Page 5 of Held

“Nice to meet you, Wick,” Briar said, laughing once more. “Never thought I’d say that to a Skullstalker. Void take me, I never thought I’d say anything to a Skullstalker except—OW!”

At first, he assumed it was part of her sentence. Then she jerked, her hands clasping her chest, and an agonized sound escaped from behind her teeth.

Wick stood, his horns scraping the top of the cave. “What is it?”

“Shit.” She grimaced, her face twisting up before it forcibly smoothed out. “I need to get back to town?—”

She cut off in another agonized cry, curling over in his nest. She smelled like pain and fire and death.

Wick fell to his knees beside her helplessly. He had always wanted to speak to a human like this, have arealconversation. Now it was finally happening, and she was dying because of… what?

“I do not understand what’s happening,” he told her.

She groaned, her knuckles becoming white where they clutched her chest.

“None of your business, big boy,” she panted.

He bent down and inhaled. “You are dying. I smell no wound.”

She choked out another laugh. This one was wet, the scent of salt joining the acrid stench of heat and death that was filling his cave.

“I do not understand,” he repeated with increasing urgency.

Briar made an animal noise through her blunt teeth. “I’m cursed. Alright? Some entitled warlockbastardcursed me so that I—so that—” She swallowed, her expression collapsing in on itself. “I have to fuck someone every day, alright? Or I’ll die. And the day’s almost gone. I can feel it climbing my heart.”

He sniffed harder. The stench of heat was creeping around her heart, getting hotter and hotter. It would be an unpleasant way to die.

Briar cried out and curled in on herself, shuddering.

Wick stepped back on instinct. His presence had never helped mortals, only hurt. But an idea was starting to brew in his mind, dubious and incredulous.

“I could help,” he said.

She stared up at him, pained tears in her eyes. “What?”

Then she blinked, and her mouth opened in shock. She sat up again, shaking with effort as she considered him.

“Gods,” she said. “I didn’t even… But I guess youdohave…”

She trailed off, her gaze dropping to his loincloth. Then she jerked, squeezing her hands over her chest yet again.

“Shit,” she hissed. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” he said, unable to keep the uncertainty out of his voice. He had never lain with anyone, mortal or otherwise. Any time he had come close, the blood frenzy took over. It was upsetting, and he quickly accepted that it was unavailable to him. But if she had that enchanted amulet, maybe it could work. And if the blood frenzy set in…

Well. She would die anyway. Hopefully, he would make it quicker than her curse.

Briar straightened again, pushing her sweaty hair out of her face. The cave was dim, but he could see her perfectly: her cheeks flushed with blood, her smile blazing despite the pain.

She looked almost… excited. The scent of excitement filled the cave, musky and hot. It was nice. Much nicer than cold, pungent fear that would most likely make him give in to the blood frenzy again.

“Fuck it,” Briar whispered. “Let’s go, big boy.”

Three

Briar half-expected him to pounce on her.

True, he hadn’t eaten her yet. But he was still a Skullstalker. They were not known for theirlackof appetite. If they wanted something, they would grab it.

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