Page 4 of Shifters' Fae Captive (Stolen by Shadow Beasts 1)

Not that I find these guys sexy. Not at all. They’re my captors after all.

Oh, fuck, am I getting that weird condition? Stockholm Syndrome? In a few days will I think these shadow beasts are my best friends?

I swallow hard as Daddy goes under the water, then resurfaces, scrubbing his long, tangled hair. The one I call Fluffy goes to the river edge, climbing out of the water just enough that I can see the top of his well-defined ass. My mouth goes dry, and I don’t realize what he’s doing until he turns around, holding a bunch of yellow flowers. He hands them to the other guys, keeping some for himself, then hands some to me.

“Uh, thanks,” I say.

They all begin to scrub the flowers in their hair and over their bodies. Okay, so, I guess, they’re using the flowers like soap? I crumble the flowers in my hand and breathe in their scent. I’m shocked that the flowers don’t smell… flowery. More like wood or something I can’t quite name.

Ah, damn. Are these guys saying I smell?Okay, I can’t exactly smellgreatafter the battle at Royal Fae Academy. So, even though I’m freezing and not happy about it, I rub the flowers over my skin. I undo my braid, rub the flowers through my hair, and then rinse my hair out underwater.

When I come to the surface, the guys are all staring at me. “What?”

My word seems to snap them back to focusing on their own little baths, and I glare at them as I rebraid my hair.That’s right, jerks, I used the flowers and actually took a bath. Not for you though. Because I don’t like smelling.

Daddy climbs out of the river, and I suddenly forget what I was mad about. His ass isfine, not just nice, but fucking perfect. Even so, I find my neck straining to spot his cock. If he turned around, just a little, I could see it, but he’s got his little loincloth retied within seconds, and I try not to feel disappointed.

The smallest of the shadow beasts makes a sound, and I turn to him. He gestures that it’s time to get out, and the big guy comes toward me with narrowed eyes. I almost shriek again. There’s no way I want Tiny carrying me back out of the river.Naked.

My cheeks heat and I scramble out. Unfortunately, the night is even colder out of the water, and I rush to the fire edge, kind of wishing that I’d taken off my clothes, so at least they’d be dry. I put my hands to the fire, and my teeth chatter.

A second later, I sense motion, and I remember that Tiny and Fluffy are probably getting out of the water, and every inch of them should be on full display.

Even though these guys kidnapped me, and I find them irritating, I turn a little and glance at them. Unfortunately, they already have their loincloths on. I know my lips are pouting, but when I glance up at their faces, Fluffy is looking at me, and I think there might be a little smile behind his dark hair.

Oh, man. I didnotwant to get caught checking out these guys.

From that point forward, I try to remind myself that these guys are my enemies, and that my goal is to stay warm and stay safe,notogle them. But as they move closer to the fire, letting the beads of water dry from their almost naked bodies, I feel like I’ve developed a permanent blush.

It’s going to be a long night.

The fire burns through the late hours of the night, tended by one beast or another. I know because I don’t sleep. I can’t. As tired as I am, as desperately as I need sleep, I’m too scared about what could happen if I let my guard down. I still have no idea what these men want from me, but I keep hoping to see something in their actions or words that explains why they took me. Yet, even though I stare at them until my eyes hurt, I still don’t have any answers.

They continue to communicate with words and gestures, though I can’t understand. But my urge to kill them has decreased. Thinking back to everything that’s happened so far, and even watching them, they seem strong, but they don’t seem… cruel. Yeah, I could be wrong. They could be like sharks that suddenly turn around and bite, but some small voice inside of me says that whatever they brought me here for, they’ve had many opportunities to hurt me already and haven’t.

Despite all my apprehension, I feel... safe. Maybe notsafeexactly, but not in imminent danger. They protected me from that weird creature after all, and I get the sense that maybe they would do it again, even though I hope we don’t have to find out.

Or maybe they just killed it for fun, and haven’t killed me yet because they’re busy, and I’m just coming up with reasons not to pee my pants and run screaming through the woods. Because, yeah, that instinct is definitely there, behind all the attempts at applying logic to this illogical situation.

Before the sun is up, we’re on the move again through the woods. There’s no trail marked, but I’m sandwiched between Daddy and Fluffy while Tiny walks beside me. I can’t stop wondering about them--whether they have names, what they are, why they want me.

Can they even talk? Are they like those kids who were raised by wolves that could never acclimate back to the human world?

I didn’t have a clue.

“So, when you guys make those sounds to each other, are you talking?”

No answer.

“I think itissome kind of language, but I don’t understand what it could be or why you wouldn’t know English. Here, all supernaturals speak English in order to be able to blend in with the humans. But, I guess, you guys don’t really have that problem, do you? With the whole barely any clothes and the lack of showers, I bet you don’t exactly mingle with humanity much. Still, it’s strange you’re just hiding out here in these woods. I know this territory is protected, part of it owned by the Royal Fae Academy, and part of it a nature reserve, but even out here I imagine you have to come across the occasional supernatural or human.” I frown, that thought lingering. “Which means it’s probably safe to say we might run into someone else eventually.Humm, but I guess no one really knew you guys existed until the battle with the fae, so maybe youhavebeen able to hide out here undisturbed by people of any kind.”

Is that even possible?Hell, that actually makes the most sense. Which, of course, gets me thinking for a little while before I focus back on what we’re doing.

The terrain was much less treacherous for me when I was being carried. I definitely stumble more than I’m proud of now, but the shadow beasts are always close, catching me and releasing me before I can fall on my ass. Even though I feel clumsy and awkward, I prefer being on my own two feet. While walking on my own, the scent of plants, of earth, and life comfort and soothe something deep in my soul. Something I never expected.

I breathe in deep, filling my lungs with the perfumed air. It’s almost as if I’m surrounded by a beautiful world untouched by mankind and supernaturals alike. I think I’d almost like it here.

If I wasn’t, you know, a prisoner and all.

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