Page 49 of Shaped By Darkness

Asshole.

"Move, Serena."

"What the fuck does it look like I'm doing?!" I shout back as I weave my way through the trees, attempting to put a little distance between us.

"You need to trust your shadows. They are a part of you, meant to protect you, the same way your beast is. They’re one and the same."

Another tree explodes to my left, and I groan in annoyance. How the hell is he right there still, lecturing me and exploding shit as if it's nothing?

It shouldn't be hot, but even with how annoyed I am with him, I can't help but feel that pull of attraction.

I'm going to need therapy after this, and not just because of the asshole that's trying to kill me.

The trees clearly aren't providing me the cover I hoped they would; instead, he's turning them into projectiles that have a very real chance of knocking me the hell out, or at the very least getting lodged in one of my limbs... yeah, let's not.

I take a hard left and head back toward the clearing.

It's quiet, and it's been at least thirty seconds since I saw the last shadow bolt; that's too long.

I can see the clearing, only a few feet away. If I keep a straight path, I'll make it through the trees in just a few seconds. Unable to resist, I peek back over my shoulder, looking for some sign of him behind me.

Nothing.

Fuck.

I really hate that little trick of his. Being able to disappear into thin air would be so damn useful, but he refuses to teachme until I have control of my shadows. He insists that I need control, or I might very well get stuck in the shadows.

Which sounds awful, but still, he shouldn't be able to use it; it's an unfair advantage.

Breaking through the treeline, I turn to face forward once again, only to hit what feels like a brick wall. I go down; the force slamming me back so that all I can do is brace for impact.

But it never comes.

"You should really pay attention to where you're going."

My smart-ass reply is right there on the tip of my tongue. I taste the words, ready to bite back about his cheating ways, but when I open my mouth, nothing comes out.

The scent of him wraps around me—the fire and many herbs in his cabin mixing with the feeling of his arm around my back, holding me up. My mind goes back to the memory of him holding me to drop us off the roof. Then, I was beastless and at his mercy. Now, I could have easily taken the hit. I probably would have hit the ground and rolled my ass away to keep going.

We've been doing this for over a week now, and he's had no issue with not holding back, so why save me now?

His lips are right there, only a breath away, and I know now whatever I've been feeling isn't one-sided. I've felt it since the night he found me in the woods, and every time I saw him, the feeling only grew.

Garrett is worried about me being around him, but Ryker doesn't scare me. I don't care what he might have done. I know he wouldn't hurt me; I can feel it.

"Serena."

I watch as he shuts down before my eyes, releasing me and pulling away, shrinking in on himself.

"Don't do that!" I cry, reaching out and grabbing his cloak, and to both our surprise, manage to pull him back toward me.

"How… how did you…" he trails off, but I know what he was going to say, and I shrug. I have no idea, but that's also not my main concern right now.

"It doesn't matter."

“What do you mean, it doesn't matter? Of course it does. That's the whole point of all this.” He throws his hands up, gesturing to the woods that surround us.

He's right, of course, or he was. I came out here because I needed help, help to save Lyle and better understand who I am and what I can do.

---