Page 28 of The Botanist and the Beast

Chapter Eighteen

On quick feet, Theo raced across the castle grounds. He found a path that led towards the mountainous landscape behind the castle. He weaved through a dead orchard and past brittle hedges.

Finally, he found a patch of dry bushes tall enough for him to squat and hide in. He snapped off the brittle branches and used them to form a circle on the white snow. Using the lantern, he lit the last branch and ignited the circle around him. He finished just as the wind picked up, hinting at the fog's imminent arrival.

"I have to do this." He turned toward the mountains and waited for the fog to toss him back into the human world. Guilt settled in his chest as he thought of Sebastian realizing he left.It has to be this way."Come on, come on," he mumbled to himself. The distant rumble steadily grew into a roar. "Just a little longer and -ah!"

All at once a force slammed into him. With a grunt, he hit the ground chest first. He looked over his shoulder and to his shock, the prince sat on the back of his thighs half shifted. His antlers were long, reaching towards the turbulent clouds above, the claws on his hands pressed into Theo's back, and he had wrinkles on his spotted face Theo had previously only seen on animals. The lantern rolled away and flickered in the snow.

Theo tried to get up, but the prince's grip on the back of his neck kept him firmly on the ground.

"Stay," he hissed.

"I'm sorry, alright?" Theo shuddered hearing the growl in his voice. "Just let me up."

"Don't tell me what to do in my kingdom," he snapped. "You're waiting for the fog to come, right? Let's wait together."

The prince’s breath hit Theo's ear, and a salacious gasp left his lips. His reaction made his face grow hot. He prayed the prince wouldn't notice but a smug laugh let him know his hopes were dashed.

"Do you like the idea of being hunted?"

A loud rip rang out and Theo flinched. The prince tore the shoulder of his cloak and blouse open like they were both paper thin. Frigid air bit his skin but the shock of cold was short-lived. Next thing Theo knew, something hot, and damp traced his shoulder.He's licking me?

The prince's movements were slow, as if he was savoring the taste. He made his way to the crook of Theo's neck and his fangs lightly poked his delicate skin.

An involuntary strangled cry blended with a moan spilled out of Theo's mouth. Instantly, he felt himself getting hard there in the snow. "Prince Sebastian, wait," he rasped as mortification swallowed him whole.

"How curious," he said, ignoring his plea. "Prey will often try to appease a predator when cornered. Is this the human version of appeasement?" He dragged his claws down Theo's back, tearing more holes in his clothes just as effortlessly as before. The winter air seeped in through the jagged slits. "Don't worry. I'll keep you warm."

"What are you talking about?" Theo went rigid as he got his answer. The prince stuck his hand through the tears and caressed his skin.

His gentle touch was searing hot and Theo melted under it. His attempts to twist away halted. Instead, his eyes fluttered closed no matter how hard he fought to keep them open. Hearched slightly on the ground and his shaky breaths fogged out in front of him. It was like he was meant to be touched by the prince and just hadn't known it yet. He didn't want him to stop. He didn't know if it was the lack of physical affection since he'd been in the veil, the prince's skilled hands, some type of enchantment, or true appeasement in the face of a hungry beast. All he knew was right now it was like his mind was possessed by desire. "What are you doing to me?"

"I should be asking you that," the prince said but this time instead of a growl it was more of a purr. He nuzzled into Theo's upper back and rocked his hips forward.

Theo felt the prince's undeniable erection against him and he gasped in shock. A small part of him wanted to run but more so he wanted the prince to go further. To tear his clothes off and take him there in the frost. “Sebastain?” he said softly trying to find a way to ask exactly what the prince wanted from him.

"Ever since you arrived things don't make sense,” he said in a quiet voice clearly not meant for Theo.

Teeth lightly grazed Theo's shoulder and it shook him from his lust. "Sebastian, please," he said with a trembling voice. "You're scaring me.”

This was enough to stir the prince's nymph side. He pulled his teeth away. "You're not playing fair," he said with a scowl. He released Theo's neck and gripped his face, lifting him up so their eyes met.

Theo swallowed, seeing what he could only describe as pure hunger in his gaze. He was sure the prince was about to take a bite right out if his cheek but instead the prince forced him to look toward the fog rolling over the mountains.

"Watch," he demanded.

"You have to let me go.” Theo tried to twist away. “At least put out the flames. If you come with me, you'll turn to stone."

The prince ignored him. Fog, ice, and dust rushed over them with a deafening howl. All Theo could do was shield his face best he could and wait. The gale force winds snuffed out the flames as they washed over the two of them. Had the prince not pinned him down under his stone body, Theo was sure he would have been sucked away with the debris. Then as quickly as it came it went racing across the kingdom towards the woods. Theo was left behind on the castle grounds.

Sebastian finally got off him. He strolled over to the flickering lantern, picking it up.

No. No, no. I'm still here?Theo coughed up dust and pathetically crawled after the fog as he watched it grow farther away.

"As a human I don't expect you to understand the veil's magic," Sebastian said coldly. "But I do expect you to know I am not a fool. I wouldn't leave you with a lantern if fire could actually help you escape."

He blew the flame out with an angry puff. "The magic in the veil’s wilds lets you cross in and out of worlds. Only in the veil’s wilds. Once a portion of the veil is colonized and inhabited, the land no longer has enough magic to allow the worlds to touch. That's why no one ever accidentally gets sucked into the veil and lands in a kingdom or village. They fall into the wilds without fail. It’s also why we don’t go accidently stumbling into the human world. You should have just asked us how it works. It would have saved you time and effort."

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