Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91049 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
I find myself surrounded by big gray-and-white wolves. I crouch, ready to defend myself to the death. Two of the beasts jump into the air, flying at me. I grab them both by the throat and smash their heads together.
A third wolf charges me before I can drop the first two to the ground. I have just enough time to wrap my arms around its body. I squeeze, releasing a loud roar of my own and crush it in my hold.
When I drop it, I take note of the fact that I’m still surrounded, and it seems the numbers have doubled. Five of the larger ones all attack at once. I go to release my power right as they’re airborne, but flames suddenly surround me.
The barrier acts as protection, sealing me in. A tailed figure lands before the flames encasing me and the ground shakes beneath my feet.
It’s her.
My eyes widen at the sheer force of the power I feel coming from her. The five wolves remain suspended in midair. Frozen.
Blaise releases a roar, and they turn to ashes at her feet. The other wolves turn and retreat. I’m in awe of what I’ve seen.
Suddenly, the flames turn to smoke and Blaise tumbles to the ground. I rush forward and catch her before she hits it. I lift her into my arms, shifting her body a bit to accommodate her tail.
“Too far from castle… magic weak… must hurry back before they return,” she murmurs before she passes out.
I look at her face. Her features are softer when she’s not snarling at me. I war for a moment. She has less power out here. I could leave her and get to the portal I feel tugging at me.
I sigh. She has saved my life. I’m indebted to her. I would not leave her here to die after she risked her life to save me.
“I am a man of my word,” I mutter and start back the way I came.
Chapter 7
Let Me See
Argon
I stroke her cheek and find that her skin isn’t hard as I thought it would be. I search her face with my gaze. I want to touch the lavalike skin, but I don’t think she would like that.
As I crouch beside the chaise I placed her on inside the great room, I brush a lock of hair from her face. I can’t say that there isn’t something pretty about this creature.
“She’s waking,” Ms. Posh says nervously.
“Blaise,” I call her name.
She moans and opens her eyes. I startle at how they suck me in once focused on me. In the moment, her gaze is far from that of a beast. I’d swear I could see a woman from my home.
I shake it off when she starts to sit up. I back away to give her room. Her little friends have been flying about her with worry. It’s clear they all care for their master.
“You scared the shit out of us,” Dinesh says. “Next time, let his ass get eaten. He shouldn’t have gone out in those woods.”
“Dinesh,” Bach growls.
“What? Screw him. She could have been hurt.”
“I’m fine,” Blaise says. She looks to me and her eyes widen. “You’re bleeding.”
She reaches out for my shoulder but halts and pulls her hands back. I nod for her to continue. The wound burns, but I’ve been more concerned with her.
She touches the flesh gently with her long clawlike nails. Her face pinches and she sucks her bottom lip into her mouth. Something about the gesture makes her less beastly.
“There is poison, but I can heal it,” she says. “You will have to take my venom as a counter. I can’t seal the wound until we get the poison out.”
“Your venom?”
“Yes, it’s not poisonous like this. It won’t kill you. You may hallucinate after. For how long, I can’t say. Everyone reacts differently,” she warns.
“I guess that’s better than death. Go on.” I nod.
She lowers her lashes. Her brown cheeks seem to glow with heat as if flames rest beneath the skin. I’m curious when I realize it’s her way of blushing.
“What? What is it?”
She releases a heavy breath. “I’m sorry.”
Before I can ask her for what, she grasps my jaw in her palm and tugs my face to hers. Her lips crash to mine, her tongue brushing them. I open my mouth in surprise.
She sticks her tongue inside and flicks it against mine. Instantly my face warms and a unique flavor bursts into my mouth. Saliva and something else fill my open cavern.
Blaise strokes my neck, causing me to swallow. My shoulder begins to warm and tingle. At the same time, that ache in my chest turns into a fierce stirring.
I groan, reaching for her waist. I feel like I’m floating as I take over the kiss and devour her mouth. Blaise whimpers as she buries her fingers in my hair.