FIRE NATION

CHAPTER 20

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said this place needed a little love," Roseanne murmured, craning her neck to peer around the abandoned entryway. The ceiling of the beach house stretched high above her, cast in shadow with cobwebs clinging to the corners. The hall itself was mostly empty aside from several old columns and a few pieces of antique furniture, and most of the sparse decorations that remained were covered in a thick layer of dust. However, she could still see its potential. Once upon a time, it had probably been beautiful.

"I didn't say anything about love," Lalisa grumbled from the doorway. Judging by the furrow in her forehead, she wasn't pleased with what she saw. "I said it hadn't been used in years. I should have agreed to let Lo and Li host us at their beach house instead of requesting a cleaning service. This place is disgusting."

Roseanne didn't let Lalisa's attitude dampen her mood. She was actually happy that some of Lalisa's usual grumpiness had returned, as long as it wasn't directed at her. It was better than watching the princess mope and hesitate with every word she spoke. I never thought I'd miss that sour look on her face, but it's actually kind of cute now that it's back.

"Sure, the inside needs a little scrubbing down..."

Lalisa gave her a doubtful look. "Just a little?"

"Maybe more than a little, but the outside is beautiful. It has to be the best view on the whole island."

Lalisa came the rest of the way through the door to stand by her side. "It is," she said, turning her head and peering out one of the smudged windows. "My mother had to carry me up the path when I was a pup. I could only make it about half-way on my own."

Roseanne couldn't help it. The mental image of a tiny Lalisa toddling up the steps after her mother made her laugh. She cupped a hand to hide her giggles, but it was too late. Lalisa gave her a withering look.

"What's so funny? I wasn't always the peak of physical perfection."

"There's that alpha confidence," Roseanne said, feeling safe enough to tease. "Just when I was beginning to think your ego had gone away."

Lalisa gave a shrug of her lean shoulders. "I have my flaws. Only someone like Larce refuses to admit theirs. But my physical appearance isn't one of them."

Privately, Roseanne had to agree. Although it had been well over a week since they had last mated, she had no trouble conjuring a mental image of what Lalisa's body looked like without the deep red skirt and halter top she was currently wearing. She was all lithe, wiry muscle, and it took Roseanne a fair amount of effort to prevent her eyes from lingering on the bare strip of skin at Lalisa's stomach. Shaking herself, she walked further into the beach house instead, searching for a suitable distraction. It wouldn't do to stare, not while their relationship was still so awkward and undefined.

Once she passed through the decorative columns, something almost as interesting as Lalisa's figure caught her eye. Although most of the walls were bare, the one directly in front of her still had a portrait hanging on it. The colors were slightly faded from years of sunlight, but the image was still in fair condition. Four figures in royal red robes were posed together, two adults and two children, and she recognized one of them immediately. The tiny female pup sitting in her mother's lap couldn't have been more than a few years old, but something about her dark eyes and the shape of her face was a dead giveaway.

"Lalisa, is this you?" she gasped, clasping both hands beneath her chin and beaming with delight. "You're so tiny! Wow, this is better than picturing it in my head. And is that your mom holding you? She's so pretty."

Lalisa came through the columns to stand beside her, gazing at the picture as well. "I suppose she was," she said in a slightly distant voice. "I never noticed. She rarely looked at me with much affection. I assume it was because I reminded her of Larce."