Shadow Reaper (Shadowlands Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

crazy bitch. Brave, but crazy.”
    Clay reached for Ash, smoothing the hair away from her face. “Yeah, crazy brave.”

ASH
    Two weeks of healing, two weeks of pain, the threat of infection, and round the clock care, but I was alive. I’d spent the hours, the days, running the events of that day through my head. The voice that only I’d heard, the voice that had saved us. Who was it, and why hadn’t Ryder been able to hear it? Was there something wrong with me? Had I had a moment of insanity? Too many questions and no answers, but the one thing I knew for certain was that I was alive.
    I was safe.
    Ryder was safe.
    I hadn’t seen him since the day they’d hauled us in, but I’d asked about him every day. They were keeping him in the infirmary. His leg had been pretty cut up, the creature that had attacked him had narrowly missed tearing a vital artery. When Clay had told me that, I’d cried with relief, retrograde fear—I don’t know—a mixture of emotions.
    “Shit, Ash, why didn’t you tell me? Does he know?” Clay had asked.
    “What . . . what are you talking about?” I tried to look confused, but it was no use. My eyes welled up and he knew.
    “You got to tell him how you feel. Tell him before it burns you up.”
    So here I was, outside the infirmary, ready to do just that. My stomach was a flurry of nerves, but I closed my eyes and recalled how tight he’d clung to me when we’d been hurtling toward the Horizon, how he’d angled his body to protect mine from the rough terrain.
    He loved me too. I just knew it.
    I pressed my palm to the door and pushed. I’d only pushed it open an inch when I heard the laughter.
    I froze.
    “Stop. You are so bad!”
    I recognised that voice—sweet and sultry at the same time. Nina. Doc Jean’s niece. Doc was training Nina to take over some day. I didn’t really know her very well, but from the sound of what I was hearing, Ryder did.
    “But that’s why you love me, right?”
    There was silence and a soft squelchy sound. My chest tightened with a strange kind of ache. They were kissing.
    Nina sighed. “You joke now, but if Ashling hadn’t gone back for you . . . I can’t bear to think about it.”
    “I know. I owe her my life.”
    Silence. “You don’t think that . . .”
    “What?” Ryder asked.
    “That she has feelings for you?”
    “Of course she does, she’s my best friend. She loves me.”
    Nina sighed. “No, I mean . . . romantic feelings.”
    I felt sick as I waited for Ryder’s response. Heat climbed up my neck and stained my cheeks. Nina knew how I felt? I couldn’t bear it.
    “Ash? In love with me? Don’t be silly. In fact, I can’t imagine that scamp loving anything but the thrill of the reap. She’s crazy but damn it if I’m going to question it. It’s the crazy that gave her the balls to come back for me.”
    Nina chuckled. “Well then, that’s all right. Crazy I can handle, another woman in love with you I can’t.”
    More squelchy sounds.
    My instincts told me to turn and run, to get as far away from them as possible, to let my heart break in secret somewhere private. But my pride was stronger. Nina knew, despite what she said to placate Ryder. She knew and I couldn’t have that. I didn’t want that.
    I exhaled, squared my shoulders, stuck a frown on my face and pushed the door fully open.
    They broke apart in surprise as I entered, and I saw the flush of embarrassment stain Ryder’s cheeks.
    “Ash! Hey. What are you doing here?”
    I crossed my arms across my chest and quirked a brow. “I thought I’d come visit my invalid best friend, cheer him up and stuff. But looks like you’re being well looked after.” I shot Nina a cheeky wink.
    Nina flushed and lowered her lashes.
    I moved across the room and planted myself on the bed beside him. “So? How long?” I waved a finger between the two of them.
    Nina bit her lip and smiled.
    Ryder shook his head. “Seriously, Ash, can we save the third degree for