A Soul of Ash and Blood

Poppy evades Cas as she approaches, still wielding her bow. He makes flirtatious remarks, calling Poppy “beautiful,” but Poppy refuses to speak. When Cas attempts to grab her arm, Poppy sweeps Cas’s legs out from under him and moves away. He pursues her, and Poppy accurately throws her dagger at Cas’s face. He catches it and continues to approach Poppy, equally annoyed and enamored. As he grabs her arm, Poppy slides another dagger to Cas’s throat and nicks him, which arouses Cas. He’s attracted to her boldness, skill, and strength.

Cas pins Poppy against a wall, preventing her from harming him again. He expresses his adoration for her violence while making rapid-fire innuendos. While Poppy initially refuses to speak, Cas feels victorious when she finally retorts. Cas fears he might experience premature ejaculation from Poppy’s attempts to escape. He can smell Poppy’s arousal. Cas teasingly threatens to tell the Duke and Duchess about Poppy’s behavior, causing Poppy to go silent again. Cas sends Poppy back to her bedchamber.

Cas enters Castle Teerman and walks immediately to Poppy’s room, where he finds Tawny making excuses for Poppy. Cas dismisses Tawny, who leaves with some resistance, and then confronts Poppy. She wears a nightgown with her hair unbraided, and Cas’s desire for her instantly grows.