This man, she realized with terrifying certainty,could break my heart.
The possibility scared her almost as much as the Savages crawling through the woods in search of them.
“I’ve been called worse,” he said.
Willow couldn’t stop herself from smiling back at him; with his eyes twinkling in the moonlight, he was impossible to resist. Most of the time, he came across as reserved and thoughtful, but a playful air surrounded him, and she was eager to play.
Her knowledge of him was limited, but she did know he was the second-oldest member of the Alliance, younger only to Ronan. “I’m sure you’ve been calledmanythings throughout the vast years of your life.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Are you calling me old?”
“If the shoe fits,” she said with a grin.
“Listen here, whippersnapper,” he said as he twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. “I’m not old; I’m seasoned.”
“By centuries of experience.”
His playful smile remained in place, but something shimmered in his silver eyes as they ran over her face. She couldn’t quite put a name to that look, but it caused her toes to curl in her boots as her mouth went dry.
“And that experience makes me better ateverythingI do.”
The innuendo in his words surprised him. Even when romantic relationships consumed his life, he was never one for flirting, but he found himself enjoying this banter between them.
Willow had no idea how to respond. She was desperate to find out how much better it made him, but thankfully she was saved from doing anything rash, like kissing him, when a branch cracked in the distance. Declan’s body went rigid against her as their heads turned toward the noise.
“Stay here,” he said.
Before Willow could protest, he plucked her out of his lap and set her on the ground. Without the warmth of his body enveloping her, the cold of the night rushed over her. She shivered as she rose, but by the time she stood, he’d vanished into the shadows.
Willow reached into her jacket and removed one of the stakes tucked inside. She pulled it free as her hands patted the numerous hiding places she’d created on the inside of the jacket. But, no matter how much she felt over those places, she came back to the same conclusion—she only had two stakes left. Her crossbow, knife, and two other stakes were victims of the waterfall.
It didn’t matter; she would make do with what she had. She was trained to kill with her bare hands if necessary. She started after Declan but stopped when he reemerged.
“A raccoon,” he said.
Willow’s shoulders sagged, but she didn’t put her stake away. It was a raccoon this time, but they might not be so lucky next time.
“Do you feel rested enough to continue?” he asked.
She’d love to crawl back into his arms and stay there for a few more hours, if not days, but as much as she yearned to be held by him again, she didn’t want to end up in the hands of the Savages.
“Yes,” she said.
Chapter Sixteen
The sun washigh in the sky when Declan called a halt so they could feed. Nowhere near as starved as she was the day before, Willow contented herself with a fox while Declan fed on a coyote.
When she finished with the fox, she set it on its feet and ran her hand over its back before petting its head. Its fur was silky beneath her hand as the creature leaned into her touch before nuzzling her hand with its head.
Willow smiled when it gave her fingers a playful nip before rolling onto its belly and wiggling on its back like a dog in search of a belly scratch. When she happily obliged, it kicked its feet in the air and grinned at her.
Declan released his coyote, which sprinted into the forest as fast as it could. He watched in awe as the fox, finished with its belly rub, rose and circled Willow. It rubbed against her as it walked.
He’d fed on animals countless times over the years, and every single one of them bolted the first chance they got. Even slightly weakened from blood loss, they still fled as fast as their legs would carry them.
He’d never seen anything like what they did with Willow. He could have chalked the deer up as a fluke, but not anymore. These creatures truly liked her, and the love she felt for them was evident in her radiant smile and the way she giggled as she played with the fox.
Something inside him shifted, and a strange sensation he’d never experienced before rose in his chest while he watched her. This woman who ruthlessly killed Savages, hated worms, and charmed animals was the most amazing being he’d ever encountered. And he longed to get closer to her, even if it ended in his demise.
