Chapter Seven Willow
Chapter Seven
Willow
The first thing I notice when I open my eyes is that the sun is out, so it must be daytime. The second thing is the pressing need to pee. I yawn as I look around, making sure nothing has changed. I’m still clutching my now crumpled flower and the water canteen.
Glancing up, I freeze, seeing that more flowers have replaced the first one. I loop the canteen strap over my head as I stand. There is another yellow flower waiting for me, this time it’s accompanied by a pink and a blue one. Sitting on top of them is a small bundle I recognize.
My stomach rumbles and I grab it, pulling it inside my hiding space quickly. I pull the bow and it opens, revealing the same nuts and berries as before. This time, I don’t hesitate to start shoving them in my mouth, eating them as fast as I can. It feels good to eat again.
When I finish, I drop the leaf and gently pick up the flowers as I inspect them.
They all have a slightly different scent, but are beautiful.
I feel around my dress for somewhere to put them, but I don’t have any pockets.
Sighing, I shove them down the front of my dress for safekeeping before I reach up, my hands seeking purchase to climb out.
It takes me about five seconds to realize I’m in trouble. The closest edge is at least a foot out of range. I try to jump up to grab it, but with it being such a tight space, I can’t bend my knees to get enough height.
“No,” I whisper in panic, as I try to jump again.
Rustling in the tree above has me freezing, my palms pressing to the sides as my eyes widen in fear. That sounds too big to be a squirrel.
I shriek in surprise when a head pops into view above me. Blond braids line his head, and even through his beard, I can see his gentle smile. His blue eyes feel as if they are looking right into my soul as he whispers, “Hello there, little one.”
My heart hammers rapidly in my chest as he reaches a hand down toward me. “Would you give me the honor of helping you out of there?” I lick my lips as I look at his hand above my head. His very large hand.
This man is one of the cannibals. I remember him from when I first tried to run, before the hunt started. But looking up into those piercing blue eyes, I feel no maliciousness, no deception, or hatred. I do see some sort of desire there, I just don’t think it’s hunger.
And somehow, even though I was warned to stay away, something inside me tells me he’s safe.
My bladder chooses that moment to remind me that I can’t stay put much longer. Looking up at him, my cheeks heat as I whisper, “I need to pee.”
His eyes soften and his smile grows a little as he wiggles his fingers at me. “Okay. Let me help you out of there so you can take care of that.”
His voice is deep and rough, and strangely enough, it makes me eager to believe him.
I bite my lip, feeling nervous as I reach up and grab his hand. I gasp when his rough skin touches mine, and it feels like a small electric shock goes through my body. His eyes grow wide, telling me he felt it too. Oddly, it makes me squeeze his hand tighter instead of letting go.
He starts to pull me up, and pain shoots down my arm, making me hiss. He quickly sets me back down and lets go of my hand, as a look of concern covers his face. “Shit, I’m sorry, did I hurt you?”
I rub my shoulder where the pain came from and nod. It felt like he was going to pull it from its socket. He looks behind him and yells, “Hawk, grab my feet. I need to use both arms to pull her up.”
Hawk must be one of the other cannibal Vikings. I really hope he isn’t helping me out of here just so he can eat me. I doubt I’d have much meat on me anyway, since my father had basically starved me.
The blond man above me leans over the edge of the hole so his arms and head dangle toward me. I reach both arms up toward him, unsure how he’s going to lift me, and a squeak escapes my lips as he grabs me under both armpits and simply lifts me out like I weigh nothing.
My hands fly to his shoulders to hold on, and suddenly I find myself sitting sideways in his lap, in the tree. He smiles down at me as his hands grip my hips, holding me gently. I just stare at him wide-eyed, unsure what to do.
I’ve never been this close to a man before, at least not when I wasn’t being beaten. I look at my fingers on his shoulders and they flex, as if unable to stop themselves from touching his giant muscles. I’ve never seen anyone who looks like him or his two friends before.
Dark tattoos cover his shoulders, and my fingers start to follow the pattern down his bicep.
I know I should be scared, terrified even. He’s one of the most dangerous men in the entire Mating Hunt, one that Larissa specifically warned me about. He literally eats people. But right now, as I sit in his lap and stare at his large arms holding me, all I feel is safe.
“Shall we get you down so you can relieve yourself?” A husky voice asks from behind me, making me jump in surprise. My head whips around to find the other cannibal, the one who I saw kill those men during the night, standing on the ground at the base of the tree.
When his warm hazel eyes meet mine, he reaches up his hands as if to help me down. The man is a killer, a murderer, so I have no idea why I instantly lean toward him, placing my hands on his shoulders and letting him lift me down to the ground.
The movement causes my injuries to pull, and I duck my head to hide the wince on my face.
“Thank you,” I whisper as he lets me go and takes a small step back. He nods his head once, then a loud thump beside me has me jumping toward him in surprise, pressing myself against his front. His arms immediately come up to encircle me and hold me tight against him.
Peeking over his arm, I can see the noise was just the blond man jumping down from the tree, and I realize how stupid I must look, clinging to a stranger for no reason.
I push back, my cheeks heating as I glance up at him. “S-sorry.”
He looks down at me, and it causes my heart to leap in my chest. He’s breathtaking. I stare at him in confusion, not understanding why my actions and feelings around this man are all over the place.
I saw him kill people.
But he left me flowers.
He literally strangled a man to death a few hours ago.
But he helped me down from the tree.
He’s a cannibalistic Viking!
But he’s holding me so protectively.
“Willow?” The blond man calls my name gently. “Come with me. I’ll show you where you can have a little privacy to relieve yourself.”
He reaches out a hand, and I place my much smaller one in his before I even have time to think about it. He leads me into the trees as I frown down at my hand, wondering why I’m trusting them so easily.
They’re here to hunt me.
He stops walking and turns, pulling some large leaves from his pocket and passing them to me. “I’ll be just behind that tree. Let me know when you’re done.”
I frown down at the leaves as he takes a step away. “Wait!” I call, making him turn back to me. “What’s this for?” I ask nervously, holding up the soft leaves. I know I shouldn’t ask a man any questions, but I’m worried about angering him if they aren’t for what I think they are.
He frowns, tilting his head at me before he swipes his hand in the air over his private area between his legs. “For cleaning up after you’re done.”
This must be their version of toilet paper.
I realize how considerate it is of him to think of giving me this, when he probably doesn’t use any himself half the time.
He starts to turn away, so I quickly add, “Thank you. What’s your name?
” I hope he won’t be angry that I’m asking too much, but the need to know what to call him in my head forces me to speak.
He smiles, as if he likes the question. “Bo.” He turns around again and steps behind a large tree, leaving me on my own.
Bo. I’ve never heard that name before, but I like it; it suits him somehow.
I quickly relieve myself, finding it difficult with my sore side. Luckily, when I use the leaves to clean up, I’m surprised by how soft they are. Definitely better than the rough toilet paper we were given at the compound.
With my dress back in place, I take a step toward where he disappeared before I call out nervously, “Bo?”
Instantly, he steps out from behind a tree, his eyes roaming over my body as if he expects me to be harmed. Moving toward me, he holds out his hand and silently waits for me to take it.
When I place my hand in his, I see his eyes light up. Although, I don’t understand why he’s looking at me like that, or why I like it. I follow as he gently guides me back to the large tree.
As soon as we step into the small clearing, my eyes widen at the sight of the other two men, standing shoulder to shoulder as they stare down at me with an intensity that has my stomach clenching.
Where did the third man come from? I hadn’t noticed him earlier, although I do recognize him from the clearing.
I take a step back, pulling my hand free from Bo’s and holding them to my chest as I watch the three of them nervously. I’m unsure what will happen now.
“This is Hawk, and Ronan,” Bo says, breaking the silence as he points to his friends. Hawk is the man who had been here last night and killed the others, and Ronan is the tallest of the three, the one who offered to get rid of my brother for me.
They stare at me as I look back at them. This isn’t exactly what I expected to happen when I got caught. I thought there would be a lot more screaming, at least on my end. But they haven’t really done anything to harm me. Not yet.
Suddenly, Ronan slams his fist over his chest, the same way he did the last time I saw him. The other two repeat the action, and I stare at them in confusion.
“It’s an oath,” Ronan says, seeing the question on my face. “It means we pledge our lives to yours.”
My mouth opens in surprise, then it snaps back shut. I stare at them in stunned silence, unsure what to say to that. I don’t think I fully understand why they are doing it or what it actually means. Luckily, Bo breaks the awkward silence as we stare at one another.
“You didn’t run,” Bo says, making me turn to him with a frown. “When I left you alone, you didn’t run.”
“Was I supposed to?” I ask, realizing that maybe that was part of the game, that I wasn’t supposed to give in so easily.
“No,” Ronan says, his intense green eyes still staring at me. “It means you trust us.”
I glance at the others as I lick my lips. “I-I don’t understand.”
“What part?” Hawk asks.
I shake my head. “Any of it.” When nobody replies, even the fear of being harmed for asking questions can’t stop all my thoughts and fears from spilling out.
Their presence somehow makes me feel free to finally unburden my mind with all my worries.
“Where am I? What is this place? Why are men hunting me? Why haven’t you hurt me yet? Are you going to eat me?”
Tears start to roll down my cheeks, and I squeeze my eyes shut, covering my face with my hands as embarrassment and a feeling of being overwhelmed fills me.
A spark of warmth flashes through my entire body when I find myself being rocked in someone’s lap, being held firmly against a broad chest. A soft musical sound surrounds me as they hum a soothing tune that finally helps to drain some of my tension away.
Someone uses soft leaves to wipe at my nose, then large fingers brush the tears away from my cheek. I tilt my head up against the chest to find Ronan’s warm green eyes staring back down at me.
“I don’t understand what’s happening,” I whisper. I feel lost and confused about where I am and what’s going on, but what’s even more confusing is how much I want to stay right here, in the lap of a complete stranger.
I trace one of the tattoo patterns over his large chest as he speaks softly, his voice still rough and powerful, even though he tries to dim it for me.
“Here’s what’s going to happen, my tiny treasure.
We’re going to clean you up and treat your wounds.
Then we’re going to make sure you’ve been properly fed.
After that, we can talk about what happens next. ”
“Please don’t eat me,” I blurt out, making him frown. I quickly add, “Or hurt me.”
His eyes darken. “You have my promise that we are here to protect you. You have nothing to fear from us.”
It’s not exactly a direct answer, but I can tell he’s telling me the truth. I’m not sure how I know that, but I do.
“Now, let’s get you cleaned up,” he says, standing with me cradled in his arms.
“I can walk,” I tell him when he starts to move.
“You most certainly can not,” he says sternly. When I glance up at him, he tells me, “You’re not wearing any shoes.” He can’t be serious, can he? I haven’t been wearing shoes since I ran from the compound in only my nightgown.
I keep my mouth shut, though, and eventually rest my tired head against his shoulder as he follows Bo through the forest. Hawk must be behind us, as I can’t see him, and the three of them move so quietly, even I can’t hear their footsteps.
When Bo stops moving, frozen in his tracks, Ronan does the same. Bo tilts his head, as if listening for something, and that’s when I remember the Mating Hunt is still happening. It isn’t the first to find me who wins, it’s who has me in a week, when the horn blows.
I press myself tighter against Ronan, worried there’s a looming threat somewhere nearby. “You’re okay,” he whispers quietly before kissing the top of my head. I look up at him in surprise, not expecting something so tender from him.
He doesn’t smile when he looks down at me; in fact, I don’t think I’ve seen him smile yet. But something about his gaze has me pressing my legs tightly together as a strange warmth blooms between my legs.