Hunted by a Night Fae

Chapter 37

Ronan didn't try to talk to me again. I could see something had changed. When he looked at me, there was a spark of something in his gaze. It unsettled me, yet also sent a thrill down into my bones. It was not the look of a man who had given up.

Eventually, we came to a quiet clearing to rest. He left Nea to graze in a small clearing, setting up what remained of our provisions. Then he left without a word, taking a well-worn path into the trees.

A damp earthy smell filled the air, gentle splashes coming from the area to my right where Ronan had walked. I looked through the low branches and tall grass to see a small pool of water, its clear glossy surface shining under the moonlight.

I hesitated only a moment before I followed after him.

In the dark it was hard to tell, but the small pool of water looked deep enough to submerge up to my shoulders. Long shoots of wild leafy grass bordered a steep ledge around it, large blooming flowers scenting the air with their sweetness. On the opposite side was a small waterfall trickling into the water, flickering from lavender to deep cerulean under the night sky. I made my way over a few rocks to get near the water. I caught sight of my reflection and frowned.

I was in serious need of a bath.

Ronan pulled off his shirt, shooting me a mischievous grin. But this one, unlike the ones I had seen before on him, was both playful and challenging. I knew the look well; I had seen it on Brody and boys from high school.

My frown deepened as he lowered his hands to unlace his trousers. His broad chest glistened with a sheen of sweat. I spun around before he could finish taking his clothes off. My cheeks felt warm, which only set my blood buzzing with annoyance.

Water splashed. My heart raced. I carefully turned my head to the side, not sure why I was suddenly feeling so shy. Ronan wouldn't be the first person I had seen naked after all.

But as I saw him surface, his hair dripping wet as he pushed it off his face, and he turned his head to send me a devastating grin, I decided it was likely because Ronan wasn't just anyone.

He was a faerie. An infuriatingly beautiful faerie.

I cleared my throat. "A warning before you take your clothes off would be considered polite."

He laughed, then dipped his head back under, swimming closer to the rocky ledge. He leaned his arms over the side and looked up at me through his wet hair. "Another one of your human customs I take it?"

With his relaxed smile, it was so easy to forget what he was.

I glared down at him, feeling strangely ruffled. "Yes. It is." I spun to start stalking off, my cheeks still flushed.

This was a bad, bad idea.

"Join me," he asked, his voice light. "You could use it."

I glanced down at my dirt-streaked clothes, patches of dried brown blood still embedded in my skin. I was quite certain at some point my top had been white.

"I'll wait until you are finished."

"That's no fun," he called after me. "The water is delightful."

"Nope," I said shaking my head vigorously. "I can see what you are doing faerie, and it's not going to work."

I walked back over to the rocks I had come from and readied myself to climb up and away from Ronan. I glimpsed himgo under the water again, following me under the surface as I went, but I tried to ignore him. I hopped up on a rock, only to feel a clawed hand grip my ankle. 

"That's no fun."

I got only a glimpse of Ronan's gleeful smile before I was tugged into the water.