The throbbing in my head was gone, my stomach had settled, and the walls were still.

Thank fuck.

Rune was back in front of me. His eyes were a mix of concern and fury.

“Are you okay?” he asked, kneeling in front of me again.

“Yeah, just a little banged up, but I took one of those demon aspirin things Murmur gave me. I am already feeling better.”

“What the fuck possessed you to be so stupid?” Rune stood up and started pacing, running his fingers through his hair.

I couldn’t help but watch how his powerful thighs stretched the denim of his jeans, and how his biceps flexed as he paced back and forth.

“Murmur definitely isn’t the type of guy I would just take a pill from, but I saw him shake them out of the bottle yesterday. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Rune’s talons had returned to fingers, and his horns had retracted. His fangs were a lot smaller, but not entirely gone. He was still pacing like a caged animal, like an alpha predator that had just lost his kill.

“Do you think this is funny?” he snapped, clenching his fists. “What would’ve happened if I hadn’t already been on my way here? Do you know what they would’ve done to you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I stood up and put my hands on his chest to stop him from pacing.

“How could it not matter?” He was yelling now. His voice was loud and panicked.

I realized he wasn’t mad, not really. He was afraid something could have happened to me, and he would have been too late to stop it.

“It doesn’t matter because you were here. You got here on time. Again. You saved me. Again.”

“But what if I hadn’t?” He grabbed my arms, squeezing, not enough to hurt me, but close. “You can’t go storming off every time I piss you off. You can’t put yourself in danger because I said no!”

“I’m sorry.” I actually was sorry. Not for being mad at him, but for leaving when I knew it was a bad idea.

“What?” he asked, seeming a little thrown.

That, I could understand. I hated when I was gearing up for a fight, and then the other person just admitted they were wrong. But I was. I’d fucked up. I wasn’t going to pretend I hadn’t.

“I am sorry,” I said again, a little louder. “It was stupid. I shouldn’t have left. I knew I should’ve stayed at the compound. If I didn’t think it was a bad idea, I wouldn’t have snuck out.”

He looked confused. He had all this energy running through his veins, prepared for a fight and no outlet for it. I admitted I hadn’t handled the situation in the best way. I wasn’t sure this was the best way either, to be honest. Rune didn’t know what to do with my apology. In another situation, I might have found that hilarious.

Right now, there was nothing funny about any of this. I was almost taken again. Rune had gotten here just in time to save me again.

My heart was still racing from the terror.

I could feel his heart hammering under my fingertips, resting on his chest. From the fight, or from anger, it didn’t matter.

My instincts were screaming at me to make this better, to make him understand I was sorry, and that I needed him. I didn’t think; I didn’t process. I just gave in to what my body wanted.

“Let me show you how sorry I am.” I looked into his eyes while running my hands from his firm chest to behind his neck. I pulled him to me in a searing kiss.

He resisted a little at first, returning my kiss but not letting me slide my tongue into his mouth. I moved my hands back down his chest and over his abs, then lower, cupping his stiffening cock in my palm.

When I pressed my palm against him, feeling him lengthen in his jeans, he took control of the kiss. His fingers slid into my hair at the base of my skull and pulled just enough to send shocks down my spine.

Thinking he would just deepen the kiss, I opened my lips to him. Instead, he dominated my mouth. He didn’t just taste or explore my lips, he claimed them. He was rough and demanding. I loved every single second.

I pulled at his belt and slid the buckle open, then started working at the button on his jeans.

“What do you think you are doing?” he asked after breaking the kiss. His voice sounded a little rougher, his breath coming out in pants.