“Why are the marks still on your neck?” He grips my chin with the rough pads of his fingers and turns my face.
I squint up to him. “Because I haven’t eaten anything since this morning. And you can’t seem to figure out how to not cause some sort of injury.”
His nose curls, but his eyes soften. “I will fix that.” Turning away from me, he gestures to his back. “Climb on, I’ll find you food.”
“Well, shit, that’s the first nice thing you’ve done for me.” I wish I had a knife, I’d sink it between his shoulders.
“Whatever it is you’re thinking,” he growls, adjusting my legs around his hips before he starts running. “Just remember, all it takes is one morsel of your delicate flesh, and I’m nearly invincible.”
I let out a sigh and settle against him. “I really have crappy taste in men.”
Chapter 13 - Hudson
By evening, Ash hasfinally roused out of the catatonic state he’s been in since last night.
Longer than I expected, but at least he’s alive.
His groan is the first indication.
“Hud?” He throws his arm over his eyes. “What the hell happened?”
“Dogs, man. Don’t worry, you’re safe.” Maybe I’ll get lucky and he won’t remember how he healed.
His dirty palms leave streaks on his face. “I had the craziest fucking nightmare.” He raises slightly, looking down at his shredded pants. “Oh, shit.” Collapsing onto his back, his cheeks pale. “It wasn’t a dream. It was really eating me.”
Part of me wants to kick him up so we can continue chasing Jenny.
But the haggard, sunken look around his eyes tells me he needs more time.
The tip of his boot wiggles as if he’s testing his muscles. “Hud? How? Did you sneak a vial of her blood?”
He rolls onto his side and brings his leg up, the skin still puckered over the half-formed flesh.
“I wish, buddy. You’d be all healed by now.” I’ve seen her healing factor in action. She’s regrown full limbs within hours.
His injuries would have been fixed within one.
When he looks at me, it’s with an intensity I haven’t seen from him before.
“Your gray hair is gone,” he grunts. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“It doesn’t matter, you’re alive.” I stand from the small campfire to bring him some water.
The wary expression he carries doesn’t stop him from reaching for the cup.
But he pauses with it at his lips. “Are you one ofthem? How do I know this isn’t poisoned?”
“Ash, if I was gonna kill you, I would have just let you bleed out while that wolf—” I jut my chin at the carcass on the other side of the clearing. “—had his way with you.”
He follows the direction of my gesture and winces. “Fuck, they’re big.”
I nod, squatting next to him. “That’s why there’s hardly any horses left. Or cows.”
“I miss real ice cream,” he mumbles. “I could really go for a quart right about now.”
“Ash, I need to, um, top you off. Don’t fucking puke, okay?” I take his empty cup and set it on my knee, then pull out my knife.
He rolls backwards, sweat beading his forehead. “What are you doing?”
