Alex chuckled at his dismay. “No, the type to sleep with a stranger he just met in a pub, while his wife was home raising a brood of children.”
He merely raised his eyebrows in response, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Pretty sure she’d just given him a compliment.
“Can you at least tell me why you looked near death when you arrived at the inn the other night?” He thought she would call him out on having been watching her for days but surprisingly, she’d let it go.
Alex let out a long sigh. “I was traveling here, to Kalmia. I got trapped in a blizzard, accidentally ingested mountain laurel, mistaking it for Labrador tea, had wicked hallucinations, was almost eaten by a half human/half cat creature, anddecided a brisk swim in the river would be better than death by claws and teeth.”
Davin gaped at her, unclear if she was trying to be funny or not. If she had really survived all of that, then her resilience was unmatched. Something that he would need to make a note of for later but for now, he’d humor her.
“OK, tell me about this half human/half cat creature.”
Alex answered his question, describing how it had morphed into multiple people as if it had pulled their faces directly from her mind. Davin listened intently, his expression not giving away anything he was thinking. He was quiet for a while after she finished her detailed description of the beast.
“You know, there is a tale that I remember being told as a child, about a cat creature that lured bad little children into the forests by becoming someone they loved, before devouring them. I think it was called a Grimalkin. There are conflicting tales as to whether or not the beast chooses its victims on a whim, or if it is a familiar controlled by magic.” He looked over at her, his voice soft and teasing. “Maybe you’ve heard the stories too and it triggered your hallucination. It’s possible it was another traveler, who meant you harm, trying to steal your supplies. You were smart to have escaped into the river.”
Alex balked, “You mean you don’t think I’m crazy?”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but if you did ingest mountain laurel, as you suspect, then you are lucky to be alive at all. It should have killed you. Besides, when I was younger, I swore that I encountered a similar creature. My father had laughed at me, claiming that I had spent too much time with my head stuck in a book.” He laughed at the memory of his father’s light hearted teasing. “He was probably right; I honestly did spend too many hours with a book in my hands.”
Alex laughed too and the sound of it hit him in the centerof his chest. “Are you saying that big bad Captain Davin Monroe of the Brynn army is a bookworm?”
“I am not ashamed to admit it. What’s not to love? To escape your own reality, see new worlds through the eyes of so many different characters. To read of dragons and other mythical beasts, while others fall desperately in love.”
“You sound just like …” Alex stumbled over her words. “Someone I know. They love books, too.”
Davin noted the hesitation. Whatever name she had been about to utter had caused her pain but he wouldn’t let it linger. He wanted to see her smile again. The way it lit her up, her eyes sparkling, did something to him. Something that he wanted to explore more of.
Dusk was soon upon them. Nightfall would bring misting rains and cooler temperatures. Davin scouted for shelter for the night. They needed to get out of the elements. Farmland surrounded them on all sides, not offering any reprieve from the weather. In their rush to escape, he had left his pack with his tent behind, and he would bet she didn’t have one either.
A small copse of trees appeared on the horizon. Tugging on his horse's reins, he steered her towards them. Hopefully, it would offer enough coverage from the advancing storm. Alex must have realized where he was headed and followed his lead, asking no questions.
Once they were inside the trees, they dismounted the horses, leading them to a patch of grass near the edge of the grove, securing their leads around tree trunks. The copse of trees wasn’t very big, but it was dense. The canopy helped toshield the majority of the misting rain but if it got any heavier, it would do nothing for them.
Davin began breaking low lying branches from some of the trees and dragging them over to a large bush. Alex strode in his direction and without a word to him, she pulled out her knife and began cutting thin strips from a few of the discarded branches, forming a cord. Once they had enough, they wordlessly began building their shelter. It was small and would be tight but should offer them better protection from the coming storm than just the trees.
Davin was impressed. She knew how to build a shelter and had done so with no guidance from him. He watched as she gathered rocks, forming a fire ring. All soldiers were taught basic survival skills, but she moved with a type of confidence that came with exceptional training and instincts. She was clearly a fighter, a survivor and her brain always seemed to be moving five steps ahead. She placed the gathered wood inside the pit, expertly lighting the fire with her flint. Flames flickered to life, illuminating her face.
Carrying the rabbit he had just killed, he approached, making sure to make enough noise that she heard him coming. She’d been jumpy throughout the day, and he didn’t want to be the cause of any more of her discomfort.
“Thank Fari, you caught something.”
Davin shrugged. “Yes, um, I know it isn’t a lot, food is scarce here with all the animals hunkering down for the coming storm, but this should tide us over for tonight at least.”
“It’s perfect.” She said, a small smile lifting the corner of her mouth as she moved to help him. “Let’s get this thing cooked.”
Working together, they had it cleaned and cooking in no time. Alex’s stomach let out a pitiful growl. Davin laughed. She must be starving, Gods knew he was, the midday meal hourspast. The smell of roasting rabbit had saliva pooling in his mouth. As soon as it was done, he offered her the first piece. She took a huge bite, not even waiting for it to cool.
He smirked at her, picking up his own piece of rabbit. She was undeniably and unapologetically different from any woman he’d ever met. Their eyes connected over their shared dinner.
“Thank you, Davin,” she mumbled, her mouth full. The juice of the roasted meat glistened across her lips as she swallowed her bite before continuing, “You don’t know me, and regardless of the fact that you should have let me leave the inn on my own, I’m thankful you didn’t listen.”
He shrugged, trying to hide the effect her honest words had on him. “I would have done it for anyone.”
He hoped that she believed the lie. He wouldn’t have done it for just anyone. He tried to be a kind man, though decidedly not always a nice one, but there was a tether between them, a pull that he couldn’t deny. And if he was being honest, he didn’t want to look too closely at why. Stifling a yawn, Alex stretched. Davin could see the day’s events catching up with her. “It’s been a long day. We should probably call it a night.”
He watched as a mischievous gleam filled her eyes before the expression on her face shifted, her eyes rounding and her bottom lip poking out in an exaggerated pout. “It’s bedtime already? Are you gonna read me a story, Daddy?” Davin had to fight to contain his laughter. She was utterly ridiculous. “You know damn well what I meant.” His lips quirked. “And no, you don’t get a bedtime story. Only good girls get those. But you can still call me Daddy if you want to.” Alex lost it, dissolving into a fit of laughter. Davin couldn’t help but join her. It felt good to release the tension of the day.
“Go on now, go get some sleep. I’ll secure camp and be there in a few.” Nodding, Alex dropped down to crawl on herhands and knees into the makeshift shelter. Davin watched her as she went. The round globes of her ass swaying back and forth as she disappeared from sight.
