Page 17 of Fractured Souls

“We’re not going to kill you,” he growled, a hint of anger entering his voice for the very first time. “Zharek didn’t revive you just so we could send you back into the arms of the Goddess. Whatever happened to you in the past… it’s not going to happen again on my watch. We’re not them, human.”

His warmth radiated into her freezing limbs as he held her, not moving an inch. He didn’t tremble or shift position or alter his grip. His stillness was a reminder that he was definitely not human, because a human would have moved by now.

Who the hell are you then, Kordolian?

Despite her best efforts to remain calm, her body started to tremble again, as if all her adrenaline was being dumped into her system at once.

“Hey, hey, relax. It’s okay.” His breath was warm against the back of her neck. She was cold, he was warm. Go figure. “I’ll let you go if you promise not to punch anything.”

With great effort, Alexis forced herself to relax. She focused on the sensation of his armor-encased hands around her wrists, on his solid, undeniable presence. He was the very definition of raw physical power, but he was keeping himself on a tight leash… for her sake.

No, this definitely wasn’t how she expected a Kordolian to behave.

“I’m fine,” she murmured. “Please let me go now.”

“Don’t try anything stupid. It’s pointless.” He removed his hands and unlocked his legs. Slowly, gently, he extricated himself from her.

Gingerly keeping her damaged hand out of the way, Alexis sat herself up and turned.

Now her guard stood halfway across the room, giving her space. How had he gotten all the way over there so fucking fast?

He folded his massive arms across his chest and cocked his head, watching as she self-consciously used her good hand to pull the sheets around herself. Although she wore a thermosuit under her baggy t-shirt and pants, she still felt cold.

A disapproving frown curved his dark grey lips. His red eyes bored into her, making her feel terribly exposed.

“What?” She glared right back at him, trying to salvage some of her dignity.

“Your hand is broken.”

“You can tell just by looking at it, huh?” He was probably right. She was in agony right now.

“Well, it looks pretty deformed. That swelling’s only going to get worse… and I heard the crack.”

“You… huh.” She shook her head, unable to get her head around the idea that anyone’s hearing could be that sharp.

“Come on, I’ll take you to Zharek. The bastard doesn’t sleep anyway. He’ll be able to fix you up in no time.”

“Zharek… right.” He was the strange one with horns and wild hair and golden eyes, apparently the Kordolian equivalent of a doctor. Memories of freezing cold stasis and forced sedation flashed through her mind. Her heart began to race.

“Relax, human. He’s not going to put you in stasis again.”

How did he always seem to know what she was thinking? “I don’t think I could handle another dip in the tank right now.”

He snorted. “You don’t need stasis for a broken hand. Let’s go.”

As Alexis swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, a faint shiver coursed through her. With the warrior at her back, she’d felt properly warm for the first time in longer than she could remember, but now the cold was starting to seep back in. Even the seamless black floor felt warm compared to her cold bare feet.

The Kordolian loomed over her.

She stared back at him, cradling her throbbing hand.

For the first time, she wasn’t afraid to meet his gaze. Before, she’d been too scared and confused to pay him much attention. He’d been just another silent, hard-faced guard, complicit in her imprisonment.

But just now, something had changed.

And the voice in her head, that dark, seductive entity that she feared was just a figment of her screwed up imagination...

It was blissfully quiet.

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