Her insides turned to mush, but she arched an eyebrow. “So, you snapped at me to get my ass moving?”
“Did I?” His lips quirked in amusement. “Blame it on the shock. It may have taken me a year to admit it to myself, living in this black hole of constant nightmares, but suddenly there you were, and I couldn’t see straight. Then at the cabin when you kissed me…” His gaze caressed her face. “Everything changed in a heartbeat. I knew I would never let you go.”
“So, if I hadn’t kissed you—”
“Oh, I planned to kissyou, but you were hurt. You are my reality—my happiness, Kira. I will let nothing take you away from me. Certainly not a ridiculous dagger, even if it finally got its damn act together. But I blame that on your parents and their bindings to keep your true heritage hidden.”
Her mouth quivered in a smile. Týr touched the beads at the ends of the skinny braids lying against her chest. “My mother imbued them with a shielding and protection spell, said I should use them, and these…” She touched her bracelet. “When did it occur, our bonding?”
“The night we got back from Stygia I felt the difference after we made love. Felt your warmth, your presence in here.” He tapped his chest over his heart. “But with shit flying everywhere the very next day, it slipped my mind. Then, when my dagger didn’t appear when I summoned it at the fight, I realized the truth. However,Ihad already claimed you the night I first made love to you in Stygia, and your sire later called me out about marking you…”
Kira simply stared as Týr told her about how the Norse gods claimed their mates by scent bonding. “Butthis, it means our souls have joined. We are one now,elska. If you should die, then so would I…”
And vice versa.
She swallowed hard, and through a throat swelling with emotions, she whispered, “I felt you, too, but I thought it was because I love you so much.” Unable to resist him, she pressed her mouth to his. Instantly, his hand cupped her nape, and he took over, kissing her in the way only he could, making her his entire focus. Desire took her hard, but she forced herself to ease back despite his groaned protest. “I don’t want to accidentally hurt you again.”
He stroked her hair away from her flushed face. “Too late. I’m already in a damn lot of pain—”
“What? Why didn’t you say anything?” Her gaze rushed to his dressing. “Your wound?”
“No. Right here.” He took her hand and placed it on his erect sex. “It hurts real bad. Climb over me, that will help.”
Her mouth dropped open. She sputtered in laughter.
He sighed. “You’re cruel,elska, to do this to an injured man.”
Smiling, she pressed her lips to his left pectoral, just above the dressing. “Nuh-uh. I’m not doing anything to risk you bleeding out again. But we’ll call it an IOU for once you’re healed.”
Týr exhaled tiredly, then leaned back and shut his eyes. He reached for her hand.Lie with me,he telepathed to her.
Kira blinked at the unexpected, but quiet intrusion in her mind, and then smiled, relishing the intimacy.Okay.Let me get rid of these clothes.
His eyelids snapped open. The immense love there as he watched her remove her jeans and sweater made her heart bump hard in her chest. This impossible, sharp-tongue immortal to whom she’d given her heart a year ago was hers alone. Her mate.
