Chapter 7

I ran as fast as I could, passing halls and hoped I was still in the one we’d walked.

“Autumn.” One of the girls called after me.

I didn’t pause to see who. I could hear several feet hitting the carpeting hard behind me. Turning down a hallway, I spotted the double doors from the dojo and poured on a burst of speed. I raced by them when Michael appeared in front of me.

I skid to a stop, almost falling forward onto my face. He just appeared. He wasn’t near any doors, so he hadn’t taken a short cut. Just appeared.

“Cheater.”

I turned to see Quinton leaning one hand against the wall behind me trying to catch his breath.

“Don’t crowd her.” Michael warned the rest coming up on us.

I turned and looked up at him. “How did you do that?” I backed against the wall, so I could see him and the others out of the corner of my eye.

“I ported.” He said quietly, then glanced to the others. “We’ll be in the girl’s room.”

I was about to ask where that was when he grasped my shoulder.

Then I was standing somewhere else. In a room, not the hall.

He let go of me and stepped back.

My stomach cramped hard enough I had to lean forward. It was the same feeling I’d had when I woke up in the field. “Shit,” I whispered, “they did do that to me.”

“Take deep breaths, it will pass.”

I looked up at him as I waited for my guts to relax again. “This is really another realm, isn’t it?”

He nodded, his eyes not moving from me.

“Yeah.” I nodded and huffed out a breath as I straightened. “The eye thing—” I checked to make sure they were still blue. “Are you guys aliens?”

His lips twitched. “No.”

“Human?”

“Of sorts.” He said quietly. “No one will harm you here, Autumn, you are safe.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Isn’t that what sickos tell their victims?”

“I wouldn’t know.” His tone monotone, like he was working to stay calm.

The door flew open.

I jolted and spun around, ready.

Daxx held up her hands. “Sorry.” She lowered them, then shook her head while looking at Michael. “That’s one way of telling her.”

He jerked his shoulders in a quick shrug. “She can’t deny it if she’s done it.”

I could hear the others in the hallway, but no one came in.

Daxx motioned to a door on the other side of the room. “Grab a robe out of the closet and,” She pointed to the door behind Michael, “go soak. We can talk more after you’ve cleaned up.”

I licked over my lip.

“Don’t say you’re fine.” She motioned up and down my body, “because you are obviously not.” Taking a deep breath, she gave me an exasperated look. “All of us girls are from the same place as you. The fact that you don’t need to wear a device to not drop dead on this side means fate wants you here.” She looked to Michael, “even if some aren’t happy about it.”

I looked at Michael, he raised an eyebrow at Daxx.

“I could have died when I took that off?” I remembered the look on his face when I had tossed it on the desk. The details fit.

He nodded, “I would have gotten it back on before it came to that.”

I touched the side of my face, wishing it would stop throbbing.

Daxx gave me a wide-eyed look then glared at Michael. She looked over her shoulder. “Arius.”

Arius walked up behind her.

“Can you help?’

He looked at her for a second and then over her head to Michael. “Which one?”

She lifted a hand, “Both?”

“I could try but overwriting something that is as ingrained in his memory for this long—” he glanced down to Paisley beside him, “takes a lot. It may not work.” With a quick look to me, he shrugged, “not to mention putting a hand on Autumn might prove to be bad for my health.”

Daxx threw her hands up, then shook her head and stomped over to the closet. She flipped on the light and went in.

I tried to open my mouth further, but the muscles in my jaw objected. This wasn’t good. “What day is it?”

Daxx came out carrying something over her arm. “Tuesday, why?”

“I need to call Joe, before he bets everything. I have a fight tomorrow and there’s no way I’m going to be ready for it.”

Michael snorted, “let him lose it…”

I turned to him. “The fights are my idea. He gives his half to the soup kitchen.”

His hard expression deflated, he turned to Daxx.

She nodded. “I’ll find the number.’

“Ask for Bert—” I shrugged, “that’s his real name. Tell him I got jumped and I’m laying low for a few days recovering.” I touched my lip, checking it wasn’t bleeding again. “They’ll be pissed it’s postponed, which means I have to win.”

“Do you always win?” Troy stood in the doorway now.

I nodded. “I’ve had a few bad ones, but not in a long time. For the past two years, everyone wants to try and beat the crazy blonde chick.” I pointed to myself. “Joe and I have done some great things for the community with the money.”

“I’ll call Joe.” Daxx said then pointed to the other door. “Come on. We’ll have a chat as you soak, or you won’t be fighting anything but a bed for days.”

I sighed. My legs were already threatening to give out. No sleep for two days, plus the exertion from the sprint were adding up. “A tub huh? Can’t say no to that. The idea of a shower and water pelting off me right now makes me okay with being dirty.”

“Is it okay if the girls join us?” She motioned to where Bethany and two of the others stood inside the door.

“Why not. When I pass out, you can stop me from drowning.” I wasn’t used to a lot of female company, but right now they were the only thing that made sense with everything that was happening around me.

Michael and Troy exchanged a look as I followed Daxx in. I stopped inside the door. This was a bathroom? Half of Joe’s gym would fit in here. The tub was the size of a small pool. I looked around. “I guess we’ll all fit.” I mumbled.

Daxx snorted. “I know, it’s probably the biggest tub you’ve ever seen.”

“We had a wine tasting party in one when Bethany was hurt.” Crissy said coming in behind me. She sat beside the door.

I looked at Bethany as she closed the door behind herself.

“I fell off the fire escape from the second story in one of those abandoned dives behind the old Chinese market.”

I knew where she was talking about. “They need to tear those down, or fix them for shelters.”

I watched Paisley turn the tub on as I kicked off the shoes.

Bethany picked them up. “We’ll toss these and get you some real shoes.” She dropped them into a small garbage can.

Daxx motioned to my top. “Do you need a hand?”

I rotated my shoulder slowly; it wasn’t too seized up yet. “No, I think I got it.” Reaching down with my good arm, I pulled the other side of my top up and slipped my arm through it.

“Had a lot of practice with that?” She smirked.

I nodded. “Yeah. You could say that.” Once the shirt cleared my head, I went over to the mirror. I looked at Daxx in the reflection. “Think they’d let me go break more than his face? He slammed his whole weight into me and the wall stopped me from getting out of his way.”

The pain on her face matched how I felt. I looked back in the mirror. The bruising was going to take a few days to come out. “Yeah, better tell Joe I’m down for a few days. Tell him I’ll do a double to keep the organizers happy.”

She nodded and walked out.

I turned to see the other women look at me, compassion oozing from them. “It’s been worse.” I told them. “I got cocky and didn’t consider their size until it was too late.”

“You should drink some blood.” Crissy said quietly. She pointed to Bethany. “It healed her after she fell.”

I struggled out of the track pants, then glanced to Beth.

“I should have died.” She gave me a pained look. “Shattered my leg, hip, shoulder and cracked my head.” She lifted her hands, “a week later I was walking.”

I stood there staring at her. “From drinking blood?”

Paisley smirked. “I know. You’re wondering if you’ve got brain damage right now, or think you’re having some kind of epic dream.”

I nodded slowly. “Close enough.”

“It’s true though.” She leaned over and checked the temperature of the water. “The brother’s blood, there’s something special about them.”

I just continued to stand there and stare at here.

Grinning, she held up her hand, then grabbed the robe and held it out. “Put this on for a second. Unless you want Arius to see you in your underwear.”

I took the robe.

She waited until I put it on then went to the door and opened it a few inches. “Arius, can you come here for a second?”

Bethany got up and turned the water off.

A skeptical Arius opened the door a few inches and looked down at Paisley.

She smiled. “I need you for a demonstration please.”

He glanced over his shoulder then back to her. “For?”

She laughed. “To show Autumn how you heal.”

“Oh.” He looked relieved and stepped in further, leaving the door open halfway behind him. Reaching behind himself, he pulled out a small blade and held it out to her.

She took it then held his hand open on hers.

I moved closer; a bit concerned she was going to cut her man.

He didn’t take his eyes off her as she sliced across his palm.

She looked over at me. “Watch.”

I looked down to see his hand bleeding.

With his eyes glowing red, he looked at her, then raised his hand and licked over his palm. Still looking at her, he turned his hand and held it so I could see.

The cut was gone. No mark was there at all.

“Behave,” she said softly to him.

“How did you do that?” I looked at his hand again.

“My blood, my brothers’ blood—it heals others, and us, rapidly.”

I pulled the robe tighter around me. “I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

He turned and looked at me. “Good thing for us, or we’d be hunted more than we already are.”

He had a point there. I couldn’t argue with that logic.

“Their saliva works too—those who are essence feeders with red eyes.” Crissy said quietly.

I looked back to Paisley.

She frowned. “It’s very hard to put into words.”

“No doubt.” I whispered and backed away.

Daxx pushed the door open and came in. “Joe—Bert, says to rest up, he’ll handle the arrangements and set it up in two days.”

I blew out a breath. Relieved he hadn’t placed bets yet. “Great. Thanks. I should be okay by then.”

“And if you’re not?” She asked, tucking the phone into the back pocket of her jeans.

“Don’t let them hit me and find any tender spots.” I shrugged.

Paisley patted Arius on the chest. “Thank you.”

He grinned down at her. “Anytime, babe.”

She blushed, “behave.” Then she pushed him back toward the door.

Alona brushed past him, then glanced over her shoulder. “I’m fine, Chase. It’s my own emotions I’m struggling with this time.” She closed the door and leaned against it. “I love him, but sometimes…”

“It’s a little smothering?” Daxx offered.

“Yes, a little.” Alona turned to look at me and motioned to the tub. “Please. I know it’s a bit awkward, but it’s us explaining or—” she motioned to the door, “them.”

I took off the robe and then looked at the tub. “No offense, but I’m leaving these on,” I motioned to my underwear.

“None taken.” Alona said. She stood there and looked at me, her emotions plain on her face. Scowling, she turned to Daxx. “And why aren’t they helping her?”

Daxx sat on the counter beside the sink. “I’m not even sure I know what the issue is.”

I went over and slowly stepped into the large tub. Lowering carefully into the water, I sat back. “I’m sleeping here.” I said to no one in particular. “My muscles are very happy right now.”

“I can understand that.” Daxx said with a smirk.

Bethany sat on the tiled area by the foot of the tub. “Leone told me that Michael,” she touched her cheek, “and his scar have something to do with Willis Hubert, Nelson and his sister Eunice and a girl—” she looked at me then to Daxx, “years ago.”

“Vengeance and heartache. Great this could get messy.” Daxx said, then put her head back and sighed.

Alona stood beside the tub, still looking down at me. “If I could give you blood to heal, I would without hesitation.” She frowned. “I have the healing saliva. I’ve been working my way up to deciding if I could lick another woman’s mouth—” she sighed, “it’s not going well.”

I leaned my head to the side and looked at her. “You’re like them?” I looked to Daxx. “You said all of you were from my—our side, realm.”

Daxx nodded. “We are.”

Alona knelt beside the tub. “My father was from here, my mother was not, she was just human.” She glanced to the other women. “We’re fairly certain all of our fathers, or mothers possibly, were from here.”

“Really? And we were all just left behind?”

“No.” She shook her head. “We’re not sure what happened in all of our stories, but I was with my mother until she died when I was a child.” She pointed to Paisley. “Her grandmother raised her.”

I looked around at them. “So, you’re saying we’re all half-breeds from here?”

Bethany shrugged. “We don’t know for sure.” She smiled. “I don’t care what label goes with my background. I’m happy here with Leone.” She sighed, “Okay, I’d be happier if we could put a stop to this Hubert guy, so he’ll stop abducting and hurting people.”

“How bad is it?” The looks on their faces told me more was going on.

‘It’s bad.” Paisley said quietly. “I won’t go into the whole story right now, because it’s a lot to deal with while learning that another realm exists and—all that goes with it, but I’ve seen pictures of women whose faces look like yours, and they didn’t get that way fighting the guards.” She sighed. “It’s bad for both realms right now.”

“So, I’ve landed in a war is what you’re saying.”

She glanced to Bethany then nodded.

Putting my head back, I closed my eyes. My entire life I’d been fighting to help people in one way or another. I always knew deep down in my soul this was what I was meant to do. Now here I was in another realm, in a time when women, and people in general, were in a war. Whatever fate’s reason was for landing me here didn’t matter. I opened my eyes and looked at each of these women I felt a kinship with. “I’ll help.” I nodded. “I wasn’t kidding about going back and seeing if I can find that redheaded bitch. She told them to drug me and chain me up. We have unfinished business, her and I.”

“The guys aren’t going to like it.” Daxx said.

“I’m not really asking.” I told her softly.

“The guys—” Crissy whispered, “are out there arguing.”

All of us turned and looked at the door.

“That’s bullshit, Michael.” One of the men growled.

I wasn’t sure which one it was.

“Look at what I went through to help Bethany.”

I glanced at Bethany, it must be Leone barking on the other side of the door, judging by the gentle smile on her face.

“It’s been over three hundred years, get over it.” Leone spat out.

I looked back to Beth, she nodded.

“Perk of this realm, you live a lot longer.”

“Shh.” Daxx held up her hand.

“Let Arius help you.”

That voice I knew, it was Troy. He had a tone that commanded, and you couldn’t mistake it for one of the others.

I glanced to Paisley for clarification about what her man could do.

“Arius can place suggestions inside your head.” She whispered.

My eyebrows went up, despite the pain from my face. Lived hundreds of years, can get inside peoples’ minds—what had I been dropped into?

“Stop looking at me like that.”

Michael said it loud enough to understand clearly through the door.

“You think I want it to be this way? Right now, I’m fighting my impulse to go to the cells and crush their throats in my hands.” He sounded like he was in as much pain as I was.

The women were all looking at the door. The next voice was too hushed to hear.

Someone tapped on the door. “Daxx.”

It was Troy.

She jumped off the counter and went over and opened it a crack. “Yeah.” She looked up.

“Please ask Autumn to cover up. I’d like to come in for a moment.”

She turned to look at me. I started to get up when Alona waved her hand for me to stay and went over and grabbed a towel. She brought it over and put it in the water, then pulled it up, making sure it covered me from thighs to armpits.

Glancing over her shoulder, she nodded to Daxx.

Daxx opened the door further and Troy came in.

“I’ll go find something for you to put on after.” Bethany rushed to the door and went out before Daxx closed it.

Troy stood there for a moment, his jaw tense, then he looked at Alona. “Chase and Arius had to go to the apartment to stop Emil from doing something he’d regret.”

She frowned. “What’s going on?”

The nerve in his jaw pulsed. “Rena is pregnant.”

The women’s gasps had me sitting up, clutching the towel against my chest.

Alona covered her mouth and then nodded. “I’ll go over for Rena.”

He nodded.

She turned and looked at me. “I’ll be back shortly.”

I shrugged, not knowing what was going on. “Do what you have to.”

Nodding abruptly, she closed her eyes, then was gone. Vanished. Disappeared. Just gone.

“Shit,” I whispered.

Paisley let out a shaky breath. “We didn’t get there in time.”

I gave her a look, once again not understanding what was going on.

“Emil’s daughter, Rena was taken to the island—” she shook her head not saying anything further.

I looked to Daxx, then to Crissy, both were fighting to keep their emotions at bay. I grabbed the side of the tub and got up, not caring if the towel covered everything or not. “Okay, chief,” I nodded to Troy, “give me blood or whatever it takes. I don’t have time to be down.”

Paisley got up and quickly held out her hand, so I could balance better.

Troy’s gaze moved down over my body slowly. “Sit back down.” He said in a low tone. “Please.”

Daxx came over and helped hold the towel while I lowered my stiff body back into the water. Once I was seated, she looked over her shoulder to her man. “We could use her skills, Troy.”

He nodded. “I’m aware.” His expression showed pain for a brief moment as he looked at me, then he turned to Daxx. “Even if I could overcome the bonds of fate binding us together for a brief moment—” he motioned to me, without looking at me, “with her mouth that way she couldn’t take it unless you stabbed me in the heart with a straw.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I cannot even—” he straightened and looked down at her, “contemplate healing her mouth, the very image of it makes…”

Daxx went over to him and rubbed her hand on his chest. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hold fidelity against you.”

He huffed out a breath. “I’m one step short of strangling my own brother right now.”

She nodded. “Get in line.”

I looked from them to Paisley. “What am I missing? I know my face isn’t pretty right now…”

She shook her head and smirked. “It has nothing to do with you.” She lifted her arm and touched the inked design on it. “This is a mating mark. No two couples have the same. Once completed, neither can even contemplate cheating on each other.”

I looked at her arm, then to Troy watching me carefully. “There’s nothing wrong with that. If that could work in my realm, there would be fewer kids from broken homes.”

He inclined his head in a regal way. “Your understanding is humbling.” Taking a deep breath, he glanced to his wife, mate, whatever she was. “I don’t know if it will work, but if we move quickly it may aid her a bit.”

Daxx frowned. “What are you thinking?”

Troy looked over to the sink. “Grab that glass.” He came over and stood beside the tub.

I felt like a tiny child looking up at him looming over me.

“The blood needs to be fresh, pulsing—” he glanced to me, then pulled a knife from his boot. “If we move quickly it may benefit you.” He looked to Daxx. “I don’t know if it will work.”

She looked at me, then held up the glass. “Brownie points for trying.”

My brain caught up. I tilted my head back and tried to open my mouth further. It wasn’t wide open, but it would work. “Just pour it in.” I said then struggled to keep my mouth open. Later, I was going to have some serious creeped out moments when I thought about this. I was letting them pour warm blood in my mouth from a strange man in another realm. How hard had I cracked my head?

Daxx sat on the edge of the tub and held the glass up. “Better make a double cut.” She said softly.

He nodded. “My thought as well.” Holding his hand over the glass, he scored it twice with the blade. He didn’t even wince.

We all watched the blood drip in the silence. Then Daxx nodded and turned to me. “Bottoms up.” She whispered, then emptied the contents into my mouth.

I swallowed it and then looked at her. “That’s one for the memories.”

She snorted. “Oh, I know, it’s a never-ending adventure here.” She stared at my mouth then looked up at Troy and shook her head.

“Fuck.” He clamped his jaw shut.

Bethany came in, her eyes were red like she’d been crying. “I just sent Leone over to help with Emil and his sons.”

Troy nodded. “Quinton and Rafael still here?”

She nodded. “Leone told both of them to stay with Michael.”

“Good.”

She looked from him to the glass, then to me. “It didn’t work?”

Daxx shook her head and stood up. “No.”

Going over to the counter, Bethany set the clothes down. “I found a cami set.” She motioned up and down her body. “So, it doesn’t press against any injuries.”

I didn’t know what a cami set was but nodded. “Thanks.”

Troy huffed out a breath. “Help her get dressed.” He went to the door. “Give me a moment.” He said under his breath. He opened the door and went out. It didn’t close completely behind him.

“Oh shit.” Daxx whispered, then hurried and grabbed a towel. “My king is about to speak.”

Paisley and Beth came to the tub and held out their hands to me. I didn’t know what was going on, but I took them and let them help me up. Daxx held out the towel and then wrapped it around me.

I bent down and pulled off the wet underwear.

“I just tried.” Troy’s voice came through the door. “Raf, go bring Abraham and Ellis back to the guard compound. They’re to not go anywhere without an escort.”

“On it.” Rafael said quickly.

“Quinton you stay.”

I pulled my arms free of the bra as Paisley undid it for me. Bethany knelt and patted my legs dry.

There was a loud thud in the other room. The sound you’d hear when someone was smacked up against a wall.

“You will help her. If you cannot bring yourself to do it—step down and Quinton will.” Troy said in a tone that sent a shiver up my spine.

I took the silkie shorts from Bethany and pulled them on.

“I am not asking, Michael.” Troy growled.

Taking the top from Bethany, I pulled it on, then slipped my arms into the robe Paisley held out.

“Ladies,” Troy said in a rough voice through the door, “let’s give Michael and Autumn a few moments of privacy.”

Daxx looked at me and gave me a questioning look.

I nodded. I didn’t know what to expect, only knew if they could help me, I’d take it. I had retribution to dish out, and right now I couldn’t win a fight against a mannequin if I tried.

Paisley and Beth both gave me a quick look, then went out the door. Daxx followed.

Michael’s large body filled the doorway. His expression was hard. No emotions. He was completely closed off right now.

I could respect someone that was able to shut off their emotion that way. Only the best fighters were able to do that.

His gaze moved down over me slowly. The blank look on his face turned to anger.

I looked down and realized the robe was hanging open, the silky underwear Bethany had brought wasn’t hiding much. I moved to close it and he came toward me quickly and stopped my hands. Normally I’d break them if someone touched me like that, but the hard expression on his face stopped me.

“I didn’t know it was this bad.” He said quietly and moved the robe aside to look again.

“Nothing is broken.” I said and pulled the robe closed.

His blue eyes moved to hold my own in a gaze filled with torment. “I’d—” he inhaled sharply. “Let me help you.”

It was more of a statement than a request.

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him thanks, but no when he motioned to the counter.

“Please.” He said softly.

I licked over my swollen lip and went over and hopped up on the counter, then immediately regretted doing it. The sudden movement made all my injuries remind me of their locations.

Michael made a soft noise in the back of his throat and came over. He stopped before he reached me. “To do that I will have to be close to you.”

I could hear the hesitation in his voice. “Look, I know you don’t want to—donate blood, or whatever…”

“It isn’t that I don’t want to, please don’t misunderstand.” He motioned to my face. “I could not in good conscience allow anyone, any innocent to suffer.”

“I wouldn’t say innocent, that—”

“You did not ask to be pulled into a battle that was not your choosing, to become a pawn in another’s sick plan, so you are the innocent here.”

I couldn’t argue with that reasoning. “If you don’t want to, your brother…”

“Will not. It is who you are that I struggle with.”

I frowned. “No idea what you’re saying.”

He took a deep breath. “Explanations will have to be another time, when I’ve reconciled with it.” He reached toward my face, then paused, his gaze flicking to mine. “I apologize if the intimacy of this offends you, just know it is the only way to hasten your recovery.”

I looked at his mouth, then back to his eyes. “You’re going to lick my mouth, aren’t you?”

He gave me a blank look.

“Alona debated doing that, but couldn’t bring herself to do it.”

“I see.” He took another deep breath and touched my jaw, gently tipping my chin up. His hand was shaking.

I looked up to see his eyes closed and wondered what kind of demons he was fighting.

When he opened them, red eyes looked down at me.

“A bit freaky,” I whispered but didn’t look away.

His gaze looked at my mouth as he leaned closer.

I could feel his breath on my mouth, reflexively I licked my lips a second before his tongue stroked over my throbbing lip. It stung and was awkward, but exciting at the same time. I decided I’d better keep the last part to myself. When he lifted his head, I licked my lip and went wide-eyed when the area that had been split open was healed. I looked from his eyes to his magic mouth, ready to joke about how he could make a fortune when I noticed fangs. “Uh…”

“They are not what you think.” His voice was shaking.

“I think they’re freaking fangs for biting.”

“They are not to harm.”

I leaned back and looked up at him. “Yeah, you just need them for chewing steak?” My heart was racing now. Stupid, stupid brain. Should have listened to my flight alarms.

“Autumn,” he said quietly. “I am not going to bite you.”

I looked at his mouth to see no fangs, then quickly to his blue eyes. “Freaking out here. Not a good thing.” I told him.

“I know. If it helps, I’m freaking out too.”

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “Yeah, you look like it, standing there like a statue, no emotions at all.”

“I’ve just had more time to learn to control my emotions.”

I nodded. “Yeah, caught that earlier. Three hundred years, huh?” I looked him up and down. “You’ll have to give me a list of supplements you take to look that good.”

His mouth quirked. “I’ll be sure to do that.” His eyes searched mine. Then with a shaking hand he reached up and touched the swollen area surrounding my eye. “I’m trying to work up the courage to help take this away.”

“You don’t strike me as a man that is lacking courage.” I was lying to myself through this, I wanted to see this magic blood in action, but after the whole fang thing, my own nerves were prodding me to bail.

“I hadn’t thought I did—but I’ve never found something I fear this much.” He said quietly, dropping his hand away.

I licked my lip that was now just swollen. “You swing swords—two of them that outweigh me, I can’t possibly scare you.”

He reached and started to undo the leather vest he wore. “You I don’t fear, but it is what you represent that I do.”

I watched as he undid his vest, trying to figure out what exactly that meant. No sleep was catching up fast, I couldn’t put it together. Then I was a little distracted when he bared his chest and abdomen. Not only was he over three hundred years old, but he also had muscle tone the guys at the gym would kill for. When he pulled a blade from behind him, I leaned away.

“It’s not for you.” He said, his voice uneven.

I looked up to see the battle taking place behind his eyes. “You’re cutting your chest.” I looked at the perfectly toned muscle. “That chest—is a work of art.”

He shook his head. “I heal fast.”

“Right.” I licked my lips nervously, this time, not just to feel the lack of injury to them. “I thought you’d just cut your hand like Troy did.”

“Closest to the heart works best.” He cleared his throat. “My brother was only trying to save me battling demons.”

I dragged my eyes from his bared flesh back to his face. “Demons?”

Something sad went through his eyes briefly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve—” he looked at the swelling in my face. “We’ll have a slight bond after this.”

“Bond?” I was starting to feel like my intelligence was lacking when all my brain could come up was one word at a time.

“I wasn’t sure if the women had explained.” He said softly, looking back to my eyes. “We’ll have a connection—” he frowned, “I’m not sure how to put this into words. A temporary emotional connection after this.”

I searched his eyes. “Seriously?”

Michael inclined his head. “Yes. It’s not intrusive. I am able to control my emotions, meaning that you won’t even know it’s there.”

“So, you’re what, inside my head or something?” I frowned, not even able to know how that was possible with drinking blood. Yeah, I’d just thought that. Drinking blood. “I’m—I’d like to wake up now. This is all just a dream—I must have a concussion, right?”

He glanced at my forehead. “You may, in fact, have one.”

I blew out a nervous breath. “Okay, before I wig out, lets recap.” I nodded. “Your blood will heal my injuries—but we’ll have some temporary emotional bond that will be void anyway because you can be iceman, right?”

His blue eyes locked on mine. “Close enough.”

Inhaling deep, I exhaled, then nodded. “Let’s do it before I wimp out. I have some retribution to dish out and a fight to win in two days, and I need to be at one hundred percent.”

The muscle in his jaw pulsed for a moment, then he lifted the blade. “It will heal closed within a minute, so…”

“Move fast. Got it.” I huffed out another nervous breath. This was really happening. Not that it was going to be a hardship to put my mouth on that chest, but still—blood. I winced as he dragged the blade across his own chest. I didn’t wait to see if he bled like normal people, just leaned forward and put my mouth over it before I could change my mind. It didn’t have the metallic taste that Troy’s had, which I’d think about later. Michael inhaled deeply and rested his jaw against my head. When it sealed closed, I moved back and looked at where the cut had been. There was no evidence of it at all. If this was an illusion, I wasn’t sure I wanted to wake up from it, because honestly that was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. I looked up to see glowing red eyes looking down at me. He searched my face.

“Get some rest.” He spun on his heels and stomped from the bathroom.

I sat there for a second.

Quinton leaned around the door and looked in. He smiled at me, then winked. “Get some rest.” He left as well.

I sighed and dropped my head into my hands. I was… I turned and looked in the mirror. There was no swelling on my face, anywhere. Slipping from the counter, I turned a looked again. It was still slightly discolored in a few spots, but that was nothing compared to what it had been. I opened the robe and yanked it off my shoulder, then looked in the mirror again. Other than a few faded marks, it was like none of the blows had happened.

“Shit.” I whispered and the bit my lip lightly, just checking to see if it was all a hallucination. It wasn’t.