Page 9 of From the Edge

Her mate stroked her hair. “You were worried. You were not thinking.”

“She doesn’t really like me holding her, but she knows I need it, so she does it.” Mell was crying. Her mate cuddled her close.

“I have grossly misjudged your friend.”

Mell kept crying, waiting for Rowan to breathe. The light went blue-white, and then there was a raw sound of Rowan sucking in air, and Mell moved into soft sobs. She leaned back against him and held his shirt. “She’s breathing.”

He rubbed her arms. “She’s breathing. What is your name, love?”

“Me? Oh. Mellwyn Umbridge. You?”

“Norecayet Kestrel.”

“Isn’t that a hawk?”

“Yes.” He chuckled. “Well done.”

Rowan croaked. “Isn’t that just fucking adorable? Get a room.”

Mell sniffled. “Oh, Rowan, you scared the hell out of me.”

“Sure. It’s all about you.” Rowan croaked. She looked down at the hands on her torso and started batting at the hands on her. “Knock it off.”

“No. You had a lot more damage than you were letting on.” He growled, and vines shot out from under his skin and held her down.

“What the fuck? Nope. Not into this. Not one bit.” She wiggled.

“Be quiet, infuriating woman. I am almost done.”

“Thank goodness. This is taking forever. Do you get paid by the hour?”

“Do you get paid by the word?” He growled.

Mell snickered. “She should. She’s a paralegal. She’d make a fortune.”

Rowan muttered, “Mell, shut up.”

“Why?”

“Because he figured out why I don’t want people touching me, and he’s starting to perv to it.”

Mell looked at the man, who was glowing green as he caressed her skin, and held her with vines. “Uh, sir?”

He looked at her with his glowing green eyes. “Yes, miss?”

“Is she healed?”

“She could be stronger.”

“Not the answer to my question.”

He chuckled. “Yes, she is healed. Does she injure herself frequently? I could give her my card.”

Rowan looked at him and said, “Healer to healer, enough is enough. The next thing those fingers of yours will feel is a feedback loop that is going to build exponentially.”

She dragged a deep breath in. “Starting now.”

There was a crackle and snap where he was touching her, and he jerked his hands back. Mell smiled. “She always gives a warning.”