He may appear as if he needed no one, but she was starting to know this man. His weariness, and more, his self-loathing for what he’d done so long ago had left its mark on him. She set her cup down, stepped between his parted thighs, and huggedhim.
He stiffened. But it didn’t put her off. After years of being alone, isolated from everyone, she didn’t expect him to go all cuddly-soft on her. He was hard, with so many rough edges. Life had made him what he was. But no one deserved the kind of horror he’d endured. And she’d do all she could to help make itbetter.
His chest heaved as if exhaling air—or secrets he’d kept locked for ages. And when his arms came around her and he buried his face in her nape, tears stung hereyes.
All too soon, he put her aside, stepping away. Strain lines etched the corners of his mouth. He was on edge again. “Is it hard if I’m close toyou?”
He reached out, his fingers tracing her lips as if memorizing their shape. “I’m good.” He dropped his hand. “C’mon, I’ll see you to the room before Ileave.”
“I thought you were finished for thenight?”
“Not exactly. After you left me, I couldn’t focus on the job”—a wry smile—“so I cut short my patrol. But I need to do a quick run-through down at the village, then check in with Nik andRace.”
In the bedroom, Dagan added several more logs to the dying embers from a crate near the fireplace. He crossed back to her and gently stroked her scarred cheek. “Get some sleep, I’ll see youlater.”
After he’d left, Shae stopped at the window and stared outside. Even though she was happy the walls between them had lowered somewhat, what he’d revealed about his past had left a gaping hole insideher.
No matter what he said, he’d have to feed soon. Could she stay on the sidelines and watch him go to another for sustenance? At the thought of his mouth on some other woman, her entire being shut down. No, she couldn’t. And it brought her right back to squareone.
What the hell was she going to do when he was adamant about not feeding fromher?
