I woke early to the sound of Bastion’s snoring, confused at first at the warm wall behind me. Then I remembered I’d fallen asleep in Brick’s arms and turned around to snuggle into him.

I found him watching me and we shared a smile.

“Morning,” Brick whispered, planting a kiss on my forehead. He clearly was in no hurry to wake his brother.

“Morning,” I grinned at him. Who would have thought I’d find myself in bed with an orc?

I suddenly became aware of how filthy we still were from the bar fight. It had seemed a lot less important last night, as tired and emotionally overwrought as I’d been.

“You feeling better this morning?” Brick asked, watching the expressions shift on my face.

“Yeah,” I chewed my lip. “I think we should probably have a bath and get cleaned up though, especially if Kira’s planning on kicking us out later.”

“Good thinking,” Brick said. “I’ll light the fire and get the water warm for you.”

I nodded and retreated, still feeling concerned about my pheromones and if they were having an effect on Brick. Despite his encouragement, I wanted to know what he felt was real.

He disappeared into the bathroom, and I looked around the room, wondering if we’d be able to come back here. It had started to feel homely. Bastion’s blood-stained outfit from the day I’d met him was still hanging up on a line next to the fire, and Brick’s large axe was resting against the wall.

“Your bath is ready,” Brick said, and I realized he was standing behind me. “Its name is Ravager. It’s the only thing I have left from my mother.”

I realised he was talking about the axe.

“I was actually wondering about the pot of clay,” I pointed to the tub on the table. “But it’s nice that you have something of hers.”

“That’s what I’ve been using in lieu of a Healer,” Brick huffed. “Clog up the wounds until I can get back to a town. It’s not that effectual, as you can tell by the scars, but it’s kept me alive. It dries out after a week or so though, so I mix it with water when I get a chance.”

“Your life is so difficult,” I said softly, thinking about my own previous worries. Getting to work on time and remembering my timesheets. Trying to gather the courage to phone the landlord and ask him to fix our hot water. It all seemed inconsequential when compared to needing to maintain a first-aid kit.

“Emma, I know you’ve gotten to know me in town and I’m thankful you’ve seen me at my best so far, but… on the road, I’ll have to fight. I don’t want you to think I’m a brute… It’s just life as a warrior. I didn’t get to choose my class, it’s what I was born into. I’m still me, though.”

I picked up the pot of clay and tested it with a finger. It was thick and creamy, like peanut butter but with an earthy odour.

“I’m not worried about that,” I said. “I know I don’t understand, really. But I’m starting to. And I know you’re a warrior. The first time I saw you, you were splattered in blood – although it was Bastion’s, but still… I don’t have delusions about that.”

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I took a swipe of the clay and smeared it onto my neck where Lily had shown me my pheromone pores were.

“What are you doing?” Brick asked.

I smeared it on the other side as well, and put the jar of clay back, then turned to look at Brick.

“Give it a minute and have a really good think about how you feel about me,” I said seriously. “I shouldn’t be releasing any pheromones now, so… if you still like me, it should be you and not… not magic.”

Brick’s expression shifted to surprise. “Are you still worried about that?”

I nodded nervously. “I’ve acted like a complete dork ever since landing here. Trying to tip scabby-grow down your brother’s throat. Singing the stupidest songs. Not knowing… well, anything. I can’t think of a single reason you’d like me unless it was magic.”

Brick grinned at me affectionately, grabbed me around the waist and threw me over his shoulder. I squealed, but he shushed me, nodding at his comatose brother, and carried me into the bathroom where he placed me gently on my feet.

“You, Emma,” he said, his deep voice reverberating through me as his large hands gripped me. “Are the most beautiful, funny, lovely being I’ve met in my whole life. The way I feel about you burns stronger than dragon fire.”

And then he kissed me with a scorching, passionate kiss that I felt all the way to my toes.

He pulled back after a moment, his thumbs stroking my shoulders.

“Do you… want to bathe together?” I asked between gasping breaths.

His smile turned feral, and he took a step closer, his hands moving to untie the knot that kept my top together.

“I like these,” he said, one of his fingers stroking the side of my breast lazily, sending what felt like an electric charge of lust through my body. “I didn’t want to mention them before, but they fit you better.”

I smiled at him, kissing him in lieu of words.

“Emma, you set me on fire,” he groaned into my neck. “I want you. I need you.”

His words sent a thrill through me, and I grabbed his head, kissing him with more ferocity than I knew I had pent up inside me.

“Tell me you want this,” Brick demanded, tearing his mouth away from mine long enough to look me in the eyes. “I can tell your body wants this, but is this what you want?”

“Yessss,” I hissed, closing my eyes.

I’d had sex more times than I could count, but it had never felt like this. Maybe it was the immersion of this succubus body, but every fibre of my being felt alive and singing. This must be what Lily had meant by life magic. I could feel it teeming through my veins.

“I love you,” I found myself whispering into his ear, and he pulled me into a close embrace and kissed my neck.

I was surprised at myself. I’d never said that before; not to James, nor any of the boyfriends I’d had before him. But despite having just met him, I felt so incredibly moved I didn’t know what else I could call it.

“I love you too,” Brick answered me huskily. “I’d be surprised if we haven’t woken Bastion now, though. We should get cleaned up.”

He let me down to my feet gently, and gave me a soft and sweet kiss, before turning back to the bath and stepping over our discarded clothes. I followed him on shaky legs, but he paused at the rim of the bath, looking at his own fingers curiously.

“What?” I asked, laying my hands on his back as I looked around him, but then I noticed it. The pearly sheen covering his fingers.

“I guess this is why you were asking those questions yesterday,” he said mildly, stepping into the bath and offering me a hand as I joined him.

I blushed and nodded, realizing my error.

“Lily said I shouldn’t let anyone find out unless they were bonded to me, and I’d made a blood pact for secrecy. Although I still don’t know what bonding is.”

“It’s a kind of commitment, like a marriage,” Brick explained, grabbing a washcloth and lathering it with soap. “Sometimes guilds will use them, or apprentices and masters. My adoptive father took a bonding oath to raise me as his own when he took me in. There are a lot of different kinds of them, but they indicate a long-term commitment. But while I’m happy to do the blood oath and I would not be averse to bonding with you, I think it would be premature on your part until you know what you’re getting into.”

He used the cloth to caress my neck, washing off the clay.

“When you know how you feel… about yourself as well, I mean… you can ask me to bond with you.”

“And that’s what you want?” I asked, placing my hand over his and halting his progress.

“You’re what I want,” he said, smiling at me. “I meant what I said. I love you. But I’m not in a hurry. You’ll find I can be very patient.”