Page 12 of Stolen By The Beast
“Who tells a girl she stinks and tosses her in an ice bath?” I grumbled under my breath, using my palms to scrub at my exposed skin. “An arrogant wankpuffin. That’s who.”
“I can hear you.” Karvik’s chest rumbled with that deep laugh that caused my belly to flop.
“Good!” I growled, splashing water on my face.
“Wash the blood and sweat from your flesh, tiny human. There are predators in the woods, and your stench will catch their interest. I am not in the mood to fight them today.”
I stared up at him, slack-jawed. Part of me wanted to be outraged, but another part didn’t enjoy the mental image of a wolf popping out of the woods looking for a quick snack and spotting me.
Reluctantly I began to scrub my skin and the dress between my hands, allowing the cool water to rinse away the ick covering me and the torn fabric—but it was going to be impossible to remove the sweat and grime from my skin and clothes while fully dressed.
I couldn’t even reach my back, and I certainly wasn’t going to ask Karvik for help. Making a decision, and not wanting to lose my courage, I undid the buttons of my dress.
Besides, Karvik had been grossed out by me, so it wasn’t like he cared if I was naked or not. Right?
It took some work, but I was able to wiggle my way out of the ragged garment. Since my bra was built into the bodice of the dress, I was left standing in nothing but my thong.
I moved deeper into the water until it came just above my waist and began to scrub the dirt from the fabric. Although the water covered me from the waist down, I felt exposed.
Instinct demanded I turn my back to the beast watching from the shore and preserve my modesty. Instead, I remained facing Karvik, stubbornly refusing to show embarrassment.
As I worked, I kept my gaze from drifting in Karvik’s direction, but I could feel his eyes watching my every move. I loved knowing he was looking at me as much as I hated it.
What was wrong with me? Why was I getting a thrill from the peep show I was giving him?
When I finished getting out as much filth as I could from my body and dress, I made my way back toward shore.
It was a pain in the butt to slip back into the sopping wet garment, but I couldn’t handle strolling around naked while waiting for the sun to dry it.
Once dressed, I made my way toward Karvik. He hadn’t moved from his position against the tree. Stopping in front of him, I waited for him to say something… anything.
The beast remained unmoving.
“Karvik?” I whispered, stepping closer and resting my hand on his arm.
“We should go.” Without waiting, he strode into the forest.
I glanced at the heels on the riverbank, but decided I would rather be bare-footed than walk through the woods with those torture devices on my feet. Turning toward the forest, I scrambled to catch-up with him.
The forest was shaded, thanks to the towering trees, and I shivered at the cool breeze weaving its way around us. It didn’t take long for me to regret leaving my shoes, thanks to the sharp stones and stabby sticks that were slowly shredding my soles.
Not wanting to admit my weakness, I stubbornly bit down on my tongue and swallowed my yelps of pain. I was beyond relieved when Karvik stopped and motioned for me to sit.
“The berries on these bushes are safe to eat. It isn’t much, but it will provide some nourishment until we get you back to the humans.”
Irrational fear surged through my veins and the hammering in my skull grew louder. My body was reacting as though he’d said he was going to throw me into a cave full of starving bears. Why was I so afraid of humans?
“Open your mouth.” Karvik demanded.
“Why—” I opened my mouth to ask, only to have him plop several juicy berries inside.
He was feeding me? I was getting whiplash with his contradictory actions. Did he like me? Or was I a burden?
“Open.” He demanded.
When I opened my mouth to tell him I was perfectly capable of feeding myself, he cut me off by stuffing more berries into my mouth. Giving up, I decided to enjoy the sweet juice and rest my feet.
We continued like that for another hour, but the relaxed atmosphere dissipated when Karvik rose to his full height, his head cocked to the side as he listened to the woods around us.
