Pursued(77)

“Oh, uh…” She glanced behind her to see Merrick glaring at the both of them. But what could she do? Tongs had been so kind to her she didn’t want to repay him with rudeness. “I guess so, if that’s the, uh, custom,” she said at last.

“My thanks.” Gently, almost seductively, Tongs cupped his big hand under her calf and lifted her foot to slide off her sandal and bare her foot. The move put Elise off balance and she had to reach out and grab his broad shoulder to keep from falling over. “Very nice,” he murmured. He started to lift the other leg but Merrick was suddenly between them.

“That’s enough, Tongs,” he snarled. “Just what the fuck are you trying to prove?”

“What do you think?” Tongs stood and returned Merrick’s glare. “I’m trying to say if she’s your female, you should treat her right. Give her the respect she’s due and don’t deny or disavow her.”

Merrick’s mismatched eyes glowed with fury. “You think I disavowed her because I wanted to?” he demanded. “You think I didn’t want to be the one to carry her on my shoulder, the one to bring her into the dwelling and remove her shoes?”

“Then why didn’t you?” Tongs said sharply. “Your scent’s all over her—and yet you say she’s not yours.”

“It’s my fault.” Elise stepped forward and almost stumbled because she had one shoe on and one shoe off. “Merrick’s scent is on me because he had to help me. I have stasis sickness—the hunger. We…we formed a bond, but it’s not a true bond and…and I’m actually engaged to someone else,” she finished in a low voice, feeling wretched.

“You see?” Merrick said roughly. “She belongs to another—I can’t claim her. We’re only here to get a branch of skrillix to break the bond between us and then we’ll leave.”

“I see.” Tongs nodded stiffly. “Forgive me, Merrick. I didn’t know. I thought you were being discourteous and wasteful of a gift from the Goddess. Now I see it was I who was discourteous.” Nodding, he turned and walked swiftly away, disappearing down a long hallway.

“You must forgive my younger brother,” Shuura said quietly after a door slammed at the other end of the house. “He lost his beloved in a plague some ten years ago, before they could be mated and he mourns her still. He thought…”

“He thought Merrick wasn’t treating me right,” Elise said miserably. “That he was disrespecting me.” When actually, it’s the other way around… She didn’t say the words aloud—she didn’t have to. When she glanced up, she saw Merrick watching her with a pain too deep for words in his mismatched eyes.

He turned quickly away. “I need a drink. You have any fireflower juice around here, Shuura?”

“In the food prep area.” Shuura nodded toward the kitchen. “We have food as well—a feast prepared for your homecoming.”

“Thanks, but I think I lost my appetite,” Merrick growled. “Just give me a drink and I’ll be fine. Elise might be hungry, though.” He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you, baby? Hungry?”

Elise felt her cheeks heating with a blush. She knew what he was asking and he knew that she knew. “Only…only for food.” She held Merrick’s gaze a moment longer and then turned to Shuura. “I understand you have some very interesting cuisine here on Rageron. I’d love to sample some.”

“Certainly.” Shuura nodded toward the kitchen. “This way. And please feel free to remove your other shoe.”

“Oh, thank you,” Elise began. “I’ll—” But before she could finish her sentence, Merrick had dropped to his knees before her. Without a word he lifted her leg, just as Tongs had, and slid off her sandal. He looked at her a long time, holding her eyes with his. Then he leaned down and dropped a gentle kiss on her knee. “Merrick,” she started but he shook his head. Letting her go, he rose silently and went into the kitchen.

“Oh…” Elise whispered, feeling like her heart was going to break. The look in his eyes, the silent reproach and longing was almost too much to bear. But I have to—I have to bear it, she thought, as the vault rose up in her mind’s eye. No matter how hard it is, I have to be strong…

“Well…” Shuura cleared his throat. “If you’d like to come with me to the food prep area, I’m sure we can find you something tasty for dinner.”

“Thank you,” Elise said dully. “I…I’m sure it will be delicious.”