Iwake up with a start. My heart is hammering in my chest with alarm, and my breath is cloudy from the cold air. I rest a hand on Valen’s chest next to me, but he’s sound asleep, his breaths deep and even. I sit still, activating the runes on the helix of my ears, and listen. The night is quiet other than the normal noises made by sleeping males in their tents. I deactivate my runes and slip out of Valen’s arms. I tuck the sleeping bag around him, careful not to wake him up.
I press my wool sock covered feet into my untied shoes and quietly unzip the front of my tent. I step out and gasp. Everything is coated in a soft blanket of snow. There’s a wet ring around the stones that surround the still burning fire, and I move toward it, putting my unprotected hands out toward the heat. It’s not snowing still, but the unmarred white covering twinkles up at me like it’s hinting at buried treasure. I’ve never seen snow other than in pictures. I take in the soft white landscape with wide-eyed awe.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Torrez’s deep voice wraps around me like a warm Snuggie, and I turn to find him stepping up to the fire next to me.
“Something woke me up. What time is it?”
“Just past three in the morning. Was thatsomethingValen?” Torrez asks me with a teasing smile.
I chuckle, white steam billowing from my mouth as I do. “No, he’s passed out in the tent, but something had me sitting up in bed with my heart racing.”
“Bad dream?” Torrez asks, his warm brown eyes studying my face.
“Don’t think so.” I shrug. “You on watch right now?”
“No, just got off it. Ryker is checking the perimeter.”
I rub my hands together, hoping the movement and the fire work to warm them up a bit faster.Fuck, it’s cold. Torrez throws an arm around me and pulls me into his side.
“Here, I’ll help with that,” he announces as he tucks me tightly against him.
“Why, thank you, kind sir. Nothing like getting felt up before everything freezes off,” I tease.
Torrez chuckles and runs his hands up and down my arms. “I’ll have you know that I’m hot.”
“Oh, I’m aware of how hot you are,” I tell him as I press in against him and roll my eyes.
“Why are you out here without a coat?” he asks me as his hands continue to trace warm paths up and down my arms and across my back.
“I was just going to stretch out and see if I can shake off this restlessness. Besides”—I slap his chest with the back of my hand—“where’s your coat?”
“I’m practically a walking, talking space heater, and I was just about to work off some of my restlessness,” he counters.
“Ahh, does Sabin know you're jacking off in the tent when he’s asleep?” I joke and then squeak when Torrez slaps my ass in mock punishment and faux outrage.
“I was going for a run, you dirty Witch. But feel free to add me jerking off toyourspank bank.”
“I will, thank you,” I tell him with over-the-top appreciation.
“You want to come?” he asks.
“Well, with visions of you masturbating, how could I not?”
Torrez slaps my ass again and nips at my neck. “Come on arun, not come on my dick, Witch. I mean, maybe you can have that too if you play your cards right.”
He steps away from me and wags his eyebrows, his eyes sparkling playfully. The cold air immediately presses against me where he used to be, and a shiver skates up my spine.
“But it’s cold,” I whine.
“Once you get moving, it won’t be, but I understand if you’d rather cuddle up under the protection of your tent and another mate. You Witches do have suchdelicatesensibilities. We wouldn’t want you to break a nail now, would we?”
Torrez smiles at me playfully, his challenge hanging in the air. He steps back and starts to take off his shirt. I appreciate the view for a couple beats, excitement and adrenaline starting to bubble up inside of me.
“Fine, but last one to the trees has to be on the bottom,” I call out, and then I take off in the direction of the distant tree line.
Snow crunches under my boots, and I realize too late that I never tied them. Fuck, I hope they stay on, because I do not want to run barefoot.
“Cheater!” Torrez shouts at my back, and Ishhhhhim over my shoulder.
