Her gut clenched at the thought of how much that would have to hurt. “Happen to you often?”

“More times than Nyk wants to admit.”

“Nyk?”

“Thia’s father.”

It was the first time he’d used Nykyrian’s name with her, and he was way too cautious, even wounded, to let it slip out. Dancer was learning to trust her.

Sumi didn’t know why, but that sent a rush of warmth through her. When he turned, she saw the blood on the back of his shirt. Worried about him, she went over and lifted the hem to investigate the blood’s source.

He tugged it down, out of her hands. “What are you doing?” he asked in an agitated tone.

She gave him a droll stare. “Oh, I don’t know… I was considering molesting you on top of these grotesque dead bodies. Ripping your clothes off and running my hands all over that long, hard body until you beg for mercy. What do you say, babe? Want to add something exotic to your diet?”

He gaped so widely, it exposed his fangs.

Laughing, Sumi tsked at him. “Oh my God. So that’s what stark terror looks like on that gorgeous face. Who knew?” She winked at him. “Relax, sweetie. I was joking. Just wanted to check your wounds. See if you pulled the stitches out.”

“Oh.” He finally relaxed as he flipped her rifle up to hold it over his shoulder. “Only a few.”

A few?

“Dancer!”

“What?” he asked in an equally irritated tone. “If you’d cauterized it, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Oh yeah, this was so her fault. “I was trying to save you the pain of a burn wound.”

“Pain is pain. Does it really matter if it’s from a burn or a stitch?”

He had a point, but she didn’t want to admit it. “How are you feeling?”

“Hungry.”

She arched a brow at the unexpected answer. “Killing humans makes you hungry?”

“Killing, breathing, bathing, basically everything makes me hungry. Syn swears I’m still in my growing phase.”

Sumi snorted. One day, she really wanted to meet this Syn. “It’s good to have Your Snarky Highness back. I’ve missed you.”

When she started away, he gently caught her arm and held her by his side. Unsure of what he needed, she stared up into those haunting, eerie eyes. He looked as if he wanted to say something to her. Instead, he bit his lip then placed his cheek against hers in the tenderest of gestures.

Hauk closed his eyes and savored the warmth of her skin on his and the scent of her hair as he fought the craving inside to kiss her. It was absolutely searing.

More than that, he wanted to bury himself deep inside her body. To have her do exactly what she’d teased. To ride him until he begged her for mercy.

Stand down, soldier. You belong to another.