She raked a hungry smile over him. “Not quite as scared as I was last night when I saw the look on your face, but —”

“I’m sorry about that.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be. You had every right to want me dead. I should never have agreed to come here to hurt you.”

“You weren’t exactly given a choice. I know Kyr. The words if it please Your Majesty never leave his lips. Even when he’s addressing royalty.”

“Still —”

He stopped her words with a kiss. “Fain taught me early in my life to listen with my eyes and not my ears.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Lips and tongues lie. But actions never do. No matter what words are spoken, actions betray the truth of everyone’s heart. And your actions gave me no reason to doubt you. You’ve been honorable since I met you. That’s what I should have put my faith in.”

Sumi stared up at him in wonder. He was so gorgeous, even with those strange eyes that were fast becoming normal to her. She fingered his goatee, then mustache. “It’s amazing to me how a race that is known for its rowdy brutality can hold such poetry and beauty.”

That handsome lopsided grin of his made her stomach flutter. “We are a fierce breed.”

“And the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk are the fiercest of all.”

“That we are, mu mia.” He let go of her to finish dressing.

Sumi bit her lip as he bent over to retrieve his pants. That male had the nicest butt she’d ever seen on any being. And all that lush, rippling flesh…

Damn.

Just damn. Sighing, she turned to dress and tried not to think about how much she wanted to go take another bite out of him.

Hauk paused with a frown as he pulled his shirt on. There was such a strange serenity to him now. For the first time in his life, he was at peace and he didn’t know why. He was absolutely calm.

The bitter rage that had lived inside him and driven him to war for so long was quelled and silent. Sumi had lit a joy within him the likes of which he’d never known. His heart was light and all he wanted to do was make her smile. To give her the same happiness she gave him.

She hesitated as she caught him staring at her. “What?”

He grinned. “What, what?”

A thousand expressions, all adorable, played across her beautiful face. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He gently pulled her against him and ran his hands through her pale hair before he braided it for her.

She tilted her head back to look up at him. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you the hair of an Andarion warrior.”