She was as weak as before, but now she was angry. She deserved an answer to the question she’d lobbed at him as if it were an H-bomb: What is morte ad vitam?
The most he’d told her? “You’re changing, poppet.”
She knew that, but dang it. This was her life...and her death.
A whimper escaped her. Not ready to die.
“Do you need anything, Miss Bradshaw?” one of the guards asked. The men were over-the-top formal with her because William had threatened to castrate anyone who offended her.
Only her Liam!
“No, thank you,” she managed to croak. Not from you.
A second later, a thud rang out.
She barely had the strength to turn her head, but caught sight of two guards, now prone in the sand and motionless. Three others rushed toward them, guns drawn, but they were met by an invisible wall and crumpled to the ground, as well. The remaining three decided to close in and surround her. Only, one at a time, they ended up on their backs.
Puck sidled up to her side, as calm as the ocean, making her gasp. He wore another loincloth, this one braided locks of hair. His furred legs were less startling than before and oddly attractive.
The invalid and the beast.
“Did you kill them?” she demanded, hating the whisperlike quality of her voice.
“Would you like me to deliver a lethal blow?” He sat beside her chair and stared out at the water. “I merely put them down for a nap, but I can slit their throats, no problem. Just say the word.”
“N-no. Please. No.”
“Very well, then.” He said no more, and her panic slowly receded.
The muted rays of the sun reached out to stroke him, creating a halo effect. Which was odd, considering he had horns. Part angel...part demon. Part goat, she added, remembering his legs. All warrior. The razor blades woven into his dark hair glinted in the light.
“Why are you here? I can’t aid you,” she said, remembering his parting words the last time he’d showed up.
He hiked his big shoulders in a shrug. “I was told your situation is so sad, I’ll come to care.”
“Who told you that?” William? Not likely. Closed-mouthed tyrant! “And why do you want to care?” Her mind, fogged though it was, answered the question before he could reply. He was possessed by Indifference, and the demon probably always wiped away his emotions before he had a chance to feel them. There was always a consequence to demon possession. “Do you care?”
He thought for a moment, sighed. “Not even a little.”
Well, she suddenly experienced envy. To no longer be affected by her past? To no longer be bothered by nightmares and fear? A priceless gift. “Do you ever feel anything?”
“Only very rarely, and then...” His voice trailed off, and he shrugged again.
“Lucky,” she muttered.
“Lucky? Lass, I could set you on fire, watch you burn and as you scream in agony I’d only be interested in the warmth of the flames on a chilly night.”
“Okay, maybe lucky was too strong a word.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, watching him through the shield of her lashes. “Are you going to set me on fire?”
“No. I left my matches at home.”
So comforting. And yet, for the first time since the illness had struck her, she wanted to smile.
They sat in silence for several minutes, her gaze constantly returning to him, her interest in him growing. He really was a beautiful man and though—to her—all immortals usually looked the same age, this one actually appeared younger. Why?
A cool, salty breeze washed over her fevered skin, and she shivered. He immediately removed his shirt and draped the material over her. Her gaze dropped to his chest and...oh, wow. He had muscle stacked upon muscle, unlike her stepfather and stepbrothers, who were—
Breathing became a little more difficult as her airway constricted. She turned her head away from Puck, searching for a distraction. Her nose brushed against the soft cotton of his shirt and her mind enjoyed a blissful vacation. Nothing had ever smelled this wonderful. All that peat smoke and lavender infused the cloth. And his heat! The rays of the sun had left her cold, but his shirt gave her a toasty high.
“Thank you,” she muttered, feeling like a kitten that had just found the cream.
“You’re welcome.”
They lapsed into another round of silence. If this kept up, he might leave. She didn’t want him to leave.
Just don’t want to be alone. That’s all.
She racked her brain for a conversation starter. The best she