Page 19 of Fate Unchained
He’d said not to become his enemy; but if she told him about Boris, and they somehow got out of the cave, then what? If they were actually bound to each other, maybe she could use their shared connection to make him help her. He was a powerful immortal. He must be stronger than Boris. Also, her chance of trapping him again was pretty much non-existent.
She stretched again, rolling her shoulders, and a lock of hair fell across her face. The unpleasant combination of smoke and mildew hit her strongly. Ugh. That scent was coming from her, both her clothes and her hair. Pleasant.
Her hair hung halfway down her back, and the knot she usually wore at her neck had come undone. She finger-combed it, trying to untangle it, but it was sticky and matted.
“I’m washing up in the water.” Without waiting for an answer, Lilah headed toward the back of the cave, where the shallow water spread out in a small pool. “You go stand over there with your back to me until I tell you I’m decent.”
“No way.”
“I’m not giving you permission to see me nude. Go over there.” She pointed.
“Only if you tell me what I want to know.”
She walked over to the fire and scooped up some charcoal from the coals at the edge of the fire where they were cool. “I may answer some of your questions. But you must answer mine, too.”
“You answer all of my questions.” Grumbling under his breath, Kyril added, “If I were bathing, I’d let you look.” He walked to the far side of their cage, his back to her. “You better speak the truth, or I’m turning around.”
She already had her sweater off. “No. You stay like that.”
“Maybe. I haven’t seen a naked dame in quite a while.”
Despite what he said, he kept his back to her. She shimmied out of the rest of her clothes and waded into the water. She inhaled sharply. The water was as cold as the snow outside. Using her hands, she splashed it over herself, wetting her hair, too. Then she scrubbed herself with the charcoal.
“I scented your father around this cave,” Kyril said. “Where is he now?”
“I imagine he’s at home in front of the fire.” He must be furious with her. And worried. She swallowed hard. Once she got out of here, she’d explain everything, and it would be all right. “He tracked you to this cave, that’s how I knew you were in here. He’s a great hunter.”
“Uh huh. A great hunter who let his daughter, who clearly knows nothing about the outdoors, come after a vulk?”
“He was going to help, but,” she shrugged and finished washing up, “I didn’t want him to.”
“Why not?”
She ignored the question and eyed her clothes. She’d been wearing the sweater and wool pants, the ones she’d worn under the oilskin outer pants, for two days. Sighing, she washed them as well, then carried them to the fire and laid them out.
Grabbing one of the sleeping skins, she covered herself and sat down. “All right. You can turn now.”
He took two steps, then froze. “Why are you still naked?”
“I’m drying, and so are my clothes. And I’m not naked, I’m wrapped up.” She wore the sleeping skin like a blanket, wrapped around her arms and shoulders, holding it closed with one hand.
Kyril prowled across the cave and joined her, adding three logs to the fire. Dragging another sleeping skin over closer to the fire, he pointed. “Sit there. You humans are prone to catch cold.”
She scooted over, revealing a quick flash of leg. Kyril’s gaze dropped to it.
Why was he looking at her so intently? The vulk looked like he wanted to eat her again, only this time, in a very different kind of way. She’d never had a man look at her this directly and not try to mask his interest.
Of course, he wasn’t a man.
Maybe he really could help her with Boris. How much should she tell him? She shifted closer to the fire and turned so her hair would get more of the heat. It always seemed to take ages to dry. Such a hassle.
The firelight reflected in his dark eyes. “Keep going. Why did you come alone?”
A small flutter rose in her chest. Would this vulk really help her? He was supposed to be a raging beast, one she would cage and deliver to Boris, yet if she had to decide between Boris and Kyril … well … she liked her chances with Kyril better. If she did this task for Boris, no matter what he said, he had his hooks in her and wouldn’t leave her alone. He’d keep coming, asking for her to do more and more things for him. With Kyril, it was one month, and that was all. He didn’t want to spend a single extra minute with her. She took a deep breath. “I want a pact first.”
“A pact?” He tilted his head.
“Yes. I want your word if I tell you why I’m here, you’ll help me.”