DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HOLLOWS. THE AWESOME KIM HARRISON DOES:)
The silk sheets smelt of redwood, meadow, and just a hint of burnt amber. Algaliarept held a bit of them in his hand while he lay in his itchy witch's bed, waiting for his aura to heal. It had been two hours or so since his aura had been stripped to practically nothing. And it was his own fault, which pissed him off to no end.
His student, Rachel Marianna Morgan, had no idea of how deep in shit she was. Maybe an idea, but nothing close to the truth. And there he was laying in bed. He was unable to protect himself if danger were to arise; much less Rachel. To top it off, Ceri, his ex-familiar, was being held captive with her non-blood sharing daughter. He didn't love her, he knew. Yet he still cared for her as one does if they spend a millennium at each others sides. It was natural, unlike the feelings he felt for his itchy witch.
He knew he was dangerously close to being in love with his student and he hadn't any idea of how to stop it. He knew Rachel wouldn't return such feelings, but he felt as if maybe . . . No. Never. Even if she'd end up falling in love with him, Algaliarept just wasn't going to risk her. He'd been unable to stop Celfnnah's death. And with the way things were coming together so fucking wrong, he felt as if he'd be unable to protect his itchy witch as well. He was reluctant to admit he cared for her. She'd freak the fuck out because to her it would feel as if the devil had fallen for her.
No. He'd rather wait until they only had each other and he knew for sure that Rachel was capable of protecting herself if he wasn't around to do do it himself. They had forever anyways. Even that was enough time to get past her thick skull.
Frowning with unquenchable doubt, Algaliarept rolled onto his side slowly and closed his eyes.