The Rising (Darkness Rising 3)

the dangling leg of my jeans between my teeth and tugged him toward the woods.

"Do you want to take the clothes, or . . . ?" he began.

I let go and motioned to the forest.

"Ah," he said, grinning. "Be back, guys. Time to offer moral support, apparently."

He followed me into the forest. When we were out of sight of the others, he set my clothing on a log, then crouched in front of me.

"Okay, you do your thing. I won't look until you're decent. But if anyone asks? I totally looked."

I licked his face.

"Yow. That stings. Like being kissed with sandpaper."

He smiled, then walked to the log and sat with his back to me. I lowered myself to the ground, and almost as soon as I did I passed out, as if my body had just been waiting for its cue.

When I woke, my arm felt better, as if it had only been temporarily twisted. I crept over, took my clothing, and dressed. Rafe stayed with his back turned until I sat down beside him.

"Fully dressed?" he said. "Damn."

"Sorry. Next time I'll leave my socks off."

He laughed and got to his feet. Before we left, he pulled me into a kiss.

"Happy now?" he murmured.

I looked up at him. "Very happy."

"Good. Now go do your healing mojo. Let's make sure he's okay."

When Rafe and I stepped onto the path, there was a guy walking ahead of us. I saw the slim figure, the dark gray T-shirt, the chestnut brown hair, and I froze.

"Ash?"

He turned, and I raced down the path and threw my arms around his neck, hugging him as his armload of sticks jabbed me.

"I thought you'd left," I whispered.

"Why would I?" he said, wriggling out of my embrace.

"Hey," Rafe said. "You must be Maya's brother. I'm--"

"I know who you are." Ash turned to me. "You okay?"

I nodded. "The Nasts aren't going to mistreat potential future employees."

He didn't ask how I got away. He knew he'd get the story eventually.

As we stood there in silence I rocked on my heels, resisting the urge to embrace him again. I could tell that would not be welcome. "I'm really glad to see you here. I was sure you'd leave."

"Why?"

"Um, because I was taken captive. And you were nearly taken captive."

He snorted. "I don't spook that easy. And if they took you, I'm sure as hell not running away, not after you got yourself captured trying to protect me." A glare. "Which was stupid." He didn't pause to let me reply. "You needed my help, so I stayed. That's what I came here for, isn't it? Getting you out of this mess you've gotten yourself into."

"Gotten herself into?" Rafe said.