“I’m sorry,” he told her. “I hope I didn’t hurt you.”
“Not with your body,” she quipped, sounding almost angry. “I came to you of my own free will. But your refusal to let me help you—that’s another story. I heal wounded animals. That’s what I do. And I can help you, I sense it.” Her voice trembled, dancing around on the edge of tears.
Chest tight, he stopped and turned to face her. “Despite the fact that I think you mean your offer with sincerity, I’m not a charity case,” he said. “I’m here only to find this killer and bring him to justice. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Slowly she nodded, the unhappiness that shadowed her beautiful face making him want to kiss her again and drive every bit of the darkness away.
Instead, he squeezed her shoulder. “I may just take you up on that offer some day.”
“I bet you will,” she said, the bitterness in her tone muffled but still discernible. Ruben didn’t comment on it as he walked her back to her tent. He waited until she was safely inside before returning to his pallet and dressing as he prepared to meet the day.
Chapter 14
Chad heard Ruben leave the camp. In fact he was up getting dressed in preparation of following him when he saw the huge wolf skulking in the shadows where the human prince had been. Rubbing his eyes to clear them, he blinked and looked again. The beast was gone. Magic? He stood still, searching for the familiar tingle of skin and raising of hair. Instead, he felt nothing.
Not magic then. He debated going off into the woods to see what Ruben was up to, but the thought of that huge wolf roaming nearby was deterrent enough.
Instead, he waited.
Bored after about thirty minutes, Chad considered giving up his watch and going to sleep. Just as he was about to push to his feet, Willow exited her tent. With her slender shape silhouetted in the moonlight, she looked ethereal and beautiful. He watched her and felt a powerful stirring in his loins.
Unaware of him watching, she gazed off into the woods, head tilted as though listening. When she began to move, he stood. And when she disappeared into the trees, he went after her.
* * *
Back in her tent, Willow sat down hard, then winced at the unexpected soreness. Her body felt tender in places she hadn’t even known it was possible to hurt. But more than that—her soul felt wounded.
Meanwhile, Tatiana continued to sleep, snoring softly.
Now at last, she knew what it was about Ruben that drew her to him. She’d always been drawn to wounded things. A bird with a broken wing, a mountain lion cub too timid to hunt. Whether of the body or the psyche, she’d always been able to heal with a single touch.
When she’d been a child, she’d regarded this gift as her magic. Until she’d tried to tell her mother and Millicent had scornfully told her what she claimed to be able to do was absolutely not magic. In fact, Willow had been told in no uncertain terms never to mention this again.
That didn’t matter to her. The wild creatures of the forest and the plains had come to her with their needs. She’d always been able to sense their pain.
And never, until today, had she been turned away.
But then, Ruben wasn’t all animal. The wolf was only half of his nature. The human had refused her help, not the beast.
That didn’t make it hurt any less.
Outside, she heard sounds of others stirring about. The sunrise had begun to lighten the sky. With a sigh, she checked her clothing and smoothed down her hair.
“Tatiana,” she said softly, bracing herself for the backlash. Her sister had never been a morning person.
“Wake up. We’re going to be breaking camp soon.”
“Go away.” Without opening her eyes, Tatiana waved her hand in the air as though warding off a mosquito.
From past experience, Willow knew how this went. Instead of putting herself through it, she left the tent and went in search of Eric. He could deal with waking his fiancée.
She found him wandering around in search of his brother Chad. Eyes still dazed with sleep, he reminded her of her sister. Completely nonfunctional.
Perfect.
Taking his arm, she steered him in the direction of Tatiana’s tent. “I need your assistance,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes. “Will you help me?”
Either too befuddled with sleep or too unobservant to notice how unlike herself she