Warrior Revealed (Cadi Warriors #7) - Stephanie West Page 0,3
aiding Ash. Aculus’ smile shifted to a sly grin. His friend had obviously grown attached to her.
“Very well, I’ll assist the other ivory beauty.” He lifted the trembling, flaxen-haired female from Ashtoret’s grasp.
“Abby!” the female screeched as he cradled her in his arms.
“Hey! What are you doing with my sister? Ash?” Abby demanded, her voice shrill.
He blinked as his ears popped.
“Slow down, Aculus. Abby’s sister just learned about us. She’s scared and injured. Relax, Peanut. Everything is all right now. I promise,” Ashtoret explained.
Aculus wanted to kick himself for being so brash.
“Ah. I see. This must be very disturbing for you. I am very sorry,” he spoke in a more subdued voice to the female cowering in his arms, but that didn’t seem to help. “There is no need to tremble. I would never dare harm such a fine-boned creature. Show me where you’re hurt.”
As gently as possible he lifted her delicate chin. His breath stuttered in his chest as he took in the ethereal creature. Her flowing hair looked like water, reminding him of the celestial being the ancients worshiped. Her pale, round, delicate features made the green eyes staring back at him all the more stunning. If it weren’t for the cut marring the bridge of her nose, he’d question if she was real at all.
“Your tiny nose is bleeding. Come, I will fix you up.” It hurt him to see it.
“Abby?” the ivory beauty frantically called for her sister, halting his stride toward the cockpit.
“It’s okay. Aculus is Ash’s friend,” Abby attempted to console her.
He was about to confirm that was true, when the beauty in his arms squirmed to look back at her sister and he nearly lost his grip.
“Who is Ash?” the ivory beauty stridently demanded, reaffirming she was indeed a flesh and blood female.
The universe over, one thing remained the same among females, and that was the sound of panicked indignation. If he wasn’t so stunned by what she said, he would’ve laughed at the observation.
Who is Ash? He glanced down at her in surprise. Ashtoret wasn’t joking when he said she just learned about us. He thought surely the comment had been figurative, not literal, as in this instant. In that case, she’s coping very well.
“We be the cavalry, ma’am,” he stated.
Her eyes widened and for a moment he was mesmerized by the light bouncing off the flecks of gold in their emerald depths.
“Providence and my dad say that!” she declared.
The fear in her expression morphed into surprised disbelief. Her perplexed face was amusing and terribly cute. Then she frowned as her nose started bleeding again.
“We’re friends with your sister, and by the way, you have the same lovely eyes,” he couldn’t help share.
“You really do know my sister.” The female’s chin trembled, and moisture began falling from her eyes.
He panicked at the forlorn sight.
“Yes, and she is well. Please don’t do that, ivory beauty. It pains me. We will explain everything while I fix your little nose,” he reassured her.
“Uh, Ash. Is he okay?” he overheard Abby ask, as he headed for the cockpit.
“He won’t hurt her, he likes females…all sorts of females,” Ashtoret replied to his female.
I suppose that’s true, he nearly snorted out loud at the comment.
“Ash!” Abby declared. “You know what I promised earlier? You’re about to lose your privileges. That bony gladiator better not get handsy with my sister.”
This sounds interesting. He perked up and listened closer to the couple following him.
“That’s terribly disappointing. I guess I’ll have to settle for this tongue-lashing instead,” Ashtoret chuckled.
Aculus’ brows rose.
“I heard that. What the hell have you two been doing?” The ivory beauty’s mouth gaped incredulously as he placed her in one of the cockpit seats.
“Yes, explain slowly and in detail,” he chimed in with a deep laugh while grabbing medical supplies.
The ivory beauty snorted and his brow furrowed in concern. For a moment he thought the injury to her nose was affecting her breathing, before realizing the unfeminine grunt was a sound of amusement. He instantly wanted to hear it again, until she frowned in pain.
“Ow.” She covered her nose.
“It was funny.” He smiled at her. “But not enough to hurt yourself. Let me see.”
He lifted her hand and gently blotted the cut, then applied some salve to hasten healing. Her skin was unbelievably soft and smooth. He made sure to get the other scratches on her pink cheeks and forehead.
“Mind your own business, Hope,” Abby countered, rolling her eyes, a display of exasperation the humans were prone to.