Page 49 of The Demon of the Wood

He looked at her, letting her words sink in. With Enid here, they were safer. “I…” He ran his hand over his face. “I don’t think she will take me back, Enid. She’s been avoiding me.”

Enid smiled. “I promise, she loves you and will take you the moment you ask her to.”

Kaemon mulled it over. Maybe he was being too cautious. Maybe he was still pushing people away and he should let them in. It was difficult, but for Melina, he would try.

twenty-six

Melina

Enidwasnosy.Melinaloved that about her, though. The female entered the tavern late the night she had gone hunting with Kaemon, walking in with a pack of smoked meat. Aife and Melina sat in a booth, a lantern keeping light as they went over the books for the tavern.

The first thing Enid said was, “Kaemon is still in love with you, and he regrets how bad he handled it with you.”

Melina’s jaw dropped, and Aife adjusted her spectacles to look in surprise at Enid.

“Did he tell you to tell me that?” Melina asked, trying to suppress the hope that buzzed about her at the thought.

Enid shook her head. “Nope. But we had a long talk, and he regrets it. I think he will be here in a couple of days to sell the pelts and talk to you, Melina.”

But Melina didn’t want to wait a few days. The next morning, she saddled up Apple, grabbing a pack of food and a pair of trousers she’d been making for Kaemon before their discussion. She’d already completed them and told herself many times to sell them, but she couldn’t do it. Kaemon should have them, but she hadn’t had the courage to give it to him since their talk. She hadn’t had the courage to look at him, either. She used every ounce of valor she had saved up to ask him to take her back, and that had ended terribly.

She found her mettle again at Enid’s words. Enid wouldn’t lie or exaggerate something like that. And Melina had finally had her first period. She knew Kaemon would swear up and down that her fertility was not an issue, but the old conditioning from growing up where she did was not let go so easily. A woman’s worth was often in how well she could give children to a man. And that gave her a bit more confidence to approach him.

She rode through the forest, fast on Apple’s back. It took an hour there, the spring air only a small chill on her back. She broke through the clearing, seeing smoke rising from the chimney, and hitched Apple to a nearby tree, removing the leather riding gloves and sticking them in her satchel. She knocked on the door, but no one answered. Panic seized her. Perhaps he had seen her and was pretending he wasn’t home. Maybe Enid had been wrong.

All the bravery left her in a rush, and she turned to walk back to Apple, when Kaemon appeared from the woods, a load of lumber in his arms. His eyes were wide and suddenly, he dropped the wood, taking a step back. He stumbled over his feet, his wing slamming into the tree behind him, his nostrils flaring as he slumped against the trunk.

Well, that wasn’t the reaction she’d expected. She stood there, twisting her hands together.

“You need to leave,” he said gruffly.

She flexed her hand, frowning, and strode toward him. She knew Enid hadn’t lied to her, so at the very least she would hold him accountable for what he said. He held his hands up, shaking his head, but she took them in hers and walked close to him.

“Why should I leave? Enid said you regretted how you handled things with me last time and I—”

Kaemon pulled her against him, his lips slamming into hers hungrily. She melted against him, clinging to his chest. He pulled back, panting, a wildness in his expression. “You should leave, Melina. Or I should.” He closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Why? No, don’t leave me,” she begged.

His hand cradled her head to look up at him and his other cupped her rear, pulling her hips against his. She felt his arousal and heat filled her body. “You don’t understand what you’re asking, Melina.”

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.

He groaned. “Melina, I can tell you’re fertile. The mating bond… I’m struggling to control myself right now.”

“Let me stay,” she insisted.

“If you don’t leave now, I won’t let you leave for the next week, Melina.”

Her head spun from his words and proximity. “Please,pleasedon’t make me leave you.”

“Fuck,” he spat the words with a groan, then his head dipped to her throat, licking the column of it.

She let out a long, deep moan that made his hands on her waist tighten almost painfully.

“I’ve dreamt of this for so long, Melina,” he groaned, his lips taking hers, kissing them passionately, his tongue slipping in to lick the roof of her mouth.

Her pulse quickened. Gods, oh gods, this was happening. All those fantasies and dreams she’d had were coming true. She pulled back, to make sure this wasn’t just another one, to make sure she wouldn’t wake up in his arms, wet and wanting. He halted his movements, his face tortured and concerned.

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