GAHRYE

Between the car fumes and the movement of the vehicle, Gahrye was nauseous by the time they made it to the back entrance of the library and the familiar brick buildings and covered stairs up to the glass doors.

He didn't tell Kalle, though. His male pride prickled. He thought he'd done a better job of hiding it from her. He'd been in the car more than once every week since they arrived. Surely by now he should be accustomed to it? But he still shook every time he sank into the seat, and his stomach turned for the entire ride, no matter how long or short it might be. So, as usual, as soon as the car stopped in the parking space, he had his door open and was pushing out into the sunlight, inhaling deeply, then grimacing at the disgusting odor of this place.

It had eased somewhat since he'd arrived. But he was still waiting for the day when this world didn't make his nose hurt with its tangy stink.

In public and outside the suite when they might be seen, he and Kalle were still pretending they were just friends. So he didn't touch her after she circled the front of the car and walked ahead of him up the stairs. But it felt wrong to keep that couple feet of space between them. When she opened the glass door, he reached over her shoulder to hold it open for her until she passed through, then followed her down that long, plastic lined hallway.

He always enjoyed the sight and scent of the library when they first arrived, and he was busy looking over his shoulder into what Kalle called the Stacks when they turned to approach the enquiry desk where Kalle's grandmother worked.

Grandma caught Gahrye's eye as they approached, and once again, he wondered if she knew what was between he and Kalle. She always seemed to regard him either with delight, or serious concern. But her scent was never angry or wary. She liked him, he was certain.

And yet, today when she saw him her face became very serious and she looked over her shoulder to the back room where the staff had their breaks, but then turned back to them, her smile tight.

"Good to see you both,

" she said quietly as they approached and she put a set of keys on the counter in front of them.

"I got you the research room, Kalle, and I've already put the books in there. Are you sticking around, or just picking up?

"

"We're going to stick around and maybe look for some extra—

"

"Kalle?

"

Gahrye snapped his head up at the deep voice that rang a bell in his head. It wasn't until he turned and found the high, slicked-back, dark hair and wire-rim glasses that he remembered why he suddenly wanted to kick something.

"Dillon?

" Kalle's voice was aghast—and irritated.

Dillon's eyes slipped to Gahrye and he tipped his chin up, which almost dropped Gahrye's jaw—he clearly did not understand that to an Anima he was offering himself for death.

Gahrye shifted his weight so he stood almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Kalle, chin down and eyes fixed on the male's. Let him scent that Gahrye was happy to take him up on that offer if he was so inclined.

Below the level of the counter in front of them, Kalle nudged his thigh so he'd give her more space, then she scowled at Dillon.

"Why are you behind the desk?

"

"He got the job,

" Grandma said with a sigh.

"WHAT?

" Kalle said, too loud for the library. Gahrye could smell her immediate anger—and fear. He glared at the male who had made his mate pin back her ears, and waited. She would deal with him. And if she did not, Gahrye would.

Dillon chuckled.

"When you resigned I had already put in an application, so they called me.

" He kept his gaze fixed on Kalle, his smile easy, but he ignored Gahrye.

"The decision was made before I came into work yesterday,

" Grandma added casually, but her eyes were sharp on Kalle.

"Management felt confident of him since they knew how close we were to Dillon, and that we trusted him.

"

Kalle's jaw dropped.

After their first day together when she'd been forced to leave Gahrye for work, she'd decided to resign in case their time together was short. She'd said that as a Guardian she didn't need the money—an odd form of currency used by the humans for just about everything, according to her—but she enjoyed having a routine. And they would keep in touch with the library, going there so often. She thought if she ever wanted it, she'd get the job back. But now it looked like their hours in the library might be haunted by this male that made her so agitated.

"That is… so not okay, Dillon. But I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of the attention, so we're going to head to our research room and you can… do your job.

" Then she swiped up the keys from the desk, gave Gahrye a pointed look, and turned on her heel, leading him to the research room they'd had the first day they'd come to this amazing place.

Gahrye smiled at her back, at her scent that was both furious, and pleased with herself… and when they turned the corner into the room and no one else could see them, she took his hand and pulled him after her, closing the door, then putting both her hands on his chest.

"You know I have zero interest in that asswipe, right?

"

Gahrye snorted.

"Asswipe? That's a new one for me.

"

"I'm serious.

"

He let his lips pull up on one side and sidled up to her, taking her at the waist.

"Perhaps more importantly, I have zero interest in that asswipe, wife.

" And he kissed her.

She made that little groan in her throat that he loved, so he pulled her harder against him. He did not like these jeens and the thick stiffness of the material that didn't allow him to really feel the warmth of her thighs against his. But the way she grabbed his ass and pulled him tighter against herself, he decided it didn't really matter.

Pretty soon they would leave the library and go back to the Big House and then the jeens would come off. Creator willing he wouldn't have to wear them again for several days.

Then Kalle sucked on his tongue and every hair on his body stood to attention.

Along with other parts of his anatomy.

They really needed to get some work done, but… perhaps a small break wouldn't be a big problem.

He leaned down to swing her into his arms and she shrieked, then clapped a hand over her mouth as he lifted her and carried her over to the table he had very fond memories of.

The asswipe was not going to steal his time with her today.

He settled her on the top of it, between the stacks of books and she smiled up at him through her lashes.

"This is becoming a habit,

" she said softly. He could smell the desire growing in her.

"Oh, I'm not going to take you here,

" he said softly, sliding a hand to the back of her neck and curling his fingers at her nape.

"You're n-not?

" she said as he leaned in.

"No. I'm just going to remind you what I want to do to you tonight when we are alone and there are no… asswipes nearby.

"

Their breaths mingled as their noses almost touched. Gahrye slid his free hand around her thigh, cupping it at the back.

She swallowed.

"I think I… I think I forgot about what you like. You might need to show me,

" she said breathlessly.

Gahrye smiled very, very slowly.