Redemption in stone, p.7
Redemption in Stone, page 7
“I’m okay,” she tried to reassure him, even though she had no doubt he felt the fine tremor that went through her, probably smelled the sharp musk of her fear, too. “Honestly, I’m… I’m glad you didn’t find the monster before me.”
He rubbed his thumb over her cheek, but absently, like he wasn’t paying attention to what his hand was doing while he frowned at her. “I’m capable of killing that…thing.”
“But you wouldn’t have known how. Did you have a knife or anything like it on you? You have to take a monster’s head off. It’s the only thing that kills them. And you saw, it was dangerous even after it was dead. You wouldn’t have known any of that. Hell, I didn’t know about the poison in the tail spikes. You didn’t know it had acid blood…” She shivered and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, he’d tossed the map on the floor and was sitting right next to her, both hands on her face.
“I’m fine. You’re fine. It’s okay. Hey.” He tilted her face up so she’d meet his gaze, and she found herself falling into those blue blue eyes. “It worked out. The monster is dead. No need to panic after the fact.”
She swallowed, knowing he was right, but also very aware of what could have happened. How close she’d come to losing him before ever finding him. She tried to shake off her reaction, tried to let it go. He was right. They were both alive and well and sitting, very close now, in his cabin. Safe. Alive. And none of the horrible things running through her mind had come to pass.
She pressed her hands against his where they rested on her jaw. Then she took in several deep, long breaths. “Sorry about that,” she murmured. “I… I’ve seen what monsters can do to people, and it’s upsetting to think you could have walked into a situation you didn’t understand and gotten yourself killed. I know… Shifters are strong fighters. But you didn’t know what you were fighting.”
“I do now,” he said. So matter-of-fact she blinked. “I’m not going in blind. And I wouldn’t have if I’d found the monster before I found you.”
There was a little tensing around his eyes, something that moved through his expression. But so fast, she wasn’t sure what she’d just seen.
“But I didn’t find the monster first, and it’s all okay now. It’s dead and we’re not.” He held her gaze, his thumbs still stroking her cheeks in soothing circles. “We’re fine.”
She nodded again, her heartbeat calming as the panic subsided. She let his scent move into her, fill her with that reassurance even as his voice and touch calmed her pulse. The terror had risen so fast, so sharply. She’d never had anything like that happen to her before. She’d been fighting monsters for her entire life. She accepted all the risks. To herself. To her Family. She’d never had such a punch of panic and fear as she’d had at the mere thought of him getting killed.
He was so close now, his breath warm against her lips. When his gaze dropped briefly to her mouth, the dance of nerves in her stomach changed, altered into something that wasn’t fear at all. But was just as desperate. She tightened her grip on his wrists, but what she wanted to do was lean forward and press her lips against his. The impulse overwhelmed her sense. She did soften forward just a little. Watched his eyes darken again.
Then as suddenly as he’d ended up in front of her, he jerked back. Off the couch. Standing several feet away in a blink.
“I’ll get you some water.”
He turned and hurried to the kitchen before she could say anything. Before she could even open her mouth.
Which was probably good. Because if he’d still been standing there, she wasn’t sure she could have hidden her disappointment and hurt.
They’d only just met and were essentially strangers still, she reassured herself. She’d barely woken up from a two-day sleep. He was probably just taking all that into consideration. Being thoughtful. Not wanting to push her.
They had time. No reason to feel utterly rejected.
So long as they stayed alive, they had time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
When Adam returned from the kitchen, he handed her a glass of water, which Becca dutifully drank even though she wasn’t particularly thirsty. Then he sat down on the opposite side of the couch again, replacing the map between them.
She tried very hard not to be disappointed. He was right to refocus them on the hunt. There might well be another monster out there and she couldn’t afford to forget that. Lives were on the line, not just his and hers. She had a duty. And that came before everything else.
So she concentrated on the map and they worked out all the places they’d both spotted evidence of the irgotoc. Once she was oriented on the map to her current location, it was easier to get a visual of the area, where she’d been. Where the second monster could potentially hide.
There was a large red spot on the map north of Adam’s cabin, a dot she didn’t pay much attention to at first, thinking it marked one of the nearby towns. But as they finished setting out a search grid they’d use to hunt, she realized that red dot was settled over a section of the forest, not centered on a town.
“What’s that?” she asked, giving the spot a little poke.
“Nothing.” He pulled the map away and folded it back up, fast. “We have our search area now. Do you want to start in the morning? Or do you need more time to recover?”
He didn’t meet her gaze as he spoke, keeping his attention on the map he carefully refolded, hiding the red mark.
She narrowed her eyes. “We should start tomorrow. If there’s a second monster, we don’t have time to wait on my healing.” In fact, too much time had already passed. She’d lost two days. They were starting this hunt from scratch. “Have you heard or come across any new carcasses?” she asked. “In the last two days?”
“I’ve been here the whole time,” he said, his gaze still averted as he slipped the map back into the side table. “I haven’t been out to look. But there hasn’t been anything on the news.”
Not that there would be necessarily. The area was isolated and dead deer and coyotes and even the occasional moose or bear wouldn’t draw much attention up here. More missing humans would. But if he hadn’t heard anything about that yet, hopefully that meant any possible monster still roaming the hills hadn’t wandered into any populated places while she’d been unconscious.
That was a good bit of luck at least, and she’d take it.
Still without quite looking at her, he said, “I didn’t find anything more than your backpack in the woods. Are you staying somewhere close by or were you camping…?”
“Camping,” she said, which was sort of true.
What she’d done when she’d needed to stop and rest was transition so her wolf could comfortably sleep in the cold woods and her human body could rest and recover in its stasis form. In the middle of nowhere, someone coming across a stone statue in the middle of the woods was unlikely. And the wolf’s form was easier to sleep in when she didn’t have time to stop and build tents and fires and things to make her human form comfortable.
“I’ve been moving, couldn’t really stop, so hotels would have been inconvenient.”
He nodded.
Something about the conversation made Becca’s stomach tight. Was he hinting that he wanted her out of his guest bedroom? He hadn’t actually commented at all on her staying here or going. Just that he’d help her hunt for a potential second monster. That didn’t necessarily translate into an invitation to continue living with him in this house.
She tried not to let that thought disappoint her. She was a stranger to him still. And he’d really done so much for her already. Was going to do more for her than she really even wanted him to. She should make the offer to go. Give him an option so he didn’t feel obligated to keep hosting her.
But now that she’d found him, she didn’t want to be away from him.
“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need to,” he said, his gaze on the cold fireplace. “Until you recover.” His mouth quirked at one side and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “No one else is clamoring to use the guest room.” Then so quietly she was pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to hear him, “Not even sure why I have one.”
That was a loaded comment. Something she wanted to explore more in her quest to know everything about him. But she pretended she hadn’t heard and instead said, “Thank you. I don’t want to be an inconvenience.” Her turn to smile. “I was going to say I don’t want to be any trouble, but I think we’re well past that stage.”
“No trouble,” he said softly.
Her stomach danced.
Silence fell and she wanted to fill it with conversation. His mood had shifted when she’d pointed to that red dot on the map. He’d…pulled away. That’s what it felt like, though she wasn’t sure that was the right description. But it felt like he was distancing himself from her in a way he hadn’t been doing while they plotted out their search grid. She wanted that feeling of comradery back.
“Hopefully, we’ll know in a few days if there’s a second monster or not.” Something to say, but not exactly what she wanted to talk about. She just didn’t want the silence between them to drag on too long. “Shouldn’t take long. I don’t want to disrupt your life too much.” A little desperately, she added, “I’ll pay for the food and care.”
“I don’t charge guests.” The growl in his voice surprised her. “Especially guests who are injured and in need of my help.”
“Even uninvited ones?”
He scowled at the fireplace. “Already told you, you’re officially invited.”
Well, offending him hadn’t been the plan. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply… I just don’t want to…”
“You’re not causing me any trouble, and I can well afford to feed and house you for a few days.”
“Sorry,” she muttered again, feeling awkward and ridiculous. She had lived in this world for nearly two centuries. Yet she couldn’t manage to talk reasonably to the one man who was really important to her without putting her foot in her mouth.
Because he was really important to her, of course. Something he didn’t know yet. And which made all of this so very different.
She felt the heat in her cheeks but faced him anyway. “I am not trying to offend you. I’m just feeling…uncomfortable forcing myself into your life like this.” Even though in his life was exactly where she needed and wanted to be. “And I don’t want you to think I’m making assumptions—about your help or…or anything. I do appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I’m grateful for your help with looking for the second monster—”
“Even though you didn’t want to accept that help.”
“Even though. This isn’t your duty. I don’t want you hurt on my account. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the help.”
He grunted, lifting his chin in a brief nod. But his shoulders relaxed. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need to. I want to help. And I don’t want your money. That cover everything?”
She nodded. What she really wanted to do, though, was to wrap her arms around him, nuzzle his neck to get his scent, find out what it would feel like to kiss him, what it would be like to have his hands on her again when she wasn’t weak and unable to stand on her own.
She stayed on her side of the couch. Despite every instinct pushing her to close the distance, to ask permission to touch him. Kiss him. But they weren’t there yet. This was too important to rush.
Even if she really wanted to.
Becca yawned abruptly and slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh. Guess I’m tired now.” She chuckled. “You’d think after two days of sleeping I wouldn’t want to sleep again for a week.” In truth, she didn’t want to go to sleep yet. She wanted to stay on this couch, in his living room, in front of a cold fireplace, with him for as long as she possibly could.
But she wouldn’t be doing herself or him any favors in the coming hunt if she was too exhausted. The poison had taken its toll. And since she couldn’t transition here, yet, she needed rest.
“You’ve probably pushed too long anyway,” he said. “I’ll walk you upstairs, make sure you have everything you need.”
She followed him up the narrow stairs, trying not to ogle him too much, but it was hard not to take advantage of the opportunity to admire his wide shoulders and back, the way his muscles rippled beneath his t-shirt. The way he moved with a kind of easy predatory grace that made her heart thump and her stomach dance.
At the bedroom, he nodded to her backpack in a corner where she’d dropped it after she’d finished her bath. “If you need anything, a toothbrush or…anything, let me know.”
“Thanks.” She had one in her pack, which she’d taken advantage of after her bath, but it was kind of him to offer.
She stifled another yawn, her eyes heavy with exhaustion she should not be feeling. When she woke up again, if this exhaustion was still dragging at her, she intended on finding some solitude in the woods so she and her wolf could get out a bit and leave the human body to heal.
“Thanks for everything,” she said, facing Adam fully. “From the bandaging, to the meal, to the bed, to the help. You’ve gone above and beyond.” She smiled, but now that she was so close to a bed again, she wobbled a little.
“Woah.” He stepped close enough to grab her around the waist. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Just got hit with a wave of exhaustion. Still healing I guess.” She shrugged, but the feel of his arm around her was distracting. The position, almost but not quite pressed against him, felt very natural. Like she was supposed to be right here.
“In to bed,” he said. “You pushed too hard. If you need anything, my bedroom is just down the hall.”
Mmm. That sounded tempting. If she weren’t about to fall asleep standing, only still on her feet because he was holding her up. But maybe after a little sleep…
She blinked and swayed toward him, from tiredness but also just wanting to be closer to him. He was warm. And he smelled good. And the arm holding her upright was strong and firm at her back. And she really wanted to know what his lips would feel like against hers. He brushed his thumb over her cheekbone with his free hand and studied her face.
With a suddenness that surprised a gasp from her, he picked her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he carried her to the bed. Which wasn’t something she intended on arguing over. She wasn’t about to give up such a perfect excuse to lean into him and wrap her arms around his neck.
She did feel like she should put up a token protest. “You don’t have to carry me with the bed only a few feet away.”
He set her gently on the mattress. “Easier to pick you up while you’re still standing than to scoop you up off the floor.”
She chuckled. “Fair enough. The exhaustion is pretty weird.”
“Not normal?”
“No more normal than my slow healing. Fucking monster poison. Can’t believe I got hit with monster poison after it was dead.”
“Not many poisonous monsters? Or you’re just not used to be poisoned by a dead one?”
“The poison part depends on the monsters. Some of them are, though not all.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m just usually more careful, even after the monsters are dead.” She scooted down on the mattress so she could roll onto her side and settled her cheek against the pillow. He pulled a sheet up over her. So thoughtful. “Suppose that’s what happens when I finally meet my—” Wow, she was exhausted. She’d nearly called him her Nam-tar out loud. And since that word required explanation she wasn’t ready to give yet, she changed the end of her sentence to, “—when I finally meet a werewolf.”
“I’m you’re first, huh?”
The slight innuendo in his tone had her toes curling under the blanket. Oh, if only she wasn’t so tired. “Usually avoid them. All shifters.” She tapped her nose. “Your sense of smell is too good.”
“When you’re no longer half asleep, I’m going to remind you you said that and then ask what it means.”
“Fair.” She reached out and gripped his hand, tugging so he sat on the bed next to her. “We still have lots to talk about. But after I sleep.”
“After you sleep,” he murmured, his voice a deep rumble.
His thumb brushed over the side of her hand, sending a warm curl of pleasure through her. She loved his touch.
“Goodnight,” she said and closed her eyes. “Stay until I fall asleep?”
“I’ll stay.”
Oh she really hoped he meant that.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Becca woke to a quiet room and a lot of sunshine streaming in through the curtains. Staring at the light pouring across the hardwood floor, she took a moment to assess how she felt. Better. The ache in her leg around the wound had lessened. She only realized the wound had been aching now that it wasn’t so bad anymore. The exhaustion that had swept through her last night had abated. She felt well rested and awake. Not groggy. That had to be a good sign.
Pulling in a deep breath, she filled her lungs with the scent of Adam’s home. Still hard to believe she was in the home of her Nam-tar. He was here. She hadn’t dreamed him. She wasn’t imagining all this.
And if she didn’t have another potential monster out in the mountains, she’d be a lot happier.
She pushed herself up and sat at the edge of the bed to examine her wound, unwinding the bandage to get a look. Fuck. Still not completely healed. It was definitely healing. The jagged edges around the puncture had knitted back together completely. The area looked less red and swollen. Only really a lump of red healing tissue left. Nearly there.
But three days after getting injured, she shouldn’t see any sign of the wound anymore. Not even a red mark indicating where it had been. All evidence of the fact that she’d been hurt should have vanished by now. That there was anything there at all was disturbing.
