Read Online Stricken (The War Scrolls Book 1) by A.K. Morgen - Free Book Online
Authors: A.K. Morgen
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no reason. He felt nothing but anger for her and the tragedies she’d been forced to endure. He had seen hardened warriors crumble beneath the weight of the horrors they witnessed and inflicted. And Aubrey was no warrior. She was barely even Elioud.
The human mind was fragile at the best of times. It was paper-thin glass at the worst. And this little human had seen the worst. But she hadn’t run away screaming over the shifters, or the virus, or him. She faced each new terror with strength and honor. That wasn’t the problem at all.
He liked her.
The depth of his attraction unnerved him.
How long had it been since he last felt such a strong affinity for anyone?
He couldn’t remember.
To feel such a thing for her—a human girl under his protection—was the height of dishonor. Caitria would have his ears if she ever found out how close he’d come to taking this lovely little human into his arms to comfort her. His blade-brothers would too.
“Look at me, please.”
She shook her head, refusing him.
“Please, Aubrey. Look at me.”
Her head snapped up, her green eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Anger and humiliation filled her gaze, piercing his heart with their intensity. Twin spots of color still stained her creamy cheeks.
“What?” she ground out, her lovely jaw set.
She truly was beautiful. Not even her muddy clothes hid the soft curves beneath. Her full, red lips begged to be kissed. And the floral scent of her skin…the cologne she’d used on her clothing did nothing to mask that delicious scent from him. If anything, smelling his cologne mixed with her scent took his mind to places he had no right to visit.
“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong,” he said, clenching his jaw against the physical reaction she caused him. He thrust his hands behind his back, away from temptation. “It’s not your fault you were institutionalized, and there’s nothing wrong with you.”
“Whatever,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes. “Can we go in now? I want to get this over with so I can get back to my life.”
He wanted to shake her, force her to listen to him, but what good would that do?
Her hurt feelings were his fault, and perhaps that was for the best. If she couldn’t even look at him, maybe it would be easier for him to keep her at arm’s length as required. Too many of his blade-brothers had fallen into dishonor with a human over the years, claiming what they had no right to take. His father had fallen into dishonor the same way, wooing Killian’s human mother and impregnating her before casting her aside to die.
Killian wouldn’t allow himself to fall down the same rabbit hole.
He was stronger than that. More disciplined.
Instead of arguing with Aubrey, he reinserted the key into the lock.
“Stay behind me,” he warned before he turned the knob and pushed the door open in one practiced move.
A hiss sounded from inside the apartment. A streak of white barreled out from behind the half-open door, straight toward Aubrey. He slipped the knives he’d hidden up his sleeves from their sheaths in an instant and raised his hands to throw.
“Killian, no!” Aubrey pushed him hard before diving into the room.
Cursing, he grabbed back the knives already leaving his hands. He followed on her heels, ready to drag her back out the damn door if he had to.
The little streak dove into her arms.
“It’s just Zee.” She held up a white ball of fur for him to inspect.
The ball of fur turned in her arms, laid its ears back, and hissed at him.
A kitten.
Hell.
He’d forgotten all about the little animal.
He kicked the door closed, his attention already turning to the rest of the room.
Everything appeared ordinary.
He took a second look.
The room seemed a little too ordinary. Black furniture sat atop white carpeting, with matching black-and-white curtains hanging over the windows. Simple glass tables bare of mementos of any kind were scattered around the room. Even the artwork
The human mind was fragile at the best of times. It was paper-thin glass at the worst. And this little human had seen the worst. But she hadn’t run away screaming over the shifters, or the virus, or him. She faced each new terror with strength and honor. That wasn’t the problem at all.
He liked her.
The depth of his attraction unnerved him.
How long had it been since he last felt such a strong affinity for anyone?
He couldn’t remember.
To feel such a thing for her—a human girl under his protection—was the height of dishonor. Caitria would have his ears if she ever found out how close he’d come to taking this lovely little human into his arms to comfort her. His blade-brothers would too.
“Look at me, please.”
She shook her head, refusing him.
“Please, Aubrey. Look at me.”
Her head snapped up, her green eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Anger and humiliation filled her gaze, piercing his heart with their intensity. Twin spots of color still stained her creamy cheeks.
“What?” she ground out, her lovely jaw set.
She truly was beautiful. Not even her muddy clothes hid the soft curves beneath. Her full, red lips begged to be kissed. And the floral scent of her skin…the cologne she’d used on her clothing did nothing to mask that delicious scent from him. If anything, smelling his cologne mixed with her scent took his mind to places he had no right to visit.
“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong,” he said, clenching his jaw against the physical reaction she caused him. He thrust his hands behind his back, away from temptation. “It’s not your fault you were institutionalized, and there’s nothing wrong with you.”
“Whatever,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes. “Can we go in now? I want to get this over with so I can get back to my life.”
He wanted to shake her, force her to listen to him, but what good would that do?
Her hurt feelings were his fault, and perhaps that was for the best. If she couldn’t even look at him, maybe it would be easier for him to keep her at arm’s length as required. Too many of his blade-brothers had fallen into dishonor with a human over the years, claiming what they had no right to take. His father had fallen into dishonor the same way, wooing Killian’s human mother and impregnating her before casting her aside to die.
Killian wouldn’t allow himself to fall down the same rabbit hole.
He was stronger than that. More disciplined.
Instead of arguing with Aubrey, he reinserted the key into the lock.
“Stay behind me,” he warned before he turned the knob and pushed the door open in one practiced move.
A hiss sounded from inside the apartment. A streak of white barreled out from behind the half-open door, straight toward Aubrey. He slipped the knives he’d hidden up his sleeves from their sheaths in an instant and raised his hands to throw.
“Killian, no!” Aubrey pushed him hard before diving into the room.
Cursing, he grabbed back the knives already leaving his hands. He followed on her heels, ready to drag her back out the damn door if he had to.
The little streak dove into her arms.
“It’s just Zee.” She held up a white ball of fur for him to inspect.
The ball of fur turned in her arms, laid its ears back, and hissed at him.
A kitten.
Hell.
He’d forgotten all about the little animal.
He kicked the door closed, his attention already turning to the rest of the room.
Everything appeared ordinary.
He took a second look.
The room seemed a little too ordinary. Black furniture sat atop white carpeting, with matching black-and-white curtains hanging over the windows. Simple glass tables bare of mementos of any kind were scattered around the room. Even the artwork
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