Page 41 of Hellish Witch

But I’d never once sensed his desire leak towards me.

Except for the one time he’d given me energy when he rescued me from the hunters, I’d never fed from Killian.

Because he clearly didn’t think of me in that way. I was just too stupid to learn the lesson repeatedly smacking me over the head.

The demon’s unique white horns broke the surface of the water, followed by his pearly wing arches and the arrogant smirk of a sinful incubus.

“Get cleaned up, Eve. I’ll grab your bag, and we can set up camp for a few hours to rest,” Killian said. He eyed the dead bone-kin on the grassy bank. “Upstream.”

He eased to the edge, hauling himself out with a fluid grace that shouldn’t be possible with the weight of hundreds of soaked feathers at his back. The pretty water seemed reluctant to let him leave.

He straightened to his full imposing height on the grass, raining heavy droplets.

I raised a brow, ignoring the way my need for him spiked as I traced the wet tendrils snaking their way over his broad shoulders and down his chest. His white horns gleamed under the moonlight with more droplets, like pink diamonds studded their patterned rippling lengths. He should look like a soggy pigeon. Instead, he was dipped in crystalline drops with that sexy wet look that made zero sense.

He turned his wings on me, passing the watching creatures with a respectful nod, and the shadows between the trees welcomed him into their embrace.

Chapter 15

Iducked beneath the water, scrubbing my hands over my clothes and through my hair. Dark blood swirled through the pale liquid, barely visible even with the penetrating moonlight. I surfaced quickly, drawing in a deep breath.

The cool river left me shivering as my adrenaline waned, but at least I was clean.

My sodden boots squished in the soft mud as I dragged my carcass to the high bank and hauled myself up.

Bloodied bone-kin corpses littered the grass, leading right into the bleeding tree-line set several paces back from the river’sedge. Tufts of once white fur dotted the sparse trunks, thick grass pushing between creeping roots. Glowing wildflowers bloomed in patches between the bodies, already soaking up the nectar of their lifeblood.

Squeezing the excess water from my hair, I finger-combed it out as best I could, knowing full well it was going to dry into frizzy curls rather than the smooth waves I preferred, even though the humidity was still low this time of year.

I peeled up my wet shirt, inspecting my side where the bone-kin had caught me. The wounds were nothing but shallow scratches of red against my pale skin. At least my magic still healed my own wounds.

I let the soggy material slap back down, stifling a cringe because I was meant to be a competent demoness.

My attention drifted to the two creatures I’d almost hurt with my magic.

Alpha sat patiently on the bank, scanning the surrounding forest. Cookie, on the other hand, radiated smug aloofness as she sat on her haunches, licking a paw clean. I stifled a grimace at the dark blood she lapped up.

The feline may trash my cabin like a mischievous pet, but things like this reminded me of what a vicious predator she was. Not only had she clawed several bone-kin to death, biting through their defensive bones like they were twigs, but she didn’t have a single scratch on her.

Just the blood of her victims.

That she was now sipping.

She eyed me, pausing mid-lick just to taunt me. Her dagger-like fangs framed her pink tongue, smeared with inky blood.

“What are you two doing here?” I murmured before offering a sheepish smile. “Not that I’m not grateful for your help.”

Alpha barked, tossing his huge head in the direction he’d come before staring at me pointedly.

I frowned, convinced I could understand the gist of what he was trying to tell me.

But I’d also thought I could take on the Bloodwood alone in the dead of night.

I snorted. “You can go home and tell Zoella one vicious guard dog is enough.”

At least Rex and Zoella hadn’t turned up themselves though.

Cookie let out a rasping purr that was definitely a mocking laugh. I shot her a glare. She stared right back, unblinking.

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