“I agree,” said Ronan. “I’ll lead the way out.”

In the distance, she heard the hungry howl of Synestryn demons. “Those sound like sgath.”

Joseph nodded. “Lyka, you stay between me and Ronan. I’ll bring up the rear.”

She almost told him that she could protect herself, but the truth was, she was tired. Her legs were shaky and her whole body felt like it had been pulled through a drinking straw. She was stretched thin. Worried. Afraid.

“It will be okay,” Joseph assured her. Even with her bitchy comment, his concern was for her feelings, rather than the ones of his she’d stomped on.

“I really am sorry about what I said. You’re not the one who ruined my life.”

“But you do think it’s ruined.”

“It’s only a matter of time before everyone knows I’m a freak. Part Slayer, part Theronai. When my people find out that I’m tied to a Theronai and that he might be able to take a peek inside my head, no one will ever trust me again.”

Ronan winced. “You just put an entire race of people under the category of no one. I suggest you quit while you’re ahead, Lyka.”

He was right. She was so knotted up inside, so conflicted over where she belonged in the world, she kept shoving her foot into her mouth. “Where the hell is a nice, violent demon fight when you need one?” she muttered under her breath.

“How about we keep moving and stay alive instead?” said Joseph. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve had about all the excitement I can stand for right now. I’m a few pints low.”

She felt weaker than usual, too, which made her shut up and start paying attention to her surroundings. Demons were closing in on them. She could hear their howls growing closer every few minutes. If they were going to make it back to their vehicles in time to avoid a fight, they needed to pick up the pace.

Her legs felt heavier with each step. She didn’t lift her foot up high enough and tripped over a low branch. If not for Joseph’s quick reflexes in grabbing her arm, she would have fallen flat on her face and probably shed more blood.

His fingers tingled around her arm. Heat and tiny sparks of energy soaked into her skin, warming the right half of her body.

Suddenly, she remembered those scenes from his head—the two of them entwined, fucking each other’s brains out.

She shivered at the memory and cleared her throat to ease the lump that had formed there. Part of her wanted what he’d shown her—that connection, that pleasure. She felt so alone most of the time, but when she thought about being with Joseph in such an intimate way, much of her loneliness faded.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She could smell her arousal sliding through the air and wondered if anyone else could, too. Her Slayer senses were stronger than most, giving her hope that her secret was safe. “Just clumsy.”

“She exerted herself saving your life,” said Ronan. “She needs rest as much as you do. I suggest you both go straight to the nearest Gerai house and recuperate.”

“There’s no time,” she said. “We have to keep moving.”

“We will,” said Joseph. “Trust me.”

She wanted to, but it just wasn’t in her.

He must have sensed the meaning in her silence, because he said, “You will learn to trust me, kitten. Even if it takes you the rest of your life.”

“If we don’t get out of here soon, that’s not going to be very long. The sgath are getting closer.”

“Excellent point,” said Ronan. “Let’s not get into another fight we’re ill equipped to handle. I have other plans for the remainder of the night.”

They quickened their pace and finally reached the road where the cars were parked. Ronan hurried to his van and took off with a hasty good-bye, leaving Lyka alone with Joseph.

He started stripping out of his bloody clothes so the scent wouldn’t set the demons on their trail. Even with the smears of dried blood on his skin, he had the power to mesmerize her. Watching him move captured her complete attention. He wasn’t doing anything special, but there was so much graceful strength in him, she felt like she was spying on a predator.

He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxer briefs and paused with his back to her. As he turned around to speak to her, the muscles along his spine and shoulders danced under his skin. His expression was flat, but his eyes sparked with anger. “You’re wearing my blood. Do you have a change of clothes?”

He was so damn appealing. She didn’t know what it was about him that pulled her in so completely. She’d seen a lot of half-naked, well-built men before—hell, she’d grown up around an entire pack of them—but Joseph was different. He was calm. In control. He wasn’t constantly working to prove something to himself or anyone else.

Every time she looked at him, she felt like another little, missing piece of herself came home.

“Lyka?” he said. “Did you hear me? You can’t go around with blood on your clothes.”

She gave him a mute nod and stumbled toward her borrowed car. The scent of soap caught her attention, making her turn around.

Joseph was completely naked, with his fantastic ass facing her way. He had some kind wet wipe in his hand and was scrubbing away the traces of blood left on his skin. There was no self-consciousness in the act. He was all pragmatic efficiency and carefully banked anger.

“Are you done?” he asked over his shoulder. “The sgath are getting closer.”

Her attention on him had been so absolute that she hadn’t been keeping track of their growing howls.

She shook her head to get it back where it belonged and made quick work of putting on clean clothes. The bloody ones she tossed into the trees for the demons to find.

By the time she turned back around, Joseph was right behind her. “My truck is better stocked for contingencies. We’ll take it.”

“And leave the car here?”

“It’s just a car. And I want you by my side, where you belong.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to that, or what to do with the little thrill of excitement his words pulled from her. “I don’t belong anywhere anymore.”

“You’re wrong. The second you took the luceria off my neck, you made your choice. Now you have to live with it.” He shot her a hard look, and some of his banked anger flared to life. “Get in.”