Monster Baiter (An Obscure Magic Book 6) Read Free Page B

both sets of lids. “Sorry. Didn’t think of it that way.”
    “Please do. You have been here for four months, ever since that freaking necklace backfired. Get on with your life in the deep and enjoy yourself.”
    Delwin pouted. He did it very well. “I like it on land.”
    “I am sure you do. There is probably another extranatural or human out there who would love to take you on and care for you. I have a life, as weird as it is.”
    He smiled. “I know. It gives me plenty of time to research this realm.”
    The shark-like, pointed teeth didn’t even make her flinch.
    He couldn’t open her spell books. He had tried several times. They shocked him with huge arcs of power.
    She had gone to the store, brought in a mer-to-English dictionary and a huge stack of history books and magazines.
    He had spent his days reading and learning about the modern world. When he was done with that, she had given him a clothing allowance and sent him out on his own.
    He had found every bar that catered to adventurous sexuality and located his particular niche. His niche involved a lot of glitter and very good-looking men who could hold their own with a merman out of water.
    “I think you need to stop with the research and jump in with both feet. Somewhere else.”
    “I think we get on well as roommates.”
    She winced. “I never wanted a roommate. I wanted you to learn to speak the language so you would feel more at home. I didn’t mean my home!”
    She started to strip while he stood there. He quickly left her alone.
    Sophy washed out the tub before adding bubble bath and watching it churn into a white, gleaming froth that she slid into with a happy sigh.
    “Fuck.” She grimaced at the glass of wine that she had left on the bathroom counter. She wasn’t a fan of domestic magic, but it turns out she didn’t need it.
    “I brought you some brownies, and here is your wine.” Delwin set the wine on the wide edge of the tub and placed the small plate of brownies next to them.
    “You baked?”
    He smiled. “No, one of my new beaus is a pastry chef. When I told him you were an accountant, he got all sympathetic about your current stress level. He sent these along. I only ate two.” He winked.
    She sighed. “Thank you. I appreciate the gesture, but I stand by my statement. You need to get out on your own.”
    He crouched next to the tub. “I know. This world is just so full of everything. The ocean is huge, vast and wide expanses between communities. Here, I feel lost in a sea of living beings. It is enough to make me scared on a daily basis. I like living with you. It gives me a sheltered alcove from the storm of the city.”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Fine. Pay rent, get a job and stay out of my tub. If you are good, I will get you a soaker of your own. This deal changes if you are caught in my territory again. If I have to put up a ward against you for my private space, I will.”
    He grinned again. “Thank you. You won’t regret it.”
    She snagged a brownie, held her wine and sank back into the hot water and bubbles. “I probably will. Out!”
    He leaned forward, kissed her cheek and left her alone.
    Sophia nibbled at the brownie and sipped at her wine. It seemed that when exhausted and confronted with chocolate, she was a pushover. At least he did the housekeeping.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Sophia was into her fourth return of the day when she got a call.
    “Is this the Cursed One?”
    She winced at the name but answered. “Yes. At your service.”
    “I have need of your services. My name is Lerovan Assingar, and we have a situation with some rogue minotaur in our area.”
    “Sir, I think you would need to call the XIA for that. I only do curses.”
    “One of them has gone insane. I don’t want him injured.” The older man’s voice wavered. “They are my sons.”
    She silently cursed. “The XIA is a better bet.”
    “It was only supposed to be one of them. They weren’t supposed to change together.”
    She knew