InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 5: Phantasm ❯ A Small Affair ( Chapter 48 )

~~Chapter 48~~

~A Small Affair~

 

Bas stifled a sigh as Sydnie worried at her lower lip, staring at the familiar landscape of his childhood home. The long, twisting driveway was lined by trees that obscured the view of the mansion, and while she seemed calm enough on the surface, he knew that she wouldn't really be easy until after she'd been reassured that his parents wouldn't try to separate them.

 

`As if they could,' he thought with an inward snort.

 

`As if they would,' his youkai blood countered. `They wouldn't separate mates, though I have to wonder if they're going to be pleased with your impetuous behavior . . . not to mention that you didn't even bother to call them back last night . . .'

 

He grinned sheepishly. `Well, that would have been hard since I smashed the phone to bits.'

 

`Yeah, and I doubt your father is going to be impressed with that . . .'

 

Rounding the bend in the trees, Bas' grin widened as the mansion finally came into view. The solid stone edifice was somewhat intimidating though his memories of happy times precluded the resurgent awe that otherwise would accompany the first glimpse of the Zelig estate. Maybe it used to be a colder place before Mom had come. His father had said often enough that Gin had made the mansion into a home. The sprawling, four story house was situated near the beach with majestic trees that lined the perimeter of the rolling yard. The windows glinted in the weak winter sunlight, and he smiled when he caught sight of the little, fat snowman that was leaning to the side. The snowman wore one of his father's scarves—his mother normally called the chubby figure the `Abominable Snow Cain'. Beside him was another shorter, fatter snowwoman—quite obviously his father's form of retaliation for the annual slight. It felt like a lifetime since he had last seen the place, and now that he was here, he couldn't help the feeling of satisfaction that ebbed through him. Had he ever thought that he'd be bringing home his mate after all was said and done? He shook his head just a little. No, he supposed he hadn't . . .

 

“That's your house, Sebastian?” Sydnie blurted incredulously. Bas shot her a quick glance and chuckled at the absolute horror written in the depths of her wide eyes.

 

“Yes, kitty . . . we're big—well, all of us except for Mom . . . what did you expect?”

 

“Big, huh?” she muttered, cheeks pinking as she quickly shook her head. “Cute, puppy . . .”

 

“It's not so bad, Sydnie; I promise. Maybe you'll even like it here.”

 

She shot him a quelling glance designed to let him know just what she thought of the idea of `liking' the Zelig estate. “We shall see.”

 

Bas chuckled again and let off the gas pedal as they neared the circle in the driveway in front of the mansion. “I can't wait for you to meet Mom. I think you'll like her. I think it's damn well impossible not to like her . . .”

 

Sydnie uttered a low mewling sound as he stopped the car and turned to face her. “You've lived here all your life?”

 

He nodded. “Yep.” Pausing long enough to squeeze her icy fingers in gentle reassurance, Bas got out of the car and strode around to open her door. “Ready?”

 

“In a minute,” she hedged. “Don't rush me, puppy.”

 

Hunkering down beside the car, Bas took her hand and kissed her fingers. “There's nothing to worry about, Sydnie. They're going to love you. They won't be able to help it.”

 

She forced a tight little smile that looked more like a grimace and nodded. “Yeah . . . of course they will . . .”

 

“Come on, baby,” he coaxed.

 

Sydnie winced. “I could just wait out here,” she offered.

 

Bas offered her an encouraging little grin. “Okay . . . I'll stay out here with you.”

 

“But—”

 

“But, nothing. If you won't go in, neither will I.”

 

“Puppy . . .”

 

“Kitty . . .”

 

She pressed her lips together but finally nodded. Bas braced himself against his knees to push himself to his feet, pausing long enough to kiss her cheek before he straightened his back. Letting him pull her to her feet, Sydnie shot him a nervous glance as she let go of his hands and straightened her green suede miniskirt.

 

Bas smiled again, wondering vaguely if she knew just how beautiful she really was. Somehow he wasn't sure she did, even if she teased him about it a little. No, he didn't think she had any real clue. The wind blew her hair back from her face, kissing her cheeks with a hint of a flush. Her eyes were wary but shone when she looked at him, and when he started toward the porch, she ducked behind him, clutching his shirt as she buried her face against his back. Stifling the urge to laugh at her late show of nerves, he slowed his pace and reached behind him, catching her hand and tugging. “Come out, baby. We—”

 

A loud bark cut him off, and Bas laughed as Badd, his huge dog, came tearing around the side of the mansion. Sydnie uttered a little squeak and hopped up on Bas' back. He choked a little when her arms tightened, blocking his windpipe for a moment. Prying his hands between her arms and his neck, he cleared his throat loudly. “It's okay, kitty. That's my dog.”

 

“Your . . . dog?” she echoed, tightening her knees around his waist. “I don't like him! He wants to eat me!”

 

Bas chuckled and shook his head. “He's fine, Sydnie,” he assured her, letting go of her so that he could fend off the hysterical mutt. “You don't eat kitties, do you, Badd?”

 

Badd barked and jumped to lick Bas' cheek. Bas laughed out loud and grabbed the dog's ruff. “Go on, you horse. Leave my kitty alone.”

 

The dog stretched out, his rear end high in the air as his tail flashed back and forth in a blur of motion. He barked once, twice, then bounded away again. Sydnie refused to get down until after the dog was out of sight once more.

 

“He likes you,” Bas explained as Sydnie straightened her skirt once more.

 

Sydnie shot him a fulminating glare and snorted. “With salt and pepper, maybe,” she grumbled.

 

Bas wisely hid his amusement as Badd came lumbering back once more, this time with a stout stick clenched in his maw. “He wants to play,” Bas explained, taking the stick from the dog and tossing it into the air a few times. “Here. Throw the stick for him.”

 

She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned to the side to peek around Bas. “He's really ugly,” she informed him.

 

“Ugly? Badd? Pfft! He's not ugly!”

 

She wrinkled her nose. “Whatever you say, puppy . . .”

 

Badd stared up at Sydnie for several long seconds before nudging his head under her hand. She squeaked and jerked her hand away. Bas shook his head but grinned before whipping the stick across the yard. Badd barked and dodged after it. “It's okay, kitty. He just wanted you to pet him.”

 

“The only puppy I pet is you, Sebastian. That . . . thing . . . can stay away from me.”

 

He sighed but let it drop since convincing Sydnie that Badd really wasn't planning a menu with a side of cat-youkai wasn't going to work. “All right. Come on. Mom's probably all anxious to meet you.”

 

“Bassie!”

 

Snapping his head to the side long enough to see the blur of bluish-silvery hair and the streak of color that was his youngest sister, Bas barely had time to let go of Sydnie and brace himself as Jillian launched herself into his arms, locking her spindly arms around his neck as she laughed out loud and hugged him tight.

 

“Jilli, what are you—?”

 

A low hissing growl erupted behind him, and Bas grimaced. He didn't have to look to know that Sydnie wasn't happy about Jillian's show of exuberance. Jillian stopped laughing and hauled herself up against Bas' shoulder to get a good look at the cat-youkai. “That's Sydnie?” she mumbled though Bas doubted that Sydnie had missed it.

 

“Get down, you brat,” he grumbled, tugging on Jillian's arms in an effort to get her to let go.

 

“She's so pretty!” Jillian added with a bright smile.

 

“Yes, well, maybe not so pretty if you don't let go, Jillian. Get off me.”

 

Jillian wrinkled her nose but dropped to the ground once more before leaning around to get a better look at Sydnie. “I'm Jillian, Bassie's younger sister.”

 

Sydnie snorted. “Oh? Well, I'm Sydnie—Sebastian's owner.”

 

“Jilli, why don't you go tell Mom we're here?” Bas cut in to forestall the altercation that he was certain was looming on the horizon.

 

“Okay!” Jillian gushed, clapping her hands as she spun around to run back inside.

 

Bas waited until she was out of view before turning on his heel to regard his new mate. Standing with her arms crossed over her chest and a mulish expression contorting her features, Bas heaved a sigh and pulled her against his chest. “You know, kitty, you really can't go around threatening my family just because they hug me.”

 

“She didn't just hug you,” Sydnie grumbled. “She was all over you. Need I remind you that you're my puppy? Tell your sister to get her own.”

 

Bas did chuckle at that. “As true as that may be, they're still my family. There's a very good chance that my mom is going to hug me, too. She might even kiss me, and you can't hiss at her, Sydnie. Promise me?”

 

“Re-e-eally.”

 

He sighed. “Yes, really . . . my family tends to be rather affectionate,” he admitted.

 

“They can be affectionate somewhere else,” she maintained stubbornly, “so long as they stay away from you.”

 

“She's my mom.”

 

“And I'm your mate.”

 

“She hasn't seen me in weeks,” he went on. “Surely you can appreciate that.”

 

Sydnie wrinkled her nose. “Fine, fine . . . I'll try not to hiss at your mother, even though you're my puppy now.”

 

Bas let it go at that, figuring it was as close to a promise as he was likely to get. In any case, he grasped her hand again and pulled her along behind him as he climbed the porch stairs and opened the front door.

 

“Sebastian!” Gin greeted, tearing through the living room from the kitchen. She slipped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight for a moment before tugging him down to kiss his cheek, holding his face in her hands to give him the once-over. “I'm so glad you're home! We were so worried! Why didn't you call us back last . . .?” Gin trailed off, her eyes widening as she stepped back, as she lifted a hand to flutter over her lips. “Oh . . . oh-h-h . . .”

 

Bas cleared his throat and tried not to blush. “Uh, Mom . . . this is my mate . . . Sydnie,” he said, grabbing Sydnie's hand and drawing her forward. She tried to pull away, but he held onto her shoulders, keeping her before him as his mother sought to cover her initial surprise. “Sydnie, this is my mom, Gin Zelig.”

 

Recovering quicker than Bas had predicted, Gin smiled brightly and hugged Sydnie, too. “Welcome to the family, Sydnie!” Her golden eyes darted over Sydnie's head to meet Bas' amused gaze. “She's lovely.”

 

“I know.”

 

Gin laughed. “I just made lunch, and . . .” she snapped her fingers. “You know . . . why don't you eat and then take her on a walk around the grounds?” Gin suggested, casting Bas a meaningful look. “All the grounds?”

 

Bas blinked. “Oh . . . I could do that.”

 

“Good, good,” Gin mumbled. “Go on, and I'll tell your father you're back.” That said, she shot the two another reassuring smile before hurrying to Cain's study and slipping inside. Closing the door before leaning back against it, she cleared her throat to gain his attention.

 

Cain glanced up from a paper he had been reading. “You all right, baby girl?” he asked as he lowered his eyes once more.

 

Gin smiled weakly and nodded. “Just fine, Cain . . . I thought I should tell you, though . . . Sebastian's back, and he brought home his mate.”

 

Cain grunted in response. “Oh? Did he bother to explain why he shut off his cell last night?”

 

Gin shook her head. “Sure, sure . . . but you know, he just got here—with his mate.”

 

“Well, yeah. He told us that he wanted to make Sydnie his mate, didn't he?”

 

Gin laughed almost nervously. “Oh, yes, he did do that, didn't he?”

 

Cain scowled at her as he dropped the paper and slowly stood up. Jamming his hands into his pockets under the untucked shirttails of the rumpled white linen, button-down shirt that could use a good ironing since Cain staunchly refused to let Gin do any such thing to his clothes. “All right, baby girl . . . what are you trying to tell me?”

 

Gin's smile widened a little. “I'm just telling you that Sebastian's brought home his mate.”

 

“Is she pretty?”

 

Gin nodded. “His mate is lovely.”

 

Cain heaved a sigh. “Good, good . . . I suppose she doesn't want to meet me, huh?”

 

“His mate didn't really say, but she looked a little freaked out, yes.”

 

Cain narrowed his eyes on his wife. “Why do you keep saying that?” he demanded. “I mean, we knew that he—”

 

Gin rolled her eyes, pinning Cain with a look that proclaimed his perceived ignorance. “Listen to me, Zelig-sensei. Sebastian—your son—your pride and joy—brought home his . . . ma-a-a-ate.”

 

Cain's eyes widened in shock then narrowed as apprehension dawned on him. “No-o-o-o . . .”

 

Gin nodded enthusiastically. “Yes.”

 

“No!” Cain insisted.

 

“Oh, yes,” she replied.

 

“Pfft! I could have sworn I told him not to do anything permanent until after he brought her home to meet you! Damn it, I'll—”

 

“You'll ask him when he plans on marrying her,” Gin interjected, “and then you'll leave them alone.”

 

“The hell I—leave them alone? Right, Gin, right . . . they've been alone the last couple months, and you see what came of that, don't you?”

 

“If she makes him happy, then that's all that matters.”

 

“Pfft!”

 

Slipping her arms around Cain's neck, Gin stood on tiptoe, leaning against him for support. “I had a thought, Zelig-sensei.”

 

“Oh?” he asked grudgingly.

 

“Yes,” she insisted. “It's about their living arrangements.”

 

Cain snorted. “Wasted all that effort redecorating that room for her, did you?”

 

Gin brushed off his blustering with a soft giggle. “She seems so skittish, you know? I don't blame her . . . she's never had a large family, poor thing.”

 

“And what are you getting at?” he demanded tightly, cocking an eyebrow as Gin's smile widened.

 

“There's the studio,” she drawled.

 

“The studio?” he echoed blankly.

 

“Yes . . . the apartment studio . . .”

 

Cain's mouth dropped open as an indignant sort of sputter escaped him. “Wha—? No!”

 

“You've still got your regular studio, and it's just for awhile, right? I mean, do you really think they'll want to stay here with us old people?”

 

Cain snorted again. “Pfft! Speak for yourself, old woman. I'm still in my prime.”

 

“Your prime, huh?” She giggled when he inclined his head in silent argument. “Anyway, what do you say? We could let them use the studio for now. It'd just be temporary . . . unless they want to live here!” Ducking under Cain's arm, Gin twirled around the floor. “Do you think they would? They could stay here! They could stay here and have babies and—”

 

Cain groaned and let out a deep breath. “—And hate living with the in-laws? It's fine . . . they can use it, I suppose.”

 

With a happy little squeak, Gin darted over to hug her mate. “Thank you, Cain. Now I think Gunnar is here somewhere, and Evan's downstairs . . . Gavin's at the university for placement testing, but I'm sure that the three of you can take care of moving all of Sebastian's things—”

 

“Wait a minute . . . I don't remember saying anything about doing manual labor,” he countered.

 

Gin shook her head. “Well, how else will you get Sebastian's bed up there and ours out? There's no such thing as magic, Cain . . .”

 

“I have to move our bed out of there?”

 

Gin shot him a disbelieving glance. “Of course . . . you don't really think that she wants to sleep in our bed, do you?”

 

He heaved a sigh, conceding her point. Gin shot him a quick grin and tried to brush past him to let herself out of the room. He caught her arm and pushed her back against the door, pinning her there with a hand placed on either side of her. “And what's in this for me, Gin?” he asked, his voice dropping to a husky whisper as his gaze roved up and down her diminutive frame.

 

“Umm . . . hero points?” she hedged with a bright smile, using their youngest daughter's terminology.

 

Cain snorted. “I had something else in mind, baby girl.”

 

“What's that?” she asked breathlessly.

 

His chuckle sent tremors through her body, and she couldn't help the blush that rose to stain her cheeks. “I'm sure I can think of something, Gin.”

 

She swallowed hard but giggled. “Like . . . what?”

 

His grin turned a little nasty, and he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the desk as a soft chuckle escaped him—one that Gin recognized . . . one that Gin relished. “One.”

 

“But I didn't do anything to need to be punished!” she blurted, holding her hands up in an unnecessary effort to keep Cain at bay.

 

“Two.”

 

“Now, Cain . . .”

 

“Three.”

 

“Be reasonable! I'm being good, I swear!”

 

He glanced at his watch. “Four.”

 

Gin backed up a step then carted around, grabbing the door handle and jerking on it.

 

“Five.”

 

Shrieking as Cain smashed his palms against the door, effectively blocking her only retreat, Gin whipped around, bringing her hands up to push on his chest, knowing in her heart that she couldn't hold him back—and not really wanting to do any such thing, anyway.

 

With a rumbling growl, Cain let his head drop, mouth latching onto the silky skin of his mate's throat as she gasped softly, her protests dying before they could be voiced. “What . . . what are you going to . . . do . . . to me?” she breathed, eyes drifting closed as he turned the lock on the door.

 

“What am I going to do?” he echoed. “Well, now . . . I'll just have to show you . . .”

 

 

-OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO-

 

 

“I've got to hand it to you, Bas . . . that was one hell of a fucked up mess,” Gunnar drawled as the two strode down the hallway toward the studio.

 

Bas grimaced. “Yeah, well, it'd done now.”

 

Gunnar nodded, raking a hand through his hair. “Your father's got the last of the Onyx in custody. He's not sure what to do with her, I don't think, but your uncle and the old man are tracking down the ones who had hired the hit on Sydnie, to start with.”

 

“Dad said as much,” Bas intoned.

 

Having just finished talking to Cain, all he wanted to do was to find Sydnie and spend some time with her. Talking about the hunt and subsequent fighting had taken its toll on him. He'd entrusted Ben with the confession Ryomaru had caught on his pocket-corder when the panther-youkai had come to visit in New York City. The generals had met with Cain before Bas and brought Sydnie home, and his father had explained the entire situation to them, including the truth behind Jared Brantley's betrayal and Bas' actions to rectify it all. In the end, Bas suspected that to be the real reason his father had told him to linger in New York City. He'd wanted to square everything away on that end. Just after they'd returned from the tour of the estate, Cain had sent Gin to find Bas so that he could debrief him before allowing Bas a moment to breathe. Sydnie, it seemed, had the support of the remaining generals. The official pardon was just a technicality now.

 

As he'd stood to leave, his father had stopped him. Staring at him with that knowing expression in the depths of his gaze, Cain had asked the one question that Bas had known was coming. “Refresh my memory, Bas . . . Did I or did I not ask you not to do anything permanent until after you'd brought her home to meet your mother?”

 

Sinking back into the chair he'd been starting to rise from, Bas schooled his features and tried not to feel like a mere pup caught with his hand in the cookie jar . . . “You did, sir,” he allowed.

 

“So you made her your mate anyway.”

 

“She was scared, Dad. She thought you were going to try to separate us, and when I mentioned that Mom had prepared a guest room for her, she flipped. It was the only way to get her here, and besides . . .” Lifting his chin defiantly, Bas willed himself not to blush as he straightened his back and met his father's direct gaze. “It doesn't change anything. She was already the mate of my youkai blood.”

 

Cain sighed heavily, half sitting on the edge of his desk as he slowly shook his head. “You're going to marry her, aren't you?”

 

Bas opened his mouth then snapped it closed. Sure, he'd thought about that, but he had to admit that he hadn't quite gotten around to asking Sydnie yet . . . “Yes,” he replied.

 

Cain nodded. Deliberating for a moment, he sighed again then pushed himself to his feet before striding over to the wall. Moving the painting aside, he keyed in the combination on the safe and pulled out a small, dark green velvet bag that he chucked over his shoulder without glancing at his son. Bas caught it and weighed it in his hand while Cain closed the safe and replaced the painting. “Then you'd best pick out a diamond for her, don't you think?”

 

Bas grinned. “Yes, sir. Absolutely.”

 

“Earth to Bas . . . are you listening to me?”

 

Bas blinked and shot a glance at his cousin. “I'm sorry . . . what was that?”

 

Gunnar shook his head. “Nothing important,” he stated. “Just glad you're home.”

 

Bas nodded and grasped the doorknob, only to stop short at the sight that greeted him. Sydnie stood near the wall of windows on the far side of the studio with Evan, whose arm was slung casually around her shoulders as he muttered something that didn't carry across the expanse of the room. Bas smothered a derisive snort as he strode over to the pair, stopping beside Cain's work table in the center of the studio.

 

“Aww, come on, Sydnie! I can make you happier than Bubby ever could,” he maintained. “What's he got that I don't?”

 

Sydnie giggled. “You're just a puppy,” she countered.

 

“Ahh!” Evan grumbled. “I might be smaller than Bas, but I'm a better fuck than he'll ever be.”

 

Bas could feel Gunnar's amused gaze on him. Bas ignored it. “What the hell do you think you're doing, you little punk?” Bas growled.

 

Evan shot a cocky grin over his shoulder. “Nothin',” he drawled. “Just trying to set the pussy straight.”

 

“Get the hell away from her or I swear to God I'll kill you,” Bas retorted, cracking his knuckles as he advanced on his brother.

 

Evan held his hands up in easy acquiescence, his grin widening slightly as he chuckled. “Calm down, Bassie-boy . . . I was just teasing, after all . . .”

 

Bas snorted, ignoring Evan's claims as he stepped in front of Sydnie to block her from Evan's view. “Get out of here, Evan,” Bas warned. “Don't let me catch you anywhere near her again.”

 

“Chill, man,” Evan countered. “It's cool . . .” Sauntering toward the door, he stopped before he crossed the threshold. “Gotta say, though . . . if I'd met her first, she'd have been mine.”

 

Bas erupted in a low growl. Sydnie's hand on his back silenced him. Crossing his arms over his chest, he waited in stony silence as his brother cracked his shoulders and disappeared into the hallway. “He should have been drowned at birth,” Bas grumbled.

 

Gunnar chuckled. “Be that as it may, you should know that if I couldn't convince Sydnie to come with me, Evan sure as hell wouldn't be able to do it.” Gunnar leaned to the side, peering around Bas at the girl in question. “Oi, kitten . . . How about it?”

 

Sydnie giggled softly, darting around Bas to hug Gunnar. Gunnar's chuckle escalated when she rose on her tiptoes to lick his cheek. “Hmm, tasty as ever, puppy.”

 

Bas rolled his eyes, grabbing Sydnie's arm and gently pulling her away from Gunnar. “Back off, Gunsie,” he growled.

 

Sydnie cuddled against Bas' chest, slipping her hand up to rest over his heart. “I was just saying hello, Sebastian.”

 

“You can do it from over here, kitty,” he pointed out.

 

“Can I?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Gunnar rolled his eyes, but his smile didn't diminish. “I'm heading out of here,” he remarked. “I'll see you later.”

 

“Oh? Why are you leaving so early? It's time for dinner.”

 

Gunnar's grin widened. “Well, if you must know, I have a date.”

 

“Yeah? Who'd be stupid enough to date a dog like you?”

 

“No one you know.”

 

Bas wrinkled his nose, watching his cousin's departure.

 

“Do you always threaten your brother?” Sydnie asked quietly, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room in the wake of Gunnar's hasty departure.

 

“Threaten him? Only when he deserves it. What did that little fucker say to you?”

 

Sydnie shrugged. “He's just a puppy,” she insisted, “a baby . . .”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Besides, why would I want a little boy like him when I already have a puppy?”

 

He sighed but wrapped his arms around her. “Yeah?”

 

She nodded.

 

He finally smiled. “Dinner's ready. You feel up to going downstairs?”

 

Sydnie bit her lip but nodded slowly. “I think so.”

 

“Yeah? Good, because Dad would love to meet you, and—”

 

“Your father? Know what, Sebastian? I think I'd rather stay up here.”

 

He grimaced. “Kitty . . .”

 

She turned away, wrapping her arms over her stomach protectively as she wandered toward the windows. “I just don't want to, okay? Not . . . not tonight.”

 

Bas sighed, rubbing his forehead as he tried to make sense of Sydnie's irrational behavior. “Sydnie . . .”

 

`What do you expect, Bas? She's spent her entire life hating the tai-youkai, and while you might be able to separate your father and his title, she can't do the same; not yet. Anyway, you have to admit it: today's been hard on her. A new place, new people . . . and very little that's familiar to her. Just give in on this, can't you? For Sydnie?'

 

He sighed again. Yes, he supposed he could do that. His youkai blood was right, wasn't it? Sydnie . . . Well, she had dealt with everything quite admirably thus far. Besides that, there was the important thing that he really had to discuss with her, and to be truthful, he wasn't entirely sure she'd agree to it . . .

 

“Okay, kitty . . . how about I go get a dinner tray and bring it up? Mom said she bought a few gallons of milk, just for you . . .”

 

Sydnie shot him a sidelong glance and bit her lip. “For . . . me?”

 

He nodded. “Yep . . . no one else in the house likes milk very much . . . Evan drinks it sometimes, but he doesn't really count.”

 

“I could drink some milk,” she grudgingly allowed.

 

He smiled. “Okay . . . and, uh . . . well . . . there's something else we need to talk about.”

 

Her crystal green eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What's that?”

 

“Nothing bad . . . I hope . . .” Wincing at the momentary spike of panic that surged in her youki, Bas pasted on a tight little smile and shrugged. “Let me get dinner, and then we'll talk.”

 

 

-OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO-

 

Bas scowled as he scanned the studio for any sign of his mate as he balanced the dinner tray on one hand and closed the door behind him. She was there; he could sense her. He just couldn't see her . . .

 

Following her aura up the stairs into the loft, he grinned. The lump in the middle of the huge bed wasn't very well delineated. Lost in the folds of the blanket, she moved around, pulling the covers away from her face enough to peer at him. He set the tray on the nightstand and pulled the blankets back to climb into the bed beside her. “What are you doing?” he asked gently.

 

She curled up beside him, burying her face against his chest with a stifled moan. “Just hold me, puppy,” she whispered.

 

Stroking her hair, he sighed and did as she requested. “Is it so bad here?” he questioned, unable to keep the hint of upset out of his tone.

 

“No . . . no . . . I just . . . I . . .”

 

“It's a lot to take in, isn't it?”

 

She nodded.

 

Bas pulled the covers off her head and kissed her. “It's okay. You're right; it is.”

 

She scowled and sat up, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. “Did I . . . did I do something wrong?” she muttered.

 

“What?”

 

She shrugged. “You said we had to talk. Did I do something wrong?”

 

He grimaced. “Not at all, kitty . . . There's just something that I need to ask you . . .”

 

“Okay,” she agreed slowly.

 

Bas sat up and handed her a plate. Gin had outdone herself, it seemed, cooking four different entrees in the hopes that one of them would please Sydnie. Bas had given her a little bit of everything, and she pushed the food around her plate with the fork as Bas scratched the back of his neck and tried to figure out just how something like this was supposed to be asked.

 

“I should've asked you before, I guess . . . I'm not real good at this sort of thing, but . . .” Trailing off for a moment, he grimaced and shrugged. “I just . . . that is, we . . . well, I . . .” Drawing a deep breath, he cleared his throat and took the plate from her since she didn't seem very interested in the food at the moment. After setting it aside, he handed her the glass of milk that she promptly drained. He replaced that and turned back to face her, holding out his hand, palm side up. She stared at it for a moment before slipping her hand into his. He kissed her knuckles and rubbed his thumb over them. “Do you—would you—want to . . . marry me?”

 

She blinked in surprise, staring at him in quiet wonder. “You want to marry me?” she repeated.

 

He jerked his head in a curt nod, struggling to keep his face from shooting up in embarrassed flames. “I . . . I'd love that.”

 

Her smile started out little more than the marked brightening behind her gaze. Gradually it spread, lending her expression a breathtaking sort of radiance. “So then I'd really, really own you!”

 

He chuckled, his body tingling from the surge of instantaneous relief that flooded his limbs. “Yes, kitty, I suppose you would.”

 

She threw her arms around his neck, launching herself against him. The unexpected move bore him down against the mattress, and he laughed outright as she showered his face with light little kisses. “Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!” she gushed between kisses.

 

“Wait . . . kitty . . .” Bas muttered. “You—need—to—pick—a—diamond.”