Time to Heal Read online

  “It would be my very great pleasure to do so,” Skahr rumbled, holding out an arm. “Come.”

  She went to him and curled herself in the crook of his arm, sighing as she pillowed her head on his broad chest and felt his forearm and hand curl around her waist. Being close to the big Kindred like this was good…comforting…right.

  “Better delora?” he asked, sounding slightly amused.

  Emmeline nodded. “So much better,” she told him.

  “Good. Then sleep. And may the Goddess guard your dreams.”

  Nestling her face against his broad chest and breathing in his pine and sandalwood scent, Emmeline did exactly that.

  Thirteen

  Skahr woke at first light feeling warm and contented, despite the danger he knew he would soon be facing. The reason for that contentment curled in a ball in the crook of his arm and nestled close to his chest.

  He looked with affection at Emmeline’s tousled golden-brown hair. Her face was peaceful in sleep as he had never seen it when she was awake. Her narrow shoulders bore so many burdens—the difficult lifestyle she led, the enmity of her family, her fear for her son—all of these things pressed down on her during the day. It was only in sleep that she was able to escape them, he thought.

  So beautiful… Skahr knew he ought to wake her but he didn’t want to—he wanted to give her a few more moments of peace before they broke camp and started onto the difficult and dangerous path laid out for them.

  She stirred and he remembered her moving against him the night before as she touched herself—as she brought herself the first pleasure she had ever had without shame. Gods, how he had longed to touch her—to suck her pink nipples and stroke her silky folds to bring her pleasure himself. But he had known instinctively that Emmeline wasn’t ready for that. A female with a clouded past must be courted carefully and with gentleness.

  Is that what you’re doing? a little voice whispered in his head. Courting her? Wooing her? You know it can never be between you, Skahr. She is from one world and you are from another. When this is over, you must part.

  It was true and he knew it but Skahr couldn’t help the feeling inside him—the ache of longing when he felt the curvy little female pressed against him, safe in the crook of his arm.

  She had come to him for comfort last night—had laid bare her soul in a way she probably had never done before. She had trusted him with her greatest hurt—her deepest secret. Among his people, there was no greater sign of connection between two people. His Clan had a saying—“True scars are seen only on the heart and only true love will show them.”

  The fact that Emmeline had been willing to show him her scars made his heart swell. And though he cautioned himself that it was no good falling in love with her, he couldn’t stop the protective, possessive feeling which flooded him as he stroked her soft golden-brown hair away from her still-sleeping face and admired her beauty.

  “Mmmm…what time is it?” Emmeline’s yawned and stretched before realizing she was still pressed close to the big Kindred, nestled safe in the crook of his arm.

  She froze for a moment—should she move away? But Skahr seemed in no hurry to disentangle from her.

  “It is just past sunrise. The dawn is here—smell the air. ” He took a deep breath, causing his broad chest to rise under her like a ship rocking her at sea.

  The air did smell different, Emmeline decided as she took a sniff. There was a fresh, clean scent as though the whole world had been washed and made new.

  “It’s lovely,” she remarked. “But…should we be getting up?”

  He sighed deeply. “Yes. I just wanted to hold you a moment longer. I didn’t want the night to be over.”

  His word brought everything they had talked about last night…and everything they had done.

  Don’t you mean everything you did? whispered a nasty little voice in her head. How could you act like that, Emmeline? How could you touch yourself right in front of him? Have you no shame?

  The voice sounded very like her mother’s and it was only with some difficulty that she pushed it aside and sat up.

  I won’t regret what I told him last night, she vowed to herself. I won’t let myself be bound by the rules of a world that cast me out when I was hurting and vulnerable.

  Besides, she actually felt better after talking to the big Kindred. The story of the rape was like a poisoned meal she had swallowed—something which had made her sick for months—something she had needed to get out before she could begin to get over it.

  Having talked to Skahr she felt lighter this morning than she had since the attack had happened. The big Kindred had heard everything and hadn’t judged her for it. She was grateful to him for that—more grateful than she could say.

  “Are you well, Emmeline?” He was still lying on his back, looking up at her as she sat beside him. Emmeline realized she had been staring down at him, not saying a word for far too long.

  “Just fine. Is there anything to fix for breakfast?” she asked, trying to make her voice light.

  He sat up and stretched.

  “The yarroy seeds should be ready after baking all night in the embers. And you can always collect dew berries if you wish.” He pointed at the long golden grasses surrounding them as he spoke.

  “Dew berries? What are those? Oh!” Emmeline exclaimed, because she suddenly saw what he was talking about.

  Beaded on the bushy heads of the grass stalks were glistening droplets. They were a little larger than currants but a little smaller than grapes and they came in a variety of jewel tones from ruby red to sapphire blue to emerald green.

  “They’re beautiful!” Emmeline exclaimed, hopping up to go and look at them more carefully. “What are they?”

  “They are a form of benevolent magic laid on these planes by the Goddess herself to feed weary travelers,” Skahr explained. “They form in the first rays of sunlight but they last only until the sun has cleared the horizon. Then they burst like bubbles and are no more. Gather them quickly if you want some,” he added. “The sun is nearly up.”

  Emmeline plucked one of the ruby red drops and put it experimentally between her lips. It burst on her tongue like the ripest berry, leaving a tart-sweet flavor somewhere between a raspberry and a strawberry she thought. There was nothing to chew—just the single splash of liquid but it was incredibly tasty and she felt strength flowing into her at once. Hurriedly, she began to gather more.

  The emerald green drops tasted like cucumbers and the blue ones were sweet and slightly tropical. She savored them all as she plucked them, holding the glistening drops carefully in her palm where they looked like clear glass marbles. They weren’t exactly filling but they were remarkably refreshing and utterly delicious.

  “These are wonderful,” she told Skahr, who was crouched by the fire doing something to the pot of yarroy seed mush. She walked carefully over to him with her hands full of the strange berries. “Here—I got you some.”

  But just as she reached out her cupped hands to him, the sun cleared the horizon and every one of the tiny jewels suddenly burst at the same time.

  “Oh!” Emmeline exclaimed, looking down at her empty palms. For a moment she saw the multicolored liquids of the jewel-like fruits coating her hands. Then, even those disappeared and she was left with nothing a double handful of well…nothing.

  Emmeline could have cried in vexation.

  “Oh, it’s too bad!” she exclaimed. “I wanted you to try some!”

  “I have had them before and I daresay I will have them again.” He smiled at her, an expression which was equal parts amusement and warmth. “But I thank you for wishing to share your pleasure with me.”

  His words brought their time together the night before back to Emmeline’s mind and she felt her cheeks get hot. She wasn’t sure if the big Kindred had been referring to their intimacy or not however, so she carefully changed the subject.

  “Is the yarroy seed mush ready for breakfast or do you have to build up the fire agai