“Very well.” Bravik took a step towards Danni and held out his hand. “Show me where you’re hurt, little girl, and let me heal you.”
“Er…here.” Danni unwrapped the long white bandage—which was now stained with red—from around her forearm. She held out her arm to him, indicating the long slice which ran from just below her wrist almost up to her inner elbow. But was he really going to be able to heal her?
Bravik seemed to think so. Grasping her hand gently in his, he leaned down and began to lick and kiss her arm.
As he touched her, Danni felt a shiver of desire run through her entire body. The tingling warmth of his tongue and lips on the sensitive underside of her forearm seemed to light a fire inside her. Longing filled her and she felt like a woman who hadn’t seen her beloved in months, finally welcoming him home.
“Bravik,” she whispered. “I…I haven’t seen you in so long.”
He looked up for a moment.
“Feels like an eternity since I saw you, too, little girl.”
Then he went back to licking and kissing but his eyes were locked with Danni’s and she found that her breath was coming short as she held his gaze.
A part of her recognized that she ought to be worried about if he was actually able to heal her or not. But somehow all her worries and fears were pushed out of her head when she looked at the big Kindred and thought how badly she wanted to be in his arms—to hold him and touch him and let him hold her as well…
A little voice in her head shouted that it wasn’t normal to feel this strongly for a man she hadn’t even known a week—someone who was just a coworker and a friend. But knowing that the voice was right, didn’t change any of Danni’s feelings. She felt nearly desperate to be in Bravik’s arms and from the way he was looking at her with that hungry light in his golden-bronze eyes, he must be feeling the same way about her.
At last, Bravik pulled back and examined her forearm thoroughly. He nodded in satisfaction and then held up her arm for all the H’rakens to see, like he was declaring her the champion of a race.
“Look! She is healed—I am her truly Joined mate and I have healed her!” he roared so all the crowd could hear.
Looking up, Danni saw that he was right—he had healed her. In fact, the big Kindred had done a better job on her arm than the cauterizer had done on Jerber. Bravik hadn’t even left a scar or, indeed, any indication that she had been wounded at all. The skin of her right forearm was as clear and smooth as her left.
“They are Joined!” Navii exclaimed. She gave Danni a one-armed hug of joy. “I knew it, my dear friend,” she said, smiling. “I knew the two of you were Joined—I could tell by your reluctance to be parted from your dear one this morning.”
“Thank you.” Danni hugged her back, still feeling dazed. How had Bravik healed her? Was he a Blood Kindred after all? Or had he somehow absorbed enough of the Mother Stone’s power during their time in the living area last night to heal her that way?
She had so many questions, but mostly she just wanted to be in his arms.
“Navii,” she said, looking at her friend. “I know there is probably still more bread to be made, but I must thank my husband for healing me. Can I please have the rest of the day off?”
Navii smiled, her rose-pink skin glowing even pinker with pleasure.
“Of course, my dear friend! Please go back to your dwelling so that you can thank him thoroughly. We will see you both at the feast tonight—and be certain that you bring your Adoration garments with you,” she added.
“Yes, we will.” Danni looked up at the big Kindred, who was still holding her hand. “Bravik?” she said. “Can we go home?”
In answer, he swung her up into his arms and cradled her close to his broad chest.
“Hell yes, little girl,” he growled, dipping his head to nuzzle her cheek. “I’m taking you home right now.”
And he left the crowd behind, still murmuring, as he headed back in the direction of the little house they were sharing.
Twenty-Eight
Brav didn’t want to let her go—so he didn’t. He kicked open the vine-covered front door and stepped inside with Danielle still in his arms, then kicked it closed. He thought about taking her to the bedroom—that was where he wanted to take her—but then he reminded himself that he couldn’t do that because they weren’t actually Joined. They were just friends and coworkers.
Then why does it feel like we’re so much more? Like I haven’t seen her in months and I’m desperate to hold her?