Page 71 of Rebirth

“You are in danger,” he finally says.

“Danger?” Any humor that had been starting to seed in my gut is killed as I glance behind me, eyes scanning through the gaps in the shelter as my heart lurches against my ribs.

“From me.”

His words make me freeze and turn to stare at him.

Moments pass as his gaze remains locked with mine, the silence between us only punctuated by the constant hum of the rain.

“What are you talking about?” I finally whisper.

His body tenses and I half expect him to get up and walk away. But he remains still. “I must keep my distance.”

The meaning behind his words slowly dawns on me and I glance down at myself. He’s saying he’ll hurt me? But…

My brows furrow as I meet his gaze once more.

It doesn’t make sense.

All this time, he’s been warning me he’ll harm me, that he’s my enemy, basically telling me he’s not to be trusted, and yet, not once has he harmed me. Instead, he’s protected me. He fought to keep me alive. If it wasn’t for him…

“He’rox,” I whisper, unable to find words to explain to him I’m not scared of him. Not anymore. Not like I was the first time I met him and followed him into the bushes. Fuck, that feels like so long ago now. But even then, something beyond my fear had pushed me to trail behind him without protection.

And now, here we are.

“I’m not afraid of you,” I finally say.

He’rox’s ears flick off the sides of his head, pointing outward like an elf’s and completely contrasting with his expressionless face.

“I’m not afraid of you,” I say it again, this time with more surety, as if just realizing the fact myself.

“You should be,” he says, head tilting slightly as he gazes at me. “Why are you not afraid?”

For the first time since exiting the shelter, he moves forward a little, peering at me through the entrance as if I am some strange thing. Lifting a claw, he doesn’t take his eyes off me and I watch as his claws extend to sharp points that I have no doubt could rend me if he wanted to. I’ve seen him do it.

“Why do I not scare you?” The low timbre of his voice makes a delightful shiver go through me that I’m not able to hide. Even then, he tilts his head the other way as he notices.

“I…I don’t know.” Stupid answer to a good question. One I wish I had better words for. But there are none. “I trust you.”

He’rox’s ears flatten against his head suddenly as he backs away once more.

“Come inside,” I whisper.

He’s not getting wet. The water seems to roll off his skin almost as if he’s hydrophobic. So why am I inviting him in?

“Your blood,” he says. “Your scent.”

My brows furrow again, trying to understand what he’s trying to say.

“Your skin…” His gaze skirts down my body and I try not to squirm. “You.”

Swallowing the lump that’s risen in my throat, I dare to ask, “What about me?”

He turns away from me then, eyes focused far beyond into the forest and silence descends between us once more.

“This…sensation,” he suddenly says. “I have never felt it before. I do not know what will happen if I allow it to grow.” He turns his gaze back to me and I’m arrested by the intensity of it. “I want you, Sophie. All of you. Every inch. Every drop. And I fear it will destroy you.”

“What feeling?” I ask, though my heart’s now thumping against my chest so hard, excitement and anticipation flooding through my veins, that I fear I already know the answer. I can hardly breathe as I wait for He’rox to respond.

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