AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her head drops, and she wraps her arms around herself for a minute before she shakes it off and then looks at me. Her gaze travels over my face, which I like too much, but then guilt pops into those stormy eyes. “I’m so sorry about your face,” she whispers. “I panicked.”
“It’s fine, I’ve had a lot worse.” I grin, but she shakes her head and forces herself to stand. Her eyes dart to me nervously as she moves around the room. I watch her, wondering what she is doing, but when she turns back to me, she takes a deep breath, and with more courage than I thought humans possessed, she stops before me and lifts the cotton swab she is holding to my cheek. “Let me clean it.”
I freeze, not even breathing or blinking. I do not want to scare her away, not when her delicious scent is wrapping around me, hardening my length again and making me think of things I have no right to ponder with such a small little human—a human who fears me. Licking her lips, she leans closer, and I watch the glistening pink flesh and wonder what they would taste like.
“This might sting,” she murmurs, but I don’t move as she touches the cut. It does sting a little, but I let her clean it. She mumbles to herself as she does, an adorable muttering of words that has my lips quirking and an ache blooming in my chest. I yearn to reach out, snatch her to me, and crush my lips to hers and see if she would mumble then.
When she steps back, she seems more confident, but worry still lingers in her eyes. “I don’t think it needs stitches, but I don’t know how fast you heal.”
“It will be gone in an hour,” I admit with a slight shrug. Her eyes widen in wonder, and I see the questions flickering through her eyes. Interesting. “You can ask,” I offer, but she shakes her head.
“Sorry. So, Aria, did you find her?” she asks, voicing the one question she’s been wanting to ask since I walked in. I think she’s scared of the answer, however, since her friend isn’t with me. She discards the swab and leans near me, watching me carefully.
“I’m sorry, Talia,” I begin. “I found a blood trail.” I don’t mention how much, not wanting to upset her further. “It led deep into Akuji’s territory. She wasn’t there, but…”
“But?” she prompts, focusing on me. Her eyes are alight with a fire that shouldn’t have me nearly panting with need.
“But I also smelled Akuji, the reigner, the leader of the Nightfang tribe whose land you were in,” I explain.
She sags before turning and screaming, muffling it with her arm. I fly to my feet, reaching for her, but she recoils like she feels me, and with a flick of her hair, starts to pace. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. He has her, right? Shit, what if he killed her?” she whispers to me. “Would he kill her?”
“Akuji? Maybe, if he felt it was necessary. He’s no friend to the humans, but he could have easily killed her then and there, and he didn’t, which leads me to believe he wanted her alive for something.”
“Logic, I can work with that. You’re right—if he wanted her dead, it would make sense to do it then. If he has taken her, there is a chance she’s alive, albeit slim if she was bleeding. But I can work with a slim chance.” Her brain is magnificent to watch as she works through every scenario and outcome.
A scientist’s brain, I realise with a start.
“Talia, are you a scientist?” I question.
She freezes, eyeing me carefully. All that confidence, all that fire is gone, and her face is pale. She scurries across the room, and I instantly hate the distance between us. Wrapping the bag in her arms, she leans into the wall.
“What’s in the bag?” I ask, trying to engage her in conversation. She flinches, obviously hearing me, but she doesn’t speak. “Okay, how about why were you in the city?”
Nothing.
“Talia?” When she doesn’t respond again, I stiffen. “Are you cold? Hungry? Tired? You can sleep,” I urge, but she continues to ignore me, and I hate the silence. I miss her warm, soft voice that settles this chaotic feeling she has incited in me.
Frowning, I move closer, trying to catch her gaze, but she turns away. I still catch the tears in her eyes though. “Your friend will be okay.” I find myself lying without knowing why. It’s not logical, but I can’t help myself. Her tears and almost silent sniffles cause agony to tear through me until my voice is rough and desperate. “Talia, please, nobody will hurt you, okay? Please, little one, stop crying. Your tears are killing me.”
She continues to ignore me, and I find myself talking to her anyway. Slowly, her tears abate, but she still doesn’t talk or look at me. After an hour of watching her, I want to scream or rage, anything to get her attention. I am desperate for her voice, for those stormy eyes to lock on me and make me feel both weak and strong again.
It’s better than this…cold shoulder.
Fuck, it’s driving me crazy.
All forms of logic are gone.
I should be working. I should check on my people. I should send a message to Akuji, but I do none of those things. Instead, I watch her, begging her to talk to me.
“Talia, why did you come over the wall? Why did your people risk a female?” I demand, and she flinches, her eyes flaring for a moment before she turns away. Sighing, I retreat to my desk, forcing myself to focus on my work, but even still, I steal looks at her, hoping each time those lightning eyes will be on me.
But they never are.
NINE
TALIA
Akuji has her.
