Desire Untamed (Feral Warriors #1)(66)

His words made no sense. Exhaustion overtook her, and she slept again.

"You going to stay with me, this time?"

Kara blinked and looked up into Lyon's worried face as she woke for the second time. He was still holding her, as before, but. she felt different. Stronger, as if that awful weakness had finally left her.

"Did I fall asleep?"

"You did. You lost a lot of blood. Your body needed time to heal."

"What happened, Lyon? I don't remember. All I remember is pain." The memory of it echoed like screams in her head. With a hard shudder, she pressed her face to his chest.

He pulled her tighter and stroked her back, holding her for a long time, until the chill slowly subsided within the warmth of his arms.

Kara finally pulled back. Lyon released her, and she rolled onto her back.

Lyon propped his head on his elbow and looked down at her, hooking his free arm around her waist and pulling her close. She turned toward him, meeting his gaze, his eyes warm and soft.

With a gentle finger, he pushed her hair behind her ear. "How do you feel?"

"Okay. Fine, I think." Her gaze moved outward to take in the simply furnished bedroom. "Where are we?"

"Georgetown. Down in D.C. In one of the Therian enclaves."

"Why?"

His eyes grew more concerned. "What's the last thing you remember?" His thumb brushed her cheek.

"The prison. You took me down to the prison and locked me. up. The next thing I remember I was in horrible pain. And you were there. You saved me."

"I did. You don't remember anything in between?"

Did she? There was something teasing her mind, but she couldn't get a grasp on it.

"I feel like there's something I should remember, but it's not coming."

"That's good. It's nothing you want to remember."

"Why?" By the look on his face and the pain in his eyes, she knew it was bad. "I think I need you to tell me."

He brushed her cheek again. "I'd rather not. But if I don't, someone else probably will." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Vhyper escaped from his prison cell and broke you out, too. He took you down to the dungeons deep below the house, tied you up and… punished you…for being Mage."

She shivered, his words teasing the memory in her head. "How did he punish me?"

"He stabbed you. Multiple times. You bled." His eyes turned bleak and he looked away, his jaw going rigid. "I didn't think you were going to stop bleeding." He turned back to her, his gaze stroking hers softly. "But you're okay, now. It's over. You're safe."

"Why didn't I stop bleeding?"

His brows flicked up. "Interesting story there. Apparently the cantric I took out of your hip wasn't there to increase your magic. It was causing you all kinds of problems. Because you're not Mage."

Kara blinked at him. Then made a sound of disbelief. "You've got to be kidding. After all that, I'm not Mage?"

His mouth twisted sheepishly. If a lion could look sheepish. "It was a cantric. Even the Shaman's never heard of one being implanted in a Therian before. It shouldn't have done anything to you, and probably didn't until you arrived at Feral House. The Shaman's fairly sure we have a dark charm in the house somewhere that worked with the cantric to make you afraid."

"At least I know it wasn't my imagination."

Lyon's expression turned rueful. "Can you ever forgive me? For doubting you?" His eyes flinched with pain. "For taking the cantric as I did? I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for that."

Kara reached up and ran her fingers through a thick lock of his golden hair. "You came after me when I ran and saved me from certain death. Then you saved me again when, Vhyper hurt me. I'm thinking you're on the right path to forgiveness."

His eyes crinkled at the corners. "But I have a way to go?"

She smiled. "We'll see." His revelations continued to ping-pong through her head, and she dropped her palm onto her own forehead. "First I'm human, then I'm Therian, then I'm Mage. Now I'm Therian again? Are you sure?"

He lifted her palm, kissed her forehead, then resettled her palm over the kiss. "You're Therian. The Radiant. The Shaman's heading out to Feral House this morning to find the dark charm and destroy it."

"And that's it?"

"Hopefully, yes. You should be fine."

"Good. That's good." And it was. But she didn't feel as relieved as maybe she should have. Something was bothering her. Something she couldn't remember. "So, what happens now? Are we back to trying to ascend me?"

Lyon nodded as he looked down at her. "Once the Shaman's through and I'm certain you're okay, we'll go home." His brows drew down in a way that worried her.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly.

"The Pairing. You're the true Therian Radiant, so it may have worked after all. But the magic may still have thrown it off. We can't ascend you unless we're one hundred percent sure we've got the right Feral as your mate. We're going to have to do another Pairing."

"Yes." Kara grinned and sat up, swinging around to face him on her knees. "I know it was off. It's you who's my mate, Lyon. You." But as she caught his grim expression her delight evaporated. "You don't want it to be you."