Page 40 of Wayward Daughter

“Teaching me Old Norse. I decided I wanted to read the prose and sagas in the original language. The bishop won’t sanction it and give me any type of help because they were Pagans, so it’s more of a hobby.”

Honestly, that was probably an erotic dream for a scholarly priest. I had so many kinky fantasies flood my mind at once, he probably thought I was an idiot.

“Huh. I know Old Norse. I went through that phase where I was into Greek and Norse mythology when I was younger. My mom gave me kids books in English. Rainer knew I was going to have to learn a bunch of languages if I was going to join the Flame. I had to learn Ancient Greek and Old Norse to read the books I wanted to read. Rainer can read both with no problem and helped me. He could probably teach you.”

“I’m sure Caleb told you we’re thinking of leaving the Church. I never had a taste for all the killing, but the bishop being willing to sacrifice my life so he could be the hero sealed it for me. I don’t want to kill anyone, even if I know they are bad, but I want to help. Is that possible with the Flame?”

“Yes. Absolutely. This is a dangerous job and a lot of it is unpaid. I basically only make money if someone hires me to get rid of ghosts or it’s another haunted doll. Rainer got hurt on a job. A lot of us do. It’s not safe for him anymore, but he’s smart.

“The Flame pays him for research and to protect the rest of us. If someone wants to verify my fake ID or someone else’s, they talk to Rainer or someone like him. It’s usually reserved for people who get hurt on the job, but they’d make an exception for someone like you.”

“You’re all so…welcoming.”

“Well, we aren’t stupid. I unbutton a few buttons when talking to someone, I can get way more information than a man can because a lot of you have a complete misunderstanding what boobs are for and get distracted. Rainer can read so many dead languages because his mother could. If someone has the drive, we’ll teach them. If they aren’t good at one thing, we’ll find them a place. You’re going to have an uphill battle because our groups have been butting heads for so long, but Rainer is an elder and I think he’d vouch for you.”

“Caleb says he’s still deciding, but I’ve already made up my mind. If there’s a place for me, I want it.”

“Then, I guess we’ll be hanging out so I can teach you Old Norse.”

Solomon flushed red and averted his eyes. I knew that was his version of a sexy dream.

Ibolted awake when I heard screaming and crashing from Logan’s room. She didn’t strike me as afraid of much and she sounded terrified. No time for pants. Someone was in danger! She wouldn’t be screaming like if Pan was handling the problem. That Hellhound made her practically invincible.

It wasn’t locked, so I didn’t need to damage Rainer’s property and piss him off. He might stop cooking for us. I looked around. Pan was nowhere to be found and Logan was having a nightmare. A violent one from the looks of it. I could deal with that. I had the familiar soreness from multiple new tattoos, but it wouldn’t stop me from being bitten by a shifter or a vampire running off with me and turning me.

Nightmares were easy. Well, kind of. I went to wake her up, and she kicked me straight in the dick. My eyes watered and the breath went out of me, but I pushed the pain down and woke her up.

Her eyes were wild, and I knew what they were looking for. Where was Pan? The only time I’d ever seen him leave her side was when we were in trouble. He slept with Caleb when he was dealing with the after effects of being cursed, but I didn’t think he would stay with him again now that Caleb was completely fine.

She asked the same thing. Her nightmares and losing Pan might be the only thing that scared this woman.

“I don’t know. Do you want me to go look? Maybe he just needed to go potty.”

“He’s been gone a while. I woke up earlier and got up to drink some of Sasha’s special tea. I chatted with Solomon for ages and then decided to try sleeping again. Pan lets himself out when he needs to go and usually does a patrol, but he’s never been gone this long before.”

“Aren’t Pan and Delilah the only ones who can question that demon she trapped in a jar? I haven’t known him as long as you, but I’ll bet he went over there to find out about the Yellow King. If he’d known you were going to have a nightmare, he wouldn’t have left.”

She sagged on the bed. Logan looked exhausted. The kind of work we did required alertness. Solomon was about the only person I knew who could function on that little sleep and that was because he’d been doing it his entire life.

I crawled in bed behind her and pulled her to my chest.

“I know I’m not Pan and completely invulnerable, but I will keep you safe while you sleep. Just don’t kick me in the dick again.”

“Shit, dude. Sorry.”

“You were having a nightmare.”

“Rainer has been telling me since I was twelve if there’s a man with no pants on and a bed in the same room, to maul their testicles.”

“I heard you screaming and didn’t think I had time for pants. I can go get them.”

“No, this is good.”

She started wriggling to get comfortable and her ass was rubbing right against my cock. The only reason I didn’t embarrass myself and piss her off by getting an erection was because my balls were still on fire from the recent assault.

I never thought I’d be grateful for getting kicked in the dick, but Logan was constantly surprising me.

“I logically know that nothing can hurt Pan and that he’s not really a dog or a pet, but I’m always scared something is out there than can or that one day, he’ll want to go back to Hell and find his family and he won’t him back.”