“For the love of el Cielo,” he complained, but he slathered the wretched stuff over himself.
When they were both covered and green with moldy-smelling mud, Carolina jumped up, offering her hand. “Time for the fun to begin,” she said.
He rose and wrapped his arms around her. “I think I’d rather stay here and enjoy your kisses instead.”
The owl hooted again. Her eyes flicked to the thick woods beyond. “We will have to wait, I fear. Best hurry.”
He handed her the papers, and she slid them into the satchel tied to their horse. She climbed up and patted the horse’s rear. “Get on.”
Lalo did so, not so uncouthly as other times, but no less embarrassingly. When he shuffled in behind her, he had to bite down on his cheeks. How in the world was he going to handle this now that their relationship had entered uncharted territory?
“Hold on to my waist,” she said.
Stars above.
He placed a light palm upon the soft curve of her side.
She scoffed. “Are you trying to get thrown off this horse?” She grabbed one of his hands and brought it around her, pulling him right against her backside.
Taxes. Chupasangres. Maricela. Trees with eyes.He was trying to keep his mind clear, but dammit—Carolina fit so perfectly between him. His everything ached for her. It wasn’t right that one person could completely unravel another from the inside out.
Something rustled in the far-off distance. Lalo could hear a host of wings flapping as birds suddenly took flight.
“Carolina,” he said.
He felt her nod and sensed her pulse starting to beat at a frightening pace. “I heard them too.”
Lalo squeezed his arms around her and whispered, “Go.”
CHAPTER 44
Carolina
Fast and steady, they pacedthrough the woods. Every sound had her on edge. They were not alone. She could feel it in her bones.
“When we get to the summit…,” Lalo started, but she hushed him.
“Lean in closer to me if you have something to say,” she whispered. Hearing him speak, feeling his body vibrate against her, eased her mind.
Lalo pressed against her. They were almost cheek to cheek. “Like this?” he asked softly.
An explosion of goose pimples rippled over her skin. The hairs on her arms and neck stood on end.
“That’ll do,” she said, leaning into his warmth.
“When we get to the summit, the first thing we’ll need to dois build a protection ring. Vampiros cannot cross a line of obsidian. We’ll build the ring and use your blood to lure him out. Then I’ll take the lover’s blade that belonged to Vidal and strike him through. While he is caught off guard, you use Alma’s blade to finish him.”
“I’ll be ready.”
“I’ve no doubt, but know my main concern is to protect you at all costs.”
The pit in her stomach grew. She shook her head. “Here I was judging you for being a monster when it was my family who started this whole mess.”
“But it will be you to fix that.”
“No,wewill fix it.”
When she was younger, she only cared about being the best hunter in Del Oro to prove her papá wrong. To show she was worthy, that he was mistaken for not believing in her. She didn’t really care about helping anything but her own pride. It wasn’t until Abuelo was slain that she truly understood the desperate hopelessness of loss. But even then, she’d only wanted to kill sedientos to make herself feel better, safer, and to establish herself as a fighter. Perhaps Papá had been right in holding her back. She wasn’t ready to join the guard because she was selfish. And arrogant. And stubborn. How could she protect anyone when her heart was in the wrong place?
