Share
48
Never one to let a challenge pass, Mathin froze him with a look. “I’m more than capable, and I’m coming. Did you have something else to say, boy?”
It was clear the young man did, but was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.
Mathin dismissed him and turned his attention to Keilor. “We’ll leave within the hour. I’ll have Raziel rouse Andrea and her grandmother while I see to the arrangements. Thank you for alerting me.”
Andrea wasn’t happy to be dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. Never a morning person, she was downright witchy before the hour of three, but she rallied when she discovered it was an emergency. As servants hurriedly pa
Related chapters
Scent of Danger 49
“You want to go for a walk now?” Andrea demanded, not yet fully awake.Mathin took her hand and led her out of the camp and into the redwoods. Ignoring the knowing looks they gathered, he shifted the thick blanket she had yet to notice over his shoulder and tightened his grip on her hand to prevent her from stumbling. “Walking is good for you.”Someone snickered.Feeling his face heat for the first time in ages, he walked faster. Soon they were out of earshot of even the most sensitive of Haunt.“Why…” Her eyes fell on the blanket as he spread it on the ground. Her mouth fell ope
Scent of Danger 50
With the suddenness of a record being rudely ripped off, the pleasure stopped. Gasping at the searing pain, she struggled, but he had her firmly pinned.“Wait.” His voice was close to the edge and she instinctively stilled, knowing not to push him now.The symbiont moved, glided down her body and flooded her thighs with gentle warmth. In moments, the pain was gone.“Better?” he asked, his body trembling above hers. At her shy nod he began, very slowly, to move.Surge and withdraw. The gentle tempo of the sea. Soon it was not enough.
Scent of Danger 51
“Fine!” she snapped, galvanized by anger, partially directed at Mathin. Why would he stick her on a dangerous beast and then leave her to deal with it? She grabbed the beast by its small ear. “Listen up, buttercup! I’m in no mood to be messed with, so you either knock it off or I’ll rip this thing off and kick it around on the ground. You got that?” She felt guilty for saying it, no matter how deep their mutual dislike went, but the stag settled right down.Mathin nodded at her. “Good! As his rider you’re the only one who can win his respect.”She scowled at him. “You could have warned me.”“Forgive me.” He gave her a
Scent of Danger 52
“I don’t care. I don’t want to learn to ride it. I’d rather walk!”There was only one cure for her defeatist attitude. “I never thought you were weak.”She gasped and rounded on him. “How dare you! It wasn’t my idea to come to your stupid planet in the first place.” She swatted a bug unwise enough to land on her cheek. “Look at this place! It’s barely civilized. I should have run back while I had the chance.”In a low, ominous tone, he told her, “We all have regrets.” He turned and walked away.She watched him go. Had he meant what s
Scent of Danger 53
Their loving was angry and needy, tender yet fierce. Time and again she had bury her face in his shoulder to muffle her screams of pleasure. If possible, it was even better than the first time.He deliberately made it last for a long, long while.When they were finished she was naked, sweaty, unable to move. Limp and exhausted, she lay draped over his chest where he’d put her. Though she couldn’t forget her lingering resentment at him, he’d certainly proved she still wanted him. Still, the original problem remained unresolved.Mathin stroked her silken back, temporarily sated, but unhappy. She still hadn’t forgiven him. Inexperienced as he was with long term relationships
Scent of Danger 54
“Is there a lot of protocol and stuff I ought to know? I mean, I’m not exactly princess material.”He laughed and nuzzled her throat. “You’ll do fine, my love. Don’t worry so.”Andrea shrugged her shoulder, dislodging him. “I’m serious! What’s expected of a...what am I now, anyway?”“Lady wife. And as for what’s expected...you can have charge of running the household affairs of the citadel, if you like.”“You want me to be a housewife?” she inquired dryly. It didn’t sound like much of a challenge. She felt him smile again
Scent of Danger 55
Aghast, Andrea stared at the items as if they were instruments of torture. “Don’t you remember? I nearly flunked sewing.” Visions of ugly granny squares danced in her head.Matilda sniffed. “Every self-respecting woman should know how to crochet and sew. Besides, where do you think you’re going to find baby clothes in this wasteland? There are no stores.”A flush of heat warmed Andrea from her shoulders to the tips of her ears. “Grandma!”“Don’t be a ninny, girl. I know what you’ve been up to. Now be quiet and listen.”Someone coughed, and there was m
Scent of Danger 56
“What did you do?” Startled by her own voice, she looked down, confirming the damage. Hands trembling, she lifted them. The age spots and fragile look of raised veins had completely disappeared. One hand flew to her mouth, the back pressed against her lips.Scared at Matilda’s drastic reaction, Andrea quickly fetched a mirror, hoping to reassure her. “It’s okay, Grandma. The symbiont just made you young again.”Matilda took the glass and stared at it, stone still. Then she threw it, shattering it against the side of the wagon, narrowly missing Raziel’s thigh. “How could you?” Tears of fury welling in her eyes, she rushed past Andrea and into the woods.
Latest chapter
