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Butdamn it,Killik’sjaw was set, his gaze intent on the dagger still spinning in his hand.Asif he indeed hadn’t spoken toUlfarrabout this yet, not in the slightest — andLouisa’sdisbelief escaped in a choked laugh, a furious shake of her head.
“Youdevious snake,” she snarled at him. “Youcan’t honestly mean to tell me you haven’t actually talked toUlfarraboutanyof this?Youhaven’t told him about the agreement?About—me?”
Hervoice cracked, because wait, the way she’d behaved whenUlfarrhad kissed her hand, the way she’d so shamefully ogled his trousers — it had all been with some vague understanding that he’d already known who she was.ThatKillikhad already discussed it with him, and made… arrangements.Whilein truth,Ulfarrhadn’t had the faintest idea whoLouisawas?She’djust been some addled, messy, tarty stranger, blatantly taking one look, and trying to get into his trousers?
“Ach,Ispoke to him of you, woman,”Killiksnapped back, a little too late. “Itold himIknew he should find you pleasing, and that he ought to meet you.”
Buthe’d clearly said nothing beyond that, especially about the deal, the debts, the ten nights together — andLouisagaped at him, as fury screeched higher in her chest. “Sowhat was your plan for tonight, then?” she demanded. “Todump him into my bedroom, and hope for the best?AndhopeIdidn’t betray how it wasyourplan the entire time?Orhow you’re paying my debts in exchange?!”
Killik’sface looked pinched, now, his gaze still fixed on his spinning dagger, andLouisabarked another furious growl, and jerked a step toward him. “Thatis ahorribleplan, you menace,” she hissed. “WhatifUlfarrdoesn’twantthat?Whatif he doesn’t actually want a woman as part of a plan, or adeal?Whatif he doesn’t want —me?!”
Hervoice rang out between them, far too carrying, andKillikdarted a brief, hunted look back toward the well, before lurching deeper into the trees, and wavingLouisaafter him.Andmaybe she should have refused, but she was already rounding on him again, and desperately fighting the urge to spit in his face. “Yousaid you were trying tohelphim, you prick,” she growled. “Howthe hell is it helping him if you trick him into a transactional liaison with a stranger, based on nothing but coin and false pretenses andlies?!”
Shewas too close toKilliknow, close enough that she could see his eyelid twitching, could hear the shaky sound of his breath.Andwith a sharp snap of movement, he caught his still-spinning dagger-blade in his hand, and lurched a step toward her, almost near enough to touch.
“Yourliaisonis not based on lies,” he hissed back, low in his throat. “Iscented you, over there.Iscented him.Hewishes for you, and you for him, asIknew you would.Soach,Igrant you both a gift, and make this truth!”
Louisascoffed, and jerked a furious shake of her head. “Stopdodging my point,” she snarled. “Andstop pretending that you’re justified in this rubbish.Youlied to him, and you lied to me, and therefore put your entire grand plan at risk!Didyou really thinkI’dbe foolish enough to just drag him into my bed tonight, without discussing any of this first?!”
Thedisdain curled onKillik’slip, and he huffed a contemptuous laugh — suggesting that yes, indeed, he did thinkLouisathat foolish… or that desperate.Andfor an instant, she could only blink back at him, as something crumpled dangerously in her belly, and her thoughts churned with irrelevant, highly unhelpful memories of the night before.Ofhow she’d so easily capitulated to every one of his commands, greedily impaling herself on a stone orc-prick for him again and again, lost in the heat in his voice, the look in his eyes…
No.No.Louisayanked backwards, away from him, and dragged her hands through her frayed, frizzy hair, now half-fallen from its bent hairpins.No.Hewas awful.Shedidn’t care about him, she didn’t need him, or his help, or his lies.Shecould find another way,something…
“Look,Idon’t need this,” she choked out. “I’mfinished with this, again.JustlikeIshould have been the first time you —”
Hervoice wrenched into a high-pitched yelp, becauseKillik— snapped.Histaut, tall body streaking forward, far too close, as his strong hand grippedLouisa’sstraggly hair, and hauled her backwards.Shovingher into something rough and hard — a tree-trunk, solid and immobile behind her.Andwith another swift movement, he yanked up bothLouisa’swrists by her dress’ loose sleeves, thrust them against the rough wood above her head, and…
Andstabbed his dagger through the fabric.Holdingher there.Trappingher there.
Louisachoked and kicked and glared, but she was firmly pinned to the tree by her sleeves, while a furious, growlingKillikloomed tall and menacing before her. “No, woman,” he spat, his teeth bared. “Youwish for my answer, then you stay, and you hear it!Youno keep shouting and raging at me, calling memenaceandsnakeandprick, and no even grant me breath to speak!”
Hisvoice was rough and rasping, his accent thicker than before, andLouisa’sretort faltered in her throat, her gaze caught on his face.Onwhere his rapidly blinking eyes looked strangely bright, exposed, and… miserable.
“Ifear for my wolf’slife,” he breathed, through his twisting, quivering mouth. “Ifear that one day, he shall awaken, and find he can no more bear the shame — or he shall decide its taint upon our son is too great.Andthen he shall slit his throat, or fall on his sword, or walk into a river with a boulderstone.”
Thesudden, sickening vision of it flashed behindLouisa’seyes, that huge handsome body lying bloated and wasted on a riverbank, and she winced as she dragged down a ragged breath, and uselessly yanked at her pinned sleeves. “Thenit sounds like he needs real and meaningful help,” she managed. “Farbeyond you bribing a woman into his bed, and lying to him about it!”
Killik’sgrowl sounded more like a bark, his head whipping back and forth. “YoukenIno try to help him?!” he demanded, his accent even thicker. “Itry all elseIcan dream of.Iseek help from clan, from elders.Idraw out old vows and secrets, throw them into light.Iadopt son with my wolf, even whenIneverwish to be father — forIsee how muchhelong for this, and our clan no allow him this, without keeper like me.Igrant him my ploughing and pleasure, whenever he wish for this, even whenIknowhe true want woman!”
Louisablinked, drew in breath, butKillikjabbed a claw toward her, its tip almost touching her exposed, straining neck. “Andach,naughtof whatIdo heal him,” he hissed, “so nowIseek woman for him, even if she think mesnakeandprick!Iseek to help her, to make good fair deal for her, with good pay and clear end, so she give my wolf chance!Forwhy else she do this?Andhow else he ever find this, without me?!”
Oh.Louisa’srage skidded, faltered, caught on the true misery inKillik’seyes, the desperation on his broken voice. “AndIonly ask you here to speak,” he continued, almost a gulp, “so you now know this!SoImayhap gain your help in this, and come to terms before this eve, and no grant him yet more pain or grief or shame!Iwish to grant himpeace!”
Hisvoice scraped intoLouisa’spounding ears, plunged deep into her heaving chest, her twisting belly.Andthough a contrary part of her wanted to keep arguing, she couldn’t find the words.Andinstead she just swallowed and stared up at him, and then sagged backwards, heavy and resigned, against the tree.Thetree he’dpinnedher to, with a sharp deadly dagger.Andshe should be remembering that, and refusing this, and running.Hewas unpredictable, dangerous, he couldn’t be trusted…
“Andyou really still think,” she croaked at him, “a woman might make that much difference?Aftereverything else you’ve tried?”
Killik’sgrowl was exasperated, but not quite as harsh as before. “No,Ionly do all this forfun,” he drawled, even as he grimaced, and rubbed at his eyes. “Ialready tell you, again and again, ach?Hewas happiest with a woman.Hehas always longed for a woman.Hereekof envy when he see ourSkaikin-brothers with their mates.Didyou no see how he greet you today?Howhe look at you?Howhe kiss your hand, and taste you?Makeclear what he wish from you, even with me there beside him?”
Right.Thestrength of that moment was already here, coiling hot and hard inLouisa’sgroin, andKillikhuffed a low, bitter laugh as he sank closer into the tree, his elbow now resting against the trunk, his hand again rubbing at his eyes. “Thishope is allIhave left,” he said, a low choke in his throat. “Mustneedstry, ach?”
Mustneeds try.Louisa’sown throat spasmed, her blinking eyes caught on his drawn face, now far too close to her own.Closeenough that she could see the black stubble on his chin, could feel his harsh breaths on her cheek.Andit would only take a tiny tilt up of her head to brush their noses, to make their mouths meet…
Andoh, his lean body was already shifting closer, his lips parted, his black tongue brushing brief against them.Buthe wouldn’t, surely he wouldn’t, he didn’t want her… right?
“Thenwe’ll try,”Louisarasped, dragging her gaze back up to his hooded, long-lashed eyes. “Butto start, we’re tellingUlfarrthe truth.Allof it.Tonight.”
Killik’sface was still so close, his wince so strong it felt like a touch, his lashes fluttering heavy against his hard cheek.Andthe strange, palpable temptation was lurching higher, nearer, a hot whispered promise, and allLouisahad to do was —
