the armrests, fingers steepled, face half-shadowed. “You’re very good.” His voice sounded low and dangerous, a little pissed off, and held a little grudging admiration.
She couldn’t answer; all she could do was concentrate on breathing. Sweet Danu, she hated this.
“Everything I try, you figure it out. You can feel me through the layers.” He cocked his head to the side. “You’re like the princess and the pea. How do you do that?”
Swallowing hard, she pushed the blankets aside and sat up. “You’re the devil incarnate,” she managed to push out. “I’d be able to sense you anywhere.”
“You’re not the first to call me that.” He stood and walked toward her. “Sleep well?”
She nodded, pushing a shaking hand through her hair. He was very close to her, a little too close for her to feel comfortable, especially with the bed right behind them. She started to stand. “I want a shower.” She’d taken one not eight hours ago, but she needed to feel the water on her skin.
He pushed her gently back onto the bed.
She gazed up in slight alarm. “What?” The word snapped out in her agitation. She hated having to fight her reaction to him all the time.
He was a villain. Normal woman were not attracted to men like him.
Half his face remained caught in shadow so she couldn’t read his expression. “I would never take advantage of the fact you’re in my custody. You know that, don’t you, Elizabeth?”
“I don’t know anything about you, Niall.” Her voice came out husky.
He stared at her a moment longer, his face still only partially lighted. Instead of answering her, he turned away andleft the room. A moment later and she could hear him slamming pots and pans around in the kitchen.
Trying to shake off the nagging unease in her iron sick body, she took a long, hot shower, absorbing every drop of moisture into her skin that she could. She had never gone this long without becoming water self. It took a toll on more than just her body; it took a toll on her state of mind and emotional well-being.
Under the spray, she closed her eyes and tried to mimic the act of dissolving. Surrendering herself to the moisture around her, joining with it, flowing as one.
Water coursing through the earth…surrounding…flowing…joining with the moisture of the lakes, streams, the salty tang of the ocean…
She opened her eyes. Imagining it wasn’t doing it.
Once she’d finished her shower, the ache in her muscles and the fatigue she felt were worse than ever. Cranky and losing hope, she stumbled out of the bathroom with her damp hair loose around her shoulders and wearing a pair of soft jogging pants and a T-shirt. The cottage smelled of eggs and sausage.
“Hungry?” Niall asked, standing in the kitchen holding a pan of something in his hand.
She waved him off and collapsed onto the couch. “I’m a vegetarian.”
“
Vegetarian
, not vegan. You eat eggs and dairy products, right?”
“Yes, but not sausage.”
“This is veggie sausage. I got it for you.”
“Still, I’m not—”
“You need to eat, Elizabeth. I’m not going to let you skip meals.”
“It’s my body and I’ll skip meals if I want to.” She winced at the whiny quality in her voice. “Leave me be, I’m dying over here.”
“The iron sickness is exactly why you need these calories. You need strength or you’ll fade too fast.” Yeah, and that would limit the time he had to get the info he needed. He fixed up a plate and brought it to her on the couch. “Now eat.”
She stared at him for a moment, the mingled food scents making her stomach growl. Finally she grabbed the plate andfork from him and started eating. “Is there coffee?” she asked hopefully.
He brought over cups for both of them, then sat down across from her.
Remembering what she’d be doing ordinarily tonight, she stared at the food on her plate. “What about my people?”
“Like I said, don’t worry about them. I’ve got them covered.” He
She couldn’t answer; all she could do was concentrate on breathing. Sweet Danu, she hated this.
“Everything I try, you figure it out. You can feel me through the layers.” He cocked his head to the side. “You’re like the princess and the pea. How do you do that?”
Swallowing hard, she pushed the blankets aside and sat up. “You’re the devil incarnate,” she managed to push out. “I’d be able to sense you anywhere.”
“You’re not the first to call me that.” He stood and walked toward her. “Sleep well?”
She nodded, pushing a shaking hand through her hair. He was very close to her, a little too close for her to feel comfortable, especially with the bed right behind them. She started to stand. “I want a shower.” She’d taken one not eight hours ago, but she needed to feel the water on her skin.
He pushed her gently back onto the bed.
She gazed up in slight alarm. “What?” The word snapped out in her agitation. She hated having to fight her reaction to him all the time.
He was a villain. Normal woman were not attracted to men like him.
Half his face remained caught in shadow so she couldn’t read his expression. “I would never take advantage of the fact you’re in my custody. You know that, don’t you, Elizabeth?”
“I don’t know anything about you, Niall.” Her voice came out husky.
He stared at her a moment longer, his face still only partially lighted. Instead of answering her, he turned away andleft the room. A moment later and she could hear him slamming pots and pans around in the kitchen.
Trying to shake off the nagging unease in her iron sick body, she took a long, hot shower, absorbing every drop of moisture into her skin that she could. She had never gone this long without becoming water self. It took a toll on more than just her body; it took a toll on her state of mind and emotional well-being.
Under the spray, she closed her eyes and tried to mimic the act of dissolving. Surrendering herself to the moisture around her, joining with it, flowing as one.
Water coursing through the earth…surrounding…flowing…joining with the moisture of the lakes, streams, the salty tang of the ocean…
She opened her eyes. Imagining it wasn’t doing it.
Once she’d finished her shower, the ache in her muscles and the fatigue she felt were worse than ever. Cranky and losing hope, she stumbled out of the bathroom with her damp hair loose around her shoulders and wearing a pair of soft jogging pants and a T-shirt. The cottage smelled of eggs and sausage.
“Hungry?” Niall asked, standing in the kitchen holding a pan of something in his hand.
She waved him off and collapsed onto the couch. “I’m a vegetarian.”
“
Vegetarian
, not vegan. You eat eggs and dairy products, right?”
“Yes, but not sausage.”
“This is veggie sausage. I got it for you.”
“Still, I’m not—”
“You need to eat, Elizabeth. I’m not going to let you skip meals.”
“It’s my body and I’ll skip meals if I want to.” She winced at the whiny quality in her voice. “Leave me be, I’m dying over here.”
“The iron sickness is exactly why you need these calories. You need strength or you’ll fade too fast.” Yeah, and that would limit the time he had to get the info he needed. He fixed up a plate and brought it to her on the couch. “Now eat.”
She stared at him for a moment, the mingled food scents making her stomach growl. Finally she grabbed the plate andfork from him and started eating. “Is there coffee?” she asked hopefully.
He brought over cups for both of them, then sat down across from her.
Remembering what she’d be doing ordinarily tonight, she stared at the food on her plate. “What about my people?”
“Like I said, don’t worry about them. I’ve got them covered.” He
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