Page 19 of Knight’s Salvation

And as Mia moved closer, his demon began to struggle, fighting to come to the surface, to stop whatever was making Zenon react this way—to protect him. It was hard, but he maintained control—until Mia moved even closer.

Her gaze dropped to his abs, to the slave markings covering the right side. “And this one?” She raised her hand and he sucked in a breath when her fingers brushed over his heated skin, gentle, cautious. “What does this mean?”

He went into sensation overload, and his momentary loss of concentration allowed his demon to rush forth. He knew the color had bled from his eyes and they were now a dull, black nothingness when hers widened in alarm. He was aware of everything but was unable to stop what happened next. With a snarl born of confusion, of fear, his demon shoved her away. Mia stumbled back then tripped over the machine behind her, glancing the side of her head before falling to the floor.

His demon retreated immediately and in a way he’d never felt before, until Zenon almost couldn’t feel its presence anymore. Mia lay clutching her head, looking up at him in a way that took his self-loathing to a whole new level. She was afraid, angry. She swiped at her eyes, and he realized with utter horror that she was crying.

He didn’t know what to do, what to say. Couldn’t process the flurry of emotions flooding him. So he went with the one he was familiar with. Anger. “People can’t…they don’t touch me,” he growled.

Her lovely features twisted in pain and she swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand again. “Don’t worry. I won’t do anything so stupid again.”

Fuck.

When she brought her other hand down to look at it, blood coated her palm. She gagged and her eyes did an unfocused roll in her head. Without thought, he moved forward and crouched in front of her. “You might be concussed.”

“It’s not that. I don’t handle the sight of blood very well.”

“We need to get you to your room.” He lifted a hand and hesitated. Fucking pick her up, asshole. You did this to her.

“I’m fine. I can walk back on my own. Without you having to suffer the unpleasantness of touching me.” She tried to get to her feet and swayed to the side.

He quickly scooped her up before she fell again, sliding an arm under her legs, the other behind her back. “It’s just…you surprised me. I wouldn’t…I’d never hurt…” Jesus. He never explained himself, not to anyone. He could feel her eyes on him, but he didn’t look at her, couldn’t. “I don’t hurt females.”

He’d never carried one before either, but he’d seen Laz carry Eve after Tobias had hurt her, and he’d seen males do it on television. Without letting himself think on it too much, he lifted her higher before she could protest further. Her warmth immediately seared his bare skin, her soft curves pressing in tight against his chest and stomach.

He tried to numb himself to it. It didn’t work. He kicked the door open and strode toward the elevators. The sooner he got her to her room, the sooner he could put her down. Mia remained stiff in his arms, and for some reason he couldn’t explain, he didn’t want that, despite his own fucked-up issues.

Did being this close to him disgust her?

You just pushed her over, dipshit.

“So what was that back there, your evil twin?” she said, not once glancing in his direction.

He inwardly winced. “You could say that.”

The elevator doors opened and he stepped inside, punching the number for her floor. She turned to face him. This close he could feel the warmth of each exhale brushing his jaw and throat, and it took all his willpower not to shiver. In the confined space, the foreign feeling of Mia in his arms was too much.

All he could think about was how different she was, she felt, compared to Helena. Mia was all soft warm curves, not hard angles. Her scent wasn’t strong and exotic. It was light and sweet.

He had to stop thinking like that. It was too goddamn dangerous.

“Your demon, right? Eve explained how that works.”

“People don’t, they don’t touch me,” he said again. Why couldn’t he stop yapping? It would be better if she thought he was the kind of male who wouldn’t think twice about hurting a female. Better she fear him than come anywhere near him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You did nothing wrong.” Someone needed to staple his goddamned lips together. The doors opened and he strode out, in a hurry to get to her room so he could put her down and get the hell away.

They reached her door and she reached back to pull her key card from her back pocket, causing one of her breasts to press into his chest. A shudder moved through him, tingles sliding over his head.

He leaned forward, holding her away from his body as best he could. She swiped the card and the door unlatched. He carried her inside and quickly placed her on the couch then took several steps back.

Now what?He wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was, so he just stood there.

Mia winced, then reached up and removed the tie holding her hair. It fell around her shoulders, and he swallowed hard.

That’s when his demon stirred again, slithering to the surface.

But not to attack.

No, the fucker purred.