Page 21 of Outback Heat
“You ready, Spitfire?”
I nod again and my vision blurs for a moment. I focus on the swirling aura in my chest, holding tightly to the confident, reckless nature. It’s not as potent as it was earlier, diluted by Murphy’s nerves and reluctance. Taking a deep, steadying breath, I slip through the fence rails.
The ground is uneven, torn up from hooves and I stumble briefly but quickly right myself.
I keep my eyes locked on Bubbles. The horses’ eyes bulge in their sockets, fixing me with a soul-rending stare. If looks could kill …
“Time starts now,” Murphy calls out and starts counting. His voice is clear, but I can barely hear him through the roaring of blood in my ears. My heart is racing and my gut clenches at every tiny movement Bubbles makes.
“One.”
My heart pounds against my ribcage like a prisoner desperate to break free. Fear courses through my veins, intertwining with anticipation, creating a tumultuous symphony of emotions whipping my aura into a frenzy. The world around me seems to stretch and distort, as if caught in a surreal slow-motion dance, while time itself races ahead, leaving me breathless in its wake.
My trembling hands betray my inner turmoil, fingers twitching with nervous energy. Every fibre of my being is on high alert, senses sharpened to an almost painful degree. The air crackles with an electric charge, thick with an invisible tension wrapping itself around me like a suffocating cloak.
“Two.”
Bubbles dips her head, her nostrils flaring and stirring up a cloud of crimson dust. Man, what a dumb move. My mind’s a jumbled mess, yelling at me to bolt. But do I listen? Nope. Instead, I force myself to take a wobbly step forward, pushing myself to the absolute brink.
“Three.”
The horse lets out a thunderous, furious whinny which shakes the surrounding air. In a futile gesture, I extend my trembling hands, desperately hoping to pacify her.
“Four.”
My heart is pounding. I’m going to have a heart attack.
“Five.”
In between shaking inhales, something incredible unfolds. The world beyond me hushes, and along with it, the chaos in my mind. The weight of my sickness, the constant battle with my unsteady aura, eases its grip. A wave of blissful clarity washes over me, like reconnecting with a long-lost friend – someone I once knew before they got swallowed up in the overwhelming sea of other people’s emotions and auras.
“Six.”
I trust her. She’s me. She’s always been there, buried underneath the weight of my empathy.
“Seven.”
I sigh, my body feeling light and effortless.
“Eight.”
With clear certainty, I know exactly how I feel about cowboy Alpha Murphy Myers.
“Alright, you’re done.” Murphy says, his voice shaking and rushed. “Matilda, slowly walk backwards towards me and I’ll help you out.”
Frozen in place, I find myself incapable of movement. It’s as if, after years of being lost, I’ve finally rediscovered my true self. My gaze locks onto the fierce countenance of this enraged creature, realising that this confrontation has somehow granted me a taste of the life I thought was forever out of reach. I refuse to let it slip away. My feet feel like anchors, keeping me firmly rooted to the ground, as though an invisible force holds me captive in this moment.
I watch with an eerie detachment as Bubbles rears up, her massive body balancing on its hind legs, hooves suspended in mid-air. She’s an incredible sight – both breathtakingly beautiful and undeniably terrifying.
Suddenly, in a flurry of blurred motion, a solid body crashes into mine. Before I can even register what’s happening, the world flips on its head. My breath is brutally expelled from my lungs as my stomach collides with a solid shoulder, leaving me gasping for air.
The world floods back into full technicolour vision and I can hear again.
Murphy has me up and over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, his strong grip holding the back of my thighs steadfastly to him. He effortlessly climbs up the fence. Meanwhile, behind us, Bubbles screeches to a halt, her hooves skidding across the ground, coming to a stop so close her hot breath ruffles my hair as she snorts with dissatisfaction.
My Alpha lands deftly on his feet, and he slides me down his body.
“Fucking hell, Matilda. Are you alright?”
