He shoots up into the sky with me, and Blackfire roars.
Chapter Nineteen
The monster of my dreams gently places me down on the rooftop of the cabin, and his hands clutch my arms. “Careful. It’s icy. You could fall.”
“Thank you. I thought you couldn’t interfere,” I respond on instinct, really looking at him. In the sunlight, his grey skin almost seems silver, and he is just as gorgeous as I remember. Even with blood covering the muscles of his chest and his jaw. His sharp teeth just tip over the edge of his lips as he watches me. “Unless our dreams aren’t real. If they’re not real, then I’m just crazy.”
“They’re real, love.” He strokes his hands up my arms, and I feel like I can’t breathe. “Give me permission to end their lives. I have seen they are more of a danger to you than protection. I will serve you their heads as a gift and their furs as a rug for you to keep.”
“It’s not me who’s crazy,” I joke, trying to distract him from murdering the wolves. “Thank you. If you didn’t…”
His eyes sharpen. “The black wolf put your life in danger, and he will be punished for it. I will not forget.” He looks behind him, tensing slightly. “I cannot stay, but I’ll see you in our dreams.” He puts a finger to his lips, whispering to keep us a secret, before flying off straight into the sky with his impressive wings. I stand on the roof for a little while, looking down at my clothes that have blood on them and water from where I threw up, and I shiver at the thought of what could have happened if my monster hadn’t come for me. I’m not sure what Blackfire’s going to say when he gets back, but I imagine none of it’s going to be good, and considering he nearly got me killed, I don’t care what he says.
I look around the edge of the roof and spot the highest windowsill. Carefully, I climb over and lower myself down to it, crouching, before unlocking the steamy window to get inside. I hear the pounding of a shower as the steam brushes against my skin, but nothing really prepares me as I slide into the room with a soft thud, and my eyes widen. Reed is in the shower, naked. Very naked. His head is bowed, one arm leaning against the shower wall as his hand fists his cock, moving his hand up and down. My body tightens and my stomach fills with heat as I watch and don’t move.
I should leave, or tell him I’m here, but I don’t. I listen to his groan of pleasure, and I trace my eyes over every inch of his muscular body. His body tenses right before he comes across the shower wall. It’s not the sight of him coming that leaves me shocked. It’s the single name that leaves his mouth.
“Meredith.” He moans my name like a prayer.
I squeak, and his head whips towards me, slowly looking me up and down. His eyes are glowing the brightest blue. “Are you here to join me, little human?”
My mind seems to combust because I nearly jump. No response comes out of my mouth. As I open and shut my mouth, instead of saying a single word, I rush out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Reed’s chuckle follows me, and I shake my head. Of course he would find that funny.
My cheeks are burning as I walk to my room, chuck off my boots, and collapse into my bed, pulling the sheet over me. I barely even register that Tannith is here until her eyes blink at me. “Why do you look so red?”
Everything explodes out of my mouth, and I close my eyes. “Well, I nearly died today, and I saw a man come for the first time. He said my name as he did too, and I liked it. I’m not sure which of those two things made my face red, but probably both.”
I think she’s gone silent because she doesn’t know what to say back. It’s rare that I leave her speechless, but I’m not proud right now. I’m embarrassed. “Okay,” she says, “explain it all and start at the beginning.”
I open my eyes and explain the forest, the house and the monster from my dreams—that I’ve already told her about—saving me. I can tell she is surprised about the monster more than my near death, but she doesn’t speak as I tell her about climbing through into the shower room and seeing Reed in the shower.
“I knew it!” Tannith sounds joyful, and I don’t get it. “I knew he wanted you, and he has a crush. It’s perfect.” I can only groan at her. “Well, the monster thing is slightly concerning, but you’ve already said that he’s hot, so it is what it is. That’s fine. We all have weird kinks.” I laugh with her. Apparently, I do, as I know I have a crush on my monster, and I can’t explain it. “As for Reed, yes, it is a good thing. The shower only confirms my suspicion, and you don’t see it. They are always watching you when you’re in the room, and they are weird about it. You don’t see it, but Ido, and so does Elizabeth. I would tell you to go for it, but I don’t know. I don’t trust them, but also your choices are limited.”
“That’s the most insane thing you’ve ever said. They could have anyone, and it’s likely just because they are horny and alone here. They are heirs; I imagine they have hundreds of female wolves throwing themselves their way at home and they never go a day without sex,” I remind her, even as the thought tastes bitter in my mouth. I hate the thought.
The truth is, I don’t want random sex with anyone; I want more. I want love, as silly as it sounds, and I doubt they can give me that. I would never be accepted in their packs, and I will die long before they will. They can’t offer me anything but fun, and I know I’m not that kind of girl. I’ll fall in love with them, and it will break my heart when it’s over. I wish I was like Tannith, who doesn’t want love and happily enjoys men for a short time.
“But also, you need to lose your virginity, so if it’s the monster, who seems like the best pick at the moment, then go for it. Ooh, I wonder if he has a monster cock.” She sounds so excited about that thought, and I don’t know what to say back. Reed’s cock looks like a monster to me because it’s so frigging big.
The sheets are ripped off me, and I don’t know if I’m thankful or not that I don’t have to ask Tannith about how big cocks usually are as Blackfire stares down at me. He’s covered in blood, which is not surprising considering what he’s been doing, and he looks furious.
“Get up,” he snarls, picking me out of the bed, not really giving me a chance to even do what he says. He throws me over his shoulder and storms out of the room. I don’t bother fighting him. I’m too tired to argue with his back either. “REED, ORION, GET DOWN HERE!”
My head spins as he runs down the stairs quickly and throws me onto the sofa. His dagger is out within a second, the daggerI used on him, and he holds it against my neck this time. I don’t move, and I don’t like the maddening darkness in his red eyes.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Reed growls, moving to grab Blackfire’s arm, but Blackfire snarls, making him pause. Reed stays close to us.
“She’s lying to us,” Blackfire growls.
“What are you talking about? Get the dagger away from her neck, and we can talk about whatever happened. Calmly.” Reed tries to make Blackfire see reason. It fails.
“As much as I’d probably enjoy seeing you kill her…” Orion drawls, walking into the room at a leisurely pace, eating a tub of…
“Is that ice cream? Have you been hiding ice cream, you absolute bastard?” I feel so betrayed. I don’t even care about the dagger at my neck. Kill me, but feed me one spoonful first. Please, goddesses.
Orion grins at me. “Maybe the goddesses like me more.”
“Ugh, I hate you so much,” I hiss.
