Page 75 of Stalk the Dark
There were bits and pieces from last night. The impression of pain, the residue of panic, but the rest was shrouded in fog. “No. Not really.”
“Just as well.”
He carried me as if I was made of glass, dropping kisses on my head along the way.
It felt too good to be cared for this way. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t pure human?”
“Does itmatter?”
“No.”
“Exactly. It’s not something Hemlock and I feel the need to advertise.”
“Can I ask…what…what are you? Faeblood?” Most humans that weren’t fully human had a little faeblood in their family tree.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Which means you don’t want to talk about it.”
“You’re a smart woman.”
It bugged me not to know, but pushing him was pointless, so I relaxed against him, biting back a smile. “Ordell Singer, are you trying to get me all intrigued about you?”
His chuckle was a warm vibration against me. “You got me.”
I reached up on impulse to stroke his beard, silken and soft, and he emitted a sound, part growl, part purr, that shot straight to the apex of my thighs. “You like being touched like that?” My voice came out a little breathless.
He met my gaze with dark stormy eyes. “It’s an engine starter for sure, angel.”
I swallowed to moisten my suddenly dry mouth. “Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.”
That look, that fucking piercing look that made me want to strip naked and give myself to him, had my lungs struggling to function.
I dropped my gaze. “I’m sorry.”
His sigh pressed against my side. “You need steaks,” he said. “Chicken. Lentils. I’ll help Haiden cook. You’re going to be fine.” He kissed my head again. “Relax, Orina. We’re good.”
But I wasn’t good, I was sweetly aching in places I shouldn’t be, and the way his thumb was caressing the bare skin of my arm was making it impossible to think straight.
We needed a mood changer. “Is Ezekiel all right?”
“He’s fine,” he bit out, ducking through the door into the corridor. “He got what he needed.”
“Look, I’m not his number one fan, but even I can’t be pissed at him over this. It’s not like he did it on purpose. Someone tried to take him out of the picture. We need to find out who.”
“I know.” We entered the kitchen to find Edwin and Padma sitting on either side of Merry, who was sobbing, head in her hands.
Ordell kicked out a chair and set me down, and the three looked over, but my attention went to Merry. “Hey, you…You okay?”
She stared blankly at me. “You must be the new recruit.”
My heart sank. “Yeah. I am.”
“We just filled her in,” Edwin said. He didn’t add ‘again,’ but I heard it anyway.
Padma shook her head. “I can’t keep doing this.”
