The irony that my death was impossible wasn’t lost on me.
Starting the water in the shower, I let the cold water beat down on me, washing the blood off my skin to swirl pink down the drain of the white tub. I needed the feel of the water and the sound of it falling to clear my mind. I could have cleaned up with a thought, but there was nothing as good as a shower to help you order your thoughts. As the water warmed, my mind began working through the day, and I thought about the rarity of immortality.
Some paranormal beings could live a very, very long time, but few were actually immortal. I was one of those few. I had lent my essence to Finn in order to save him, which would have ramifications for him, I was sure. I didn’t know the specifics, but I’d ask when I got home. It didn’t really matter, though. No matter the consequences, there was no way I would have let Finn die when I had the means to stop it.
He was important to me.
The realization of what I’d just done and what it meant, hit me as hard as I imagined that arrow had hit Finn earlier. This arrow wasn’t poisoned, but it had the potential to be just as destructive. I didn’t know how I would deal with my revelation, but it could wait another day. I turned off the water, dried off, then walked back into the bedroom and cleaned up the blood. A wave of my hand had everything clean and perfect once more. Another thought and Finn was disrobed and under the covers in his bed. I checked his leg and was pleased to see it was healing, and those angry lines were disappearing slowly. It had worked. I created some gauze from thin air, then bandaged his leg loosely.
Too tired to go out to the sofa and my makeshift bed, I put Finn’s robe back on, then crawled into bed next to him. I told myself it was just so I could check on his recovery in the middle of the night more easily, but I knew the truth. I cared about him and wanted to be near him—as I’d realized earlier in the shower. Finn had become important to me over the last year, and the last few days had solidified that into something much less ephemeral and much more solid. I couldn’t pretend this was mere friendship anymore. Nope, it was much more than that.
I loved him.
Damn.
Chapter 7
Finn
I’m not dead.
This was the first coherent thought that made it through the cobwebs in my mind. I remembered pain, dreams, nightmares, and bone-deep sadness, but as I drifted up through the gauze draping my thoughts, I remembered more, and it became more clear.
Henry, the scratch on my leg, my weakness, and did I pass out?
Stretching my muscles, I didn’t feel weak or stiff or even tired. Taking inventory of my body and then my magic, I didn’t feel bad. I felt great! What had happened last night?
I went to roll over onto my side, but I felt something next to me when I shifted to the right. No, not next to me, on me. Opening my eyes, I looked down to see a mass of glowing blond curls on my chest.
Henry.
Slipping my hand up, I gently circled my arm around his sleeping form and pulled him closer. His weight next to me felt right somehow. I had never liked sleeping with anyone. If I was in bed, I wanted to sleep, not cuddle. I’d never been a snuggler by any stretch of the imagination. In the times I’d had a physical relationship with someone, they’d always been expected to leave for the night.
But this with Henry? This felt so natural. I could get used to feeling his solid more petite body draped over mine.
My busy mind went from that serene thought to something much more physical. Henry, leaning over for a good morning kiss, then straddling me for a very good morning for both of us. My cock was all for this scenario, but I had to tell it to calm the hell down. Henry wasn’t here forever and he was human. He was strictly off-limits.
His soft hair caressed my chest, teasing my nipple that was already perked up with my last thoughts, causing me to groan in a combination of need and frustration.
His whole body went rigid immediately as soon as I made a noise, and he popped up wide-eyed, hands on my chest and gaze on mine.
“Are you okay, Finn? What’s wrong? What do you need?”
He placed a hand on my forehead.
“You don’t feel clammy anymore, and your fever broke a few hours ago.” He shifted down the bed and began pulling the covers down as he went.
“Are you feeling all right? Let me check your leg.”
As he pulled the covers down, I realized that I was utterly commando and my cock was very perked up to say good morning. Mortified, I pulled the covers back up before he could get them below my waist.
“No, I’m okay; it’s fine.”
Henry huffed with an adorable pout and put his fists on his hips. He was wearing my robe again, but when he’d moved down the bed, it had shifted. The collar was off his left shoulder, showing creamy skin and his chest lightly dusted with soft blond hair. His small nipple was exposed to the cool air and drawn tight. Gods, I wanted a taste. I lowered my gaze to avoid the temptation, but the next sight
