page11 (1/2)

Then, in a singsong voice, she called, "Here, Boa! Come, my sweetheart!"

Su with me?"

"I', if that's what you mean"

The lights began flickering, the candles fluttering An ominous air stifled the room

"There you are," she cooed-to the boa constrictor slithering from a hole in the floor

A big hole in the floor

"Ah, fk h a hundred and fifty pounds His Instinct was screaet Chloe away fro back in the motherfuckin' hole, Loa!"

As if Chloe sensed the snake, she turned her face into Will's palm

Unperturbed, Loa said, "Boa keeps death away And your female has lost a lot of blood Do you want us to save her or not?"

Eventually, he gave a curt nod But when the boa began to cliym, he almost lost his nerve

Fro it over Chloe's face Again the lights flickered, the candle fla

"What the hell was that?"

"A narcotic So for the pain" At his look, she said, "Relax Your new mate will just be a touch bamcocked"

"What?"

"Buzzed"

Chloe moaned then, and her lids fluttered open to reveal the bonniest hazel eyes he'd ever seen "Hi," sheup at him She raised one hand, evidently to press it to her forehead, but ending up

He sed, voice gone hoarse as he answered, "Hi, yourself" You'reeyes Her irises seemed to hold every color, like when sunset burns across the sea: golds, bronzes, greens, blues

Theto wake any e as usual

"Feel funny Um, I'm stoned I think"

"We're getting you patched up, sweet" He brushed her light brown hair off her forehead Her tresses were drying into sun-streaked tawny curls that felt soft as gossamer

She sighed "You look different than I iined"

The obligatory gushing would follow: You're so hot, you're gorgeous, you're sexy-

"You have kind eyes"

"Do I, then?" Again, his voice was hoarse "Chloe, I need you to be strong and get well"

"Because I'm your, um, mate?"

"And mayhap because I fancy you I want to know you better"

She motioned haphazardly at her side "Rub some dirt on it S'll be fine"

"Rub some dirt, then?" he repeated, unable to keep the amusement from his tone "I like your attitude, lass"

When she grinned crookedly, his heart thudded I think I'm bluidy in love

Gods, he was so eager for this, too eager, running headlong Experience told his in him he'd never experienced before They were so different fro he'd ever known that he wanted to seize these feelings with ten claws "Doona worry, I'll take care of you" He grasped her hand in his "You're going to be all right"

Chloe's gaze drifted to Loa "That a snake?"

Loa said, "She keeps death away"

Chloe blinked those big eyes up at hiI've heard tonight"

Loa popped open the medicine jar, handed it to hiri out a generous dollop Heto work?"

She nodded "Between that, ood hands"

He told Chloe, "Going to put some medicine on your wound" While Loa chanted, he sen peroxide,Chloe wince Sweat dotted her brow as she clenched her jaw against the pain, not"There's my brave lass"

Loa murmured, "Distract her, wolf"

"Oh, aye Uh, who do you play football for?"

She grated, "You're lookingat the Seattle Reign'splaymaker"

He alrinned at her cocky tone His ht?

Then his brows drew together She'd said she was a center forward? Without a doubt, it was the most hazardous position, bound to leave those scars She'd been getting her arse kicked out on a field "Are you no' a bit wee to play football in the big leagues?"

At once, her eyes narrowed, her stubborn chin jutting "It's soccer And I made the Olympic team, ahole"

Bluidy-in-love He soleies"

She et it"

Gods, she couldn't beto him

When her lids slid closed and she went limp once more, he said, "Wait, Chloe, stay with me!"

The priestess said, "No, let her rest"

"I canna lose her, Loa" Because already he needed her In the short span since he'd found her, changes had been occurring inside hi into place

He now had a purpose He was her protector There'd be noNo more benders

Everyone in the clan spoke of hoarding it felt to protect a ined that it would belife-changing

Munro ducked in fro Chloe's hand in both of his Will briefly glanced up, not bothering to hide what he was feeling

Munro's brows drew together With a nod of understanding, he turned back to guard the entrance

"Just let the medicine do its job," Loa said "And remember, Boa's here"

While the paste continued to fizzle, Will wetted the towel and washed off the worst of the blood covering his mate

Loa brought hientles So no' a problem for me

Peeling off what reure was as bonny as her face She wore a tiny bra over full, pert brsts Her panties covered a lot, but they also highlighted how narrow her waist was, how toned her legs He could tell she was an athlete, yet she still had curves in all the right places

Women's football-excuse me, women's soccer-was officially his favorite sport

By the tie, the paste on her wound had dried into a hard shell And he could've sworn Chloe's color was already better "Is the shell thing nore her