was tired and felt a little queasy. Her head hurt .
“Then you’ll need to prove that if I permit you to leave in order to gain permission, you won’t return with an army to attack us.”
She didn’t recognize the voice , but it didn’t matter right now. She knew York was injured and was carrying the burden of her weight.
“Put…” her voice came out scratchy. “Put me down.”
He looked at her, and she could see his indecision.
“York.”
Slowly, he lowered her feet to the ground and used his hands on her hips to steady her. His expression softened when he cupped her face. “You okay?”
She nodded and pulled her face from his hands. “You’re hurt.” She reached for his shoulder, but he caught her hand.
“I’m healing.”
Her eyes cut to his body, and she was startled to discover that he spoke the truth. His wounds were now simple red lines in his skin that had sealed shut.
“Trust must be earned, Walker.”
Sky turned to the source of the voice and gasped. They were surrounded.
“And just how exactly do you expect me to earn it?” York’s chest tightened in trepidation. When Fatal’s eyes moved to Sky, York stepped in front of her and snarled, “NO!”
Chapter 17
Sky had no idea what had just happened, but her fear spiked and her hands fisted in the back of York’s shirt. She couldn’t see around his broad shoulders, and she didn’t want to. The leer of the Keepers was unnerving and had her wishing she was somewhere else with York, anywhere else ! “Y-York?”
“She is mine , Fatal!”
“No one challenges your claim, and it is why leaving her with us is the perfect show of your trust.”
What! York wasn’t seriously considering leaving her with them, was he? Panic assailed her, and she pressed her body closer to York’s back, wrapping her arms around his waist to anchor herself to him as she buried her face in the back of his shirt and whispered, “Please, don’t leave me.”
One of York’s arms reached back to hold her against him. His hand splayed on her lower back, pushing her impossibly closer. She hoped it meant he had heard her and wasn’t planning on doing as Fatal asked. He’d just declared that she was his. The declaration went against her independent streak, and it nettled her because she wanted it to be true. He’d prove it….wouldn’t he?
“My first duty is to my Angel,” York explained. “I cannot leave her undefended.”
“She has no need for defense. She is safe among my kind. We’ll keep her protected until you return.”
Sky shivered at the ruling Keeper’s tone. It sounded goading, almost entertained. He was laughing at their predicament. He knew he was pushing York to do something he knew York didn’t want to do, but would have to do in order to prove his good intentions. Part of her knew that what she was witnessing was highly significant. A species she hadn’t even known existed had just confronted one they hadn’t known existed. Alliances needed to be formed, and first impressions would either make or break the relationship. Future generations of each species would rely on this moment, on whether or not she was willing to be a sacrificial lamb.
Sky swallowed hard. She knew she needed to man-up and permit York to leave her with the Keepers, but for some reason, her mind and her mouth weren’t working in accord. Nor was her body she realized, as it began to tremble and tears quickly filled her eyes. What if he doesn’t come back? She argued silently with herself.
York dropped his hand and peeled her off his back before turning to face her.
“Stop!” He wrapped an arm around her while his free hand gripped her jaw and forced her head up. “I. Am. Not! Leaving. You. Here.”
Sky could only nod, too afraid to try to speak for fear of sobbing. Relief flooded her. Maybe the Skin Walkers didn’t need this alliance.
Still holding Sky,
“Then you’ll need to prove that if I permit you to leave in order to gain permission, you won’t return with an army to attack us.”
She didn’t recognize the voice , but it didn’t matter right now. She knew York was injured and was carrying the burden of her weight.
“Put…” her voice came out scratchy. “Put me down.”
He looked at her, and she could see his indecision.
“York.”
Slowly, he lowered her feet to the ground and used his hands on her hips to steady her. His expression softened when he cupped her face. “You okay?”
She nodded and pulled her face from his hands. “You’re hurt.” She reached for his shoulder, but he caught her hand.
“I’m healing.”
Her eyes cut to his body, and she was startled to discover that he spoke the truth. His wounds were now simple red lines in his skin that had sealed shut.
“Trust must be earned, Walker.”
Sky turned to the source of the voice and gasped. They were surrounded.
“And just how exactly do you expect me to earn it?” York’s chest tightened in trepidation. When Fatal’s eyes moved to Sky, York stepped in front of her and snarled, “NO!”
Chapter 17
Sky had no idea what had just happened, but her fear spiked and her hands fisted in the back of York’s shirt. She couldn’t see around his broad shoulders, and she didn’t want to. The leer of the Keepers was unnerving and had her wishing she was somewhere else with York, anywhere else ! “Y-York?”
“She is mine , Fatal!”
“No one challenges your claim, and it is why leaving her with us is the perfect show of your trust.”
What! York wasn’t seriously considering leaving her with them, was he? Panic assailed her, and she pressed her body closer to York’s back, wrapping her arms around his waist to anchor herself to him as she buried her face in the back of his shirt and whispered, “Please, don’t leave me.”
One of York’s arms reached back to hold her against him. His hand splayed on her lower back, pushing her impossibly closer. She hoped it meant he had heard her and wasn’t planning on doing as Fatal asked. He’d just declared that she was his. The declaration went against her independent streak, and it nettled her because she wanted it to be true. He’d prove it….wouldn’t he?
“My first duty is to my Angel,” York explained. “I cannot leave her undefended.”
“She has no need for defense. She is safe among my kind. We’ll keep her protected until you return.”
Sky shivered at the ruling Keeper’s tone. It sounded goading, almost entertained. He was laughing at their predicament. He knew he was pushing York to do something he knew York didn’t want to do, but would have to do in order to prove his good intentions. Part of her knew that what she was witnessing was highly significant. A species she hadn’t even known existed had just confronted one they hadn’t known existed. Alliances needed to be formed, and first impressions would either make or break the relationship. Future generations of each species would rely on this moment, on whether or not she was willing to be a sacrificial lamb.
Sky swallowed hard. She knew she needed to man-up and permit York to leave her with the Keepers, but for some reason, her mind and her mouth weren’t working in accord. Nor was her body she realized, as it began to tremble and tears quickly filled her eyes. What if he doesn’t come back? She argued silently with herself.
York dropped his hand and peeled her off his back before turning to face her.
“Stop!” He wrapped an arm around her while his free hand gripped her jaw and forced her head up. “I. Am. Not! Leaving. You. Here.”
Sky could only nod, too afraid to try to speak for fear of sobbing. Relief flooded her. Maybe the Skin Walkers didn’t need this alliance.
Still holding Sky,
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