Page 65 of Primal Bonds

Evie’s hand was swallowed in his. His grip was firm, but it was clear he was holding his enormous strength in check. “Thank you.”

“I was telling Sam what happened tonight,” Jace said.

The other man nodded. “Adric already sent word to me and some of the other soldiers. We’re searching Baltimore for that bastard cousin of his. I just wanted to make sure you have things under control.”

“We’re fine,” Jace replied. “Beau’s in his room, and I have Kyler here as backup.”

Her brother straightened his shoulders and gave a short, unsmiling nod as Jace’s quartz buzzed.

“It’s Suha,” Jace said.

“I was just on my way out,” said Sam. “I’ll let her in.” With a nod to Evie and Kyler, he headed for the door.

Jace limped to the couch and sat down, his injured leg stretched out on the cushions. “I’d better sit down, or she’ll yell at me.”

Evie suppressed a smile. She was looking forward to meeting the woman who could make a badass like Jace scramble to please her. Then Suha entered and Evie’s eyes widened. This was no motherly healer—in fact, she didn’t look any older than Evie—and she was pretty, with a dancer’s grace. Her flirty yellow summer dress made Evie feel like a bag lady in her tank top and sweat shorts.

“You must be Evie.” The healer gave her a warm smile. “Nice to meet you. And you too, Kyler.” Tigger gave an imperious meow and bumped her shin. “Yeah, yeah, I see you.” She scratched the tabby behind the ears and he rumbled with pleasure.

Kyler stuck out his hand. “Hello. I’m Kyler.” He winced. “Right. You know that.”

Evie met Jace’s eyes and tried not to laugh, but Suha just smiled and shook his hand. “Peace to you and yours.”

“Peace.” He gazed down on her, a silly grin on his narrow face.

The moment stretched until Suha gave her hand a tug. Kyler’s cheeks reddened and he released it like it was a hot coal.

The healer gave him a wink, like the two of them were in on a joke, and Kyler’s embarrassment faded. Right then, Evie decided she liked her.

“So.” Suha turned to Jace. “I hear you had a run in with Corban and tore something open inside. I suppose you had to chase him down yourself.”

“There was no one else.”

Suha rolled her eyes. “Let me have a look.”

“Should we leave?” Evie asked.

“That’s up to Jace.”

Jace leaned back on the cushions. “It’s fine with me if you stay.”

Evie and Kyler helped move the coffee table so Suha could pull up a chair next to Jace. Evie sat on the other end of the couch while Kyler sprawled on a nearby chair, his long, knobby-kneed legs stretched out before him.

Suha removed her quartz and lifted the hem of Jace’s shirt. His knife wounds were seeping blood.

Evie bit her lip. “He wasn’t bleeding a couple of hours ago.”

Suha muttered something that sounded like “stubborn ass” and ran her quartz over his abdomen. The stone began to glow with warm, healing colors—pink, yellow, peach.

Jace’s eyes closed. He was quiet, but fine lines of pain radiated from around his mouth.

Evie stroked his ankle, wishing there were more she could do to help. His breath sighed out and Suha gave her an approving nod, so she kept doing it.

Suha moved to the gash on Jace’s thigh. It had scabbed up, but it was still nasty looking. The healer ran her quartz up and down it, and then went to his nape, where she clucked at the puncture wounds. “An inch to the right, and you’d have been paralyzed for life.”

Evie gulped and met Kyler’s eyes, but Jace just shrugged.

Suha moved back to Jace’s abdomen. Several minutes passed. Evie scooted closer and took Jace’s hand. His lips curved, although his eyes remained shut.

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