Read Online Taming a Healer: 3 (Galactic Lust) by Kathleen Lash - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathleen Lash
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need to.”
Gabriel slipped on the clothes and sat next to Sadie.
Despite her behavior earlier, she must still trust him somewhat. She’d not only
allowed him close while meditating, she’d fallen asleep atop him. The dance of
firelight drifted over her features. He memorized each small detail and
mentally compared them to how she’d looked when he’d last seen her.
A small dimple on her chin denoted a hurt she’d received. A
long pink mark down the side of her neck looked more recent. Could one of the
beasts have caused it? The backs of her small hands held countless thin scars.
The berries she’d once adored grew in bushes with wicked thorns. Was the damage
to her hands from nine years of picking her favorite treat?
He’d known her so well and had been able to read her
emotions clearly. In actuality, he’d seldom needed to concentrate on what she
might be feeling by studying her body language and expressions. In some way, they’d
been connected and he could vividly imagine what’d saddened her and what’d
brightened her eyes.
Unusual noises drifted into the cave. Gabriel rose and
grabbed the discarded sword. He listened and turned toward the deep pool. He
scanned the area, watching for any movement. Only the ripples across the water
stirred from the hot spring constantly feeding the small body of water.
“Gabriel?” Sadie said quietly.
He held a palm toward her, silently urging her not to speak
or move.
Sadie quietly sat and scanned the area where Gabriel’s
attention lay. He stood perfectly still, his chest barely moving as his gaze
moved slowly over the interior of the cave. She glanced around, searching for a
weapon. She imagined Nolan retrieved his knife when she’d allowed Gabriel to
meditate with her.
An odd sound drew her attention to the ceiling of the cave.
Gabriel also glanced up as he took a few tentative steps toward the pool. The
constant noise grew louder. Something scraped at the solid rock above.
“No.” She stood, allowing the blankets to slither to the
ground. “They can’t claw through rock.”
“Shh,” Nolan said from behind her.
Damn him for always sneaking around! Her heart nearly
stopped when his breath touched her ear. Nolan stepped in front of her to stand
next to Gabriel. The two of them poised for battle made her heartbeat quicken.
She’d forgotten how imposing a hunter could appear when prepared to fight. No malicitor would take her with two hunters protecting her.
A rustling sound came from the cave entrance. Gabriel
immediately turned and crept toward the pitch-black area. She divided her
attention between the two men, unsure what to do. She bent, picked up a
partially burned branch from the fire and hoisted it over her shoulder. A
whimper from the wolfen pup drew her attention. She covered it with a blanket,
hoping it would curl up and go back to sleep.
A spray of loose pebbles rained down from the ceiling as
something scraped the rock wall by the mouth of the cave. Gabriel disappeared
down the black corridor. Her heart leapt into her throat. She clamped her lips
tightly as not to call out.
Seconds of silence ticked by before a loud scream echoed off
the cavern walls. She ran to the opposite side of the fire, prepared for the
creature that might slip past Gabriel. Thuds accompanied a scuffle before the
area fell quiet. The hiss and pop of the fire droned in her ears.
Gabriel! Come back to me, Gabriel!
He emerged a moment later from the darkness, his arms and
hands covered in blood.
No!
He gazed at her as he drew near. “The animal was weak and
almost unable to fight.”
“Are you hurt?”
“The blood is from the beast. Not me.”
Shudders of relief washed over her. Gabriel walked to Nolan
and both men listened and watched. Something pounded on the rock above their
heads. Nolan said, “They’ve a long way to go before they gain entrance. From
the sound, I’d say many feet of stone protects us.”
“I agree,” Gabriel replied.
“The
Gabriel slipped on the clothes and sat next to Sadie.
Despite her behavior earlier, she must still trust him somewhat. She’d not only
allowed him close while meditating, she’d fallen asleep atop him. The dance of
firelight drifted over her features. He memorized each small detail and
mentally compared them to how she’d looked when he’d last seen her.
A small dimple on her chin denoted a hurt she’d received. A
long pink mark down the side of her neck looked more recent. Could one of the
beasts have caused it? The backs of her small hands held countless thin scars.
The berries she’d once adored grew in bushes with wicked thorns. Was the damage
to her hands from nine years of picking her favorite treat?
He’d known her so well and had been able to read her
emotions clearly. In actuality, he’d seldom needed to concentrate on what she
might be feeling by studying her body language and expressions. In some way, they’d
been connected and he could vividly imagine what’d saddened her and what’d
brightened her eyes.
Unusual noises drifted into the cave. Gabriel rose and
grabbed the discarded sword. He listened and turned toward the deep pool. He
scanned the area, watching for any movement. Only the ripples across the water
stirred from the hot spring constantly feeding the small body of water.
“Gabriel?” Sadie said quietly.
He held a palm toward her, silently urging her not to speak
or move.
Sadie quietly sat and scanned the area where Gabriel’s
attention lay. He stood perfectly still, his chest barely moving as his gaze
moved slowly over the interior of the cave. She glanced around, searching for a
weapon. She imagined Nolan retrieved his knife when she’d allowed Gabriel to
meditate with her.
An odd sound drew her attention to the ceiling of the cave.
Gabriel also glanced up as he took a few tentative steps toward the pool. The
constant noise grew louder. Something scraped at the solid rock above.
“No.” She stood, allowing the blankets to slither to the
ground. “They can’t claw through rock.”
“Shh,” Nolan said from behind her.
Damn him for always sneaking around! Her heart nearly
stopped when his breath touched her ear. Nolan stepped in front of her to stand
next to Gabriel. The two of them poised for battle made her heartbeat quicken.
She’d forgotten how imposing a hunter could appear when prepared to fight. No malicitor would take her with two hunters protecting her.
A rustling sound came from the cave entrance. Gabriel
immediately turned and crept toward the pitch-black area. She divided her
attention between the two men, unsure what to do. She bent, picked up a
partially burned branch from the fire and hoisted it over her shoulder. A
whimper from the wolfen pup drew her attention. She covered it with a blanket,
hoping it would curl up and go back to sleep.
A spray of loose pebbles rained down from the ceiling as
something scraped the rock wall by the mouth of the cave. Gabriel disappeared
down the black corridor. Her heart leapt into her throat. She clamped her lips
tightly as not to call out.
Seconds of silence ticked by before a loud scream echoed off
the cavern walls. She ran to the opposite side of the fire, prepared for the
creature that might slip past Gabriel. Thuds accompanied a scuffle before the
area fell quiet. The hiss and pop of the fire droned in her ears.
Gabriel! Come back to me, Gabriel!
He emerged a moment later from the darkness, his arms and
hands covered in blood.
No!
He gazed at her as he drew near. “The animal was weak and
almost unable to fight.”
“Are you hurt?”
“The blood is from the beast. Not me.”
Shudders of relief washed over her. Gabriel walked to Nolan
and both men listened and watched. Something pounded on the rock above their
heads. Nolan said, “They’ve a long way to go before they gain entrance. From
the sound, I’d say many feet of stone protects us.”
“I agree,” Gabriel replied.
“The
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