Page 10 of Craving Stardust

He huffed, and I assumed I’d insulted him by suggesting he was anything but strong. Funny thing, that. He might be alien, but inside, he was just like any other man.

We wavered and staggered, him hobbling on his broken leg, barely putting any weight on it. It must feel awful.

“You probably rebroke it,” I fretted as I urged him back to my room where he collapsed on the bed.

He snorted. “Leg’s fine.”

I rolled my eyes. “You broke it.”

“Healing.”

“Yeah, sure. It’s only been a few hours. It’s going to take weeks for it to heal.” After propping his leg up on a pillow, I slumped in the chair again.

He watched me before his eyelids slid closed and he drifted to sleep again.

At least he was still alive.

I dozed, waking a few hours later, peering around frantically before noting Lordek still slept. After tugging a quilt over my chilly body, I stared out the window. Katie stalked over and after giving the bed a long, disgruntled look, curled up beneath my chair.

Darkness still encased the world, either holding it secure or unleashing horrors I wasn’t eager to explore until dawn.

A person always felt their most vulnerable before light bled into the sky, as if the night was eager creep inside you to capture your soul. I couldn’t wait for sunlight to send that feeling away.

“Iris.” His eyelids fluttered open, his dark, glazed eyes meeting mine. Pain etched across his face, and he sat up, clutching his leg. His moan wrenched up his throat.

Rising, I eased him back down onto the bed. “Hey, it’s going to be okay.” Silly to think I had much control over this. All I could do was take care of his wounds and hope fate would watch out for the rest.

“Zor... vatt...” Sweat trickled down his face, and I wiped it away with the edge of the blanket before tucking it up beneath his chin. He thrashed beneath the covers, flinging them off and trying to sit again. His groan rang out, shooting through me like a spear. His head swiveled, and his gaze locked on mine. “Iris. Iris. Fated one. Fated...”

A shiver ripped through me. What did he mean? He must be delirious.

He slumped back on the bed, his hand reaching toward me. I took it, holding tight as if doing so would keep his nightmares away.

The room shrunk around us, the shadows deepening and the air growing colder. My skin quaked and quivered.

“Something brought you to me.” I stroked his hand, a fierce need to protect him solidifying in my bones. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do, anyone I wouldn’t battle to keep this man safe.

When he started thrashing again, his hand was wrenched from mine. His body shook, and I suspected he had a fever. Could I get him to take some pills? I didn’t want him to choke. I’d have to wait until he woke up again or was at least conscious enough to understand my directions.

If I was going to tackle whatever came tomorrow, I needed to rest. Sleeping in a chair wasn’t doing it, but I didn’t want to leave him. I lifted the covers and slipped under them fully clothed, easing into his side and placing my arm around him to hold him in place. He settled immediately, turning toward me and wrapping me up in his embrace.

It felt too good to lie beside him. Why was that? I didn’t want to think about why. I only wanted to feel. Breath in his scent. And take in the wonder of him holding me.

Sleep claimed me.

I woke to sunlight streaming through the window and him braced over me, his face dark with fever and his eyes aflame with an unholy light.

“Vektor abslam,” he growled.

“Shh. It’s okay.” I stroked his face. He was hot, burning up. “You’re safe here.”

But was he?

Panic scorched across my belly. I had to do something for him, but what?

“Iris.” The tension fled his body, as if hearing my voice was all it took to reassure him.

His gaze fell on my mouth. He leaned closer and paused as if awaiting to see what I’d do.

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