Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103211 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
“I…I understand,” Seline gasped, swiping at her eyes again. “It’s just…Lendrex kept telling me you weren’t coming back for me—that you had traded me for the Far Box and I…I guess I was starting to believe him.”
“Seline, look at me.” Nox lifted her chin with one finger so they were eye to eye. “I will always come for you,” he murmured, stroking her tear-streaked cheek. “Always, if you’re in danger, I’ll be there.”
“Oh, Nox,” she whispered, trying not to start crying again. “I…I’m sorry I doubted you.”
“You had reason to. I can see what that bastard did to you.” He stroked one long finger over her bruised arm and a grim look came over his face. “I should have killed him—I should have killed all of them!”
“Would you really have done it?” Seline asked softly. “I mean, would you have detonated the other two bombs and sent the entire space station into the black hole?”
His face hardened.
“I would not let you go or lose you under any circumstances. I knew that even with my enhanced strength I could not prevail against so many Viridians in any other way.”
“Well, you certainly called Lendrex’s bluff,” Seline remarked. She was feeling a little better now. It helped to cry and to be held and comforted by the man she loved. “Thank you for coming for me,” she added.
“Did I get to you in time?” Nox looked earnestly into her eyes. “Did Lendrex…had he put you into the Ghost Box before I got there?”
“No.” Seline shook her head. “No, he was just about to but he never got me in there.” She shivered. “Thank God!”
“I am glad you were spared that ordeal…though it doesn’t look as though you were spared in any other way,” he said, stroking her arm again.
“He…he beat me with just about every implement he had,” Seline whispered. She was trying not to start crying again. “It hurt so much, Nox.”
“I am so sorry, sweetheart,” he rumbled gently. Suddenly, he rose from the side of the bed, still carrying her.
“Hey! What…where are we going?” Seline gasped.
“First to the shower, so we can clean off Lendrex’s touch,” Nox informed her. “Then back to the bed, so I can heal you.”
“Oh, Nox—you don’t have to do all that,” she protested. “I’m so tired—I just want to rest.”
“You can rest while I heal you,” he promised. “I’ll be very, very gentle—I swear it.”
He was as good as his word. After a soothing hot shower that helped to ease some of her worst aches and pains, Nox dried her off and laid her—naked—on the bed.
Seline didn’t have the strength to feel horrified anymore when she looked down at her bruised and battered body. She was black and blue and covered in the red lashes of the fire whip all over. Could Nox really heal all of that? She didn’t know if she cared anymore—she just wanted to rest.
Starting at her shoulders, Nox worked his way down her body, spreading his essence with his tongue. It was the most soothing sensation imaginable, feeling his warm tongue and the cool essence healing her, penetrating her skin and erasing the marks and bruises.
Lendrex had been especially cruel to her most sensitive areas and she cried out in pain at the first light touch of Nox’s tongue against one throbbing nipple, which had been clamped tight in a vise-like instrument. But as soon as his essence penetrated the wounded flesh, she relaxed and sighed with relief.
“Oh Nox…that feels so much better,” she whispered, as he laved her tight tip gently with his tongue.
His answer was to suck her nipple deep into his hot mouth, bathing the whole area with his healing essence. Then he did the same for her other breast, taking his time to make sure every mark and wound was healed.
As her Protector worked his way down her body, healing and soothing her, Seline began to feel more awake. Nox’s mouth on her felt so good—so right. It seemed amazing to her that they had never done anything like this before this particular mission. How had they kept apart for so long when things were so right and natural between the two of them?
It’s because he never had emotions before, she thought. And I never really dreamed he could. I hoped for it, but I didn’t actually believe it would happen.
Nox spent what felt like hours healing her, front and back, until at last, there was nothing left to heal but the spot between her legs. But when he started to part her thighs, Seline tried to stop him.
“No, wait,” she protested. “I don’t…don’t need to be healed there.”
Nox frowned at her sternly.
“I will be the judge of that. Open for me, Seline.”
His stern tone sent a shiver through her body and she found herself parting her thighs, though she still wasn’t sure she wanted to.