Page 7 of Raze
After a few minutes of nothing happening, I shift anxiously in my seat. Then the hole slowly closes. Muscle and flesh stitch together until there’s not even a scar or mark to show for it. She keeps her hold for another minute, eyes closed, and then releases him like she can’t do it fast enough.
“There.” Her eyes flick up to his and then immediately drop back down. “You’ll need some rest from a healing like that.”
“Why?” I ask, bringing her attention back to me.
“My gift only accelerates his body’s ability to self-heal. So, it’ll be tired from doing it all at once. Some people have slept for days after a healing like that.” She tilts her head. “And you have a head injury?”
I nod and shift myself on the couch. She gently presses her fingers over my scalp. Heat trails from her touch to the pounding and stinging area on my head, warming them until there’s nothing left. Then it travels through the rest of me in a flood of warmth. Theache in my re-located thumb dulls and disappears. Every scratch and bruise I have fades away like it never was.
When she moves back, a small wave of tiredness rolls through me. Oh, yeah. I could definitely go for a nap after that, even if I hadn’t already been up all night. At least now I can go to sleep without worrying about a concussion. “Thanks.”
She smiles and stands. “Right. Who’s next?” Cassandra raises her hands and wiggles her fingers. She steps up to Dane and bends down to him. “Ooh, Dane? Do you have anything you need me to rub and make feel better?”
His hands shoot up to block her from touching him and the chains rattle at the sharp movement. “Absolutely not. Now back the fuck up in case desperation is contagious.”
She pouts, and I fake a cough to cover my smile.
“Rude,” she snarks, though she doesn’t even try to deny it. Instead, she turns her focus on the last person in the room.
Aiden is leaning against the dining table and hasn’t bothered to join us in the living room the entire time his guest has been here. Kellan let her in and brought her to the couches to look at me and Jack. He straightens when she walks over to him.
“Did you need anything, Aiden?” She pets his shirt and leans into him. When he doesn’t immediately shove her back or insult her like Dane did, I frown. I mean, it’s not like I care if he’d be interested in her, but is he really letting her touch him freely like that?
“I’m fine, Cassandra. It was only Jack and Raegan who needed your assistance.” His voice is smooth and firm. Rather than listen to what he’s saying, she seems to melt into him instead.
Her eyes close and she smiles lasciviously. “No, there’s nothing too bad, but I can still fix it all up for you.” Her hands flatten on his chest and she goes quiet as she works.
Aiden’s dark eyes slide to mine. We stare at each other for seconds. Minutes, while she keeps her hands on him and he does nothing. Then she moves her hands up and around his neck, pressing her chest against his. “There. All better.”
He breaks eye contact and reaches up to gently extract her arms from him. “Thank you, Cassandra. For your help and for coming so quickly.” He wraps his arm around her back and guides her to the door. “I’ll make sure Cibrina is notified of your work tonight.”
She spins to face him. “I didn’t do this as a job, Aiden. I’m not looking for your money.” She cuts a glance at the living area where we’re all staring at them. Her voice lowers, but we can still hear her. “I did it for you. When can we…spend some time together?”
He opens the door and they step into the hall before he closes it and I’m left wondering what his answer is. If he wanted privacy, does that mean he’s actually setting up a date?
“Please tell me he isn’t falling for that.” I shove my thumb at the door.
Kellan cackles and sprawls back over the longest part of the couch. “Why? Does it bother you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Dane interrupts sharply. His boots slam to the ground when he sits up. “You.” His gold-green eyes lock on mine, and he shoves a finger my way. “Talk.”
My walls instantly snap up on reflex. I know he wants answers about Vera, but this is a secret I’ve guarded at high cost.
Jackson leans forward over his knees. He scrubs at his face, probably to wipe away the sleep that his body wants after that healing, and then pushes his hood back now that he’s in comfortable company. “Wait for Aiden.”
Dane’s jaw clenches. He doesn’t argue, but he also keeps his glare pinned on me. If he thinks his stare alone will keep me in my seat and I’ll answer his every question, he has another thing coming.
I stand up just as the door opens. “Sit down, Raegan,” Aiden commands. “We are long overdue for this conversation, and you are not leaving until we’re all up to speed on what you’ve been keeping from us.”
My arms cross defensively. I’ve kept the promise of what really happened to Vera a secret for six years. I’ve paid for that promise repeatedly. Does telling them mean that everything I’ve been through and I’ve done since then has been for nothing? “I promised I wouldn’t,” I begin, but it sounds weak now, even to me.
If she’s alive now, then I can’t let them go on believing she’s still the girl they remember. They have to know the threat she is to Dane.
“To who? To Vera? Does her being alive cancel any of that out, beautiful? Because we all need answers. Would you rather we get it from you, or from her?” Kellan drawls.
“What promise?” Aiden walks around the couch and stands in front of the TV so he’s facing us. “Tell us what happened with Vera. Why did you kill her, and how is she alive now?”
I shake my head. Dane makes a frustrated sound, like he’s about to rip into me for refusing to answer, but I glare at him. “She was going to kill Dane,” I say, my eyes boring into his and daring himto speak out now. “Vera and Gordon were working on something that involved taking all of Dane's blood. I wasn’t able to make her stop and my gift activated on its own.” I take a long, shaky breath. “It came out so fast and strong that she was gone in seconds.”
