Henry waited until the succubus disappeared up the stairs before he went down into the training room. He flicked the fluorescent overhead lights on; the buzz of the lights already soothed an ounce of tension from him. Opting for the punching bag, he went to the corner of the room to tape up his hands. Working out always soothed him. He wrapped the tape carefully around his bare hands for the perfect fit. He flexed his taped hands to make sure the binding was not too tight or loose.

He started slowly, with a one-two rhythm. His muscles warmed in his arms and stomach and bent legs. He faked left and right as he landed a rapid succession of blows to the bag. Soon he hit the bag harder, cutting into it, pounding it with his fists with deeply satisfying strikes that eased the thoughts on his mind while also setting them free.

Yesterday he’d kissed Nanu. His right hook caught the bag and sent it soaring high into the air before it swung back down. Beautiful, golden Nanu. He shouldn’t have. Fuck if he didn’t know that, but some selfish part of him had been desperate to know how she tasted.

Some part had even wondered that maybe if he just got one taste, a sample, then he could move on from her. Stop thinking about her every time he returned from a mission, every time he walked the halls and wondered if he’d run into her, every time he lay his head against his pillow at night.

It hadn’t worked. If anything, it was worse. She was like a drug he’d tasted and now craved with every fiber of his being. He’d thought she’d invaded his thoughts before, now she had moved in, unpacked and was sleeping there. Nanu with her sharp mind, steady hands, and husky voice. Nanu and the way she looked at him with innocence and desire. Nanu, the golden goddess, he couldn’t have.

He shoved all his anger and energy into his punches, felt the distant slick of sweat beating down his face. Each thud pounded, echoed in his ears until all thoughts of her were pushed from his mind and all he saw was the red blur of the bag swinging with each of his hits.

A soft touch at his back, had him spinning around with a growl, his arm pulled back ready to throw. He stopped, shaking with the force to stay his arm from finishing the punch.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he growled, his voice laden with hot anger.

Nanu trembled and looked from him to his fist as he slowly lowered it. When she looked back at him, he saw fear there and wanted to laugh. See, this was why. That look.

“I, I heard noise down here and wanted to see who it was.”

Shaking his head, he sat heavily on the bench and started pulling the tape off his hands.

“Why?”

“I was just curious.” He didn’t look at her, couldn’t. For all he knew she had a fling going on with one of the other warriors. It wouldn’t surprise him in the least. She was gorgeous, smart, gentle. What kind of man could resist? He was on the verge of asking her which warrior it was, but bit his tongue until pain lanced through him.

He finished pulling the tape off and grabbed a towel to wipe up the sweat from his face.

His shirt and shorts were plastered to him but whatever. She’d seen him at worse times. And she was fucking off limits.

“You know you really shouldn’t be exercising so soon. I gave you a four day reprieve from any training.” She sounded concerned. She probably was. There was so much sweetness in her. Things he didn’t know how to deal with.

“I know,” he said gruffly. He snatched a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and downed the whole thing.

“Then why are you here, Henry?” She sounded exasperated.

Well good, let her be pissed. She shouldn’t have kissed him. I shouldn’t have let her.

Gotta get out of here. He made for the door, but she stepped in front of him. It was either brush by her to get around her or push her away. He couldn’t make himself do either.

“I was working out, as you saw. Move out of my way, Nanu.” Her lips were dark, the

color of dark cherry.

“No,” she said with a lift to her chin. “I want to talk about what happened.”

He sighed loudly and peered over at the punching bag. He could probably work the bag for at least another couple of hours. He started towards it, but a soft hand pulled on his arm. He looked down, his eyes narrowing on the stark contract of her bronzed skin to his lighter skin. It made his gut clench.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Nanu.” He watched her jaw tighten. The same way it did when she was working over a warrior, stitching him up. It was her look of pure, raw determination. Her I-will-not-fail look, and it was aimed at him. He was screwed. “Fine, talk fast. I need to get out of here.”

“Why have you been avoiding me? I sent a note that you should check in with me today so I can rewrap the gauze with a clean one.”

“You know why I didn’t come by.” He looked at her, his eyes unflinching in their

honesty. He watched her swallow hard. Her cheeks darken with color. Dammit. He needed to get out of here.

“Because of the kiss,” she said softly. He took an unsteady breath, his tongue rubbing over his lips in remembrance. Her taste no longer lingered, that he’d made sure of with half a tube of toothpaste and a bottle of mouthwash. But none of that could wipe away the memory of how her lips felt pressed softly against his. Like warm satin.

Her eyes softened, the golden specs around her pupils sparkling up at him. “I liked kissing you, Henry.”

Whoosh. All the air in his gut left him, and his dick hardened in his shorts.

“Yeah, well it isn’t going to happen again. In fact this will be the last time we speak of it, ever.” Shit, there was no hiding the thick arousal that filled his voice. He could only hope she wouldn’t pick up on it.

“Why not? I think we both enjoyed it. You did enjoy it, didn’t you?” She looked so

unsure. How could this woman ever doubt her ability to knock the socks off a man? She was stunning, and when she kissed, it was like a dream. Maybe she was just playing him up, trying to be coy. But no, that wasn’t her way. She was an upfront woman. She wanted to know why he couldn’t be with her? Shit he had (at least) two good reasons.

“It doesn’t matter if I enjoyed it, Nanu, because it isn’t happening again.”

She stepped up into him, pressing her body lightly against him, cautious of his stomach injury. Her hands perched like hummingbirds on his pecks.

“Why can’t it happen again? I think about you, Henry. I dream about you.” Her voice was a bare whisper, a gentle tickle over his ear. Her warmth permeated his body, making him want to pull her closer, wrap himself around her. Bitterness crept in. He stepped back, welcoming the chill over his sweaty skin.

“It doesn’t matter why.”

“Of course it does,” she said with a shake of her head. Her dark hair whipped side to side.

Her hair shined in the light. He’d always wondered how it would feel if he touched it. Slightly coarse, satin soft, or something altogether different. “Henry, please just tell me why we can’t be together.”

Henry stilled and looked away from her. She was so adamant. Frustration laced her voice.

It hurt to know that he was denying her. Fine, he’d tell her. He’d tell her then never speak of it again and avoid her at all costs. Even if that meant disobeying his commander, because after she knew the truth, he wouldn’t be able to hide his bitterness or anger.

Henry locked gazes with her and marched up to her, cupping her face in his hands. She stretched towards him as if she’d been waiting for this moment. Her eyes fluttered like they wanted to close, her lips moved toward his. If he wasn’t as tall as he was, she might have come close to reaching them too.

“Open your eyes. Look at me when I tell you this, Nanu.” She did, the crinkles at the corner of her eyes pulling tight with concern. “I won’t be with you because I can’t do what I do and come back to someone like you. I take lives for a living, you save them. It doesn’t mix. It won’t work. Blood is on my hands every single day, no matter how much I wash. It’s always there. The faces of those I take are always with me. I kill fathers, brothers, sons, people with families. I am a killer, Nanu, not a man for you.”