“You can and you will.”
The sharp retort stunned her. So much she flipped over and gaped at him. “Excuse me?”
“You are a fighter,” he stated flatly, sitting back on his heels and crossing his arms. “Just because this is a hurdle you didn’t expect doesn’t mean you lay down and die. You fight to recover just like you did after the crash.” He slowly rose, and then lowered over her in a crouch, shoved his face into hers. “Do you know one of the rules of war?” he asked, his nose bumping hers.
“Don’t get dead.”
Amusement flared in his eyes at her biting sarcasm, but he didn’t crack a smile.
“True,” he said. “But not the one I was thinking of. You cannot defeat an unknown enemy.” His tone hardened, eyes narrowed, sharpened. “Fact-finding. Information gathering. It’s why we scout ahead and infiltrate our enemies’ camps. Dig deep into the methods, lives and psyches of our adversaries. Then we know when, where and how to strike. And when we do, it’s effective and devastating.”
“Leonidas had nothing on you,” she murmured.
This time he did smile and its light was a beacon to her battered spirit.
“You want in on a little secret?” He waited until she nodded before bending his head, nuzzling her ear and whispering, “I taught Leonidas everything he knew.”
She snickered and slapped his shoulder—the same one that had sported a battle scar days earlier. “Now you’re just bragging, Buckbeak.”
He laughed and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Go to the doctor, Tamar, and find out what’s the cause of these episodes. Then beat it.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll go.”
“Good,” he said before covering her mouth with his. Heat flared to instant life in her chest, her gut, her pussy. She slid her palms up the golden, taut skin of his arms, over the bold tribal tattoo and the tight muscles that stood out in stark relief as he balanced most of his weight on his hands. She didn’t stop until his thick curls were tangled in her fingers. With a hum of pleasure, she gripped his head tight, pulling him closer until their lips and tongues meshed in an erotic battle that had no loser.
Nicolai drew back. “Are you okay?” he asked, his ragged breath hot blasts of air on her lips. His gaze bored into hers, demanding the truth.
“Yes,” she assured him, punctuating the answer with a hard kiss. “Don’t stop.”
“Never.” His vow, serious and fervent, touched her in a place she’d considered dead after Kyle’s betrayal. The place that wanted to believe in the goodness of people. The place that yearned to be innocent and trusting again.
She stared into his lilac eyes and was reminded of the lily. Life, healing and death. Like the flower, Nicolai comprised all of those elements. He brought death to some so his people could live. And healing…well, he’d been healing her since she’d first dreamed of him three years ago.
“You are the most beautiful creature I have ever encountered,” she said, the confession hoarse with the awed longing that clogged her throat, stung her eyes. He was turning her into such a water-head! She’d cried more in the last few days than she had in a year.
His head snapped back as if she’d clipped him on the chin. Surprise parted his lips, slackened his face. In that instant, she guessed no one had ever called him beautiful before. Well shame on them. Someone as devoted, faithful and selfless as him should hear it every day.
When she thought about how that person should be her, she quickly shoved the idea out and locked the door behind it. This wasn’t forever, but here and now, for however long she remained under his protection. To imagine it could be more…that line of thinking would only lead to heartache.
So she would make sure to tell him now…while she had him.
Placing both palms on his chest, she pushed. Complying with her unspoken request, Nicolai straightened. She scooted out from under him and rose, facing him. But she wasn’t satisfied until they’d reversed positions and he had reclined on the pallet and she hovered over him on her hands and knees.
Lowering her torso, she swept her lips over his, back and forth, back and forth. Impatient, Nicolai grasped her nape and hauled her down for a hot, wet kiss. She surrendered to it, her tongue plunging between his lips to tangle and twist with his. He growled into her mouth, angled his head to the side and dove deeper. Planting her hands on either side of his head, she pressed down and gave as good as she got.
She nipped his full bottom lip then slicked her tongue over the small wound. He traced the line of her spine and she arched into the slow, sensuous stroke. When he cupped her ass, she purred.