Page 43 of Blood Skye (Skye Druids #6)

Chapter Forty-Three

Callum was healed. At least that’s what Kirsi had been told. But seeing him lying so still on the bed nearly convinced her otherwise. She tucked her feet under the chair, crossing one ankle over the other in a bid to get comfortable. The Healers promised that Callum would wake soon. She kept replaying what’d happened at the cottage in her head: how Callum had intentionally turned so he took the brunt of the landing to protect her.

She stared at the rugged planes of his face, taking in the dark shadow of whiskers along his jaw. His pale brown hair with strands of blond and darker brunette was still damp. Some strands had come loose from their bindings. She wanted to run her fingers through the waves.

Her gaze drifted to his mouth. She was tempted to lean up and place her lips on his. It might very well be the only way she ever got up the nerve to kiss him. But she wouldn’t do it. It was wrong to take advantage of his unconsciousness. What if he didn’t want her kiss? It wasn’t a great way to repay him after he’d saved her life.

She knew his strength. She had felt the hard sinew of his body when he carried her down the mountain after she twisted her ankle. And again a few hours ago when his arms had gone around her. Callum kept to himself and rarely spoke to others. Killian had gotten him to come out of his shell some, but she still often saw Callum sitting along the shore, staring out at the water.

He was a good man. Better than most realized. He was also a good friend. He had been there for her time and again. Even when she hadn’t known she was in trouble. Like tonight.

Kirsi hesitantly reached over and covered his hand with hers. Everyone believed she would be the one to defeat the evil. All because Ferne had seen it in a vision. But Ferne had to be wrong. Kirsi didn’t have that kind of strength. They should put their faith in someone like Callum .

He had repeatedly let the barbs pierce his flesh while attempting to seal the tear. Callum had eagerly risen to such a challenge. And what had she done? She had hidden the fact that she could see the cottage. She probably wouldn’t have told anyone if Carlyle hadn’t pressed. Being near that place made her want to hide.

It was how she knew she wasn’t strong enough to face what was coming.

“ Callum ,” she whispered.

The sound of the door opening behind her halted any other words.

Carlyle stepped into the room with Killian and saw Kirsi discreetly remove her hand from Callum’s . He stood at the door, watching the scene unfold as Killian walked to the foot of the bed.

“ Has he woken?” Killian whispered.

Kirsi shook her head. “ Not yet.”

“ He will soon.”

Kirsi rose. “ Will you let me know when he does?”

“ Stay ,” Killian urged. “ Callum would want you here.”

She gave him a strained smile. “ I need to get to the co-op.”

“ We’ll call,” Carlyle promised.

Kirsi glanced at him before hurrying from the room. Carlyle watched until she was out of sight.

“ I don’t understand,” Killian said, his face lined in confusion.

Carlyle shrugged. “ I think she’s upset that Callum was injured.”

“ He’s healed.”

“ We heard her version of what happened after I left to find Song . I wonder what we’ll hear from Callum .”

Killian frowned, his olive green eyes filled with concern. “ You think she did something?”

“ Not at all. I think she feels responsible for him getting hurt.”

Killian grunted and looked at Callum . “ She didn’t cause any of it.”

“ They care about each other.”

“ Aye .”

Carlyle walked closer to the bed. “ Do they know how the other feels?”

“ I don’t believe they do.” Killian leaned against a wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “ Callum loves her. I don’t know if he realizes his feelings go that deep, though.”

Callum’s hand curled against the bedding as if seeking Kirsi’s touch, and then his lids opened. His amber gaze landed on the empty chair. Kirsi’s chair. Carlyle and Killian exchanged a look.

“ Finally joining the land of the living,” Killian teased.

Callum jerked his head to the side and spotted Killian . “ Kirsi ?”

“ She’s fine,” Carlyle said as he moved from the doorway. “ Not a scratch on her, thanks to you.”

Callum released a long breath and sat up. “ That’s good to know. Did you get Song out?”

“ I did. Edie was in the cottage waiting for us,” Carlyle explained.

Callum glanced at Killian and then looked back at Carlyle . “ Did she make it out?”

“ She did not,” Carlyle replied.

Callum shrugged. “ That’s probably for the best.”

Killian dropped his arms to his sides and drew in a breath. “ What happened on the roof?”

Callum averted his gaze. “ Lightning . Two strikes. Both were so close to Kirsi , I thought…”

Carlyle waited, the room quiet as Callum reflected on the events.

“ She’s important,” Callum said as he looked at Carlyle . “ Kirsi is to face the evil. I couldna let anything happen to her.”

Carlyle dipped his head. He knew Callum’s actions had been more about saving Kirsi because he cared, but he wouldn’t call him out on it. “ You did the right thing.”

“ When are we going back? I need to close the tear.”

Killian looked away. Carlyle shifted his feet. Callum had broken his back in the fall, but that wasn’t what had taken the Healers so long to heal. It was the wounds from the spikes along the tear.

“ You know Rhona . She wants to get everyone’s reports first,” Carlyle said.

Callum tugged off the strip of leather holding his hair before running his fingers through it. “ Of course.”

“ I’ll let her know you’re awake. She’ll drop by soon,” Carlyle said.

Killian chimed in. “ Meanwhile , let me relay all the stories from today.”

Carlyle closed the door behind him and walked down the hall to the stairs. He found Rhona and let her know about Callum , then went looking for Song . He searched every room on the ground floor and even outside the manor but couldn’t locate her. He went back upstairs and checked her room, but she wasn’t there either. It wasn’t until he opened the door to his room that he found her. She lay on the bed facing him, asleep.

She had changed, and her hair was still damp from a shower. He stripped out of his dirty clothes and washed the day away. Carlyle dried off and padded naked out of the bathroom to curl around her. She sighed as he nestled against her.

“ Hey ,” she said sleepily.

“ Hey .”

“ How’s Callum ?”

Carlyle closed his eyes, his body as weary as his mind. “ He’s good. He woke a few minutes ago.”

“ Did you tell him about the barbs?”

“ I did not. It can wait.”

She turned in his arms so their faces were next to each other on the pillow. “ And how are you?”

“ Better now,” he replied with a grin.

Song smiled. “ I can make it even better.”

“ Don’t tease.”

“ I wouldn’t dare,” she said huskily.

Their lips tangled in a heady kiss that sparked an inferno of need. His desire to be inside her, to have their bodies joined, was matched only by her own impatience. Once her clothes were gone, he filled her in one deep thrust.

She moaned, her back arching. Then , he began to move. Her nails dug into his back as she met him thrust for thrust. Their passion quickly soared high, bringing them to the brink of ecstasy and holding them there before they were swept along on a rush of pleasure. The moment her body spasmed around him, Carlyle was lost. The orgasm was powerful, intense. He hung suspended between worlds, wrapped in contentment. And when he opened his eyes, he was in Song’s arms, her body cradling his.

“ Song .”

Carlyle’s voice was strangled, pitched low and roughened with desire. She looked up at him from her position on her knees with the wall at her back. His hands were braced on the wall, his muscles tight and breath ragged as her mouth and hands moved up and down the length of his cock.

“ You …”

His voice trailed off as she sucked him deep. She smiled inwardly. Not that long ago, she had begged him for release as his mouth and tongue teased her ruthlessly. Turnabout was fair play. Besides , she was enjoying herself.

She swirled her tongue around the head of his arousal, causing a groan to rumble from his chest. They hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other. The more he touched her, the more she ached for him. He was carnal and seductive, arousing and unrestrained. He was, simply put, amazing.

Suddenly , she was against the wall, his hands holding her legs apart and his face inches from hers. Longing burned in his eyes. Her sex throbbed in response.

“ Tell me you want me,” Carlyle demanded.

She slid her hands over his thick shoulders. “ I want you.”

The head of his cock brushed her center. She moaned and rocked her hips, searching for more. Song needed him inside her.

He dipped his head. Just before their lips touched, he said, “ Tell me you need me.”

“ I need you.”

A smile pulled at his lips right before he kissed her. Then he was inside her, his thick rod sliding in and out, hitting all the right spots. Song wound her legs around his waist and held on. He drove into her, hard and deep, as her nipples scraped against his chest. Desire scorched her veins, coming to rest between her legs.

“ Carlyle ,” she ground out.

“ Now . Cum now.”

His words released a flood of pleasure. He kissed her, drowning out her cry as they climaxed together. Song couldn’t hold her head up. She didn’t know how Carlyle carried her to the bed. They lay tangled in each other’s arms, content and blissful.

He kissed her forehead. “ Remind me to stock food in the room next time.”

“ Pretty sure we should hydrate better.”

A laugh bubbled from him. “ That would be a good idea.”

Worry took root, growing in the silence as they lay there. “ I don’t want to mess this up.”

“ You won’t.”

“ You don’t know that. I’ve not been in a relationship. I don’t know…anything about it.”

He held her tighter. “ It’s been a really, really long time since I was in a relationship. How about if we figure it out together?”

“ I’d like that.”

“ We will mess up. That’s life. We’ll have bad days and good ones. But as long as we’re honest with each other, we can muddle through, even when it’s hard.”

She rested her hand on his chest. “ That sounds doable.”

“ But ?” he pressed. “ Tell me. This is the being-honest part.”

Song was glad she wasn’t looking at him. It seemed easier to get it out if she didn’t have to stare into his eyes. “ I’ve always been someone else. Whatever the job required, I became. But I kept everything locked away even when I wasn’t working.”

“ Did you keep yourself locked away with me?”

She thought about that for a moment. “ I did at first. I’m not sure when I stopped. I think it happened sometime on the boat.”

“ I’m not saying it will be easy, but you’ll figure it out. I want you to be yourself.”

“ Even when I’m cranky from lack of sleep?”

He laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls. “ Definitely .”

“ What about when I’m hungry?”

“ Even then.”

She grew serious. “ We haven’t talked about our families.”

“ We will. That is something we both need to delve into and work through. But it doesn’t need to be with me if you’d feel better talking to someone else.”

“ I think I’d like to talk to you. But maybe a therapist, too.”

He ran his hand up and down her back. “ That’s a sound plan. It’s mine, as well. I see you’re copying me already.”

Song rose on an elbow to look at him. “ I’m really glad you came to kidnap me.”

“ Me , too,” he whispered before drawing her down for another kiss.