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She’s so fragile that a simple fall hurts her. A vampire would kill her in a second—if he didn’t have other plans for her that is. The blood suckers do love to steal brides, and I’m sure they wouldn’t hesitate to try and take my mate.
Daisy has to go home.
I won’t be responsible for her death. I’ll weather years of pain from the bond before I’ll see her skin coated in crimson.
“Uh-oh. You have that crease between your eyebrows.”
“What crease?”
She grins and leans forward, this time without a flinch, and brushes her thumb over a hard crease in my skin. The muscles relax under her touch and she hums in approval. “Here I thought you’d be happy to see me.” Her face hovers over mine and there’s so much in that gaze.
Trust. Worry. Affection. Desire. The bond flutters.
My chest aches and I grab the back of her neck and bring her lips to meet mine, stealing a kiss. Soft as pillows, her lips move against mine, and when I brush my tongue over the seam of her lips, she opens for me like a beautiful flower. Her skin heats beneath my fingers and trickles of lust flow through the bond. I love how responsive she is. Other parts of me begin to stir.
How mad would Avery be if I put Daisy on my cock?
“Would ya get a room? Some of us are tryin’ to rest in peace.”
I immediately recognize a trull accent and growl, ripping my lips from Daisy and using my arm to guide her to the head of the bed. I may be laid up, but I’ll be damned if I let a trull skin my mate.
“Orcus,” Daisy says, but I ignore her and focus on the twelve-inch tall trull with green hair on the bed across from us.
“What are you doing here?” Trulls are mercenaries, but they’re also not above murdering for fun or because someone they care for asked them too. I’d squash him like a bug if I could.
The trull bristles. “Is that anyway to treat the trull who’s been tendin’ to yer mate?”
“Don’t tell me lies,trull.”
“Orcus, this is Harald, my friend and the only reason I made it to the castle. Harald, this is Orcus, my mate and grumpy ogre.”
“Grumpy is right. Ya sure ya want to mate with him?”
“A little too late now,” Daisy says with a tinkling laugh. “He’s my mate, no take backs.”
I stiffen at the sound. The trull made my mate laugh. A beautiful, mesmerizing sound. Trulls aren’t funny. Then I notice the nearly invisible T marked across her forearm. Shock rocks through my system. The trull pledged himself to her?
“Well, good luck to ya. If he bothers ya, let me know and I’ll turn his green skin into a pretty dress for ya.” A small but razor-sharp dagger appears in the trull’s hand and there’s a glint of promise in his gaze.
He’d well and truly skin me for Daisy. I’m not sure why or how, but Harald cares for her. Which means somehow, probably some dangerous actions, led Daisy to charming him. Though, if anyone were to charm a trull, it would be Daisy. It’s the way she looks at you. Like you’re the only person she wants to talk to. Like she cares. Like she only wants to find the best in the world.
And the warmth of her smile brings me to my knees.
I cough and the pain that follows is a reminder that allIcan bring her is the worst.
“Oh good, you’re awake!” Avery, the centaur doctor, appears with Zyla and Callum in tow. “Care for some magical healing?”
* * *
The baby dragonis fluttering around the trull, mocking him with tiny puffs of fire. I swear the trull would’ve already taken care of the pest if not for being enamored with my mate.
Daisy and Callum stand off to the side, chatting in voices low enough that I can’t hear. A warm palm presses against my ribs, and I grunt. Zyla shushes me and a tingling sensation seeps into my skin and wraps around my bones. This isn’t my first time being healed by magic, but usually Callum does it. He hands something to Daisy before I can ask why he’s handed me off to Zyla. The witch blocks part of my vision, and I stifle a huff of annoyance and tip my head to the side.
Daisy stares at whatever is in her palm and then lifts her gaze to meet mine. Guilt lines her face, almost as though I’ve caught her doing something naughty. Now I’m really curious, but Zyla steps in the way, completely cutting Daisy out of my line of sight.
Deep lines of concern cover Zyla’s forehead. “How are your ribs feeling?”
“Better,” I tell her, trying to see around her, but she grabs my face.
