Her mind circled on the discovery that she might not be such a wimp after all. She hadn’t cared what people thought of her looks before, but when she’d realized how much damage Laed and Kynar had done, she’d been knocked off balance. Coupled with the reactions of the first few people to see her wounds after she’d begun walking around Scali Thent again and those damn dreams of Colm and Linc, she’d been unsure of herself for a long time.
Not that she was all of a sudden ready to walk around with her hair up and show off all of her scars. She wasn’t even comfortable with anyone other than the healer seeing her thigh. The few marks on her back bothered her, but that was more because of those dreams and what they said in them.
She didn’t know if she’d ever be that relaxed, but the stares of strangers, while uncomfortable, wasn’t going to make her walk the other way. She could sit here and eat without feeling overly self-conscious. It wasn’t the ease and acceptance of her scars that she hoped to have one day, but it was encouraging. She felt happier and a little lighter now.
She finished eating and looked around to find herself sitting only with Avan. She hadn’t realized that the healer and the chatar had left the table. She realized that she’d been lost in thought, but hadn’t believed that she’d been that absorbed.
“Yes, he’s gone. The healer ate and then went to talk with a healer he knows here. The chatar didn’t say where he was going. You were so involved with whatever you were thinking that you didn’t respond to any questions, much less notice that they’d left.” Avan laughed softly. “By the small smile and the look in your eyes, whatever you were thinking about helped you.”
“I think a few things have finally worked themselves out.” She shrugged. She wasn’t going to elaborate any yet. “It surprised me a little.”
“Well, you’re not giving much information about it, but I’m glad you’re happy.” He turned to face her a little more. “I’m not going to ask what it was, because I’m sure you would have said it if you wanted to talk about it.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to talk about it. At least not right now.” She licked her lips and looked down at the table. She wanted to be certain of the change and that she could make it permanent. Gods, she hated feeling so cowardly that the mere stare of people made her leave the room. She wasn’t that woman. Not any more. She wouldn’t act that way.
“This is one of the most hopeful signs I’ve seen from you. I—” Avan’s voice cut off and he frowned as his eyes focused beyond her.
Cami turned and saw a blonde woman standing beside her. She was looking at Cami, biting her lip. The woman was slim, sleekly built and very pretty. Perfect. Cami fought to hide a wince at the thought. She had to stop thinking about those dreams of them with the other women. The stranger seemed a little hesitant, but determined. Cami tilted her head as she watched the woman.
“Is there something you want?” Cami spoke when the woman just kept staring at her.
“Do you know those men over there at the other table?” The woman gestured to the table where Linc and Colm sat. The two men were talking with some of their men and were totally oblivious of Cami glancing over at them.
“Yes.” Cami nodded.
“Are you involved with them? They’ve been looking at you, but you’re sitting at another table. I didn’t want to approach another woman’s men.” The woman’s tongue slicked over her lips as she glanced at Linc and Colm.
Cami let her eyes stray to the two men in question again. Colm had angled his chair so he could look at the men gathered near their table. The top buttons of his white shirt had been undone and offered a view of his dark-brown skin. His leg stretched out and showed the same dark pants he’d worn while they were traveling. She grimaced. It wasn’t as though anyone had a wide range of choices while they were traveling.
Linc sat next to Colm and faced the men. His black shirt looked a little rumpled. He listened as one of the men talked, but Cami couldn’t hear what was said. The urge to walk over and sit down next to them pushed at her, but she fought it. If she ever gave in to it, sitting wouldn’t be all she’d do. Instinct pushed at her to connect with her mates, to touch, kiss and solidify the bond.
“No, I’m not involved with them and they’re not my men.” Cami clamped down on the desire to tell the woman to go away and that Linc and Colm were taken. This could work in her favor if the woman could distract them. “You’re just their type, so you have a pretty good chance with them.”
The woman smiled and walked toward the table where Linc and Colm sat. She didn’t approach them immediately, but waited a small distance away as they continued to talk to the other men.
“She’s their type? How would you know that?” Avan scowled at her.
“Isn’t she almost any man’s type? She’s pretty.” Cami lowered her lashes over her eyes to hide the wicked glint she knew was there.
“Don’t play innocent. You knew their names when you met us at the travel-gate and she is the type of woman they usually favor.” He shook his head and eyed the woman. “I don’t think whatever you’re trying is going to work. They’ve been watching you and it’s not just in a protective way.”
“It’s just part of what happened, Avan. They’ve been too protective. I don’t need someone to scare off any man who gets near me. I’m not going to fall apart. I might like a little male attention if I can get it without someone busting in and running the man off.” She grimaced as she remembered the incident in the market again.
“You might try telling them that instead of trying to arrange for some woman to distract them.”
“She approached me. I just told her the truth.” Cami grinned.
“And they’re going to approach you when they realize you directed her over there.” Avan looked at her as if she should have realized that without him having to spell it out to her.
“How would they know that? She doesn’t look stupid enough to tell them. Bringing up another woman is the last thing a woman should do if she wants the attention of a man or men. Very stupid. You want their attention on you, not anyone else. That’s why she’s waiting. She doesn’t want to have to vie for their attention.” She wasn’t too worried about that. The woman knew what she wanted and seemed as if she was the type to get it any way she could.
“She’s not going to have their attention for long. I’d lay you a wager on that.” Avan looked over to the table where Colm and Linc sat.
She risked a glance, but she didn’t want them to know she was watching them. That might give them clue that the woman had help approaching them. The men around them were leaving and the woman’s interest was sharpening. Cami didn’t blame her.
Their sheer muscularity drew women’s eyes in addition to the fact that they were both attractive. She gritted her teeth and turned her gaze back to the tables and people in front of her. The thought of that woman’s hands on them made her want to hit something, but she took a deep breath.
This was a good idea. She needed them interested in someone else because too much of their undivided attention was bad for her plans. Even though she’d love to luxuriate in their concern, it would draw them closer. That could be a disaster. Especially since she had no indication that Colm would ever want to find his mate.
“I knew it.” Avan’s voice held satisfaction.
Cami didn’t bother looking over to the table. She could tell from the tone of Avan’s voice that what he’d expected to happen finally had. She didn’t know what had gone wrong, but apparently the woman had failed in her aim. Avan didn’t have to sound so thrilled about it. He didn’t have any wager on it.
“Better prepare yourself. They don’t look happy and they’re bringing her with them.” Avan’s voice dropped to a whisper.
Cami’s head whipped around even as she pushed back from the table, thinking that retreat might be a good idea about now. Avan was right. They looked furious and they were striding straight toward them. Time to head up to the room. She started to rise from her chair.
Caught half sitting and half standing, Cami knew she couldn’t hold the position forever, so she sank back down onto her seat. He’d have to be satisfied with her not leaving the room as she’d planned. She took a deep breath to brace herself before she realized she wasn’t flinching and fearing that he was going to backhand her for sending the woman over to them. Somehow, she’d come to trust them enough to push. She suddenly recognized that she’d known that before she’d talked to the woman.
“Do you think this is funny?” Colm’s deep voice lowered and sounded distinctly gravelly as he stopped beside the table.
“Do I think what’s funny?” Cami licked her lips and stalled as she tried to think of an answer that wouldn’t make them even angrier.
“Our orders, the woman, this situation. What put the smile on your face? I don’t think anything about this is in the least bit humorous.” Colm leaned over the table until his face was almost level with hers.
She forced her lips down into a straight line now that she realized they’d curved into a smile. There wasn’t anything that would induce her to tell him that his expression and tone only made it harder to keep her face in the serious pose. “No, something else just popped into my head while you were walking over here.”
A low growl rumbled from Colm’s chest as if he suspected he was the cause of some of those thoughts. “Well, focus, because I don’t want to have to go through this again.”
“Did you send her over to us?” Linc’s voice was deceptively quiet, but she heard the intensity behind the words.
“She asked if I was involved with you because she didn’t want to take another woman’s man. I told her that you weren’t my men.” She kept it to the bare facts. They could make of it what they would.
“Did you add something about her being our type or perfect for us?” Colm raised a brow.
“I might have said something about her being your type. I don’t think I threw in perfect.” She was fairly sure she hadn’t added on perfect. The word still made her want to grit her teeth. Although she had to admit the woman probably fit that description. At least from what she could tell now. She had no idea if the woman was as perfect as she looked.
“Our type. I’m not even going to ask why you think she’d be the type of woman we’d want.” Colm’s narrow-eyed stare had her easing back on the chair. “We don’t need you to find women for us.”
“I didn’t find her for you.” She put her hands on the table and leaned forward as her anger began to push past her caution. “I told you, she came to me. I didn’t go out and search for a woman for you. All I did was tell her you weren’t my men and she went over to you on her own. Simple truth.”
She didn’t add that the woman was exactly the type of woman they favored. In spite of the building emotion, she knew when to keep her mouth shut. They hadn’t questioned her knowledge of them too much and she’d like to keep it that way. She didn’t want to tell them just how much she knew of them and in what context. Judging by the way they looked at her, they already had some interest in her. She didn’t need them thinking about why she’d seen facets of their life and not other men’s.
Linc growled. “Don’t do this again. On top of that, you lied to her or yourself. You’re interested in us, but you’re scared.”
“Are you finished? Can I get up now?” She wasn’t touching that last bit. Denying it would practically be a dare to them and agreeing would be an invitation. It was a losing game from the start. Even not commenting on it would probably provoke them.
“We’re finished and she’s leaving. We’re not that easily distracted, Cami. Especially when we have what we want within sight.” Colm’s voice smoothed and rolled over her, leaving tingling skin in its wake.
His eyes were locked on her and left her in no doubt about exactly whom they intended to pursue. She should correct that attitude straightaway, but had a feeling that it would only push them into a physical demonstration of what they wanted. She needed to avoid that. With that thought, she headed for the stairs. She climbed them as fast as she could.
“Don’t close and bar that door to us.” Linc’s voice rang in the narrow hallway.
Cami tensed and spun to look back the way she’d come. Linc stood at the top of the stairway and she could see Colm just behind him. She hadn’t even heard the stairs creak behind her, much less the sound of a footstep. They had to have started up not long after she had.
“I was just going to rest. Is there something you want?” She took a deep breath and waited for them to walk down the hallway to meet her.
She wasn’t going to act as though she was some frightened little animal and run and cower when faced with a predator. The dreams had given her a little information about them and she’d use that to her advantage. Of course, there was no real guarantee that this was about their interest in her. They might not even feel the same level of attraction to her as she did to them. She could be misreading the look in their eyes, but she wasn’t going to count on it.
“You were going to hide, but that isn’t possible tonight. You have things to do.” Colm’s voice sounded cheerful and his expression showed not a bit of regret.
They stopped just outside her door and Linc pushed it open. She folded her arms across her chest and braced her feet apart. Narrowing her eyes, she gave them her best menacing glare. She wasn’t budging and simply leading them into her room as if she was some kind of tame pet was out of the question. She wanted answers.
“What do I have to do? I don’t have any plans. This is the last night before we go to your world. I assumed everyone would relax a little.” She looked from one man to the other.
With silent, stalking steps, they closed the distance. She swallowed as she took in the hard, predatory lines of their faces. Linc looked intensely masculine in all black, but Colm was just as imposing. Two male animals on the hunt.
“Well, you might have wanted to talk to us. While it’s not going to be too strenuous, you need to practice with your magic a little. Since we’re both available, we can make sure there are no accidents. We also want to talk to you a little about what happened in the dining room.” Colm put a hand on her shoulder and slowly stepped forward.
She stepped back and dipped her shoulder, sliding out of his loose hold. What more did they want from her? “What’s to talk about? I already said I wouldn’t send any women your way even if they asked if you were free.”
“We’re going to talk about this in your room, not out in the hall.” Linc pushed a hand through his hair and his jaw flexed. He looked as if he wanted to yell, but she could tell that it wasn’t the anger of before.
She sighed and looked into the room. A dark-blue blanket spread across the small bed. There wasn’t a closet or bureau. A simple table and a single straight-backed wooden chair sat near it. All in all, she was glad there weren’t more furnishings.
The room wasn’t that big in the first place. With those two in there, it was going to feel even smaller. She really didn’t want to feel trapped and crowded right now. On top of that, she needed to think of a way to turn their interest to someone else without throwing women at them, since that was now out.
“This can wait, can’t it? We’re closer to your home and I know to come to you if things get out of hand again.” She glanced down the hall and then back into the room again.
“No, it can’t wait. You know we’re not going to hurt you.” Linc’s voice hardened a little.
She really was tired of having to give in to their orders because they were the Ardin. Idly, she wondered what they would do if she suddenly screamed “no” and ran down the hallway. She knew they’d stop her, but beyond that she didn’t have a clue.
It wasn’t fear that stopped her from doing it, although the thought did send a thrill of nervousness down her spine. No, it wasn’t time and she knew it. If she was going to make a big scene and blatantl
y disobey them, it would be over more than this. She simply didn’t know what that more would be.
“I know you’re probably not going to hurt me, but that’s about all I know. Take into account the fact that I don’t like to be crowded and that’s not the biggest room and maybe you’ll understand a little.” She exhaled loudly and stepped into the room.
“Our room isn’t any bigger than this, so we can’t offer you a choice there and we have to have privacy. As for the first part of your statement, we’ll take probably. It’s a step up over the open suspicion in your eyes when we first met you.” Linc’s lips kicked into a small, brief smile. She could almost see the good humor and confidence roll off him.
Her shoulders slumped and she gave in to the inevitable. “If we have to do this, then let’s get started. I do want to get some rest.”
Chapter Six
She led the way into her room. They followed and Colm shut the door. She looked at it, but wasn’t going to argue about it. She didn’t fear that they would hurt her physically. It was only that it was really the first time that she’d been alone with both of them. It made her nervous and she had to focus to keep her breathing slow and even. She didn’t want them to know how much they affected her. They weren’t stupid. Eventually, they’d realize that it wasn’t only fear.
“You take the chair. We’ll sit on the bed. We don’t want to crowd you and you need to be as relaxed as possible.” Colm gestured to the wooden chair in the corner.
She looked at it. It wasn’t going to be the most comfortable seat, but it would keep her from feeling confined if she could sit across from them. It was also better than her sitting and them looming over her. Much better. Their consideration and willingness to compromise surprised her a bit, even though for the most part they’d given her space on this journey.
Walking over, she settled on the seat and stretched her legs out in front of her. She couldn’t pretend to be relaxed. There was no way she could hook even one leg on the stool. It would help her appear calm, but she knew it wouldn’t last long enough to give even the appearance of casualness. She had to have freedom of movement.
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