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feet away. A scream formed on my lips, but
I swallowed it when the lights flickered on and I saw Luke standing
by the side table.
    I realized he had one arm pushed
against the back of the chair so he could keep himself
upright.
    “ You shouldn’t be out of
bed.” I threw off the cover and started to get up.
    He waved me back. “Stop fussing, I’m
feeling better.” To prove it, he straightened up and walked over to
me. “I heard someone crying out. Are you okay?”
    “ I’m fine. It was just a
nightmare.”
    “ That must have been one
heck of a dream.”
    I looked up at him. “I’m sorry I woke
you.”
    “ You don’t need to
apologize. You look shaken. Do you want me to get you a glass of
water?”
    “ You’re the injured one. I
should be getting you things.”
    He sat down next to me. “I told you I
feel better. Whatever you gave me helped. The pain isn’t as
bad.”
    I leaned over, my hand reaching out to
examine the bandage. “Is it still bleeding?”
    He pushed my fingers back. “Stop
fussing, I’m fine. You’ve been crying.”
    Ashamed, I turned my face away from
him. “It’s nothing.”
    “ Tell me what’s
wrong.”
    Even if I wanted to, I didn’t know if
I could find the words. If I could find the right words, could I
actually say them out loud?
    “ What trouble has brought
you here?” He asked, his voice soft. “Why did you stop being a
healer?” He leaned closer. “What happened?”
    It was unsettling to have him so
close. I moved away, putting distance between us. “You don’t have
to know my reasons for wanting to learn. You just have to teach
me.”
    “ I would like to know your
intent.”
    I looked over at him. “What do you
mean?”
    “ What do you plan to do
with the abilities you acquire? Once you train and learn how to use
them?” He leaned back and watched me. “Look it’s not in our nature
to train people so they can go off and cause havoc in the world. We
usually know a bit about someone’s background before we show them
the way of the death dealers. Once they learn, they have an
opportunity to enter the guild. We aren’t exclusive. We are open to
everyone who’s serious about learning and becoming one of our kind,
but we try to keep from letting people in with violent tendencies,
homicidal backgrounds, or mental disorders.”
    “ Are you worried I’m a
nut?” When he didn’t answer right away, I continued, “And what if I
am? You already agreed to help me.”
    “ I did.” He nodded in
agreement.
    “ You don’t know anything
about me.” It was true. He didn’t even know my last
name.
    “ I don’t only because you
won’t tell me about yourself.” His expression was
sullen.
    “ Then why take me on? It
can’t be the money. By the looks of this place, you and your family
are extremely well-off.”
    “ Money isn’t a problem for
us.”
    “ Then why did you agree to
train me?”
    “ Because you were so
desperate.” He inched toward me. “Because I saw something in your
eyes that told me you needed to do this.”
    I turned my face away again and said
quietly, “And if the reason I need to do this is so I can go off
and kill someone?”
    He moved closer yet and put his hand
on my shoulder. “Then I would be curious why. If we’re going to
take this path together, you’re going to have to trust
me.”
    “ I’ve said I’ll do whatever
it takes. Just tell me what it is I have to do, and I’ll do it.”
Our hips were now touching. I could feel the heat of his body
against mine.
    With gentle fingers, he turned my chin
toward him until we were facing each other. “That’s what I mean.
Why? Why are you so eager to become a death dealer and throw away
the life you had as a healer?” He reached out and pushed a strand
of hair from my eyes. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I
feel this connection.”
    I realized I was holding my breath. I
exhaled and tried to think of something to say.
    His face was just inches from mine
now. His dark eyes