Page 27 of Veil of Blood and Bone

“There.” A grin spreads. “Your problems have taken care of themselves. Now, where are we heading?”

Helene stares at me, long, hard. “You sure you don’t want to shower?”

“Having the blood of your enemy on you is an honor. I’m alive. It is not.”

“Okay, fine. We’ll all stink up the house. Well, follow me.” Audra hurries off and cuts a path through the mess, her wheels treading over soft earth.

“Unbelievable.” Blondie shakes her head and takes off, stopping to glance over her shoulder. “I guess she’s right. Are you coming?”

Drying blood cakes in my scruff and I scrub a hand across my chin. “Yes, I am.”

“I don’t even know your name.” Helene scratches her head with a grimace. “I’m inviting a stranger into my house. A stranger with intimate knowledge of how to actually use an ax. You’re built like a lumberjack. Do you work in forestry or something?”

The word clangs, a tolling bell. “That’s my name. Forest. Now you know it, as well.”

“Forest.” The tense lines of her back soften. “I’m Helene Blake. And that’s my sister Audra. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She turns, walking backward with her hand thrust toward me. Without looking where she is going, she is still competent, still graceful.

I take her hand and lift her knuckles to brush my lips against them. “Strangers no more.”

The blush hides none of her relentless hopefulness. It permeates her, moves her limbs, her stride confident despite the hitch from an injury to her ankle.

I reach for her to tug her closer and halt abruptly when Helene drags her hand free, catches up to her sister's wheeled chair and grips the handles.

“Pull me up. I can’t make it on my own,” she groans.

Audra grins, leaning into the wind. “Then let’s see what kind of horsepower we’re working with.”

“Horses? We have none around.”

Only toppled tents and a stiff breeze scattering the remains of battle.

“No car, either,” Helene says. “I’m sorry.”

Why is she apologizing?

“But it’s a brief walk to the house from here, I promise. Well, not short.”

I catch up to the sisters in time to watch the fascinating way Helene bites her lower lip. Her teeth pinch flesh until it pales and when she releases it, the pink returns.

My gut clenches, a flash of heat spiking between my legs. Desire widens my grin.

“I don’t mind walking,” I reply, tone gentling. “Although if you’d like help...”

Oh, to get my hands on her.

I trail off, and Audra chuckles, hiding it by ducking her head. “I think he’s offering to carry you. Hel.”

Hel? No. This woman is not Hel.

Helene is warmth and light. She is sunshine without shadows, like the smell of rain on wildflowers. The girl who brings you soup when you’re sick, even if she’s sick too.

I know it to my bones.

Night deepens on our march up the undulating hill. Vehicles clog the street above, the mundane and permeating stench of humans. Gasoline and sweat. Stale grease and refuse left too long to putrefy.

I glare at the mob of automobiles all tailgating to escape the field. Only Helene had stayed.