Battle Heat by Kelly L. Lee

Author:Kelly L. Lee [Lee, Kelly L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Paranormal, Fantasy, Scottish, Scarred Hero/Heroine, Fairies
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2015-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Warmth touched his toes and traveled up his left leg, stopping at the knee. The sensation repeated on the other side and continued up to his thigh this time, a feather light caress carrying a slight chill in its wake. Ares cracked open an aching eyelid.

A wash of red hair swished in his tunneled field of vision. Holly flipped her head back and muttered to herself.

“Shoot. I should have pulled it back.” She used a forearm to push the stray strands away from her eyes.

He blinked and refocused. A small lamp burned on the bedside table, casting a dim, yellow light across the room. Steam wafted from a large washbasin sitting on a table beside Holly. She dropped the soiled towel on a bloodied pile and reached for another. He tried to speak, but his tongue refused to cooperate, swollen and dehydrated in his mouth.

He watched Holly dip a fresh cloth in the bowl of water, then slowly wring out the excess. She pressed the warm, wet fabric against his stomach. A droplet of water tickled as it ran down his side. The soft towel felt rough against his raw skin. Once saturated with blood, dirt, and whatever else caked his skin, the cloth joined the others on the floor. Ares moved his tongue inside his mouth and swallowed drily, trying to create some saliva. Instead, he coughed. Holly’s gaze shot up to his and she reached for a goblet of water.

Placing a hand behind his head, she put the glass against his lips. He slurped greedily. She pulled the liquid away before he finished.

“More.” His voice croaked from disuse.

“No. Too much too quickly will make you sick. Give it a minute.”

He stared up at her beautiful face, indeed feeling sick to his stomach, but not because of the water. Holly looked radiant, and he…

Ares looked at himself. He was a dirty, disgusting monster she was forced to take care of because he hadn’t been strong enough not to black out. Wait. Where was Arganos, and why in nine hells didn’t his friend take him away from here? A sinking feeling hit the pit of his abdomen, increasing the waves of nausea. If Holly took care of him, how much had she seen? What had she seen?

“Arganos and his men disposed of the bodies in the kitchen.” Holly reached for a fresh towel and dipped it in the washbasin. “But you owe my housekeeper one hell of a bonus.”

Ares cleared his throat. “How long have I been out?”

“A day and a half. Arganos said you would be out cold for another couple of days. Guess he was wrong. I intended to get this done before you woke up, but I was afraid to touch you until now. You healed a lot in the last day or so, but your recovery seems to have slowed. Cleansing your wounds should help.”

“What time is it?”

“Close to midnight, I expect.”

The towel rasped across a wound on Ares’ chest. He winced as the edges of the ragged flesh peeled back.

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