Bite Of Winter (Fae's Captive #3)(23)

“For once, I agree with Beth.” He stares down at me, desire writ large across his handsome face.

“I’m serious.” I sigh and roll out from beneath him, then elbow Beth.

Leander collapses face-first into the furs, and I have no doubt he and his feral are having it out inside his skull.

“Changeling, come away from there.” Gareth shoots Beth a scowl as he yanks provisions from one of the packs. “We need a meal.”

“Oh, and I’m the food preparer? Your little changeling slave to boss around?” She stands and practically bounces over to him, always happy to squabble.

Para stares at them as if she believes they might truly come to blows. I suppose it will take a while for her to get used to us.

Leander groans a little.

I pat him on the back. It’s as awkward as it sounds. “Sorry. I just need …” More time? More nerve? Less of an audience?

“I will wait for you, little one.” He turns to look at me. “I will wait as long as necessary.” He leans closer, his lips at my ear. “But I must tell you, the longer it takes, the more desperate I will be for you when I claim you.”

I shiver, and not from the chilly underground air. “I should, um. I should… Gotta go do a thing.” Climbing quickly to my feet, I hurry away.

He groans as I walk over to Para.

“Hi.” I stuff my hands into my dress pockets. “I love it when dresses have pockets, don’t you?”

“What imbecile would make a dress without pockets?” She raises one eyebrow.

“Right?” I cough and relax as the sexual tension eases.

“So, how did you learn how to use that whip?” I point to the leather looped at her hip.

“It’s a tradition for the female Vundi. The whip is the first weapon we’re taught.”

“Do you think you could teach me?”

She finally focuses on my eyes. “You’d want to learn the ways of the Vundi?”

“Sure. I don’t have anything against the Vundi. I mean, other than Vanara trying to kill me and …” My words fade away as I remember her death, the darkness that seemed to devour her.

“It’s not your fault,” she says quietly. “Vanara was beholden to a power beyond her control, and she acted foolishly.”

“The king beyond the mountain?”

She nods.

“Do you know why he wants me or who he is?”

“All I know is that he is a great evil, one that will spread if the winter and summer realms don’t ally to stop him.” Her voice is backed with iron, but also resonates with a sadness I don’t understand.

I put a hand on her arm, her brown skin smooth and warm. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Just ready to get out of the caves.” She pulls the whip free from her hip and hands it to me. “Would you like to learn?”

“Please.” I take it and flail it around a bit. “I am the new Indiana Jones.”

“No.” She grabs my wrist. “You’ll end up without an eye doing it that way.”

“Oh.” Maybe I was a tad premature on that Indiana Jones declaration.

“Here.” She stands behind me and holds my wrist, and we’re suddenly in a romcom montage, but in this one she’s teaching me how to kill a man with a leather rope. “Like this.”

She guides my hand, and we flick out the lasso’s tip and take off a chunk of a mushroom on the cavern wall.

“Okay, that’s fun.”

“Let’s go again.” I can hear the smile in her voice.

Leander looks on from his spot on the furs, pride in his eyes as I learn the basics.

Eventually, Para seems assured I won’t put my eye out and lets me do a few strikes on my own. I manage to smack a mushroom, but don’t do any damage.

“Good work for your first lesson.” She takes the lasso and fastens it to her hip. “You learn fast.”

“Thanks for teaching me.” I have a newfound appreciation for the strength of her forearm. Mine is on fire.

“Get some rest. We’ll get going soon.” She smiles, but I can still sense that sadness in her. Is it because she had to leave Cenet?

“Come, little one,” Leander calls to me and pats the furs. “You’ve done well.”

I return to him and collapse. “I need to start lifting.”

“Lifting?”

“Weights. You know, get pumped.” I try to make a muscle with my bicep.

“I’ve been offering to pump you for weeks.” He darts in and kisses me, his tongue seeking at the seam of my mouth.

I crinkle my lips. “That was a terrible pun.”

He laughs, then rolls to his side and pulls me into his arms. “Rest your weary mind and delectable body.”

“My mind is pretty weary,” I admit and close my eyes.

“I know. I’ve been listening to your churning thoughts for the past few hours.”

The blood leeches from my face. “Oh my god. You can hear my thoughts?”

He laughs low in his throat. “Of course not. But I can feel the pressure of them, of your worries. We agreed I would carry them, so let them go.” He pulls the fur over us. “Now get a little sleep. Beth will wake us when it’s time to eat.”