Shadow of the Beast (Twisted Dark #2)

Chapter Seven: Vibrant Dreams

The world came back to me as I was set down. I wanted to blink, confused as to where I was as a large hand held the back of my head, lowering me down to the ground. "Settle, pixie. Sleep." His voice was a low rumble and I curled up, hating that the warmth of the werewolf was now replaced with cold earth. It was uncomfortable and hard and I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now that I was awake. At least not while on the cold and hard dirt.

I rested my head on my arms, cracking my eyes open. The werewolf's back was to me, the sound of sharp clicking was all I could hear, his shoulders moving smoothly before he bent down, breathing out in a steady stream. When he shifted I could see the faint glow of the fire he had started. I shifted, sitting up and wincing at the absolute hellish stiffness my muscles had. I felt sore and my feet ached unbearably. I rubbed at my eyes, wincing once more as I shifted in my spot.

My gaze followed the werewolf as he guided the fire to grow. He seemed intent on his task and I felt free to watch him. He was strong, that much was apparent, it thrummed through his limbs and his touch. My cheeks flushed at the reminder of how I had been pressed against that wide back and just how good it felt. I wiggled slightly in my spot, embarrassment coating me thickly. It wasn't that I was a prude or a virgin, I had my fair share of Fae males it was just he was a fucking werewolf.

Jax.

My brain supplied his name, correcting me and my cheeks flushed even worse at the sound of it. He was a rather attractive, sinfully strong werewolf named Jax. I wasn't supposed to like werewolves like that. It was illegal for me to even speak friendly with one. Let alone have wickedly sensual dreams about them where teeth trailed across my flesh and eyes gleamed with desire as hot hands gripped my body. I clenched my hands into fists, pressing my face into them.

The dreams had been a shock to me, something that had happened suddenly. I didn't fucking understand it. He scared me, when his intensity was shoved onto me I wanted to do nothing but hunker down and hide. The jump between fearing him and desiring him was a vast vast canyon, an impossible leap to make but a part of me wondered if it was how he protected me that created the bridge over said canyon.

He hadn't actually hurt me, yes my feet hurt and were battered to shit but he hadn't physically put a hand on me that was cruel. He hadn't even explicitly or truly threatened my physical well-being and had protected me from the boar the night before. I had only read about the animals but I didn't doubt that it was a large one. It had fucking tossed the huge werewolf. That alone let me now that it was just as oversized as everything else out here.

The fact he protected me was probably the reason he had become the main dark star of my dreams. I shivered as the images from my dreams flicked into my mind. Low rumbles moving over my skin and rough hands caressing my skin as teeth nipped at my neck. Images of my fingers tracing the dark tattoos on his neck, discovering where they lead. I felt like my face was glowing as it heated even more. It was to the point I couldn't even look at him without flushing. I stared at the ground, opening my hands and pressing them to my cheeks.

"Have a good sleep, pixie?" At the question my eyes widened and I nearly choked. I couldn't look at him after my previous train of thought. I froze slightly but I knew I had to reply so I just gave a small nod. I stared down at my feet, shifting them before reaching down and trailing my fingers over the bruised flesh. I needed something to distract me and that seemed like a good thing to distract myself with. They were sore and I could feel them throbbing. Even gently touching them was slightly painful. "Here." I jumped when I realized Jax had come over. I looked up at him, my eyes wide. He crouched down beside me before sliding his arm underneath my knees and his other around my back before he picked me up.

I inhaled sharply as he pulled me close to his chest. "Its cold over here. Let's get ye t' the fire." His voice rumbled through his chest and into me. I looked at the side of his face, my eyes drawn to the small gold hoops that followed the shell of his ear. He carried me towards the small fire before setting me down in front of it. I felt a bit confused as he removed his arms, grasping the chain before coiling it up and leaving it beside my feet.

"Are you not going to keep hold of it?" I pointed to the chain, looking at him with a suspicious eyes. He was so adamant about me being under his control because of the chain, the fact he was just leaving it was more than suspicious.

His mouth twitched upwards and his blue eyes narrowed at me with amusement. "Ye gunna run, pixie? Go ahead. I won't stop ye." He gestured with his hand towards the tall trees that surrounded us. I looked around at the darkening Forest before looking back at him. He chuckled, grinning at me, his teeth glinting. I narrowed my eyes before reaching out and shoving at his shoulder. "So violent the little Violet is." My name from his lips made me shiver and made a flash of anger roll through me as I reached over and shoved him again.

"Prick." I spat the word out, turning away from him, my face flushing.

"Aye, I do have one of those, pixie." His chuckle was like dark velvet and I did my best to keep my eyes from widening at his words. "If ye want... ye can touch it." There was a heated tone to his words that had me whirling to look at him, my eyes wide and my face bright red.

"Don't be vulgar!" I spat the words out at him. That was the last thing I needed him to say to me with my mind in the fucked up mess it was because now I knew I would be helpless in my dreams of what said portion of his anatomy looked like.

He reached out and chucked my chin with an amused smirk. "Yer cute, pixie, 'specially when ye blush red." He got up and moved away, leaving me to my heated cheeks and my whirling mind. I hunched forward, glowering at the fire in front of me, thankful for the heat it gave off as night slowly tried to creep its way over the Forest.

I let out a huff and Jax came over, shoving what looked to be a water filled can into the flames. I inhaled, wincing as the flames encased his hand but he merely pulled his hand away, unbothered by the fire he had literally just shoved his hand into. "Doona look so surprised, pixie. I've got thick skin." He grinned at me again before he moved back to doing whatever it was he had been doing previously. I bit the inside of my lip, I didn't understand why he was acting the way he was. He seemed more relaxed, less severe and stern and he seemed almost... interested in me.

I shivered at that and wondered for a brief moment what that would be like before I mentally slapped myself silly. That was an actual death sentence and I knew that if I got caught I would be thrown into the fire. Unlike Jax, I didn't have thick skin and I wasn't keen on learning how it felt to be burned alive. I shuddered at the very thought of it, my mouth growing dry. I frowned, my mouth was dry regardless. I hadn't had a drink in over twenty four hours.

I went to stand up when Jax was back, pushing down on my shoulders sharply. I made a noise of protest when he crouched down behind me, squeezing my shoulders in his large hands. "Doona move. Ye'll hurt yer feet more." He dropped his hands from my shoulders and went to move away when I huffed my agitation, looking over my shoulders to glower at him. "Problem, pixie?" He lifted an eyebrow as he looked at me and I gave a short nod.

"I'm thirsty." I went to stand up again and he once again pushed me back down before he held a canteen right in front of me. I blinked at it as he gave it a slow shake. I could hear the water sloshing against the insides and I reached for it only to have him hold it out of my reach.

"If yer needin' somethin' ye tell me. Doona be a little mouse, can't take care of ye if ye are." His voice was gruff before he brought the canteen closer, letting me take it from him. I hastily opened it and greedily drank the water inside of it. It was cool and had a slightly strange taste from being in the canteen but I didn't care. The water hit my empty stomach and I felt relief. I pulled the canteen away, wiping at my face with the back of my hand before I realized Jax was staring at me from his place beside the fire, those blue eyes hooded and reflecting the flames and making them seem sinfully heated.