Page 63 of Unleashed

“We must lie with her,” Aduun said. “Keep her warm at least until her coverings are dry.”

With a soft grunt, Vortok obeyed. He lay behind Nina while Aduun lay facing her front. Jealousy flared in Balir’s gut. He wanted to be the one to touch her — theonlyone — to tuck her body against his, to wrap his arms around her and know the feel of her soft skin.

He also wanted to have his sight back, if only to look upon her whenever he wished, but that wasn’t to be, either. For this, Vortok and Aduun were better suited. They were larger, Vortok big enough to enfold her almost completely against himself, and, because of their fur, produced more heat.

Besides, the scent of blood was fresh in Balir’s nose. Though he would never harm Nina, he couldn’t trust himself to contain his beast. Not yet. Her blood on its own was not enough to send him over the edge, but after the frenzy he’d entered to battle the worm…

All he needed was time. Time to calm the beast. Time to purge himself of his bloodlust.

He seated himself on the opposite side of the fire from the others.

There was a whisper of movement from the others. “Join us, Balir,” Aduun said. “Lend her your heat.”

“The two of you provide more than enough,” Balir replied.

“Your beast?” Aduun asked, a knowing tone in his voice.

Balir dipped his head and let out a shaky breath. Admitting it wouldn’t help, but he knew he didn’t need to say anything more.

“For her, we must all do our best to maintain control,” Aduun said, “and you have done that since the beginning. We have this shelter because of you, Balir. She has a chance to recover because of you.”

“Control…” Balir chuckled and closed his eyes as though it would somehow offer him clarity. “That would be a great thing to throw in Kelsharn’s face, would it not? If we were able to control what he could not.”

“I can think of a few other things I would have liked to throw in his face,” Vortok grumbled.

Aduun and Balir laughed. Balir’s beast slipped, giving a tiny bit of ground to the man.

“And now he is gone,” Balir said, “but we are still here.” Though he’d acknowledged it several times already, it was a sobering thought.

“And I am glad, though part of me will long to rip his throat out until I am no more,” said Aduun.

Vortok grunted appreciatively. “We have a real chance for once. A chance to move on from all this. To be free and make a home with Nina and the rest of our people.”

Nina’s smiling face, remembered from their dreams, flitted through Balir’s mind. He’d been able to see her because of her gift. Even if he never regained his sight — and he knew in his heart that he wouldn’t — he would be content to have shared those dreams with her. To have seen Nina and the world through her eyes, through her mind. To know true beauty like he had never known before.

“No matter what is ahead of us, Nina will have the life she deserves,” Balir vowed.

“However much of our blood we must shed, however much pain we must endure,” Aduun added.

“She is ours to protect,” Vortok said, “and nothing will stop us from keeping her safe.”

For a long while, they were quiet, listening to the crackling of the small fire. Distantly, Balir heard the wailing of wind outside the cave. The gentle airflow continued across his skin.

A sudden gasp broke the silence, followed by a series of sharp, shallow breaths. Balir tensed, ready to move to Nina’s side as she stirred. She moaned in pain.

“Nina?” Aduun whispered.

Her only response was another moan, softer and with a confused tone.

“Is she waking?” Balir asked. The beating of his heart sped, if only by a small degree.

“No,” Aduun replied.

“She is warm,” Vortok said. “Too warm.”

Balir gritted his teeth against his disappointment; it had been so easy tohope, though he’d known it had been an unlikely hope. “Her body is battling the venom. Give her some space.” His beast clamored in fury, wanting to spill more of the worm’s blood for having done this to his mate. He placed his hands on his knees and pushed himself to his feet. “I am going to scout deeper into the cave.”

“You should not go alone,” Aduun said.

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