Page 70

Don’t even think about trying that again.

He slowly smiled, then laughed. “You should see the look on your face right now.”

“I swear to the All Mother, Hel. I will?—”

“Run? You know I like hide and seek,” he winked.

“I will beat your ass.”

“If that’s what turns you on.” He shrugged and slipped his arm around her shoulders. She elbowed him in the side. He winced and sucked in a sharp breath then coughed trying to cover it up.

“I thought you healed yourself?” she didn’t nudge him hard enough to hurt.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed his cloak and pulled him to a stop. His thick leather vest made it impossible to lift his shirt, so she started with the top buttons.

“I didn’t know you were so eager to get me naked.”

“Shhh.”

“Fine, fine, your majesty.”

Once the vest was open, she pulled his tucked undershirt from his pants and pushed it up. The left side of his ribcage was dark-purple from his armpit to nearly his hip bone. Her stomach sank. “Hel, what is this?”

“He hit really fucking hard.”

“And? I stabbed you and you healed in seconds.”

“Like I said, I’ll be fine.” He took a step back and tucked his shirt back in. He started on the buttons of his vest and briefly met her gaze. His eyes were too dark. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“You need my blood again, don’t you?”

Why hadn’t she noticed before that the tremors in his hands were back? He finished buttoning his vest and quickly pulled a civar out of the air and put it to his lips. “No, but I could use a sponge bath.” He raised his bloody palms to her. “I’m filthy. If you’re willing.”

“Hel, don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not.”

“It’s been weeks since you had my blood in Presco’s apartment.”

“A night I won’t soon forget. Your moans are music to my ears.” The smoke rolled from his mouth into a heavy cloud until it drifted away on the breeze.

She pulled a knife from her belt and his hand flashed out, grabbing her wrist. “We’re not doing that.”

“Yes, we are.”

“If,” he said, holding up a finger, “we do that again, it won’t be here or now. We need to be somewhere safe, where I can enjoy tasting you.” His gaze trailed down to her collarbone and to the cleavage peeking out from her shirt. “And like I said, I need a bath.”

Chapter 22

KATANA

Glass shards and splinters from the window were still embedded in Katana’s back. She’d tried to reach around and pull some out herself, but many were too small to pinch, or she couldn’t reach. After sipping on some brandy wine, the sting of it all was only a low ache.

With her legs slung over the side of a table in a room with shelves and cupboards of medical supplies, she kicked her feet waiting for someone to come help her. Several tables down, Piper, Leif, and Fennan had the house healer fussing over them. The healer kept smacking Leif on the shoulder for moving too much while she cut away his top. One of Fennan’s hands was wrapped in a white cloth. He also had a few scrapes along the left side of his face. He wasn’t worried about himself though. He held a thick bandage to Piper’s head. She complained of feeling dizzy and he forced her to lie back.

Beside Katana was a table that held a bronze tin labeled healing balm, a silver basin of water, a dry cloth, scissors, tweezers, and a small knife. She hoped no one planned to use the latter on her.