Page 51 of Heart of the Hunted
CHAPTER TWENTY
Taredd
Relaxing against a tree Taredd watched Natalia, waiting for her to fall asleep. When her breathing evened out, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
His kind didn’t need as much sleep as hers did, but he still enjoyed closing his eyes and listening to the sounds around him. What he hadn’t expected, was to hear the sound of snapping twigs a short while later.
Taredd opened his eyes in time to see Natalia sneaking off.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, making her jump.
“Urm…I’m…urm…just going to the toilet,” she stuttered.
“Over there will do,” he said, pointing to a bush.
Natalia raised her eyebrows but didn’t complain as she shuffled over to the bush.
He knew it wasn’t what she originally had planned, he wasn’t that stupid. She was trying to escape while he was asleep, at least, that’s what she thought she was going to be doing.
Her shoulders were slumped when she walked back from the bush.
“Night,” she said, laying back down in the same place as before.
Not trusting her to try sneaking off again, Taredd spent the rest of the night watching as she slept fitfully on the hard ground. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything he could do about their sleeping arrangements tonight, but after watching her toss and turn he was going to make sure they had a proper bed tomorrow.
As much as he kept telling himself to put some distance between them physically, so that he could clear his head, he just couldn't bring himself to actually leave her. He could watch her to his hearts content and she wouldn't have a clue, not that he was content at all, far from it, in fact.
Taredd just couldn't seem to get enough of her. Her hair had a golden-brown appearance in the firelight. Her rosy lips and long thick black lashes stood out against her pale face.
Even though she tried to hide her body under tatty old clothes that were in serious need of washing, he could see her ample breasts and perfect curves. She was perfect in every way but one. She was Human, and he had to remember that.
As much as he wanted to wrap himself around her and hold her tight against his body, he couldn't. How could he when he had killed so many of her kind? How could he expect her to want anything from him, especially his touch, when he was holding her captive? He couldn't. It was in both their best interests if he kept a tight hold of himself.
Whatever spell she had him wrapped up in, was digging its claws in deeper and deeper. He was worried if he spent too much more time around her, that whatever was wrong with him would be irreversible. But even knowing that, he still couldn't bring himself to leave her alone, just in case anything bad might happen. At least, that's what he kept telling himself anyway.
By the time he was finally ready to tear himself away from her, the sun had just started to rise. So much for pulling himself together while she slept. If anything, his feelings towards her had grown overnight, rather than diminish. He wasn't even sure if he was going to be able to leave her when they finally caught up with Arun and Dain, but it was looking less and less likely as time passed by.
He waited for the sun to fully rise before waking her, he didn't think she would appreciate being woken while it was still dark. He knew a Humans eyes weren't as good as his, so he knew Natalia would prefer to travel when she could see where she was going.
Gently nudging her, he said: "Natalia, Natalia, it's time to wake up."
"Five more minutes," she groaned, rolling away from him.
"Okay, but then you have to get up," he told her.
Groaning some more, Natalia said: "Fuck sake."
"What's the matter?" he asked her.
"Apart from being woken up by a Demon?" she asked.
"I wasn't sure if you remembered it was me or not with the way you asked for five more minutes," he admitted. "But I'm assuming I'm not the issue here. So, is there something else bothering you?"
"Oh, I didn't forget I was with you. I tried to... but I didn't forget,” she said grumpily. "And yes, something else is bothering me."
"What is it? Can I help?" he asked.
"Not unless you have a soft mattress hidden somewhere," she said sarcastically. "Because these fucking sticks and stones have been digging into me all night."
