The pants she wore were standard patrol ones and he just shredded them. They were too damp to ease down her legs. He was careful to avoid skin as he sliced them from the ankles up. Every inch he bared was something he tried to avoid noticing. The last thing he needed was to become aroused.

She wore blue panties. They were bikini cut and lacey. The sight of them had him uttering a soft curse. He might just keep those on her. The shirt was already torn in a few places, as if it had happened during a struggle. It made him wonder if the bloodbag had planned to savage the rest of her body the way he’d done to her neck. Fury helped him strip it off her without paying too much attention to the mismatching black bra. He unfastened the knife sheath and ankle holster from her body. She’d used those weapons to survive.

“Come on, Kira,” he urged. “Can you wake for me?”

She didn’t stir.

He spun and stalked to the dresser to grab a pair of boxers, putting them on. They would both be semi-decent despite what needed to be done. The healing wound on her neck needed to be cleaned and so did her hair. He returned to her side and lifted her into his arms. With a deep breath, he carried her into the tight confines of the bathroom.

* * * * *

Kira’s stomach ached as if she’d been sucker punched and something wet ran down her body. A solid mass of heat was pressed against her back and under her legs. She almost fell over but a thick arm wrapped around her waist to prevent her from going anywhere.

“Almost done,” a deep voice crooned. “The conditioner is out.”

She opened her eyes in confusion to stare at a sink. There was no mirror over it but it made no sense why it rained inside a bathroom. Water splashed over the small counter mounted at chest level. It was a strange dream.

Something tangled in her hair at the base of her neck and gently pushed her forward, away from the solid heat at her back. Water ran down her spine and she should have fallen face first against the sink but didn’t. Too weird.

“All rinsed. We’re done. Now it’s time to dry off and put you to bed.”

She knew that voice.

It wasn’t easy to turn her head for some reason. Her entire body felt too heavy to move but she managed to look over her shoulder. Familiar gray eyes peered back at her. Lorn was wet, his hair too, and he wore a grim expression.

“Hi, sun—uh, Kira. Are you feeling better?”

Definitely a weird dream, but anything involving Lorn was welcome. It wasn’t the sexy kind she normally had about the tall VampLycan. His wet hair had been shoved back off his face, for one. He always looked handsome but his hair was dry and hanging free in her dreams. Her gaze lowered to bare, wide shoulders, the side of one touching a plastic wall, pressed tight as if he were squeezed against it.

“You’re safe.”

Of course she was, but her stomach hurt. Her mouth parted but her tongue seemed swollen and impossibly dry when she tried to speak. Her upper gums hurt, too, as if she’d burned them.

“We’re inside my den.” He pulled her closer until her back rested against his naked chest. She had to adjust her head slightly to keep looking up at him. “The one I built on the land I inherited after I became of age. Sorry the water isn’t hotter. It’s warm though. I installed a tankless water heater that runs off propane.”

Regret flashed in his eyes. The room was dimly lit but she saw the emotion. A tug at her subconscious suddenly became a violent shove in her mind. Memories replaced the confusion as she woke more.

“Oh God!”

“I got you to my den without running into anyone. No one but my brother knows we’re here. He’ll tell your dad what happened to you when they’re alone. The location of my den is safe and I built it strong. It would take a lot to break into it. I have a secondary escape tunnel to sneak us out if they put up guards. That’s the worst-case scenario.”

She didn’t know what to say. Lorn had to know what was happening to her. It explained how sluggish she’d become, the confused state of her mind, and how bad she felt. She wanted answers to a hundred questions but didn’t know where to start.

“Why?” It was only one word but it was hard to get her mouth to form it.

He frowned. “Did you think I’d allow anyone to kill you? That I’d do it myself?”

He knew all right.

Emotions swelled inside until they almost overwhelmed Kira. She felt gratitude toward him for being the kind of man she’d always believed him to be. He hadn’t let her down. Once again, he’d come to her rescue and kept her safe when she couldn’t defend herself. Anyone else in the clan would have immediately gone in search of some rope and ground stakes. Then they’d have stood guard over her to make certain she didn’t escape until the sun burned her to ashes.

Lorn reached up and the shower ended. It wasn’t rain, of course, and they were inside an impossibly small bathroom that reminded her of one she’d shared with college friends one weekend when they’d rented a small RV for a camping trip. He sat on the closed toilet seat and the shower head was high above his head on the wall. The control for the water was under it.

“Get up and we’ll dry off.”

She tried to but was horrified to discover her legs totally unresponsive. She moaned in protest.

“What is it?” He was alarmed as his voice deepened.

“I can’t stand.”

His gaze darted away from hers and then back. “It’s part of the change. The blood that bastard forced into you is spreading through your veins. It causes temporary paralysis while it attacks your immune system. It’s going to be worse for you because you do have a little Lycan blood, but not enough to combat the infection. It’s also almost dawn.”

Her fear increased. “Will my body really die when the sun comes up?”

He said nothing.

It sank in at that second that she was on his lap—and her head moved just fine, thank God, when she jerked her chin down to look at her chest. Her breasts were covered by her soaked black bra. It was the matronly one she wore to work. Her eyes closed in mortification. The only consolation was that she wasn’t completely naked, and she became aware of wet material under her ass, as well.

“I kept your underthings on.”

She dared to look up at him.

“I’m wearing boxers. Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to try anything sexual.”