Page 129 of Huntress

Elsie smiled.

“You can teach me whatever you think will help. Keep looking out for me, okay? Don’t ever stop.”

“Yes, Mistress.” He looked up at her, and she tugged on his hand.

“Stay with me tonight.”

“I was planning on it.”

“I mean here, with me.” She scooted over to the far side of the bed. It was a twin-size, but if he stayed close, they’d fit. He hesitated, certain she was either kidding or she’d change her mind. “Saint, I want you to.”

She lay down as he climbed up, her heart hammering out of control. Saint hovered over her for a moment, deciding where he fit best. Pushing on her hip, he got her to lie on her back, then he lay over the top of her. Holding onto her tightly, he used her belly as his pillow. It satisfied her no-skin-contact boundary while still allowing him to get as close to her as possible.

Elsie practically purred. His warmth and weight were better than any blanket. Having him close satisfied the part of her that couldn’t get enough of him. She wouldn’t kid herself that the contentment would last, though. The bond would keep demanding more, but for the night, this was good enough.

1. “Mother, Holy Death, judge this soul as you will.”

Chapter twenty-six

Chapter 26

“It isn’t as relaxing as you’d think.” Steve gave Elsie a lopsided grin that didn’t even come close to capturing the easy joy he’d once had. “Sure, I’m not out on the field, but they’ve constantly got me doing therapies, trialing different drugs, and undergoing assessments. I’m finally allowed to handle sharp objects. No more sporks for me, I’m a big boy now.”

Elsie laughed, but there was a tightness around Marley’s mouth that she couldn’t quite hide. Their battle with the rats and the loss of all those humans had happened nearly seven months ago, and Steve still wasn’t ready. Their healer was doing her own assessment, and it wasn’t looking good.

“You’ve lost a lot of weight, Steve,” Marley pointed out.

“It’s not forever. The drugs are part of it, but I’m down to two pills now. I started working out again last week. I–I know why you’re here, and I get it. You have to do what’s best for the squad, but I’m doing better.”

“I’ve noticed,” Elsie said. “You’ve done a great job.”

“Please, Captain, you’ve gotta give me more time. I’m doing my best, and getting back to your squad has motivated me this whole time. I don’t want to work for anyone else!” Steve grabbed her hand, and shivers of fear raced up Elsie’s spine.

“Steve!” Marley scolded, grabbing his arm and pulling him off her.

“It’s okay.” Elsie took a deep breath. “Nothing happened.”

The Ancient Magic had not made Steve her mate. She sent soothing vibes down her bond to an alarmed Saint.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” Steve’s eyes were wide. “I didn’t mean to, I swear.”

“It’s okay, Steve,” she said a little more firmly, catching his eye to make sure he understood. “I’m not angry, you just surprised me. Relax, okay? I’m not making any decisions right now.”

She patted his knee, something she never would have done before, but now that they’d confirmed he wasn’t a threat to her freedom, she no longer needed to be so reserved around him.

“Listen to your care team and work hard. I’ll check in with you again soon.”

Elsie and Marley rounded the corner to find Saint waiting, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He threw her a questioning look, but she’d have to explain later.

“It’s not looking good, boss.” Marley waited until they were out of Steve’s hearing.

“Not good,” Elsie agreed, “but better than before.”

“It could be months before he’s battle-ready, if he ever makes it to that point,” Marley said. “The only reason we’re not feeling the bite from this is because of Riven and Mutt. When the mage goes home and the dog won’t perform, we’re still down a man.”

“You seriously want me to replace him?” Elsie questioned.

“A clean break is the right thing to do for everybody involved. It’ll give us time to train and bond with someone new,” Marley replied.