Page 49 of Lifebound

“But now you’ll need fourteen.Focus.”

Goddamn him and his orders—andmy body for wanting to obey.

“Maybeyoushould try to go to a mythical place that isn’t supposed to even exist, and get attacked by monkey monsters, and almost die, and have a complete stranger try to order you aroundbefore youfocus.”

It was the anger. It always got the best of me when I felt especially vulnerable, when I was losing control.

Then he went and made it all worse.

“You’re too small to speak to a superior being this way,” he said in wonder, like the thought just crossed his mind and slipped out of his lips—and he sounded genuinely curious, too.

Superior being?

I didn’t even get to gasp before my body moved and my knee shot up.

I got him right in the balls.

Oh, the way he doubled over. The way his breath left his parted lips. The way the veins on the side of his neck protruded—it wasdelicious.So worth the death he was going to serve me now.

In my mind, I heard the imaginary applause—it really was an outstanding strike.Perfectly executed. 10/10.

However, my moment ended too soon.

In the next, my back was against a tree trunk and he was there with a hand around my neck. I didn’t breathe, didn’t blink, and my heart beat all over my body as I watched him.

His eyes werealive,the blue of them so vibrant it could have been liquid. There was a lot more shimmer in them than I’d realized, or maybe it was just because he was pissed off enough to bite my head off.

“Hate to burst your bubble, buddy, but you’re not superior to me in any way,” I choked out.

His fingers around my neck squeezed a little. “Do that again,” he whispered—and now it was a full whisper. I really hated to admit that it soundedbetterthan when he used his normal voice. “Idareyou. Do it.”

Except he had me by the neck and he really looked like a predator, and I was scared shitless, even if I’d never admit it out loud. He couldbreakme with those hands, easily, and nobody would even hear it if I screamed.

“I think I made my point. I don’t want to bother again,” I said through gritted teeth.

His eyes closed and his body was so close to mine that I felt the heat of him against my chest, felt his breath blowing against my lips. I closed my eyes, too—to get rid of these insane ideas and emotions that were somehow breaking through the anger and the fear. I wrapped my hands around his forearm—strong as fucking steel—to try to push him off, but my body refused to obey me.

“You only need to bealiveto heal the prince,” he whispered against my cheek.

My knees grew weak.

Then he let me go and stepped back, and finally his words registered.

Get yourself together!I screamed at myself in my mind because this was ridiculous. This guy was threatening tohurtme and here I was getting turned on by his proximity?!

“Sure, sure, but then I’d like to see what the prince will have to say if he sees the person who saves his life wounded or bleeding or whatever it is that you’re thinking about doing to me.” The look he gave me… “I’d-I’d like to see what he does then.” I stuttered a little, but I prayed he didn’t notice.

His eyes widened as if to sayhow dare you?And, yes, it was a threat, but I was pissed now, and when I got pissed I could pretend that I had the upper hand in any given situation much better than when I was calm.

“See? I knew you were afraid of him. I suggest you keep that in mind, Mister Moody,” I added.

And holding onto the straps of my backpack, I walked ahead toward the edge of the hill, terrified he’d grab me again.

He didn’t.

“I’m not afraid of anyone,” he said—and his words rang true. I absolutely believed him, but that didn’t mean I’d ever tell him that.

“Sure, sure. Are we leaving or not?”

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