Black Moon Draw(19)

His features are as chiseled as the abs brushing my knee, heavy and masculine, every part of him hard and planed. He was created to be the ultimate warrior from the intelligent gleam in his multi-hued eyes to the way he manages to balance himself on the balls of his feet, ten yards off the ground. Not handsome in the Calvin Klein sense, he’s striking, powerful, commanding, and capable of arresting people with a single look.

I really wish I didn’t know Disney Princess existed.

I like my space and he’s all up in it, but something about him makes me not mind. Maybe it’s the brownies or the fact I’ve never seen a man this good looking and sexy – and probably never will again. Awkward around men, I can’t help wanting to be different this time around. What do I have to lose?

The silence between us kills me. It’s tense enough that my face grows hot. His direct, commanding gaze makes me claustrophobic again. If I don’t break the silence, I’m going to start babbling nervously.

“I like your head,” I say, and then kick myself mentally. “I mean, you have a real head.”

His eyes narrow, as if he thinks I’m messing with him. “They enhance our senses in battle.”

“Oh.” I clear my throat, my face so hot, it feels like it’s going to explode. I want to fidget.

And then I recall something that manages to crush most of my embarrassment and the attraction that’s making me want to slip him my phone number. “You chopped off my hand! What were you thinking?”

“You are a battle-witch.” He says it slowly, clearly. “You belong to me.”

The ferocity of those four words makes my insides light on fire. Who doesn’t want to be owned by a man like this?

You can have me. Shaking my head, I regain control of myself. “You can’t go around chopping off people’s hands. Where I come from, it’s not tolerated.”

“It grew back.”

“I don’t care! It’s a horrible thing to do!”

His eyes flash gray. I have a feeling he’s not used to people telling him what to do. I can’t have him chopping off body parts at random to prove points, though.

“Very well. I’ll spare you further dismemberment,” he says finally with some reluctance.

“Thank you.” My heart is hopping around in my chest. I can hardly move without touching him. I’m not sure if I want to or if I should push him out of the tree.

“You’ve never been to battle,” he observes.

“Of course not.”

“You’ve never seen men die.”

I say nothing, averting my gaze. I’ve been purposely not thinking about what I saw in the field. I can’t process being in a different world – and people dying. I don’t think he’ll respect someone who views battle the way I do, as something truly terrible. I can’t witness people losing arms, legs, and heads. I’ve got a squishy heart. I fall in love too fast and never recover when it’s over.

“No, I haven’t,” I reply quietly.

“Know this, witch. I protect all that is mine with my life. In return, I require only three things from you: the truth, your loyalty, and absolute obedience. You need not fear death so long as you accept these three laws.”

His conviction makes me want to agree to anything he says. I’ve never been that resolute about anything in my life.

It also scares me. Absolute obedience. I’m afraid to know what all that entails. I’ve never trusted anyone with all of me – especially not my mind. Not even Jason.

“Do you understand?” he prods. “Do not think to wile me with your beauty, witch. The laws of Black Moon Draw apply to you as well.”

Beauty. I’ve never heard that one before. Blushing, I manage a nod.

“Good. We will discuss it further.” Without warning, he wraps one arm around me and pries me away from the trunk. “You must learn quickly how to be a battle-witch.”

“Stop!” I shout, flailing. Panic flares back to life as he holds me against his body in mid-air. “You’re going to drop me!”

“Be still, witch, or I will.” The sharp words terrify me.

I close my eyes and clutch his arm, but stop moving.

“Good. Every man in my armies trusts me to protect them. ‘Tis why they obey blindly, without thought, question, or doubt. Their lives are mine. Your life is mine. Do you understand?”

“Y . . . yes.”

“You will do the same. Besides, you are a battle-witch. If I drop you, you will heal.” This time, there’s amusement in his tone. Do they throw women out of trees for fun here? Because I’m not understanding why this is funny.

He flings me away from him.

“No, no –” My chant ends in a scream.

I’m falling, praying, crying . . . plunging to my death or to an even worse fate – having every bone in my body broken when I hit the ground.

I land on something much softer than the earth.

The men of Black Moon Draw are laughing. They’ve caught me in a blanket held among them and lower it to the ground. I close my eyes, resting my head back. I swear I almost had a heart attack.

“Tree-witch!” one says and then laughs. “Were there such a thing!”

Maybe if I just lie here, they’ll think I’m dead and leave me.