She felt another pulse, then the black scales started to flow off his skin, retracting back into the band.
Her heart did an extra thump. Then she saw the full extent of his injuries and nausea rose in her throat.
Swallowing back the ugly taste in her mouth, she reached for him. “Sabin.” He must be in agony.
Finley got to work cleaning the blood off him. The horrible bite on his shoulder was turning black at the edges. As she washed it, he stirred.
“Shh.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead.
She went over to his large, black bag and rummaged around in it. She found a small container and pulled out a vial of havv.
She hugged the vial to her chest. “Thank God.”
She sat on the bed. She tipped havv onto the wound on his side, then the scratches, and then the bite. She smoothed the red fluid across his skin.
He stirred, his muscles tensing. She stroked the hair off his forehead. Then she rinsed out the cloth and wiped down his face.
“I’m here. I’m not leaving you.”
He was still restless. She kicked off her shoes. She was still wearing her borrowed dress—although it was looking a little worse for wear—but she didn’t want to leave him to change. She found a black shirt in his bag—made of silky Eon fabric. She quickly slipped off her dress and bra, and pulled the shirt on.
Tiredness and worry pulled at her. She ran a shaky hand across her face. She checked his wounds again and thought they maybe looked less inflamed, but they were a long way from healed.
He thrashed a little on the bed.
“It’s all right, Sabin.”
At the sound of her voice, he settled, his face turning her way.
She stroked his jaw and then climbed onto the bed beside him. She moved to his uninjured side and lay down next to him.
Warmth pumped off him. She pressed a hand to his flat abs.
“I don’t like seeing you hurt, warrior. Seeing that SUV crashed and overturned…” Her throat tightened. “Heal now.” She snuggled into his side. She wasn’t sure who needed the comfort more, him or her.
She set her watch alarm to ring in two hours, so she could check on him. Then sleep dragged her under.
It felt like seconds later when her alarm beeped, and she fought off sleep. She sat up and checked his wounds in the low light of the lamp she’d left on.
His scratches were healing well. She blew out a breath, relief a wild rush inside her. The bite mark was almost gone. The wound on his side was deeper; it looked better, but it still wasn’t healed.
She brushed her fingers over his cheek and he turned his face into her palm. With her other hand, she touched the helian band.
“Rest, Sabin.”
Finley fell asleep again, pressed against him. When she next checked him, she could barely pry her eyelids open. She was exhausted.
But the scratches on his chest were just pink marks. The Eon havv was amazing stuff.
She fell asleep once more, cocooned by his warmth.
When she woke next, it was because something was tickling her cheek. She made an annoyed noise and turned into the pillow.
But her pillow was warm, firm, and hard.
She opened her eyes.
Sabin was up on one elbow, leaning over her.
“Are you okay?” She moved to sit up, but he pushed her back down.
His face was unreadable. She scanned his chest.
And only saw pristine, bronze skin.
The air shuddered out of her.
His hands circled her throat, his thumb on her pulse point. Her pulse jumped at his caress.
“I recall telling you to get to safety, and to lock down the base,” he said, in a low voice.
He was angry with her? “I saved your life, and you’re angry?”
He leaned down closer. “Because it’s your life that matters. You raced into danger, and the Kantos could’ve killed you!”
His voice turned to a yell.
Finley’s anger ignited. “Well, your life matters to me!”
He stilled. The purple in his eyes glowed. “It’s my duty to protect you.”
“Well, I’m protecting you right back, Sabin.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t let you die.”
He growled. “Finley.”
“Be mad, but I don’t regret it. Seeing you healed and whole—” she met his gaze “—was worth every risk.”
He stilled. “You undo me.” His voice was deep, husky.
“Sabin—” Heat flooded her belly.
He lowered his head, his mouth on hers. Then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back.
Chapter Twelve
Sabin drew in the taste of Finley.
By the warriors, he wanted to drown in her, imprint himself on her.
He made himself lift his head. “I need to shower.” His wounds were clean, but he still felt the gore and dirt of the fight.
Her lips curved. “I’ll join you.”
His cock throbbed. Cren.
She rose. She was wearing his shirt, her long legs bare. His hands flexed. He wanted to tear the fabric off her and put his mouth and hands on her.
With a smile, she turned and walked into the bathroom. He heard the shower turn on and he followed, his heart drumming in his chest.
In the bathroom, she pulled the shirt off. She glanced at him and lifted her chin. Almost defiant.
He remembered what she’d said, that she was too tall and too large to be beautiful here.
“You are gorgeous.” He let his gaze drift over her. “Magnificent.”
Her teeth sank into her lip. “You make me feel like that.” She stepped into the shower, her gaze on him.
He took his own clothes off until he was naked, cock hard and rising. He needed her and he could no longer fight it.
He stepped into the shower stall, and she watched him, hunger in her eyes.
They moved under the water together. Her hair was a slick fall down her back, shades darker than it was when it was dry. She reached out and squirted some soap on her hands, then rubbed it against his chest. As she touched him, he realized she was checking his now-healed wounds.
“I’m fine.” He still needed to eat, his energy was low, but his wounds were fully healed.
She pressed a kiss to his chest.
He’d never wanted or needed someone like this before. Never had someone cared for him as she did.
Her soapy hand slicked over his body. He gripped her waist, one hand shaping her curvy buttocks. Her hands circled his cock and he groaned.
She stroked him, touched him until Sabin couldn’t think past the beat of desire. He circled his arms around her and lifted her. She gasped.
“I love your strength,” she murmured. “I know you’d never hurt me.”
Her trust in him made him believe it. He pinned her to the tiles and kissed her. Then moved his mouth down her neck as she wound her long legs around his hips.
He found one breast and sucked the nipple into his mouth.
She moaned—a sweet sound. Sabin took his time as the water cascaded over them, locking them in their own little world.
He moved to her other breast. By the stars, she was so beautiful.
“Sabin.” Her voice was needy, her hands digging into his shoulders.
He turned off the water and carried her out. He sat on the bed, with her straddling him.
“We’re wet,” she said.