Page 168 of Bitten & Burned
“There,” he said softly. His voice had gone husky. Tight. “You’re ready.”
He reached for me again to lift me into the water.
But I shook my head. “I can stand.”
I couldn’t—not really—but I wanted to try. I didn’t want to be something else he had to manage. Something else that hurt him.
Quil hovered beside me, arms tensed in case I fell, but he didn’t stop me. Just let me do it.
I stepped into the tub. Sank slowly into the water that was nearly too hot.
And shuddered.
Relief blossomed along my spine like a flower blooming from fire. The pain dulled at the edges. The pressure lifted just enough to let me breathe.
I looked down.
The water was already tinged pink. Swirls of red curled from the sigil on my thigh. It didn’t stop bleeding. It just… kept going. As if it had no intention of ever healing.
But I didn’t care.
Not in this moment.
“Does it…” I paused. “Is that why I always stunk to you before?”
Quil blinked, startled. “What?”
I didn’t look at him. “The scent. When you first met me. You always looked like you were trying not to flinch. Also, I heard you tell the others I stunk.”
He exhaled through his nose and sat down beside the tub.
“I guess,” he murmured. “I dunno. I always wondered why I could scent it when the others couldn’t. Thought it was just… me. The way I track things. The way I notice things.”
He tapped his temple lightly, then his nose. “They didn’t smell it. But I could. I always could.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“For what?”
“For all of this. For being hard to be near. For making it worse for you.”
He gave a quiet, almost incredulous laugh. “You say that like it’s not pleasant for me.”
“It’s not, though,” I said, looking up. “Right?”
“It is. And it isn’t,” he said. “If it wasn’t you? I’d hate it. I’d want to be as far away as possible.”
He leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on the water instead of my face.
“But it is you. And that makes it harder. And better. All at once.”
I swallowed.
“I just have to keep my teeth to myself,” he added, voice raspier now. “Which is… difficult. When you’re so naked and beautiful.”
“Oh,” I said softly, startled by the heat that bloomed in my chest.
He didn’t elaborate.
