Animals ✔

Chapter 2

        The feel of his tongue against my lips is all it takes for me to snap out of my stupor. Catching him unaware, I shove myself out of his grip and slap him with all the strength I can muster.

        There is absolutely no way I will allow myself to be seduced by a dog. I rub my hand over my lips, trying to erase his touch from my skin. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I step back, and he opens his mouth to respond. "Actually, don't bother. I need to get out of here."

        My legs feel wobbly as I stumble back, and a part of me, a very, very small part of me, feels a sense of loss at the distance. I pull my backpack off and clutch it in front of me like a shield when he steps forward. My defense only seems to amuse him though and in another step he has invaded my personal bubble and once more wrapped a large hand around my bicep.

        "Don't touch me," I bite out, attempting to yank my arm out of his grip.

        His eyes have returned to their normal colour and he smiles. For a brief moment, I think that maybe he's actually going to let me leave.

         Instead his grip tightens and he begins to drag me down the road. I fight against him, pulling away with all my might but I barely even slow him down. "Let me go!" I scream, staring down the road where the few people still meandering around refuse to make eye contact with me, "Somebody help me, please! Let me go you stupid prick!" I dig the heels of my sneakers into the pavement and gasp as he yanks on my arm. I go flying into his side, knocking my head into the hard muscles of his abdomen and wrapping my free arm around his waist to catch myself.

        I can feel the strong muscle of his back against my fingers and his heart beat echoes fast and strong in my ears. I shove myself back, catching the amused look spread across his face and consider crossing my arms across my chest and stomping my foot like a child.

        But before I can act on the thought, he's resumed dragging me. We stop by a car, a pale blue clunker the size of a jeep that looks even older than I am. He opens the door and shoves me in, buckling my seatbelt for me. I gape at him and he pauses, still leaned over me, and gives me a breathtaking grin.

         The moment he shuts the door, I panic, undoing my seatbelt and reaching for the handle. Before I can scurry out, however, my abductor is in the car and we're speeding down the road. "How did you-" I stop myself, scowling. "Never mind."

        There isn't much for me to do, so I cross my arms and glare out the window. Beside me, my captor lets out a loud chuckle. I try not to, but I can't help but glance at him out of the corner of my eye.

        He seems focused on the winding gravel road, but occasionally his free hand twitches in my direction. I press myself closer to the door.

         I squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath before blinking them open, "Where are you taking me?"

        His eyes don't even shift from the road as he responds, "Home." His voice is a normal baritone now, soft and oddly soothing. 

        "Excuse me?"

         "I said," he emphasizes, "I'm taking you home." 

        My anger deepens at his tone, but I do my best to shake it off. There's a chance he doesn't know who—what—I am, but I have to keep my cool if I don't want to give myself away. "Why?" I pause, before spitting out bitterly, "My home is in the opposite direction."

        His hands clench around the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white and the muscles in his arms seem to ripple. I push myself back against the door, only just realizing I had started to relax.