after that."

Shaw's jaw went tight, but he nodded, dropping his chin until he almost bowed. "Very good. I'll speak with you late tomorrow and you can let me know a time."

"Fine," Gahrye said, and turned on his heel for the staircase, Kalle at his elbow. But he didn't hear Shaw move away and he could feel the man's gaze.

Having that man's eyes at his back made him his skin crawl. He just wished he could prove that something was wrong with the Guardian!

Shaw hadn't lied when they spoke in the dining room, at least not that Gahrye could scent. But there was something… when Gahrye had said they had to keep Elia private, unknown to others, even other Anima, he could smell the peaked interest and curiosity threading through Shaw's scent.

Shaw's curiosity smelled like the tang of poison, though he couldn't figure out why. He'd yet to find the man doing or saying anything that was wrong. And Kalle said he was mere 'eccentric' which he understood was a human word that meant a person didn't adhere to normal social rules. But she called him harmless.

Gahrye did not trust Shaw—which meant Elia didn't trust him either. The winds were confused around him. But as they passed up the stairs and out of the man's sight, Gahrye reminded himself he wouldn't focus on that now. Now he had a much, much better problem to give his attention to.

His breath shivered.

"Are we going to the library?" Kalle asked in the low, hushed murmur she used when she only wanted him to hear.

Gahrye shook his head. "If you don't mind, you'll join me in our rooms tonight," he said, his voice husky.

Kalle caught the tone and looked at him from the corner of her eye for a moment. "I don't care where we are, Gahrye, I just want to be with you."

He took a deep breath and clenched his hand so he wouldn't reach for her. "That is true for me as well," he murmured.

He smelled how pleased she was by his words and wanted to shake his head. How was it possible she was delighted by such a simple statement?

When they turned the corner at the top of the stairs and there was no one in the hall, he couldn't resist letting his hand rest at her lower back, just for a moment. And he wondered if it was his imagination that she slowed her steps a hair, to press more firmly into his hand.

But soon they were at his and Elia's rooms, and he pulled the key out to unlock the door and let Kalle walk in first, praying she wouldn't see his hand shaking. He turned once they were inside and relocked it, which made Kalle raise a brow, but she didn't comment.

When he faced her again, she stood not far away, but looking around the room. "Where's Elia?" she asked carefully. "You said she had a job for us?"

Gahrye swallowed. "She has already gone to bed and she doesn't plan to get up until tomorrow," he said, then cleared his throat. "And she's told me—ordered me—to… to do as I wish with the rest of the evening."

Kalle had been looking around the room, but when he said that, her eyes snapped to meet his and her breathing paused. The thing in Gahrye chest that always surged when she was close crackled with the question in her eyes—and the desire in her scent.

  "Okay… so, what is it you… wish to do?" she asked quietly and Gahrye wanted to groan. Her scent said that if she'd been in beast form, she would have swished her tail at him.

He swallowed and stepped right up to her, touching her face. She searched his eyes.

"I might get this wrong, Kalle," he said quietly. "I'm… I'm not certain how it works for you humans. But I want to… I want to stop fighting this. And I want to show you… everything."

Her breath caught. She put a hand to his chest, her fingers curled into him. "If you're being open with me, Gahrye, not holding yourself back, you can't get it wrong. I promise."

His brow crinkled and he leaned down to kiss her—softly—one hand rested, cupping her neck, the other at her waist. But before it went deep, he pulled away to meet her eyes, smiling. "I'll remind you of that if you suddenly get that look on your face that says I'm being too Anima," he said softly.

He reached for her hand, to move away, but she stopped him. ""You can't be too Anima, Gahrye. It's who are you. And that's… that's what I want. We can work out the details. Just… just give me you."

Her simple declaration was an arrow to his heart. The huffing groan of the mating call rose in his throat. He kissed her again softly, then took her hand and led her through the sitting room and into his bedroom, his heart pounding so hard he felt his pulse in his skin.

*****

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