Sam's Secret (Icehome)

"Sam," I say, shaking my head. Even that small movement makes everything throb painfully. Maybe she is right and I should continue to lie down. "You have my heart. Nothing about that has changed."

"But I killed someone—"

"And I am sad I did not get to do it for you. He hurt you." I lift a hand to the scratches on her face. "He said he tried to drown you?"

She nods, her eyes sad. "The most pathetic part? I've carried all these knives with me for years so I could be ready, and I wasn't." She lets out a painful-sounding laugh. "I was naked. If that's not irony, I don't know what is."

"You were right not to trust him," I tell her, tracing the wounds on her face. "You were wiser than I am. I should have protected you. I have failed you as a mate."

She shakes her head. "That's where you're wrong. Because when I knew Brad, I was scared all the time. I was always afraid and worried what he'd do to me. I lived in fear constantly and watched my shadows. With you at my side…I haven't been afraid. Not anymore. And when Kvasaht drew his knife on me, it's weird, but I wasn't afraid then, either. Knowing you're there to protect me and support me has made me okay with standing up for myself. Is that strange? Because even though he held you captive, I felt like you'd be proud of me if I fought him, so I did." Her mouth twists. "But then I took it too far and killed him."

"I am not upset, Sam. I only wish I had killed him for you."

My mate brushes her fingers over my mouth. "I'm not sad about that. I hope you get to stay innocent for as long as possible."

Innocent? Me? I am not having very innocent thoughts right now. My mate is sprawled over me, and my khui is very aware of the nearness of her slick, inviting cunt. It hums and sings, reminding me that we have yet to finish fulfilling resonance. "I would have done it for you. I would do anything for you."

She snuggles against my chest, pressing her cheek over my heart. "That's a good thing, because I'm going to need help burying the body. He's too heavy for me to move on my own."

Even though I try to stay awake, I drift back to sleep. When I wake up some time later, Sam is sprawled over me, dozing, one of her bone knives clutched in her hand as if she intends to protect me. My khui sings a demanding song, and my cock stiffens. I am extremely aware of Sam's warm body over mine, my hand gliding down to cup her backside. She moans, her scent drifting up to my nose…

Followed by a slightly more unpleasant one of turning meat.

Ah. Well, she did say she needed help burying the body. "Sam," I murmur, rubbing her back and then gliding my fingers lower to cup her delicious buttocks once more. "Wake up."

"Mmm," she breathes, and my cock stiffens in reaction to her breathy little moan. "I'm still resonating."

"Me too." I cannot resist taking her by the hips and grinding her down on my hard shaft. I am naked, but she is wearing her full clothing, and it makes me surly because it reminds me that there are things we must do. "I want to take you again, but we must get rid of Kva-saht first."

"Shit." She sits up, scrambling off of me, and I want to smack myself in the face for saying anything. "Right. Okay. Let's get this taken care of." Sam smooths her tangled hair back from her face and then studies the stone floor. "You can't see the blood anymore, can you?"

Blood? I sniff, and catch a faint hint of it still in the air. It is little more than a taste, but her worry concerns me. I do not recall Kva-saht bleeding, and I wonder just how bad it was. "Show me the body?"

"Right. Okay." She clutches her knife against her chest, pressing it against her tunic, and I know she is comforting herself with its presence.

My poor Sam looks exhausted, the bruises on her delicate neck dark and furious, and I want nothing more than to take care of her. My head throbs when I get to my feet, but I ignore it. We cannot have a dead thing stinking up the cave and it is far too warm in here to leave him out. She leads me to the far end of the pool and the stink of blood and turned meat grows stronger. She has covered him in one of the furs we gave him, his features hidden, and I move over to his side and peel it back.