Part 5 (1/2)

She scanned the woods nearby, keeping watch for unwanted company. ”Tynan said he will probably be able to tell if there's any relation between the body this bone came from and our family.”

Madoc climbed out of the hole and started filling it back in again. He was covered in dirt from head to toe, sweaty despite the cold wind, and cranky. He hadn't done nearly enough killing or f.u.c.king tonight to suit him, making the pain behind his eyes throb and swell until it shoved its way down his throat and made it hard to breathe.

”I'm sure they'll tell you whatever you want to hear if you let them have your blood,” he said.

”I need their honesty.”

Madoc snorted. ”Good luck with that.”

Dawn was only an hour or so away, and by the time it got here, Madoc needed to have them out of the cemetery before the human police came by and started asking questions. If he was lucky, he could drop Nika off at Dabyr and be plowing some wh.o.r.e before lunchtime. The white wig he paid his hookers to wear was in the back of his truck, ready to go.

”You believe me, don't you?” she asked.

”Believe what?”

”That Tori is still alive.”

”I believe you believe it. Course, you're f.u.c.ked in the head, so what do you know?”

”She won't let me in.”

Madoc tossed another shovelful of dirt into the grave. ”She won't let you in where?”

”Her thoughts. She's keeping me out even though I know she's afraid.” Nika looked up at him, her blue eyes bright with concern.

Something deep inside Madoc swelled as he watched her. It made him feel full and whole even as it threatened to make him burst apart. He had no idea what it was about her that did that, but it didn't seem to go away.

He wished like h.e.l.l he could find a way to make it stop, that he could find a way to fix what was broken inside her so he could stop worrying about her.

He couldn't do either, so he offered the only explanation that came to mind. ”Maybe she doesn't want to scare you.”

Nika c.o.c.ked her head to the side and her white hair fell forward, caressing her cheek. The urge to reach out and slide it back behind her ear was nearly overwhelming. Madoc had to grip the shovel tight to keep his dirty hands where they belonged.

”I hadn't thought about that. Maybe you're right. I'm going to talk to her about it.”

”How?” asked Madoc, but it was too late.

Nika lay down, and like a switch was flipped, she was gone. Her body went limp, her eyes rolled back into her head, and all the life slipped from her, leaving her looking fake and plastic, like a mannequin.

A surge of panic caught Madoc off guard, slamming into his gut until he couldn't breathe. ”Nika?”

She didn't respond. She didn't so much as twitch.

Madoc dropped the shovel and scrambled to get to her. He pressed his fingers to the side of her neck, frantic to feel a pulse. He left smudges of dirt on her pale skin, but beneath his index finger, he felt the beat of her heart, strong and steady.

Her chest lifted, s.h.i.+fting the leather of his jacket. She was breathing.

He pulled her into his arms and held her against his body, rocking her. He flung his thanks out into the universe, letting whoever was in charge hear it. He didn't much believe in G.o.d, but if there was one, the fact that Nika was alive after all she'd been through was about as close to proof as he could imagine.

Her slender frame fit against his too well. The rise and fall of her breathing pressed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his chest. He shouldn't have been able to feel them through the bulk of all her clothing, but he could. Just like he could feel the curve of her hip and the sleek length of her legs dangling over his thighs.

Her eyes fluttered open, so blue they nearly blinded him. So prettya”just like the skies he remembered from his childhood.

”She won't let me in,” whispered Nika. ”I can't talk to her. I'll have to try again later.”

”Don't you ever do that to me again,” he demanded. ”You scared the h.e.l.l out of me.”

Relief weighed Madoc down, pinning him there on the cold ground. He knew he should get up. He knew he should move away from her and put so much distance between them she wasn't even in his sight.

She reached up and pressed her chilly hand against his cheek. ”You're cute when you're scared.”

”Cute?” No one had ever dared call him cute. At least, not to his face.

”Your forehead gets all scrunchy like one of those wrinkled puppies.”

This conversation was headed to a bad place fast. ”Clearly, it's time to get moving.”

”I like being out in the dark like this, alone with you. It's peaceful. You always make me feel safe.”

Madoc wasn't touching that comment. Not even if his life depended on it. She had no idea just how unsafe she was at the momenta”how much he wanted to do things to her. His l.u.s.t for her mingled too closely with all the violent urges running through him. In some of his dreams, he'd f.u.c.ked her and made her cry out in pleasure, but in others, he'd pushed her down and forced her. Raped her. She'd begged him to stop and he hadn't.

He had no business being anywhere near her. Already, his hands were tightening on her body like he didn't want to let go. If he didn't put some distance between them fast, he had no idea what he might do.

He asked, ”Can you stand?”

”Sure. I'm fine.”

”You're not fine. You pa.s.sed out.”

Nika climbed to her feet, holding the bone close to her chest so it wouldn't fall. ”No, I didn't. I just slipped out of my body for a minute. I do it all the time.”

”I don't like it.”

”You didn't complain when I brought Cain back.”

”What are you talking about?”

”After he was hurt. I went inside him and helped him find the way back. I helped him wake up.”

Madoc had been there after it happened, but he hadn't realized what she'd done. He wasn't sure he wanted to know now. The idea of her being inside the mind of another man was just about more than he could stand. It made him feel territorial, when he knew he should be grateful to her for what she'd done. ”We're leaving.”

”What about the rest of the dirt?”

”f.u.c.k the dirt.”

She flinched as if his words hurt her.

”What?” he demanded.

Nika shook her head, making her hair sway. ”Nothing. I have my bone. We can go. I need some money, though.”