Page 21 of Untethering Dark

She ducked under his arm and into a glacial gust, immediately missing the pocket of warmth he created. “You’re not going to eat them?”

“No. And nothing will tempt me to.”

“Fine, fine.” She waved a hand, backing away. But she only made it a few steps before raising a finger. “If you’re lying to me...”

Amusement glittered in his eyes as he pushed off the tree. “You’ll what?”

“Frostbite.” She laced her words with ice, letting her gaze drop. “Somewhere mean.”

He chuckled. “Wouldn’t want that.”

“Good.” A few more steps. “How do I know I can trust you?”

The beast tipped his antlered head toward the sky as if searching it for patience. “Witch, if you don’t go, I’ll drag you back there myself.”

“Don’t tempt me with a good time.” She slapped a mitten over her mouth.Why, oh, why did she say that?

Hunger flashed in his eyes. And he dropped to all fours.

They were back to this. Her backing away and him prowling forward.

Her heel slammed into something hard, and she tumbled backward. Snow made a soft fall, but she never hit the ground. Clawed hands enveloped her, one cradling her waist, the other splayed across her back.

“Careful, little witch,” he growled into her ear. “Or I may want a taste.”

Before she could say a word in response, he set her on her feet and disappeared once more into the night.

Chapter Seven

Jingling bells woke Astrid.

Hurtling out of bed, she raced to the front window, yanking aside the curtain. “Fritz? Liesel?”

It had taken every ounce of willpower to go home the night before and leave the fate of her darlings in Altes Geweih’s hands. Were they okay? Would he find them in time? What if he broke his promise? Had she foolishly doomed them?

Worry had clawed at her gut until she passed out in bed from sheer exhaustion.

Astrid rubbed her eyes, bleary and swollen from a lack of sleep, and squinted out into the early morning light.

And there they were, tied to a fence post, happily munching hay.

Mutter Holle sei Dank!

Shoving bare feet into boots and donning a winter coat over her nightdress, Astrid threw open the door. “My darlings!” she cried and dashed across the yard.

Bleating, Fritz did a funny little hop in place, and Liesel wagged her stubby, fuzzy tail, hay sticking out of the corners of her mouth.

Astrid fell to her knees in the snow, not caring about getting soaked, and hugged their warm, furry bodies. Happy tears froze to her cheeks as they fell. Oh, how she’d spoil them rotten today.

The reigning monster of the forest had kept his promise.

He found them and led them here, then tied them to the fence post. Even had the forethought and compassion to lay out hay and roughage for them, which she stored in a shed around back.

Liesel bumped her with a gentle head butt. “Sweet girl, did he take good care of you?” Astrid scratched the goat behind her ears, and tears stung her eyes anew.

Not only did he track her loves through a blizzard, and brought them back, he made sure they were comfortable and well-fed. Was this kindness always in him? She just assumed he was this hungry thing in the dark to fear and appease.

Two encounters in one night. Both times he let her live.

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