Page 10 of Naga Healer's Mate

His massive tail shifted, his scales rasping against the floor as he coiled it beneath him.The movement drew her eyes back to him despite her best efforts.The orange-gold scales glinted in the light, mesmerizing her momentarily.Heat crept into her cheeks as she realized she was staring.

Her clinic suddenly felt too small with his commanding presence filling it.Yet instead of feeling trapped, she felt… safe.Protected.

The electric awareness between them crackled in the silence.She rubbed her arms, trying to dispel the lingering sensation of recognition that had sparked within her when she had touched him.But as she watched him put his shirt back on, she couldn’t deny how much she wanted him to stay.

She continued to watch him as his powerful form moved through her clinic, his tail leaving subtle patterns in the dust as he methodically reorganized her supplies.His broad shoulders flexed beneath his shirt as he reached for items on higher shelves.Even after treating his wound, she couldn’t quite believe he was here, helping her clean up and sort through her meager medical supplies.

“These antiseptics should really be stored away from direct light,” he said, moving the bottles to a darker corner.“And these bandages need to be elevated off the ground more to prevent moisture damage.”

She sank down beside him with a heavy sigh.“You really don’t have to do this.”

His eyes locked on to hers, intense and unwavering.“Yes, I do.Because I see you—your need to heal and protect others—and it reminds me of myself.”

His words hit her like a physical blow.Her chest tightened as something shifted inside her.All these years working alone in the shadows, scraping together supplies, treating others who had nowhere else to turn—no one had ever truly understood why she did it.Until now.

His massive tail curled around the space where they sat, not touching her but creating a protective circle that made her pulse quicken.His orange scales caught the dim light, creating patterns that drew her eye.

“I—” She started but then stopped, uncertain how to respond.How could she explain that she’d recognized that same drive in him?That watching him fight earlier, seeing his precise, controlled power used to protect rather than harm, had awakened something in her she couldn’t name?

He continued sorting her supplies, giving her space to process her emotions.His movements were deliberate and efficient—a healer’s movements, just like her own.The similarity between them struck her again, making her breath catch.

But he was Niri, and she was human.This connection between them, this understanding—it complicated everything.She had patients who depended on her, a clinic to run, and Jorvlen threats to avoid.Having him here was dangerous, not just physically but emotionally.

Yet as she watched him expertly arrange her supplies and establish some semblance of order to her clinic, she could not deny how right it felt to have another healer, to have him beside her.Someone who completely understood the drive that pushed her, no matter the cost.

He slithered closer to where she sat, reaching across her for a vial of antiseptic.His hand brushed against hers, sending electricity racing up her arm again.The air between them thickened, charged with a burning intensity that made her skin prickle.His large frame towered over her, radiating heat that seemed to seep into her bones.

Their eyes met.His golden gaze had darkened, his pupils dilating as he looked down at her.Islae’s breath caught.His cool and collected healer’s expression had transformed into something primal and possessive.

“You should rest,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.

Neither of them moved.Islae’s heart thundered in her chest.What was happening to her?She had never felt this drawn to anyone before, let alone a Niri.But something about his presence intoxicated her, made her feel both completely safe and dangerously vulnerable.

He finally broke away, putting distance between them.His tail coiled restlessly as he gestured to one of the empty patient beds.

“Lie down,” he commanded.“I’ll keep watch while you sleep.”

“I’m fine,” she protested weakly, even as exhaustion dragged at her limbs.

His eyes narrowed.“I suspect you’ve been awake for far too long.A healer who doesn’t rest becomes a liability.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but a yawn escaped instead.He was right.She was running on fumes.

“Sleep,” he insisted.“I won’t let anything happen to you or your clinic.”

The quiet authority in his voice broke through her remaining resistance.She made her way to the nearest bed, her body feeling heavier with each step.As she settled onto the thin mattress, she watched him position himself near the door, his powerful form a protective barrier between her and any potential threats.

Her eyes drifted closed despite her best efforts to stay alert.The last thing she saw was Nirrn’s watchful gaze, his orange scales gleaming in the dim light as his tail coiled protectively around the room’s perimeter.

Islae’s eyes eventually fluttered open.Her body was stiff from sleeping on the narrow patient bed.Dim light filtered through the underground clinic’s ventilation shafts, casting long shadows across the stone floor.Her gaze immediately found Nirrn, still perched by the doorway.His massive form dominated the small space, his orange scales catching what little light reached them.

Her heart skipped.He had actually stayed.All night.The realization sent warmth spreading through her chest, followed quickly by an uncomfortable flutter in her stomach.This wasn’t like her at all—blindly trusting a complete stranger.It went against everything she had learned on the streets of Jorvla.

She quickly sat up, running her fingers through her tangled hair.“You should go home, get some rest yourself.I’ll be fine now.”

His golden eyes narrowed.“The Jorvlens will return.You know this.”

“I’ve handled worse on my own.”The words came out sharper than intended, driven by her growing unease at how his presence affected her so much.

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