Page 38 of Healer’s Reckoning (The Healer’s #3)

Ava

“Okay,” I say, refusing to make a big deal out of it.

“Okay?”

I turn back to him and see his smile. It seems like a load comes off my shoulders at that perfect, easy smile. I look at the bed and then back at him. “So, how are we doing this sharing a room thing?” I make an exaggerated case of looking around the room.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for Hunter,” I respond cheekily. “I’m surprised Hunter’s leaving you in here with me. He usually thinks I’m out to kill you or something.”

“Hunter’s not exactly a trusting guy.”

“No kidding.” I turn back to him. I almost ask about Hunter, but I know how my past is private to me. So I leave Hunter’s secrets to him.

“He knows who you are to me, and he won’t mess with that.” He puts my bag on the bed. “You take the bed; I’ll take the floor.”

I pick up my bag. “I am not making you sleep on the floor. You take the bed.”

“I’m on the floor, Ava.” I’m about ready to protest, but he puts up a hand. “If I’m not comfortable, I’ll shift into my wolf form.”

“Huh. Well, I guess I can’t argue with that. I certainly can’t do that.” I put my bag back on the bed and open it up. “I’m going to warn you. Your packmate took special care in choosing all my clothes.” I grab my pajamas from the bag and head to the bathroom. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I don’t leave him a chance to ask me about it before I disappear into the bathroom. It takes me just a few minutes to change, brush my hair and teeth, and take my makeup off. I look down at my pajama set and shake my head. First of all, I didn’t know I would be spending the night with Bryce. Second, Alica really did buy all sexy clothes for me, including pajamas. This pink silk tank top with lace at the top and short shorts definitely scream sexy, but it is what it is. I open the door and don’t look his way as I head to my bag and put my clothes away. I spend a moment pulling back the covers and fluffing the pillows. I run out of stuff to do and finally turn around. Bryce is standing stock still. I smirk; I can’t help it. “You okay over there?”

He runs his eyes up and down my body slowly and then swallows hard; I can practically hear it. And just like that, I feel like the sexiest woman on the planet. It’s a heady feeling, especially when I know I’m not sexy. My curves have all but disappeared with everything. And I’m short; I don’t have long toned legs like the female shifters do. But the way Bryce is looking at me makes me forget all those things. I smile and turn away from him, ready to climb into bed. A hand on my wrist stops me. I turn around and stare up at him. In bare feet and pajamas, I feel more vulnerable in front of him than I’ve ever been before. He’s so tall as he towers over me. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” His voice has a rasp to it that sends a shudder through me. He takes a step back and then turns away. He throws his bag over his shoulder. “I’m going to take a shower, a cold one.” He gives me a pointed look and disappears into the bathroom.

I can’t keep the smile off my face as I climb into bed. I settle against the pillows and wait for him to finish up. He doesn’t take long, and when he comes out, it’s my turn to forget how to breathe. My eyes soak him in. In just sweatpants, his very toned, very tanned chest is on full display just like it was earlier today. So are his alpha marks. I haven’t had much of a chance to study them, but they are on full display now. “You okay over there?” he asks, throwing my words back at me.

My eyes flick to his. “You’re really good-looking Bryce.”

“Coming from you, I’ll take it.”

“No, I’m serious.” I meet his eyes. “Like you’re reeealllly good-looking.”

He cocks his head to the side, studying me. “Thanks?”

I shake my head. “It’s just surprising that you haven’t...you know.”

“Haven’t what?” he asks, looking genuinely confused.

I roll my eyes. “Haven’t been with half a dozen women by now.”

“You do realize you’re my mate, right?”

I shrug. “So you keep saying.”

“And I’ll keep saying it until you believe it. I realize it’s different for humans than it is for us, but it’s never been a thought in my mind to be with another woman. I’ve never even wanted to be with a woman. Until now.” His eyes hold a primal intensity. I turn away under the pretense of getting the bed ready. After I’m settled, he asks, “You ready for the lights to go off?” I nod and snuggle down into the blankets. He turns off the lights and I hear him settling on the floor. The darkness settles around us. I try to close my eyes and sleep, but it’s of no use.

I sit up. “Do you mind if I leave the bathroom light on?” I ask softly in the darkness.

“Of course.” I start to throw the covers off, but he stops me. “I’ve got it.” He turns on the light.

“You can close the door some, if you want.”

He closes it some. “Is that good?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” My voice is soft. I close my eyes until I feel the bed shift. My eyes fly open. Bryce leans over me, one hand on either side of my head.

“Don’t ever be embarrassed in front of me to tell me exactly what you need.” His words are low and quiet.

I look into his eyes and decide to trust the sincerity I see there. “Okay.” He gives me a soft smile and then moves back to the floor. It takes a few minutes for my heart to stop thundering in my chest.

I lay there in silence for a little while. “Are you still awake?” I ask softly.

“Yes.”

“Why do mated pairs die together?”

He’s quiet a moment. “I guess that’s just the way we were created, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. No mated wolf wants to survive without their mate.”

“You wouldn’t want to live if you had the chance?” It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around that thought.

There’s no delay in his response. “No.”

“Does it work that way between a wolf and a human?”

“You mean like you and me?” he asks.

That's exactly what I mean. “Yeah.”

He’s quiet a moment. “We don’t actually know. Mating humans is new. I would guess over time, as your DNA changes, that yes, we would be tied together even in death. I don’t know though if it happened soon after mating.”

I think about his words. “If we mate, will I live as long as you?”

“Again, I’m surmising that once we’re mated and the saliva from my mating bite enters your bloodstream and changes your DNA, that it will slow the aging process.”

“Does it hurt?” I ask.

“The bite?” he asks. I’ve always wondered but never asked any of the girls. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t.”

I snort out a laugh. “You a little confident in your biting abilities?”

“No, I’m confident that I can distract you enough that it feels good.”

“Distract me?” I ask in confusion.

“Oh yeah.”

I lean over the edge of the bed and look down at him. “What are you talking about?”

I can see his face from the light from the bathroom. “Want a demonstration?” he asks mischievously.

“Sure.” What can it hurt? He sits up, so he’s level with me. He grips the back of my neck, holding me still. He moves towards me slowly. When his lips are centimeters from mine, I close my eyes, but he doesn’t touch my lips. He runs his nose along the inside of my neck, making me crazy in an instant. He takes my scent deep into his lungs.

“You smell soo good.” His words are low and have a desperate edge to them. He runs his lips over my neck and collarbone, and my eyes close. His lips make a path from my shoulder to under my ear and jaw. He nudges my neck to the side and kisses me there. I sigh, and he grips my neck a little tighter. He turns his head, and his lips are right there. He goes slowly, checking my eyes to let me pull away if I want. When I don’t, he kisses me. At his prompting, I open for him, and his tongue slides into my mouth, dueling with mine. He groans low in his chest, and I breathe out a puff of hot air. He kisses down my neck and the side of my neck under my right ear. I can’t remember how to breathe, and I suddenly want more. So much more. He kisses my neck. “And that’s when I’d mark you.”

I stare at him, not computing what he said. It takes me a moment until I put it all together. “Oh. Got it.” My voice is breathless, and my heart is thundering against my rib cage.

He leans forward and kisses me so tenderly on the forehead. “Get some sleep.” His words are so soft. A moment later, he’s gone...back to the floor. And I know for certain it will take me a very long time to fall asleep, and for my racing heart to slow down. I try to sleep, but it’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. I’m too keyed up. I toss and turn for a while before I peek over the edge of the bed. Bryce’s eyes meet mine. “Can’t sleep?” he asks quietly.

“Yeah, it’s probably because I just slept for four days. Am I keeping you awake?”

“No, I’m wired myself.”

I lay back on my pillows and stare up at the ceiling. “What do you usually do when you can’t sleep?”

“Usually, I do laps in my pool. Or if I’m not home, I run in my wolf form.”

“You can’t do that here?”

“I can; I’m just choosing not to.”

“Because of me?” I ask. “Because you can totally go for a run; I’m fine.”

“I’m good.”

I stare up at the ceiling for a while. “Do you think the vampires will stop coming after me and other healers?”

There’s no sound from the floor, and I think maybe he’s gone to sleep. “No, but I will keep you safe, Ava.”

“Why?”

“Why do they keep going after healers?” Bryce clarifies.

“Yeah.” My voice is soft, but I know he can hear me. He reaches up with his hand and finds mine. His large fingers fold around mine. It’s a nice feeling; I’m not going to lie.

“I think they have an unhealthy fascination with healers and their power. I think they also need their abilities for when things go wrong. They’re always trying new things, trying experiments on humans, shifters, vamps, alike. Those experiments go wrong often, and I think they like the idea of a fix-all being on hand. And especially now if they’re using healer blood to make their supercharged shifters.”

I don’t say anything to that. His thumb rubs a circle on the back of my hand in the silence. I think about my words a moment. “They told me when I was there that the healers that are mated are of no use to them.” The movement on my thumb stops, and it’s absolutely silent a moment.

“Are you kidding me?” His voice is low. Angry. He sits up. “Are you telling me if you and I were mated, they wouldn’t have come after you?” Each word builds in intensity.

I don’t look at him. “I don’t know. I just know that’s what they told me.”

It takes a while for him to lay back down. The tension stays in the room for a while, and I sort of regret telling him. I finally feel sleep trying to tug me down. I think he says something, but I drift off to sleep.