Page 46 of Echo
“If that’s what you call it.”
“How long were you married?”
“A couple of days,” he said. “Her clan was wiped out, and our shaman believed they found a way to give us the strength of a thousand warriors. He asked our strongest to volunteer.”
“I assume that’s how you changed?”
“Yes. Ten of us volunteered. Even my kid brother. Once the ritual was done, the clan turned on us and cast us out.”
A frown weighed down my mouth. He was a warrior that protected his people, and he sacrificed so much for them. His humanity, maybe even his soul.
His lips twitched with amusement. “Not everyone can accept a monster.”
“Who said I accept you?” I crossed my arms again.
“That wasn’t empathy in your eyes a moment ago?”
“Well,” I sputtered. “That was mean and heartless. Anyone can see that.”
“I’ve been stuck in this body for hundreds of years. No, not anyone.” He reached across with his long arms to caress my face. His long claw carefully went across my cheek without cutting the flesh. “Just you. The first time my wife saw me, she screamed like a stuck hog.”
“I ran.”
“And you loved it.” He groaned. “I could smell your excitement.”
“Liar!” I shoved his chest, but I didn’t even jostle him. That was when a low buzz finally filled my ears. “Bees!”
He chuckled and ducked under a branch, sneakily grabbing my hand from his chest to intertwine our fingers together. Echo used his body to hold brush out of my way, so I could clear into a beautiful meadow. Manufactured beehives and beautiful flowers filled the area.
Bees flew in the air, and I ducked away from a few going overhead.
He came behind me and grabbed my shoulders. “Calm.”
Right. If I started flailing and disrupting them, I’d regret it. Deep practiced breaths that were second nature filled me.
“That’s it,” he encouraged with a growl in his voice.
“I’ve never been around so many bees before,” I confessed. “All the deadliest things are the most beautiful.”
He hummed an agreement.
Okay, Madison. This is how we’re going to make it. So suck it up.
I slowly walked through the field, ignoring the tickle of the bees brushing up against me.
“So brave.” Something like a purr came from him. His tone was akin to admiration.
“So stupid.” I chuckled.
“No. Stupid would mean you don’t understand the danger you’re in.” His fingers brushed over my shoulders again. “You feel your fear, and rise above it.”
The way his words subtly appreciated the things I’d always thought were my worst qualities made butterflies flutter in my stomach.
“You’d have made a hell of a warrior for my people.”
“Stop that.”
He blinked and it was hard for a seven-foot creature adorned in shadows to look confused, but the message was clear all the same. “What?”
