practically dived through the window then . I flinched as she snatched at my face. I couldn’t stop the cry from escaping my lips and I let my mental shield fall briefly as the burning pain lashed at my face again.
“I’m so sorry, Abbs . The cut was closing in over the glass in your face. I didn’t know what else to do.” Her face fell as she stared at me.
In her hand she clutched a large jagged shard, the blood dripping from it in a slow hypnotic manner. Glancing down , she finally seemed to notice the object in her hand, and with a small cry she thrust it away from her, flinging it into the corner of the room.
I took a deep breath before smiling at my shell -shocked friend, although the best I could managed was a bit of a wonky, though hopefully reassuring, lip curl.
“No harm, Luce, I just wasn’t expecting that.”
I realized that there were similar sharp burns along my back.
“I’ve managed to get most of the glass out before your skin healed.” Josian spoke over my shoulder, explaining the pain. “Your mother’s gone for the medical kit to help me with the rest.”
I froze even more. I hated pain and something told me this was going to hurt.
We were all distracted then as a doorway opened on the front lawn. Josian moved to stand in front of the broken window, his massive frame practically shielding all of us from view. But I knew immediately who it was.
His energy signature was unique and actually quite similar in strength to the wall of power that had flung me into the house.
Brace had arrived.
Josian stepped back to my wounded self, leaving a clear view outside.
Brace wasn’t alone . Colton almost shoved him out of the way as they moved in long-legged strides across the grass. Brace’s black eyes were locked on me. He looked pissed off, but more than that he was worried. Through the shared part of our bond I could feel the icy tendrils of fear from him. He’d known I was hurt but until right that moment, when he could actually see me, he hadn’t known how bad it was.
Colton reached Lucy’s side. “What happened?” he snapped at her.
Lucy wrinkled her brow as she stared up at him. “I’m sorry – what?”
He looked a little confused as he repeated his question, this time with less bite. Again Lucy simply stared up at him, her face still scrunched up. Finally she turned to me.
“Do you understand what he’s saying? All I’m getting is bark, bark, growl.”
Talina and I both snorted. Pain shot through me as I moved and I couldn’t help the little groan.
Colton grinned then. Leaning down, he flicked out his tongue and traced it from her chin up to the corner of her mouth. Lucy gasped, her eyes widening and her jaw falling open.
“Since you clearly expect me to greet you like a wolf ,” Colton drawled.
She blinked twice. “Just try to stop yourself before you sniff my butt ,” she finally said.
She moved back then to crouch next to me, just out of the reach of my blood pool.
“I’m pretty sure I just had my first real sexual experience,” she murmured, leaning near my ear.
I grinned, taking in her shocked expression. My crazy friend was not usually caught off guard. I shifted, wincing as the pain blasted under my skin again. It felt as if my body was trying to expel the glass.
I held out my hand . I needed Brace right then. I was hurting and I could tell that he was about to lose his shit.
He didn’t push anyone aside ; they simply moved out of his way. He crouched before me, clearly not caring that my blood was soaking into his black pants. He wore a type of ceremonial cape, black like the pants, embroidered with silver decals and this intricate shield. His marks were perfect. Pulsing gold threaded along the dark tribal pattern. The gold was part of our melding bond.
“Damn, what did you run out on?” I smiled, hoping to see some brown bleed back into his eyes.
Colton snorted. “Nothing important, just the ceremony to accept his role as Princeps.”
Brace
Celeste Conway
Debbie Macomber
Scott Mariani
John Marsden
Cari Silverwood
Roddy Doyle
Simon Parkin
Jeanne Cooper
Catherine Burr, James Halon
James Hawkins