it.”
She wanted to protest, but she didn’t want to slow the group down. “Thank you.”
He grunted, cast a quick glance over his shoulder as they raced through the rock formations to the other side of the clearing.
As they breached the line of red-trunked trees a shudder raked through her. Her entire life she’d been sheltered. All she’d wanted was to leave her old realm far behind, have some adventures, make some friends and definitely lose her virginity.
And now she wished she was anywhere but here.
Chapter 9
“We’ve got maybe one hour to go and we’ll be there,” Rory said quietly, barely turning around to tell her and Bo as they made their way down a crystal clear, lavender-tinged stream. “We’re making incredible time.”
They’d been traveling for pretty much eight hours straight. With the exception of the half-demons they’d killed and a few ballsy animals who’d thought to attack them along the way, they’d all been relentless in their trek. Ian and Rory had told them it would take nine or ten hours total to reach the exit so they should have an hour of padding at this rate. Still, she wanted to make it to the door with plenty of daylight left. Because in this realm there was only ten hours of light.
The two males hadn’t been kidding about cutting it close. She understood why they’d wanted to leave right at daybreak.
There weren’t any animal sounds in this part of the jungle and the canopy above them was so thick it was almost as if it was nighttime. Without the peeks of sporadic light filtering through the thick trees she’d have wondered if it actually was. Her pants and shoes were soaked from the water, but according to Ian, this was the quickest way to their destination and it helped cover their scents. She knew that he meant hers specifically since she was the one with the apparently alluring smell.
“How are you doing?” Bo asked behind her.
She shot him a quick half-smile. “Good. Ready to be home, take a hot bath.”
Bo’s eyes brightened with raw hunger. “Maybe we can take one together.”
She blinked at the bold statement and even he seemed surprised that he’d said it. After the way he’d been keeping her at arm’s length, both physically and emotionally, his words took her off guard even as they sent a rush of heat to her cheeks—and other places.
Without responding, she turned back around. Because right now she couldn’t answer him. He was definitely the king of mixed signals. She wanted to ask him what the hell he wanted, but talk about inopportune timing. Not only would his brothers overhear them, but she wanted a serious talk.
The stream started to thin, the water getting lower and lower even as the river bed itself grew wider. It was odd, but the scent filling the air was pleasing. It reminded her of fresh blooming jasmine.
As she stepped up onto a bed of flat blue rocks, following directly in Ian’s path, a sharp, haunted cry filled the air. “Stooooop!”
She froze, turned back to Bo, her eyes wide. He frowned, scanning the surrounding tree line. She tracked his gaze, scanned as well but just saw the same thing they’d seen the past hour.
“Come on,” Rory murmured.
She looked at Ian and Rory, both standing impatiently on a formation about a foot higher than the one she was on. “What was that?” Because it had sounded human and female.
“Sometimes the creatures in this area will set traps,” Rory said, disgust on his features. “Play on those stupid enough to have emotions.”
Bo was next to her in an instant, a growl rumbling in his throat.
“I didn’t mean she—you,” he said, looking at Nyx, “are stupid. I just meant what you’re hearing isn’t real.”
“Stop! Help us!” The screams were agonizing now, making the hair on Nyx’s arms stand up.
“Bo, we need to at least check it out.” Because she couldn’t walk away from that gut-wrenching cry. She simply couldn’t.
Rory and Ian stepped back to them,
She wanted to protest, but she didn’t want to slow the group down. “Thank you.”
He grunted, cast a quick glance over his shoulder as they raced through the rock formations to the other side of the clearing.
As they breached the line of red-trunked trees a shudder raked through her. Her entire life she’d been sheltered. All she’d wanted was to leave her old realm far behind, have some adventures, make some friends and definitely lose her virginity.
And now she wished she was anywhere but here.
Chapter 9
“We’ve got maybe one hour to go and we’ll be there,” Rory said quietly, barely turning around to tell her and Bo as they made their way down a crystal clear, lavender-tinged stream. “We’re making incredible time.”
They’d been traveling for pretty much eight hours straight. With the exception of the half-demons they’d killed and a few ballsy animals who’d thought to attack them along the way, they’d all been relentless in their trek. Ian and Rory had told them it would take nine or ten hours total to reach the exit so they should have an hour of padding at this rate. Still, she wanted to make it to the door with plenty of daylight left. Because in this realm there was only ten hours of light.
The two males hadn’t been kidding about cutting it close. She understood why they’d wanted to leave right at daybreak.
There weren’t any animal sounds in this part of the jungle and the canopy above them was so thick it was almost as if it was nighttime. Without the peeks of sporadic light filtering through the thick trees she’d have wondered if it actually was. Her pants and shoes were soaked from the water, but according to Ian, this was the quickest way to their destination and it helped cover their scents. She knew that he meant hers specifically since she was the one with the apparently alluring smell.
“How are you doing?” Bo asked behind her.
She shot him a quick half-smile. “Good. Ready to be home, take a hot bath.”
Bo’s eyes brightened with raw hunger. “Maybe we can take one together.”
She blinked at the bold statement and even he seemed surprised that he’d said it. After the way he’d been keeping her at arm’s length, both physically and emotionally, his words took her off guard even as they sent a rush of heat to her cheeks—and other places.
Without responding, she turned back around. Because right now she couldn’t answer him. He was definitely the king of mixed signals. She wanted to ask him what the hell he wanted, but talk about inopportune timing. Not only would his brothers overhear them, but she wanted a serious talk.
The stream started to thin, the water getting lower and lower even as the river bed itself grew wider. It was odd, but the scent filling the air was pleasing. It reminded her of fresh blooming jasmine.
As she stepped up onto a bed of flat blue rocks, following directly in Ian’s path, a sharp, haunted cry filled the air. “Stooooop!”
She froze, turned back to Bo, her eyes wide. He frowned, scanning the surrounding tree line. She tracked his gaze, scanned as well but just saw the same thing they’d seen the past hour.
“Come on,” Rory murmured.
She looked at Ian and Rory, both standing impatiently on a formation about a foot higher than the one she was on. “What was that?” Because it had sounded human and female.
“Sometimes the creatures in this area will set traps,” Rory said, disgust on his features. “Play on those stupid enough to have emotions.”
Bo was next to her in an instant, a growl rumbling in his throat.
“I didn’t mean she—you,” he said, looking at Nyx, “are stupid. I just meant what you’re hearing isn’t real.”
“Stop! Help us!” The screams were agonizing now, making the hair on Nyx’s arms stand up.
“Bo, we need to at least check it out.” Because she couldn’t walk away from that gut-wrenching cry. She simply couldn’t.
Rory and Ian stepped back to them,
Similar Books
