Thorn gave a wry laugh. “Good luck with that, mate. She leaves that building, then you might as well say farewell, because you’ll never see her again.”
“I can use my power.”
“Your protection?” Thorn asked. “It could work. Have you ever held it up under the onslaught of Dark magic?”
“I’ve never needed to.”
“You’ll be taking a chance, War. If your power fails and Darcy is taken, will you be able to live with that?”
“Nay, but I doona see another alternative. We get to Darcy’s flat, and then we think of a way to Dreagan.”
“You mean you’ll talk her into going to Dreagan,” Thorn said with a laugh.
Warrick severed the link in the middle of Thorn’s laugh. He turned and walked back into the building.
*
Darcy woke shivering, and realized instantly that Warrick was no longer beside her. She sat up, feeling the slight pulling between her legs. A smile broke as she remembered their lovemaking.
She rose and looked around for her clothing. Her jeans and shirt were salvageable, but her bra and panties were done. With her clothes in her hand, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Darcy winced when she looked in the mirror.
“It could be worse,” she said as she tugged on some curls.
She splashed water on her face and patted it dry. Then she dampened the hand towel and wiped herself down. She was soon shivering and grabbed a fresh hand towel to dry off.
A hot shower sounded heavenly. At least she had the small powder room in which to freshen up. Darcy remembered the pair of sweats she kept for the times she worked with the plants. She rose up on her tiptoes and opened the cabinet door to pull them out. If she survived this, she was going to add underwear to the stash.
After her shirt was back on, she fished out the toothpaste and toothbrush she always kept at the shop and brushed her teeth.
She valiantly tried to use her fingers to comb through her curls, but her hair was too knotted to do any good. The frizz didn’t help either. With no other choice, she pulled it into a messy bun and pinned it in place.
A quick look in the mirror showed that she was at least presentable, even if she felt odd not having any panties on. Darcy opened the door and stepped out.
She expected to see Warrick, but he wasn’t in sight. A quick look in the back showed that he wasn’t there either. She then went to the front and found him inside staring out the broken window.
“I hope I didna wake you,” he said without turning to look at her.
There was something about the way he was standing that set warning bells off in her head. She followed his gaze to the two Dark across the street. “You didn’t,” she answered. “What’s going on?”
Before he could answer, her stomach gave a loud rumble.
“There isna much left of the food I gathered for you yesterday, but I know Thorn brought it to you. You should eat.”
She wasn’t fooled by the change of subject. “I’ll eat if you tell me what’s going on.”
“Get the food. Then we’ll talk.”
Darcy didn’t think there was a man alive as stubborn as Warrick. She pivoted and immediately winced when something pierced her foot. She stopped and leaned a hand against the wall as she lifted her injured foot. There was a small shard of glass buried deep in her foot.
“You should be more careful,” Warrick said as he bent over her foot and gently removed the glass.
“You’re barefoot.” As soon as it came out, Darcy knew how petulant it sounded.
One side of his mouth lifted in a grin. “Aye, so I am. Let’s get our shoes on.”
Darcy was still looking for a boot when Warrick walked to the back. She was on the floor, slipping on her shoe when he returned with the broken plastic basket of food. She grabbed it from his hand and opened a bottle of water. After downing half of it, she tore open a bag of cookies and stuffed one in her mouth.
That’s when she glanced up and found him watching her with a strange look on his face. “What?” she asked around the cookie.
“I like watching the joy on your face.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d caught Warrick watching her as if studying her, but this was the first time he gave any sort of explanation. She found it … endearing.
Darcy swallowed her bite. “We’re not so different than you.”
“Och, but you are,” he said. “You’ve seen Ulrik’s memories. You’ve seen us in our true forms.”
“Yes. I’ll admit that you all are terrifying. But in human form, you’re like us, right?”
“In some aspects, I suppose we are.”
“Then why do you look at me like that?” she asked.
He glanced at the floor and shrugged. “From the moment humans arrived in this realm, I’ve been fascinated by you.”
“I’d think we’re pretty boring,” she said with a laugh.
“There are some who are brilliant, as well as amazingly talented.”
“Like who?” she asked not expecting to get an answer of someone she knew. But she should’ve known better.