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"If anyone wants to know how Viva feels," I said. "Dex is right, I can look after myself. Besides, they won't try anything again today, I'm sure of it." At least not until the Alpha got here. I wasn't sure all Hades wouldn't break loose then, but at least I could be rested for it.
"Put guards you trust on the door," Dex said. "They'll have to get past them to get in, if they do come. And they have to get past Calista."
His aunt was a formidable woman. I didn't doubt she could scare the pants off the average attacker, shifter or otherwise. Assuming they had pants on, that was.
Bain didn't look pleased, but he nodded. "Very well. I'll see to it."
"Good, then rest," Dex said. "That's an order."
We all knew very well that Bain didn't always follow Dex's orders. He was one of the few who got away with it. Growing up with the Keeper as practically a brother had its advantages. Or disadvantages, if Dex actually wanted to be obeyed.
Good luck with that, I thought.
"Yes, Keeper." Bain saluted him, fist to his chest, then gestured for Kerina to precede him out the door.
It barely closed behind them when Dex turned to me. He smiled warmly.
My heart fluttered.
"I'll draw you a bath." He rubbed his hands together.
"I can run my own bath," I argued, but he was halfway to the bathroom already.
"You don't know what scents I want to smell on you," he said over his shoulder.
"I thought I might choose my own," I replied, an edge to my voice.
He didn't respond to that, adding to the whole gilded cage vibe of the place.
"Are you going to wash my back?" I asked.
He leaned over to turn on the taps. "I'll wash you wherever you want."
At least I had a say in that, apparently.
He placed a hand under the spout and adjusted the temperature until he was satisfied it was right.
He straightened and opened the door to a cabinet which hung on the wall. He drew out a basket of bath bombs in a variety of colours. He pulled them out one by one and sniffed them before he tossed a pink one into the water.
"My favourite," he said.
I sniffed and made out lavender, rose and some kind of wood. Not sandalwood. I frowned in concentration.
"It's dragonwood." Dex placed the basket back into the cabinet and closed the door.
"It's nice," I said. "Does it grow where the dragons grow?"
Dex chuckled. "No. It's farmed in the south. The oil is used for fragrance and the rest is made into furniture and carvings."
"Artefacts?" I asked.
Dex shrugged one shoulder and leaned to turn off the water. "Sometimes. Those get traded with the witches, since we can't infuse them with power ourselves."
"Shifters can't. I might be able to." I toyed with the hem of my shirt.
"We'll put that on the list of things to discuss and maybe try later," Dex said. "Are you going to get in?"
I blushed a little bit. Honestly, I thought about being naked with him more times than I could count. Now this moment was here, I felt more than a little bit awkward.
