She wants me to hide her here. That’s just about the worst idea I’ve ever heard.
“Rose…” Malcolm chewed his lip and started to shake his head. “It wouldn’t be safe for you here. I might have to bring other champions over, or they might stop by. I just can’t do it.”
“This demon that you’re after,” said Rose. “How do you expect to find them without help?”
“I’m a member of the Champion Authority,” said Malcolm. “I’m sure they could give me some information.”
“Maybe,” said Rose. “But maybe not.”
She looked at him. Malcolm could see the hope dying in her eyes, and suddenly knew that she wasn’t lying to him about at least one thing. She was just as desperate as she claimed to be. He felt a sudden surge of empathy, and knew that he couldn’t just force her out into the cold.
“…Alright,” he said. “I guess you can stay with me. But just for a few days, like you said.”
Rose smiled at him and walked in closer. She leaned in, and for a moment, he thought she was going to kiss him again.
“Thanks,” she said. “I was worried that you were going to make me do the walk of shame.”
Malcolm chuckled. He looked at her, surprised at how much more relaxed she seemed now that he’d agreed to let her stay.
“So how will you help me find the demon that I’m looking for?” he asked. “Can we start tonight?”
Rose frowned and shook her head.
“I’m too weak to start tonight,” she said. Malcolm raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t… seem weak,” he said.
“Up against you?” She smiled. “No. But up against another spryte or demon? I don’t think I’d stand a chance at some of the more dangerous ones that could be lurking out there, not right now. I’ll need some time to rest and recuperate.”
She gave him an odd look, a little embarrassed, perhaps a little eager.
“Alright…” he said. “So, I guess it’s probably better if you take my bed tonight. It would be hard for me to block the light from the windows in the living room.”
“Why don’t we both take the bed?” asked Rose. She sat down on it, patted the spot next to her, and crossed her legs.
“I… don’t think that would be a good idea,” said Malcolm.
Rose stretched out on the bed, rolling onto her stomach and pushing her butt up into the air slightly.
“Think about how much fun it would be,” she whispered. “I sleep naked, you know.”
Malcolm felt himself immediately start to get excited, even though it had only been a few minutes since their last round. He tried to ignore it.
“That was a onetime thing,” he said, forcing the words out. “We can’t be involved like that. It’s just not good for either of us.”
Rose rolled over onto her back and slowly slid her hands across the fabric of her pants, and then her shirt. She clasped her hands and pulled her arms together, framing her breasts and making them look even bigger than they already were.
“As you wish,” she said. “Malcolm.”
She said his name as though it was an erotic promise, slowly rolling it off her tongue and past her lips. She stared at him, her eyes hungry and full of sexual power. Malcolm felt himself being drawn in and knew that he needed to get out of the room if he wanted to keep any semblance up of having control over himself.
“Well then… good night.” He cleared his throat and stepped back through the door, holding the door knob and getting one last good look at her.
“Sweet dreams,” whispered Rose.
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it.
I’ve just made possibly the biggest mistake of my life.
CHAPTER 12
Malcolm was awake for most of the night. He kept expecting something to happen, be it Rose bursting out of his bedroom and attacking him after all, or sliding out naked, and pushing through his resistance for another hot, steamy encounter.
Nothing happened. Malcolm paced his living room. He had a midnight snack. He played video games for a little while, keeping the sound mostly muted.
He finally got to sleep sometime in the grey area between late night and early morning. It felt like he’d only had his eyes closed for a couple of minutes when a loud knock drew him back awake.
“Wake up.” His front door opened, and Tapestry stepped into his apartment. “Your training starts early. We’ve got a lot to cover.”
She was wearing a grey tunic style sweater over a tight pair of jeans, her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. She frowned when she saw him lying on the couch, and Malcolm had to think through the haze of early morning grogginess to realize why.
“You’re sleeping on the couch,” she said, flatly. “Is there any particular reason why that is?”
Malcolm groaned. One of the video game controllers was still out on the floor, and he gestured to it.
“Late night session,” he said. “Gotta keep my gaming skills up.”
“Your… gaming skills?” The look Tapestry gave him was one of amused disbelief. Malcolm grimaced, feeling like a man child.
“Hey, don’t hate the player, hate the game,” he said. “I just have to grab a change of clothes and then we can get…”
He trailed off as he looked up at Tapestry. Rose was standing directly behind her, smiling coyly and wearing only a sheet. She pointed a finger at Tapestry and mouthed the words “Is she a champion?”
Tapestry saw Malcolm’s expression and glanced over her shoulder. Rose was gone in an instant, vanishing completely into the shadows and reappearing across the room, in the darkness of the corner, still wrapped in the sheet.
“What?” asked Tapestry. “What is it?”
Malcolm shook his head slowly.
“Uh… nothing,” he said.
Rose reappeared behind Tapestry again, flaunting her ability to sink into the shadows and give herself practical invisibility. Malcolm felt his tension skyrocket, but he couldn’t even gesture for her to stop without risking giving himself away. Tapestry was looking around the apartment, with Rose silently trailing her, like a mischievous child holding up bunny ears behind someone’s head for a photo.
“Your apartment is so small,” said Tapestry. “You should consider buying a house, instead. It’s a better use of your money.”
“Yeah, uh, totally,” said Malcolm. “That sounds reasonable for a millennial without a college degree.”
Tapestry shot him a look. Malcolm barely even noticed. He hesitated before heading into his room to change, his heart pounding at how close he was to getting caught.
As soon as he had on a new shirt and jeans, he hurried back out into the living room. Tapestry was looking out the window, and Rose was leaning on the couch behind her. The sun peaked out over the clouds on the horizon, and Malcolm saw firsthand just how much it affected her.
Rose’s cloak of shadows went from rendering her nearly invisible to being nonexistent. She blinked, and a flash of annoyance and fear passed across her face. Tapestry started to turn around, and Rose wasn’t close enough to anything she could hide behind.
“At least I get a good view!” said Malcolm, stepping up beside Tapestry and throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Right?”
Tapestry didn’t look amused.
“Malcolm,” she said. “Are you hitting on me?”
“Uh…?”
That’s a good question.
He let his arm drop, and held up his hands innocently.
“Sorry,” he said. “Sometimes I get a little frisky. I think it has something to do with my diet.”
“I’m your mentor,” she said. “Try to keep things professional, Wind Runner.”