Carr grinned. “I thought her name was Fraya?”
Jaz snorted and jabbed him in the gut.
When they packed up their stuff and she was walking away, wiping sweat off her forehead with her towel, he called out, “Oh Skin, before I forget...” He lowered his voice as she turned to meet his gaze. “I have to cut our sessions for the next two weeks at least.”
Jaz frowned. “What's wrong?”
“Well...” he eyed her bandaged jaw, “I'm on perimeter guard duty. Just in case we get any more unexpected visitors before Nik and Kain's du-”
“-Slaughter?” Jaz butted in.
Carr squinted his eyes. “So I won't be free for a while. Plus it'll give your jaw time to heal. And your neck as well.” He eyed the bruises she'd tried to hide with the collar of her sleeveless, cropped shirt.
She rubbed her sore neck self-consciously as she bobbed her head in understanding. Her jaw ached from the movement.
“As for the duel, I think you should talk about it with him.”
Her eyes snapped to his face.
“What?” he smirked. “I can practically smell the sexual tension rolling off you.”
She gaped at him as if he'd walked in on her stark naked; she hugged herself awkwardly.
Carr rolled his eyes. “Don't get so worked up. My lips are sealed, but frankly, you need to get better at hiding your feelings. And fast. I'm around Nik most of the time and I can never tell what he's thinking; even about you. But sometimes, as Weres, we can sense things: like dogs can sense earthquakes and epileptic fits. Some of us, not all of us. And it depends on the person. I'm just saying: be careful.”
“How do I not make it obvious?”
Carr flashed her a grin. “Lie better. Or just get it over with.”
Jaz raised a brow, not understanding. “Get what over with...?”
“Get it over with.” He gave her a teasing smile and Jaz felt her cheeks going red.
“We're not like that.”
Carr swung his jacket over his shoulder and strutted in front. “Much better. I almost believed you.”
*
The night before; after the Dead Tree Pack attack...
Monday, June 27th
Nik's office
“Are you busy?”
Nik looked up from his desk to find Swain peering in from behind the door.
Nik had been sitting in the darkness for several hours. He'd lost track of time.
He couldn't get Jaz's startled face out of his mind; the terror in her eyes when she understood what he'd accepted: a duel to the death with Kain. She was worried for his safety. He had mixed feelings about that realization.
He had to accept the duel. If he didn’t, he'd look weak and right now that was a very dangerous thing to portray. Any other time he'd have refused, but now, when things were on edge, he didn't have a choice.
He didn't. Did he?
“No, come in,” he said.
Swain took the sofa bed on the wall opposite, sprawling on it, his hands interlocked behind his head. Nik took his legs off his desk and swivelled his leather office chair around to get a better look at his brother.
Swain's eyes were focused on a spot on the ceiling. “So... a duel with Kain... that's got to be a tough one to swallow...?”
Nik didn't move, regarding his brother with his flawless poker face. “Not really. It was expected.”
Swain frowned, unhappy with Nik's answer. “Yeah, but the idea that you could die pretty soon-”
“I'll be fine, Swain.”
Something in Nik's voice made Swain sit up. Their eyes locked.
“Why do you do that?” he asked accusingly.
Nik looked at him, confused.
“Why do you shut me out?”
Nik kneaded his forehead. “Not now, Swain.”
“I may be your little brother but I'm not a kid anymore. You need to stop treating me like one!”
“Then stop acting like one!” Nik snapped.
Swain appeared to be astonished, and then a smile spread across his face. “That's more like it! A bit of emotion for once.”
Nik glared at him and then sighed in surrender. “I know you're not a kid anymore. But you're still my little brother. I can't shake that mindset. Because I still feel I need to protect you. And because you still act like a horny teenager on Viagra.”
Swain laughed so high it could have been called a giggle.
Nik's severe expression cracked into a smile.
“I can't deny that. I have a way with the ladies, Nik. It's a gift.” Swain mock-sighed.
Nik rolled his eyes, still smiling.