Page 51 of Ramiel

Utterly drenched by now, Caterina climbed the stairs.It occurred to her to try to use her magic to dry herself.Fresh clothes were just inside the entrance, just in case she accidentally set her outfit on fire.It was hard to concentrate with Ramiel watching her.She didn’t want him to see her embarrass herself.Luckily, she managed to heat her skin and hair just enough to burn the moisture away.

It was painfully obvious how aroused her handsome companion was when she stepped inside.He was pretending to study the paintings on the wall when she walked in.“I just learned how to use my magic to dry myself!”she said.

Half turning to face her, Ramiel smiled.“I’m glad you didn’t accidentally set your clothes on fire.”

“Me, too,” she agreed.“Do you want me to dry you off?”

“I’ll pass,” he said and she snickered.“It should be safe to turn some lamps on, as long as the drapes are closed,” he said.

“Why don’t you get changed into dry clothes while I take care of that?”Caterina suggested.The poor guy obviously needed a few minutes to himself.

She deliberately turned her back when she began closing the drapes.He grabbed his gear and fled upstairs, then muttered to himself too quietly for her to hear him.

“He wants me bad,” she whispered, then snickered.She wanted him just as badly, which was less amusing.

Closing the drapes on the lowest floor, Caterina conjured fire on the tip of her finger.She lit a couple of oil lamps, which gave the parlor a cozy feeling.If the weather had been cooler, she would have lit the logs in the fireplace.It was far too warm for that, so she didn’t bother.

Taking her hiking boots off, she left them near the door, amazed to see her magic had dried them as well.The wooden floors were dusty, so she left her socks on.“I hope I don’t slip and break anything,” she said wryly.

The bed and breakfast hadn’t changed since she’d visited it briefly a couple of years ago.Ramiel hadn’t seemed happy when she’d mentioned spending the night here with another man, so she wouldn’t mention him again.She didn’t like the thought of her knight sleeping with other females either.

“Ishe my knight?”she murmured.Fate had manipulated them into finding each other, but Ramiel seemed reluctant to explore their strange connection.“What are we supposed to do now?”she asked, feeling a bit lost.The warrior’s goal was to find his brothers, but what was in store for them as a couple?The Mad Prophet had strongly hinted that the other knights had paired up with females.Why was Ramiel so hesitant to make a move on her?

Picking her gear up, she took the stairs to the second floor.Ramiel had chosen the first door on the left.He had no idea it was the same room she’d stayed in a couple of years ago.She opened the door directly across the hall and entered it.As dusty as the other rooms, Caterina stripped the bedding off.She found clean sheets and pillowcases on a shelf in the closet.She quickly put the sheets on the bed, then left her bags inside the closet without unpacking them.

She heard Ramiel leave his room and head downstairs, so she descended to see what he was up to.“I need to figure out where Amaros is,” the knight said.He’d spread a map open on a coffee table in the parlor and was studying it.

Caterina sat down on the couch next to him, leaving a small gap between them.“What do you think Fate has planned for us?”she asked.

Startled by her question, Ramiel glanced at her.“I don’t know,” he confessed.“It’s obvious she intended for us to meet each other.Perhaps she intends my commander to take you on as an ally.Your talents could assist us to defeat our enemies.”

She scowled as he evaded the topic.“I get that your boss will want to use my pyrokinesis,” she said.“But what aboutus, Ramiel?There has to be a reason why Fate went to so much trouble to make sure we’d find each other.”

Shifting in his seat, he frowned at the map.“I’m sure Amaros will know why Fate is pairing us up with females,” he said confidently.

“Do you want me?”Caterina asked bluntly.

Ramiel turned to look at her, picking up on her vulnerable tone.“I find you very attractive, female,” he said, but his tone was guarded.

“I can’t shake the feeling that we’re supposed to be together,” the cambion said.

“Wearetogether,” Ramiel said.“We’re sitting right next to each other.”

His glib response annoyed her.“You know what I mean,” Caterina said.“There’s been sexual tension between us from the moment we locked eyes.It’s growing stronger by the hour.You want me and I want you, so what’s holding you back?”

She could tell he was hiding something from her.Dropping his eyes, he hunched his shoulders defensively.“It’s highly unusual for knights and cambions to become allies,” he hedged.

“Why?”she demanded.“Is it because the Soldiers of Chaos are our fathers?”He’d mentioned none of the knights had ever procreated, but he hadn’t gone into detail about the reasons why.

Ramiel rubbed his face with his hands, delaying his response.He let out a sigh, then turned to face her.She did the same and felt the heat of his thigh that was now so close to hers.“There’s something I haven’t told you about your kind,” he said.

“Yeah, I figured,” Caterina said impatiently.

“In the past eras, the spawn of our enemies have always been born with black souls,” the knight said.

She waited for the punchline, but it never came.“I don’t have a black soul,” she said in confusion.

“I know,” he agreed.“I’ve never met a cambion like you before.I’m not sure why you aren’t as evil as the soldier who sired you.”