Page 110 of Survival

“But the tail istoo long to be a rabbit,” I said.

“Maybe, but thebody is kind of small, similar to how a rabbitsits.”

“True, but thewolf could also be laying down on its side.”

“I’m taking ityou’re leaning more toward the cloud being a wolf,” Darrenstated.

I shrugged. “Ilike wolves.”

“Well, howfortunate,” Darren declared as he rolled overontohis side, proppinghis head up on his elbow and giving me a devilish smile. “Because Ilike rabbits.”

And then, in aflash, he was on top of me; he was kissing me all over my face, myneck, my shoulder, all the while tickling the shit out of my sidesand stomach. “I like to hunt them and eat them for dinner.” Hechuckled against my skin as he furiously began to tickle me intooblivion.

I screamed inshock and squirmed under him, laughing loudly and uncontrollably asI fought to push his hands away.

“Ah! No, no, no,no! Stop it! Stop it!” I laughed as I squeezed my elbows into mysides to block his strong fingers from my skin. “Darren, stopit!”

His laugh wasgenuine and carefree as he continued to tickle me in the grass.“Stop?” He chuckled. “I don’t think so.”

And then his lipswent back to my neck; I crunched my face to the side to try toblock his advance, but his fingers kept my body twitching andjerkingunderhimuncontrollably. I was somehow finally able to grab his fingers; Ilocked them in my hands and finally pushed him away, but he justrolled us so I ended up straddling him. I looked deep into hissmiling face as I came down from my laughter only to realize myposition.

I stared into thedeep dark blue of his eyes and lost myself for a moment. I couldfeel Darren staring up at me, and at that moment, I had a feelinghe was currently swimming in the amber of mine. God, he was sobeautiful, his face carved like that of an angel, but he had thesoul of a demon and that made him the ugliest human onEarth.

I could feel myhappy mood begin to fade away as I realized I had been laughingwith Darren like I was happy, like everything was okay, but itwasn’t. This wasn’t supposed to be, but when I heard the sound ofhis honest laughter, it did something to me. It wasn’t the normalevil chuckle he administered; no, this one was relaxed and light.It was the sound of his joy … and it was withme.

“God, that sound,”he said, his thumb coming up to rub along my cheek. “I’ve neverheard anything so satisfying in all my life.”

“What sound?” Iasked.

“Your laughter. Idon’t think I’ve ever heard it like thatbefore.”

My face wentblank. Fuck, he’d nearly been thinking the samething.

“Sorry todisappoint, but I haven’t had much reason to laugh lately,” I saidcarefully.

“I know,” he saidin understanding. “But if you let me, I can easily changethat.”

I didn’t know howhe thought he could. He really expected me to relinquish my freedomto him and just accept the life he was “giving” me, even if it wascompletely incompatible with who I was as a person. In no way coulda woman like me ever be happy with a man like him. If you couldeven call him a man.

“I’m just not sureyou can,” I said softly. I didn’t know why I told him that, but itseemed like there was a lot of honesty goingon.

“You don’t think Ican, or you don’t want me to?” he asked, a challenging look in hiseye.

Did I want him tomake me happy? Did I want him to be the source of my laughter andsmiles? No, of course not. Darren was not what I wanted out of lifebecause he came with chains that controlled and hurt. Who wouldwant a man like that? Sure, many women were turned on by an alphamale, myself included, but Darren wasn’t just an alpha. He was myfucking warden, my tyrant, my captor, and I hated him for it. Butit didn’t matter whether I wanted him to be the source of myhappiness because the only thing I would ever feel when it came tohim was misery. I highly doubted anything could changethat.

I suddenly noticedthe position I was in as I straddled Darren, distress beginning toshadow me as I remembered the last time I had straddled him likethis. Things hadn’t gone so well for me then. I pursed my lips andmoved to get off him, but he grabbed my hips and held mefast.

“No, don’t run,”he said seriously.

“I’m not running,but the last time I straddled you like this, things did not endwell,” I told him honestly.

“Then don’tmisbehave this time and they won’t,” he replied matter-of-factly.“Now, answer my question.”

“I don’t want tocause a fight.”

“Thenanswermy questionand you won’t,” he said, that warning glare arisingagain.

“I …” I started toanswer but was too afraid to finish. I really didn’t want to end upback in my cage for angering him with myopinion.