The Blood Ruby (The Arcane Artifacts #2)

Chapter 19 - Meeting Dr. Kennedy

I was acutely aware of my heart, straining in my chest. Zola remained beside me. A solid presence that lent me the confidence I needed to appear unruffled. A goblin! Laurent had been right. He looked nothing like the goblins I'd imagined. If anything, I couldn't help but think of the Orcs of Troth series. The one Zola and I loved so much. With his long hair, shaved on one side, all the piercings, and those tattoos! Even his gray skin. So, I tugged on her arm and said, "Doesn't he remind you a little of Iarvosh?"

"You naughty, naughty girl. Get your head out of the gutter," she half whispered, half hissed.

I thought about Bastian and Laurent, side by side. As much as I hated to admit it—hated to—I was more partial to Laurent. Both males were broad shouldered and built. Bastian had more of a bad boy look; Laurent simply looked deceptively lethal.

I knew exactly how lethal.

Thinking of him gave me a strange...itchiness. It had gotten worse, especially over the past week. I couldn't quite place it, but it intensified he was near.

We entered the library. My eyes fell on the giant table, and I faltered. I rushed forward to grab my things on full display. I clutched them to my chest as everyone filed in, backing into the shadows, out of the way. Laurent appeared beside me. I stiffened, my breath catching. I resisted the urge to step away from him, to put distance between us, but he spoke before I could.

"There is a place on the shelves, just over in that corner, if you'd like to put your things there." His low voice sent shivers over my skin. I couldn't tell if they were fearful shivers, or something else.

"The corner?" My eyes narrowed. A small section that usually held books, was now empty.

"For your growing book collection," he explained, then moved away to speak to the others. As if he had absolutely no idea what those words suddenly did.

Warm tingles spread through my shoulders, down to my fingertips. A whole section...for me? I gravitated towards it. There was now an expanse of shelves with a little gold plaque in the middle that read, Lily Winifred Shaw, in fancy calligraphic writing, to mark my own space. My own space.

Mine.

My breaths came faster. At the apartment, I shared my shelves with Ania, who had actually been the one to purchase them. I'd never had any of my own. Carefully, I placed my stack of textbooks and my journal at one end. Then I hesitated, and repositioned them on the other end, satisfied. I stepped back, realizing how lonely they looked.

Laurent stepped up beside me, again. I faltered, holding my breath. "Vittorio will order whatever books you'd like. I'm sure Zola would jump to accompany you to the bookstore. She's got an addiction, I think."

A breathy, eager sound came from my lips, and I flushed. He disappeared again, but Dr. Kennedy quickly replaced him. "This place is amazing," she breathed. "You really live here?"

"I...yes," I decided to avoid the complicated details. Away from the others, I felt a little more comfortable, so I added, "I love your hair."

"Oh!" She ran her fingers through the loose, pink curls. "Thank you. I'm rather fond of it, too."

"How far along are you?" I asked, eying the cute little bump at her belly.

"Almost five months." Her features softened. I didn't miss the way her eyes darted towards Bastian, then softened further. Both Bastian and Laurent stood chatting, off to the side, but their eyes were entirely on us. Bastian's gaze, especially, was protective of his mate.

My skin warmed. What would that be like, to be so coveted, so loved by someone, that they couldn't look away for even a few moments?

"He seems almost as protective of you, as Bastian is if me," Dr. Kennedy mused.