Page 35 of A City of Hearts and Feathers

"Apology accepted. I'm sorry for smacking your pups about," Kahil replied. His side was hurting where one had got some claws into him, so it was all fair.

Septimus waved the apology away. "It is good practice for them. I'm glad to see you are vigilant in watching over your charge. I know you probably won't accept it, but call me if you need help. I liked Oman, and the city has needed a Kartal back inthe shop." He held out a card to Kahil, and he took it, sliding it into his back pocket.

"Thank you. I might just take you up on that. If they are getting this edgy now, can you imagine how they will be at an actual auction night?"

Septimus smiled, flashing sharp canines. "There is already too much blood in the water. You better have a good plan in place, mercenary."

"We will do our best," Kahil assured him. He waited until the wolves had left the alley before he followed them into the main streets and made his way back to the bookstore. It was getting late, and he wanted to beat Zoe home so she wouldn't see the blood all over him.

Kahil came in through the roof access and walked into the apartment. He opened the bathroom door and walked in on Zoe brushing her teeth. She spat out her toothpaste, eyes going wide.

"Kahil! You scared… Oh my God, you're bleeding!" she gasped.

"It's nothing," he said. He couldn't feel the wound he was holding because he was mesmerized by the cute satin sleep shorts she was wearing.

"It's not nothing. Fuck, how can I help?" she asked, grabbing a towel to offer him.

"It'll heal in no time. Don't get too upset," he replied, closing the lid of the toilet and sitting down on it. "I need to make sure there's no dirt in the wound, but it will close up and be nothing more than a scar by tomorrow."

Zoe didn't look less concerned. "The potion thing again?"

"Yeah, it is. If you want to help, I could really use a beer," he said, placing the towel over the gashes in his side. "Shit, please don't cry, Zoe. I really am okay."

Zoe blinked back her unspilled tears. "You're hurt because of me."

"Sweet Zoe, this was only a scuffle. That's all." Kahil cupped her cheek. "You have no idea the violence I would do to protect you."

Zoe looked up at him, big eyes full. "I still don't like seeing you bleeding for me, Kahil."

"It'll heal soon, I promise. I'm okay," he repeated.

Zoe nodded before she walked out of the bathroom, leaving him feeling more terrible. He was struggling to get off the scraps of his T-shirt when Zoe came back with a beer.

"Here, let me help with that," she said and pulled the fabric the rest of the way off.

"Not quite how I imagined the first time you took off my shirt," he teased.

Zoe gave him the beer. "Drink this, and I'll check your cuts for dirt."

Kahil wasn't going to argue. He couldn't remember the last time someone tended his wounds.

Zoe wet a cloth and started to clean the blood and dirt from his face. "Your head is still bleeding. What the hell happened tonight?"

"I found Lykos pissing around the shop. It didn't go down well that they were marking you as their territory," Kahil said, staring at the new talisman hanging around her throat. It had Arslan's lion head pressed into the silver, and he knew that a stylized scales for the Order would be on the back. It was more polite to focus on it than stare at her lovely breasts that were right in his eye line. Dark gods of the Duat, her scent was going to kill him quicker than his wounds would. He wanted to pull down her tank top and bury his face right into all of that soft?—

"Lykos?" Zoe said, drawing him out of his increasingly filthy fantasies.

"You know, lycans. Wolf shifters. They have been here since the Megarians settled in Chalcedon. Modern day Kadiköy."Kahil ended up telling her about Septimus's good intentions and how they had backup if they needed it.

"Sounds like my father knew everyone in this city," Zoe said. She rinsed out her cloth and gestured for him to move his hand away from his side. He could feel that his healing abilities had stopped the bleeding, so he let her fuss. It was too nice to waste the opportunity.

"The Kartals are really well known and respected, Zoe. Usually, the city is more polite. It's the Sais Codex that is making them act all crazy." Kahil spread his legs a little wider for her to get better access to the wounds on his chest. He tried to think unsexy thoughts because the last thing he wanted was an awkward boner because she was so close. "Tell me your night was better than mine."

"You didn't miss much really. Belkis sent you home some food for you because you're her favorite."

"She really is the best of women," he said. Healing always made him hungry as a beast, so he made a mental note to send Belkis flowers to thank her.

"Arslan told the girls Azi was watching the story of Isis and Osiris. They loved it, the blood thirsty little darlings. They put plaits in his hair the whole time he was telling the story which was adorable as hell," Zoe said with a smile.

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