Page 25 of Bones

Him?

My question went unanswered as my brain went uncharacteristically silent.

For a quick, terrifying moment, I feared it was Ryan, but it wasn’t the familiar scent of his cologne that surrounded me. It definitely wasn’t his body. It was too big. Too hard. And, oddly,too protective in the way it had acted as a buffer rather than using me as one.

I wasn’t sure if that should make me relieved or alarmed, and I didn’t have time to sort it out. Whoever it was lifted away just enough to roll me over.

In the darkness of the woods, I couldn’t see any details other than my attacker was more man than beast.

Barely.

Because the huge shadowy figure looming over me looked and sounded pretty damn beastly when he growled one word.

“Mine.”

CHAPTER FOUR

SOUNDS OF SILENCE

DEKE

Icouldn’t believe it.

I couldn’t fucking believe it.

I’d just gotten home from work and stepped out of my truck when I felt it.

Felther.

My one.

My brain directed me into the woods around my cabin, and I’d thought the centuries of torture had finally broken me.

It wouldn’t have been the first time I lived in the woods.

I’d been tempted to teleport to where I felt the pull, but it’d been decades—maybe longer—since I’d used that skill. Hell, other than one time a handful of years ago, I hadn’t used any magicks that didn’t happen reflexively. It would be hard to explain if I materialized right in front of her. Or I might’ve fucked up and landed states away, missing my opportunity. I’d been unwilling to risk it.

After an hour of hiking, I’d wondered if it’d all been in my head. If I’d finally lost it. I would’ve kept going anyway. I wouldn’t have stopped until I’d been over those woods a million times. But it hadn’t come to that. I’d found her.

Mine.

I hadn’t meant to make the insane declaration, and I had no clue how to explain it away, so I didn’t try. I kept hold of her arm as I lifted to a crouch. “You okay?”

Silence.

Fuck.

I hurt her.

“Shouldn’t have tackled you, but I tried calling out,” I said like that meant shit all to her. “You were running straight for the creek.”

More silence.

“Where are you hurt?”

Nothing.

“I can’t see shit out here, and I left my phone in my truck. You got one?”

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