Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Die! Die!” I continued to spear him, spotted his eyes, and gouged those too.
He fell back, crashing to the ground.
The tent collapsed around us.
Escape! Get away!
I fought with the heavy material until I found the opening. Shrieks ripped from my throat. I stabbed more, not even sure if I was hitting my target.
“Camille!” Xander roared as the tent lifted off of me.
“Die!” I stabbed at the air.
“Stop!” He knocked the dagger out of my hands, picked me up, and held my body tight. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” My bottom lip quivered.
Blood and green liquid painted my skin.
“You killed him.” Shock plastered Xander’s face. I began to turn my head, but Xander stopped me. “No. Don’t look. You don’t want to see it.”
I buried my face into his shoulder. A cool breeze brushed against my wet skin and rushed through my hair.
Xander carried me away.
“Dear, Ambi.” I shut my eyes, not caring where we were going.
“Everyone’s dead. You’re safe now.”
Crickets chirped ahead of us.
The sound of water trickling made me look up over his shoulder.
A large river was a few feet in front of us, full of violet water.
The two moons reflected in the dark watery surface.
Xander laid me down on the ground.
Soft soil formed around my body as he trailed his fingers all over my skin. “Are you hurt at all?”
“No.”
In a blur, he lifted me up and took me into the river. Warm water enveloped my toes and then rose up to surround my whole body as Xander carried me farther into the middle.
“Okay. I feel better.” I climbed out of his arms and stood in front of him. The water ended at my nipples. I trembled and hugged myself.
“I’m so sorry. I should have known better to lose myself with you. . .in this dangerous area.” Xander cupped water in his hands and poured it over my shoulder.
Leeb’s blood washed away from my skin.
“That wasn’t your fault.” I closed my eyes, held my breath, and lowered into the water until I was completely submerged in the river.
The warm violet liquid soothed my skin and the bruise where Leeb had punched me. My hair rose above my head and swayed with the waves. Bubbles skittered past my flesh and teased the tips of my ears.
And then I stood.
Water streamed down.
My drenched hair stuck to my face.
“I’ve never been that scared in my life.” Xander wiped the strands away. “Please let me handle it from now on. Never put yourself in harm’s way like that.”
Sighing, I gazed at him. “Don’t worry. You only have to deal with me for another day or so.”
“Meaning?” Xander’s fangs appeared as he washed his face.
“We’re turning around and going in the correct direction to Zumaya or I’ll get someone else to take me.”
His hands paused in midair. He held them there for a few seconds and then dropped them.
Water splashed around us.
“Why did you take me in the wrong direction?” I stared at the moons’ rippling reflection in the water, unable to look at him.
“I needed more time with you. I longed for it.”
“That’s a very selfish want.”
“But, it’s the truth.”
“I trusted you.” I combed my fingers through my wet hair. “I won’t be trusting you anymore.”
“We made a connection through blood and our bodies.” He touched my chin with his fingers and lifted my view to him. “We united—”
I moved my face out of his reach. Tears streamed from my eyes. “In the end, I would have to go back to my husband.”
“After what we’ve shared?” He growled.
The noise echoed through the area.
Birds flew from the trees. They appeared like dark dots in the starry sky.
We said nothing else.
Tension thickened the air between us.
I stepped back. “I won’t deny that now I’m confused a little since we’ve had sex.”
Xander frowned.
“I don’t know how to feel or think. Everything is different from what I used to know.” I sighed. “But my place is with my daughters, and. . .I do love my husband. My family comes before my new feelings for you.”
Silence.
Nothing but silence greeted my ears.
I waited another uncomfortable minute.
“I’ll get everything ready.” I finished cleaning myself. “Should we burn the tent and the bodies?”
“No,” he mumbled. “Wild tigers probably already feasted on them. If not now, they will soon.”
I turned to walk toward the shore.
Fast, Xander grabbed my waist, pulled me to him, and pressed his wet, hard body into me. “You really think you can just walk away from me after what we shared?”
“You knew I was married and that I have other responsibilities. Please don’t make me choose.”
“You can go back to Zumaya to see your girls, but—”
“I love my husband. I’ll be with him and my daughters. Somehow Ethan and I will figure out the next steps, we’ll need to hide from the king.” I turned to him. “But regardless, I won’t be with you. Let me go.”