Part 2 (1/2)
”Show. Me.”
”Fine. Whatever.” She thrust out her hand, and Madoc actually flinched away before he caught himself. He didn't touch her. He leaned over her palm to inspect the damage.
”f.u.c.k,” he snarled. ”Now we have to get you patched up.”
”Not until I'm finished here.”
”Oh, you're finished. Those bones can wait.”
”Why? Are you afraid to fight the things my blood will draw?”
His green eyes narrowed. ”I'm not afraid of anything, little girl.”
Just to prove he was wrong, she reached for him. Madoc lurched backward, nearly falling on his b.u.t.t to avoid her.
”Except me, apparently.”
”Don't touch me,” he snapped.
Nika ignored him and kept walking toward Tori's grave. ”You're going to have a hard time stopping me if you're afraid to touch me,” she said over her shoulder.
She heard him mutter a caustic curse before she felt him getting closer.
He stepped into her path, his mouth tight with determination. ”We're doing this my way.”
Nika lifted a brow. ”Not unless you make me.”
”You really shouldn't push me. You won't like what happens.”
”How do you know?” she asked. ”You won't stick around long enough to have any idea about what I like or don't.”
”I'm protecting you from yourself.”
Nika rolled her eyes. ”My hero.”
”I'm serious.”
”So am I. I'm digging up those bones with or without your help.”
Rather than argue, Madoc simply leaned down until his shoulder was level with her stomach, reached behind her to steady her body, and stood up, flipping her over his back.
Her head swam with the sudden movement, and she had to grab onto his s.h.i.+rt to steady herself. ”What are you doing?”
”Putting you in my truck. Taking you home where you belonga”where you're d.a.m.n well going to stay.”
His pace was steady over the cold ground; each heavy tread of his booted feet pressed his shoulder into her stomach. ”You're making me sick.”
”Better than dead.”
”Put me down.” She wanted to pound at his back, but knew it would do nothing but wear her out even more.
”Nope.” With a powerful movement, he hefted them both over the low metal fence surrounding the cemetery.
Nika could hear an engine running nearby. She was almost out of time. ”Will you at least listen to me?”
”Talk all you want. It won't change anything.”
Madoc s.h.i.+fted her weight and set her on the bench seat of the truck. Another moment of dizziness distracted her, but she'd fought through worse. ”I need those bones. I need proof that Tori is alive.”
”Not my problem.”
”If you take me back, I'm just going to leave again.”
”Maybe by then it'll be warmer.” He climbed up into the truck, crowding her so she had to move over to make room for him.
”You really don't care, do you? You don't care that Tori is out there suffering.”
”All I care about is getting you home and getting back to the nest I'd planned on clearing out before I was so rudely interrupted.” He reached past her, under the seat, pulled out a first-aid kit, and flung it open.
He tore open a small antiseptic wipe with his teeth, spitting the top of the foil envelope onto the floorboard. ”Give me your hand.”
At least he was willing to touch her now. Not like she wanted. Not like she'd dreamed about, but it was something. A start, at least. She could work with that.
Nika put her hand out and the sleeve of his black jacket flopped over her fingers. He pushed it up and dabbed at the sc.r.a.pe on her hand. The ugly, matte black ring he wore brushed her thumb, making it go cold, but she refused to complain.
”See. It's not bad,” she said.
”Blood is still blood. I'll call Tynan and see if he can meet us.”
”No. I don't want him anywhere near me. I'm sick of doctors.”
”That leech is hardly a doctor, and you should have thought of that before you left Dabyr.”
”Just cover it up. It's not even really bleeding anymore.”
Madoc ignored her, pulled out his cell phone, and dialed. ”Where are you?” he demanded.
Tinny words she couldn't make out came through the phone.
”Nika's hurt,” said Madoc. ”Can you meet us?”
Nika grabbed for the phone, but Madoc leaned away, evading her grasp.
”Of course it's serious. She's f.u.c.king bleeding.”
”It's not serious,” yelled Nika, hoping she'd be heard.