Kissed by a Dark Prince(34)

Bleu said something gruff to Loren.

Loren came forwards and studied the two running machines, and the wires dangling from them. “What are these?”

“You run on them. I’m going to hook you guys up, and we’ll monitor your vitals, and your breathing too. It will give me a better picture of your abilities and it’s one of the tests I have to run for the other doctors.” Olivia probably shouldn’t have added that part about the other doctors. It caused Loren’s black eyebrows to pinch together and his eyes to narrow.

Bleu bit out something she couldn’t understand.

Was he going to talk in their language around her all the time now? It gave her the feeling that he was shutting her out and trying to make Loren do the same.

He was probably saying horrible things about her and Archangel.

“How long must we run?” Loren said and she moved away from the machines, went to the end of the room nearest the doors, and set up the computer.

“Thirty minutes.” It would give her enough time to monitor the effects of the bond on Loren. If he were weaker because of their incomplete connection, then he would show signs of fatigue and elevated stress levels. Olivia caught his concerned look as he gazed at the machines and then at her. He didn’t need to say it aloud for her to get the message. She was already aware of what she had proposed. She was signing up for the same fatigue and stress, and the same raised heart rate. “Believe me. I’m looking forward to it as much as you are.”

“When we break the bond, you will no longer suffer this tie to me.” Loren eyed the machine and frowned as he curled his fingers into fists at his sides. “The same will happen if we must complete it.”

Olivia was going to pretend he hadn’t just mentioned completing the bond again. It wasn’t going to happen. If he tried to force it on her, he was going to have Sable and half of Archangel dragging him down to the cellblock for some very nasty jail time with the twisted ex-hunters who guarded the prisoners. They were notoriously heavy-handed and ‘accidental’ deaths of the inmates were common.

If he died, would the bond break?

She opened her mouth to ask but snapped it shut again before the words could leave her lips and slid a wary glance at Bleu. The elf would probably kill her on the spot to free his prince from the bond if she suggested they broke it via one of their deaths.

She finished setting up the machines, grabbed two sets of sweat shorts off the pile of clean clothes and held them out to Bleu and Loren. They both cocked eyebrows at them.

“You can’t run in armour, and I need to place...” She really wasn’t sure this was a wise thing to say. She pointed to the machines. “I need to stick those wires on you.”

Loren unleashed a snarl and glared at Bleu.

Bleu backed off a step. “The female will put them on you and I will place mine on myself, following her instruction. I do not want her touching me.”

Loren’s shoulders relaxed. He rolled them and stalked to the nearest machine.

“You can change behind the curtain.” Olivia indicated the one at the back of the room. Loren looked at it, and then down at the shorts, and curled his lip, flashing a hint of fang.

“I am not sure this is wise,” he said, voice a dark growl, “You will see Bleu again.”

Bleu huffed, rolled his eyes, and spoke in their language. Loren barked something back at him. Bleu countered, his tone gaining a sharp edge, his expression hardening with it. Loren shoved him in the chest and Bleu growled and stood up to him.

“What if I solemnly swear not to look at Bleu?” Olivia bravely stepped between the quarrelling men, forming a barrier she hoped would prevent Loren from slugging Bleu again. Or vice versa. The blow Bleu had landed on Loren’s jaw earlier had left its mark. An ugly rich black and purple one.

Loren looked as though he wanted to tell her it wouldn’t be enough but grated out, “Fine.”

He snatched both pairs of shorts and went behind the curtain. Bleu followed. Olivia cringed when they began arguing again.

Loren was the first to emerge. His lip had a nice new split. Bleu came out next and she risked a brief glance at him. He sniffed and wiped his bloodied nose on the back of his hand, the action causing one of the long slashes across his chest to split open again. He huffed, picked up one of the towels from the stack on the bench, and dabbed at the wounds on his torso, wiping the blood away.

“Can you dial down the testosterone for the next thirty minutes?” she said to Loren and a flicker of something distinctly like guilt crossed his expression.

She kept her eyes on him and him alone as she hooked him up to the machine. Whenever she stuck one of the pads on his chest, his markings shimmered into being, chasing across his skin. She sneakily brushed his left pectoral as she placed the pad on it and felt him shiver beneath her caress, and her heart picked up. His doing. His gaze bore into her, intent on her face. She glanced up at him, her eyes briefly meeting his, just long enough to see that they were verging on purple again and his pupils had gobbled up his irises, turning them dark with passion.