Crimson

Eyebrows raised, the tone of the wolf had thrown Red off. Almost as if he was attempting to be normal. Maybe even human. A part of her wanted to sneer, tempted to ask if he, being a creature of such, was stooping low to take on humanistic traits. As much as he could possibly mimic tones, faces, and movements, the wolf will never empathize with those of her kind. What was he up to?

Taking the coffee from his hand, she to a long drink, letting the smooth drink run down her throat.


"I didn't ask you to keep watch." said Red. Admittedly, it had been the first in years that Red slept for more than four to five hours at most. Whenever they camped during the travels, the hunter and Red would take turns with one of them sleeping, the other keeping watch in case the creatures saw them as snacks.

The other part of Red pondered. Wondered. Behind the exterior of a creature ready to take over and the weird way he had spoken to her just now, was it possible that he could still be close to human?

"I can handle myself. The sleep was...well...nice for once." She drank the rest of the coffee and let out a sigh of relief. "But how can I be certain that you or the wolf will nor want to ambush me in my sleep?"

Stygian smiled widely at her question and chuckled a little as he sipped at his coffee. "Oh never doubt that the wolf wants to rip your throat out and feast on your flesh. It constantly reminds me so and urges me to kill you."

Shrugging he looked at her. "However I am not my wolf. I know where my interests lie and slowly but surely he is beginning to see that as well. As to ambushing you in your sleep let me assure you, I must be conscious to change so as long as I go to sleep a man the wolf can not get you."

He allowed the last of the coffee to slide down his throat and sighed in happiness. Ahh maybe he would survive another day. "As for myself, well I may do it, but killing you would not be on my mind." He gave her a lustful stare then began to laugh. "Only a joke little one. You will be safe from me as well."

He stood up and quickly packed up everything and doused the fire, breaking everything up and kicking dirt over the embers so there was no chance of them rekindling. Soon the cave looked like no one had been there at all.

"Come girl, we head North for now. We need to follow the mountains for awhile until we come to a small pass. If we move quickly it should only take a couple of days."

It was a strange sight for Red to see the wolf smile in such a way that would allow him to blend in with the rest of the mortal population. She had been used to the snarls, grins, and smirks that were typical of someone like him that it had gotten to the point where she assumed that it was all creatures like him were capable of feeling. As the hunter always taught, creatures were not capable of feeling any human needs and emotions.

She'll let his comments of referring to her as a child pass just this once. Heading towards the north where he pointed out the path that ran alongside the mountains, Birds crowded about on one of the very few branches sticking out from deep inside the rocks. They may very well be white vultures when gathered together.

As they ascended up the path, Red got her foot caught under a tree root that decorated its path. Before she can acknowledge that her boot made contact, she stumbled forward. The only thing that saved her from humiliation was the rock wall she grabbed on to to stop her fall.

Damn. She brushed off the bits of pebble that stuck to her skin. Just need to be more careful in order to not make a fool of herself in front of him.

Stygian smiled a little to himself as he heard her struggling to keep up. It was good to know that he was better than her in some things. Still when he heard stumble and start to fall he whipped around and looked at her.

He sighed in relief when he saw that she had not injured herself then quickly turned around again and pretended he hadn't even seen her predicament. He didn't want her to know he was worried about her or that he had heard anything.

He was worried about it himself. Why had he reacted that way? Sure she was an asset to him but if she injured herself what problem was it of his? He could just leave her there and continue on his way. In fact it would be more convenient that way, so why was it that he could not think of walking away if that happened?

He waited until he heard her catch back up and then walked off again, this time purposely making sure the path he took was the clearest it could be. The going was a little slower, but not by much and he doubted she would be able to tell. Still he pushed hard and by afternoon they had traveled a decent distance.

He began to look for a place to rest and eat and a low overhang up ahead looked good. "If we can make it up to there," he said pointing it out to her, "We will have shade and protection to rest for lunch. It is not much further now."

For someone who was quite toned in shape as Red, even the huntress has her own limits. Sure, she can travel long distances on foot but not traveling for hours straight without taking the occasional pit stop to relax and catch her breath. Or have a drink of water to to keep her throat from being parched. It would only be a matter of hours when her legs began to tingle, prodding her that it wouldn't be too bad to slow down or straggle a little behind. Either way, her calves were starting to tire.

Red looked up at the overhang. The distance wasn't far now. Just a walkable path with no obvious traps and obstacles. No surprises, the wolf loved to show off on how he can endure the trip.

But as they neared the overhang, a sharp pain struck her right calf. She turned around, her eyes darting about to see if there was someone hiding that shot something at her leg.

There was no arrow or anything protruded out of her leg. And the pain was ever growing.

God damn it. Red sucked in her breath as she slowly found herself hobbling along behind the wolf. Any moment of weakness was the last thing she wanted him to see of her.

Stygian was dawdling along, already thinking of what needed to be done for the afternoon meal when he heard Red start to walk differently behind him. Turning he saw her limping heavily on her right leg.

He stopped and waited for her to catch up with him, watching as he saw the obvious pain she was in. The overhang was not that far away but at the pace she was going it would take them triple the time to get there if they made it at all.

As she drew abreast of him he silently picked her up and started to carry her. He was surprised at how light she was, even loaded up with her gear. It only took several minutes for him to get them both to the campsite he had chosen and he found a comfortable spot to set her down.

Quickly he set up camp and got a fire going. It would be better for her to have a hearty lunch as it looked like they would not be going anywhere for awhile. He pulled out a small cauldron from his bag and set it up over the fire and then added a good portion of water from his skin. He still had plenty left as he had been drinking sparingly from it all morning. He added some carrots, turnips and dried meat. Then he looked at Red. "I am just going to search for a few things for the soup. I have camped here before and I know where a few things are so I won't be long."

He ran off and soon had wild parsnips, greens and several herbs. He came back and added them to the cauldron and soon it was simmering away nicely. He then walked over and squatted down next to Red.

"Let me see your leg. I will check to see if you have been injured or you have just pulled a muscle. If it is the latter you are in luck, I am actually very good at massaging muscles and should have it feeling a lot better quickly. That is if you will trust me to lay my hands upon you," he smiled.

Red did not realize that the wolf stopped until she felt him pick her up. Initially, she thought he purposely tripped her. Once he carried on her back, she was ready to protest. She didn't need to be carried. She didn't need his help and that he should put her down at once.

She bit her tongue. He would tease her for being slow, taking forever to reach their destination. But then that would mean she allowed him to help her when her leg gave out. Red didn't need to hear it from him.

When he offered to massage her leg to help get rid of the pain, she balked at such a suggestion.

"I'm fine," she replied as she began to stand up. "I don't need your damn--"

As she attempted to get to her feet, her calve muscle seized up again. Did she have a choice? Reaching over, she untied her boot and stretched out her leg towards him.

"Exactly how good are you?"

Stygian smiled at her. "Oh good enough that you won't think that I am actually helping you at first. Now this is going to hurt but it will get better."

He sat down in front of her and put her leg on his calve and then examined it.

Well no marks so she had not been stung or anything. That was good.

He then started at her ankle and began to firmly massage her leg. He didn't expect her foot to be the problem, but she could probably use a good massage anyway and plus it would loosen all the muscles and tendons in her leg.

It took him ten minutes to properly do her ankles and feet before he started on her calf. This is where he knew he would encounter the most damage. Sure enough her muscle had seized and he needed to knead it back into shape. A full twenty minutes passed while he worked all the kinks out of her muscles and had it feeling right again.

He then moved up to her thigh and worked on that. It wasn't as bad but it was still very tight. She hadn't done much serious hiking in the mountains. He would have to remember that and adjust his pace accordingly or she would probably cramp up again. It only took him fifteen minutes to massage out all the knots.

Then he grabbed her other leg. "No use just doing one Red." He pulled her boot off and started over again. Sure enough the calf on this leg was also beginning to show signs of wear. Not as much but close. The whole leg took him half an hour before he released her.

"Leave your boots off until we are ready to go. You also haven't been drinking enough water as we have been walking. Remember to drink as we move. You do have a water skin right?" he asked showing her his small one he kept on a leather strap around his neck.

He then went to check the soup and moved it off the fire and got his bowl and spoon and a ladle from his bag. "Soups ready Red. Come and eat."

What in the world? Red wondered in confusion on why the wolf started off with her ankle. It was her calve that was the source of her problems. Still, she supposed starting off at the ankle wasn't too bad. The wolf sunk to a low level of submitting to his adversary.

As his hands worked their way up, she grit her teeth at his fingers pressing down on the sore muscle. She gripped her fingers along the hem of her skirt. Other than the occasional painful groans that came along with his help, there was nothing but silence between them. What if this wolf wanted to make it worse with his so-called help to the point where she wouldn't be able to walk?

Slowly, those doubts dissipated. The muscles in her right leg began to ease to the point where she can at least move it without dealing with the pain.

"Thank you," Red said with a bit of reluctance. How does one thank someone they truly despise? "I---"

But before she could get another word in, the wolf pulled her left leg towards him.

"Hey! What are you...one leg's enough." She protested.

The wolf decided to pay no attention as he began to massage her other leg. Although less tense than her right side, the muscles weren't tight. It wasn't the potential leg cramp that worried her. Instead, it was the wolf's hands inching its way above her calf. It seemed innocent at first: His fingers and fists kneaded above her knee, helping to relieve ay tension that remained.

Red saw the wolf's hands slowly work their way up. One hand remained on the outer thigh while the other massaged the inner area of her thigh. He repeated the same pattern of kneading and massaging. Perhaps it was Red's imagination but she could have sworn he was deliberately pushing his hand a little higher on her inner thigh.

Just as she was about to protest, or at least give him a good smack on the head, the wolf withdrew his hands and went to check on the soup cooking over the camp fire.

What was that? Red couldn't believe how far he went. Or how far she allowed him to take it. She should have at least stopped it after he unloosened the knots on both legs and that's it. The more she thought about it, the further her heart sank.

Red actually enjoyed it. Worse, she felt a yearning to relive that feeling. Or to see how far he'll go. No, it's just the relaxation talking, that's all. Get that out of your mind, now!

"Soup's ready, Red."

The wolf's voice broke her lingering thoughts. The second time she felt genuinely thankful to him. Taking the soup and spoon, Red used the moment to eat to distract herself from those thoughts.

Damn him. Red never thought she could hate him even more. She couldn't even bring herself to look him in the eye or start a snark or conversation.

Stygian sat on the other side of the low fire and rested his back against the smooth face of the overhang. The rock face had been scoured by many hundreds of years of wind and rain and had become smooth and comfortable to rest upon. This was a favorite spot for the pack to stop at for just this reason.

He began to eat his soup and looked over at Red. He was surprised that she had not thrown a nasty comment his way about his massage technique or just how far he had traveled up her legs. Truth be told he had gone higher than he had needed to but not quite as high as he wanted to.

There was just something about forbidden fruit, he smiled. Still he didn't need any grief at the moment so he had not tried anything. Still she had not said anything nor was she looking at him. It was strange, he would not have expected that kind of behavior from her.

"We can rest here for a half hour until your legs are fully healed, then we have to move on. I will refill the water bottles, but you must remember to drink this time," he admonished her.

In between bites, she heard the wolf speak something along the lines of how they were only staying here for a short amount of time and that they will have to be moving forward. His tone changed when he scolded her for not refilling her bottle, almost as if he were talking to a child.

She finally dared to look up at him, glaring at him from across the fire. The nerve of this man!

Red reached behind her cloak, appearing to scratch her back for a good moment before she pulled out a burlap sack. Ruffling through a few days worth of clothes and vials containing herbs, she pulled out a flask and tossed it his way.

"You know where the water supply is."

Stygian caught the bottle with ease then looked at her. First she doesn't thank him for the massage, then she eats his food without a word of thanks and now he offers to refill the water bottles and she throws her's at him as if he has said something wrong.

Glaring back he finished his soup and then after cleaning his bowl he stood up and headed for the small creek. He had a good mind to fill hers from the muddiest part but sighing he filled them both from the trickling stream that fell over a group of rocks. The creek ran true and clear and was cool and refreshing.

On the way back he stopped to relieve himself then walked slowly back to camp trying to puzzle out what he had said to put her in a fowl mood. For the life of him though he could not figure it out and the more he thought about it the angrier he became.

Fine if that was the way it was going to be then maybe he should stop coddling the woman and see if she could walk at a wolf's pace not this slow one he was forced to travel at.

Maybe she was a little too harsh on the wolf. After all, he did help her when her leg decided to seize and cramp up and cooked food that didn't kill her. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt justified in her anger. He knew what he did and what he tried to do.

Moreso, she absolutely hated the position he put her in. The resentment was ever present but he caused an unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling to stir. To even think about wanting to explore that feeling is a damn shame. Red swore he will never find out.

As she got to her feet, a bird swooped right past her, grazing her cheek. She turned just in time to see it from a far distance flying north. What followed not long after were a series of animal shrieks and cries followed by the roars of what one assumed was a monster echoing throughout the surroundings.

Just before he got back to the camp he saw a bird fly under the overhang and then off towards the pass he was taking them too. He paused and watched it for a second before he started to run. No bird would have taken that course naturally. Something was wrong.

As he burst into the small clearing the loud shrieks and the roar of something echoed down the mountain from the direction they had been heading. Quickly he threw sand over their hastily made fire and tipped out the last small bit of the soup over the coals. Scouring the cauldron with sand, he quickly washed it, not caring about the heat and quickly packed it.

"Here, your water Red," he said with no trace of mockery or sarcasm. "We have to get going and fast. That is probably what your Hunter was after and now it knows we are after it. By the sounds of all those other noises I think it is going to be able to spare a few troops to slow us down. Hopefully we will be able to spot them before they spot us though."

He grabbed his pack and started to leave. "I estimate we have about an hour of easy travel before we really need to be on our toes. Let's make the most of it."

The shrieks and noises continued, growing louder on occasion. At one point, the shrieks were mixed with what sounded like the unknown creatures ripping and tearing away at the bodies, devouring their prey. Anticipating that they were heading her way even if they were still a good deal far from where they are Red was about to withdraw her scythe, ready to attack if need be when the wolf had returned.

As he handed her the flask, there's a hint of the need to hurry in his voice. There wasn't much time to speak as the wolf quickly put out the fire and covered up any trace of their presence. Their own problems will have to be put aside until they can figure out how to deal with what was heading for their direction.

Quickly securing her pack on her back and flask at her side, Red followed the wolf until she was a step behind. As they continued on their trek, she couldn't help but wonder about the wolf's words. Was whatever it was that was heading their way what the Hunter was searching for?

Stygian set a decent pace but not a very fast pace. He wanted Red to be able to keep up and he wanted to be able to travel for a long time. He watched the path and chose the easiest way and they started to make decent time. However the shrieks and growls continued to accompany them as they moved and the sounds of ripping and tearing got louder.

He was worried. He had no idea what was making those sounds and that bothered him. He thought he knew every animal around here by sound alone yet these things sounded like nothing he had ever heard before. The problem was he could not tell if they would be able to hide from them or if they would have to fight. He would prefer to hide. It sounded like there were far too many for just the two of them to fight and survive.

Soon it sounded like they were only a few miles apart and it was getting close to night. He started scanning the mountain and soon found what he was looking for. A small fissure in the wall that he knew led to a small cave.

Leading her to it he started to squeeze his way in. It was a very tight squeeze but that was to their advantage as well. If any creature did try to get in they would have to come in one at a time and could be easily dispatched. The fissure twisted this way and that before opening up into the small cave and he sighed as he exited into it.

"We can stay here tonight and we will see if those creatures are still there tomorrow. Good news is this place is very defensible and because of the twists and turns we are able to light a fire. Bad news, if the creatures can smell us in here and decide to wait us out there is no other way out and there is no water source."

Red kept up with the wolf, although a few steps behind. Still it was better than their long trek a while ago when her legs seized up. She had been so focused on trying to get away and following that she almost missed the cave entrance that he found. The twists and turns in the cave were narrow. Not a tight squeeze, a little roomy, but the space would not be comfortable for very long. Only when the two reached a small cave was she able to relax, if only for a little.

Sitting down on the cave floor, the noises continued but it didn't seem like that they were after her. The sounds of those creatures sound vaguely familiar but Red couldn't determine what it was they were running from.

"They probably won't be able to come for us." said Red.

Even with that, she wasn't quite sure how true her words are. Although the space through the fissure wasn't comforting, there is no telling what those creatures are capable of doing.

Stygian nodded to her then began to set up a simple fire. Luckily the pack sometimes used this bolt hole so there was a small amount of wood and tinder stacked in the corner that he was expected to replenish if he used it. Soon he had a small fire going but once he checked his supplies he realized just how little he had left.

"Hey Red, do you have any food? I am almost out and if you want anything decent for dinner we better combine what we have. I have a little ham left, some root vegetables that are almost spoiled and some of those greens I picked this morning. What about you?"

Truth to tell it was probably not even enough for one of them, but they could share it to stave off hunger, but tomorrow they had to find more food. That would mean getting through the pass and hunting. Which of course would be impossible if those things were still out there.

"So any idea what those things could be. Did your mentor give you any idea what he was off hunting?" he asked her.

She was just loosening her cloak from her shoulders when she heard the wolf asking her if she had some food on her. The short answer would have been yes, as she knew there was no way that she would be able to find the hunter overnight, given the vast forest and that the villages were miles from where she stayed.

The long answer is that while she has food in her burlap sack, it was only enough to last her for a few days. By then, it would be inevitable to stay over at nearby towns or villages and hope for the best that they would allow her to stay for the night and perhaps a little food. Splitting it with the wolf and make it enough to last them until they could find a nearby town was going to be difficult.

Red dug her hand underneath her spare clothes and pulled out several food items: a loaf of bread, an apple, a wedge of brie cheese slightly smashed from the weight of her other supplies, and an assortment of nuts in a pouch. Aside from the cheese, her food package didn't carry so much as a dead animal in case the meat rotted by the time she found any sign of civilization. Laying it beside the campfire, she looked at the small amount food they had. It wasn't too bad. They would be able to last at least two nights if they can split it right. Otherwise they were at least going to survive the night.

"He left in a hurry. Said something about the Yuxa rumored to be gaining ground in Aberdeen up north. Never encountered one in my life. All I know is that they are some reptilian creature with the head of a dragon and that they could very well be deceiving in their human form. The problem is these things...the last time anyone has spotted one was well over three hundred years ago."

Stygian nodded worriedly. If it was a Yuxa they could be in trouble, especially if it had not been seen for three hundred years. That just meant it had gone undetected for that long and had been breeding all that time.

If they were lucky it was a female and they would only have a few offspring to deal with. If it was male however they could be looking at an epidemic. Still given that the Hunter had just heard the rumors he would hazard a guess it was a female.

Yuxa's took a century to mature into their adult bodies, but were able to blend into Human society much earlier in life. They could take the forms of beautiful men or women depending on their sex and this was their way of attracting a mate to breed with. Perhaps the Hunter had been captured by one of them for this purpose, after all he had many good traits they would look to pass onto their offspring.

He looked to the food Red had offered him and split up what they had and began to make a dinner. As he worked he began to think of ways to torture her with this information but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't care about the Hunter and if he had been captured by them he would get a good chuckle out of it. No what was bothering him was they way she would take the news. For some reason he did not feel right teasing her about it.

Just what was wrong with him? He should be rubbing it in her face and using it to undermine her confidence so he could truss her up like a dinner and take her back to the pack as part one of his revenge. Instead he was worried about her feelings. It must be because he needed her still. Yes that was it. Not because of any burgeoning thoughts of closeness between them, or the way her body had looked in the water or with it slowly dripping down her beautiful naked skin as she walked...

Bringing himself back to reality with a start he looked over towards her. "It may be that your Hunter has been taken prisoner by these beasts. He went expecting one and as you can hear there are definitely more than that. Then again maybe he is hiding out making plans just as we are. Tomorrow we must see what we are up against though. Tonight we eat and rest."

Judging by the oddly long pause and lack of snark Red wondered if the wolf knew more about the creatures than what she learned from the other hunters. The hunter must have known there was more to the Yuxa, otherwise he wouldn't have been in such a hurry. Normally in these sort of hunts, he would quiz Red on what's the quickest or effective way to kill a particular creature. But the Yuxa, not much is known on how to kill them as they were once believed to have been extinct.

Instead of giving her a few tips in case he didn't return, the hunter simply left. Was it much worse than she thought?

Red plopped down on the ground, staring up at the cave's rock ceiling. Occasionaly, she would sneak a glance at the wolf, not wanting to be caught by him. If she wasn't worried about her mentor, her thoughts focused on the wolf's words towards her: the split on her being the hunter and a woman. Two things that clashed with one another, often leaving jer a bit troubled. Growing up, the life as a hunter is all she knew and must adhere to, even more so now that nearly the entire clan has been wiped out until new recruits dared to join.

But there was that other side of her. The other person that felt trapped, burdened at the fact that she was one of the last two who knew this sort of life. The part of her that felt a slight twinge of jealousy when she watched the women in the towns she and the hunter stayed in laughing, having their moments of being carefree when they are not running scared. Some women were quite daring with their loved ones out in public, often when they are in their drunken stupor at the taverns.

"So what's your experience with the women?" She asked.

Stygian had been stirring their meal and sneaking small glances at Red when he knew she was not looking at him. He was confused about his feelings towards this Hunter. He knew as part of the Pack he should be ready to kill her at a moments notice, and indeed with the moon now rising, his wolf was awakening and urging him to do just that.

However the man saw the beautiful woman that she was, not just the Hunter, and his body yearned to take her and make her his. He remembered how she had looked at the lake and a small smile played over his lips.

"So what's your experience with the women?" She asked.

He almost spilled the meager meal he was making as her question penetrated his thoughts. He was glad he was facing away from her as he blushed red in embarrassment for a few seconds. Because of his scar and his low position in the pack he had not been popular with both the members of the pack or the women in the villages. He had conquered his fair share of women, but he had had to use his brain and wit to do so, instead of the rugged good looks the rest of his pack mates relied on.

Turning he smiled ruefully at her. "Your mentor has made it very hard for me in that department. What woman wants to sleep with a man with this on his face," he said pointing to his scar, "and what bitch who has heard the tail would ever mate with a wolf so low on the pecking order in the Pack. I am shunned in both worlds because I failed to kill you on my Alpha's orders."

He sighed. "Ah but some women do like scars. They say they are a mark that show a person is a true warrior, and some bitch's will fuck anything when they are in heat, so I am no Virgin." Smiling he looked at her and let his gaze travel up and down her body. "What of you Red? I have heard how the Hunter's like to remain pure. How is your own experiences with the opposite sex?"

From the corner of her eye, Red noticed that he flinched at her question of his experience with women, almost spilling his concoction. She held back a snicker, although it was tempting to make fun of getting him riled up. A small victory for her nonetheless. It was high time that he had a taste of what it's like to be caught off guard. Still, she'll keep it in mind that these are the kinds of questions that would stop him in his tracks for future references.

Something in the wolf's smile was a bit off as he spoke about how the Hunter made his life more difficult since their encounter. He was smiling but for some reason, it almost resembled a mask, to hide something behind his words. But what?

"No, the hunter spared you. If you stuck around any longer, he would have sliced you right up to your eye socket and pop your eye out." she calmly replied.

Red kept her eye on the wolf just in case he had something concocting in his mind. Still, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit sorry for him. His fellow pack likely had thought the wolf brought dishonor upon them, unable to finish a relatively easy task of killing one of the young members of her own clan that wandered off. And other women, half of those she came across were either judgmental or shallow who would find such a disfigurement as something grotesque and avoid him like the plague.

If the damned wolf didn't provoke the attack on her in the first place, maybe he'll go on living his life scar free. That is if he survived that night at all.

"Maybe some women see it as battle scars. Some of us might see it that way. Either that or you have the sort of marking that tells the world that you are now a slave to the one who carved it."

"What of you Red? I have heard how the Hunter's like to remain pure. How is your own experiences with the opposite sex?"

"There's a difference between chaste and pure. Some of the hunters do mingle with one another, have kids, stay out of fighting for a while before they get back in to it, especially the women. The kids...someone takes care of them until they are three before another person teaches them about every monster in existence and how to kill them. Once you reach the age of eight will they start teaching you how to fight. "

She forced out a short laugh, shaking her head. "So to answer your question, I have encountered many a man whenever I traveled. Some were nice, some a bit flirty, some who are wolves in sheep's clothing who try to rob you in the middle of the night. But I never laid with any of them, never at all. The hunter had my back, I had his during our travels."

Red watched as the wolf figure out what kind of meal to put together from the scraps of food they had. The wolf wasn't bad looking at all. If it wasn't for his pompous attitude and the fact that they were natural adversaries, Red admitted that she could overlook his scar and perhaps give him a chance.

Her mind began to drift towards the massage incident before they made a run for it. Oh she will never forgive him for that. Normally, she would have lashed out at him for daring to put her hands on her that way. But for some reason, the anger she felt right before they left the overhang didn't fire up as much as now. Annoyed? Yes. Just not as pissed off as she was a few hours earlier. As the wolf prepared the meal, she was lost in her own thoughts, her mind drifting back to that incident. Her upper thighs were not the ones that needed massaging yet the wolf found a way to make her feel good. The higher his hands went, it triggered an unfamiliar yearning inside of her.

"I guess I was always curious about what would it be like to get kissed the way I've seen two lovers go at it and since there's only the two of us..."

To her horror, she realized a little too late that her conscience turned on the switch accidentally switching her most intimate thoughts kept to herself to them being spoken for the wolf to hear.

Stygian turned around and looked at her with a fierce look. How dare she treat him this way. He had just told her that no woman of beauty ever looked at him or chose to be with him for any reason, and here she was teasing him by putting thoughts of the two of them kissing into his mind.

He knew for a certainty that it would never happen and that she was only doing it to torture him. Why would she ever allow the wolf that had almost taken her life to touch her in any way that could be construed as intimate. Just look at the way she had reacted when he had only massaged her legs so she could walk again.

Then he saw her face and his anger started to fade. The look of horror on it said a lot. She was not reacting to his look for it was already there when he had turned around. No that look was because of what she had said. She had not meant to say those words at all and now he was having second thoughts about things.

Could it be that she was actually attracted to him? No that was not possible. She was just attracted to the notion of kissing any male and he just happened to be the only male around so he would have to do. Yes that was it.

However here was an opportunity to get some revenge on her. She had asked for it and truth to tell he wouldn't mind kissing her. In fact in could be fun kissing one of the last Hunters and the child he had failed to kill. The fact that she was beautiful, and alluring, and ...Stop it he chided himself. Take control.

Smiling wryly he moved closer to her. "So you want to be kissed? Is this another one of your tricks Red, played just to torment me? If so I am not amused and a word of warning, and don't take this as a threat, The angrier I get the easier the Wolf finds it to exert control."

He looked deep into her eyes for a whole minute and then nodded. "However if you are sincere, then after dinner I will show you how two lovers kiss."

Stygian then backed off and went back to finishing their meal.

If looks could kill, Red would have dropped dead in that moment. Quite frankly, being killed on the spot doesn't sound too bad compared to wondering what was going through his mind now that it was out. There was no hole or barrier she could hide in until she got a hold of herself and take back the control. She couldn't find a place to hide her head in or to turn away for the wolf had taken the opportunity to approach closer.

"It's a mistake. Just a slip of the tongue. Of course it was to get you riled up."

Yet those defiant words never made it past her thoughts. She needed to take back control before anymore of those hidden feelings found their way to the surface. Her persona as a hunter and that of a woman were at odds with one another.

It's that damned wolf's fault! He made her question of the human that lies alongside her conscience as a hunter.

True, it wasn't entirely his fault. But someone needed to be blamed. She was doing a decent job in keeping her feelings in tact to avoid being vulnerable to their enemies.

She looked down and noticed her plate beside her. On a slice of bread was the brie cheese spread with the nuts and vegetables crumbled. As she slowly ate, the fire exposed one thing for the wolf without needing to say a thing: her face flushed a noticeable bright red, still embarrassed by that slip up.

But then perhaps this is an opportunity to get revenge on the wolf for the mental torture he was putting her through. Yes, that has to be it. Her mind continued to repeat this mantra in hopes of silencing that side of her that strangely was looking forward to the wolf demonstrating a few things.