Blackbird Broken (The Witch King's Crown #2) - Keri Arthur Page 0,113

and I was once again in a body wracked with pain and holding no strength.

And the demons who’d escaped the rockfall were coming straight at me.

I tried to move, tried to get to my feet or at least raise either Nex or the stone knife to defend myself. My limbs were leaden and refused to obey. The fucking drug, I thought distantly. He’d won after all.

Damn him. Damn him to hell.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see what was coming. If I’d been capable of taking my own life, I probably would have; better a death by my own hand than being torn apart by demons.

Seconds became minutes, and life went on.

I opened my eyes. The demons had gone. Disappeared. I blinked, wondering if somehow this was merely the peace that came after death.

Then a familiar figure stepped into view and clicked her tongue. “Well, you’re a right old mess then, aren’t you?”

I smiled. Or at least tried to. My lips weren’t responding too well at the moment.

Mo touched my cheek, a caress that was warm and healing. “Go to sleep, my girl. We’re safe, and the ley line is free. You did good here today.”

So did you. But the words never made it to my lips as the darkness finally swept away the last vestiges of awareness.

I woke in a cocoon of warmth and to the awareness of being watched. For several seconds, I neither moved nor spoke but simply enjoyed the heat of awareness and caring.

Luc.

Once more watching over me as I slept.

I flipped the blankets away from my face. “Me waking from a healing coma to find you lounging nearby with your feet propped up on the end of my bed is becoming something of a habit.”

“Yes,” he drawled, his green eyes bright with an emotion he wasn’t quite ready yet to voice. “And it’s one I seriously hope you’ll consider breaking. I really don’t think my heart could take another episode like this.”

Which was as close to an admission of his feelings I was likely to get at the moment. I smiled and pushed upright. The blankets slid down my body, and his gaze followed them. It felt like a caress. Felt like heaven.

“I do hope,” he said, his voice deepening fractionally, “that you’ll be just as uncaring as to whether you’re clothed or not when we are finally dating.”

“Our deal involved more than just dating,” I said evenly. “I do believe there was mention of mad passionate sex several times a day. At least.”

“A commitment I’m not likely to forget—especially at a moment like this.” He sighed and removed his feet from the end of the bed. “I better go get Mo—she wanted to be notified the minute you woke.”

My gaze flickered to his hands. “Barney said you’d been burned—how bad was it?”

“Bad enough.” He flexed his fingers. “I’ve still full use of my sword hand, thanks to Mo.”

Thank god for that, because we were going to need both him and Hecate before this was all over. “How long was I out this time?”

“Only twenty-four hours.”

“Which is far less than when I killed the winged red demon and his witchling.” And I couldn’t help but wonder why, given I’d done far more—pushed myself to the utter limit and then some—this time.

“A fact I’m very thankful for.” Luc climbed to his feet. “Would you like some breakfast?”

I nodded. “Pancakes, bacon, and poached eggs, all smothered in maple syrup would be brilliant.”

He shuddered. “I think your dietary habits are going to take some time to get used to.”

“Don’t knock the combination until you actually try it.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

He moved to my end of the bed, then leaned over and kissed me. Not sweetly, not teasingly, but with hunger, passion, and intent. It was a both a promise and a declaration of what he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—put into words. It made my heart soar and my body sing, and it was over all too soon even if it went on for ages and ages.

“I look forward to the day when you’re a permanent fixture in my life.” His breath brushed my lips with heat, and his eyes were afire with desire. “Until that point, however, please consider the well-being of my heart and stop taking horrendous risks.”

I laughed softly and touched his bristly cheeks. “It’s not like I’m going out there looking for trouble—”

“A statement not even you believe.” His voice was wry. He kissed me again, all too briefly, and then quickly left the room—before temptation