Page 16 of Surviving Hallow Hill
Six
As much asI wish I could stay here kissing Rue and showing him just how much I worried for him, we can’t. He’s the one to pull away first and remind me of that.
“This is Blood Pack territory,” he explains, pulling me to my feet and wincing slightly. I fight the urge to go to him and inspect his wounds. There will be time for that later. After we make it to safer grounds.
There are just too many things to worry about here. Them. Kira. Myself.
All I can say is my men are safe.
For the moment.
Styx trots up to my side, still in wolf form, and my fingers dig into his thick, soft mane. “You’re okay.” I breathe my relief. “And we’re all together again.”
“Yeah, but we won’t be for long if we don’t move,” Sia grumbles.
I nod, my lips pressed into a grim line. After surveying the sky and finding the circling silhouettes of vultures, I decide it best to stick to shadows and the ravine walls of this place. It’ll keep us inconspicuous. At least, I hope so.
We’re all tense, vibrating with anxious energy that I can feel in pulsing waves. We try to stay in the shadows, but light beats down on us from every angle, it seems, and it makes me wonder about the layout of this place. Where we’re at.
It all has a dome-like feel to it that makes me feel like this is magical. I need to know where we are, but first, shelter.
Eventually, we find somewhere to hole ourselves up in. After what seemed like miles of endless walking among dry dirt and bloodied remains, we come across a small shelter of sorts. It’s half the size of my small apartment, but big enough to fit all of us, thankfully. It looks like a small cob house, a little domed home that reminds me of something I’d see onStar Wars, with no door or glass windows, but open holes to walk through. The only difference here is that this thing is made of metal.
Rusted iron walls dig deep into the dirt, and the whole thing gives off an ominous vibe. Precisely the kind of place we should stay away from. But with nothing else except open space and metal vultures, we have to make do.
Rue goes in first to scope out the place while Styx lifts his nose in the air and sniffs. At the all-clear, we go inside. The heat is almost suffocating, but still bearable inside, and at least the roof gives us a reprieve.
“Alright, let’s get down to business.” Rue’s palms clap together as he takes a seat in the center of the domed place. The floors are made of dirt and steel and are uncomfortable on my ass as I take a seat across from the vampire. There are no floor plans, just a small, open space and enclosed walls.
“To defeat... the Huns...” I sing under my breath. The words have Rue giving me an inquisitive look that I roll my eyes at. “Come on, you haven’t seenMulan, either?”
One of his dark eyebrows quirks up. “IknewMulan, chère.”
...she’s...she’s real?
The impact of that statement hits me quickly. I have to cover my look of starstruck away with sarcasm. “Old man.”
Sia sighs with exasperation and takes a seat while Styx sidles up next to me, placing his head on my lap. My fingers automatically go into his fur and dig in. Being so close to my omega instantly calms me when I hadn’t even realized just how on edge I was before he snuggled close.
I feel his own distress, and I know being apart affected him as much as it did me, and while I wore a mask of strength while we were separated, I hate the thought of anything hurting him.
Even me.
My chest begins rumbling as if by its own volition, a sound that’s almost instinctual and soothing and vibrates over Styx’s body. I feel him relax instantly, and I smile, then my fingers pause mid-stroke.
Am I fucking purring?
What the fuck?
Styx’s body shifts, and fur disappears until my fingers meet warm skin. One moment, he’s a wolf. I blink, and the next, he’s the massive, naked man whose body is imprinted down to my soul. I blink again, and the red collar around his neck shifts into a jumpsuit, molding against his muscles.
I don’t get a chance to speak before he’s pulling me into his arms, my much-smaller body enveloped in his firm embrace. My palms press softly against his chest, and I look up. His eyes are bright, almost feverish, and he’s staring at me like he wants to devour me whole.
He’s a giant, muscular pack of contradictions. Big, muscular, dominant-looking, and yet submissive. But there are rare moments like these when he takes control, so overcome with his own desire that it’s like he can’t hold himself back from touching me.
And I love it.
When his lips devour mine, I open my mouth and let him in. Tongues dancing, slick and warm, I find myself dominating the kiss. My nails dig into his hair, scraping over his scalp as I pull him closer to me. Like our bodies can somehow mesh and become one. Two souls shared in the singular space of one body, one heart.
