Page 28 of The Dire Legacy

Eh, I don’t care. He was keeping me a prisoner like all of the rest of them. They all deserved to die. None of them earned my body, they just took it.

It should be mine to give. I think he’s the first person I’ve ever met who doesn’t want me.

Yet he’s dragging me back to safety, again.

“Why are you saving me? I didn’t ask you to.” When my feet sink into the squishy mud, I arch my back and pull against him.

Fuck, those eyes hit me. “Are you trying to die? My pack would love a snack.” He makes a big show of raking his gaze up and down me. “Might be enough to feed the pups.” One of his large canines appears as his lips turn into a tilted smirk.

“Wait. Are you saying I’m not even a meal? Buddy, I’m a whole ten course. A buffet.” I find my finger pointing at his broad chest. “You’d never go hungry again with me around.”

Shit, me and my mouth.

He tugs me again and I lose my footing on the slick bottom. Landing against him, he looks down at me clinging to his wet shirt. “Now you’re begging to be eaten?” His voice drops andI feel the words rumble directly into my ribcage. “That can be arranged.”

Damn. Why am I tempted? My finger splay over the heat of his chest and I can feel the hard ridges of muscle hidden by the thin fabric.

Before I can explore further, he steps away, pulling me behind him at arm’s length.

“What are you really going to do with me? You should just let me go.” The water falls from my thin torn pants in rivulets that tickle my calves.

At least my shirt is cleaner.

“Sure. Do you know where you are? Or, where you’re going?” He doesn’t turn his head, but his ears swivel towards me.

I kinda want to touch one.

The chill of the air is distracting. A shiver runs through me as goosebumps erupt all over my body. And, I didn’t notice before, but the sun is starting to set. It’ll be dark soon and the only heat is the smoldering fires from the crash.

I’ve only ever been cold in the operating room. This is a new kind of icy tendril that seeps into my bones.

My teeth start chattering. Clenching my jaw doesn’t help.

“I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where to go. But, I do know, I don’t want to go back to where I came from.” I suppose a little honesty won’t hurt.

Someplace warm would be nice.

Large brown shapes appear out of the dusk in the trees. Two dogs the size of horses are pulling a small cart, but shed their harnesses once they’ve pulled into the clearing around the lake.

“Perfect timing.” My rescuer mutters as he glances at me.

He drops my hand and my fingers grow cool without his gloved hand wrapping around them.

Shoving my palms under my armpits seems to help as I watch him take long strides towards the wagon, leaving me shivering by the bank.

A grizzled beast with only one eye focuses on me and a low growl erupts from his chest. His shoulders drop and he takes a slow, slinking step in my direction.

The half-breed I encountered earlier sticks his head out of the fuselage, a dismembered arm hanging from his jaw. He drops the limb onto the pile and sits on his haunches, his amber eyes fixed on the creature that is stalking closer to me.

He isn’t stopping.

“Good doggie.” Holding my hands in front of me, my fingers pale as they go numb.

They’ll grow back if they freeze off. I don’t know if I’d survive getting completely eaten.

“Lucky! No!” The man’s deep voice echoes across the water.

I can feel it reverberate through me.

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