Page 55 of Bound By Blood
“Take your time;don’t exhaust yourself doing this.”
This was what he’dcome here to talk to her about, but as he said the words, hequestioned why he cared if she exhausted herself. She was a grownwoman who knew what she was doing, and they had to get these swordsdone.
Time was of theessence, and the more time passed, the more the plague of thedemons and Savages would spread, and the more jeopardy they wouldall be in.
The demons andSavages were hunting them. They’d already found the compound once;it was only a matter of time before they discovered them again.
He should betelling her to workfaster, not slowing down. Not only didshe have to finish this sword, but he had to test it to make sureit was battle ready. And if it withstood the test, she would haveto make eightmore.
“I’m fine,” shesaid as she strode out of the forge.
Saber didn’tbelieve her. Dark circles rimmed her turquoise eyes, and exhaustionemanated from her, but maybe it was because she had to feed.
He didn’t likethis was taking a toll on her, and he didn’t understand why. Shewas doing what he required her to do.
From under herlashes, Caro glanced up at Saber as he walked beside her with hisshoulders back and head high. But his jaw was clenched, andconfusion churned in the cobalt depths of his eyes.
Then, those eyessnapped toward her. His eyebrows drew together over the bridge ofhis nose, and his gaze ran over her. He looked anything butpleased, but something about that unhappy stare turned her insidesto mush.
While working onhis sword, she almost demanded what he was looking at but held hertongue… mainly because the intensity of his stare sent shivers ofpleasure down her spine.
She shouldn’t likethat he was eyeing her like she was either something to bedestroyed or mounted, but she did. Or at least she liked themounting part; she wasn’t in the mood to be destroyed.
“You’ve beenworking on that sword almost nonstop since we got back here,” hesaid.
“I’ve worked onother things too.”
“You have?”
“The sword takestime because I have to meld and fold different metals into it,forge them into shape, and be careful to ensure their strength bynot weakening them. It also has to cool and set through thedifferent phases, so I have free time then.”
“What else are youworking on?”
“Things.”
Saber frowned asshe climbed the back stairs to the kitchen door. The screen doorcreaked when she opened it. He’d left the other door open before tolet in some cool air, and she strode inside.
While she went tothe stainless-steel fridge and removed a blood bag from inside,Saber leaned against the wood countertops and crossed his arms overhis chest. She should move some of the blood to her apartment, butshe didn’t have the heart to do so.
She hadn’t livedhere since turning eighteen, yet she always came home to have mealswith her parents. It was their special time together.
That time wasgone, but she still hadn’t moved the food supply to her apartment.For some reason, it seemed more depressing to do so.
She grabbed a mugfrom where it hung on a hook beneath the sage green cabinets andpoured her blood into it. She lifted what remained in the bag andwaved it at Saber.
He’d fed welltonight, but his stomach rumbled in response. However, he stillshook his head no; he preferred his blood from a pumping vein. Thatwas something he’d never rid himself of from his Savage days.
Since Brie’sreturn and Caro’s entrance into his life had thrown everything intoa tailspin and unsettled him, he needed the hunt to help keep himcontrolled. And when he couldn’t stalk something, he would usethose blood bags, but it wasn’t the same. They didn’t mollify himlike the hunt did.
Caro tried toignore his eyes following her every move, but tension thrummedthrough her, and her skin tingled as she recalled what it felt liketo have his hands on her. The scent of his sweat, mingling withpeppermint, was so enticing she could barely breathe.
Her hands trembledas she set the mug in the microwave and hit the two-minute button.She tried not to look at him, but when he strode over to the smallkitchen table, her eyes were drawn to him while he studied thejigsaw puzzle there.
With his back toher, she got a good view of the tattoo covering most of its broadexpanse. A sword ran the length of his back; the tip of it stoppedat his waistband.
The hilt of itstretched across his neck. The sword was black, but the flamessurrounding it were full of bright oranges, yellows, and reds.
She’d glimpsed thetattoo before, but this was her first real good view of it.Considering it took days and sometimes weeks for a tattoo to stayon a vampire, it must have been a painful experience for him, buthe withstood it.
