Page 35

As she was standing, she shouted, “Did you just laugh at me?!” She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her brown eyes into a tight glare. “That’s not fair. Demons are freaky, okay? And I was about to go walking right to one.”

Nathair waved his hand down his body, gesturing at it.I’m a Mavka, female. How am I any better?

As if she understood what he was trying to say, she wrung her hands together as she averted her gaze once more. Her cheeks darkened.

“You’re different.” Nathair waved at his body again and even lifted his tail. Her eyes darted to him due to the movement before looking off to the side. “You aren’t trying to eat me.”

Don’t be so sure of that.He may accidentally hurt her, and the scent of her blood or fear would send him into a frenzy.

Nathair finally risked taking in a breath, and the scent of her fear had practically disappeared.

“I don’t know why, but I trust you, Nathair,” she grumbled while wringing her hands, making him tilt his head in surprise. “I know you’re a Duskwalker, but you haven’t hurt me once in the manydaysI’ve been with you. I’m afraid of a lot of things,and I’m so terrified of being alone out in the forest, but I’m not scared of you. Even though you’re bigger than any Demon I’ve ever heard of, and quicker and stronger than any creature I’ve read about, you’ve proven how... compassionate you can be. You have no reason to protect me, and yet you’ve done so multiple times.”

I did not know she feels this way about me.Trust? He didn’t think he could obtain such a strong emotion from her.

Her faith was ill-given.

She does not belong in your nest.But with each pretty word from her mouth, each smile, and each acceptance of touch, Nathair was feeling the burning desire to put her in it. If he did, he knew he’d fucking keep her there.

Nathair darted his head away to avoid looking upon her when that burn radiated behind his sternum. He had half a mind to pick her up, throw her over his shoulder, slither to his nest, and shove her round backside into it.

Suddenly the pale skin of a man dipping his hands into a small chest of battered coins slipped across his conscience. They were counted nightly, as he coveted each coin like they were a rare beauty. His bald head and clean-shaved face reflected in the window of a fancy room, highlighted by the flame of a candle that showed the twisted greed in his stare.

The era didn’t feel like the same as this one, as if the man lived hundreds of years ago. When riches and fine things could easily be kept, hoarded, and stolen.

Fuck,Nathair flung out mentally, clutching at his skull.

The greed of the human fragment boiled with his own that was beginning to fester. The human’s possessiveness of coin mingled with his growing desire to keep this female.Mine. All mine. It’s all mine.Dark green entered his orbs, and suddenly her sweet scent wrapped around his scales like a discarded fishing net.

A small rock clunked against the side of his head, thankfully jarring him from the memory. With a snarl, he turned to Linh in anger.How dare she throw–

“Don’t you groan at me like my feelings are bothersome, you silly snake!” she snapped. The mingle of hurt was evident in the slight glassiness of her eyes. “I was trying to be nice to you.”

This time, she removed a shoe and launched it at his chest. Her toss had been soft, and it didn’t hurt at all.

Did I groan?He didn’t mean to, especially not after what she’d said to him.

Swiping her shoe, Nathair climbed up the rocks until they were the same height. He gave it to her, and she lightly snatched it in irritation before stomping it on. Unsure of how to apologise to the little female, he patted her head.

Her glare deepened, and he halted when he realised he was making it worse. She probably felt it was condescending.

He did the only thing he could think of. Nathair leaned forward quicker than she could react and slipped his tongue across her cheek. She let out a tiny gasp and stepped back. His forked tongue darted forward at the tanginess of her scent upon it, tasting it with his special glands.

“Y-you licked me.” She covered his saliva track with the back of her wrist, but he noted that she wasn’t attempting to wipe it away.

It seemed she didn’t mindwhyhis saliva lingered on her skin this time, or the action that had caused it.

She trusts me enough, which was why she felt brave enough to toss things at me.She’d be an idiot, otherwise. And the fact he’d hurt her feelings by accident had a warm fuzziness tingling his chest. It meant her words had been genuine.

So, he leaned against the ledge she was on until their faces were inches apart. She didn’t back away, didn’t even look afraid despite the concerned crinkle that formed in her forehead.

He attempted his apology a second time, as well as his gratitude for her bringing him out of the fragment with something as simple as a rock toss. Placing his hand on the small of her back to stop her from escaping, he rubbed the hard skeletal bone of his cheek against her soft one.

Nathair offered a short and sincere nuzzle, hoping that would better suit her tastes and convey what he wished to more effectively.

Within seconds, her cheek felt warmer. Her hands trembled as she held them together, and yet she never backed away.

He didn’t know what any of that meant, but her eyes flicking away, only to come back before leaving again, seemed bashful.