Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry about your ribs,” she said at last, looking up at Fierce. “I didn’t mean to make them worse. And, well…thank you for saving me.”
“Of course, baby,” Fierce’s glowing eyes seemed to gentle some. “I should have recognized the threat before you ran into it—I knew it smelled strange in that hallway but I didn’t know it was the scent of a V’ranna. Never saw one before.” He shifted slightly and groaned. “Ugh! And I hope I never see one again!” he added.
“I’ll examine your ribs once I’m sure Celia is warm enough not to relapse into hypothermia,” Hold told him. “I wish we had a warm tub of water to dunk her in to raise her core temperature. But since we don’t, we’ll need to keep her between us until she’s out of danger.”
Celia didn’t feel like she was in any danger now, but Hold was a doctor—she decided to defer to his judgment. And speaking of judgment, she felt like she hadn’t displayed it very much lately.
“Guys, I’m really sorry about all of this,” she said, speaking to both of them. “I shouldn’t have rushed into that hallway. And as for backing into the river, well…I feel like a real idiota.”
“You were in shock, that’s all, my lady,” Hold said, his voice gentle again. “I thought you displayed great courage by not running away at once.” He looked over her head to Fierce. “You know she was actually kicking the V’ranna in its hind leg to try and make it drop you when I got to you?”
“What?” Fierce looked down at her. “You have a death wish, lelka?”
“I just wanted it to let you go!” Timidly, she reached up to brush his muscular side with her fingertips. “Are your ribs really broken?”
“More like bruised, I think,” Fierce rumbled. He caught her hand in his and brought it to his mouth to kiss her fingertips.
Celia shivered as she felt the bristles of his beard and the softness of his lips against her fingers.
“Fierce…” she protested softly but didn’t draw her hand away.
“I shot the fucking thing in the foreleg two or three times,” he went on, letting her fingers go. “I think that weakened its grip when it grabbed me.”
“You’re lucky you did—otherwise it might have squeezed you in half,” Hold said seriously. “I don’t know many warriors who have escaped the death hug of a V’ranna. I’ll wrap your ribs for you in a little while—I think I have some healing wraps in my kit.”
“Thanks. Just laying here not moving helps too,” Fierce growled. He sounded more vulnerable than Celia had ever heard him and she couldn’t help remembering how he had rushed in to save her, calling the V’ranna’s attention away from her and making himself its target. The Dark Twin had quite literally risked his life to save hers—and they didn’t even like each other.
Or did they? Celia couldn’t help feeling confused.
“Why did you save me?” she blurted out, looking up at him again.
“What?” He peered down at her, frowning. “What are you talking about? What choice did I have?”
“You could have just run away,” Celia pointed out. “We have this joke back on Earth about two campers hiking in the woods. They stir up a grizzly bear—that’s an animal that’s kind of a V’ranna,” she added and shivered. “Anyway, as the bear is charging towards them, one of them stops and starts putting on some running shoes. The other one says, ‘Are you crazy? You think those shoes are going to help you outrun a bear?’ And the first camper says, “I don’t have to outrun the bear—I only have to outrun you!’”
“Meaning he would leave his companion to be eaten by the bear?” Fierce growled. “I hope I have more honor than that!”
“It would be a shame and a stain on a Kindred warrior’s soul to leave a female in a dangerous situation without trying to save her,” Hold added.
“But you didn’t have to risk your life for me,” Celia pointed out to Fierce. “I mean, we’ve been fighting from the minute we met—you don’t even like me. Why would you almost die saving me?”
“Who says I don’t like you, lelka?” he murmured. Reaching down, he cupped her cheek gently in one big, warm hand. “I do like you—even though you drive me fucking crazy.”
“I…um…” Celia became aware all over again that she was pressed naked against the big warrior. She could feel her nipples getting tight and for some reason her pussy was feeling hot and swollen. She pressed her thighs together tightly, trying to ease the ache. “Well…thank you,” she managed at last.
“Brother, you’re making her nervous—I can tell by her scent,” Hold remarked.
“Sorry.” Fierce withdrew his hand from her cheek but kept looking down into her eyes. “I’ll always save you, lelka,” he told her. “If you’re in danger, I’ll come for you—both of us will.”