Page 8 of All's Fair in Lion and War
He shook his head and reached for the button on her pants. “After your wounds have been treated, I will not touch you again unless it is necessary for your safety.”
He won’t touch me again.The prospect, to her surprise, was sour in her mind. His touch so far had been pleasant, past the yanking of her arm back into place. Her body craved a kind touch after the day she’d had. That was all it was. Right?
She shook the unwanted desires from her head and stared him down.
Saul was a means to an end.
She needed to get back to Tallix. She needed this male to keep Rivian and his warriors at bay. But Saul was only one male. Odds were not in their favor. And she didn’t even know where she was.
“Pants.” He said again, his hand gripping the sides of the strange clothes wrapped around her lower body. They were ruined. The holes in them were fraying at the edges and soon they’d be absolutely no good against the raging cold wind outside. Blood meant claws had gone deep into her skin.
She raised her butt an inch or so and he pulled, tugging down the clothing he called ‘pants’. The inner layer of pants was removed at the same time.
The cool air on her bare ass made her suck in a quick breath. He was so close to her. She couldn’t help but tremble slightly.
His gaze was focused on her bare mound for a second before the trance was broken. He breathed in deeply and then stood, backing away from her. “I’m s-sorry.” He stumbled over his words. A familiar glint flared in his eyes and his soul—hatred, anger, rage.
They were all present.
Lorelei could feel them like boulders crashing into her chest.
“They beat you…” His voice cracked like ice chunks breaking up on a frozen river. His lip curled up into a violent snarl. His fangs came down and his eyes glowed bright again. “Starved you.”
He was truly offended for her. Angry at them. Furious.
She wanted to believe that this male was different. That maybe he was honorable and not associated with Rivian and his lust for power and dominance. Maybe he would help her get home.
She glanced down at her bruised hips. Bruises littered her skin. Some were fresh and black. Others were yellowed and fading.
She was thin. So much thinner than she should be. But it didn’t make sense. She didn’t remember being hurt.
Yesterday she’d been in her home. In bed with her mate. None of this made sense…unless she’d lost time.
Tears pricked her eyes again.“I don’t remember what happened.” Her voice was so soft.
Saul plucked the blanket she’d been under from the cushion next to her and draped it over her body to cover her nakedness.
She sat there quietly. He wasn’t going to beat her or humiliate her on purpose. He wasn’t going to force himself on her. He would’ve already.
Saul pulled her clothing nearly to her ankles, baring her legs from midway down her thighs. The ugly claw marks were deep, and she had no idea why she wasn’t in more pain. She should be. She should be screaming and fighting and demanding that this male take her home.
Instead she sat there in front of a stranger and hoped he didn’t hurt her too.
“Those look terrible.” Her voice came out so flat.
He dabbed some antiseptic on them gently, but she didn’t flinch. Even when it stung. Then placed gauze over the angry red, oozing welts, and taped it down.
“What tribe are you?” Lorelei asked, her tone still quiet.
“My family name is Di’Mara.”
She closed her eyes, thinking. The name wasn’t familiar. She didn’t know his family name or what tribe he belonged to, but it wasn’t Rivian’s.
At least she hoped it wasn’t.
She opened her eyes and met his solid gaze. “I need to get back home.” She was still careful not to mention her mate, her name, or anything else. If she was seeing asoul call—the glow from his soul, then he was seeing the same in her, yet he was behaving as though he was not.
“Did Rivian and his warriors steal you from your home?”
