Page 41 of Heart of the Hunted
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Taredd
Taredd didn't have a clue why he promised Natalia that she wasn't going to die, ultimately all Humans did, it was just a fact of life. As much as he didn't understand his reasons, he couldn't deny the fact that she was entertaining. He didn't know if all Humans were this entertaining, because he'd never spoken to one before. Let alone bantered with one like he was with her.
To be honest, it was a welcome relief to know that she wasn't some blubbering idiot that was going to cry their eyes out the whole time. He quite enjoyed her sass, and for a Human, she was extremely attractive. So, he was finding it really easy to keep his promise to her.
Taredd didn't think it would be the same way with any of the other Humans, but then again, he could be wrong. Especially since he had been so completely wrong about this one.
For starters, he hadn't thought she would have put up such a fight when he had her pinned face down on the floor. But she wasn't giving up without a fight, even though she must have known she didn't stand a chance of overpowering him. Yet, she still tried to break free. He couldn't' help but admire her for that.
Not many Humans would have done the same thing, and definitely not any of the females that he'd come across. Most of them seemed to accept their fate willingly, but not Natalia. No, if given the chance, he could imagine her fighting tooth and nail to stay alive, and he couldn't blame her. Taredd wouldn't go quietly either.
"So, how far do you think we have to go?" she asked as she headed towards the ladder.
"I'm not sure."
"You're not even going to guess?" she asked.
He could, but there was no point. Arun and Dain could be absolutely anywhere by now, and since he didn't think she would like that answer, he said: "No."
"Why not?" she persisted.
"Because it doesn't matter where they are,” he told her. “It'll take as long as it takes."
Stopping at the bottom of the ladder, she turned to him and asked: "How long has it been since you saw them last?"
"A couple of days."
"Is that it?" she asked.
"Yes, that's it," he said. Then, stopping her as she reached for the ladder, he told her: "I'll go first."
"Why? Don't you trust me?" she asked.
"No, I don't," he told her honestly.
"But I already told you I wouldn't run off."
Yeah, right,he thought before he said aloud:"That doesn't mean you won't try though."
"So, you expect me to trust your word that you won't kill me, yet you’re not willing to trust that I won't run off? That seems a bit unfair, don't you think?" she said.
"It doesn't matter if it's fair or not,” he said. “That's the way it is."
"Fine!" she snapped, stepping out of the way. Holding her hand out towards the ladder, she added: "By all means, go first."
"Thank you," Taredd said as he took the lead.
"So, what are you going to do with me when you need to sleep?" she asked as she followed him. "Are you going to tie me to a tree or something?"
Taredd couldn't deny the thought had crossed his mind. "No, I don't need much sleep, so that will not be a problem."
"What about when I sleep?" she asked.
"I'm sure I can keep an eye on you while you're asleep," he said confidently.
"So, you're not going to sleep at the same time as me then?"
