Page 34 of Songbird
Before I could take a step, he was in front of me, his strong arms wrapping around my body and pulling me against his chest. I felt the warmth of his embrace, the steady beat of his heart against my cheek. My feet no longer touched the ground as he held me tight, protecting me from the universe around us.
My whole body trembled as the adrenaline that fueled me during Kayzon’s attack slowly ebbed. My muscles felt weak, and my breath came in ragged gasps. Tarren’s hold on me shifted, and he swept me up in his arms, his sure strides taking me away from the carnage.
“All is well now, my precious Izzy. I have you, my mate.”
Kayzon was dead, Tarrick was here, and I was safe in his arms. Truly and completely safe.
Finally safe.
My body trembling with relief, I wrapped my arms tightly around Tarrick’s neck, feeling the warmth and strength of his embrace, and began to cry.
Chapter 16- Tarrick
With more care than the bastard deserved, I navigated over the spastic, dying body of Kayzon. My heart pounded in my chest, not feeling whole, until I swept Izzy up into my arms. She trembled, her slight frame feeling fragile against me and began to sob. I stole a glance at Praxxan, who waved me on before turning to take care of the mess I’d made. He knew my only focus was Izzy. The terror that gripped me when Kayzon held a knife to her throat lingered fresh in my mind, and I held her tighter, loving the way her arms slipped around my neck as she cuddled against me, wanting my comfort.
I love you.
Whether she’d spoken the words in a moment of stress or meant for all eternity, I held onto them with every fiber of my being as I carried my mate through the corridors. The weight of her body in my arms was nothing compared to the weight of love I felt for her. It radiated through me, giving me strength and determination to protect and cherish her forever.
I felt the curious, shocked stares of those we passed. By now, most citizens would know of Kayzon’s treachery. Nothing stayed quiet for long in this place. By tomorrow, word would spread that my weak, paunchy playboy persona had all been an act. My career as a spy was over. I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything but the tiny human female in my arms.
Though I knew it took only a few minutes, it seemed like eons before we finally reached my apartment. The doorslid shut behind me, the sound a welcome punctuation mark on the last few horrible minutes. I sat Izzy gently on the bed, going to my knees in front of her. Bright blue eyes shimmered, tears streaming down her cheeks in quick succession, while her reddened nose ran slightly. Even in this state, she was the most beautiful thing in the universe. I let my fingertips trail along her cheek in an attempt to wipe away some of the tears.
“It’s okay,” I promised the most important vow I would ever utter. “Kayzon is dead. He can’t hurt you anymore. I won’t ever let anyone hurt you again.”
Her head bobbed in a nod, golden hair waving about her face. Slowly, my fingers moving in the lightest touch, lest I accidentally cause her pain, I inspected her for injuries.
A deep red mark circumvented her throat from where the bastard threatened to cut her. It made me want to go back and kill him again. The Kerzak’s careless claws had shredded the flesh of her arm above the elbow. There were more bruises on her arms and legs, as well as a blossoming mark on her cheek where someone hit her. She’d been battered, but nothing—thank all the gods and goddesses—too severe. Retrieving the small medi-kit from the bedside table, I sat about cleaning and bandaging her wounds. Izzy sat still, her eyes following my every move, a wince or hiss of pain issuing when I dealt with the worst of her injuries.
“You came for me.” The words were so faintly spoken, I wondered if she meant to say them aloud.
“I will always come for you.” I glanced up from washing the blood from her skin to meet her gaze.
“I thought you left.” There was no recrimination in the way she said the words, yet I flinched.
I cupped her cheek, letting my thumb brush through the tracks of tears drying on her face. “A mistake I will never repeat.”
“Tarrick?” Her voice wobbled, eyes shining with hope, although a new wash of tears escaped her lashes.
“Shhh, my mate.” I cupped her face between my palms, letting my lips brush across her forehead.” I know we need to talk, but you are hurt. Let me tend to you."
Izzy drew in a deep breath, nodding jerkily.
I finished bandaging her arm and scooped her up, carrying her into the shower. Izzy sighed heavily, the weight of her body against my chest a reminder of how precious she was to me. The scent of the Kerzak lingered on her skin, a sickening reminder they’d dared to lay a hand on her. I pulled her garments off, tossing them in a nearby waste can. While the silky pants appeared unharmed, her tunic sported rips and bloodstains. I would buy her new clothes, lots of them. She would never again don the outfit that would remind her of this attack. I just wished there was a way to remove the bruises and red marks from her skin. My hands clenched into fists, imagining what Kayzon and his cronies must have done to cause such injuries. Again, I wished I’d left Kayzon alive, if only for the opportunity to kill him again, slowly and tortuously.
I helped Izzy into the shower, the hot water cascading over her body and eliciting a contented sigh from her lips. As she stood under the stream, I quickly undressed, my pants joining her clothes in the waste bin. Stepping underneath the warm spray, I fought against my own desires and focused on gentle touches and careful movements. I cleansed her body, taking special care when handling her wounded skin. Her hair was silky under my touch as I washed it, smiling at the small sounds of pleasure that escaped her lips. When I was finally satisfied that I’d washed the memory of the Kerzak’s touch from her skin, I wrapped her in a fluffy towel, carried her to the bed, and settled her on my lap to attend her hair with a soft towel. The warmth of the room and the closeness of our bodies made everything feelpeaceful and intimate. Izzy cuddled against me, her soft body melting into my own.
“Did you mean it? Do you love me?” I finally asked, my voice little more than a gruff whisper.
Izzy raised her head, meeting my gaze. Her blue eyes shimmered, and her lips twisted as though she couldn’t settle on an expression between elation and worry. “Yes. I’m sorry. I know you might not feel the same way, but when I thought Kayzon might kill me... I just couldn’t leave this world without you knowing how I feel about you. I know our mating was supposed to be pretend....”
“Not for me,” I admitted, stroking my claws through her hair in lieu of a comb.
“What?” Izzy didn’t hide the shock in her tone.
“It was never pretend for me.” I kept one hand stroking through her hair while the other settled around her waist. My tail wound itself around her ankle as if it feared she might run at what came next. A confession, and one I should have already offered. “Stranac, like me, feel a tingle along our tails when we meet our true mate. I felt it the first moment I saw you singing on the stage atSpace Pearls.”
Izzy did not seem upset. Instead, her blue eyes narrowed curiously. “Is that why your tail was always whipping around, acting crazy?”
