"I said I was sorry." I apologize for the umpteenth time, but Jake refuses to speak to me or come out of his closet.
"Just let him sulk. Besides it wasn't your fault." Doug tugs at my skirt. I sigh and back out of the closet getting to my feet again.
"Your kiss is in the papers." Jake finally speaks.
"Really? I guess they did get a good shot, huh, Dougie?" I kiss his cheek.
"Firstly I don't think that's the kiss he means and secondly, please don't call me Dougie." Doug winces at the name.
"Oh. Oh no." I cover my face with my hands.
"There's a whole article in the society section. There's been nothing but articles in the society and business sections about this and my predicament in general." Jake says dejectedly.
"I'm so sorry."
"No. It's okay." Jake gives a sigh and finally leaves the closet. "It's not really your fault. I dressed you too well and you can't help being cute."Jake gives a sigh.
"Good news." Bradley enters the penthouse. "We found a map."
"A map?"I exit the bedroom with Doug. "To what?"
"To an enchanted wellspring deep in the faewylde. If this won't cure you nothing will." Bradley grins as Jake come out , too.
"So you can send some adventurers to get some of the water?" I ask. "Doug just gives me a weak smile. "What?"
"It doesn't work that way." Jake shakes his head.
"No, it um, you have to bathe in the well spring yourself." Bradley informs me. "You can't farm it off on someone else. Jake's going to have to go and I'm going to have to go with him. If only to translate. "He doesn't look too thrilled.
"Actually," Alex speaks up. "We'll need Jenny instead."
"Me?"
"It'll take at least a week both ways." he informs us looking over Bradley's shoulder.
"I was thinking I'd be going." Bradley says. "Seeing as I'm Mr. Maller's assistant and more expendable."
"You're not expendable." Jake corrects his harshly.
"And I still need to eat." Alex reminds us. "It's better to keep down the number of civilians and she's a translator and food in one."
"Well, I, uh, I don't mind taking one for the team." Bradley looks down at the map.
"I mind." Alex says flatly. "Jenny I can pay you 50,000 guilders hazard pay and provide vitality potions as it's not only a bad place to have to recover, but it'll be likely, I'll have ot feed more than usual."
"Wow. Hell yes." I blink. "Isn't that a bit much though?"
"For a trip to hte faewylde? No." Bradley doesn't sound pleased, though.
"I can bill it as a business expense." he shrugs meaning Jake will be paying for it. I love that he says that right in front of him.
"I don't want Jenny going, it's too dangerous." Jake says firmly.
"Exactly, I'll go." Doug says and is promptly ignored.
"Jenny's the only one who's more of an asset than a liability. As both a donor and a translator. If anyone should stay home it's Jacob, but he has to go. Douglas is completely out the Question." Alex gives Doug a stern look, arms crossed.
"Even if Telulah comes with me?" Doug asks.
"Even then."
"Even if I can do this?" He opens his palm and a flame lights up hovering an inch above it.
"Eeee! That is so cool!" I clap my hands excitedly.
"What... what the hell, Doug!" Jake exclaims.
"I figured that since my mana veins are small a little self study wouldn't be too dangerous. I did it in the pool just to be safe." He explains.
"Can I touch it?" I ask.
"What? No. It's fine." he looks at me like I'm an idiot, which I probably am.
"Especially not if you can do that." Alex scolds him. "The last thing we need is a newborn firebug in an old forest. What were you thinking, opening your veins now? And without guidance!"
"That maybe I could protect Jenny next time. And that she'd think it was cool." He reluctantly confesses, looking down as he twiddles his finger like the most adorable naughty boy ever.
"I do. I really do." I assure him.
"Bradley..." Jake turns to his assistant.
"On it, Mr. Maller."
"You are not going to that one." Jake snaps.
"Oh yes I am, it's the best." Doug crosses his arms. "You always insist on the best."
"The point is keeping you out of the faewylde. This is smack dab in the middle of it." Jake quacks.
"It promises absolute control within six weeks." Doug points out. I just sit on the couch feeling tired of the argument already.
"It's too dangerous."
"Everything is dangerous. Just being a Maller is dangerous. I'd spend my life in a panic room if I tried to avoid everything dangerous."
"I understand that, but can you not run head first to the most dangerous option? What if something happens to you? Aside from Lorelai you're all I have." Doug doesn't have anything to say to this, or so I thought.
"I love you, too, Jake, but you can't keep me a hundred percent safe and you can't tell me what to do anymore. Not only am I twenty three years old, but I have my own income. Hush, you." He points to me when I laugh. "You've got to let me live my own life, Jake."
"Fine but I'm getting you two new body guards proficient in water magic while you're there, just in case." Jake says after a minute. "No arguments."
"Okay. Keep Telulah on Jenny, though."
"I can't they're not allowing another nonhuman passing person across the bridge to earth. But I'll send someone to take are of her while you're gone." he promises.
"Wait... Are you assigning me a bodyguard?" I frown lifting my head off my hand.
"Of course." They both say at once.
"You're dating Doug. It's better to be safe than sorry." Jake points out.
"I don't have room for a bodyguard." I protest.
"I'll find another incubi. They don't sleep. We'll find one you won't mind providing for in an emergency."
"Absolutely not. I don't have so many donors that I can afford to share mine." Alex shakes his head.
"What about a dhampir?" Doug suggest. "They don't sleep and we can get a female one she won't mind feeding in an emergency."
"Don't just offer up my bodily fluids!" I exclaim, punching his hip, which is all I can reach from here. "I'm your girlfreind not your personal property. And isn't donating blood kind of sexual too?"
"Hmmm." The brother's eyes kind of lose focus for a second. I take a coaster and throw it at Jake.
"What did I do?" he protests.
"No fantasizing about me and a vampiress." I scold him.
"You know Doug and Hargrove were, too."
"First of all, no he wasn't. He doesn't care about that outside of feeding. And even if he did, he doesn't matter." I point to Alex.
"Hey..."
"You know what I mean. And he is my boyfriend." I point to an amused Doug. "He gets to have all the sexual fantasies he wants. His brother does not."
"My apologies. I am but a man." Jake fails at his apology.
"Not at the moment. And I'm going on that expedition as Alex's donor at least. If it's safe enough for you it's safe enough for me."
"And you don't get veto power over my donors." Alex reminds him. "You can't make me leave her behind."
"I can leave you behind." Jake reminds him.
"Jacob." Alex says softly, "I've been with you since your parents died. I was often a part of their party before hand. I've protected your parents and protected you and Douglas.. I will continue to protect you two but I have to be with you to do it. I can protect Jenny, too."
"I want her to be your priority."
"I can't do that, but she'll be second priority."
"Fine." Jake finally relents. "Jenny if you're serious you can come with us to the faewylde. If it's too dangerous well, let's just say you were warned."
"Just two weekends." I barter on the phone with Saoirse, as Jake's translator.
"Sure just two weekends, then it'll turn into three then four." Saoirse snaps.
"This is to turn him human again."
"This is a wild goose chase. There are no more magic wellsprings, or enchanted rivers or anything like that. All he's going to go is get himself killed."
"I know you care about him, but he's going to have the best help that money can buy..." I start. Both Jake and Saoirse give a snort as the same time. At least I think that's hte noise he's making.
"I care about how I'm going to provide for my child once he goes missing in the faewylde. It'll take ten years for him to be declared dead without a body."
"I thought you got a million a year." I frown. "I'm pretty sure if you pinch pennies you can survive on a hundred thousand a year plus your income as a model."
"Tell her Bradley's in charge of that and he's not going with me. All bills and obligations will be paid through him until I'm declared dead." Jake orders, so I do.
"Well... fine then. But if you come back you're taking her at least twice as long as you missed, consecutively. This is very inconvenient."
"Agreed." I say not waiting for Jake to argue, just in case he would. He doesn't have work. He can do it. She hangs up the phone.
"Wow."I plop down on the couch, legs out on the lounge part.
"Tell me about it." Jakes makes his way onto the sofa. "May I?"
"Sure." I let him make himself comfy in my lap. "Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Sure why not."
"Finally." I give a sigh of relief. "Home sweet home." I drag TicToc bak to my bedroom.
"Finally?" Doug pouts.
"Your penthouse is awesome don't get me wrong, but it's not my own bed and my own kitchen and my own livingroom." I inform him.
"True." he brings in my suitcase while Alex gets the other one. "But TicToc barely fits.
"That is why he usually ends up on the floor." I admit.
"Welcome back!" Daisy squeals running into my room to give me a hug. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too. And walking without crutches." I groan at the memory. "But guess what we're going to do. Were going to watch a Charlie's Angels marathon and order enough Chinese food to last a week." I give her a squeeze.
"Do you need anything else?" Alex asks as they put the suitcase down.
"Yeah, your number." Daisy purrs at him. He just gives her a wink and a smile.
"No, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, honey?" I put my arms around Doug's neck.
"I'll see you tomorrow." he gives me a kiss. "My darling."
"My darling." I nuzzle his nose.
"My breakfast." Daisy pretends to gag.
"Bye." I walk them to the door.
"Bye."
"So," Daisy gets a mischievous grin.
"So."
"Soooo?"
"So what?"
"So tell me! Everything!" She plops down on the couch. I sit down and tell her as much as I can. It's amazing how much I have to leave out and I hate doing it, but she'd never believe me. I'm not entirely sure she'll believe me about what I can tell her.
"Oh,you poor thing." She covers her face. "And you still want to date him?"
"What? Why wouldn't I?" I feel a bit surprised at his assumption.
"Well, theft, kidnapping, broken bones? Isn't it a little dangerous being with him? I mean he's cure and rich, but is it worth your life?"
"Well, it's not like its the only time I've been hurt in my life and I got a hundred thousand out of it. Thanks to Jake." I explain. "I'll take a broken leg for a hundred thousand, wouldn't you?"
"Well, maybe during spring break." Daisy continues.
"Anyways I really like him. I always kind of liked him, honestly even when I didn't know he was a Maller. I'll be visiting him every weekend. Oh, nad he has a body guard now. Her name's Talulah. She's good at giving us the illusion of privacy. Oh, and they're assigning me a body guard or two as well for as long as I'm dating Doug."
"Really? Damn he really does like you. Does he know you're poly?"
"Yes, he does and he's open to it. He hasn't expressed interest in pursuing anyone else yet. And I want a solid foundation with this relationship before I think of adding anyone to it. But I'm glad he understands."
"Well," Daisy makes a face. "At least until it comes to sharing you with another man or is he bi?"
"I don't know, I don't think so." I consider. "Wait no, he's not. We discussed it. My lovers will be separate but equal in the bedroom. The fact he's even willing to try speaks volumes. It's especially good since he wants to wait until marriage."
"To what?"
"To have sex?" I look at her.
"Ah, doesn't want a baby. Do you think he's a virgin?" Daisy asks "Is it religious?"
"I don't think so or he'd never date a straight poly girl." I point out.
"That's true." Daisy leans back on the couch and considers. "Maybe he had some sort of trauma when he was young. You said he was kidnapped when he was eight. Maybe...."
"That's horrible. No more speculating. If he wants to tell me why he's celibate, he will. Until then, I'll just do my best to respect his decision." Which will be easier since I have Alex to relieve my tension once a month.
"Still, it's unusual." She comments. I just shrug.
"Oh!" I snap my fingers, sitting up straight. "In a few weeks i'm going to be going on an expedition with them."z