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“I have had worse,” she said, then bit down on her bottom lip. She hadn’t meant to say that.

He stopped wiping the blood from her skin, and shefelthis stare on the back of her head. “From Atlanta?” His voice was so low it was almost a whisper but sounded more like a threat.

Her mouth was suddenly dry and all she could do was nod.

He continued wiping in silence. He went quiet for so long it made her nervous. What was he thinking? That she should have fought back? That she shouldn’t have let it happen? “Are you… angry with me?” she asked.

He tossed the cloth into the bowl, the pink-tinted water sloshing over the side, and stepped in front of her. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, fearing the judgment she’d find there. He dropped into a squat, almost kneeling before her, so she had no choice but to see him. Fury made his aura a more fiery color, reds and oranges rather than his usual green and gold. She grimaced, waiting for his response.

“I’m never going to be angry with you for what he did to you, Katana. I’m angry that he did that to you.” He dropped to one knee and undid the clasp on her heeled shoe. It was only then she realized she had a long red scrape going up the outside of her ankle to her mid calf.

Unbidden tears welled in her eyes as he removed her shoe. She hadn’t been shown kindness like this in a long time. Atlanta gave her injuries; Thane mended them. He grabbed the damp cloth once again and wiped her wound. Then he took up the tin and rubbed the yellow salve across her broken skin.

“I’m seriously debating on finding that asshole.”

“Oh, you must not do that,” Katana breathed. As a primordial immortal, Atlanta could kill Thane.

“Why not?”

“I want to forget about him. I want nothing to do with him. It is in the past. He is the past.”

He sighed and took off her other shoe. “If he ever comes here…”

A lump formed in her throat. That fear was always at the back of her mind.

Thane stood and lifted his black and green tunic over his head and handed it to her. “You can wear this until we get you back to your room. Tif cut your dress into pieces. It’s not going back on.”

She held the soft fabric against her chest. It was warm and smelled like him. “Thank you.”

Chapter 23

VALEEN

The sunlight had dipped behind the mountains bathing the land in starlight. Even though the attack happened a couple hours before, her mind was still whirling with what could have happened. Namely almost losing Presco. The others had gotten hurt but nowhere as bad as him. Thankfully she was able to talk Hel into healing Leif’s broken arm so he could fight if and when he needed to.

The candelabra on the bathroom counter gave off a warm cozy light. Hel’s head rested on the edge of the copper bathtub with steam curling around him. With a sponge in hand, Valeen sat on a stool behind him, and dipped it into the hot water. Little green herbs and oils floated along the surface giving off the smell of citrus and thyme. She squeezed out the sponge on his chest and slowly moved it across his skin. He let out a pleased moan.

With her fingers, she brushed his black hair back away from his face but couldn’t stop staring at the bruising on his ribs. His tattoos and runes did a decent job of hiding it and even though it was much smaller and yellow-hued signaling healing, it proved to her that he wasn’t as invincible as he put on. The fact he hadn’t used his magic and was letting his body heal on itsown, meant that without her blood to revive his strength, he was weaker than he would admit.

He was scared of losing her, but he was vulnerable too. As much as they hated being mortal, there was something strangely beautiful in it. This moment, running a sponge across her mate’s skin, just being here with him, meant more than if she knew there was a guarantee she could do this tomorrow and for eternity. And having lost him before, she wouldn’t take these small, quiet moments for granted.

“Feel better?” she asked quietly.

“Mmhmm,” he murmured with his eyes closed. “So, when are you going to marry me again?” His voice was huskier than usual.

She smiled and pulled the sponge across the matching lily mark on his chest and up his neck. It was here in her bedroom he’d asked her to marry him again. “I thought we could do that at House of Night, when it’s rebuilt.”

He frowned. “That’s… a long way off.”

The disappointment in his tone sent a tingle down her spine. This meant more to him than she originally thought.

He looked up at her through thick, dark lashes. “You left me and died several times and were with my cousin. It’s been so long since we were married… it almost feels like it never happened.” He caught her wrist and brought it to his lips, pressing kisses up to the bend in her elbow. “Don’t forget, I want all of you, Miss Lightbringer.”

Her breath hitched at the tenderness in his voice, the soft kisses adding to it. “I’ll marry you wherever and whenever you want. I’d do it right now.”

He smiled, bringing out the dimple on his cheek and closed his eyes once again. “It needs to be proper, and in front of your friends and aunt.”

Oh, Aunt Evalyn…Valeen’s heart ticked up speed. She had yet to tell Aunt Evalyn about Hel, let alone introduce them. Even asa primordial goddess, the thought terrified her. Evalyn was the only mother figure she’d ever known.