Nicol
Alex huffed out a laugh. Katrin B stood in the doorway, half-undressed, and already rolling her eyes at the stack of spellbooks cluttering the bed. “You know, most people keep silk sheets under their runes, not enough dead languages to give a librarian a migraine,” she said, snapping one bra strap back up her shoulder. The candle on the nightstand hissed and flickered like it might keel over from secondhand embarrassment. Alex kicked the pile aside with one foot, all bones and old parchment rattling on the rug like it owed the place rent. She grinned, crooked, and gave the curve of Katrin’s hip a playful slap that stung just enough to make the witch’s ears go pink. “Keep your witty commentary for later, B. Right now you’re my favorite distraction in this apartment full of hexes.” Katrin shook her head, lips twitching, and slid a knee between Alex’s legs on the blanket—slow, deliberate, daring her to crack another joke. “Distract you? I’ll leave you speechless,” she promised, teeth flashing. Alex’s breath hitched when cool fingers tugged the last shirt button free. The rest of the world, demons, wards, overdue library books, slipped away like crumbs off the duvet.
Nicol
Alex huffed out a laugh. Katrin B stood in the doorway, half-undressed, and already rolling her eyes at the stack of spellbooks cluttering the bed. “You know, most people keep silk sheets under their runes, not enough dead languages to give a librarian a migraine,” she said, snapping one bra strap back up her shoulder. The candle on the nightstand hissed and flickered like it might keel over from secondhand embarrassment. Alex kicked the pile aside with one foot, all bones and old parchment rattling on the rug like it owed the place rent. She grinned, crooked, and gave the curve of Katrin’s hip a playful slap that stung just enough to make the witch’s ears go pink. “Keep your witty commentary for later, B. Right now you’re my favorite distraction in this apartment full of hexes.” Katrin shook her head, lips twitching, and slid a knee between Alex’s legs on the blanket—slow, deliberate, daring her to crack another joke. “Distract you? I’ll leave you speechless,” she promised, teeth flashing. Alex’s breath hitched when cool fingers tugged the last shirt button free. The rest of the world, demons, wards, overdue library books, slipped away like crumbs off the duvet.