himself up of his own violation.
Keira stepped forward to help him, but stopped as he ground out through clenched teeth, “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
That’s appreciation for you , she thought, but allowed him to do it on his own, understanding his need to not appear weak in front of her.
Panting heavily through his open mouth, the extent of his efforts was obvious as his eyelids fluttered and he fought to stay conscious.
After a few moments, he looked at her from underneath his dark lashes. “Please,” he rasped out. “Don’t let him feed.”
“We’re still on this?”
He shot her another look.
“All right,” she finally promised. “I won’t.”
Crossing her fingers behind her back, she told herself it wouldn’t really be a lie if he didn’t actually see it happening. Right? She'd just make sure he was knocked out again.
A look of such relief came his features, that Keira felt a surge of guilt for misleading him. But, dammit, it was for his own good.
“More water,” he demanded.
Grateful for the change of subject, she spun around to get the other water bottle off of the floor, but she moved too fast. Throwing out her hands as a wave of dizziness hit, she barely managed to catch herself before her face smashed into the dirt floor.
She heard Luukas’ indrawn breath along with the rattle of chains and sat back on her haunches. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Not getting an award for being graceful anytime soon,” she jested sarcastically. “But I’m fine.”
Grabbing up the water bottle, she carefully rose to her feet and shuffled back over to him. “Here you go.”
He clenched his lips together into a flat line, staring at her with burning black eyes.
She gave him a look of disbelief. “What? You’re not thirsty anymore?”
“Promise me. No more. Don’t lie.”
So he’d figured that out, huh? Guess she needed to work on her duplicity skills. She looked him directly in his fathomless black eyes. “I promise.”
He must’ve believed her this time, for he gave her a sharp nod and opened his mouth for the water. After just a few swallows, he turned his head away. “The rest for you.”
Screwing the top back on, she buried the bottle in her corner, hiding it from Leeha. Sinking down to the floor, she pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, pulling the thin blanket close.
“I can help you, if you’d let me,” she told Luukas as she watched him struggle to keep his weight off of the chains.
His eyes skittered over her way. “No! No magic.”
“Ok," she relented. "No magic.”
She hated just sitting there passively while he struggled, but she understood his fear of her. It was her fault that he was suffering. No one else’s. Only hers. Leeha would have absolutely no power over him if it weren’t for her and her magic. Not even with her army of rotting, demon hybrids.
Oh, yeah. Keira knew all about those things. Being locked up for years with nothing else to do tends to really sharpen your eavesdropping skills.
Multiple footsteps coming down the stairs outside the cell brought them both to sudden attention. The lock slid back and Leeha marched into the cell, followed by Blondie and that faithful dog, Josiah.
Keira quickly pushed herself up off of the floor, trying not to panic. She pulled the blanket up around her neck to hide her makeshift bandage.
What were they doing here so soon? They never came down twice in the same night. Gods, was it even the same night? She’d fallen asleep…but it had to be. Blondie hadn’t come back to trade for more blood yet.
She watched as Leeha strode directly over to Luukas. Watched as Luukas lifted his lip in a snarl. Watched as Leeha realized he was standing on his own.
Oh shit. No. No. No. No… Panic overtook her as Keira watched her narrow her eyes at Luukas, looking him over with renewed interest.
She wasn’t supposed to be back down here already! She NEVER came down twice in one night. Not in all the years they’d been
Keira stepped forward to help him, but stopped as he ground out through clenched teeth, “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
That’s appreciation for you , she thought, but allowed him to do it on his own, understanding his need to not appear weak in front of her.
Panting heavily through his open mouth, the extent of his efforts was obvious as his eyelids fluttered and he fought to stay conscious.
After a few moments, he looked at her from underneath his dark lashes. “Please,” he rasped out. “Don’t let him feed.”
“We’re still on this?”
He shot her another look.
“All right,” she finally promised. “I won’t.”
Crossing her fingers behind her back, she told herself it wouldn’t really be a lie if he didn’t actually see it happening. Right? She'd just make sure he was knocked out again.
A look of such relief came his features, that Keira felt a surge of guilt for misleading him. But, dammit, it was for his own good.
“More water,” he demanded.
Grateful for the change of subject, she spun around to get the other water bottle off of the floor, but she moved too fast. Throwing out her hands as a wave of dizziness hit, she barely managed to catch herself before her face smashed into the dirt floor.
She heard Luukas’ indrawn breath along with the rattle of chains and sat back on her haunches. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Not getting an award for being graceful anytime soon,” she jested sarcastically. “But I’m fine.”
Grabbing up the water bottle, she carefully rose to her feet and shuffled back over to him. “Here you go.”
He clenched his lips together into a flat line, staring at her with burning black eyes.
She gave him a look of disbelief. “What? You’re not thirsty anymore?”
“Promise me. No more. Don’t lie.”
So he’d figured that out, huh? Guess she needed to work on her duplicity skills. She looked him directly in his fathomless black eyes. “I promise.”
He must’ve believed her this time, for he gave her a sharp nod and opened his mouth for the water. After just a few swallows, he turned his head away. “The rest for you.”
Screwing the top back on, she buried the bottle in her corner, hiding it from Leeha. Sinking down to the floor, she pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, pulling the thin blanket close.
“I can help you, if you’d let me,” she told Luukas as she watched him struggle to keep his weight off of the chains.
His eyes skittered over her way. “No! No magic.”
“Ok," she relented. "No magic.”
She hated just sitting there passively while he struggled, but she understood his fear of her. It was her fault that he was suffering. No one else’s. Only hers. Leeha would have absolutely no power over him if it weren’t for her and her magic. Not even with her army of rotting, demon hybrids.
Oh, yeah. Keira knew all about those things. Being locked up for years with nothing else to do tends to really sharpen your eavesdropping skills.
Multiple footsteps coming down the stairs outside the cell brought them both to sudden attention. The lock slid back and Leeha marched into the cell, followed by Blondie and that faithful dog, Josiah.
Keira quickly pushed herself up off of the floor, trying not to panic. She pulled the blanket up around her neck to hide her makeshift bandage.
What were they doing here so soon? They never came down twice in the same night. Gods, was it even the same night? She’d fallen asleep…but it had to be. Blondie hadn’t come back to trade for more blood yet.
She watched as Leeha strode directly over to Luukas. Watched as Luukas lifted his lip in a snarl. Watched as Leeha realized he was standing on his own.
Oh shit. No. No. No. No… Panic overtook her as Keira watched her narrow her eyes at Luukas, looking him over with renewed interest.
She wasn’t supposed to be back down here already! She NEVER came down twice in one night. Not in all the years they’d been
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