Page 29 of Brushed By Moonlight

My limp arm banged against a hard surface. The edge of the table?

“I said, watch it,” someone hissed.

I can’t watch anything,I wanted to yell. My eyes were too thick and heavy, and a piercing sound filled my head, like a fire alarm that rang and rang.

Put me down,I wanted to plead.Leave me alone. Go away. Please.

My limbs flopped around as I was lifted, and while I couldn’t identify which way was up, I was way, way off-balance. My body shifted in Mystery Man’s arms, and a moment later, I found myself cradled snugly against his chest.

And, oh. Just like that, the noise and pain ebbed away.

I sighed. Much better.

Inhaling his pleasant, earth-after-rain scent, I gave in to my fate.

“Fucking morons,” Mystery Man growled, pacing away.

The movement was smooth and gentle, suggesting Mystery Man was one of the cats — Roux or Bene. Then again, Henrik and Marius moved with the same powerful, confident grace.

Please, please don’t let it be Henrik,I prayed.

Not Henrik, I decided. I would know, because it wouldn’t feel right.

Then again, nothing about this was right. Nothing but the hard, strong body I was snuggled against. I tried to count steps, but it was too much. Darkness crept over all my senses, then stole me away.

* * *

The next time I came to, someone was fussing over me as I lay in bed. A blanket fell over my shoulders, and gentle hands tucked it into place. Close to my ear, a murmur promised I would be all right.

My pounding head said otherwise. I cracked an eye open, but everything was dark and blurry.

Mystery Man stepped away, and I whimpered, suddenly afraid. What if my brain was hemorrhaging? What if Henrik seized his chance to attack? What if—

Mystery Man wavered, then returned to my bedside. The mattress dipped behind me, and every muscle in my body tensed.

Oh God. I was incapacitated, defenseless. Totally vulnerable.

His movements were slow and cautious, his voice reassuring as he spooned behind me. All an act, I was sure. Any minute now, I would be groped, abused…maybe even raped.

But the arm he looped over my side stayed safely away from the front of my body, and his hand curled in the neutral territory of the sheets. And that was it, other than the caress of his warm, steady breaths.

So, huh. Mystery Man seemed to be morevaliant knightthanmarauding Viking.

I exhaled and slowly relaxed into the mattress. Maybe he would protect me. Maybe I wouldn’t die. Maybe he would keep Henrik away.

Maybe Mystery Man, whoever he was, had a good heart.

That, or I was truly up shit creek.

I drifted away again, falling into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Sometime in the night, I sensed my valiant knight stir, then back away.

No,I nearly protested, reaching for his hand.

But it was too late. The warm, hard body that had guarded my back disappeared, and the blanket he tucked into that space was a poor substitute.