Chapter 637
Releasing your pheromones
Casaio slumped onto the couch of the living room, exhausted after investigating the entire day. He wasn’t supposed to do this, but the death of Theo right after meeting him, sent a shockwave to many. Speculations were going around that Theo was murdered to keep the dark truths from coming out. But what were those?
“Here,” Zilia’s gentle voice grabbed Casaio’s attention. He opened his eyes and found her standing in front of him with steaming hot coffee mug.
“Thanks,” Casaio replied, taking the mug from her. She lowered herself to his side, tilting her head.
“Theo’s driver reported that his master got a call before he told the driver to go home,” Casaio revealed. “The phone is missing.”
“You mentioned it could be an unknown kind of shifter,” Zilia pointed.
“Yes. But upon further investigation, we found they used metal like claws. But it’s clear that someone around Theo, maybe in higher ranks than him, didn’t want him to be in the council,” Casaio explained. He took a long sip of the coffee before lowering the cup.
Zilia didn’t interrupt him and drank the coffee from her own mug.
“How is Idris?” Casaio asked.
“He is doing well,” Zilia replied with a relief. “Life has finally quieted down for him. Actually, his exams are underway right now.”
“That’s good to hear. He’ll be moving up to the next form soon,” Casaio murmured. He took a warm sip of his coffee once again.
“He will,” Zilia agreed, her smile reflecting a quiet relief.
Casaio set his cup onto the heavy wooden table and turned his full attention toward her. “You’ve gone quiet. Is something weighing on you?”
“Nothing,” she insisted softly.
Casaio reached out, his fingers catching a loose lock of her hair and tucking it back with lingering tenderness. He leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a soft graze. He caught the lingering taste of coffee on her breath, though it tasted unexpectedly sweet against the heat of her skin.
“Finish your drink before it goes cold,” Zilia whispered.
He didn’t listen. Instead, he took the mug from her hand and set it aside. His palm came to rest against the nape of her neck, drawing her back into a deep, seamless kiss.
“The coffee can wait,” he murmured against her lips. With his free hand, he caught the edge of his muffler and pulled it free, letting the wool fall forgotten to the floor.
He shifted closer, erasing the remaining distance between them until their shadows merged. Zilia leaned back instinctively, eventually coming to rest against the soft upholstery as her hands gripped his shoulders for balance. They paused for a moment, their breath coming in shallow, synchronized hitches as their chests rose and falling in a frantic rhythm.
“Your cheeks are flushed,” Casaio murmured, his gaze lingering on the heat in her face.
Before she could offer a word in response, he leaned down, burying his face in the curve of her neck. He tugged impatiently at the hem of her pullover; finding the thick fabric a nuisance, he pulled it over her head and cast it aside, leaving her in only a thin camisole.
The sudden rush of the air sent a shiver across Zilia’s skin, but the chill was short-lived. Casaio moved over her, his own warmth effectively shielding her from the cold.
Zilia circled her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to the sensitive skin just below his ear. A low groan vibrated through his chest at the touch, and she felt his body tension sharpen instantly. Suddenly, he pulled back, leaving her momentarily breathless and bewildered.
“I should bathe first,” Casaio said, his voice strained as he fought for control. “I don’t want the dust of the day clinging to you.”
He reached for the pullover on the rug and gently eased it back over her head. “I’ll be quick,” he promised, his voice a low whisper before he disappeared toward the washroom.
Zilia sat up, a lingering smile playing on her lips. She gathered the empty coffee mugs and carried them toward the kitchen, but stopped when a phone on the counter flashed with a notification. She was quick in putting the mugs into the sink before checking her phone.
She saw a message from someone she hadn’t expected.
“Juniper,” she murmured her name, wondering why she messaged her at this time. The message was– “Can we meet?”
Zilia dialed back her number only to find it was out of reach. She dialed once again and this time, the number connected.
After a few rings, the call was finally answered.
“Good evening, Zilia,” Juniper said from the other side.
“Good evening,” Zilia responded. An awkward silence stretched between them, neither quite knowing how to bridge the gap.
“So, will you meet me tomorrow?” Juniper asked, her tone uncharacteristically humble. “It’s better if you come alone. I… I can’t face your husband.”
“Sure,” Zilia replied, deciding not to refuse. “I’ll send you the address of a cafe in the morning.”
“Okay. Take care,” Juniper said, and the line went dead.
Zilia glanced at the darkened screen with a frown before letting out a long sigh. “I wonder what she has to say to me,” she murmured to the empty kitchen. Gripping her phone, she turned and made her way back toward the bedroom.
Stepping into the bedroom, the steady hum of the shower reached her ears through the bathroom door. She switched on the warm blower, then latched the door behind her.
’I hope Juniper doesn’t make a scene,’ Zilia thought, a flicker of anxiety stirring in her chest. ’But if I don’t go, I’ll never understand why she’s reaching out now.’
Pushing the thoughts aside, she moved to the wardrobe to lay out fresh clothes for Casaio. Just as she set them on the edge of the bed, the bathroom door clicked open. Casaio emerged, wreathed in a faint cloud of steam, smelling of soap and cedar. A single towel hung precariously low on his hips, and his skin was still flushed from the heat of the water.
“What were you murmuring just now?” he asked, tilting his head to one side and shaking it to wring the droplets from his damp hair before bringing a small towel to his head.
“Nothing,” Zilia replied. “Your clothes are–””I won’t need them now. I’ve to undress any way,” he said with a smirk.
Zilia chuckled and walked to him. She took the towel from him and dried his hair for him.
“Stop releasing your pheromones,” Zilia whispered with a teasing smile.
“I’m doing no such thing,” Casaio remarked, his expression the picture of feigned innocence.
Zilia reached out and held the towel over his head to hide his smirk. As he moved to pull it down, she surprised him, leaning in to press her warm lips against his. His reaction was instantaneous; his arm coiled around her waist, hauling her flush against his damp skin while he yanked the towel away with his free hand.
His kiss turned hungry, his teeth grazing her lip with a sharp nip that made her wince. Sensing her slight pain, he immediately softened the contact, his tongue sweeping over her bottom lip to soothe the sting before deepening the kiss, claiming her mouth entirely.