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It pauses briefly, eyes narrowing on my precarious position. It’s then that I realize how truly terrifying this creature is. Its massive body is almost like a mans but with black skin and thick hair. It is stacked with brawny muscle. It poisesitself to attack, a heart-rending moment before jumping. Its sharp claws gleam ominously in the light of the day.

I grit my teeth and push myself up, dagger raised and ready to fight. If I am going to die, it will be fighting, not cowering on the ground.

I brace myself for contact a second before a figure jumps in front of me, taking the blow.

There is skin and fur, growls and grunts. Ledger’s muscled body grapples with the Kerolu. It snaps its fangs viciously in his face, coating him with frothy spit. Scarlet blood leaks through Ledger’s shirt soaking the ground.

My power awakens at the sight, thrashing under my skin, attempting to reach him. Ledger’s sword catches my attention a few feet away, and I waste no time scrambling over to it.

“Ledger!” I call his name, grabbing his attention for a split second before sliding his sword across the forest floor.

I pray it reaches him because I unwittingly draw the Kerolu’s undivided attention. It jumps off Ledger and runs at me full speed.

I don’t have time to react as its curved horns ram into me sending me flying into a tree. The rough bark scratches my skin as I sink to the ground, struggling for breath.

I run my hand over my stomach, relieved when it doesn’t come away bloody.

My eyes snap closed as the Kerolu approaches. My hand trembles when I clutch my dagger. My body stays perfectlystill as it sniffs the air around me that’s drenched in fear. The moment its putrid breath fans across my face, I strike.

My eyes fly open, and my daggered hand soars straight up, right into its fleshy chin, and deep into its brain. The Kerolu releases a grunt before it falls over with a thud.

I yank the dagger from its flesh, blue blood coating it and running down my arm. As soon as the dagger is free, I puke. Stomach acid burns the back of my throat as I retch and retch until my body relents.

I’m trembling from adrenaline and fear trying to compose myself. “You’re okay, you’re alive,” I whisper attempting to calm my racing heart while rubbing my bloodied, blue hands against my clothes, trying to rid them of sticky blood.

“I keep underestimating you.” Ledger approaches where I’m crouched. The front of his shirt is ripped, and crimson is pouring rapidly out of four perfect claw marks. He sways on his feet before collapsing onto his knees before me.

I hurtle over to him, everything else forgotten. “Jesus, Ledger, that was so stupid. Why would you jump in front of me like that?! I had the situation under control!” I grab his shoulders, attempting to steady him.

Ledger snorts. “I think what you mean to say is, ‘Thank you, I’m forever in your debt.’” His normally bronzed face is ghostly pale.

“I need you to lie back, okay?” My power is roaring under my skin, already misting out of my palms, and I cando little to stop it. Once I get him propped on my thighs, I rip his shirt open, assessing the deep wounds.

“This is not quite how I pictured you taking my clothes off for the first time.”

“Oh yeah?” My shaky hands hover over his skin, heating. “You have pictured me taking off your clothes before?”

I had healed plenty of wounds like this, especially as of late, but I’d never been this scared. Ledger’s face contorts with pain as the poison works its way further under his skin. My power is as chaotic as my racing thoughts, and I have to fight to control it.

“Oh, I’ve pictured many things since meeting you, Layla.” The way he says my name makes me flush.

I grit my teeth as I draw out the first trickle of poison. I wince as the poison burns its way up my veins. “Does it hurt?” I can feel his eyes on my face.

I don’t answer, concentrating as sweat beads on my forehead and down my back. I take a deep breath, attempting to calm my raging abilities and focus.

“I don’t deserve your power; you should save your energy. I do not like being the cause of your discomfort.”

“You’re right, Ledger, I’ll just let you die.” My hands tremble more violently now. The puddle of blood beneath Ledger is growing, and fear threatens to cripple me.

“You should. Then you would be free. Yet you expend your power on me twice now. Why?” he grunts.

The last of the poison leaves his body, and I shudder a breath of relief. I glance at Ledger’s face briefly just as his eyes shut and his head falls limply to the side. Panic swarms me with surprising force. “Ledger, open your godsdamn eyes.” I swing my leg over his body so I’m straddling him and slap his face.

I know I need to close the wounds that are still bleeding but my heart is beating so fast, and my mind is so scattered I can barely keep a grasp on my power.

“Please, don’t do this, wake up, wake up.” My bloody fingers smear gore onto his beautiful face as I attempt to rouse him. “Don’t you dare die.” My heart squeezes before his eyes crack open. Relief floods my veins.

“Not dead yet,” he croaks.

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