Girls of Shadows

Chapter 18- Lina

A loud pounding throbbed through my entire head. Incessant knocking rattled the shabby wooden door of my room at the inn, echoing through my ears and making me grind my teeth. I pulled the flat pillow over my head and groaned into the stained fabric of the bedsheets.

"We head out in ten." Lochlan called through the door, but I heard two sets of footsteps heading down the hall. Malise, I was sure, accompanying her Warrior to rouse the troops.

Ten minutes. I groaned again, feeling the pain shoot through my skull at each unbearably loud retreating step. I needed caffeine, or more alcohol, if I was going to be functional by the time we left to retrieve the iceflower.

I forced myself out of bed, dragging my feet to the cold water that sat in the sink. It was too early for even the chambermaids to have brought fresh bathing water. Scrubbing the sleep out of my eyes, and shocking my skin with the tepid water, I stumbled through gathering my clothes. There was hardly any time, or reason, for me to unpack anything more. Once I had restrapped every weapon and tugged on every article of winter clothing, I tossed my bag over my shoulder and headed down the hall.

As I neared the stairs, I could hear members of my pack already converging below in the pub. Lochlan, Malise and Beau were awake and chatting lively, making me frown as I approached the room Kai had stayed in.

Before I could stop myself, I slowed my pace and listened for any sound coming from Kai's room. It was eerily quiet.

"Looking for something?"

I jumped, almost losing my balance at the edge of the steps, and for a moment the whole world spun in a dizzying wave of nausea. When I steadied myself, a hand flying to hold my head, I grimaced at Kai's smug form at the bottom of the staircase.

Frowning, I made my way slowly down to him, careful not to trip and be a total embarrassment to felines everywhere.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I retorted, too tired to even sound convincing. Regret and shame washed through me as I approached him, remembering the fight we had the night before. Kai's broody dark eyes watched me as he offered me the mug in his hands.

Coffee.

Possibly a peace offering. Possibly just Kai being the mature one of the two of us. Either was unlikely, but I took the mug from him anyways and moaned as the heat coated my mouth at the first sip.

Kai smirked at me, throwing me a wink that made my toes curl in my heavy winter boots. The light that shone bright in his eyes informed me he could smell exactly what effect he had on me, but I forced myself to stride past him and towards the rest of our pack.

Before I could slide into the booth next to Dagen, who looked as exhausted as I felt, Kai snuck up behind me and whispered in my ear.

"You were looking for me," he accused, his breath hot against my neck.

I took another sip of coffee to distract myself from his wild and tempting scent. Getting involved with Kai was always a terrible idea, but making up after having a completely realistic and relevant fight was idiotic. Jumping back into his arms and allowing my traitorous body to roam his was asking for heartbreak. Even through the haze of my alcohol-induced fog, I could see that clear.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Kai just laughed, scooting behind me to lean against the back of the booth with a muscular arm. I slid into the seat across from Malise, and her eyes raised to behind my shoulder where I knew he stood, watching. Her gaze flicked to me quickly, void of any emotion, before returning to her breakfast.

"Your utterly seductive scent tells me otherwise. Unless there's another male here who arouses you, but the only one who smells turned on is you, kitty."