Andra stepped between the men, praying that Iain kept that lethal blade off her skin. “It’s not going to happen, big boy,” she told Paul. She forced him to look down at her, distracting him from the need to hurt Iain.
He stared at Iain, breathing hard, his color high. He still wasn’t listening.
Andra pressed her hands to Paul’s chest, digging her fingers in just enough to get him to listen. “I’m tired. Take me back to your place.”
That got his attention. He blinked a couple of times and gave her a tight nod.
“Stay away from my woman,” warned Paul.
“As long as she’s yours, I will,” said Iain.
Andra ignored the possessive comment in favor of averting disaster. She’d talk to Paul later about the fact that she was her own woman, but now, she needed to get him out of here. “Please, Paul,” she said, letting her fatigue come through in her tone. “I need to lie down.”
She tugged on him and finally he started to leave. Andra peeked over her shoulder as they exited the room and those watchful black eyes were locked right onto her. There was no warmth inside that man. None at all. If she hadn’t seen his blood for herself, she would have sworn he had ice flowing inside his veins.
Chapter 22
Paul needed to stake his claim—make sure Andra knew that he wasn’t letting her go to another man. Not while he drew breath.
It wasn’t going to end with her the way it had with Kate.
Paul led Andra by the hand, pulling her down the hall faster than was comfortable for her. He forced himself to slow down and take her fatigue into account. It wasn’t her fault that Iain was compatible with her.
He could feel fine tremors of worry and weariness cascading down her arm. The Theronai inside him demanded that he take action and force her to relax, but the man understood there was little he could do to make that happen, short of making Nika whole again.
“What was that all about?” she asked him. “Why did that guy leave a mark on my hand?”
“So he could find you later.”
“Why would he need to find me?”
The last thing he wanted to do was tell her the truth, but he owed her at least that much. “Once our time together is up, you’ll be free to bond with another man if you want. Iain wants to make sure that he’s able to find you when that happens.”
“What if I don’t want to be attached to anyone for a while?”
“I’d like to be able to tell you that it’s your choice, but times are desperate. Iain will do anything in his power to convince you to be with him.” He paused, debating whether or not to tell her the rest. In the end, he couldn’t hold back. “So will I.”
“We still have some time before I have to think about that. Right now, I’ve got enough to deal with.”
“First, you need to get some rest. You’re exhausted, and that ceremony couldn’t have been easy on you.”
“Can we go outside and get some fresh air first? I just want to feel normal again for a few minutes.”
“Sure. Whatever you want.”
Andra nodded and followed behind him through his suite and out the sliding glass door. It was already hot, and the air was warm and heavy with humidity. The grounds were well tended, and flowers bloomed nearby, making the air smell sweet. There were no unnatural noises—no traffic, no flight patterns above to ruin the solitude of their home.
Paul pulled in a deep breath and tried to convey a sense of peace to Andra through their link.
She clutched at his hand and wrapped her free hand around his wrist, as if worried he’d try to pull away. He could feel the soft press of her breasts above his elbow, feel the rapid beat of her heart, subtle but strong against his skin.
“It’s nice out here,” she said. “Private.”
He’d never enjoyed it so much as he did now, with her. “You’ll always be welcome at Dabyr. No matter what happens.”
“I think Nika will like it here when she wakes up.”
Not if, but when. At least Andra hadn’t lost her sense of hope. That was good.
“I’m sure she will.”
She leaned against his shoulder and Paul wanted to shout with joy. Not only was she touching him, but she was looking to him for comfort. Needing him, if only a little.
He couldn’t let her down, so he looped his arm around her and hugged her close. He stroked her arm and let out a deep, satisfied breath, letting her feel his sense of satisfaction and utter rightness. If he never got anything more from her, this gift of trust she offered would always be with him to ease him in his final days.
“There’s a kind of peace about this place, isn’t there?” she asked.
“There is. The Gerai make it a beautiful home for us. And it’s safe here. Nothing can harm you here with so many Sentinels around.”
She looked up at him. Her eyes were bloodshot. It was a sure sign she’d been using his power, straining herself. He hadn’t felt the tug of energy leave his body, so she must not have been using very much. Then again, their conduit was still too new, so she could get only a trickle out of him.
Maybe the trust she was showing him now by letting him see her weak would help that change. He could hope.
“When Nika is better, you’ll let her stay here, won’t you?” she asked.
“Of course. We want both of you to stay.”
She looked away then, but didn’t pull away. She stayed pressed up against his body, letting him hold her. “I’ll come visit, but I can’t live here.”
“Why not?”
“I need to work. I can’t let any more children end up like my sisters.”