BloodSworn (4 page)

“You hold him any longer, you’ll kill him.” She inched
around to catch his gaze, but he ducked his head. Trina persisted. “His death
will only draw attention to us.”

“Tell me your name, and I’ll release him.”

Half-expecting a trap, she hesitated. His hold tightened,
and a gurgle emerged from the attacker’s throat.

“Trina.”

After a short pause, he slowly lowered the motionless body
dangling from his arm. She stepped back and swore he growled before dropping
the guy at her feet.

The body didn’t so much as twitch.

Trina stooped and picked up the blade, closing and stuffing
it in her pocket. When she glanced up, her rescuer stared down at her.
Uncomfortable at the attention, she shrugged. “I should be going.”

When she turned to pick up her pack, he beat her to it,
scooping the bag up in his big mitt and falling into step next to her without a
word. She paused, her fingers itching to snatch her backpack to her chest. That
bag carried the last of her meager possessions and had been her constant
companion for the last three weeks.

Common sense reasserted itself. It wasn’t like he would run
off with it. She followed, her heartbeat kicked up a notch.

Did he know she’d been living on his property?

He must.

Dare she go back or would it be smarter to leave? What kept
her from running was she didn’t have anywhere else to go.

“You’ve been following me.” Way to state the obvious. She
winced. People were not her strong suit. Give her petri dishes, test tubes and
mass spectrometers any day.

Those broad shoulders shrugged. Her gaze dropped, and she
noticed his limp.

“You’re hurt.” She stopped short, unable to move as she
realized he’d been injured protecting her.

No one would be safe around her until this was over.

Even this indomitable man.

 
Chapter Four

L
eo
took a few more steps before he noticed the girl had stopped. When he followed
her tonight, he had not intended to reveal himself. Not until he saw her in
danger. Then he’d had trouble preventing his lion from taking over and eliminating
the threat permanently.

Now he didn’t know what to do with her.

Trina.

He liked the way her name sounded in his mind. It suited
her. Knowing more about her eased a little knot in his chest. She wouldn’t be
able to disappear without a trace anymore. Not when he held her bag. The
adrenaline from the fight wore off, and his back twinged with every step.

“You’re a witch.”

Calmness descended over the girl, and she advanced toward
him. “Doctor,” she corrected. “Well, not a
witch doctor
. Just a doctor.
Shutting up now.”

Her earnestness was endearing, and a smile tugged at his
lips. She rolled her eyes, but the dust of red highlighting her cheeks begged
him to touch.

Then she crouched at his feet

Every thought evaporated at her suggestive pose, all the
blood heading to parts south. He cursed that damn ever-present stocking cap. It
sat perched on her head, and he wanted to yank it off to see all of her.

When she laid her hands on him, ran those long fingers over
and up the inside of his thigh, he sucked in a sharp breath and concentrated on
keeping his legs locked. His mind battled his body’s demand to snatch her up in
his arms and strip her naked.

It took a precious few seconds for her words to penetrate
his befuddled mind.

“I don’t see any wound or blood. There doesn’t appear to be
any deep tissue damage. Where were you hit?”

Deep brown eyes gazed up at him, and he had to clear his
throat twice before any sound besides a growl would emerge. “Not.”

Sirens rose in the distance. He grabbed her arm and hauled her
upright, his long strides carrying them quickly down the street. It annoyed him
to find bulky clothing under his hand and not skin.

“Hey.” When she tried to tug away, his grip tightened for a
fraction of a second. He didn’t want to release her and had to force his hand
to let go.

“Sorry.” He dropped back, crowding close to her body, unable
to
not
be near her. He locked his hands behind his back to prevent
himself from swinging her up in his arms and physically removing her from the danger
of being out in the open. “Cops.”

Without a word, she increased her stride, not looking either
right or left as they departed. Three blocks later, she finally slowed then
stopped.

“You’re still limping.” Her brows furrowed. “I really am a
doctor. I can help you if you allow me to examine you.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed painfully. No matter how innocent,
every word out of her mouth sent his mind straight into the gutter. There was
no way he could allow her hands on him. He wouldn’t survive being touched and
not being able to return the favor in the many varied ways his mind supplied.
Him, the legendary control freak, unable to control himself around a little
slip of a woman.

“Old wound. We need to get off the streets.” He scanned the
area and inhaled deeply. He scented nothing but humans. Any traces on the pathway
were hours old.

The buildings in this section of town were run down, most of
the businesses had long since been abandoned. A tic started in his jaw, and he
clenched his teeth against the need to take her to task for putting herself in
danger in the first place. She had no business being in this part of town
without protection, especially at night. Just thinking about what could’ve
happened to her without him there to rescue her nagged at him.

She scowled, but didn’t refuse. “Where?”

“How about home?”

Damn. So he knew she’d been trespassing on his property.
Heat stung her checks, but she didn’t back down. “How long have you known?”

All she received in answer was a shrug. Would he force her
to leave? Where would she go? She knew practically no one in the magical
community and with the bounty on her head, they were no longer trustworthy.

Taking her courage in both hands, she blurted out her
proposal. “Allow me to stay under your protection, and I’ll give you access to
my research material.”

She bit her lip as the giant just stared at her with those
eyes of his. As before, she felt as if he were stripping her bare with that look
of his, reading the fine print of her soul. It took all of her nerves not to
fidget.

“Do you know what you’re asking?”

Trina nodded then admitted the truth. “Not exactly.”

“Come.” He grabbed for her arm then hesitated, ultimately
settling his hand at the small of her back. The innocent touch stole her breath
and fractured her thoughts.

Part of her argued that going into the Den without an
agreement in place would be a bad move on her part, but his touch had her
wanting to agree to anything if he would just lower his hand a fraction. She
didn’t understand her intense reaction. She’d had men before and enjoyed the
experience, but she’d never felt anything close to what this shifter could do
with one touch.

Her life was in danger, her sister had been captured, possibly
mortally wounded, and all she could think about was getting his clothes off so
she could see if he tasted as delicious as he looked. She shook her head at her
own folly.

She shuffled over a few inches to increase the distance
between them, hoping the space would allow her to think, but he followed. She
increased her pace, but he only matched her stride.

“Stop.” Trina couldn’t take it anymore and halted, neatly
stepping out of his reach. When he moved to follow, she lifted her hands.

And found them plastered to his chest. She wasn’t
frightened, more bemused by his attitude. “What are you doing?”

“Doing?” Her rescuer only narrowed his eyes, playing all-innocent.

Trina dropped her hands and went to step away, only to find
her back square against the wall. Could he really not know what he was doing
and his effect on her?

That boggled her mind.

Just think what he could do if he put his mind to it. She shivered
then cursed herself for even putting that thought in her head.

“Hands to yourself.” If anything, his brows lowered more
ominously. He stepped closer, those large hands settled on either side of her
head as he stopped a breath away from her.

“Do you have a husband?”

“What?” Startled, Trina glanced up at him, completely at a
loss to understand this conversation and the way her body urged her to rub up
against him. “No.”

“Lover?” He growled the one word. He appeared taller, his
shoulders broader as he towered over her.

She shook her head, mute. Something in his posture eased, and
the darkness around his eyes lessened. She nervously licked her lips. Part of
her thrilled to see his gaze drop to her mouth as if he wanted to devour her.

He tipped his head to the side, studying her in a way that left
her shivering and hungry for his warmth. When she found herself shuffling
forward, he quickly backed away and turned.

Her brows lowered at the distance he put between them. It
had seemed like a good idea to stay away from each other. Keep it business and
not get involved. Now that he wasn’t within reach, she didn’t like it at all.
“This is ridiculous. I don’t even know your name.”

Silence filled the air for a second. He shoved his hands in
his pockets, his shoulders hunched a little, his back to her as he surveyed the
street. “Merrick.”

 
Chapter Five

L
eo
had no idea what prompted him to tell her his real name. Only a handful of
people knew it and no one dared use it. But he didn’t want her to call him by
his title, couldn’t stand to see her eyes change when she found out the truth.

Oh, she’d learn of it soon enough but for these few precious
minutes, he wanted to enjoy simply being no one else but Merrick. He hadn’t had
that luxury since he’d become Leo so many years ago.