He bent his arm under his head as he tried to explain it. “It’s not tied to sexual desire, Sumi. It’s tied to my love for you. My need to protect you from all harm.”

She took another drink then offered the bottle to him. “Will they really remain this way?”

“I honestly don’t know. Keris’s would come and go, depending on his drug use and emotions. He’s the only Andarion I’ve ever known who had the condition. But I have heard that in extremely rare cases, it becomes permanent.” He took a sip then asked the one thing that hung heaviest on his mind. “Do they repulse you?”

“Dancer,” she chided. “Nothing about you repulses me. I simply adore you and I think your eyes are absolutely beautiful. Red or white, makes no never mind to me. I could stare into them forever.”

He tightened his arms around her before he nuzzled her neck. “Do I need to help you now?”

It took her a moment to realize what he meant. Afraid of offending him, she suppressed her smile. “No, sweetie. While I would love to climb on top of you for the rest of the night, I know you’re hurt and I don’t want to do anything to worsen your injuries. Being held by you, right now, is more than enough.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

He screwed his face up as if he couldn’t quite believe her. “Humans are very strange.”

She laughed. “It’s not a human thing, love. It’s a female thing.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.” Sumi laced her fingers with his, amazed at how happy she was in this one moment of being with him. The only thing that could make it better would be to have her daughter with them.

But that was a dream that could never come true and she knew it. Closing her eyes, she tried not to think about the fact that his friends would be here very soon. Then he would go back to his life and she’d return to The League. She clenched her teeth at the thought of what Kyr would do to her for failing her mission.

Or worse, living the rest of her life without Dancer. It burned and hurt so deep that it was a physical ache.

How stupid, right? She’d lived years without him and now he felt as integral to her well-being as breathing.

Holding his hand to her face, she savored the warmth of his body pressing against hers. This was all she’d ever wanted. Someone who loved her. Someone who wouldn’t hurt her or make her feel like crap when she was with them.

How cruel that having finally found him, she couldn’t keep him.

I will die for you, Dancer.

Saddest part of all? She most likely would.

CHAPTER 20

“Not enough root in the universe, eh?”