Page 62 of Zar

His lips twitched. His Callie, so fearless. “I will talk to her and explain.”

The healer touched his arm, gaining his attention. He quirked a brow at her. “They took a chance giving her those drugs. She is earth-born and if they’d administered too much it could’ve killed her. She is lucky to be alive.” Her gaze searched the length of him. “Are you in need, my king?”

He shook his head. “No, thank you. If we need anything else, Flare will send for you.”

She nodded and left. Zar looked around the room. “Stay, we have things to talk about.”

They mumbled their agreements. He heard Kade say Naxon’s name, but Zar had one thing on his mind. Callie. He crossed the room and went through the door to their bedchamber. He found her asleep on top of the black comforter. She still wore her dress. Flare was probably the cause of that. Zar’s creature wouldn’t be pleased if anyone else had seen Callie’s nude form. The healer would be the exception, but Flare had strayed on the side of caution.

As he approached the bed, Callie stirred, but she didn’t wake. He sat on the edge and stared down at her. He could’ve lost her. Naxon had her in his hands. It would’ve been so easy to snap her neck. Or if Zar had rushed to her aid the explosion would’ve surely killed her. Zar would’ve suffered, knowing he’d been the cause of Callie’s death. That’s exactly what Naxon had wanted. The first law of their people was ingrained in all Zenarians from the moment they were born. No women and children shall be harmed. Apparently, there wasn’t even a fraction of decency left in Naxon, considering he’d been prepared to watch Callie and Zar both die. Naxon had died instead, but there would be others that had been tainted by Naxon’s hatred. They would seek revenge for their fallen leader. Yes, Naxon was dead, but the threat to Callie was not.

He reached out and caressed her tear-streaked cheek with a finger. So delicate. So breakable. What kind of life would she have if she stayed with him? They would always have to look over their shoulders. The very thought of her getting caught in the battle to come sent a shaft of fear through Zar. It would tear him in two to send her back to her world but knowing what waited for her here made Zar’s decision a little easier.

He stood and took hold of the blanket at the foot of the bed, then covered her with it. He kissed her forehead briefly, then left her to sleep. His future had never seemed so lonely as it did in that moment. And he’d never hated being king more.

****

Callie woke to a gentle hand stroking her hair. She reached out and touched feathers. Zar. He was wrapped around her spoon fashion. It all came flooding back. Larz taking her. Naxon boasting about taking back his throne. Zar flying off to fight a man twisted by hate.

She turned her head and saw Zar staring down at her, but he didn’t look happy. She stiffened. “Naxon?”

“He’s dead, little dove,” he murmured as he continued to watch her. “He can’t hurt you or anyone else ever again.”

She frowned and turned over to face him. “Then why do you look so upset? Did something else happen?”

He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers, his hand tangled in her hair and tugged gently. When he lifted she could’ve sworn she saw tears in his eyes. He skated his palm down to her neck until he was covering her neck band. “Your life is the only thing that matters to me, Callie. You are my heart. My soul. Our life threads are entwined for all time. Nothing can tear us apart. No matter what.”

It all sounded wonderful to Callie, but Zar wasn’t smiling. She placed her hand on his chest, directly over his heart. “You’re beginning to scare me, Zar.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped and his gaze captured hers and held. “You will never be safe if you’re with me. Not as long as Naxon’s followers exist.”

Callie sat up so fast, her head throbbed. She steadied herself on his chest and asked, “Are you sending me away? Because that’s what it sounds like, Zar.”

He moved off the bed and walked across the room. She noticed he was nude. She glanced down at herself and realized she was too. Hopefully that was Zar’s doing. After he pulled on a pair of heather-grey lounge pants he turned and answered, “Flare is waiting in the other room to take you back to your apartment, your life. I’m sorry.”

Callie froze as Zar’s words registered. He started out of the room and Callie went into action. She launched herself out of bed and just barely caught his right wing in a tight grip before he was able to leave the room. He cursed and turned around, glaring down at the hand she had wrapped around a handful of his feathers. "For real? You’re just tossing me aside like old garbage?”

He spun on his heels and grabbed her by her upper arms and held her in the air. “Do you think this is what I want? That this is easy for me? You mean everything to me. I love you! I cannot imagine a future without you, Callie. My life has never looked lonelier.”

A red haze of anger swept over her. Without thinking it through, Callie kicked out with her foot and connected with his shin. She flinched as pain shot up her leg. Zar’s eyes narrowed and his wings began that agitated vibration that told Callie she was about to get an earful. Zar carried her to the bed and sat down on the edge then put her on his lap sideways. He cupped the back of her head and forced her to look at him. “I could’ve lost you. Naxon had you, Callie. He could’ve killed you and there would’ve been nothing I could do to stop it.” He took a deep breath and released it. His voice was steadier when he said, “The war he started isn’t over. It’s only beginning. You will not be caught in the crossfire. I will not allow it.”

She took a moment to digest his words. He did have a point. She’d essentially become his Achille’s heel. Callie placed a finger on her neck band, stroking the warm silver and black jewelry Zar had given her. “This means I belong to you. When you gave it to me, you handed me a future here with your people. You accepted me as your ofelia. Your creature accepted me. Has that changed? Do you no longer feel that we are Garra’s will?”

His gaze zeroed in on her throat. Arousal flared to life when he placed his hand around the band. “Nothing has changed. You are mine. Always.”

She tapped the band. “If I go back then I take this off. I will leave it here, Zar. And I will not live the rest of my life pining away for you.”

His lips thinned and the hand he had around her throat tightened a fraction. “What are you saying?”

“By sending me away you are saying I’m free to meet someone else. Free to love another man. Free to kiss another. Have his babies. Is that what you want for me?”

He hissed and turned them until she was pinned to the bed beneath his large, powerful body. “No one will ever touch you and live, Callie.” She started to point out that he was being irrational, but his talons suddenly extended and slammed into the bed beside her body. “Mine,” he ground out.

A smile slipped across her face. Gotcha. “Then we’re in agreement. I stay. We face the future together. We have children together. And we live happily ever after.”

His eyes searched hers and he shook his head. “You are cunning and you turn me inside out,” he groaned as his harsh expression transformed into a slow, sexy grin. “I must never forget how clever you are, my ofelia.”

“I’ll remind you often,” she offered. “In the meantime, you should dismiss Flare and make love to your queen, don’t you think?”

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