Page 27 of An Alien for Her Heart

“You could have killed her!” Varek roars. His fangs bare and he snarls at the Raki, who, for a male that’s built like a sturdy little elephant, seems to crumple in on himself. His large ears fold over his face and his bushy eyebrows rise high as his small dark eyes widen on me. I’m still wincing, one hand still gripping my shoulder as Varek pulls me away from the cottage.

“I apologize for this,” Varek says, his gaze moving over my face as if he’s searching for a key to stop the pain rocketing through my arm.

“For what?”

“For touching you. I made a promise I will have to break just this once.”

I could laugh. Would have, if the ache wasn’t still going through my shoulder. To think he’d still keep that promise even now. If he was a brute, I could push him away so easily. Instead, he’s just so nice. For a moment, I wonder if this is what Eleanor experiences every day, living with his brother. Is he nice too? Did she really find a bit of paradise after everything?

When Varek suddenly lifts me, I almost let out a yelp at how easily he does. Just like when he lifted me in town, he does it so easily again, as if I weigh nothing.

With a snarl at the Raki, he heads inside the cottage, moving straight into the bedroom. He fills the space even more here, even worse than he did in the main room. When he sets me down on the bed, I blink up at him. At the concern in his eyes and the heavy breaths making his shoulders rise and fall.

Even with the heavy labor he’s been doing, I never saw his chest rise and fall with exertion from lifting those heavy beams.

“Where does it hurt,sura?”

Sura? I frown slightly but his voice is so soft, a stark contrast to the anger he showed moments ago. Pointing at my shoulder, I wince as I try to take a peek at it.

“Let me.” Varek takes a finger toward me and I watch in complete fascination as one of his claws extends.

“Wow, didn’t know you could do that.”

His hand—or rather, his claw—pauses. “Does it scare you?”

I shake my head, tongue flicking out to lick my lips as I watch that claw. “No, but I don’t want you to rip the tunic. I’ll just—”

I shift, sitting more upright on the bed as he hovers both claws over me in universal code for alarm. As if he’s afraid I’ll shatter to pieces from this one wound. Shifting my weight on one hip, I wince as I pull down the shoulder of the tunic.

Varek hisses and my gaze shoots to him. His face is murderous. Like a predator. Exactly like a predator. The slits in his eyes have widened and his lips have pulled back in a snarl.

“He has hurt you.” He stands slowly, easing back and for the first time, I finally look at my shoulder. There’s a nasty bruise there from where the tool hit me. Poking it with my finger, I wince again before rolling my shoulder.

“Don’t think it’s broken. I’ll be fine. Was just an accident.”

He doesn’t respond. When I look at him it appears that he can’t. His fangs have extended and from the looks of it, he’s struggling to push them back in. To hide them from me.

“Varek…” I find myself whispering because I’m shocked. Shocked that he’s having such a response and…and grateful. My eyelids flutter as the feeling cements. Varek actually cares.

“Don’t move.” His usual soft tone is hard now, his words an order. Before I can open my mouth, he’s gone, his footfalls heavy as he heads out of the cottage. My ears perk as I listen but there’s no other sound. I’m trying to sit up straighter when he returns.

“You shouldn’t move, sura,” he growls. I relax against the bed again. He has a box in his arms that he rests on the bed and flips open. It’s clear it’s a first-aid kit from all the vials and gauze inside. I frown.

“You don’t have to waste all that. I just need to put some ice on it.”

Varek shakes his head. “I have never seen such a mark on flesh before,” he says. “With Kari, an injury like this could be life-threatening. I do not want to take the chance.”

I blink, again surprised, but underneath that surprise is that growing warmth I’m trying my best to ignore. “It’s just a bruise, Varek. I’ll be okay.”

But he’s not listening. His claws move quickly, almost frantically, as he prepares a vial and a syringe. “This will help with the pain and prevent any internal damage,” he says, his voice firm.

I want to protest, but the look in his eyes stops me. I wouldn’t say I’m an expert at reading slitted eyes, but as Varek waits for me to allow him to administer the medicine, it’s clear he’s genuinely terrified for me. “Okay,” I whisper, nodding slightly. “But are you sure that’s okay to use on someone like me? A human?”

“My kahlesta was injured. The medic left me with these vials for that reason. In case I needed his expertise, but he was too far away.”

“Oh. Eleanor you mean, right?” When he nods, I do too. “Okay, do it.”

His light touch on my arm distracts from the pain as he injects the solution near the bruise.

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