Page 37 of Burn Bright
"Thanks." Salt exploded through my mouth as I bit into it, trying to soften the meat with mysaliva.
He unscrewed the cap on his metal flask, took a swig of it, and then offered it to me. My eyes nearly watered when I smelled the brandywithin.
"Easy up," he said, as I choked on a mouthful of fiery liquor. "It's strong enough to put hair on yourchest."
"Vashta's... tits." I coughed, as he screwed the lid back on. "Where did you getthat?"
Cas's head jerked up, and instantly I turned tostone.
"What is it?" Ihissed.
He stared intently through the gloom, his eyes darting here and there. "Thought I heard something moving, but I can't smell anything. Only the forest. AndHussar."
Tension dissolved, and I rubbed the back of my neck. "Good thing he's been downwind allday."
"No weirdthoughts?"
"Nothing." Not since I touched that tree. "You?"
"Occasionally," he muttered, his fingers curling around his axe handle. "Hussar's pissing meoff."
"That's notweird."
"No, but I want to do something about it. Somethingpermanent."
I touched his hand and Cas sighed, closing his eyes and bowing his head. The hard line of his shoulders softened. "Thanks."
The wild look in those eyes was fading as he looked down at me, leaving him more man than wolf. It didn't scare me. Cas wasn't entirely human, but I was starting to learn him. This man was a protector, not a predator. His innate sense of honor was stronger than most of the men Iknew.
And it felt like my touch calmed his innerbeast.
He reached out with his other hand and wrapped a finger around one of my springy curls, his hard mouth softening into a smile. "Now I feel normal again. Why isn't it affecting youanymore?"
"Whoknows?"
Galina did. My own smile fell. I wasn't a witch, wasI?
Something shifted out of the corner of myeye.
"What is it?" Cas demanded, as I stood, reaching for mydagger.
"I thought that tree justmoved."
We both stared into the gloomy woods. The trees here were prone to redwood and pine, which meant thicker growth than the bare treeselsewhere.
"Just... my imagination," I said, as nothing elseshifted.
"Maybe." Cas glared through the trees. "Something doesn't feelright."
"We should get moving." Find a camp, somewhere with at least a few natural fortifications to keep anything Gravenwold could throw at us off ourbacks.
There was a glimmer of movement behind me. I spun, staring back the way we'dcome.
"Now I'm starting to feel like something's watching me," I muttered. "Something definitely moved outthere."
"What is it?" Evaroncalled.
"Don't know," Cas growled, his side pressing against my back. "Something's outthere."
