Sticks and Stones

Chapter Twenty-Six

Getting Caspian back to Claudio's digs in Veneficus might just have been one of the most arduous tasks she'd ever done. Yeah, she knew the guy was made of muscle—and sure she liked it when said muscles were flexing around her—but damnit. Could he not be a little bit lighter? Just enough that she could carry him without breaking her back in the process.

He owes me big time.

Without her, Cas would be in that woman's room servicing her at that very moment.

Back in Claudio's digs, she contemplated dragging him up the stairs to get him to the bedroom but ultimately decided against it. He'd already been dropped down one set of stairs. She felt it best to spare him from anymore.

Instead, she wheeled him through to the living room she had yet to explore and dumped him onto the sofa as gently as she could.

Shit.

He was looking a little beat up.

Caspian would never let her live it down if he knew she'd wheeled him down an endless set of stairs. She rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a washcloth and cleaned up the blood. Disposing of the evidence, she fixed his clothing up, sorted out his hair and tried to fix his body into a natural looking position.

She prayed his body would heal itself before he could find out something had happened.

And then she waited.

I've got my work cut out for me here.

Chucking him down a set of stairs wouldn't have changed the dark magic that flittered through him. He'd wake up and still long for Lady Sara. Sofia didn't doubt he'd do everything in his power to get back to her. Which meant Sofia had to be ready to stop him. And somehow, she had to make him see he didn't want that witch. To prove that he belonged right here, right now with her.

No biggy. No biggy. Nothing at all to worry about.

In other words, she was screwed.

Another ten minutes of Sofia twiddling her thumbs went by before the Captain finally started to come to. He started to awaken with grunts and groans. Then, awake, he set his confused eyes on her.

"Where am I?"

"In Claudio's living room," She answered.

"What am I doing here?"

His gaze was already darting around, bouncing from wall to wall. He was getting erratic.

"I brought you here. Say thank you Sofia."

"I can't be here."

He rose, eyes on the door. Ready to leave already.

Dutifully, Sofia blocked his way. "Sit back down."

"I'm supposed to be with Lady Sara."

"Over my dead body."

He scoffed. "That can be arranged."

"You're not going back there Caspian. Consider this me putting my foot down. You have no business with that woman."

"I've got lots of business with that woman. My head should be under her skirt right now."

Her skin crawled with disgust. "First of all, gross."

"Out of my way."

"Or what?"

"Or I put you out of my way."

"I'd like to see you try little demon."

Caspian couldn't hurt her. Surely not. Surely his demon instinct to protect her was stronger than the impact of this dark magic. It was part of the fabric of who he was. Surely dark magic couldn't override that.