Page 266 of Red Marked

“So you’re the Star.” Her mother comes around the bed and takes both my hands. Her grip is strong. “I’ve wanted to meet you.”

“It’s so good to meet you too.”

“Koa’s dad has gone to find sushi. Koa is craving sashimi. Anything for his little girl. He’ll be sorry he missed you.” She looks at her daughter, and her chin wobbles. “Koa has done so well. My brave girl. I have never been prouder of anyone in my whole life.”

“Mom.” Koa is going pink.

“I’m allowed.”

“She’s right,” I say. I sit on the edge of the mattress and take Koa’s hand. “You are one of the bravest females I have ever met. I’ve thought that since the day we met. Everything you’ve done since then, every hard thing, you’ve done with your head up.” I squeeze her fingers. “You’re an inspiration to me, Koa. I mean that.”

Her eyes fill. She looks at the ceiling and blinks hard, and it doesn’t work.

“You kept me alive,” she says.

“You kept yourself alive. I just nagged you about your dinner.”

She laughs, wet and shaky, and pulls me down into another hug. Her mother puts a hand on my back. Nobody says anything for a while.

“Okay.” Koa wipes her face with the heel of her hand and sniffs. “Okay. Enough. Let me see it.”

“See what?”

“Star.” She holds out her palm. “Show me your ring. I know you sent me a picture, but I want to see it in person.”

I put my hand in hers. The ring is a plain white-gold band with an oval ruby surrounded by tiny diamonds. Flint chose it himself, and I love it.

Koa turns my hand to the light. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”

“Thank you. You’ll be at the ceremony, of course,” I say. “It’s still a few months away. You’ll be back on your feet by then.”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She lets go of my hand and looks past me at Flint, who is standing at the end of the bed with his hands in his pockets. Her eyes go to his forearms. “I love the red in your tattoos, by the way.”

Flint looks down at his arms. Then he rubs the back of his neck.

“Thanks,” he says. He’s gone shy. It’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.

“He got himself red marked,” I say.

“I heard it’s become a thing.” Koa nods. “Shifters from Draig putting red into their markings when they mate with Reds.”

“There’s a big drive,” Flint says. “So we can truly be one species.” He runs his thumb along the inside of his wrist where the new color threads through the black. “I happen to love red.” He gets this molten look when his eyes lock with mine.

My nipples tighten.

Holy crap!

He still gets me all riled up with just a look.

There’s a squeak of wheels in the corridor.

Carla comes in first, and Magma follows, pushing a stroller that takes up the whole doorway. He gets it through on the second try. Flint opens his mouth, and Magma puts a finger to his lips.

“Don’t,” he whispers. “They’re asleep. Finally.”

“I can’t even see them?” Flint whispers back.

“No. You’ll breathe on them, and they’ll wake up and be grumpy. Do you want that, Flint?”