The Sleeper's Harp (The Arcane Artifacts, #1)

Chapter 19 - Trading Stories

"You're safe here," Bastian urged, voice low. "Nothing will happen, I'll make sure of it. He'll never hurt you again."

I nodded, swallowing back a ball of tears. Why was I so desperate to believe him? Could I?

"You started martial arts training after that?" he asked, distracting me.

I nodded again.

"Good girl." The satisfaction in his voice sent warmth blasting through me. Pride. I was proud that I hadn't allowed Luke completely ruin me, and so was he. I could hear it in the way he spoke, as he said, "That was the right thing to do. It takes courage to face harsh realities. You made a decision, that you were going to learn the tools needed to protect yourself." A hand stroked my hair, petting me. I went limp in his arms, wanting more than anything to stay like this, in his warmth, wanting to be held.

"I got the necklace from Professor Miller," I admitted, voice thick. I'd never told anyone but Vivi about it. But I needed him to understand the rest of my story, to understand my relationship with Jane and why things had happened the way they had. "It's an artifact. She stole it from the university collection."

"The university collection?"

"Yes, WU has a collection...of sorts. They display a number of old objects throughout the library, historical artifacts, most of them donated. This one is an amulet of protection. You give it a little blood from the person you want protection from. When she showed up, I was a bloody mess, but some of Luke's blood had gotten on me when I'd tried to fight back."

"Good girl," he breathed against my hair, continuing to pet me.

"She was able to take his blood from my clothes and rub a sample against the amulet. I think she'd known what was going on long before and was hoping I'd say something. But I...I never did. I was too scared."

"Damn," Bastian said. "I wish I could thank her."

I nodded and my throat closed up tight. "Me too. I mean, I thanked her at the time. But she told me to disappear, that she'd help me do it, that I needed to leave, or Luke would never stop. I didn't even realize she'd tampered with school records until you mentioned it." I shook my head. "She must have sensed something more in him that I'd missed, a bigger monster. He knew I'd blown his heist and he was going to get his revenge. I couldn't stay at the university and feel safe. So...I gave it all up. You asked why, the other night. That's why. I let it go. A small price to pay for safety, I suppose. But I will always love it—artifacts, their history, it's...it's in my blood."

"Oh, Elle. Baby." The rumble of his deep voice sent warm shudders through me. "The world is so fucking unfair sometimes. You should never be forced to abandon your dreams." He rocked me back and forth, the scent of his musk and citrus wrapping around me. I'd never expected goblins to be gentle, they had violent reputations. But they were also hoarders, and fiercely protective of their treasure. Was that what this was? He considered me...his? His treasure?

I should have felt alarmed. I wasn't willing to get close to anyone after everything with Luke. And yet, a profound sense of desire spread through me, the thought of being his.

"It's...okay," I managed, pushing my deep desires down even deeper. "I was willing to do whatever was necessary to be safe. Whatever I needed, to escape him. I was still friends with Vivian, at least, even though we'd mostly stopped talking because of Luke." I made a sound in the back of my throat. "She warned me against him, you know. When we first started dating. Somehow, she sensed something in him, too. Bad vibes."

Two of the most important people in my life had known, and I'd been a fucking idiot. Such a fucking idiot. That was the most embarrassing part of all this. They'd seen what I'd been too blind to notice.

"I couldn't go to any of my other friends because they were all Luke's friends. So, I went to Vivian—she'd already landed her job at the museum. She took me in that night, sat with me at the hospital as I lied through my teeth to the nurses about what had happened, then made me move in with her immediately. We came up with a plan, changing my name, dying my hair. The medallion was supposed to do most of the work, keeping Luke from finding me. But I wasn't going to take any chances."

Bastian exhaled. "And yet, somehow, he managed to find you."

I swallowed. "I don't know how that happened. Maybe the magic only works for a certain period?"

"No, I'm not so sure about that."

"Do you think he killed her? Professor Miller, I mean? Maybe in killing her, the magic stopped working? Maybe since she was the one who gave the medallion his blood?"

"I wish I could say," he mused, arms tightening around me. His lips came to my temple, a long kiss, like he wanted to rest them there. Silence stretched between us, but at last, he said, "Let me cook you dinner, sweetheart, and then we can head to Vortex. I'll make sure you're safe."

There it was again—that word. Safe. Warmth exploded in my chest, radiating outward until my fingers tingled. We barely knew each other, but he wanted to protect me. Our stories, while not identical, were similar enough that a connection had formed, tying us together.

"Okay," I managed, not sure what else to say.

"Tomorrow, we'll practice more self-defense tactics," he added, "since today's got cut short."

I snorted. "Cut short, right."

He helped me to my feet, standing beside me. "Elle?" He took my hand, pulling me so that I faced him. "Thank you for sharing that. I...I know it wasn't easy." He licked his lips, holding the bottom one a moment. I saw a flash of silver from his tongue ring. My eyes darted to the movement before returning his gaze.

"I couldn't not," I said, shrugging, trying to pass it off as less than what it was. "After you told me yours, it only seemed fair. I—" I exhaled. "I'm sorry for what happened to you, Bastian. People are assholes."

He huffed. "Didn't you call me an asshole? More than once, if I recall?"

I winced, then gave a nervous laugh. "Right. Sorry about that. I...I was wrong."

The corner of his lips quirked. "Don't worry about it, Sugar. There are assholes, and then there are assholes. I'm hoping I fall in the first category and not the second."

I burst into laughter, the emotion so...freeing. "Honestly, you've graduated from asshole and moved right on into the smart-ass category, at this point."

"Perfect." His eyes glittered. "Come on. I'm hungry."

He led me upstairs. "I suppose you want me to get all dressed up again?" I wasn't sure why I said it, maybe because I was kinda hoping so myself?

"It's your club, Sugar. I'd be just fine if you walked in wearing those cute pajamas you keep flaunting. But..." His voice dropped. "I did enjoy your outfit last night. You wanna shower while I cook?"

"You're going to cook for me again?"

"Sure, why not?" He hesitated at the top of the landing, looking down at me.

"Fine, you cook. I'll do dishes after."

He huffed. The expression he wore made me think he was going to argue. But he surprised me by shrugging. "Deal. Go get ready."

He took a step to walk away, towards the kitchen, but I reached for him, lifting on my tiptoes. I planted a chaste kiss on his lips. I wasn't sure what possessed me to do it—to go for it. Closure, for what we'd just been through together. For a moment, he held still, then his arm snaked around my waist and he deepened the kiss, until his tongue was stroking mine. I stifled a groan, trying to ignore the tightening muscles in my core. When we pulled away, I was treated to a genuine Bastian smile, dimple and all, before he disappeared down the hall to the kitchen.