Page 125 of Centaur Bolt

I didn’t want to keep moving. I wantedhim. And I could tell the feeling was mutual. No scales grown were ever going to be sufficient to coverthat.

But was it only a physical thing? Because he pulled back and gestured for me to continue. I did, but not graciously. I rolled my hips with every step. I couldn’t seem to stop myself. When I climbed up a rockridge, I arched my back, presenting my ass. When the path narrowed, I deliberately slowed down to bump into him.

I’d always disliked women who were flirts, teasing the dudes with no intent of ever following through. Yet now, here I was. Doing the very same thing.

Except I was desperate to follow through. Man, was I ever. I wasn’t teasing. I was offering. It was Marcus who held back.

When I set out to stop myself, it only worked until I got distracted. Which, sandwiched between these two men, happened about every thirty seconds. Marcus’s breathing devolved to hoarse pants, and mine wasn’t in much better shape.

Finally, Havoc spun and glared at the two of us. His lips were pulled back over teeth grown very sharp.

“Why don’t the two of you just get it over with—and fuck?” he snarled.

We stared at him like guilty children. Then Marcus, surprisingly, answered him.

“Because whatever is inside of me wants her. Wants her bad. And I don’t think any of us will be happy if it comes out to play.”

My heart twisted. I was deliberately torturing him. How could I do that to someone I cared about? I put a hand on his arm. “Dammit, Marcus, I’m sorry. I—I can’t seem to control it.”

His eyes flared with silver, indigo, and amethyst hues. “It’s okay, Riley. I know you can’t help it. We just need to find the Witch.”

“Put her last in line.” The Dragon’s words were an order, not a suggestion, and I automatically stiffened. But it also made sense. My scent was a big part of the problem.

Marcus appeared reluctant, but he stepped around me when I gestured.

“Stay close,” he said.

I now followed both of them, and instead of posturing in alluring ways, I was now struggling with the temptation presented by the bare bits between the fur and scales.

I ached totouch. I managed to resist, but only barely.

Meanwhile, the crystal dust sang through my veins. In the past, it had energized me, and I’d hoped it would do so again. I wanted to be able to Jump and take both Marcus and Havoc back to the academy. But it was different this time. It just seemed to feed into the heat pulsing through me. My head only grew more muddled. If I jumped now, would we make it?

Risking myself was one thing. I couldn’t risk my dudes.

My dudes?

Before I could puzzle over that, Havoc stopped.

I hadn’t even noticed that the trees had thinned. I needed to get with the program. Marcus moved up alongside the big Dragon, and they both stared out into a clearing.

In the center was a cabin. The distinctive sound of someone chopping wood echoed through the forest, but the chopper must be on the other side of the building.

It wasn’t a farm. Maybe whoever lived here was a trapper?

“A local should know about the Witch,” Marcus said. “Would save us a trip into the town.”

I pushed up between the two of them.

“You guys will scare the crap out of whoever’s here,” I whispered. “I’ll ask.”

“No way,” Marcus objected.

“Not happening,” the Dragon said.

I walked right past them. Marcus made a grab for me, but I twisted away.

I marched straight to the cabin and looked back. Both men were just inside the tree line, and they appeared to be arguing. Ah, well. If it kept them out of my hair…

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