Dying Wish: A Novel of the Sentinel Wars by Shannon K. Butcher

the terminated call.
    Iain captured her hand from his face and leaned forward, burying his nose against her neck. He nudged the high collar of her shirt, trying to move it out of his way.
    Panic gripped her before she could catch herself. He wasn’t a demon. He didn’t want her blood. Still, she didn’t want him to see the scars there—the rough patches of skin left behind from the constant feedings she’d endured. They were ugly reminders of her captivity. Even she could barely stand to look at them.
    She managed to pull one hand free and hold her collar in place. “Don’t.” Her voice was cold, final.
    He stopped, lifting his head. His black eyes studied her face. A slight frown creased his brow. She couldn’t tell if he was upset, confused, or both. And then all emotions vanished from his face as if they’d never been there. It was as if he’d flipped a switch and simply turned them off. “I need to take you back to Dabyr.”
    “No.”
    “This isn’t right. If I stay with you, I’m going to forget that.”
    “What if I don’t care?”
    “You will. When it’s over. You’d care. I can’t do anything to knowingly hurt you. I have to retain my honor.”
    His honor? That’s what this was about? “Sleeping with me isn’t honorable?”
    He looked at her mouth again and she saw dark need flicker in his eyes. “Not if I know it’s not what you really want.”
    The heat inside of her began to dissipate, allowing her to think clearly. He was right. They couldn’t do this. As much as she’d enjoy a few fleeting moments of pleasure, she had to live with herself once this was over. This was her chance to make a break from these people, not tie herself to one of them. “You should leave me. I’ll be fine on my own.”
    His nostrils flared in anger and his grip on her hand tightened. “I won’t let you die, which is what would happen if I leave you alone. We’re going back. You can pick someone else to escort you.”
    “Someone else who won’t do exactly what you’re doing right now?” she asked. “Is there a man there who will let me live my life in peace? Because if there is, just name him, and I’ll happily go be with him.”
    His lips flattened, and she swore she saw a flash of something dangerous lurking in his eyes. She knew he wasn’t human, but what she saw reminded her just how far away from human he really was.
    “I don’t want you to be with anyone else,” he told her. “But you can’t save me. When I touch you, it’s hard to remember that.”
    “Then don’t touch me.” Even as she said the words, she hoped he would ignore them. As much as she didn’t want to be part of his world, she didn’t want to lose the way she felt now, with those warm strings of bubbles bursting inside of her. Feeling want, desire. She’d felt so horrible and cold for so long, and he made even the memory of that frigid terror fade.
    He gave her a resigned look. “Hold still,” he ordered. “I’m going to move away. Slowly.”
    She nodded her understanding and let her fingers loosen in his grip. He leaned back, then scooted his hips away, and then slowly, painfully, he disengaged their fingers until he made contact with only the tip of her index finger.
    He pulled away and instantly went pale. A low, pained moan erupted from his chest, and his brow beaded up with sweat.
    Jackie sat utterly still, biting the inside of her lip to keep from reaching for him. A metallic hint of blood hit her tongue. Her gut twisted with worry, while the warmth inside of her fizzed away until it was all gone. She hated seeing any living thing in pain, and despite her desire to have nothing to do with him, that didn’t mean she wanted him to suffer.
    He clutched his stomach and panted. His eyes were scrunched closed, and his powerful body trembled like he was freezing.
    She gathered a blanket from the bed and tossed it over him, making sure she didn’t touch even his clothing.
    He looked up. His eyes were red and his