Page 12 of Red Fire

Creed

These conversations, some of them with my fists, with an endless stream of males are growing tiresome. One thing is for sure: we can’t stay here for too much longer. They’re growing more and more suspicious. My dominance has kept them away thus far, but it won’t last long. Eventually, they will raid my cabin and find the human. With the thought of the soft female in their heads, they’ll lose themselves more and more to their dragons and their instincts. It’s only a matter of time.

I had hoped to stay put until their interest died down, but that isn’t going to happen. I would shift and fly her to the city, but as soon as I am airborne, every dragon will be after me in an instant. They’ll take us down, possibly killing the human in the process. I can’t risk it. I have to stay in my human form. What I can’t seem to make my mind up on, is whether or not to tell Octavia about what we are. On the one hand, it is important that she knows; on the other, I need her to trust me. To follow me and to listen to me without question. She might not do that if I show her. She might just run and scream, and then we’re done for.

No.

I won’t tell her.

Not just yet.

Soon.

I finally go inside. It’s been quiet for over an hour. I think I can risk it. Octavia is sitting right where I told her to. Her eyes dart to me as I enter the cabin. She looks terrified.

Good!

She was altogether too calm earlier. Although I want her calm, I also want her on her toes, which isn’t going to happen if she doesn’t believe me about the severity of the situation.

The human gasps when she sees me. “You’re bleeding,” she whispers.

I pull on the jeans, noting that she looks away. She’d better get used to nudity real quick since there is going to be a lot of it.

I touch my mouth, feeling crusted blood. I know that there is a gash on my temple. It’s already healing. “It’s nothing,” I mutter. “Scratches.” I shrug. I look down at the spatter of blood on my chest. “This isn’t mine. Are you hungry?”

She nods. “I could eat.”

“You can sit over there.” I gesture to a chair. “Nothing has changed, I need you to be quiet and not to move around.”

She nods, looking pale and exhausted, if the black smudges under her eyes are anything to go by. Octavia does as I tell her. I grab a water-filled deerskin off the wall and hand it to her. “I’m sure you’re thirsty.”

She takes the skin, giving me a timid smile. “Thanks.” Then she opens it, putting her mouth over the opening as she drinks, her eyes fluttering closed as her throat works.

Octavia moans softly, and my dick takes note, which irritates the fuck out of me. This is no time for feeling horny. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t been around a female in years, let alone had sex with one. My only concern should be getting the human to the city, where she will be safe. That’s it!

I divert my attention, grabbing a few logs and starting a fire. Then I grab my knife and head back outside. I cut a chunk of rump off of the deer I hung there earlier. It’ll make for good roasting over the fire.

“We’re going to eat, and then I want you to get some sleep. We’re leaving well before sunrise,” I tell her as I return inside.

“So soon?” she asks. “I mean, I want to get back home, but I’m scared. I’m not sure how we’re going to get to the other side of the island without anyone seeing us.”

Now, she’s catching on. I put the meat inside a skillet and then start to wash myself off in a basin with some water I get from a large container in the corner of my makeshift kitchen. I may not have running water and sanitation, but I refuse to live like an animal.

“Those men are…they’re…” She shrugs. “I can’t put my finger on it. Every instinct is telling me to hide, to stay hidden. They scare me.” She gives a visible shiver.

Her instincts are spot on, which is a good thing. “I get that. I do. But we really can’t stay. That guy who had you before I came along…”

She nods.

“I didn’t think I’d ever seen him before, but he knows who I am because he has named me as the person who took you from him. He suffered a head injury, and, for now, the others are buying that he might have been confused, but my excuse won’t fly for too much longer. They will come for you soon.”

“So, we’ll eat, and then we’ll leave under the cover of darkness?” she says. “If we’re very quiet, we should make it past all of them?” She lifts her brows; her eyes are pleading with me to give her some hope of escape.

I can’t!

I’m pretty sure they’ve set up patrols around the area, looking for any sign of the female. Some of the less feral males will work together in groups until they find her. Once that happens, all hell will break loose. I can’t let it happen. I don’t even want to think about a feral male finding the human. I don’t think she’ll live long.

Octavia narrows her eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

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