Page 48 of The Hunter

“Quiet you.” Lacey tried to turn toward Telok, but he planted a hand on her shoulder to keep her facing forward.

Opening her bag, he plucked out her waterskin from within. By the feel of the liquid inside, she hadn’t had much, if anything, to drink thus far. He grumbled, “Vi’jatai…”

“I’m not a thorn,” she muttered, crossing her arms with her spear sticking out to either side.

“You are pretty prickly,” Cole said.

“Shut up.”

“See!”

Telok clacked his mandible fangs at the man and hissed.

Cole eased back and held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay! Only you get to call her that.”

Narrowing his eyes, Telok stared at Cole. With his arms bent, the human’s muscles were bunched up again, though they were not as prominent as when he’d preened before. Perhaps Cole was strong for a human, but he could not compare to a vrix. Could not compare to Telok.

If Lacey had been impressed by Cole’s strength…

Telok passed his spear into his lower left hand, stepped in front of Lacey, and turned toward her. With the waterskin in hand, he curled his upper right arm, flexing its muscles.

She leaned back slightly, arching a brow. “Um, Telok?”

Bending his left arm and tensing those muscles as well, he reached for the stopper, plucking it free. He swelled his chest with a deep breath as he held the waterskin to her.

Lacey stared at his arms before briefly flicking her gaze up to his. “Are you… Ah, I get it.” Lips slowly curling into a grin, she accepted the waterskin and brought it to her mouth.

As she drank, her eyes held his, and Telok recognized the small but unmistakable glint of mischief in them.

She lowered the waterskin. Her tongue slipped out to lick her lips, drawing Telok’s focus to her mouth. That soft, yielding, expressive flesh should’ve been strange to him, but he’d come to find it tantalizing. He dared not imagine all the things those lips, that tongue, might do. The way they would feel.

Cole cleared his throat. “Starting to feel like you two are having a moment right now.”

Lacey tossed her waterskin and spear to Cole, who flinched, catching them by reflex.

Water splashed Cole’s chest and face. He scrunched his nose. “Thanks…”

Telok couldn’t help but take satisfaction in the human’s displeasure.

Lacey touched Telok’s shoulder, snapping his attention back to her. She’d moved closer, so much closer that he could feel the brush of her breath on his hide.

“Telok, I never realized how big your muscles are.” Her smile changed in a way he’d never seen from her before, becoming sultry, teasing, entrancing. She fluttered her lashes. “Can I see them again?”

With his eyes again transfixed on her mouth and blistering heat roiling within him, Telok raised his upper arms, bent them, and flexed.

She ran her hand down his shoulder, stroking her fingers over his bulging arm muscle. “You’re so strong…”

A shiver stole through him, and his stem pressed against the inside of his slit, contained only by the constriction of his claspers. In spite of himself, a soft trill escaped him, and his mandibles rose.

Lacey eased closer, smoothing her soft palm over his hide. Before he could anticipate her intent, she leapt and wrapped her arms around his, unexpectedly bringing all her weight down upon it.

Telok’s eyes widened as he pitched toward her. He tensed, straightening his body and lifting his arm higher so Lacey wouldn’t fall to the ground or crash into him.

She kicked her legs forward and back, swinging on his arm. “Weeee!”

Telok blinked. She was as carefree and joyful as a broodling swinging from a branch.

Shaking his head, Cole ran palm over his face. “Lace, you’re ridiculous.” He bent down, setting her spear on the ground and propping her waterskin next to it. “I’m gonna leave you guys to, uh…whatever this is.”