Free Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1) by Kylie Griffin Page A

but worrying about his people’s reaction to her should be the least of his qualms. They’d yet to get safely away from the fortress. He should be more concerned with how long it would be before she was ready to travel and whether they’d remain undetected in the cave until then. Staying in one place increased the chance of being discovered.
    He placed the amulet back in the pocket, repacked the pouch, then checked on Annika. She seemed to be resting peacefully. Her skin felt much warmer. A jaw-splitting yawn caught him by surprise. Exhaustion dogged him now that the adrenaline of their flight had worn off. He rubbed his burning eyes. Sleep was something he’d had little of in the last fourteen days.
    Bowing to the inevitable, he settled down beside Annika and ar-ranged his blanket over both of them. With a short prayer to the Lady to keep them safe during the coming daylight hours, he let sleep claim him.

Chapter 5
     

     
    A NNIKA roused, driven from sleep by a sharp hunger. Saliva filled her mouth as she scented a human close by. Knowing the need would only get worse the longer she went without feeding, she fought the encroaching signs of blood-fever.
    In the past she’d always been careful to feed well before they appeared. Her reputation among the human-slaves was dubious enough without fuelling their fears by turning feral as she treated them.
    She moved closer to the warmth pressed along her side, hoping the pangs would ease. Pain lanced through her wounded shoulder, dulling the pangs until only a lingering nausea remained. Grateful for the reprieve she opened her eyes.
    Her breath caught in her throat. Curled up beside her, a blanket covering them both, Kalan was the source of the warmth. She held still, not wanting to wake him, unsure of how he’d react when he realized he slept so close to her.
    Asleep he no longer seemed as fierce or intense. Up close, his expression was relaxed yet captivating. Dark locks of hair fell over one half of his face. Without thought, she reached out to brush them behind his ear. The strands were soft and smooth beneath her fingertips.
    Full and expressive, his lips were parted slightly as he breathed evenly, oblivious to her scrutiny. Several days of stubble shadowed his strong jaw and high cheekbones. A pale, razor-thin scar ran across the lower edge of his jaw, from his chin to his ear, but in no way did it mar his masculine beauty. She smiled, liking what she saw. All that was missing were the distinctive markings and he’d have passed as a Na’Reish lord.
    But he wasn’t. He was human, a Light Blade warrior. Her smile faded. Hesia had regaled her with tales about the legendary human warriors, of their dedication to the Lady and sacred oath to protect and defend those who needed their help. Her friend’s faith in their reputation was unswerving.
    Annika chewed her bottom lip. Had she been fully human, trusting them wouldn’t have been an issue. With cursed blood running through her veins, Kalan’s recent actions had only strengthened her doubt. For the moment they shared a common goal and a temporary truce, but how long that would last remained uncertain.
    Blinking, she found herself staring at his throat, at the pulse throbbing just beneath his skin. The hunger stirred inside her. This time her stomach cramped. It took several heartbeats for them to subside.
    She had to feed, and soon. As reluctant as she was to wake Kalan, they had to move on. It would be dangerous traveling in daylight but no more so than her ignoring the warning signs of blood-fever.
    Shuddering, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Kalan?” She gasped in surprise as his eyes opened, instantly alert, a warrior trait.
    “Annika?” The sleep-roughened voice was deep. His head rolled toward her. She averted her gaze as he sat up. The blanket slipped from her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
    She flushed, and clutched the blanket to her as she realized she lay naked beneath it. “Where are my