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Talin hesitated before turning with me, but after a single step, he paused. "Jamik?" he asked, making the man look up. "Thank you. I know she's like your daughter, but she's my desire. Thank you for being there when I couldn't."
"It's what we do," Jamik assured him. "I know you'd do the same for Amerlee. No guilt, Talin. You were willing to die for her, and you would have if Zeal hadn't intervened."
"I know," he breathed, finally letting me take him to the bedroom.
We stepped in, and Wraythe moved to close the door behind us. Nari was still awake, and her eyes scanned her guardian with worry. They paused at the blood staining his black shirt, then moved up to stop at his neck.
"His lace is still with you," she said. "Please tell me you're going to be ok, Talin?"
"I'm tired and it seems I've lost a lot of blood, so I feel like a weakling, but I think I'm doing better than you." He lifted his chin at her. "Bad?"
"Hurts to breathe," she admitted. "I don't think I like that kind of pain."
"Me either," Talin said.
"And you're a mess," Wraythe told him. "Lean on me, Talin. Ela's going to get you out of those clothes, get you clean, and then we'll put you in some of mine so it's loose and comfortable."
"Will they try to punish Jamik?" Talin asked while I unbuttoned his shirt.
My fingers moved quickly, not trying to be seductive. "I don't know. The entire temple will hear about this, and something's going to happen, but I have no idea what. I feel like there's something I'm missing, like a piece of the puzzle is out of sight."
Wraythe grunted. "Oryll did this. Somehow, I'm sure of it. He put her with a man who snapped the moment he hurt her."
Talin sucked in a breath. "He did. That's exactly what it was. I'm so used to seeing Ela that I didn't realize it."
"What do you mean?" I asked, moving to open his pants.
"When you hurt them, you judge what they can take. You chase the submission, Ela. That's why you couldn't hurt me. You knew it wouldn't make me submit. You can read what I need and work with that."
"Like with Osas," Wraythe agreed. "You were ready to break him, and then you realized he was bluffing. He was trying to act like a dominant when what he really wanted was sensuality. You changed the session to meet his needs, not yours. You get that wild look in your eye, but it's always calculated."
"But Nyrren lost control," Talin said. "Her gasps, when she flinched, and every sign of pain was like a drug to him. Some sign that for once he was the one with power. He said he specialized in daddy dominance, but I'm guessing that isn't as pain-related."
"More obedience," I agreed. "Does nothing for me."
"Evidently, it did nothing for him, either," Talin agreed. "He wanted to hurt her, and when her nose started bleeding, he lost his control. Fuck! I should've known."
"And now you do," I promised, helping him step out of his pants. "You also stopped him, Talin. You did your duty. You kept her safe, even if you couldn't do it alone. Now let's get you clean."
Wraythe guided Talin toward the shower, and I quickly began taking off my own clothes, but I looked over at Nari. "I'll take care of him for you, ok? You have Wraythe, and make sure he lets us know when Anver stirs."
"I want Puppy," she said softly. "Anver needs Bunny. Tell Wraythe, because..." She blinked, her eyes taking a little too long to open. "I'm so tired now."
"Nap," I said, heading over to kiss her brow. "It's ok. We're going to take very good care of the three of you. Anver included. Nap, my love, while I get Talin comfortable again. And yes, I'm going to check his wound."
"I love you," she breathed.
But that was all. Her eyes closed and stayed that way, so I hurried into the bathroom. Wraythe was helping Talin into the shower, so I slipped around him and pushed in to hold the man up. Talin sighed and leaned back into me, but Wraythe was watching with a smile.
"Nari wants Puppy and said Anver needs Bunny," I told him. "I got Talin."
"Kiss him at least once," Wraythe told me before closing the door.
Talin chuckled at that. "He's worried about me, huh?"
"You have no idea how close you came to dying," I told him, hugging him just a little closer. "Talin, there was so much blood." And the water streaming off his body proved it. "Zeal saved you. Nari was hurt, but you almost died." I heard my voice crack, but I didn't fucking care. "Don't do that again!"
Talin turned in my arms to face me. "I will if I have to," he said, reaching up to cup my face. "And I'll do it for you just as easily as her. She's hurting, Ela, and I can fucking feel it. Zeal keeps opening our bond, and I could feel her panic. I could feel her helplessness. I can't feel you like that, but I will still die for you. I love her like I love my own life, but I love you almost as much."
