Page 44 of Unleashed

But finally, Nina succumbed to her exhaustion.

Aduun frownedas Nina slipped away. He crouched beside her and pressed his fingers to her throat; her life beat was as weak and slow as the pulsing of his own heart.

“We need to warm her,” he said, though the words were unnecessary. They all knew.

Vortok crawled forward. The shelter was too low for any of them to stand up, Nina included, but all that had mattered was making it big enough for them to fit inside. To save her. The big valo turned her gently onto her side, wrapped his arms around her, and drew her back against his chest.

Snow crunched as Balir hastily piled it in the entrance to block out the wind.

“Her clothes are wet,” Vortok said.

“Then we must remove them,” Aduun replied. His beast bristled again; the thought of the female it wanted to claim being held, naked, against the body of another male was too much for it to accept.

It is forher. There is no choice.

Vortok shifted her body carefully as Aduun peeled off the damp cloth and leather, revealing unblemished skin that was paler than her arms and legs. Too pale. He smoothed the fur —no, she calls ithair — out of her face after Vortok settled her down again. Her lips had taken on a blue tinge, and her skin, normally a warm, healthy tan, had lost most of its color.

He turned to spread her wet clothing along the side of the shelter. It wouldn’t dry, not without a fire, but she didn’t have time for them to scour the snow for fuel.

When he turned back to Nina, his eyes roamed over her body, catching on the small patch of hair covering her mound. It was that hair that had sent his beast into a frenzy the first time he’d seen it; now, it heated his blood and made himwantas he never had before. When she’d bathed, he’d been helpless but to appreciate her body — her lithe legs, her lean, toned muscles, and her soft, round breasts. She was daintier than the females of his kind, and yet somehow more alluring.

“Aduun,” Balir said sharply.

Aduun turned his head and snarled, baring his teeth and raising his quills. Balir wore a hard expression, and his lack of verbal response forced realization into Aduun’s mind.

This wasn’t the time for fighting or lusting after Nina. It wasn’t the time to make claims, wasn’t the time to face rivals, wasn’t the time for hesitation.

Aduun turned back to Nina and lay down facing her. He slid forward and pressed himself against her body, chest-to-chest, ignoring Vortok’s huge arm around her waist. She needed warmth, and that was something all three of them could offer.

Balir joined them as well, lowering himself over Nina’s legs, becoming a living blanket draped over the top of their cluster.

“This more than anything must prove to you that she is not a piece in Kelsharn’s game,” Balir said.

“He does not care about the pieces in his games,” Aduun replied.

“Why would she willingly die?” Vortok grated.

“Kelsharn cares little about will, either, apart from his own.” Aduun drew in a deep breath, taking in their combined scents. It was familiar, soothing, and oddlyright. “But I do not believe she is his, willingly or otherwise.”

“That may be the first bit of sense you have spoken since we were released,” Balir muttered.

Vortok grunted. “Of course she isn’t his. She’s ours.”

“Ours,” Balir echoed.

Aduun opened his mouth to offer his agreement, but he could not force out the words.

Mine, his beast insisted.

He placed his hand on Nina’s neck. Her pulse was still faint, but a hint of warmth had returned to her skin.

“I do not care for this,” Balir said, holding a hand to his own chest. “I can feel how weak she has become within myself.”

“How could this creature survive Sonhadra?” Vortok asked, brushing his nose over her hair.

“Becausehoominsare more than they appear,” Aduun replied. “This one is, anyway. Her strength lies inside of her, heart and mind.”

The noise from outside, already dulled thanks to the snow Balir had packed in the shelter’s opening, faded from Aduun’s awareness. All that remained was the slow thumping of their hearts and the gentle rasp of their breathing. The air heated rapidly, and the chill eased from Nina’s skin.

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