Several moments later, Ikrus stepped into the room. Aniya was now dressed in a nightgown, her feet on the floor as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“You can't sleep here tonight,” his voice was rough around the edges with his dissatisfaction but Aniya ignored it.
“Obviously, you have broken my door down.” She pointed at the doorway, gesturing that the door had been knocked down. That made it two doors. “ I guess I should thank you for that being the only damage you've done. Thank you for not shifting into your wolf and chasing me around like an unhinged beast.”
He heaved a sigh. “I am sorry.”
She frowned, folding her arms across her. “You speak the right words too late.” Then her frown deepened. “Why do you do that?”
He arched her a questioning eyebrow. “Speak the right words too late?”
No, the shifting and hating me, wanting me dead. Is that even right? I thought the bond was supposed to remain no matter the body you are in, or is it because I am not a lycan too?”
“The problem is not you. My wolf is a strange one; it is something I have been struggling with for a long time. The Priest gives me herbs to control it from time to time, but with you around, I think I need more. I’m sorry that I hurt you.”
Oh, well, that explained some things, and the fact that a couple of words made her understand the situation better made her furious.
Just some words, just some explaining, and things would have been different!
But no!
By Ignas, if he had just spoken to her like this before and explained some things to her instead of constantly reminding her that he would have to kill her soon and therefore couldn't risk any attachment with her by allowing any intimacy better than, then maybe she wouldn't hate him as much as she did right now.
“Spare me unnecessary words,” she said dismissing, pinching her fingers against the bed in a suggestive way, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “Now tell me, what Pleasure House do you recommend? Also, I hope you’ve put aside some coins for me to spend there; I want the best service and I know it will be expensive.”
He wrinkled his hooked nose in anger and disgust but that wasn't anything she was concerned about.
“Double the coins; I will have to buy some things at the Wuri Festival, too.”
“A festival.” His look of anger and disgust vanished, as he ran his hand over his chin, the blunt end of his beards punching his palm. “No. You can't go to a festival, it is best for you to stay in here. Safe.”
She folded her arms across her chest, ready to attack him. “Why?”
“You were in heat. You shouldn't be, you are human. You have no wolf but you were in heat–”
Heat? Oana had told her something about that before. It was women that happened to marked but unmated lycan mates. Luke their Goddess way of making sure the process was completed.
Was that why Syon had ran away? Probably, he must have smelt it.
Oh, well. He would be fine.
However, Aniya was worried about what Ikrus had said. She was human, different from them, she wasn't supposed to experience heat. Oana had told her she didn't have to worry about it and it seemed that Ikrus’ wolf was also so different from others that he didn't have to worry about it either.
So why was this happening to her? Whatever it was, she had to make sure it wouldn't get in the way of her plans.
“Tell the Priest and find out why I am affected.”
Ikrus nodded.
“So, how many times does this heat happen?”
“Well, it pushes for us to mate but that is unnecessary.”
“Exactly. Unnecessary attachments.” She chirped in, although he was clearly not done speaking.
His hard gaze landed on her, his unsatisfied hunger swindling in his black eyes. Aniya gulped but held her ground firmly with an innocent smile.
“Exactly,” she said.
A growl rumbled in his chest and he folded his bulging arms across him as he continued.
“So, it happens within what interval?”
“Once a moon for lycans.”
“I have been here for more than a moon and it is just happening now. So, I don't think we have any reason to be afraid. Maybe for humans, it is more spaced out.”
He took a couple of steps closer, stopping only when his shadow was at her feet.
“Wuri Festival is not for marked but unmated lycans. The things that happen there.”
She pressed her palms on either side of her against the bed, to grant her support while she looked up at him.
“I have already been told.” She had a playful look on her face, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement. “I know.”
He frowned, taking a step closer as his shadow moved slowly up her body, till he was towering over her then he stopped.
His voice dropped to a dangerous time, his accent thicker than before. “Is it this friend again? The one who has been telling you everything?”
“Yes.”
His eyes flashed red, his breathing rougher as he fought to contain something. Black furs sprouted from his skin, bones cracking.
Aniya’s smile vanished immediately.
No.