Because there was a fire simmering within Kyella, and I had a sneaking suspicion it would challenge Elijah more than anyone prior in his life had.
Leaving him grumbling to himself, I walked over to our beauty. Yes, I had already claimed her asours. In my head, I couldn’t see the outcome of this situation going any other way. Unless for some reason she decided she didn’t want to see us anymore… That had the potential to break me. At the same time, after everything she had been through, I would respect it.
Even if it killed me.
As she heard my footsteps approaching, she turned to look up at me, which was quite a distance to crane her head. Her cheeks were pink, almost like she was embarrassed, and I cocked a brow in question. “What happened?”
Dakath and Elijah hopped off the deck to assist with docking our ship and tying off the ropes.
Her eyes flickered to Elijah’s back and then back up to me as she nibbled on her lip. “I, uh…might have heard your conversation with him just now.” Kyella’s eyes widened at the truth that spilled from her lips, and she held her hands up defensively. “But I swear it wasn’t on purpose! When I woke up, I realized that all of my senses have heightened.”
I stared at her for a moment, unsure what to make of her words. What she was saying shouldn’t have been in the realm of possible—humans didn’t have that type of hearing. It was like Kyella had transitioned into a vampyre without actually dying.
Blinking rapidly, I tried to recover quickly from my shock as she stared at me in fear, like I would be mad.
That wouldn’t do.
Placing both of my hands on her small shoulders, I rubbed her soft skin and reassured her. “Hey, just breathe. I promise it’s okay. I’m not mad, darling. As vampyres, we are quite used to not having much privacy—enhanced hearing doesn’t allow for it. In regards to your heightened senses”—I tried to sound as confident as possible, needing to ease the tension running through her—“try to not freak out about it. We’ll figure all of this out together.”
She blinked up at me. “All of us?”
The vulnerability in those three words nearly brought me to my knees. Kyella didn’t want us to abandon her. She wanted Dakath, Elijah, and I around.
Without a second thought, I swept her up into my arms and buried my face in her neck. I inhaled her sweet scent, knowing that its memory was seared into my consciousness forever.
“All of us,” I swore.
Her arms wrapped around my neck, squeezing me back. “Even Elijah?”
My chest rumbled. “Even the grumpy old vampyre,” I promised.
There was no way he was letting her go. He may use his ‘duty’ and the need to protect her as a guise to be around her, but even without them, he wasn’t going anywhere.
“Let’s go, lovebirds,” Tristan chirped sarcastically as he passed by us with his family’s meager belongings.
Kyella wiggled out of my arms and pointed a finger at him. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that little push,” she warned.
Although I could tell she was joking, amusement filling her face with a spark of life I loved, I didn’t like the words. Had he pushed her? That was unacceptable in any way or situation, no matter the reason.
I hadn’t realized I was growling and baring my fangs until Tristan did it back to me and her small hand was hitting my chest as she pleaded with me through my haze. “Kolvar, stop. It’s okay. He didn’t hurt me.”
Forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths, I closed my eyes and let her last words roll around my mind on repeat.
He didn’t hurt me.
He didn’t hurt me.
He didn’t hurt me.
When I opened them again, Tristan was off the ship with his family, waiting next to Dakath and Elijah, who were shooting me concerned looks.
Tipping my head down, I enveloped her small hands with my own. “I’m sorry, darling. I hope I didn’t scare you. I can’t handle the idea of you being hurt by anyone. No matter how insignificant it may feel to you.”
“You didn’t scare me,” she answered as her beautiful eyes searched my face. “I honestly love that you care so much for my well-being.”
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she hurried to pull her hands away and wipe her eyes as she walked by towards the door leading down to our rooms. She called over her shoulder, her voice filling the air in a sweet tune, “I need to grab my bag, just a moment!”
Waiting for her to return, I looked over at Tristan once more. He had a stance of defense as he stood in front of his wife and daughter on the dock. Rina peeked around his leg and stared at me with those big gray eyes that melted my heart into a puddle.
