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Thenhe’d showed her the stack of fluffy white “drying sheets” and left her to herself.
Celiadecided to try the pool.Shecould hang on to the edge and just float, she told herself.Afterall, how deep could it be?Itwas just an oversized hot tub—right?
Afterwrapping her long hair into a bun at the top of her head, she carefully, descended the steps into the steaming water.Shebegan to feel better almost at once as the warm water lapped at her limbs and soothed away her aches.Itwassorelaxing.
Sorelaxing, in fact, that she felt herself beginning to doze off.
“No—wake up,” she told herself sternly. “Holdon to the side—you can’t fall asleep in here!”
Butthe next moment, she felt her eyelids drifting closed again.Shereally was exhausted!
“That’sit—I’vegot to get out of here.Thisisn’t safe,”Celiamuttered.Shebegan making her way back to the steps, holding on carefully to the slippery side of the bathing pool.
Shewas almost to the steps when she lost her handhold.Onemoment she was clinging carefully to the edge, and the next she was slipping away and heading towards the center of the pool.
Celiaput her feet down at once, thinking that if she could stand on the bottom she would stop and be able to walk back to the steps.Butto her horror, she found that she could barely reach the bottom with her tiptoes.Evenworse, there seemed to be a current in the pool that was sweeping her towards the center, where her feet couldn’t touch at all.
“Help!”Celiagasped and began to splash around as she tried to keep her head above the steaming water. “Help!”
Justas her head went under the water, the door burst open.Beforeshe knew it, she was being dragged out of the pool, choking and sputtering, by four long arms.
“Areyou all right, my lady?”Holdwas looking at her anxiously.
“Toldyou to be fucking careful in that damn pool!”Fiercegrowled.
Celiacoughed and choked and wiped the water out of her eyes.Herhair, which she’d meant to keep dry, had come down from its bun and was dripping down her back.Also, she realized belatedly, she was stark naked.
“Dios!”she exclaimed, trying to cover herself with her hands.
“Here.”SuddenlyFiercewas wrapping one of the big, fluffy drying sheets around her. “Notlike we haven’t seen you before in our dreams,” he muttered as he secured the sheet with a knot.
“What?”Celiaasked, swiping the dripping hair out of her eyes.Butbefore she could get too upset,Holdwas handing her a smaller drying sheet.
“Hereyou are—this one is for your hair,” he said and helpedCeliawrap it around her head where it seemed to suck the moisture away from her sopping locks almost immediately.
“Thankyou.”Shefixed the towel into a turban on top of her head and looked up at both of them.Holdlooked concerned andFiercewas scowling.
“Itoldyou to be careful!” he growled again. “Whatwere you thinking,lelka?”
“Ijust wanted a dip in the pool, okay?Iwas thinking thatIwas tired and all my muscles were aching!” she snapped.
“Ifwe were having aproperClaimingPeriod, my brother andIcould help you with that,”Fiercesaid, still looking pissed off. “Butsince we’renot, from now on you’re not allowed in the bathing pool by yourself!”
Celiaput a hand to her hip and poked a finger in his broad chest.
“Hey, you bighijo de puta!Wheredo you think you get off, telling me whatIcan and can’t do?”
“YoudoknowKindredare good with languages, right?I’mas fluent inSpanishasIam inEnglish, soIknowexactlywhat you just called me,”Fiercesnarled.
“Okaynow, hold on—let’s all calm down.”Holdwas suddenly between them, with one hand on his brother’s chest and the other onCelia’sshoulder. “Fierce,” he said, “Ithink you’re just upset because you were frightened for our bride.”
“DamnrightIwas fucking frightened!” the dark warrior growled. “Itoldher to be careful in the fucking pool!”
“Iwasbeing careful!”Celiaflared. “Iwas holding on to the side of the pool with both hands.Ijust lost my grip, that’s all.”
“Thesides of the bathing pool can be very slippery,”Holdacknowledged. “Andit’s made for seven-foot-tall warriors—not tinyEarthfemales.”
“I’mnottiny!”Celiainsisted. “I’mfive-seven—that’s a little taller than the average height for a woman.”
