A Hero's Bargain by Rayne Forrest Read Free Book Online

His hands shook as he lifted it to his lips, swallowing
the liquid in great, fast gulps. She reached to wrap her hands around his and
steady him but he paused and shook his head.
    To give her hands something else to
do, she dipped a washcloth into the basin then wrung it out. Stirring the water
brought a light herbal scent into the air.
    “Here. Press this to your forehead
for a moment. Perhaps it will help relax you.”
    He followed her instructions
without protest.
    “It smells good,” he said softly.
He wiped his face and neck with the cloth and she noted he was even paler than
before. The bruised look beneath his eyes had darkened.
    “You need to sleep.” She took the
cloth from him. He tried to lie back on the bed but couldn’t lift his legs.
Saba slipped her arm beneath his knees to aid him, wincing as he cried out sharply,
a spasm racking his body.
    She eased his legs down, extending
them. His calf muscles trembled under her hands. She gently massaged feeling
the strength in him. “Does this pain you?”
    He replied through clenched teeth,
“Yes, but if you’re going to give me a rubdown, I’ll survive it.”
    “We’ll wait another day.” She
settled the blanket over him, tucking it in around his feet. She moved to pull
it over his very broad, very bruised chest. His hands snaked out, grabbing her
wrists and pulling her to him with a surprising amount of strength for a man in
his condition.
    Her heart pounded against her ribs
as his grip tightened. She couldn’t break free. He was simply too strong. His
gaze bored into hers.
    “Listen to me, Saba. I want you to
go over there and get in my pack and bring me the little blue box. It’s not a
weapon. I swear.”
    “Should I believe you when you hurt
me?”
    “Not at all. But I’m telling you
the truth. It’s a med kit. It has drugs in it that may help me.”
    “I looked in your pack and did not
see anything blue.”
    He blinked rapidly, several times.
“It has to be there,” he muttered distractedly. His eyes met hers again as he released
her wrists. “Please, Saba. Just bring me the pack.”
    Whether he told the truth or not,
she didn’t know. The quiet desperation in his voice made her believe that
whatever he wanted was vital to his survival. She darted to the corner and retrieved
the pack. His hands closed convulsively over it.
    He reached inside, fumbling with something.
She snatched the pack from him. It had an inside compartment she’d missed. Her
fingers closed around a small, flat box.
    “Satisfied?”
    She blushed. “I should not have
grabbed it away from you. I am sorry.”
    He snorted again then sighed
tiredly. “Just put that med kit someplace safe. Don’t tell anyone you have it.
It’s very valuable. Do you understand?”
    “You’ll explain this to me after
you’ve slept?”
    “Sure. If you kiss me.”

Chapter 6
     
    His angel scrambled away from him
so fast, she stumbled over the fireside stool. Ryder snaked out an arm to catch
her. The sudden lurching movement gave the insidious pain opportunity to
strike. Searing flames licked his legs. He clenched his teeth against the
agony, determined not to cry out, not in front of his angel.
    The effort was wasted. She saw his
pain and came back to his side and laid her cool hand in the middle of his
chest. He closed his eyes and willed his body to relax. Another spasm of pain
seized him then the tension eased. The fire receded with excruciating slowness,
never leaving him completely, but at least he could deal with the low,
persistent heat that remained.
    At least he could deal with it for
a while. A wave of despair washed over him, borne on the fear he’d live the
rest of his life with pain.
    Not that he needed to worry about
that too much. He was surely destined to have a short life. The planet of Adena
would make no concessions to a cripple. If he couldn’t farm or hunt, he’d have
to depend on the charity of others. He’d rather have the atmospheric toxins get
him. Only,