I decided to wait by the forest entrance. I picked a rather large blackberry bush to hide behind, then sat down and waited.
By two in the morning, I was cold, tired, and exhausted. I could barely keep my eyes open. Snow was falling again, and I was caught in a weird rotation of shivering and yawning every three seconds. The Phantom had better hurry his ass up, or I was leaving.
Footsteps snapped me out of it. I glanced over the leaves of the blackberry bush and saw a man was approaching, cloaked in shadow.
He was coming. Now was my chance. I shrank lower in the bushes and waited for my opportunity to pounce.
When the figure got closer, I sprung. I jumped out of the blackberry bush with a wild yell and landed on the man’s back. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and my knees around his legs, trying to get him to collapse beneath me.
It didn’t work. The figure grabbed my arms and sent me flying ten feet forward off his back. I screamed as I went sailing. I hit the ground hard and ended up rolling. Ouch.
“Oh, gods, Emma!” A familiar voice sounded panicked. My cheeks burned red as I realized the person I’d jumped on was most certainlynotthe Phantom.
Ethan grabbed both of my arms and hauled me up off the ground like I was some sort of rag doll. He put me down and started brushing the dirt off my clothes. My jeans were totally ruined with grass stains.
“What are you doing,onawilke? Trying to get yourself killed?” Ethan said roughly. “There are more than just monsters who’d rip you apart for pulling a stunt like that around here, and they wouldn’t ask questions first.”
I was totally embarrassed. It seemed like every time I went out looking for the Phantom, Ethan got in the way. “It’s none of your business,” I grumbled.
Ethan’s mouth fell open. “None of my… it bloody wellismy business, seeing as how you tried to yank my head off my shoulders!”
I let out a huff. “I was waiting for the Phantom to come by, all right? I know he was sighted tonight, and I’ve figured out he’s a student. I put together that this was the most likely place he’d come through, to get back to Arcanea University.”
Ethan stared at me in a moment of disbelief. “And… you’d thought you’d just jump a dangerous vigilante, and he wouldn’t retaliate?”
“He’s my mate. He wouldn’t hurt me,” I said.
“Not on purpose! You’re lucky as hell that it was me,” Ethan spat. “What if it’d been some harmless pedestrian, minding their own business? You’d be facing assault charges. Or worse, an Arcanea that would gut you as soon as you’d laid a hand on them.” Ethan was shaking, he was so mad. But I didn’t care.
“Oh yeah,some Arcaneais just walking around at two a.m., in the woods in Malovia when the Black Claw is on the loose. That doesn’t sound suspicious.” I rolled my eyes.
I put my hands on my hips and raised my eyebrow. “Hey. What wereyoudoing out this late, anyway?”
“I just got back from the palace. My mother needed my help with some things,” he rattled off.
“You don’t have a royal escort or anything, to make sure you get back here safe and sound, princey poo?” I asked.
He bunched his hands into fists. “I told you. I don’t like being treated different while I’m here.”
I went to open my mouth, but he raised a hand to stop me. “No. Why are you questioning me? You have no right. I’m the one who should be asking the questions, here. This obsession with the Phantom is a little nuts. You’re like a crazy ex-girlfriend who’s turned full stalker. It’s insane.”
I felt like I was going to explode with rage. “Don’t talk to me about crazy! You haven’t found a mate yet. You don’t know how it feels.”
“Oh, fuck off, Emma.” Ethan shook his head.
I was silent for a moment. Ethan had never spoken to me like that. I’d obviously touched a nerve.
He jerked his head. “Come on. Let’s go. It’s not safe out here for either of us.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I’m staying right here and waiting for the Phantom.” I crossed my arms.
“If you don’t follow me right now, I’m tossing you over my shoulder and carrying you back,” Ethan snapped.
There was the undertone of a growl to his voice that sounded wolfish and demanding. It scared me a little… and, okay, maybe turned me on. Like, a lot.
Wait. No, no, I wasn’t supposed to get turned on by Ethan. I was taken. That would be wrong.
I raised my chin and said, “If you want me to move an inch from this spot, then you’re going to have to make me.”
