Page 8 of Necromancers Don't Raise

He nodded shortly. “I do.”

“But I’m not dead.”

“You were dead when I found you. The experience will stay with you forever.”

“Forever?” I frowned at him. “Forever because…”

“You’ll likely never die, or if you do, you’ll come back. And I will be here to give you a spa when you do.” He said it like a declaration.

My heart fluttered as I studied the impossible dark sorcerer, who was nothing I could ever control or contain. “You’re stubborn.”

“I did mention the hardness of my skull. It’s just as well that you’ll be staying my prisoner as there’s a murderer running around that I am determined to find. As you can’t remember the particulars, it’s best if you remain safely in my care.” His smile became slightly malicious as he picked me up and into his arms.

Was he going to crush me to death?

He cradled me close and nuzzled my cheek with his nose. It was the oddest sensation to have such a large, dangerous, powerful person acting like a puppy. Or I was a puppy, and he was the person who was snuggling it.

I didn’t hug. My dad sometimes pulled me in for a quick side-hug, but I took after my mother, or I’d been trained by her to look at close physical proximity as something of an insult.

“Nova, I believe that hugs are supposed to be reciprocated,” he murmured in my ear, his low voice positively delicious.

A ripple of something went through me that I’d never felt before, pleasant warmth and comfort that had me relaxingagainst him until I slowly wrapped my arms around him and clung to him like I was back in the sewer. Hm. I suppose that had been a kind of hug. Was this torturing him? It didn’t seem like it. He held me against his body until we were molded together, hearts beating, breaths mingling, his strength and warmth flowing into me until I pulled away abruptly, feeling so strange. It felt good to be held, particularly when I was not the sort of package that would fly off the shelves, but at the same time, it made me want to be desirable to this strange and compelling man. My whole life I’d been pushed to be the most beautiful, the most pleasant, the most capable, but I’d never wanted it for me personally. What an idiotic time to find some value in being attractive to the opposite sex to actually, you know, attract the opposite sex.

He let me pull away, placing me down on the edge of the bed, but his expression was unreadable as he studied me. He definitely was more amused than tortured. “Are there any other requirements you have as my prisoner?” he asked with those amused eyes.

I rubbed my arms as I sat on the edge of the bed and tried not to show how ruffled I was. I cleared my throat. “Actually, there is. I need some woman’s clothing in my size.”

He glanced down at my robe, then back up at my face, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I think that’s exactly the kind of clothing you should have while you rest and recover, as you will have to do for at least a month.”

I raised my chin and narrowed my eyes at him. “You expect me to lounge around in a robe for a month?”

“At least.”

I sputtered, speechless at the idea of doing nothing for an entire month. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had to stay overnight in a hospital. This was impossible.

He flashed a dangerous smile at me. “That is, perhaps I can be persuaded to clothe you and allow you well-guarded access to the outside world if you give me what I want in return.”

I stared at him. A week ago, I would have known exactly what a virile man would want from me. Now, I had no idea. “More hugs?”

His smile sharpened. “More details, Miss Nova. Tell me more about your death, the train ride, what train, what time it left, where it came from, what your eventual destination was in Singsong City, every little detail you can remember. Also, who you were is an essential detail that will make or break the case.”

I stared at him while anger and helplessness mixed with this weird desire to laugh at the ludicrousness of everything. “You want to find my killer?”

He waved a powerful hand gracefully. “I wouldn’t say that, no. Ineedto find and return the pain he gave you with interest. Need, not want.” His eyes burned with malevolence that I found more fascinating than terrifying. It brought the silver to life in his eyes like a real electric current was running through those dark strands.

“Because you worked so hard to put me back together?”

“Because…” He narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re evading.”

I smiled brightly at him, not trying to look subtle and demure. “I’m moving on from my past. Yes, I need to bring the murderer to justice, but I’m not handing my life over to a complete stranger. No offense. After twenty-four hours together, I’m not ready to share my deepest, darkest secrets.”

His gaze was flat, calculating. “A name would suffice.”

“What’s in a name?”

“Or an address.”

“I have no idea where I’m living.”

---