Sember (Forestfolk, Book 2)

Chapter 4c

We found Zelly leaning heavily against a shovel, having a coughing fit. We rushed to her side to steady her. Within moments of Siena touching her arm, the coughing subsided, Zelly's flushed cheeks normalized, and her skin no longer felt clammy.

"Miraculous as ever, Siena. Thank you." Zelly straightened herself, then she hugged her. "It's so good to see you again."

"I've missed you too, Zelly. How long have you been sick?"

"Oh . . . " She waved her hand in the air. "All this plague business. I don't get sick. It was just a cough."

Siena frowned a little, then asked, "Do you know anything about the origin of this plague? Before you came here, did you ever see anything like it?"

Zelly tapped her chin in thought, then shook her head. "Can't say that I have, I'm sorry. Icelings are pretty resistant to disease."

"Do you happen to know where that trading family is staying?" I asked her.

"Trading family?" Zelly's brow crinkled in puzzlement.

"Dozan. And his family. He told me they were traders."

"Oh! Well, it's just the boy and his father." Zelly gave me directions to where they were staying.

I thanked her and left Siena to catch up with her friend.

So it wasn't his whole family. Why would Dozan lie to me? What was he up to? If he meant harm to Foresthome . . . heated anger seeped into my blood.

I followed one of the less-used trails and eventually found a large tent set up in a small clearing. Dozan had just opened the flap to step outside when he saw me. He jerked a little in surprise, but then recovered and smiled as I approached.

"Now who's stalking whom?" he asked, that irritating smirk back on his face.

"We need to talk," I said, ignoring his teasing.

"Oh. What every guy wants to hear." He gestured toward a thick cluster of trees, and I stalked toward it.

He followed so close behind me that he nearly bumped into me when I stopped and whirled around. His proximity unnerved me a little, and I stepped back. "Why did you lie to me?"

He frowned. "About what?"

"You said you were here with your family for the winter, but there isn't a family, is there? It's just you and your father."

He tensed, his shoulders visibly squaring. "My father is my family. My mother got sick on the way here." He plucked a leaf off a branch. "She didn't make it." I saw the pain in his sad eyes before they dropped to his shoes.

I suddenly felt like such a boar's butt.

"Dozan, I'm so sorry." All my anger dissipated, replaced by an incredible urge to console him. I touched his arm and felt a strange current. He lifted his big, brown eyes back up to mine, and I felt . . . drawn to him. I shook my head, trying to clear it, but now he was touching my arm too, tugging me closer. My mind filled with fog . . . and desire.

When he pressed his lips against mine, I did not resist. When he leaned into my body, I closed my eyes. And when his hands slid around my waist, my heart began to gallop. I twined my hands into his hair, and the kiss deepened.

My blood caught fire. I couldn't think, couldn't stop. I didn't even know if I wanted to stop.

His hands roved over my body as he pressed me against the tree. I let my hands slide down his back. Kissing him was all-consuming. I barely noticed him tugging my shirt up.

"Mmm, so hot," he mumbled against my lips. He shifted his shoulders and grunted a little. "Ow. Ow! My back is burning!" He jerked away from me and began hopping around.

I blinked, ripped away from the blinding passion. The fog lifted from my brain, leaving me with just the fiery blood coursing through my veins.

What just happened?

Dozan frantically craned his neck over one shoulder, trying to see his back, arms flapping at his sides like a ridiculous bird. A bird with a huge black hole in his shirt and blistering skin beneath. I immediately felt guilty.

Then angry.

What did he do to me? One moment I was mad at him, and as soon as I felt sorry for him, all my good sense flew away. I may have been prone to impetuous moments, but never anything like this.

I felt violated. Dirty. My ire trampled the guilt into the dirt.

This boy wasn't charming.

This boy was Gifted.

You have a choice: Vote for the powers of seduction, or vote for Sember breaking free from it! (I realize you have a third choice, to not vote at all, but why would you want to do that??) ;-)