Page 8 of Hollyhocks

The warmth of hope envelopes me. I’m not too sure what to do with it. Hope is dangerous. I didn’t have any when I was locked away in the facility or even in Purgatory because is living there really living when you’re surrounded by death?

There is only one question I have when it comes to Fitz—will he accept me?

A loud bellow of a laugh slips from me and if it weren’t for the crashing river, I know it would reverberate off the trees.

I don’t fucking care if he doesn’t accept me. I don’t care if he hates me. I don’t care if the man outright rejects me.

I’ll make him love me. He’ll learn to love me in time. He’ll know that I’m meant for him, that I’m the only one who can love, own, and fuck him like his delicious body craves.

The scent of burning wood yanks me from my Fitz daydream which I’m not happy about. I growl under my breath with a slight sneer, turning right to follow the smoke.

I dislike being interrupted while I’m thinking of my mate.

I rear my wings up and then down, slicing them through the air to gain more speed. I’m furious and it is barely contained.

It’s another side effect of the DNA experiments. I’m short-tempered, more possessive, hungrier, and stronger. The longer I’m in my physical form, the more Ifeelthe primal instincts making themselves at home in my molecules.

My humanity is shrinking to be a thing of the past.

And the more I imagine Fitz’s face, the angrier I become because all I want to do is dream of that face. I want to lie on the ground, my wings spread out to their full span, and let the blades of grass tickle the feathers as the sun beams down on my naked body while I imagine Fitz in every position.

A stalk of smoke billows from the middle of the forest, drifting over the treetops to meld into the sky. Narrowing my eyes, I swoop down, landing on the closest branch I can without giving myself away.

My tail wraps around the trunk to keep me steady and I lean forward to get a better view.

It’s a woman.

Now, I’m more annoyed because no other woman is allowed to come between me and Fitz. Not even the dreams of him.Whatever my harpy DNA is telling me, I’m listening, and all I know is that man belongs to me.

The bitch below adds another log to the fire before standing and heading to the dull yellow van. She opens the back doors, revealing a small bed. She must live out of it.

My lips curl as a wicked plan begins to grow.

I jump down from the tree, landing firmly on my feet, and tuck my wings back. I take a step forward, the pine needles crunching under my toes, and the woman spins around.

She gasps, startled when she sees me before she doubles over in a laughing fit.

“Oh my God, you scared the hell out of me,” she says, holding a hand to her chest. “What are you doing out here in cosplay gear? You look amazing, by the way. Are you getting into character? For what? Is this a character you made yourself?”

I take another step forward, out of the shadows the trees create. “Something like that,” I reply, tapping the tips of my talons against each other before I show them to her with a big smile. “You like?” I lift my lips so she can see my fangs.

“You look so realistic. Wow. You must have worked so hard on those wings. May I?” She reaches for them to touch.

I growl, turning away. “No, you may not.”

The audacity.

The only person I want touching me is Fitz.

Quicker than she can blink, I wrap my hand around her throat. My touch alone has her falling limp, a lust-struck light appearing in her eyes.

She’d let me do anything to her if I wanted.

“Do you want me?” I ask her, as I bring my lips close to hers.

Her desire smells like wilderness and rain.

I don’t like it. My hunger for desire disappears now that I have scented her. None of my beasts want this camper, not even the succubus that thrives off the desire of others wants her. Evenwhen the scientists would bring me men and women to feed from, none of my beasts were picky.

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