anymore.”
She didn’t blame him for his puzzled look. Whenever she told someone this story they always looked that way. And then came the inevitable question.
“So you work out here as a physician’s assistant now?” But she could tell by the lilt of his voice that he’d caught on to the fact that she wasn’t. So she just shook her head. “Why no’?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said evasively, fiddling with the remote in her hands. He didn’t want to talk about himself so he ought to respect her notwanting to talk about herself. “Are you hungry again? I can cook you something else.”
“No,” he said softly, his big hand settling over hers and the remote, pressing down on them until they all rested together in her lap. “Kat lass, why did you quit? I know your training must have taken a verra long time. Clearly you were good at what you did. And even if it was a matter of relocating, you still could have found a job in a local hospital. So why did you no’?”
“I’m just … I just don’t want to,” she said, knowing he could see it for the lie that it was. She had loved her job. It had been something she could do in the dead of night, in the darkness, and it had been important. She had made a difference. She had helped save lives.
“Doona lie tae me, Kat lass, and I willna do the same tae you.” Well, that was a lie, Ahnvil thought with an internal wince. He’d already told her a fib or two. But it had been in her best interest.
She colored, a pretty pink flush that tipped the end of her nose and the upper shell of her ears, dusting over everything in between until her wee freckles were a fair contrast.
“I really don’t think this is any of your business,” she said, moving as if to get up and get away from his influence over her. But he was not going to let her get away that easily. He took hold of her arm, pulling her back down beside him on the bed. He grunted at the effort, cursing his injured state. He wasn’t the sort who was used to limitations. He didn’t like them. He never had. Not even when he’d been mortal. Human.
“You canna run away from things, Kat lass. They always find you in the end.” He should know. He had run away three centuries ago, freed himself and thinking he would never see his master and maker ever again, and that if he did he would kill the man where he stood. But that was far from what had happened when the timehad come. A fact that still grated. But there was a bigger picture than his vengeance against the man who had made him what he was. Vengeance would have to wait.
“Don’t lecture me!” she bit out defensively, but she didn’t shrug him off and she didn’t move away from him. That was when he realized that despite her protestations she actually wanted to talk about whatever it was that had happened. He found himself wondering why he should care. He had far more pressing things he should be worried about. But in all fairness, she had taken care of him, so if it helped her, he should take care of her a little bit in return. The favors were unequal, since she had saved his life, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.
“I didn’t …” She stopped, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a nervous habit. “People don’t like me very much. I don’t fit in well.”
“Bollocks. You’re a fine lass. Fair of face and a good heart from what I’ve seen so far. What more is there for people to like?”
“A sense of humor,” she said dryly. “And not being weird helps. Everyone knew I was … weird.” She exhaled, her shoulders dropping in defeat, as if she didn’t blame them for it.
Ahnvil was shocked by his reaction. He became angry—nay enraged—to hear her speak and, more important, to see her spirit fall away from her. He reached out to take both her shoulders in his hands turning her toward him. “I’ve been in your company for some minutes now, Kat lass, and I dinna see
She didn’t blame him for his puzzled look. Whenever she told someone this story they always looked that way. And then came the inevitable question.
“So you work out here as a physician’s assistant now?” But she could tell by the lilt of his voice that he’d caught on to the fact that she wasn’t. So she just shook her head. “Why no’?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it,” she said evasively, fiddling with the remote in her hands. He didn’t want to talk about himself so he ought to respect her notwanting to talk about herself. “Are you hungry again? I can cook you something else.”
“No,” he said softly, his big hand settling over hers and the remote, pressing down on them until they all rested together in her lap. “Kat lass, why did you quit? I know your training must have taken a verra long time. Clearly you were good at what you did. And even if it was a matter of relocating, you still could have found a job in a local hospital. So why did you no’?”
“I’m just … I just don’t want to,” she said, knowing he could see it for the lie that it was. She had loved her job. It had been something she could do in the dead of night, in the darkness, and it had been important. She had made a difference. She had helped save lives.
“Doona lie tae me, Kat lass, and I willna do the same tae you.” Well, that was a lie, Ahnvil thought with an internal wince. He’d already told her a fib or two. But it had been in her best interest.
She colored, a pretty pink flush that tipped the end of her nose and the upper shell of her ears, dusting over everything in between until her wee freckles were a fair contrast.
“I really don’t think this is any of your business,” she said, moving as if to get up and get away from his influence over her. But he was not going to let her get away that easily. He took hold of her arm, pulling her back down beside him on the bed. He grunted at the effort, cursing his injured state. He wasn’t the sort who was used to limitations. He didn’t like them. He never had. Not even when he’d been mortal. Human.
“You canna run away from things, Kat lass. They always find you in the end.” He should know. He had run away three centuries ago, freed himself and thinking he would never see his master and maker ever again, and that if he did he would kill the man where he stood. But that was far from what had happened when the timehad come. A fact that still grated. But there was a bigger picture than his vengeance against the man who had made him what he was. Vengeance would have to wait.
“Don’t lecture me!” she bit out defensively, but she didn’t shrug him off and she didn’t move away from him. That was when he realized that despite her protestations she actually wanted to talk about whatever it was that had happened. He found himself wondering why he should care. He had far more pressing things he should be worried about. But in all fairness, she had taken care of him, so if it helped her, he should take care of her a little bit in return. The favors were unequal, since she had saved his life, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances.
“I didn’t …” She stopped, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in a nervous habit. “People don’t like me very much. I don’t fit in well.”
“Bollocks. You’re a fine lass. Fair of face and a good heart from what I’ve seen so far. What more is there for people to like?”
“A sense of humor,” she said dryly. “And not being weird helps. Everyone knew I was … weird.” She exhaled, her shoulders dropping in defeat, as if she didn’t blame them for it.
Ahnvil was shocked by his reaction. He became angry—nay enraged—to hear her speak and, more important, to see her spirit fall away from her. He reached out to take both her shoulders in his hands turning her toward him. “I’ve been in your company for some minutes now, Kat lass, and I dinna see
Similar Books
