Page 23 of The Dead Don't Talk
Shaking out my curls, the roots still wet from the second dip in the stream that runs beneath Wilson’s house, I match his pace.
“Because we’re gay?”
He rears back, his steps stuttering to a stop. “What? I’m not gay.”
I blink long and hard. “What? Your dick was just in my ass—whichaches, by the way, thanks for asking!”
“No—” he huffs and attempts to level me with a look, only to realize that officially won’t work on me, then keeps walking. “No.”
“Then what is it? What are you?”
He remains silent so long, I’m about to ask again when he snags my elbow and yanks me to a stop.
Normally, I’d be snapping at him. Smacking my lips in his direction. Jerking from his hold.
But something shifts in the air around us, and I stay stock still and fucking silent.
His gaze meets mine, hardened and intense.
I know what he’s saying without a single word.
Danger ahead, so maybe shut the fuck up.
Understood.
Carefully, I pull out my knife and twist my rifle around to my front.Just in case.
Attempting to follow in Moros’s silent steps is harder than it seems, making me slower as he slips around a thick group of trees. His legs are so much longer than mine. Stronger.Nicer.
Nope. Not the time.
Turns out I don’t need to worry when Moros shoots out from the other side, wrapping around behind the shuffling hungry fuck, and slices its head right off with his k-bar.
The body slumps to the ground with a wet-sounding plop while the jaw still snaps briefly before falling lax.
He throws that to the ground, too, letting it roll away from his feet.
Lips still sealed and hackles still raised, I hop over the vegetation to meet him where he is. Feather my fingers down his bicep. Watch his dark eyes stay hard and focused.
I know he doesn’t need the reassurance, but I fucking do.
It could have eaten us!
He looks at me with his lip curled and his eyes narrowed, though I don’t let it faze me.
“We need to move faster.” I scoff and allow myself a moment to revel in the way his skin prickles at my touch, my hand falling to my side when he turns back in the direction we were going. “I kept you out too long. The elders are gonna be looking for us.”
“Us? Why would they be looking for you?”
His sight flicks to mine, our steps falling in sync. “I took a recruit with me without approval.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m a fucking adult. I can do whatever I want.”
“At twenty-three, you’ve barely seen anything,” he snarks, the hard set to his profile aimed straight ahead.
My stomach flips. “You know how old I am?”
Another roll of his dark eyes doesn’t stop my cheeks from heating. “Amo, I’m supposed to be teaching you how to protect the community. Of course I know how fucking old you are. And if I didn’t, you’ve reminded me like twelve times already.”
