like a poor joke as she looked away from him again, down at herself, an awkward air about her.
He wanted to apologise for it, for referencing something Harbin had told him about once, a joke that the snow leopard shifter had seen on television in his time in the mortal world.
“You are a phoenix shifter.” Grave started towards them, the way he said that making Hartt feel the vampire had suspected as much and that was the reason he had brought Mackenzie outside the town to fight her.
Hartt growled at the vampire as the reason why Mackenzie had turned awkward suddenly struck him. It hadn’t been his terrible joke—it was the fact she was naked.
He used his connection to his belongings to call on some clothes, was quick to help her into a black tunic that swamped her slighter frame, covering her to her knees. She rolled the sleeves up, her fingers trembling badly. He helped her, wanted to close his eyes and savour the feel of her as she leaned against him, using him to keep herself upright.
“The fire at the mansion?” Grave said.
She lifted her head and looked at him, a weary edge to her golden eyes. “It was me.”
Hartt looked from her to Grave. “I have the feeling we all angered the wrong witch.”
“You asked about necromancers.” Grave went to move and then stopped, and warily eyed Mackenzie. “I presume the truce stands?”
She nodded and leaned more heavily against Hartt. Hartt wrapped his arm around her, tucking it beneath her arms, supporting her as the vampire came to them.
And gods, it felt right to hold her like this, to feel her pressed against him.
Just as it felt right that she sought shelter in his arms, relied on his strength when hers had left her, as if they were a team now.
“Blood mages,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and too weak for his liking. He didn’t know much about phoenix shifters, but she sounded as if she needed to sleep, and felt it too as he locked his senses on her, monitoring her in case she needed anything from him. “They use our blood in their spells… to make them live longer… to give them powers.”
“Power over death,” Hartt murmured, his mind racing back in time. “I fought a witch with that power, a few months ago now. We ended up killing the one he was working for, and he got away. We thought the male would attack us, but he never did.”
And now Hartt knew why.
The vampire said it for him.
“It seems he was more interested in pitting his enemies against each other and watching us take each other out for him.” Grave motioned to his brother. “Night, go on ahead and tell the legion to stand down, and ask the servants to prepare rooms.”
The brunet vampire nodded and turned away, leading his witch back towards the town.
“Rooms?” Mackenzie croaked, and Hartt didn’t like the way she trembled, or how it tugged at his darker side, drawing it back to the fore as it flooded him with a need to protect her.
He edged closer to her, hoping it would make her feel safe while she was weak, hoping she would know that if anything happened, he wouldn’t fail her this time. They were no longer working against each other. They were working with each other.
Grave looked at Mackenzie and then right into Hartt’s eyes, his blue ones colder than ice. “You are my guests. Of course you need rooms.”
The way the vampire said ‘guests’ made it sound awfully like he meant captives. Hartt had the feeling the vampire wasn’t giving them a choice in the matter. Mackenzie looked at him as Grave turned away from them, her golden eyes holding a weary but worried edge.
He held her tucked against him, swore to the gods he would keep her safe. The vampire could have them as guests while she was regaining her strength, but as soon as she was strong enough, Hartt was getting her away from this place.
He bent his head towards her ear and whispered, “Whatever happens, just stay close to me. I won’t let anything happen to you, Mackenzie.”
She tilted her head towards him, making him aware of how close her mouth was to his, flooding him with a deep need to kiss her. She lingered, as if daring him to do it, and somehow he found the strength to resist. A flicker of disappointment lit her eyes, made him feel like a bastard for