Page 33 of Stone Cold Alien

Georgie squeezed his thigh. “I know what’s underneath.”

Cairn’s attention fixed on her. Their scents changed at the same time.

I looked away. So did Robyn.

“We’ll deal with Glasgow tomorrow,” she said. “Tonight, you need to rest.”

“I have rested for centuries.”

“You’ve been conscious for most of one day and already injured yourself. You’re resting.”

I considered arguing, but the blood and food had made my body heavy. Maybe she was right. She was a healer, after all.

I breathed in deep as soon as the bedroom door closed behind us. Quiet. Freedom. Pam and Joseph had left and Cairn and Georgie had taken the smaller room on the other side of the lodge. If I strained, I could just about hear them, but they were far enough away to give us some privacy.

I looked at the bed, then at the carpet beside it.

“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” Robyn said.

“I have slept on stone.”

“That doesn’t mean you should continue making bad choices. The bed is big enough for both of us.”

“I can sleep on the chair. It looks soft.”

“What if you turn to stone overnight? What if you’re frozen and can’t bite me? What do we do then? Come on, the bed is enormous. We can share it.”

She said it casually, but her heartbeat changed.

“I will not expect anything from you.”

“I know. You asked before kissing me even after drinking my blood. That’s why I’m willing to share.”

I settled on top of the covers, keeping my injured wing supported by pillows. Robyn climbed beneath the blankets on the other side and placed two large cushions between us.

“A border,” she explained.

“I know what a border is. I have fought many wars over the right of people to choose their own borders.”

My tail crossed it almost immediately.

Robyn looked down at the grey tip resting on her hip.

“Your tail doesn’t seem to.”

“It has never been good at following orders. Do you want me to bind it to my leg?”

She moved it from her hip but did not return it to my side. Instead, she rested it between us and turned off the lamp.

“No. This will do.”

Darkness filled the room.

I knew exactly where she was. The bond had grown stronger after tasting her blood. Darkness did nothing to hide her from me. Her breathing was slow, but she was not asleep.

“Sten?”

“Yes?”