Page 69 of Tharn's Hunt
His amber eyes are fixed on me with an intensity that makes my breath catch. His chest rises and falls rapidly, as if he's been running.
Does he know? Can he tell what I was dreaming about? Is that even possible?
I tear my gaze away, heat flooding my face. This is mortifying. I just had the most erotic dream of my life about an alien who's probably been trying to talk to me about perfectly normal, non-sexual things this whole time, and now I can't even look at him without blushing like a teenager.
"Jacqui?" Justine's voice startles me so badly I nearly jump out of my skin. I hadn’t even realized she was back. "You okay? You’re looking a little... flushed."
"I’m fine," I say quickly, my voice coming out higher than usual. "Just... just a dream. Not a big deal."
Justine pauses, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she studies me. Her expression is casual, but I know her too well. That slight furrow between her brows, the way her lips press together for half a second before she speaks. It’s worry. She’s trying to hide it, but it’s there.
"A dream," she repeats, her tone light, almost teasing. Too light.
"Yes, a dream," I snap, looking up at the stone ceiling as if it can shield me from her gaze. "People have them all the time. It’s perfectly normal."
"Right," she says slowly, leaning against the cave wall. Her arms cross over her chest, but there’s no mistaking the flicker of unease in her eyes. "Perfectly normal."
I narrow my eyes at her. "Don't you have hunting to do or something?"
She laughs, the sound echoing in the cave. "Already done. Rok caught dust crabs. They’re actually pretty good."
As if on cue, my stomach growls loudly. Despite the lingering embarrassment, I realize I'm starving. How long has it been since I've had real food?
"Should we really be eating these things?" I hesitate. "If what you think is true…"
"Well…" Justine says with a shrug. "We don’t have a choice. And you need to get your strength back. There’s a long journey ahead of us."
Right. To the clan caves. Where all the other women are. Where more of Tharn’s people are.
I swallow hard.
Justine turns to prepare some of the meat, and I take the opportunity to steal another glance at Tharn. He hasn't moved, but his glow seems to have settled into a steadier rhythm, less frantic than before.
Maybe he doesn't know about the dream after all.
But then his eyes meet mine, and my stomach drops.
There’s something in his gaze—sharp, focused, like he’s peeling back my defenses layer by layer. Like he knows.
I force myself to look away, but it’s too late. The sensation lingers, crawling under my skin and making my pulse race. My fingers tighten on the stone, trying to ground myself, but the memory of his touch in the dream feels too real to shake.
And then I feel it again—that warmth blooming in my chest, spreading through me like a live wire, sparking every nerve it touches.
"Jacqui," Justine says, her voice cutting through the tension. I flinch, startled, and turn to her. She’s holding a piece of cooked crab out to me, concern flickering in her eyes again.
"You sure you’re okay?"
I nod too quickly, grabbing the meat just to give my hands something to do. "I’m fine," I say, even though my throat feels tight and my voice sounds hollow.
But I’m not fine.
Because when I glance back at Tharn, his eyes are still on me, glowing faintly in the firelight. And for just a moment, I swear I feel it—his presence brushing against my mind.
A warning, maybe.
Or a promise.
“Hey…” Justine kneels by my side, her voice soft but steady, like she’s trying not to startle me. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed… if you really want to understand him…” She hesitates, her gaze dropping to the sand for a moment beforelifting to meet mine. “Try pressing your forehead to his. It’s… grounding. It helps you hear them. Really hear them.”
