“Why would you do that?” she asked, needing to understand.
His jaw hardened. “Because taking a life for simple gratification isn’t right.”
That, she didn’t expect from an intractable, dangerous male like him, and she’d bet the small pile of money she earned since becoming a Guardian that he killed, too.
A faint coppery odor seeped into her nose—
Crap! His injury! One she’d inflicted. And here she was grilling him.
“I have something for you.” Hastily, she removed the salve and small bottle from her coat pocket. “Here.”
He stared at them, then back at her. When he didn’t take them, she grasped his warm hand. About to put the items on his palm, she frowned at the circular, slow-healing scorch mark on his callused skin. “What happened?”
“Touched something I shouldn’t,” he drawled.
At the innuendo, her lips flattened. He had a way of pushing her buttons. She shoved the things at him, and he finally accepted them, using his other hand. “It’s a paste and a potion. Apply the former and drink the latter to aid your wounds’ recovery.”
He remained silent, but there was something so intense in his stare as if he was trying to figure her out. Unable to endure his focus, she stalked off, rubbing her tingling hand down her coat. Nothing helped, because that demon drew her in a way she never expected.
* * *
Nate ground down on his back teeth at the pain radiating from the wound on his abs, staring at the small metal container and the opaque bottle on his palm.
Why would she give him this?
Needing answers, he pocketed the stuff and flashed after her, grasping her arm before she dematerialized. “Why?”
Those eyes, like liquid copper, remained impassive. But she didn’t shrug him off or berate him for touching her. “I wrongly assumed you were one of those curs. And flashing those fangs at me didn’t help your case,” she retorted. “I could have killed you when I thought you were also responsible for the drained bodies.”
Yup, he believed her. She was that deadly.
“What fangs?” he teased, flashing his normal teeth and enjoying her frown. His beast stirred, but he caged the bastard before it revealed his truth.
Hell, he didn’t think she was ready for a monster like him.
Despite being a Guardian, he’d bet his stained soul she was fairly new to this way of life, unlike those other huge motherfuckers she kept company with. He hadn’t seen her until recently.
“Drink that potion and use the salve until the wound heals,” she reiterated. “To miss a day is dangerous.”
“Ah, guilt.”
“Yes. I’m an open book,” she shot back. “Not my problem if you can’t read.”
Laughter burst free, and he shook his head. She made him do that. Laugh.
“So, my beautiful,laika?” He dropped his voice to a gravelly purr, and she eyed him warily. “Care to aid me with the treatment?”
“There’s no need to flirt with me.” Those gorgeous eyes darkened. “I know you prefer your own gender. Goodbye, er…” She fumbled over not having his name.
“Frank…einstein.” He couldn’t resist. Hell, he felt like one at times, his facade just a human shell encasing his monstrous side.
Her tempting mouth tightened, making him long to soothe it back into its sensual lushness with his tongue.
“It’s Nate,” he said softly before she stalked off. And she was good at that.
She blinked at his un-demon-like name, a flicker of suspicion in her eyes.
Hell, this female.
