Chapter 33

Pain. Raw, throbbing pain consumed Sam's body. It was as though he was suspended in darkness, unable to see, hear, or focus on anything outside of the torment radiating from his head. His life force was weak, damaged. Yet he couldn't remember how he had come to be in such a state.

Vaguely, he registered something cool touch his face, then it was gone. He wanted more, but he couldn't seem to form the words to ask. The touch came again—soothing and welcome. Slowly, the darkness began to lift.

"Sam?"

A voice was calling for him. He wanted to drown in that soft lilt and bask in the cool touch. Yet his throat felt closed, cut off from speech, and his body was depleted of strength. If he concentrated very hard, perhaps he could open his eyes. His lids were heavy, yet after a moment, his right eye fluttered. Forcing the lids to open fully, a figure began to take shape before him.

"Sam! You're alive!"

It was Selene leaning over him. It had been her touch, her voice. He should have known. Her forehead was furrowed with concern. He wanted to soothe her, to assure her he was all right, but the only thing that came out was, "Selene."

Some of the tension in her expression eased. He blinked again and wondered why he couldn't open his left eye. Raising his hand to rub it, Selene stopped him, then threaded her fingers through his.

"No, don't move," she murmured. "Just rest for now."

His fingers tightened around hers and Sam noticed there were bits of twigs and grass in her hair. "Where am I?" he asked.

"We're in the forest. I'm not sure where. About a day's walk from Brunie and Eldridge's."

"What hap—" Before he could finish his question, a flood of memories came back to him. Margery sprawled on the ground. A rustle in the trees. A figure in black before him, then an agonizing blow to his head and horn.

"Vampires!" he cried. Panic surged as he moved to sit up, but she gently pushed him back to the ground.

"Shhh. They're gone now. We're safe."

"Gone?"

"Yes. Dead. Margery killed the one who attacked you, and then I… I killed Margery."

"You did?"

Selene nodded. "The trap they set was for me. She was trying to take me away somewhere, to a king's castle, she said. For a reward? I don"t know. But she wanted to bite me first. We fought and I staked her."

Sam couldn't hold back a smile, even though it made his face ache. If he weren't so weak, he would have kissed her at that moment.

"So brave," he whispered.

Because the light of the forest was strangely bright, he saw her blush. Then her lovely face turned serious. "Sam, your horn is cracked."

"Ah," He reached up to touch it and winced. "So that's why I blacked out."

"Is it very serious? What does it mean?"

"It's a vital organ. For demons, our horns are attuned with our life force." His voice was becoming stronger now. "They can be our greatest weapon, but also our greatest weakness."

"Should I find a healer?"

"No, it will mend on its own." He spotted movement from the corner of his eye. It was a mass of shadows spiraling around a tree stump. "What are the shadows doing?"

Selene followed his gaze. "Oh, yes, I think I'd be dead without them."

"Why are they here like this?"

"You didn't send them?"

"No."

Selene frowned. "They came anyway. Margery had pinned me down and I thought about how it would be good for the shadows to block her eyes. Then they just… appeared."

"They followed your command?"

"Yes. I thought about where I wanted them to go, and they did it."

Sam sat up. After the first wave of dizziness passed, he said, "Show me."

Selene extended her arm then closed her eyes. In a flash, her entire limb was obscured by black mist.

"Amazing," Sam said. They both watched the shadows chase up and down her arm then bump against Selene's neck like a cat seeking affection. "They like you."

"I like them too. But how do I get them to go back to normal?"

"Go home," Sam commanded. Instantly the shapes dispersed and the forest darkened.

Selene watched them dissipate. "Do they come when someone's in trouble or something?"

"No. Definitely not."

"Why do you think they came for me?"

"I'm not certain," he said, but it was a lie. He knew the reason they had come, yet he wasn't ready to tell Selene.

They recognize you as my mate.

The thought made him want to roar with pride, despite his injuries. There was no question that she was his fated one now. No creature he had ever met was able to control the shadows, outside of his parents. His mother, a Shadow demon, used to delight him with dark shapes conjured up against the wall of his bedroom. His father would sometimes join in; creating misty hellhounds to playfully chase the ghouls his queen had created. King Asmodeus explained that although shadow control wasn't one of his gifts, the shadows naturally obeyed the consort of those that ruled them.

Sam looked around and said, "Let's just make camp here."

"But the bodies," Selene said, gesturing behind her.

"Their scent will act as a deterrent to other vampires. They'll be nothing but dust come sunrise."

"All right. But I want you to sleep with me," Selene said, then corrected herself. "Just sleep! That came out wrong. I meant, sleep next to me in the tent. No hammock. So I'll be there if you need help. Head injuries can be serious."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "As much as I would enjoy a night of not sleeping in your tent, rest will accelerate my healing. I would be delighted to sleep next to you."

Selene set the tent to inflate. Once it was fully expanded, she helped Sam duck inside, careful to not bump his horns on the low ceiling. Then she eased him down to the thick padded floor. After switching on a lantern pulled from her pack, she began to clean the dried blood from his eye with a cloth dampened by her drinking water.

"Wow, it looks like the gash on your head is already closing over," she said, peering down at him.

"Demons heal quickly."

"What about your horn? Should we bandage it?"

"Yes, so the crack doesn't spread," he said.

"What would happen if it did?"

"My horn could snap off."

"Ouch," Selene winced.

"The pain would be unimaginable. But fear not, I can already feel it knitting back together." He chose not to mention that the loss of his horn could be an injury he might not survive. She had worried about him enough for the night.

Selene rummaged through her backpack until she pulled out a red square of cloth that Arkaya had enchanted to deter insects. Gently, she wound the cloth around his horn then leaned back to examine her handiwork. "There. What else do you need to get ready for bed?"

Sam closed his eyes, reflecting on all the nights he had dreamt of being alone with Selene in her tent. And now here he was, barely able to lift his head. But that didn't mean he couldn't still be close to her. He didn't have to let his injuries deny him every pleasure he craved.

Opening his eyes he asked, "Will you help me undress?"

"Uh… sure. Of course," Selene said, feeling shy. She started by pulling off his boots and setting them aside. Next, she moved to undo the silver buckles running down the front of his leather vest. After helping him sit up, she peeled the vest off his massive shoulders and folded it as best she could. She was trying to act casual, but her hands trembled.

She eased his arms out of his tunic until the garment pooled around his neck. Glancing down at the ropes of corded muscle wrapping around his torso, she bit her lip. It was the first time she had seen him without his shirt and the sight was… compelling. The number of scars he bore from his years in the wagons was gut-wrenching, but his body was gorgeous. Powerful. Primal. She knew it wasn't the appropriate time to drool over his muscles, but she couldn't seem to help herself. Each time her hands accidentally skimmed over his skin, she wanted to linger.

Careful not to bump his horn, she guided the tunic over his head. She glanced at his lower body with uncertainty. "Your pants… should I?"

The smile he gave her was coy. "Best to leave those on."

"Right," she said, feeling equal parts relief and disappointment. "What about your bedding? Is it all in your backpack?"

"Yes." After she covered him with his huge red-fringed blanket Sam asked, "What do you need to do to ready for sleep? You've done enough fussing over me."

"I-I just have to change into my nightgown." The thought of stripping down right there in front of him made her stomach flutter. She considered sleeping in her clothes, but the smell of Margery's awful perfume lingered on her.

After digging her nightgown out of her backpack, she unzipped her hoodie and tossed it to the floor. He had seen nearly everything last night, she told herself. How was this different? She slipped off her boots and socks, then turning her back, shimmied out of her jeans. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her back, making her tighten her fists at the hem of her t-shirt. Quickly, she pulled it off so that she was clad only in her bra and panties. When she reached back to unhook her bra, his husky voice made her pause.

"Selene."

She glanced over her shoulder. "Yes? What's wrong?"

"Turn around."

"Why?"

"I just want to look at you. Please."

Dropping her hands, she slowly turned to face him. Although it was dark in the tent, the lantern illuminated part of his face. His eyes were hungry, roving over her like a caress.

"Keep going," he said softly.

Keep undressing? In front of him? She swallowed as her apprehension grew. Since she and Kevin were a strictly lights-off couple when it came to sex, this was unfamiliar territory for her. Was the lantern bright enough to show the silvery stretch marks snaking across her thighs? Would Sam notice how her stomach wobbled when she moved?

Dropping her eyes, she reached back to unhook her bra. When the straps slid off her shoulders, her nipples tightened in the cool night air. Tossing her bra down with the rest of her clothes, she kept her eyes lowered as she pushed her underwear down and stepped out of them. Then drawing in a deep breath, she raised her chin to face him.

When his eyes raked up and down her body, it took all her willpower not to grab her nightgown to cover herself. She watched his lids go heavy, but she wasn't sure how to describe his expression. It was not disgust or judgment as she had feared. Instead, it was heated, practically searing. But also… awed? He stared at her as if he were looking at something breathtaking like a sunset, a priceless painting, or rare gem. No one had ever looked at her like that. It made her blood catch fire.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. The feeling of being admired, being appreciated in this way was so foreign that her first instinct was to protest. She wanted to deflect his praise with a dig about the width of her hips or the dusting of hair on her legs, but stopped herself. Fondly remembering a time when Queen Thema's response to a compliment was "I know," Selene went for a more gracious approach.

"Thank you," she said softly.

He held out his hand, beckoning her. "Come here. Sleep beside me like this."

"Naked? But—"

"I want to feel you against me," he interrupted. "Without any barriers. It will help me heal."

My God, that man melts my butter.

After switching off the lantern, she lay down beside him. She rested her head on his chest so that her hair spilled out over his shoulder. He curled his arm around her back, tucking her against his side. After settling the blankets over them, he asked, "Are you comfortable?"

The power of speech seemed to have evaded her. Her thoughts were muddied, as every spark of awareness she possessed was awash in sensation—the clench of his strong arm around her, the feel of his heart beating under her palm, the smoky pine scent of his skin. They fit like two puzzle pieces locking into place.

"Selene? Are you comfortable?" he repeated.

"I am."

Sam squeezed her closer. "This is nice."

"Yes," Selene agreed softly. But nice wasn't the right word. It was completely inadequate when describing the warmth, the overwhelming bliss of having her body nestled against Sam's. Skin to skin, just as he had wanted. There was only one word to describe how it felt being so near to him. How free she felt at that moment, how grateful. One word to describe the change in her since coming to this realm. The feeling of power, of strength she had, even though it seemed she was not without enemies.

It felt right.