Struggling to breathe, she realized, trying to suck in a single gasp of oxygen but failing. Her mind fogged.
“Nicola?” he demanded. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m...okay...will be...” No, no, no. Not this. Not now. She would ruin the moment—maybe even his feelings for her.
He tugged his robe together, the material somehow repairing itself. He cupped her face in his big hands. “Inhale slow and easy, all right? Now exhale just as slow, just as easy.” His thumbs traced her cheeks, his skin so hot she could have been pressed against the sun. “That’s the way. In. Out. Yes. Good girl.”
A minute passed. Then two, three, before she finally regained her composure. And then she kind of wished she hadn’t.
She had ruined the moment, she realized. Worse, she’d revealed the depths of her weakness and proven just how worthless she was in the relationship department.
A strong man like Koldo had to despise people like her.
“I’m tired,” she muttered. “I should go to bed.”
His gaze locked with hers, unwavering. “You’re upset. Why?”
“Just forget it, okay?”
“I can’t. Are you angry about something I did?”
“No.” She couldn’t let him think that.
“Then what?”
“Just let this go. Please.”
“I can’t. Talk to me.”
“Look, I—” Wanted to leave the room and his penetrating stare. Wanted to leave and hide and forget this had ever happened.
But she wouldn’t be able to forget, would she? This was burned into her mind—and every cell in her body.
“Knock, knock, is home anyone?” Laila asked, stumbling past the door and into the room, the scent of alcohol accompanying her. She giggled when she spotted them, wavered on her feet. “Uh-oh. Did I something interrupt? Wait. That came out wrong. I something interrupted.” A nod. Another giggle. “Much better.”
Nicola climbed off Koldo and stood, nearly toppling over herself. Stupid legs. “I thought you were asleep,” she said, happy for the reprieve. Only, she jolted backward.
The monkeys—the demons—were perched on Laila’s shoulders.
“Koldo,” she whispered, and pointed. “Look.”
Laila spun in a full circle, nearly fell. “What?”
Koldo pushed to his feet, the beads in his beard clanging together.
The monkeys squeaked out a protest and darted from the room.
“I’ll pretend I know what’s going on,” Laila said with a stern tone ruined by a goofy expression.
Why hadn’t she seen the demons? Her eyes had been opened—she should be able to see them now. Right?
“I was in the kitchen and found this.” Grinning, Laila raised a bottle of vodka.
Koldo stiffened. “Where did you find it?”
“In the hands of one of your friends. And a good thing he brought it, because I almost died of a heart attack when I spotted him and needed a little something to calm me down.”
“A friend? What friend?”
“The kind that will stab you in the chest just to hear you scream.”
Nicola’s gaze snagged on the chair Koldo had abandoned. There were two glowing palm prints on the cushions, with flecks of golden glitter the exact shade of his eyes. Prints that hadn’t been there before. What...how...odd, she finished.
Standing by her side, he reached out, settled two fingers under her chin and forced her to face him. “Stay here. And remember what I told you about the tattoos.” With that, he stormed from the room, shutting the door behind him.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
KOLDO WOULD NEVER FORGET the exquisite feel of Nicola’s lips against his or the softness of her body pressed against him, or the sweetness of her taste and a thousand other things that had set his blood on fire, causing him to ache, to reach the razor’s edge of desperation.
The entire time he’d had her in his arms, he’d forgotten the horror of his earlier actions. His inner brokenness had been eased, and he’d felt whole. Happy. At peace for the first time.
The future had seemed bright. Problems? What problems? There’d been no anger, no dread, no sense of hopelessness. He’d been...normal.
But he’d done something to upset her, no matter what she’d claimed. First, she had melted. Then, after she’d come out of her faint, she had stiffened, preparing to bolt.
Had she regretted what had happened?
Probably. He’d mauled her, and she’d been prepared to leave him. Had she succeeded, he would have chased her and...what? Demanded she still desire him?
He wouldn’t be so pathetic. Would he?
Maybe her desertion was for the best. He wouldn’t always have her, and so he couldn’t allow himself to come to rely on her. He had himself, and only himself, and that’s the way it had to be. That was safe. That’s what he knew.
Stalking into the kitchen, he summoned the sword of fire. The flames crackled, light spilling in front of him. What he expected to find, he wasn’t sure. Zacharel didn’t know this place existed, nor did any other Sent Ones. His father didn’t, either, but the male was out there, actively hunting him.
To his astonishment, he found Axel sitting at his kitchen table, eating the food Koldo had bought for Nicola and her sister.
Anger ignited. “How did you find me?”
With cheese dust on his chin, the warrior said, “I can find anyone, anywhere, anytime. A little talent of mine.” He lifted a bag of chips. The only source of junk food in the entire house. “Do you have these in Tabasco?”
The anger instantly subsided. If Axel could find anyone, he could find Koldo’s father before Nox found Koldo.
The battle could be over before it ever began.
“You shouldn’t have come, and you shouldn’t have brought alcohol.” A single drink and Koldo’s Nefas side would come rushing to the surface. His teeth would elongate. His nails would curl into claws. His temper would overtake him. Yeah. Alcohol is all that’s needed for that. “But since you’re here, I’ll put you to work. Whatever your price, I need you to hunt down a...Nefas.” He waited for a reaction. Most people shuddered at the mere mention of the race.
Axel ignored him, popping another chip in his mouth. “You should have a chat with the blonde about sharing her drinky drink with guests—especially when said drinky drink belongs to the guest! It was way impolite to threaten to bash me in the head with the vodka bottle when I tried to steal it back. And by the way, did you know your hands are glowing?”