AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Both of us feel the end of this racing towards us.
When she’s dressed, I braid her hair in a warrior braid, wanting to leave something of myself with her when I’m gone so she might think of me once or twice, since my whole life will be consumed with her until the day I die.
She takes my hand and kisses it as I stand and lead her back to the lab. Once there, I sit heavily and watch her. She steps between my legs, and before she can make empty promises or try to make me feel better, I tell her the truth, which I should have done as soon as it came. “Your friend, Aria, is fine. She is with a friend of mine. Akuji, the leader of the Nightfang tribe, is a good and honourable man.” She sags and tears build in her eyes, so I pull her into a hug.
“Thank God, I was so worried.”
I feel even worse, so I just hold her tighter, offering comfort. “They want to meet. I let them know you are okay as well and set a neutral location. We are just waiting to hear back, and then I will take you to her. I promise.” What I don’t tell her is that walking away from her will rip me to shreds and leave me an empty shell.
Pulling away, she stares up at my face. “And what then?”
“Then you go home,” I mutter bitterly.
For a moment, something akin to pain flashes in her stormy eyes, giving me hope.
“It will be okay,” I reassure her, kissing her. “Until then, why don’t we have something to eat, and then you can check on your patient? I’m betting you are wanting to.”
She grins. “You’re right.”
“I usually am.” I wink as I retrieve the tray of food left outside the door, my eyebrow rising at the piles of human food. It seems my people have fallen under Talia’s spell as well and are thanking her the only way they know how—by looking after her like they would if she were one of our own.
She laughs when I put it between us, and we fall into a comfortable silence as we eat, both stealing looks at one another. All I can taste is her, even as I swallow the food, wishing I was eating her and wondering if she would let me pin her down and feast on her again. When she’s done, I take her hand, and then we go to check on my warrior. He’s asleep, so she gently checks his wounds before turning to me in shock, making me laugh.
“We heal quickly.” I shrug, leaning into the door.
“This is sealed up and already scarring,” she whispers before redressing the wound and coming towards me. “How quickly?”
She’s asked questions before about healing, but seeing it in action is something else.
“It depends on the wound, but with that? The scar will be gone tomorrow. Good treatment” —I wink at her, making her blush— “combined with rest and food speed up our healing. I once had my arm almost torn off and it healed within four cycles,” I explain, and she nods. I see her eyes lighting up with interest and questions.
Gathering her close, I kiss her head because she’s just too damn adorable.
“You can ask away,” I encourage her, and she almost jumps up and down as questions flow from her mouth. I answer as many as I can, watching her take the information and catalogue it away.
Just like I do.
As she talks, I just stare. She’s magnificent.
Her stormy eyes are alight with an excitement that makes me hard, and her brilliant brain turns me on like nothing else.
Sighing, she leans into me some time later, empty of questions. “I get why you lied, but don’t ever do it again. Never.” She narrows her eyes on me, and I can’t help but grin.
“Who thought I would ever be scared of a tiny human?” I tease.
Huffing, she slaps my chest. “And don’t forget it.”
I’m chuckling with her when a noise behind me has me turning to see a messenger, and I instantly sober. “They agreed to meet,” he informs me. “Neutral ground, here.” He hands over the note.
“It took a long time,” I remark with a frown.
“Sorry, there were Darklings in the neutral territory, so I waited them out, not wanting the message to be intercepted.”
“Darklings… They never come out of their holes. What are they up to?” I mutter.
“I don’t know, but nothing good.” He hesitates, looking to Talia, then back to me. “They… They looked like they were gathering for something—something big.”
Rubbing my head, I dismiss the messenger to rest. Another worry. Darklings showing their ugly heads is never anything good, but I can’t deal with it now. Instead, I look at the message and sigh, knowing we need to get ready and leave if we are to arrive on time.
