Page 47 of Knight’s Salvation

Chapter 12

The balcony juttingoff the compound’s control room came into view. Mia had her arms around his neck, clinging to him. He felt like an asshole for liking it so much. She was hurt, for fuck’s sake, but it felt good to touch her again.

If he hadn’t gotten to her in time…

He tightened his grip on her. He should have been there. If he was free, free to claim her, to make her his, she’d be safe. He’d never let her out of his goddamned sight. But he couldn’t be that for her. He belonged to Helena, and she would see Mia dead before allowing him to have her.

With one deep stroke of his wings, he slowed their descent. His feet barely touched the ground before he was moving again. He strode into the control room and someone moved in.

“Here, let me take her.”

Mia stiffened and clung tighter to him like he was her lifeline, and shit, it felt good to be that for her, to be her anchor.

“Let me take her. She needs those wounds looked at.” It was Rocco, arms extended. Zenon growled low, offering the other male a warning. His one and only warning before things got messy. No one was coming anywhere near her.

Rocco lifted his hands in surrender and took in Mia, the way she held him. “She’s all yours, brother.”

Damn straight.

He was shackled where his female was concerned, but he could do this for her. Without another glance at the other warrior, he pushed into the hall. The metallic smell of her blood mixed with her own unique scent was seriously getting to him. His demon stirred, wanting revenge on who dared to hurt what was theirs. It wanted to bathe in the blood of their enemy, and Zenon was totally on board.

“I’m okay. I think I can walk.” Mia looked up at him, her face so close to his all he needed to do was dip his chin a fraction and he could kiss her, taste her.

The elevator doors slid open and he stepped inside and hit the button for the fourth floor. Her gaze darted back to his face, but she didn’t comment. She also didn’t ask to be put down again. As soon as the door opened he strode down the hall, past several apartments, and turned at the end going straight to his door.

He carried her inside and gently set her down on his couch. After unbuckling the holster across his chest, he removed his Li Kweis, and placed the axes on the small table by the door. When he turned back, she sat looking up at him, eyes round and questioning.

“Let me help you with your coat. I need to check those scratches.” Kneeling down in front of her, he slid the buttons free and she sucked in a pained breath when he slipped the heavy fabric down her arms.

He cursed. They were deep and needed a thorough clean. “The T-shirt needs to come off.”

And fuck, the blush that moved up her throat was so damn lovely he almost groaned aloud. She struggled for a moment trying to get it off. “I can’t lift my arms.”

Zenon slipped the blade from his boot. The pulse in her throat fluttered a little faster, and her cheeks got a little darker, but she didn’t flinch, didn’t bat a fucking eyelash as he sliced through the fabric.

That got to him more than anything could.

She trusted him.

The shirt fell from her shoulders and pooled around her hips.

“How do they look?” she asked.

“That demon made a bit of a mess, but you won’t need stitches. I’ll go get the shit I need to dress them.”

When he walked back in, it took effort, but he kept his eyes trained on her wounds and not all that beautiful creamy skin.

She didn’t cry or make a fuss as he cleaned her cuts, and he knew the stuff he was using stung like hell. Mia was strong, and though he didn’t have a right to feel shit, he couldn’t stop pride from filling his chest.

When he’d tasted her in the gym he’d stayed below the waist, and now she was nearly all patched up he couldn’t stop himself from taking in the rest of her. The tops of her breasts looked soft, pale, encased in the type of thing females wore when they worked out. His balls tightened. Jesus.

“Zenon?”

Great, she’d caught him blatantly ogling her. Nice one, dipshit.

He was about to apologize when the door to his apartment slammed open and Chaos stormed in.

“What the fuck?” Chaos wasn’t looking at him, his dark pissed-off gaze trained on Mia.