Page 24 of Whispered Warnings: Part One

“I found it when I was about to be eaten,” I reply simply, then gesture to the blood that is splattered all over me, “I won.”

River choses that moment to come into the room, his happy smile drops immediately as he drops the bags of what I am assuming is dessert on the floor and rushes toward me.

“You’re bleeding. Badly,” he says, his eyes wide with concern.

The others tense.

I frown and then nod, “Oh yeah, hang on.”

I start to lean the sword against the back of the couch but think better of it when I realize that it is absolutely covered in blood and grossness from that creature.

“Can you hold this?” I ask, looking at Reed, before I hand it over to him, I add, “She saved my life, she means something to me.”

He nods in understanding, I mean, really no one should be surprised that I have bonded with another inanimate object, not after the way that I treat Betty.

“Got it,” he confirms, but as he takes it from me, magic suddenly flares in the room, and I watch in shock as the sword zaps him.

“What the fuck just happened?” Raiden asks.

“You know we were saying that enchanted objects were rare?” Doc says drily, “Well it appears Neith has found herself an enchanted sword, and one that doesn’t like to be touched by others.”

I throw my hands up in the air, which in hindsight maybe wasn’t a good idea because I still have the sword in my hand and the bite in my shoulder that makes me hiss with pain, I growl and look at the sword, “For fuck sake, I can’t put you down because you are going to get blood everywhere so I have to give you to Reed until I clean you. Do you really think after you saved my life, I would give you to someone who I didn’t trust with my life, and therefore yours!”

“You trust me with your life?” Reed asks, his voice coming out weird, but I am too focused on the sword to check why.

“Duh. One second, I am having an argument with a sword,” I reply.

“I trust them, you trust them,” I tell it, and then add thoughtfully, “only them. No one else. If anyone else tries to grab you, do the zappy thing.”

The sword hums with magic in my hand, it feels like it is agreeing so I’m going to assume that it has worked.

“Erm, Neith,” Griff starts, and I glance up at him, “that’s not how enchanted objects work, you can’t just tell them not to do something.”

I frown, “I’m pretty sure I just did. It agreed.” I hold the sword out to Reed, ignoring everyone’s incredulous looks because I am very aware of how crazy it sounds, “Take it.”

Something in me softens even more toward the big hulking guy, when he doesn’t even hesitate, he just reaches out and takes it.

“Well?” Van asks.

Reed shrugs, “She’s right, it hasn’t shocked me, it’s behaving itself.”

I grin, “I have a way with inanimate objects. It’s a gift.”

“You have a way with enchanted objects that for sure,” Raiden replies, “and it very well may be a gift.”

River storms toward me, none of the usual bounce in his step or mirth in his voice. There is a distinct growl in his voice as he says, “She. Is. Hurt.”

The guys still, as their gazes move to River.

“Shit,” Evander curses.

I’m about to ask Van what is going on and why they all look so worried when River reaches me and scoops me up into his arms, being incredibly careful with me.

“River, I’m going to get grossness all over you,” I protest half-heartedly because being held by him has instantly drained the last of the tension out of me.

How the fuck did he do that?

The only response I get from River is a growl, which vibrates through me and goes straight to my clit, fucking hell, that was like the best vibrator I have ever owned. Now is not the time to get distracted, especially since the guys have become impossibly tenser. Glancing up, I see that River’s eyes are entirely his kitsunes, and extremely pretty, they are a mix of gold, orange, and red and glowing with power. I know that his shift is really close to the surface, and I am reasonably certain that the only reason why he hasn’t shifted yet is because he has me in his arms.

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