Page 27 of Dark Fey Captive

Heart racing, I glanced at the open door of the room.

“Come in,” he said. “I’ve covered them.”

Oh.

Appreciating the warning and the consideration, I hesitantly went inside.

The couple was on the bed, and Nav had used the curtains to conceal them. The broken mirror in the bathroom and the glass shard on the floor beside the bed told their story. Even after surviving that first awful week, so many people had given up.

Their suitcase was laid open with a note on top of their neatly folded clothes.

We’re sorry. We’ll see you soon.

Love,

Mom and Dad

A tear fell onto the paper. Nav turned me and tipped my face up to study me. The concern I saw in his eyes surprised me, and so did the gentle way he wiped my tears.

He was a walking contradiction. Brutal strength. Beheading infected without flinching. Saving me from drowning. Keeping me safe and warm without asking anything in return.

But wasn’t he? It wasn’t like he gave me a choice about staying with him.

Don’t lose sight of reality, I told myself. You’re his captive. He’s treating you well so you’ll be willing.

“Did you know them?” he asked.

I shook my head, thinking of how desperate and hopeless they must have felt to choose as they had when they obviously had kids. Was this what Lynn was feeling for her kids? The need to get back to my found family was so strong that a fresh wave of tears ran down my cheeks.

Nav's concern turned into something else that confused me.

Fear.

He plucked the note from my fingers and hugged me hard.

“Please do not be sad.”

His desperation to comfort me dried my tears, and I found myself wrapping my arms around his waist to pat his back.

CHAPTER TEN

NAV

Arena was cuddling me.

Willingly.

The sight of her tears had ripped through my heart. In my need to comfort her, I’d forgotten how she tensed every time I warmed her. I’d simply wanted to stop her tears. But she wasn’t resisting my embrace now. Her front was pressed firmly against mine, and her small hands were rubbing my back.

She was touching me.

Was this a sign she was starting to trust me?

I curled around her even more and nuzzled the top of her head.

She tensed in my arms, and her hands stilled.

I cursed myself. Winning a female’s heart took time and effort. It couldn’t be rushed.