Page 139 of The Hunter

“Same,” Sophia said from her spot between Lacey and Cole.

Shir chittered. “You’ve all done well, and you deserve full bellies.”

Cole snickered. “Oh, I’m gonna fill it.”

Lacey opened her eyes with a chuckle and leaned forward to peer at him past Sophia. “You do know how to pack away the food.”

He grinned and patted his bare stomach. “Yep. Been working up quite an appetite.”

Smiling, Lacey shook her head and took another bite. The voices of the vrix around them joined with the gentle music being played to create a warm ambience.

It’d been another long, sweaty day of trekking through the jungle, and though she was exhausted, she could feel herself growing stronger. Every day they were out there, she could push a little farther, a little faster. Every day, she learned that what she’d thought of as her limits were just obstacles to overcome. And as much as she adored life in Kaldarak, she’d needed this. Needed the challenge, the joy of discovery and learning, to help her grow in ways that comfort and routine would never allow.

A cool breeze blew over her, and she tipped her face up toward it. It felt wonderful after today’s heat. These were some of her favorite times—sharing a meal and talking with friends after a hard day.

But there was someone missing.

Lacey glanced around the platform, and her eyebrows fell. There was no sign of Telok. Over the days since they’d mated, he’d opened up a little more to the winddancers and had taken to sitting with her during meals instead of standing on the outskirts of the gatherings. Perhaps finally claiming Lacey and putting his mark on her had settled some instinctual, possessive drive inside him, making him more relaxed while they were in the village.

Well…as relaxed as Telok could be.

Though he didn’t often join in on conversations, he’d allowed himself to be part of the community rather than separating himself from it, and seeing that warmed her heart.

But where was he now?

Earlier, as they’d left their den to join everyone for the evening meal, he’d told her to go ahead without him, that he had something to attend to and would join her shortly. But that had been a while ago…

“Damn,” Cole said with a chuckle. “Ayali’s living it up, isn’t she?”

Lacey followed Cole’s gaze to the huge brown thornskull and the two winddancers with her. Ess was standing before her, feeding her bites of meat while Zesh braided her long black hair. She had a pair of spears across her bent forelegs, much too small for her own use, which she was rebinding with fresh, gleaming silk thread.

She’s using her own silk for her mates’ spears.

Sophia sighed dreamily. “Oh, to be worshipped like that…”

Cole whipped his head toward her. “I’m literally cooking for you right now.”

“Are you going to feed me too?”

“Baby, I’ll do whatever you ask me to do.”

The woman leaned toward him and fluttered her lashes with a sweet smile. “Anything?”

He lowered his voice to a gravelly rumble as he caught her chin and stroked her bottom lip. “Anything.”

“Even…” Sophia placed a hand on his chest and whispered into his ear.

Cole’s eyes rounded, and his face reddened. Both the roundness of his eyes and the redness of his face increased as Sophia continued talking.

“Holy shit,” he rasped when she pulled back, a goofy smile slowly stretching across his lips. “Hey, uh, Shir… Can we have some silk rope?”

Shir chittered. “Are you planning to bind and conquer your mate?”

Sophia grinned. “He’ll have to catch me first.”

Cole caught the back of her neck and dragged her closer until their mouths were only a breath apart. “There’s no outrunning me, mate. You’re already mine.”

He slanted his mouth over hers, and Sophia moaned, wrapping her arms around him as she returned the kiss.