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I could tell it took all of Vas’ willpower not to vanquish this prick with a spell. Thankfully, he managed to keep a handle on his temper. I, too, was a hair’s breadth away from kicking him off the edge just like he’d done to the man yesterday.
“Get back to work. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you two and if I see any more stoppages you’ll work two more shifts without a break. How does that sound?”
“There won’t be any more stoppages,” Vas told him and we both returned to work.
“Somebody needs to teach that fucker a lesson,” Sven seethed once he’d gone.
“I think we can all agree on that,” I said.
“Let’s just try to get through the next few days without any major incidents,” Vas said, speaking low.
That night when we all crawled into our beds, I ached from the physical labour more than I had previously. It was beginning to take its toll on me and I shuddered to think of the damage this kind of work did to a person’s body after years. Vas and Sven had been lucky for their supernatural genes because a human certainly wouldn’t survive for long. I scarcely believed how my granddad Martin managed to get out with his life.
“You’re sore,” Vas commented when he climbed into the pod and took one look at me. Well, there was also the fact that I let out a pained grown, unable to contain it.
“I’ll survive. I don’t get how you and Sven are never tired. Ren, Maya, Demi and I are about ready to collapse from heat and exhaustion by the end of each shift. But you two barely look like you break a sweat.”
“We’re used to this kind of work. We have decades of conditioning. Let me see your shoulder. You were rubbing at it all through dinner.”
“It’s killing me,” I admitted, too exhausted to bother putting up a front. My eyes shot open when, without preamble, Vas lifted the back of my T-shirt and slid his hand underneath to inspect. His warm palm fitted against my shoulder, pinpointed precisely where the knot was and began to massage.
I moaned at how good it felt then immediately fell into a pit of mortification.
“Any better?” Vas asked, his voice thick as he continued to massage me.
“Yes, much,” I managed to squeak while biting my lip and trying my hardest not to let another pleasured moan escape.
“Good. I’ll do the other one now,” he said and I didn’t argue. His massage skills were too great to refuse.
“Thanks. You don’t have to.”
“You know I’ll take any excuse to put my hands on you,” he whispered and his words made my skin tingle. I couldn’t believe he’d just said that.
“Still don’t trust me though?” I challenged, effectively pouring a bucket of cold water over his mood. He didn’t respond, his hands withdrawing from under my shirt.
“Vas, I’m sorry. You have every right not to trust me. That’s why I came here, to win it back, and I don’t expect you to put your faith in me again so soon.”
His hand came out to cup my cheek, his eyes flickering back and forth between mine. “That’s the problem though, isn’t it? No matter how I try I can’t help putting my faith in you. You might stab me in the back a hundred times and I’ll still come back for more, like some character in a mythical tragedy from your realm.”
“That’s not true. I won’t betray you again. You’ll see,” I breathed, heart racing fast.
His thumb caressed my cheek, “I hope so. Now sleep. Your aches will improve with rest.”
I turned over and he immediately pulled me into his embrace, his body spooning mine. This was starting to become our routine, him holding me through the night. Was this wrong? A faint niggling voice of conscience prodded at me. Things had only just ended between me and Peter. What was I playing at sharing a bed with another man so soon? Well, technically this wasn’t a bed, and logically I knew sleeping with Vas was the safest option. But still, my heart wasn’t ready for the things he made me feel when I was this close to him.
Early the next morning I was roused by a small voice calling out our names. “Darya? Vasilios?”
I rubbed at my temples and forced myself to wake up even though I was still so tired. Demi hovered on the ladder outside our pod. “Demi? What is it?”
“It’s Maya. I woke up and she was gone. I can’t find her,” she cried, her voice wobbly with emotion.
Instantly, I panicked. Vas was awake, too. He stared at me, frowning, then looked to Demi. “Don’t worry, little one, we’ll find her. You get back into your chamber and rest.”
Demi’s lip trembled. She didn’t look like she wanted to rest but she nodded and climbed back in, too intimidated by Vas’ authority to argue. He brought his attention back to me.
