I got up to answer the door and was stunned to see Eric. I'd been so distracted by Amelia's musings that I hadn't felt him approach through our bond. I opened it hesitantly and he swept in. He threw his arms around me and lifted me off the ground, smelling my hair as he swung me around. I flinched but didn't fight him; I was trying really hard to be OK with it.

"Lover, I'm so glad you summoned me," he greeted me huskily.

I felt an ache low in my belly just being so close to him, but I still didn't like being touched.

"Put me down," I mumbled against his chest and he complied immediately. I felt his hurt through the bond but when I looked up at him, his face didn't show it.

"It's not you," Amelia told him, reminding us she was there. "She doesn't like anyone touching her since those Goddamn fairies..."

Eric and I both turned to look at her.

Shit, shouldn't have said that, she thought.

"It's OK, Amelia, I guess he needs to know," I said, but I couldn't look at Eric as I continued. "I, uh, feel weird when people touch me."

"I know lover, I felt your panic through the bond."

"Well, no need for me here," Amelia concluded and walked out.

Eric and I stood silently for a moment, just looking at one another. I could feel intense curiosity flooding through the bond, like there was something he had to know. I could guess what it was and I hoped he wouldn't ask, but he did.

"I'd like to see how you're healing," he asked gently. "May I take a look?"

I didn't want him to see how ugly I was beneath my clothes but his blood might heal my scars – the physical ones, anyway – and I would give anything for that, so I gave him a small nod.

He moved behind me and started pulling my cardigan off my shoulders, trapping my arms behind me in the sleeves. In panic, I fought him and pulled it back on. I was three steps away, facing him, before I could think.

"Sorry, I can't... I can't," I whispered, looking at my feet.

"Sshh, lover, it's OK. Sshh."

He moved towards me slowly and knelt in front of me. He paused for a few moments while he sent waves of calm through the bond. Then he slowly, gently took my hand and kissed the back of it before he spoke again.

"I'll just look under this sock, OK?" he asked, his hands gently touching the top of one of my knee socks. I looked away but nodded slightly. He slid the sock down, examined my lower leg carefully, then pulled it back into place and kissed my knee softly.

I could tell he was suppressing his anger so that only his concern and tenderness came through the bond, but he slipped momentarily when he examined the worst of the scars and I felt little flashes of fury from him. He wanted to kill Lochlan and Neave all over again, slowly and much more painfully, to avenge what they did to me. A few weeks ago I hated that side of his nature, but now I was happy he felt that way. I almost wished he could do it. Their death was too quick and not nearly painful enough for my liking. I mentally admonished myself for being a bad Christian, just thinking that.

He moved his hands to the top of my other sock.

"May I look under here?"

He waited until I nodded slightly before he slid it down gently. Again, I felt his little flashes of fury as he examined the worst of the scars, but he worked hard to flood the bond with caring instead. When he was done, he pulled the sock up and kissed my knee softly.

He moved his hand to the hem of my skirt, on the right-hand side.

"May I?"

I nodded slightly. I was still looking away as he raised that side of my skirt and examined my right thigh. A bigger flash of fury came through the bond as he examined the worst scar on my leg; a red crater halfway up my inner thigh, where so much had been bitten out that even Eric's blood hadn't made all the flesh grow back. A single tear ran down my face as his finger gently outlined the scar. My body was responding to his touch but my mind was filled with fear.

When he was done he lowered my skirt, kissed my knee again and moved to the other side. He repeated his examination, even though he'd seen most of my left thigh while he looked at the right.

He stood up and cupped my face while he brushed away the tear that had escaped as he looked at the worst scar on my legs. He had never handled my body as softly and tenderly before and I was grateful for his gentleness. My mind still screamed at me to escape, but it seemed bad manners to run from someone who was being so sweet, so I stayed.

He took the hem of my t-shirt and I nodded slightly, giving him my permission to lift it and inspect my scars. I still couldn't wear a bra because the pressure they put on the half-healed wounds was unbearable, so with my t-shirt lifted as high as it would go, I was completely bare-breasted. Part of me desperately wanted him to leer at me and make suggestive comments like he would have in the past. I wanted him to desire me still, but how could he? He was never going to call my breasts beautiful ever again; they weren't any more. What he saw angered him greatly and I felt more of it through the bond than I would've liked, but he brought his feelings back under control and sent an extra wave of caring through to me as he lowered my t-shirt again. He bent and kissed my belly button softly just before he covered it.

He moved behind me and looked at my back after I nodded slightly. Afterward, while he lowered my t-shirt and cardigan he kissed my spine, just above the waistband of my skirt. He lingered a little longer than he had elsewhere and I felt his tongue slip between his lips to touch my skin momentarily. His hands rested softly on my hips and it felt wonderful, like they belonged there. A wave of pleasure ran up my spine, making me feel warm between my legs. I shook my head a little; I couldn't believe I was getting turned on by him checking my scars!

While I was distracted, he moved at vampire speed and next thing I knew, he was kneeling in front of me again. The zip of my skirt was halfway down, and it now hung low enough on my hips that he could see the rest of my belly. He hadn't asked this time, but he'd diverted my attention long enough that I was OK. He laid soft kissed on each of my scars, working across my belly and around to my butt. He went to lower my panties a little so he could see my buttocks and my hands flew down to stop him.

"Shh, it's OK, my lover," he purred reassuringly.

"It's the one place they didn't..." I stammered in reply.

He zipped my skirt back up and kissed my back again, lingering even longer this time. He then squeezed my butt cheeks very briefly before standing back up. My head was swimming; I felt equally aroused and afraid. I had no idea what to do.

Before I could get worried, he had his hands on my cardigan again, although he only touched the right side this time.

"I'll look at one arm at a time, OK?"

I nodded my assent, but looked away so I didn't have to see.

True to his word, he slid the cardigan off my right arm, inspected my scars and slid it back onto my arm. He took my hand and kissed the palm for a few seconds before he moved to my left. I looked away while he slid the other arm of my cardigan off and repeated everything, including the kiss.

"I can give you more of my blood now," he said as he lowered my hand. "It's been long enough."

"Thanks, I'd like that."

A wave of pleasure came through the bond. I looked at him and he was grinning; an actual big smile like a human would make. He really liked that I wanted his blood. He went to bite his wrist but I grabbed it before he could.

"Not yet," I insisted. "Can we talk first?"

I was overheated enough already; if I added a dose of vampire blood to the mix... well, let's just say, we wouldn't be talking.