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“Done? Just like that?” I asked, the beginning of annoyance beginning to bubble up. Was he placating me?
His lips crashed into mine before I could argue more. Stunned, I felt my hand ball into a fist ready to punch him for taking such liberties until I realized that Einri was kissing me.
Ravenous hunger gripped me, and I pulled him closer letting his lips devour me while his hands roamed my body. I pulled his hair trying to get closer and it elicited a growl from his chest that set a fire in my belly that quickly burned through any reservation I managed to think up.
A ripping sound startled me until Einri lifted me into his arms and I was able to wrap my legs around his waist without my skirts restricting my movements. My back hit tree bark,then he was there pressing into me, his heat and hardness driving me mad while also keeping me grounded.
I moaned when his tongue caressed mine and his pelvis pushed against the juncture of my legs exactly where I wanted it. Where I needed it.
“Einri.” I gasped for air as his mouth moved to my jaw and throat. My chest panting with every inhale and exhale.
I tugged at his shirt, needing to feel his skin under my hands. He tore his shirt open so my hands could rove his chest. His skin was hot and nearly feverish. I wanted to tear every thread between us away.
“Arrow.” He groaned my name as his lips reached my throat, unable to go further because of the high collar of my dress.
A sharp yip followed by a barked growl got our attention. I was on my feet in a blink with Einri standing protectively in front of me.
“What is it?” I asked him breathless.
“Your wolf.” He muttered and sounded annoyed. “I smell smoke coming from camp.”
Another insistent bark followed, and it sent a chill down my spine.
We need to get back.
My mind was a swirling maelstrom of emotions, but I didn’t have time to sort through them right now. Einri and I followed Ruby back to camp, intent on finding the source of the smoke. It didn’t take long to discover what we feared was true.
The camp itself was on fire.
“What in the name of Nidar…” Einri trailed off, taking in the chaos before him for a moment before we both sprang into action.
Along with the flames, our people were fighting a pack of wolves. A very determined pack of wolves. The wolves seemed to be making a coordinated attack, aiming to corral the people away from the burning camp and into the woods.
With a muffled curse, I angled to the left, Einri going to the right.
“Brex, down!” I screamed as I ran, pulling my bow from my back and letting an arrow fly. Thankfully she heeded my call, and I breathed a prayer of thankfulness. I lost another arrow into a leaping wolf. “Where’s Will?” I frantically asked her, shooting another.
“There!” She pointed towards the middle of the skirmish.
Of course, he would be in the middle of things. I barely resisted an eye roll. Brex joined beside me with a small knife she gathered from somewhere as we waded through the throng to join up with Will. My eyes found Einri across the mass of bodies, as he fought his way towards us.
“You and Einri took your sweet time.” Will snarked.
“We mistakenly believed you could take care of yourself.” I returned with a grin.
I glanced around, arrow nocked and ready, but it seemed the wolves were avoiding our little circle. What the…?
A quick glance showed Ruby behind me, snarling and keeping the wolves at bay. I was mildly amazed at how ferocious she looked.
“We need to put out the fire!” Brex cried. “The Greenwood has nowhere else to go, and they’re getting pushed farther away!”
I coughed. “You’re right. Let’s get blankets and water.” I shot at another wolf cornering a young child, but I was running low on arrows. “And any arrows you see!” I motioned our goal to Einri with my eyes, hoping he understood. Though truthfully, this was what we were best at. Fighting.
With Ruby keeping most of the wolves off of us, I glanced around for the rest of the people I cared about, seeing them in various small groups, protecting those who weren’t fighters. Satisfied that I couldn’t do anything more to help them, I protected Brex and Will’s back as they beat back the flames threatening to destroy what little we had left.
Zing!
I let my last arrow fly into the body of a wolf sneaking up on Tuck and received a nod of thanks. I returned it, then began looking for arrow replacements. We hadn't found many usable ones on the way to our current position.
