Chapter 23
Dagan openedthe door to their quarters, but Shae stopped at the entrance to the bedroom, her gaze shifting to the enormous bed. He ushered her inside and said quietly, “My entire quarters were redone while we were in Romania. I asked Hedori. I wanted something better for you, and a fresh start forus.”
She blinked, her throat tightening at his thoughtfulness, and she was damn glad he had. She pivoted and put her hand on his abdomen. Something warm and wet coated her fingers. She reared back, staring at her blood-smeared fingers. “You’rebleeding.”
He looked down at his shirt, now glossy with blood and sighed. “Give me aminute.”
Shae inhaled a shaky breath as he disappeared into the bathroom. How many more of these injuries could he take? He looked far too pale. At human strength, he wouldn’t last long, not with the kind of job hehad.
Soft noise drifted to her, cupboards opening and closing, a dull thud…then silence. Her stomach pitching, she hurriedinside.
Dagan had stripped off his shirt and was trying, rather awkwardly, to clean his wound. She washed her hands of the blood, wiped them dry, and turned to him. “Letme.”
Pushing his fingers away and struggling to keep her emotions locked down at the steady flow of blood from the latest injury, she swabbed the lesion with disinfectant, then applied the green, mossy ointment and taped a dressing overit.
Lines of pain bracketed the corners of hismouth.
“Does ithurt?”
Those citrine eyes lifted to hers. He didn’t answer, just hauled her into his arms and buried his head against her nape. “For a moment out there, I thought I’d lostyou.”
Shae put her arms around him, careful not to touch his injuries, and hugged him. “I couldn’t let her hurt you—I justcouldn’t.”
He trailed his lips along her jaw then nipped her chin, hard. “You put yourself in danger again. Kaerys could have killedyou!”
Ugh, the man had an elephant’s memory. “She didn’t, okay?” she grumbled, stepping away and rubbing her sorechin.
“Just because you possess those abilities, doesn’t mean you’reinfallible—”
“I’m aware of that. But you were hurt, and I’ll do anything to make sure you’resafe!”
With a growl of frustration, he hauled her back and kissed her. No matter how mad she got with him, just a touch, and her anger melted. Before she lost herself in him, she pulled away. “Dagan,wait.”
A low, displeased growl rumbled from him. “What?”
“Look…” She petted his bare chest. “Kaerys is a manipulative bitch, there’s no doubt about that. But she spoke the truth. I can never give you what youneed—”
“Shae,” he sighed heavily. “We’ve been throughthis.”
“And concludednothing.”
He walked out of the dressingroom.
Fighting not to snap, she followed and stepped in front of him near the huge fireplace. “The times we made love, I saw how hard it was for you, yet your control never broke. Not once. I’m not saying this will be easy. Just take a little at first...” Taking a deep breath, she held out her wrist, her heart thudding like adrumroll.
He stared at her for a long second as if considering her words—she hoped. He took her hand and pressed his lips to the blue veins clearly visible beneath her pale skin. “I’ll befine.”
Her heart sank. No matter what she said, he refused to listen. Shae stiffened her spine. Hell, this was their life she was fighting for. “Is Nikhere?”
Eyes narrowing, he shook hishead.
He could wonder all he wanted, she wasn’t telling him crap, didn’t want him to arm-up. But there was someone else. “Týr!” sheyelled.
“Dammit,Shae!”
She folded her arms and met his glare dead-on. Seconds later, the door flew open, and Týr thundered inside, a thick sandwich in his hand. “What? What’swrong?”
“Will you stand guard while Dagan feeds from me? He’s scared he’ll hurtme.”
