She watched every move they made as they worked. If they decided to try anything crazy or weird, she’d be ready to attack in a second, but they never did.

An herb mixture was combined with water into a pulp-like concoction that they pressed over Alrik’s wounds. She swore she heard a fizzling sound when it touched the infected flesh. After the pesto-looking mixture covered each of the bubbled wounds, the demons stood and started to walk away.

“Wait, what happens next?”

The tallest of the three, a man with beautiful dark skin like mahogany and long, wild braided hair spoke up. “We watch him. The herbs will heal him but it takes time.”

“Okay, thank you.”

The man shook his head, a frown on his mouth. “Don’t thank us, thank Aidan. We wouldn’t have helped this man if it meant saving our own lives.”

Abby snorted in disbelief. “You hate him that much?”

The man stared at Alrik’s prone, unmoving form. Hate and rage swirled in his eyes, barely leashed. “Yes, that much.”

She didn’t get it. What could he have done that’d make these people hate him so much? He’d kidnapped her but things hadn’t been that bad. He never hurt her physically or emotionally since she’d known him. She’d rate him a pretty fair kidnapper overall.

“Why?” she asked. She had to know.

The man shook his head. “That’s for him to tell you, not me.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Abby watched over Alrik as night grew heavy and the demon’s fires burned brighter. A strange, dark colored tattoo covered his side. It must have been painted before he was cursed because the colors and design could barely be made out. Damn she hated this. She couldn’t stop thinking about what the demon said. What could he have done that was so terrible that these demons shunned themselves to leave their kingdom?

She wanted to defend him and stand up for him, but she didn’t know what she’d say because she still didn’t really know much about him. That actually hurt, probably much more than it should.

She didn’t talk to anyone for the rest of the night, not even when Aidan tried to draw her into conversation. Too much was on her mind. The woman’s name Alrik spoke last night, the hate these demon’s had for him, and the jaheera demon attacking them. It was all too much to take. A part of her wanted to forget all of this. She wished it’d never happened, but a part of her rebelled at the thought. Then that’d mean she’d never have met Alrik. She forced herself to stop thinking about him, about everything. It was exhausting work.

When her eyelids grew tired she didn’t sleep by Alrik’s side but by herself.

A big hand covered her mouth, stifling her air supply.

Abbigail jerked awake on a startled scream. Only her eyes focused on a dark, handsome face above hers. Her heart leaped at seeing him awake for the first time since the jaheera attack. Slowly, he pulled his hand away and pressed his cheek to hers, his lips to her ear. One arm curled around her waist, pulling her into his heat. Instantly, her body relaxed against his and soaked up his warm touch.

“Speak quietly, they are still sleeping,” he whispered.

Blinking the sleep away, she realized it was still dark out. She could hear the crackling of the fire, the wind blowing tree leaves, and a few deep snores coming from the demons.

“What’s going on?” she whispered back.

He looked over his shoulder then pressed his lips to her ear. God, she didn’t want to like it, but seeing him alive and well, feeling his strength and heat wrapped around her sent a raw shiver down her body. Nothing could have stopped her from reaching around his back and holding him.

His muscles stiffened under her touch. She stilled too. For some reason, things felt different now. He didn’t know about everything that had happened since he’d been passed out. He had no idea she heard him say that name that haunted her dreams before he woke her.

Touching him almost felt like touching a stranger. That was until his head turned and his lips dipped to press a kiss to her neck. Her breath caught at the soft touch, her body becoming aware of him in a way that was impossible to ignore. Before she knew what he was about to do, he tilted her head and his lips caught hers in a devastating kiss. All doubts fled. This was real, not some petty, jealous idea she’d conjured up to fill her mind. This man in her arms, kissing her with hunger and passion, was real.

He kissed her slowly, leisurely as if he was sampling from her. Firm lips captured hers. Wet and smooth his tongue slid inside, curling against hers. It felt like so much more. Kisses never felt like this like the world stopped turning just because of it, like the pleasure shared between them was the only thing that mattered in her life.

Then he broke the kiss, shattering the foggy haze he’d pulled over her brain. His lips were wet, and his breathing louder; she couldn’t stop staring up at him. He looked like some kind of fertility god people used to worship—sexy, strong, and vibrating with health.

His lips pressed against her ear again to whisper. His voice was deep, soft, and low. “We have to get out of here right now.”

“Do you—”

“Quiet,” he whispered in her ear, once again checking behind his shoulder. “I want you to get up and follow me.”

“Wait!”

Alrik cast her a lethal glare. “Whatever you need to say will wait until we are far away from Aidan and his men.”

They were beginning to sound like two students trying desperately hard to have a conversation during class and not get caught by the teacher. In her world, she’d always been caught.

Her hands kneaded the strong warm muscles in his back. They did need to talk, like right now because she was so done playing around with him. She wanted answers about everything and she wasn’t going to practice magic again until he told her. She wasn’t stupid. She’d wait, but not for much longer. Something much bigger was on the line for her now. Something, that if he broke, she knew would never fit back together right.

“Fine, but we need to talk.”

The infamous four words, ‘we need to talk’, were apparently not unknown to Alrik because he jerked his gaze to hers and his eyes rounded wearily.

“Fine, just stay quiet and watch your step.”

He stood without a sound, no knees cracking, no squishing the grass beneath his feet. Just a smooth, graceful move like a cat prowling. Abby wasn’t so athletic. She took his outstretched hand and stood but having just woken up she wobbled on her feet. Her left ankle wasn’t quite awake yet. It felt heavy and hot as blood rushed to it.

“My foot’s asleep,” she whispered.

Alrik’s jaw clenched so hard, she could see the bone working as he ground it. With a shake of his head, he bent to the waist and lifted her into his arms. She almost squealed, but managed to clamp her lips shut just in time to meet his warning gaze. Strange, but some kind of feminine glee filled her. He was carrying her like Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind, though decidedly less romantic since they were escaping from some demons and not going to a sexy bedroom to make passionate love. Yeah, she liked the other scenario better.

He managed to keep his steps surprisingly light and quiet. Abby clung to his broad shoulders keeping her chin tucked against his muscular shoulder and her gaze locked on the campground. She blinked then scanned the makeshift beds on the grass again.

She was counting them but came up three short. No, make that four, she amended. Aidan’s pallet was bare as well.

“Um, Alrik—”

“Not now.”

He started running with long barreling steps. The man was tall and strong, and boy could he move fast. Not once did his grip on her waver. She jerked her gaze forward just in time to see them nearing the massive black fissure the demon created before it died.