Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
The Peregrinians showed the village the wild hours of the night. Their music filled the woods, the heavy drumbeat pulsing through the darkness. Callodosis seemed to come alive around them, as though the musicians had awoken the beating heart of the forest.
Keeran strode through the darkness between the ancient trunks towards the celebrations, the thump of the music growing stronger with every step he took.
The shadows swallowed him whole, recognising the darkness that lurked inside him and welcoming a kindred spirit into their embrace.
He knew how to use them, knew how to walk unnoticed, and tonight, they didn’t let him down.
When he was sure no one was looking his way, he stepped into the clearing where the village was celebrating side by side with the Peregrinians he had been travelling with. He scanned the crowd, passing over face after face until he found the one he was looking for.
Ruddy, wrinkled, male; an inoffensive face to most, but just the sight of it was enough to make Keeran’s blood boil.
He’d needed to make sure the man was who Keeran suspected him to be, and with the villagers distracted by the celebration, it had been all too easy to break into his house and find the paperwork that had confirmed it.
Keeran’s attention drifted from the man, knowing he wasn’t going anywhere Keeran wouldn’t be able to find him.
Instead, he watched the dancers from his position at the edge of the clearing, leaning one shoulder against the rough bark of a tree.
Or, if he was being honest, he watched one dancer in particular.
Ever since he’d seen her in the crowd yesterday he’d been unable to get her out of his mind. The moment her piercing green eyes had locked with his, he knew something was wrong. Horribly, awfully wrong.
It was like something had rooted itself deep in his chest, tugging him towards her every second of every minute since he’d laid eyes on her. It filled him with a deep, gnawing ache unless he was near her, which, to his chagrin, he hadn’t allowed to be much of a problem.
Something dark slunk in the back of his mind as the woman lifted her brown hair off the back of her neck as she danced, twisting it around her fingers to let the cool air brush against her skin.
He ignored it, pushing it back into the shadows of his mind where it belonged, but not before the wall of desire radiating off of it slammed into him.
Keeran clenched his jaw against the power of it, closing his eyes and swallowing hard against the image of her hair wrapped around his hand instead of hers.
His eyes snapped open, unable to look away from her for very long.
Much like he hadn’t been able to last night. Or this morning. Or all afternoon.
Shame churned inside him. He’d found her in the crowds the night before and had hardly let her out of his sight since, following her in the shadows like the monster he tried so hard not to be. Since he’d met her, it was like he was losing his grip on his hard-won control, and he loathed it.
He absolutely fucking loathed it.
He’d nearly lost it when that silver-haired prick had approached her earlier.
He couldn’t quite hear what he’d said to her, even his hearing wasn’t that good, but everything about her body language had screamed her unease.
She’d done a good job of hiding it, her expression carefully controlled as she’d shut him down, but he could sense the tension rolling off her from way across the clearing.
It was sheer luck she’d managed to get rid of him when she did.
Keeran had already been on his way over to teach him that no meant no, and that was a lesson best not taught in front of the whole fucking village.
The last thing he needed was to draw attention to himself.
That had been the second time she’d looked at him, her green eyes boring into his soul, as if she had been as incapable of looking away as he was.
Now, watching her dancing, he was just as transfixed.
She danced with her friend, lost in the crowd, the trail of empty tankards left in the evening’s wake blurring any inhibitions they might have had.
They danced freely, laughed freely, sang freely.
It was like she’d become a different person from the one he’d been watching, the tension in her shoulders was gone, the hard glint in her eyes melted by the music. She seemed happy, young.
She spun around her human friend, the lanterns highlighting the softer tones in her dark hair, her dress flaring around her, revealing the curved muscles of her legs. She was striking, mesmerising, so far beyond beautiful he couldn’t even find the words.
When the male artemian he recognised from the night before elbowed his way through the crowd, Keeran stiffened, the bark digging into his shoulder.
The woman threw her arms around his neck as he appeared from among the throngs of dancers, shouting something in his ear.
The man said something back, his arms squeezing her tightly before he pulled away and grinned at her with a familiarity that had Keeran clenching his fists so hard his knuckles popped.
The man was an artemian, and Keeran would put good money on him being an apex predator of some kind.
That meant he wasn’t with the human woman.
Relationships between artemians and humans were illegal, and there would be more than enough people in a village like this who’d be keen to see them hang if they were ever caught.
No, he wouldn’t be with the human, so did that mean he was with the dark-haired woman? She clearly wasn’t human, the black ring around her eyes marking her as carrying magic, so they could very well be a couple.
Suddenly, watching her dance wasn’t mesmerising. It was torture.
The creature who shared his mind threw itself against the leash he kept it on, rage and jealousy sweeping over him as he watched her dance with the man. He gritted his teeth so hard he was at real risk of them breaking, fighting for control as the darkness in him snapped and snarled.
The three of them exchanged a few shouted words over the pounding music, and the woman grinned before turning on her heel and elbowing her way through the gyrating crowds to leave the dancefloor and disappear between the trees.
Keeran’s shoulders dropped from around his ears as he released a slow breath.
At least he didn’t have to watch them dancing anymore.
The urge to follow her was overwhelming, but he stomped down on it.
Enough was enough. He’d had his fun stalking her through the woods last night when she snuck out to hunt, telling himself he just wanted to make sure she was safe.
Though she’d shot those rabbits with enough precision that he should have been more worried for himself than for her.
If she’d spotted him, she could have done him some real damage. Probably ruin his last good shirt too.
From the darkened periphery of the clearing, a group of five men broke away from where the rhythmically challenged and the elderly stood drinking. Keeran’s expression darkened as he recognised the silver-haired man from earlier, heading in the same direction the woman had gone.
His decision was made for him. Keeran shrugged off the tree, a smile pulling at his lips as he rolled his shoulders.
With all the dark, twisted thoughts he was battling, pounding into that smug prick and his little pack of bumpkin badasses was just the outlet he needed for his pent-up rage.
All he wanted was for them to give him an excuse.
He waited until they disappeared into the night, giving them enough of a head start that they were hidden amongst the denser foliage that sprang up just past the village centre.
Slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, he stalked after them.
He left the lights behind, the music becoming a dull thud in the background.
His senses were fixed on the group he was steadily gaining on, on the scent they left in their wake, mixing with hers.
It didn’t take long for them to catch up with her, and he settled into the shadows and waited, just within earshot.
“Shiva.” The surprise in her voice betrayed her fear, and it made the darkness in him rattle the bars of its cage, its anger sudden and devastating.
“Where are you sneaking off to, Aelia?” The silver-haired Shiva sauntered closer to her, his friend’s fanning out around him.
Aelia. Her name was Aelia. Keeran mouthed it silently, tasting the way it felt on his tongue.
She crossed her arms, looking pointedly at the four men standing behind Shiva.
“I’m flattered that you felt the need for so much backup,” she said, arching a brow. “Although, after getting your arse handed to you by a one-armed man, I suppose it was wise not to take your chances.”
Shiva’s face darkened, the smug smile disappearing as he took a step closer to her. Keeran tensed, the muscles in his legs coiled and ready to spring.
“There’s more than one way to hurt someone, Aelia. Just because you can’t think past your temper doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t stop to work things through.” Shiva tilted his head, exposing his canines with every sneered word.
Aelia rolled her eyes and turned to go. “Give it your best shot, Shiva.”
He grabbed her arm and yanked her back, and Keeran’s eyes narrowed, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he reined himself in. Not yet. Not quite.
“She wants my best shot, guys?” he said to the men behind him, and they drew closer, their laughter low and menacing. Shiva pulled her close and hissed right into her face. “What if I told you I knew about your little hunting expeditions? That a good enough shot for you?”
Even in the darkness, Keeran could see the colour drain from her cheeks. She tried to pull her arm free, but Shiva held on tight.