18. Evanee #2
His arousal pressed into me as my legs fell wider, hatred burning over every inch of fabric that separated us.
As I rocked my hips, the friction elicited a groan from deep in my throat.
He growled in satisfaction, the sound sending excited shocks through my body and straight to my core as he rolled us over.
My legs straddled either side of him, allowing me to feel more of him.
Sand fell from my hair like snow around us.
White snow…. no. I won’t think of that stranger.
My hooded gaze held his as I worked the buttons to my tunic.
My fingers fumbled. He took over and ripped the fabric off, tossing it aside.
He sat up, kissing me once more as he reached behind and made quick work of unlacing my corset until it fell away, baring me to him.
The freezing air hit like an assault to my overheated flesh, skin pebbling instantly.
I reached for him, but he grabbed my wrists with a wicked smile and pulled me down, kissing me once more, before pulling me up further and taking my breast in his mouth.
I cried out, rivaling the sound of the crashing waves beside us as he flicked his tongue over my hardened peak and grazed his fangs over the sensitive flesh, his grip tight, keeping me from raking my nails down his arms,
“That sound will be my downfall,” he groaned, pressing harder against me as he matched my rhythm, moving his hips to meet mine. Teasing my core with what would soon be inside—
A deep voice cleared behind us.
The fire burning within me froze over as fast as if Blanche had thrown one of her icy buckets of water all over me.
I turned abruptly to meet Malachai’s glowing, golden stare.
Simmering was an understatement. His jaw was tight, arms folded. For once, he fixed his glare on Aiden, avoiding me entirely.
Aiden snarled at him, an animalistic sound. I scurried off of him, snatching my ripped top, wrapping what I could around myself, painfully aware of the cold.
“What are you doing here?” Aiden demanded as he stood too—wait, where was his shirt? Why hadn’t he had one on when he came down here? My gaze ventured further down. And his boots… What the hell?
That would be another added mystery for later as Malachai’s scowl landed on me. I hid behind Aiden, squeezing my top tighter, replaying what almost happened. What I was about to do. With him. My gut wrenched as the adrenaline dissipated, leaving a shiver in its wake.
Malachai kept his distance. “You ordered me to check ahead. I did. Two skurs, which I dispatched,” he responded calmly, yet his words were edged with anger.
I couldn’t look at him. Mortification would become my permanent middle name at this point.
Of course, he'd be angry. He found his captain in a compromising position with a human slave. He probably thought I’d been seducing my way to freedom. If only.
Aiden huffed a breath, raking a hand through his hair before facing me, his cheek twitching slightly as he seemed to force the corners of his mouth up.
“I’m sorry. I never should have—We need to get back.”
I nodded, not meeting his eye. Dread settled heavily in my gut. For starters, that had been my chance at escape. I’d not only ruined it, but now I’ve complicated things further with both males. Shit, shit, shit.
The climb back up the cliff took forever and was harder than coming down.
Malachai had found a cave further north that shielded us from the impending storm. It was a silent trek all the way there.
We had a clear view of the treacherous cliffs ahead the next morning once the sun was out.
The narrow path before us was lined with a solid wall of rock and dirt on the right side, and a straight drop-off into nothing but ocean on the left.
Not to mention the possibility of impalement on one of the many sharp rocks jutting out from beneath the water.
I could only hope the sun had melted some of the ice and snow because there would be no surviving a fall like that.
My eyes had been shut for the past hour.
Since we started our journey through the cliffs early this morning, I haven’t been able to look once.
Every time Shadow’s hoof slipped, I dug my nails into Aiden’s arm.
He held me tight and barely spoke to me as he focused on our path and slowly guided both Shadow and Luna.
I couldn’t even overthink our proximity after what happened last night from the sheer terror that clutched me as tight as I did him.
“Shit.” Malachai’s voice bounced off the cliffside toward us. My eyes shot open, and I instantly regretted it, seeing the long drop to the angry waves. Nausea churned.
“Malachai?” Aiden’s breath was a welcomed warmth against my frigid skin. It brought me right back to where the heat of his mouth had been at the beach—
“Patch of ice. Careful,” Malachai hollered back.
Dimitri rode behind us, cursing as chunks of ice loosened and fell with a never-ending clink, clink, clink to the depths below.
He’d caught up before we left, grumbling about finding nothing in the woods—though he insisted something or someone was still out there.
Aiden brushed it off as his senses playing tricks on him.
“How much longer?” I asked, taking a deep, calming breath through my nose.
“Not much farther,” Aiden responded quietly. Focused. “Do you need a distraction?” he added.
“I would just like to get past this. Death is not the freedom I was hoping for,” I muttered.
He stayed quiet for a moment before responding.
“Is that what you were attempting last night?”
“Yes, it was.” Honesty didn’t matter at this point. My actions had already been bad enough to warrant any punishment he saw fit. Might as well own up to it, though my heart pounded in my ears as I waited for his response.
He took a deep breath. “How could you not think of it. I can’t imagine what your life has been like in that shack they kept you in,” he spat.
“I can see the end of the path,” Malachai interrupted. Again. I’d begun to wonder if he does that on purpose.
Snow started to fall, a bitter wind following close behind. Aiden stayed quiet, his attention locked on the dangerous trek as we hunkered down. After another hour or so, we finally made it. I wanted to kiss the frozen ground and believe the worst was behind us. I knew better.
The next morning, the clouds lingered, but the wind and snow had ceased. Dimitri and Aiden went to check the area for any followers and to catch some game for breakfast.
Malachai and I had been tasked with packing up supplies.
I quickly braided my hair and followed him out, our bedrolls bundled in my arms. Malachai strapped various supplies to Luna.
He handled her gently as he adjusted everything.
His hair was pulled back, giving me a clear view of his smooth, dark face.
Instead of the stern look permanently etched, he was relaxed.
If I wasn’t mistaken, the corner of his mouth may have even kicked up slightly.
My brow arched as I started to work on the bedrolls when a flash of pain cut across my back. I tried to ignore it—until the sensation sharpened, skittering beneath my skin like something was alive. I scratched once. Then harder.
It didn’t help.
I growled, dropping the bedrolls and reaching back once more.
“You okay?” Malachai stared me down, gaze sharp.
“It’s nothing,” I said, balling my fists.
“Hmm,” he grunted, then walked to a vine growing on the outside of the cave and returned with several light-colored leaves.
“Chew on these. They’re bitter, but it’ll help the itching.”
I hesitated before taking them. He didn’t urge me—just watched, like he already knew I would.
I snatched the leaves from his hand like a feral beast and threw them into my mouth.
The bitterness hit first—sharp and punishing—but the ache beneath my skin retreated instantly.
A shudder coursed through my body as the aftertaste clung to my tongue.
“How did you know I needed—”
“Your incessant scratching,” he responded dryly. I knew better than to push with him. If I couldn’t get clear answers from Aiden, trying to get them from Malachai would be laughable.
Dimitri, in his large wolf form, trotted toward us with two limp rabbits hanging from his blood-covered muzzle.
Aiden followed close behind, and my breath caught—his hair was shining, water dripping from the dark strands.
Bright eyes flicked my way, that smirk I’ve come to love sliding into place.
I dropped my gaze and popped another leaf in my mouth, choking down a gag.
“Not much game in the area,” Aiden said, as Dimitri dropped the rabbits in his outstretched hand. “On the bright side, we stumbled across a hot spring. It’s a little deeper in the woods, but I thought you might enjoy it.”
“I don’t know… I mean, do we have time for that?” I asked, though any excuse to prolong this journey excited me. And the thought of heat had me biting my lip.
“We can make time. It wouldn’t hurt to let the morning warm up a bit before leaving.”
Malachai’s brows drew, his heavily muscled arms tightening as he folded them and studied Aiden.
Dimitri disappeared into the cave and returned a moment later as a man, fully dressed.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’m glad we’re all getting along, but this isn’t exactly a vacation.
I know we can’t stay in guard mode all of the time, and I truly have nothing against you, Evanee.
” He held his hands up to me, his face earnestly apologetic.
“But I also don’t know why you’re marked the way you are, nor why Cressida would have to put a proximity spell on you.
” Dimitri walked to his mare, taking his sword and sheath from the bag strapped there as he continued, though my face fell.
“Not to mention the King summoned you. And no offense, but for a human, that’s never good. ”