I wasn't even sure I could heal a wound this bad, but if I didn't try soon, then I'd be unconscious and in his power again. If he moves near me, I ordered Amaya, slice him up. Just don't kill him.
Pleasure.
I closed my eyes and called to the Aedh. It came in a trickle rather than a rush, a sure sign the magic that had prevented me from changing in the bedroom still held some sway out here. Either that or I was simply reaching the limits of my strength. And in the end, the result was pretty much the same.
I grabbed at that trickle fiercely, forced it down into my arm, imagined my fingers and hand fading into energy. I felt the burn of power roll down the muscles, and an instant later, the ever-growing throb of pain was gone as my lower arm and hand became particles rather than flesh.
The trembling in my body grew stronger, and my control began to slip. I bit my lip, called up the Aedh again, and imagined fingers that were healed and whole. But this time, the energy was little more than a weak wash.
Then my knees went out from under me and I hit the concrete. Hard. I bit back a yelp and, with some trepidation, opened my eyes. I had four whole fingers back on my hand, but they were still a bloody—and very painful—mess. But the bleeding had at least slowed to little more than a trickle.
I met Lucian's gaze again. "Now what?"
His gaze slid insolently down my body and my stomach clenched. He not touch, Amaya warned. Will slice.
Her fierce readiness to defend my honor was infinitely gratifying, but I had no doubt that having sex with him would be the ultimate price for setting Ilianna free. He didn't want just any offspring, no matter how much he'd loaded the bases with Ilianna and Lauren. He wanted our offspring. Wanted a child that was as close to full Aedh as someone like him was ever likely to get.
And if that was the price of freeing Ilianna, then it was one I would pay, however much I—and my sword—might hate it.
"What do you think is next?"
The desire radiating off him was so fierce and strong, it hit like a summer storm. My body trembled under its force, and my nipples puckered, reactions that only increased the strength of the storm.
"If I knew, I wouldn't have asked." I continued to meet his gaze steadily, even though my heart was beating a million miles an hour and my throat was dry.
A smile played about his lips. "You lie, Risa Jones."
I didn't reply, because there was very little I could say or do at this point. If sex was what he now intended, then it would happen, no matter what. And if I killed him, as I ached to, it would be Ilianna who paid. I was the reason she'd been kidnapped, raped, and impregnated, and that was guilt enough. I couldn't bear the weight of her death as well.