what did you expect me to do, querida? i could not allow that poor excuse of a man to touch you. you are bleeding and in pain. i am your lifemate and it is my duty and my right to see to your care. i intend to do just that."

she felt it then, deep inside him, the volcanic rage that had not been allowed near the surface when he faced harris. barely leashed, barely controlled. her large eyes were swimming with tears and it added to the fury burning in his gaze as it roamed over her face. "i just want to go home, rafael." away from here, away from you. it slipped into her thoughts before she could prevent it.

a muscle jerked in his jaw. i will never, ever, give you up. not now, not ever. we should be past this. there was a lash to the quiet whip of his voice.

past this? are you crazy? i have a few issues, you know. like you pulling a man's heart right out of his chest. that isn't done, rafael.

he deposited her very gently on the seat of the pickup truck, ignoring paul's black scowl. "move, kid, i'm driving." he said it softly, but there was something in his voice, a warning note that had paul shrugging helplessly at his sister before jumping into the back of the truck.

nothing dared defy rafael's power and the truck started up immediately.

"do you know how to drive?" colby asked.

his black eyes flicked over her and then he stared at the road, driving straight through town, narrowly missing tony harris as the man stood by his car. "you were thinking of leaving me. and you defend that poor excuse of a man."

"of course i was thinking of leaving you." she glared at him. "do you think i'm nuts? and damn tony harris. do you think this is about him? it isn't about tony, rafael, it's about you nearly killing me. do you think i'm going to fall into your arms and trust you not only with my life, but with paul and ginny's lives?"

there was a small silence. "i can explain about that, colby."

for the first time rafael seemed hesitant. her eyebrow shot up. "i don't want to take a chance that paul might hear. let's wait until we're at the house. but you are going to explain. all i'm thinking about right now is the way my leg is hurting," she added and knocked on the window. paul slid it aside. "hand over the pain pills. i'm taking all of them."

paul put the bottle in her hand and rafael took it out. "you do not need those."

"how do you know? it hurts like hell." she glared at him. "you're making me crazy. you really are. you did something to tie us together and then you got yourself nearly killed and left me to go sleep in the ground. give me the pills."

"no. and you do not need to chastise me, i have done so enough for both of us."

"maybe enough for you, but it will never be enough for me." she let her breath out slowly and lay back against the seat. "my leg really hurts, rafael."

"i am aware of it. i feel what you feel, remember? it is not good to use such medications; you are partially in my world and your body will reject such things."

"like the way it's rejecting food?" she asked, glaring at him. he glanced down at the bandage. "the doctor sewed your leg. very barbaric."

"should he have packed it with dirt and spit in it? maybe shoved me in a grave and left me there for a few days?"

"just be quiet." he knew she had a mad desire to leap out of the truck. she was confused and agitated and the pain was making her feel sick. "i'm pulling over so i can relieve the pain in your leg."

colby didn't argue. if he could take it away, she'd be more than grateful. he found a small sheltered area on the winding road and pulled off so he could focus his attention completely on colby. rafael sent himself seeking outside his body, allowing it to fall away and leave behind a light, pure energy, traveling into her body to heal her from the inside out. he took his time to repair her leg carefully, ensuring the swelling was gone, the ragged edges would become seamless, and the injuries to the muscle and tissue inside were healed.

when he pulled back into his own body he leaned over her, touching her leg with gentle fingers. "does that feel better?"

colby could only stare up into his dark eyes, drowning there like an idiot when she wanted to be strong. her leg felt perfectly fine, but the lines in his face were etched deeper than ever. "you shouldn't have done that."

"i had no choice." he bent to kiss the corner of her mouth, her eyelids, the tip of her nose. "you scared me. do not ever do that again." he reached for her wrist, the one she had slashed open to save his life. he brought it to his mouth, his tongue moving over the faint scar.

the intimacy of it sent heat curling through her body. "rafael, you need to heal more yourself." she could feel hunger beating at him, a living, breathing monster that roared for attention. "you should take care of your own needs."

"i am taking care of my needs." his voice was low and husky, a seduction on all of her senses.

the shadow was the only warning, dark and ominous and filled with a black kind of evil as it loomed over the two of them. the door jerked open behind her, nearly spilling colby out of the truck. she screamed in shock and horror as her brother, his face twisted into a mask of hatred, lunged at her with a knife.