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Ingram dragged Emerie across the ground as he backed up, cautiously bringing them out of the burrow. Sticks and leaves scraped against her pants as he exited the shrubs hiding the entryway before he stood. Facing the burrow the entire time, as though he worried the Duskwalker would follow, Ingram moved to create space between them and her.

The sounds of faint whimpers could be heard.

He paused when he bumped into a tree, then waited.

If Ingram was hesitant about any sudden movements, she knew there was truly cause for alarm.

When the female Duskwalker didn’t come out, even as moments passed, his arms securely tightened on her. Then, he bolted to the right, darting through the forest to get Emerie away from there as fast and as far as he could.

She squeezed his neck, so thankful she thought her heart was going to explode. She didn’t know how else to relieve it, how to thank him, other than wrapping her legs around his waist until all her limbs had ensnared him.

She let his decadent aroma of burnt sugar and hickory bark bleed into her entire being, taking in its richness, the way it tingled her senses. His neck was tight with corded, strong muscles, the scales covering them a soothing texture. Both sensations were so masculine and felt divine.

Even his warmth, heartbeat, and snorted breaths were so greatly appreciated that they were doing funny things to her insides. She knew her fight or flight instincts were on the fritz since her nipples tightened and deliciously scraped against his big chest.

Her own breaths warmed and grew panted, rolling between them as she buried her face against his throat.

He did it. He did it without harming me.She didn’t know if he’d be able to pull her out of that creepy hole in the ground, but he’d been so patient. He hadn’t used violence, hadn’t roared or snarled.

He’d been brave enough to follow her lead, even when she was sure it was against his nature when something had what he wanted.

Emerie tightened her legs around his narrow waist, wondering if his hand placement on her arse was done purposefully. She almost bit her lip and sat into it in welcome.

Right now, she wanted to be as close with him – her saviour – as possible. So much so, it ached her.

He saved me...

Once he put a great distance between them and the female Mavka and knew they weren’t being followed, Ingram placed the human on her feet. Crouching around her, he gave the way they came one last check before turning his skull to her.

Even though he enjoyed her clinging, hepriedher from his neck so he could examine her. His hands were frantic as he checked her, especially since he could smell hints of drying blood – only light enough to stir hunger but not enough to make him crazed.

“Are you okay, Emerie?” Panicked, he examined her dainty hands and her thin arms, then cupped her pretty face with both his hands. He used the pad of his thumb to wipe and scratch off the tiny pricks of blood he saw, surprised to find no wound.

Her heart was beating just as wildly as his own, yet she was sweeter than usual. Was he going insane with worry that he was imagining her scent deepening and turning tangy?

He drifted his hands down her waist, seeing if she would yelp in pain so he could know to be careful of those places in the future. His assessing touch found her injured thigh, and he paused as he looked down.

“Emerie... your wound? It is gon–”

Before he could finish, Emerie threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck again. “I’m fine, Ingram.”

She squeezed him with all her might – which was barely anything to him. Then she drew back, only to dart her head forward and press her lips to the side of his skull. Then she did it again, and again, moving randomly across the bone and the curve of his beak.

His orbs turned white, and he flinched each time, unsure as to why she was attacking him with her lips.Is this punishment for letting her be taken?She kept doing it, pecking him with amwahsound each time she made contact.

“Gosh, I’m so freaking happy to see you right now that I just want to kiss your damn face off.”

Kisses?Is that what she was doing to him?These are good things?

He stopped flinching.

Since she said she was happy, he tried to view them differently to how he would violently peck with his beak. Now that he wasn’t fretting about them, nor wanting to escape them, he realised her lips were so soft as they moulded against the hardness of his skull bones.

Because she was doing them so close to his sight, he could see how her lips were curled upwards. She was smiling, and theydidfeel nice.I like them... these kisses.The next time she gave him one, his heart clenched in his chest, only to ache and radiate with joy with the rest that followed.

And her scent... He nearly groaned as he sat, unable to handle the surge of her tangy arousal hitting him like a wave.

“You were such a good boy, Ingram,” she whispered against him, her voice thick and her breaths airy. “You were so patient and gentle. You even grabbed my bag before coming for me.”