Page 59 of Dark Embrace

She had stopped bleeding.

He closed his eyes and felt her carefully with his mind. Her skull was whole. He could not envision a single fractured line.

He gasped in relief and heard her moan. “Dinna move,” he said, for she was as white as a ghost and her eyelashes were fluttering. “Let me finish healin’ ye, Brianna. Ye will be fine.”

Her lashes lifted and her green eyes, filled with pain, met his. “You…survived?”

“Hush,” he said. He realized her ribs were broken, as was her right arm, and he sent his healing light now to both places.

Her labored breathing slowed, becoming normal. Realizing he’d healed her body, he glanced at her face. She was staring at him closely, and when their eyes met, a huge warmth filled his chest.

In that singular moment, he wanted her to look at him with faith and trust.

She lifted her hand and clasped his cheek. He became aware that she lay with her shoulders in his lap, and a stunning desire came. It almost hurled him backward into the tree, hollowing his chest completely. It stiffened his body, raised his loins.

His heart thundered.

He wanted to take this beautiful woman to his bed. But he didn’t want power.

He wanted pleasure, but not for himself.

He wanted to give it to her.

“Ye should have taken more lives last night, instead of playin’ nursemaid to our sweet Brianna.”

Aidan froze.

Brianna whispered, “I owe you my life…again.”

He looked at her in horror.

AIDAN HAD JUST HEALED HER.

Demons could not heal.

He rose to his feet, his face hard and tight. “Can ye stand?”

Brie closed her eyes, recalling Moray’s brutal attack. She had been close to death, and this time it had not been a dream. She would have died if Aidan hadn’t healed her.

She trembled, slowly opening her eyes and gazing up at him. They were connected more than ever before. “You can heal. I didn’t know.”

His expression was grim.

“Demons can’t heal, not ever. Was your mother a Healer?”

“Nay, but she was very devout.” Clearly he did not wish to discuss this topic any further. He added reluctantly, “My grandmother was a goddess.”

Brie sat up, incredulous. His grandmother was a goddess. No wonder he could heal. This new, stunning fact was further proof that there was so much hope. Or was there?

Brie hugged herself now. Moray had taken another man’s body again. Aidan didn’t have to tell her for her to know. But just to be sure, she said, “Was it Moray?”

His eyes blazed. “Aye.”

She exhaled. It was as she had thought. Moray had begun the battle by attacking Aidan, and it had seemed as if they were evenly matched, until he had directed his evil at her.

She hadn’t expected it. She was never going to forget being suddenly hurled by his power, so forcefully that it was like becoming a small tennis ball spinning in a cyclone. She had known she would die the moment she’d made impact with the tree.

She would never forget hearing her skull crack; she would never forget the utter comprehension and then the utter terror; and she would never forget the explosion of pain that had followed.