Page 62 of The Hunter

“That means much pain?”

Lacey nodded.

A faint tremor coursed through him. “Belly, arms, and legs… Beasts do not leave such marks.”

“They’re not from an animal. It was a human. They’re…where my skin was removed.”

His breath caught, and all eight of his eyes widened as he jerked back, withdrawing his hand.

That hurt a little, at least until she reminded herself that Telok was a hunter. He knew how to skin animals, had done so countless times, and based on his reaction, he was likely imagining that happening to her.

Hell, that might not have been far from the truth of her procedure, given the utter lack of care that quack had taken.

Before she could say anything to calm him, he closed the gap between them, his lower hands grasping her hips while the upper pair cradled her face. He growled, “Who? Who did this?”

Lacey’s eyes flared at the vehemence of his words, which matched the green fire in his gaze. Despite the rage quaking through his body, he held her so tenderly, so protectively, that it made her chest constrict.

Her vrix would have waged a war for her.

She curled her fingers around his wrists. “It’s okay. He’s long dead. I can take some petty satisfaction in that, at least.”

Telok’s body was rigid, and his breathing was harsh. “Why did he do this?”

“Um…” Her brow pinched. She knew her answer was going to sound so fucked up to him, but she didn’t want to hide the truth. Not from Telok. “I…wanted him to.”

“I…” His mandibles twitched, and confusion flickered through his eyes. “I do not understand. Why?”

Lacey cringed. “It’s a long story.”

Telok closed his eyes and drew in a deep inhalation. When he released it, some of the stiffness bled from him, though the possessiveness of his hold did not diminish. He opened his eyes and met her gaze. “I will wash you. You will tell me all.”

CHAPTER 15

Lacey’s cheeks warmed. “Okay. Bath and story time.”

What a story to tell, knowing his hands are going to be all over me.

He picked her up with even more effortlessness than usual and sank into a sitting position, raising a bent foreleg before him. When he sat her upon that leg and curled his lower left arm around her, her pussy touched his hide, and she released a small, startled sound.

Telok froze, and she felt the hairs on his leg rise around her ass and thighs.

Lacey knew exactly why that was.

She buried her face in her hands, groaning in embarrassment. “Telok…”

He shuddered, and his fingers flexed around her hips, pricking her with his claws. “Your story, vi’jatai. Now.”

Her story. Right. It’d be a good distraction for the both of them.

She slowly dropped her hands to her lap and once more peered downstream. Though she could hear some of the chatter from Cole and the thornskulls, she couldn’t make out their words, and they remained out of sight. Telok and Lacey were alone.

That didn’t quell her uncertainty. She was in the middle of the jungle, naked and completely exposed, about to open up and bare her soul just as wholly as he had her body.

Lacey looked at Telok, who watched her with silent intensity. “I’ve…never talked to anyone about any of this before.”

He placed a finger beneath her chin and tipped her face up. “Tell me all.”

“Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.”