Evie shuddered out a breath. She still wasn’t used to mistakes not being punished with pain.
“Are you alright?” Natalya sounded worried. “I sensed you. You were afraid.”
“I’m fine, I… I just had a nightmare.”
She felt unbelievably stupid for this sort of reaction. Whiny and embarrassed. Natalya had probably been busy withsomething important and then she’d rushed to the apartment to check on Evie because she had abad dream.
Then she saw the wound on Natalya’s shoulder and the black blood covering her skin, and it made her forget her insecurities.
“You’re injured.”
Natalya followed her gaze, looking at her shoulder as though she’d only just noticed it was bleeding. “It’s not serious.”
“It looks serious.” The oozing wound was perfectly circular like it had come from a bullet. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“We just encountered an idiot.” Natalya gave her a calm smile. “It’s kind of you to worry, but there’s no need. Only few things can harm me. Other than Aleksander, I’m the strongest being in the Court. Being concerned for my safety is unwarranted.”
Evie didn’t know how to communicate that it didn’t really work like that. She couldn’t help that she worried. Even if it was true what Natalya said.
She was strong and powerful. She seemed invincible and so perfectly in control that Evie couldn’t imagine her as anything else. It was a powerful visage she made, one that would have been awe-inducing, even without her otherworldly beauty.
Natalya pulled Evie to her feet, carefully guiding her away from the broken glass to sit at the kitchen island. She left for a moment, returning with a first aid kit and her arm clean of black blood. Though there was still a wound in her shoulder.
“Did you get shot again?” Evie couldn’t help but sound a bit amused. Her worry had lessened as she saw Natalya moving with painless ease.
“It’s becoming a bad habit.” Natalya sat next to her and nodded at Evie’s hand. “Let me see.”
“Oh…” Evie had forgotten she’d been cut. Her hand was covered in blood and the realization made her breathing a little shallow. “You don’t need to. It’s fine.”
Natalya’s eyes took on a stern quality. “You’re bleeding, darling. Give me your hand.”
Her voice was calm but assertive. It was a tone that didn’t invite arguments. And her use of the word ‘darling’ made Evie feel strangely fuzzy inside.
“You’re bossy,” Evie muttered, giving Natalya her hand. Natalya huffed out a short laugh, the sternness fading from her eyes.
“You have no idea.”
With surprising care, Natalya picked out the few pieces of glass still embedded in Evie’s hand. She’d clutched the shards in a panic, pushing glass into her skin. It hurt worse the more she looked at it. But Natalya’s fingers gently touching her lessened the pain somehow.
“You’re good at that,” Evie said. Natalya gave her an amused glance.
“You sound surprised.”
“I guess I am. I just assumed…”
“That a fiend can’t be careful?” Natalya smiled. It started out sincere but then turned solemn. “They’re not supposed to be. It took me a long time to learn.”
Natalya inspected the injury keenly but with no hunger. No want or craving. Just attentiveness. Evie was nervous before because a bloody injury always got the attention of vampires. It had gotten Natalya’s attention too. But she was just concerned and careful.
Natalya cleaned away the blood and applied pressure to the wound. “It isn’t deep. It’ll be healed in a few days.”
“That’s a relief. It’s harder to dance with a hand injury.”
Natalya glanced up at her, a strange look in her eyes. Evie knew that look. Judging and disapproving.
“You want to keep teaching your classes?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Evie's voice was a little sharp. People often had comments about her chosen profession. Most were ignorant, and nearly all of them unwanted.
