Page 27 of Bloodhunter

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’m okay.” I tilted my head at the sound of water comingfrom my bathroom. “Now that you see I’m okay, you’ll have to leave. I need toshower.”

“I’m not leaving. I’ll guard you until…”

I frowned at his hesitation. “Until?” I squeezed the hiltof the sword, but she never moved. I could feel her, though, as though she werelistening to me. Still, she looked like a cold, beautiful object—not somethingthat could come to life and chew through my ribs.

Clayton stood as still and emotionless as the sword, butthere was a spark of light deep in the darkness of his eyes, and he seemeddisinclined to hide that from me.

But then I understood. “You’ll guard me until Miriam tellsyou to stop.”

He said nothing, but his expression hardened. I wasn’tmocking him, just stating facts, but he was sensitive to his forced servitude.I couldn’t blame him for that.

“How can you gain your freedom?” I hadn’t meant to ask thequestion, but there it was.

“Go clean up. I’ll examine your wound afterward.” He droppedhis gaze to my chest.

And just that quickly, I was naked.

Not a bloody, sword-wielding warrior, but a naked humanfemale. And when I lifted my arm to cover my breasts and turned slightly awayfrom him, I saw him smile for the first time since I’d known him.

That smile was full of satisfaction.

For a few minutes, I not only forgot I was unclothed andvulnerable, but I forgot the scars that marred my body—more gifts from Amias Sato.

I shivered and backed awkwardly from the room. “Go away. Idon’t want you here and I don’t need a guard. Go back to your mistress.”

I didn’t wait to see the look on his face then as I fled theroom, sword in hand.

“Wash quickly,” he called. “Your neighbor has summoned thepolice, and though I imagine they receive a dozen calls from her each day, theywill still be bound to check.”

“Well you’re just downright chatty, aren’t you?” I muttered.

Maybe it was only in Miriam’s presence that he refused toopen his mouth.

Still, he was right. The police would come, and I had to getthe blood washed off me and a bandage slapped on before they arrived.

I took Silverlight with me into the bathroom, and placed itin the linen closet while I showered. I didn’t trust Clayton with my sword. Noteven a little bit.

I hurried through my shower and was just ripping open apackage of large bandages when Clayton called through the closed door thatcompany had arrived.

“Shit.” I stuffed the bandages into the cupboard withSilverlight before belting on a thick robe and leaving the bathroom. Iremembered my phone and darted back into the bathroom to grab it and drop itinto my pocket.

My wound was no longer bleeding, so I didn’t worry about thepolice seeing blood seeping through the fabric of my robe. Still, it was tenderand the entire left side of my chest groaned when I so much as moved my arm.

I ran my hand over my damp hair and joined Clayton and twopolicemen waiting in my tiny living room.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, making sure my eyes were wide andmy voice was high with impending hysteria. I wrung my hands, then went to standbeside Clayton. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist. “Clayton? What’s goingon? Is something wrong with Nina? Did something happen to her?”

There was no Nina, of course, but the cops wouldn’t knowthat.

Clayton lifted an eyebrow, but played along. “No. Apparentlyone of your neighbors called to report that I broke in to your apartment andthat you were covered with blood.” He grinned.

Honestly, for a moment I forgot the cops were there. His smile,genuine or not, was breathtaking in its unexpectedness. And it made him lookalmost…human.

One of the cops cleared his throat. “Ma’am? You invited thisman in?”

I took my slightly dazed stare from Clayton and looked atthe cops. I wrinkled my nose, glanced once more up at Clayton, whose arm Istill held, then back to the policemen. I frowned in puzzlement. “Clayton? Ofcourse. He’s my…friend. Look, I don’t understand what you’re doing here.Nothing’s wrong with Nina?”