Page 27 of Tainted Gifts
"Jase, you're insufferable," I grumble while pushing him back, barely getting him to budge.
He stays on top of me, staring down into my eyes as his cool hand slides down my waist and to the top line of my skirt. He doesn't stop his descent until he reaches the bottom of it, and then he starts sliding it up, his breath keeping my head from exploding.
"It doesn't hurt when I touch you?" he murmurs curiously, his hand venturing to be on the lace.
I let him stay there for a second, let him feel what he threw away by guarding his secrets. Then I shake my head.
"It doesn't, but that's probably because of your chill. You're the only full blood who's touched me since the headaches started."
He runs his hand over my head, feeling it as though he can draw the pain out of me forever. I'm just soaking up the moment of reprieve.
"You could just stay with me, until we figure out what's going on with you."
I shake my head, and though I know the pain will kick back in the second I withdraw, I pull away, brushing off his hands as I stand. I was right. The pain sets back in instantly.
"Why did you call me here?" I ask while refraining from grabbing the throbbing monstrosity atop my shoulders.
He stands as well, coming to me and barely touching my sides. The headache vanishes almost instantly, chillingly so. What's he doing?
"I'm not doing anything but touching you."
"Quit answering the questions in my head and start answering the ones I've asked aloud," I grumble, turning away from him.
He breathes out heavily, and he goes to sit on the bed, though I can feel his eyes glued to my back.
"I don't want you being the one in charge of Maverick. I've already asked Simone to stand in your place."
I whip around, a move I'm punished for when my head all but falls off my shoulders. I cringe while grabbing it to steady it as though it's trying to actually move by itself.
"You can't do that. Commander or not, you don't have that authority. I'll fight you on this. Kellan is now my informant, my responsibility, and my charge. Legally, you have no right. I'll take it to the council. You'll be surprised at how many of them will side with the daughter of Hale Banner."
I keep my mind clear, not giving him anything else to respond to but my spoken words. He curses, slapping the bed beneath him before leaning over and letting his head fall in his hands.
"You want him as much as he wants you, don't you?" he growls. "That was more than an interrogation, and I knew it."
I roll my eyes, realizing this is all just some jealous scheme. "I want to find this threat, and Kellan isn't as dangerous as you think... at least not to us. He's been after this thing a lot longer than we have, and I want to know why they want my blood. I'd rather not find out after they have me in their grasp."
He looks up then, suddenly realizing my own selfish reasoning behind this whole thing. His whole demeanor changes.
"Your blood?"
Fuck. That time I was the blabbermouth instead of my mind.
"Answer me," he demands.
"Fine," I murmur through a wince when his raised tone forces my head to pound more fiercely.
He jerks me into his lap, and I try to pull away.
"Just let me touch you while you're here. If it stops the pain, you should be smart enough to accept the help, no matter if you do hate me now."
I don't hate you. I-
I stop my thoughts, sealing the lips of my mind with a white blanket of nothingness. Instead, I focus on the real issues at hand, rather than linger in our fucked up issues. The reprieve from the vicious banging is nice, so I stay in his arms, though that in itself is almost painful.
"They leveled Seminole to get to the blood Simone kept vaulted. My blood. Kellan went looking for it, though I didn't know his name was Kellan Maverick at the time. Until today, I've never seen his face."
"Even when you blood fucked him?" he scoffs, looking away as his grip on me loosens.
