To Woo A Warrior (Southern Sanctuary)

by Jane Cousins

  “Loving the gratitude here Hadleigh. Give him another couple of hours and he’ll no doubt be as surly as you get when you’re injured. Let me just get this poultice slathered on to act as a painkiller.”

  Vaughn gasped, only Hadleigh’s firm touch keeping him still as the woman … doctor, who ever she was, did something hellish to his back. He prayed to Maat that she would stop torturing him soon or he’d be embarrassing himself by shedding a few manly tears.

  Then like a miracle, the pain, the fire that had been eating through to his bones was gone in an instant. His entire body relaxed and for the first time in what seemed like forever he allowed himself to take a deep pain free breath. In fact he felt so good he struggled to get up.

  “Easy there Viking.” A firm hand pushed him back down on to the sheets. “You’re still cut open to the bone back here, the herbs I’ve just packed into the wound are masking the pain. You need to lie quietly and let your body heal.”

  Vaughn shot Hadleigh a wry look. “Viking?”

  Hadleigh smiled. “Nell’s not just a doctor, she’s family, my cousin actually. I wouldn’t have needed to call her in at all if your blessed Goddess Maat had just shown up to heal you. What’s up with that?”

  “Maat’s all about the tough love.” Feeling so good Vaughn turned his head enough to look at Hadleigh’s cousin. She was not what he was expecting at all. Barely 5.10ft, slim, honey brown hair she had pulled up in one of those elegant twist arrangements professional women often wore, her eyes a deep clear blue. The only thing she and Hadleigh seemed to have in common was their perfect cream complexion. “Hi I’m Vaughn.”

  “Nell.” She gave him an impish smile. A look distinctly at odds with her touch me not long sleeve buttoned up blouse and fitted knee length tan skirt. “Well I’m off. It might be the middle of the night here but back home Great Uncle Alfric has a rash I need to look at … joy.” She blew a kiss Hadleigh’s way. “Keep the poultice on until it dries. Then wash it off.” She turned her head to look at Vaughn. “You, stay still, do what you’re told. Drink plenty of liquids. By the time the sun comes up you should be good as new.” Then she turned and disappeared into his closet.

  Vaughn frowned, maybe he was hallucinating. “Did she just go into my closet?”

  Hadleigh tapped him on the cheek to get his attention, she was holding out a glass of water with a straw in it. “Drink.” She instructed.

  “But?”

  “Drink.”

  Again with the stern voice of hers he found so hard to resist. Okay he’d ask about the closet another time. He stared at Hadleigh as he sucked down the refreshing water until he’d drained the glass. “Are you okay?”

  She laughed, sitting back on her heels, placing the empty glass on the bedside table. “Me? I’m not the one who fell through the floor slicing my back open.”

  Vaughn frowned. “That’s not an answer.”

  Hadleigh rolled her eyes, issuing another small laugh. “I’m fine. Some splinters, my lungs ache from all the coughing and my eyes still feel like they’re full of grit but the shower helped immensely.” She shifted slightly to pick up a bowl and a cloth. “Speaking of which, I thought you might appreciate a bit of a clean-up.” She dipped the cloth in the bowl and wrung it out.

  “Now I really do think I might have died and gone to heaven. You’re going to give me sponge bath?”

  Hadleigh blew out a breath. “Why do you make it sound so dirty?” She slapped the cloth none too gently over his face and proceeded to rub kind of hard. There came a muffled sound but not until she pulled the cloth away and noted his reddened but cleaned skin did she have a chance to ask. “What did you say?”

  “Get as rough as you want, this is still a dream come true.”

  Hadleigh ignored him and started cleaning his right arm down to the hand.

  “What happened to the lava monkeys … or Drexel or whatever you want to call them?”

  “Lava monkeys, I like that. Drum and the guys have gone after them.”

  Vaughn tensed for a moment.

  “They’ll be fine. I gave them some tips on how to deal with them. Marcus is using infra-red satellite feeds to track them. Once they locate them they can get them down to a more manageable size using fire extinguishers and there was some talk about stealing an ice-cream truck to transport them.”

  “You’ve come up against those things before?”

  “Twice.” Hadleigh wrung out the cloth before going to work on some stubborn soot in the crease of his elbow. “The first time a Volcano blew in New Zealand and the Drexel were blasted into an inhabited area. The second time someone performed a spell on them; used them like tracking animals to bring down a rival. You give them blood or a piece of clothing of your enemy, set them to the task and they don’t stop until the prey is obliterated to ashes.”

  Vaughn frowned. “So you’re saying we have a problem.”

  Hadleigh shuffled over and commenced cleaning his other arm. “You don’t find Drexel voluntarily outside of a volcano unless they’ve been tagged by a spell and given a target.” She blew out a soft breath. “They came straight for Xander.”

  “Or maybe you.” Vaughn reminded.

  Hadleigh shrugged. “Who would know I was here? A week ago I’d never even heard of you guys or your show.” She swivelled, picked up the bowl and headed for the bathroom. “We need some fresh water … and stop staring at my legs!”

  “Hey I’m injured not dead. They are very stare worthy legs.”

  Hadleigh returned to sit behind him on the bed to work on cleaning up around his wound. Vaughn deemed it a real pity he was still wearing his trousers, things could have gotten very interesting. As she worked the cloth along the side of his rib cage he turned his head to watch her, enjoying the look of concentration on her face. “What about Xander? He seemed to be unconscious when I handed him out, did he take a hit?”

  “Yes from me.” Hadleigh shook her head. “The guy’s a disaster in a crisis. First sign of trouble he tries to make a run for it, right into the path of danger. The last straw was when he practically punched the mirror out of my hands, so I thumped him on the head.”

  “Where is he?”

  “Back at his hotel. Nate coaxed Benny and Pepsy out of the cameras, they said they’d stay at the hotel and look after him. I believe the official story for him and the local law is a leaking gas pipe and the Drexel were just stray fireballs. Will he really believe that drivel?”

  Vaughn arched into her touch as she moved the damp cloth over the back of his neck. “He doesn’t have to believe it we’ll show him proof. The grommets will edit the footage we have, add some special effects and before you know it Xander will be the hero of the peace, saving you from a fire loving poltergeist. The paranormal conspiracy theorists will eat it up with a spoon.”

  “Saving me?” Hadleigh enquired dryly.

  “Well he is the star of the show.”

  “Fine.” Rolling her eyes she strode off to dump the dirty water.

  Standing in the doorway of the bathroom empty handed she contemplated the sight before her. Even wounded, his hair stiff and dirty still with soot the man looked like a golden god. Now that she knew he was pain free, on the mend and as comfortable as she could make him she wondered if she shouldn’t leave him to rest. Have some peace and quiet. She knew she could certainly use some time alone to get herself under control.

  The moment she’d watched the floor crumble beneath Vaughn she’d been operating on nothing but adrenalin. In all her years as a family enforcer, facing some truly disgusting if not monstrous creatures she’d never felt so afraid, not for herself but for Vaughn. Ever since she’d met him she’d been acting and reacting strangely, so unlike herself. Even when she’d found him lying on a heap of rubble, broken and bloodied the feeling of anxiety, terror, refused to go away.

  Whilst Drum had been questioning her about the Drexel, their habits, where they might go now that the focus keeping them imprisoned had been broken and how they could be
contained it had been all she could do not to yell at the man. Demand to know how he could be so calm whilst Vaughn lay only a few feet away unconscious and bleeding as Marcus applied a field dressing.

  And in her entire life she had never volunteered to forego a battle but when Drum had asked who would take care of Vaughn she had stepped forward without conscious thought. She was a warrior not a nursemaid yet that was exactly the role she was performing here. And she should resent it. Resent Vaughn but all she felt right down to her jellied knees was bone deep relief that he was going to be all right. That she wasn’t going to lose him. Lose him? She didn’t own him. Have any rights over him. She desperately needed some distance from this man who made her so off kilter.

  “Well I should leave.”

  “We should date.”

  Hadleigh’s head snapped up. “What did you just say?” They’d spoken at the same moment and she wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

  “I said we should date.” Vaughn’s golden eyes had her pinned to the spot.

  Hadleigh scowled, moving once more to kneel before him, brushing his soot encrusted hair out the way so she could get a better look at his eyes. “Are you sure you don’t have a concussion?” She looked at his pupils trying to gauge if they were the correct size.

  Vaughn grinned, shaking his head. “I say we should date and you assume that means I have a head injury?”

  “Well…” Hadleigh had no answer.

  How could she explain her insecurities? Her extraordinarily bad luck with men in the past and the fact that she couldn’t fathom why a man like Vaughn, who could have any woman he wanted, would be asking her out on a date? She wondered if he was making a joke at her expense, but no despite his grin he looked sincere.

  “Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t date?” Vaughn pressed.

  “Well you’re my boss.” Okay even to her own ears it sounded a weak argument but it was better than blurting out what she was really thinking.

  “I’m your ‘temporary’ boss, doesn’t count.”

  “Somehow I think under sexual harassment guidelines even in a temporary capacity it would still be considered wrong.”

  “Hey I’m wounded, incapacitated, haven’t even made one sexually explicit comment on how delicious you look wearing just my t-shirt. Okay to be truthful there may have been some leering going on but hey that t-shirt is living la Vida Loca and I’m jealous as hell. So back to my original, non-harassing question, we should date?”

  “No.” Hadleigh rose to her feet moving back to the safe distance of the bathroom doorway.

  “Because?” Vaughn managed to raise himself up onto his elbows. Noting Hadleigh’s perplexed look he elaborated. “Why no? I’m single. You’ve told me you’re not with anyone at the moment. I know you’re attracted to me. No one could fake a kiss like that.”

  “You kissed me!” Hadleigh shot back, mortified to her very bones.

  “I recall you giving as good as you got Sweetheart.”

  Hadleigh fought not to fidget under his intense gaze. “Look, the truth is … I don’t date, ever.”

  “Religious reasons?”

  “What? No!”

  “What are the exceptions?”

  “The what?”

  Vaughn fought hard to keep a smile off his face. She seemed deadly serious about not dating so he needed to play this carefully, not spook her. “For every rule there is an exception. I want to know what the exception is to your not dating rule.”

  “No exceptions.” She crossed her arms defensively, which caused the t-shirt to ride up those gorgeous thighs of hers.

  Fighting hard not to be distracted Vaughn retained eye contact. “Okay so no date. Well just go out, grab a bite to eat, talk and have some laughs … just one friend getting to know another friend.”

  “Sounds like a date to me.” The corner of Hadleigh’s mouth lifted in a reluctant half smile.

  “Then you’ve been doing it wrong.”

  “So I’ve been told ad-nauseam.” She muttered. “Look, I should leave you to rest and heal.” She sidled a few steps sideways towards the door.

  “Hold on, you don’t get to leave until I get an answer. Will you go out with me … as a friend?”

  “Don’t all the experts say men and women can’t be just friends?”

  She sidled two more steps closer to the door, wary as Vaughn shifted on the bed, following her every movement, looking like a giant golden lion ready to spring on his prey.

  “I like nothing more than proving the so called experts wrong.”

  Hadleigh had her hand on the door handle when he said something that made her stop. Just one word but it made her knees melt and her nipples tighten.

  “Please…”

  Damn the man for being so enticing. “Okay...” He didn’t give her a chance to finish her sentence. She’d been about to tack on –‘I’ll think about it.’

  Instead he just talked right over her. “Excellent, so our next free night would be … hey today … I mean later today, tonight, back in Atlanta.”

  Despite herself Hadleigh found she was smiling. Honestly give the Viking an inch and he pillaged the whole village. Holding up her hand. “Wait, I can’t tonight I have plans.”

  “Date plans?” He asked, suspicion filling his tone.

  Hadleigh huffed out a sigh. “What didn’t you understand about the statement - I don’t date? No I have a prior ... engagement.”

  “Maybe I could come too, to this prior engagement?”

  Hadleigh looked horrified for a moment. “Goddess no! Pick any other day of the week though and I’m yours.” She noted his eyes turn that deep burnished gold colour. “Well not yours … But, oh you know what I mean.” With that she swept out of the room, stomping off down the corridor.

  Vaughn let out a deep breath he hadn’t realised he was holding, grinning so hard his cheeks hurt. He had a date with a warrior. Damn he was one lucky Viking. Now he just had to plan a date without it seeming like a date. Thank Maat he really did like a challenge.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next day proved a difficult one for Vaughn. Not physically, his back was healed up by dawn as Nell had promised and he’d been able to grab a shower and finally get the stink of last night’s operation off. No, what was going on with him was all in his head and it was all about Hadleigh.

  She didn’t like compliments. She didn't flirt and she didn’t date. Nothing about the woman made sense. She was gorgeous, seriously built and when she relaxed had the most beautiful laugh he’d ever heard. All through breakfast as Drum gave him a recap of the past few hours the team had spent tracking, capturing and containing the Drexel for transport, Vaughn fought hard to concentrate.

  It was easier when Hadleigh had bought the team up to speed on the fact that last night’s mission had been a trap set for them, Xander or maybe herself. At least then he’d had an excuse to stare at her, noting the morning sun made her hair seem like a fiery halo and her skin glow with inner lights. Maat he was acting like a horny schoolboy mooning over his first crush. Tamping down his response to her he managed to contribute reasonably intelligently to the discussion, requesting Flynn try and draw from memory what the main focus rune had looked like so that Marcus could research it.

  On automatic pilot he’d helped pack up the equipment, stowing it in the van for transport before closing up the Washington base.

  In the jet he’d been planning to sit next to Hadleigh and keep her company but Xander for once was early, demanding Hadleigh take the seat next to him so she could assure him that she was hale and hearty, unaffected by the mysterious gas that had caused Xander to believe fireballs were actually little creatures with arms and legs that spat fire.

  Steering well clear of that conversation Vaughn took up residence at the back of the plane. Not to brood but to plan. If he were really going to woo Hadleigh he needed to step up, get smart, get ruthless and plan the best non-date date in the history of female – male interaction.

 
* * *

  Returning to Atlanta Hadleigh spent the afternoon in the recording studio parroting words and phrases Pepsy provided. It seemed an inordinately silly exercise but the grommet assured her she wouldn’t be embarrassed by the end product. Trying to be a good sport she’d done her best to follow his directions and advice. From the number of takes though she had the distinct feeling she was not natural voice dubbing material. Pepsy’s enthusiasm had never faded though, probably because as a grommet he was in seventh heaven amidst all the hi-tech equipment used by Maat Productions. Even so at the end of their session he’d thanked her profusely and with only a vague hint of relief in his voice sent her on her way.

  With time on her hands she’d returned to the guest apartment she’d been assigned and spent several hours in a Zen like state of meditation bought on by the act of cleaning all her swords. Knowing with every fibre of her being that with the dreaded next few hours ahead she would need a calm and peaceful mind-set so that the bloodshed could be kept to a minimum.

  Sunday lunch at her parent’s house, there was no battlefield more challenging or frustrating.

  Case in point the outfit she had on. Hadleigh let out a sigh as she eyed herself in the full length mirror, only for her mother would she put on a sun dress and sandals. To annoy her brothers she’d made sure they were high heeled wedges. Checking the time, nine pm Atlanta time meant eleven am Queensland time, she’d better get a move on, her mother would be expecting her to help in the kitchen. Taking one more deep fortifying breath she walked into the closet. Goddess give her courage, time to head home for a few hours of quality family time.

  * * *

  It was just after nine pm and Vaughn was on his way down to Hadleigh’s apartment to have a few words with her. The woman had outright lied to him. Previous engagement - hah!

  According to security Hadleigh hadn’t left the building. As he strode towards her apartment door he tried to hold on to his righteous anger and not let the slight niggling suspicion that his actions were beginning to border on stalking deter him from confronting her. If she really didn’t want to go out with him she should just say so to his face.