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Redemption (The Captive #5) Page 29
Author: Erica Stevens

A small moan escaped her; she winced as she moved an inch. Cool hands pressed against her cheek and then something was lifted from her back. She heard water sloshing around before the delicious feeling of something icy being placed on her back caused a groan of pleasure to escape her. She finally managed to open her eyes and blinked in surprise at the pair of pewter eyes staring back at her. Black stubble shadowed Jack's square jaw as he leaned closer to her. His scent of earth and man engulfed her and she was assailed by a feeling of security even though she was lying on her stomach and almost incapable of movement.

The moment of security faded away with the realization of everything he'd just witnessed and everything he now knew about her. Shame threatened to swamp her but she tilted her chin up as she met his gaze. She'd be damned if she let another man make her feel ashamed again. She refused to be beaten or broken by the rejection she knew was coming.

"So now you know," she murmured.

His gaze had been focused on the towel he was laying across her skin but he slowly turned his head to look her in the eyes. "If you had told me about this it never would have happened."

"It's not exactly something that I tell every stranger I meet."

"No, I suppose not, but there was no reason for you to be maimed."

"I didn't expect for that to happen," she mumbled defensively.

Her eyes flew back to his when his fingers touched upon her cheek. "It won't happen again," he promised.

Her lips parted, despite the pain in her body, excitement fluttered through her as she recalled the kiss they had shared last night. His fingers slid off of her cheek and he turned to pull the towels away again before draping fresh cold ones across her damaged skin. It was a little bit of heaven against her burnt skin.

"I have more blood here for you," he offered.

The scent of it in the air caused her eyelids to flutter back open and her mouth to water as he held the bag toward her. She tried to move her arm forward but the motion only tugged on her healing skin. Her eyes flew to his as his large, strong hand enfolded hers and he placed it back beside her. A ripple of electricity seemed to flow from him and into her as he bent to press a kiss against her fingers. She became aware of the fact that she was lying on top of the hand Calvin had brutalized. It felt healed as she tugged it free and rested it on the mattress.

Goosebumps broke out on her skin as Jack's eyes pinned her to the spot. He brought the bag of blood forward and pressed it against her lips. It had been strange enough feeding in front of him last night but this was something entirely different. She wasn't used to such kindness from strangers and she had never expected to experience such a thing in her lifetime.

He knew about her though and he wasn't shunning her, he wasn't looking at her as if she were something the cat had coughed up. In fact, he was looking at her with an expression that she couldn't quite place. It was tender and compassionate, but there was a desire in his eyes that made her feel like she was more appealing to him than any amount of blood could ever be.

He pulled the empty bag away from her lips and grabbed hold of her hand when she went to wipe away the trickle at the corner of her mouth. Hannah had no idea what he planned to do until he bent down. He was only a mere centimeter away from her, so close that she could see every individual blue speck in his eyes. She became as still as stone as his mouth pressed against hers and his tongue licked the blood away from her lips.

Hannah couldn't even blink as he leaned away from her. A sexy smile curved his mouth as he tossed the bag aside and replaced the cool towels again. She was fascinated by his every move as she waited for some sign that he was repulsed by her. Some sign that this prince understood exactly what he was dealing with here, what he was touching; what he had just kissed again.

"Why are you being so kind to me?"

A frown marred his forehead as he studied her. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You understand what I am, don't you? Understand what you are touching?"

Her voice broke on the word touching and she found herself staring at the wall as she was unable to look at him anymore. His hand splayed against her shoulder blade, nearly taking up her whole upper back. "I'm touching you."

She hated the tears that burned her eyes, hated the fact that she felt so off balance. She didn't understand why he couldn't comprehend what she was, why he couldn't understand what he was doing to her. "That's not what I meant."

"It's not contagious is it, your innate hypersensitivity to the sunlight?"

"Of course not," she snorted.

"Then I don't see any reason not to touch you." He bent so low that his lips were nearly pressed against her ear when he spoke again. "I'd still enjoy touching you even if it was."

Her gaze flew to his. He was going to be the death of her, she was certain of it as his eyes twinkled with merriment and he sat back in his seat. There had to be some way to make him understand what he was and what she was, some way to drive him away, because that was what was going to happen one day anyway. He didn't belong here, amongst her kind.

"You're a prince!" she blurted.

The teasing glint left his eyes as a wall seemed to shudder over his face. She'd never seen anyone become so remote and emotionless so fast. "I am many things Hannah, it would be better for you if you learned and accepted that." His words rocked her; she remained motionless as he pulled the towels from her back and replaced them with cooler ones. "It's starting to look a lot better."

"It will be fine," she said absently. "What other things are you?"

"Well that's for me to know and you to find out." The wall seemed to come back down a little as a playful glimmer returned to his eyes.

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