“I trust Julien, and he trusts you, and I don’t think you want to disappoint him.”
Her determination had me re-gripping her hands, and I squeezed to keep her focused on me and not on the woman who bent toward her back, fangs descending. Noa’s eyes widened as Set pressed her mouth against the damaged nape rune, tightened her jaw as her fangs penetrated.
I scented blood. My wolf growled, a low, threatening pulse in my chest. I quieted him with a warning. Noa needed both of us. Not his posturing.
Slowly, the vampire worked down the length of Noa’s spine. I met each tightening of Noa’s fingers with a strength of my own. Matched my indrawn breath to hers.
“Tell me about the nymph,” I said as Set moved to Noa’s shoulder, where the nerves were close to the surface and the pain more intense.
“She’s a river… nymph. The night I chased Julien when he was supposed to be dead… it was Annora.”
Julien had risen to his feet and stood close to Set’s side. But he stepped around his sire and knelt down beside Noa’s chair. Stroked his fingers along her unmarked arm and said, “Annora told me you cried that night.”
“Bawling my eyes out over a big jerk who wasn’t supposed to get killed.” She was close to bawling again, with moisture gathering on her eyelashes. “Everyone said it was grief and I was holding on too hard. Afraid to face the truth. The next time, she was dragging me upstream like baggage she’d collected, and I didn’t really get to see her because I was underwater most of the time.”
“We found blood in her cave when we entered,” I said.
“She… did it. Called it a diversion in case anyone came, maybe they’d look to the river and not… not out the back door.”
Her lips trembled as she hissed in a breath, closed her eyes.
Breathe, Bedisa…
Grayson… it hurts…
I know, sweetheart. If it gets too much…
She shook her head. Set was halfway down her arm. I studied the small puncture wounds that marked the vampire’s progress. The trickles of blood.
Sent Set a look that had her eyes flashing.
Julien was sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding Noa’s free hand. I was smoothing the hair from her forehead while Set worked on the black wolf rune.
“I never thanked you for getting me off that wall,” Julien said.
“I’ll bet Ago wished he’d stayed there,” she choked, making a sick joke that had me smiling.
“Maybe he got tired of hanging around,” I said.
“I guess my mom was right. Boredom kills.” She tried to roll her eyes, but closed them instead. Set was working on her wrist. “I hope it twitches when you’re done,” Noa hissed to the vampire.
“Private joke,” I explained when Set arched her eyebrows.
“I have one rune left,” the vampire said. “On her breast. Will you overreact, wolf?”
I flashed some canine and relished the blazing heat. “Don’t enjoy it too much, vamp.”
Her fangs glowed like rubies as she smiled. “I have varied interests, but I know wolves don’t share.”
Noa had to change her position on the chair. She was shaky when she moved. I used my arm to pillow her tender back, support her weight. Holding her steady as Set bent her head and went to work. It was done in less than twenty very long, hissing seconds.
Noa slumped forward. I carried her back to the couch, made sure she was comfortable with a soft blanket pulled up to her chin. I’d do my best to heal her after the vampires left. Hold her against my body and not allow her out of my sight.
“Where will you be?” I asked as Set readied herself.
“I’ll be in touch. Keep that phone nearby.”
I held a hand out to Julien. He gripped my forearm and winked. “I’d steal her if I thought you wouldn’t kill me first.”
