At least the bed was comfortable.
The person walked around the bed to stand at the side of it. “You’re crying.”
“It happens.” She hated that she now had an audience to her pain.
Lanias rarely showed her tears.
Hell, she rarely revealed her real face. She considered the value in experiencing the pain to brush her tears away when she felt the other person move.
Once their face came into view she gasped.
“You!” she exclaimed.
Alek leaned forward as he dropped to one knee by the bed. His cool thumb pressed against her cheek and brushed away the tears that sparkled there.
“Me,” he said with a teasing tone.
“Thought you’d be happier about being alive,” he added.
Her brows creased. “How did you find me?”
He quietly observed her with his moon-colored gaze. “I was lucky.”
She rolled her eyes at this and went to sit up completely forgetting about her arms. “Ouch.”
“You’re hurt,” he whispered as he stood to take a seat beside her. He swiftly removed her jacket and tossed it to the floor. Taking her right hand in his, he lifted them up so he could get a closer look.
“Stop, you don’t have to...” Lanias attempted to protest.
He didn’t let her finish her sentence as he gently turned her arm right and left. After inspecting her, he let go of her wrist and grabbed the edge of her shirt’s sleeve and pulled. The sound of tearing cloth filled the room as her bruised arm was exposed.
Lanias winced at the sight of the blue and black coloring that peppered her brown skin. “Well, that looks daunting,” she muttered.
“Your bones are broken,” Alek said, meeting her pained gaze.
He grabbed the left sleeve and did the same, clicking his tongue. “This must hurt a lot.”
“Not much, just a pinch,” she joked, only to see he wasn’t amused. “I can’t say I disagree with that assessment.”
He frowned at her. “You need a healer. I know one who can help?—”
“No,” She cut him off, glaring at him. “I’m already annoyed that it’s you who saved me, of all people. Having any others aware that I’m alive would be a problem.”
“Personally, I couldn’t think of anyone better,” he said, offering her a small smile before he dropped it. “I am not asking you, Lanias. I will be calling a healer here. If I don’t, you won’t be able to lift a cup, much less fight with these arms,” he said, setting her left arm down.
“I hope you don’t think I’m a helpless little girl because of my injuries. Nothing has changed, Vampire,” she threatened, fighting back her guilty conscience. She should have thanked him, but instead she didn’t want to owe Alek anything. The bed creaked as black roots crawled from underneath it. “I have not changed.”
Reaching up he pressed the palm of his hand against her cheek, leaning in he peered into her eyes.
Lanias felt her heart skip a beat. Like all the other times he’d broken the invisible wall around her and invaded her space. Lanias felt a sudden crazy panic that he could see into her thoughts.
“Don’t you think you’re a bit too close?” Her question was swiftly followed by the sound of metal clanging against metal as the blade she’d aimed for his back was blocked. An unknown man stepped forward.
Lanias glanced at him. “Now that’s just cheating.”
“That’s not what people like us call it.” Alek stood, holding out his hand.
The unknown male picked up the blade and laid it there before retreating. He inspected it, pressing his pale finger against the edge. Drawing it back he watched his blood slide from the wound.
