Claimed by Sarah Fine Page A

being maimed or dead,” Eli said. “Which is why Cacy suggested it in the first place, even knowing about Galena’s past.”
    Dec’s shoulders sagged. “Yeah. I guess she was right. But still. Galena seem s . . . I don’t know. She looked pretty overwhelmed at the idea of being with someone.”
    “Probably because she is,” Eli said, his voice taking on an edge. “She’s been hurt worse than any other person I know.” He cleared his throat and looked away. “And I admire her more than anyone else, because in spite of everything that’s happened to her, she’s still on her feet.” Eli looked over at the bottle. “Actually, I think I will have one, if you don’t mind.”
    Dec grabbed a glass from the dish rack and slogged in a few fingers of whiskey, then slid it over to Eli. “I’m sorry that you guys have been through so much,” he said quietly.
    “You know, don’t you? About the attack. About what happened.”
    “I know it did happen, and that’s all.”
    “For weeks afterward, I thought I was going to lose her. I seriously thought she was just going to curl up and die on me. She wouldn’t talk or eat or get out of bed.”
    Dec’s chest ached at the thought. “But you got her through it.”
    “Not really. She did that all by herself. I wasn’t around as much as I should have been. I was so full of rage that I was afraid it would scare her.”
    And Dec knew, because Moros had told him, that Eli had taken matters into his own hands. H e’d stalked and killed every single one of Galena’s attackers, and that was why it had been possible for Moros to make him a Ker—h e’d already taken human life. Not that Dec blamed Eli. As he pictured Galena’s tear-streaked, bruised face, he thought he probably would’ve done the same. “You must have been there for her somehow, though. You guys are obviously close.”
    “I tried. But it was her work that saved her. One day, she just got up and went back to her lab. And that was it. I rarely saw her afterward. She dove back into her research and never came up for air.”
    “So if she stops her research—”
    “I’m afraid for her. I think it’s how she keeps everything at bay.”
    Dec closed his eyes. “She’ll get tired, though. Eventually.” Dec felt tired even thinking about it. Or maybe that was him. Tired all around.
    “I think you’re right,” said Eli sadly. “But for now, the possibility of saving even one life is what keeps her going.”
    “It seems like it does more than that.” It lit her up inside. And God, it was beautiful to watch.
    “It does. It always has. And that’s why she’ll do anything to keep it going.”
    Including what she would have to do to become a Ferry. Dec refilled his glass and topped off Eli’s. This was what had gotten to him. H e’d been intrigued by Galena Margolis from the first moment h e’d laid eyes on her. Sure, he didn’t really know her, not yet, but he knew enough to want to know more. He knew enough, he realized with embarrassment, that he wanted her to like him. Which was stupid. He was a grown-ass man, not a schoolboy. But that hope, that she would like him, that she would trust him, had been smashed when Cacy suggested that he be the one to make her a Ferry—right after h e’d seen Galena nearly faint when she found out what it would take. If he agreed to this, h e’d be bound to Galena forever, but would he ever have a shot at her heart? Because she wouldn’t be choosing him . Sh e’d be choosing protection. Two different things.
    Why the fuck am I even thinking about this? Dec groaned and drained his glass. He must be drunk. He wasn’t usually quite this stupid. The idea of being bound inextricably to another person, especially one who didn’t actually love him, didn’t sound appealing at all, no matter how intriguing Galena might be.
    “So who in your family do you think would be the best match?” Eli asked casually, interrupting Dec’s brooding. “Cacy had a few ideas,