Rivers of blood and sand
Chapter 4

There was no stopping my half whine, half scream. He bit down so hard that he was just shy of breaking my skin. I couldn’t move a single muscle, and not because he still held my body captive. It wasn’t a short bite, but a long one that held me in place and the pressure increased as time went on. The shock of the move itself and the initial pain wore off, morphing into something else. Something I wasn’t ready to admit or even think about.

My scream changed into a whimper, and not one of pain. His body stiffened behind me, his grip on my hands becoming rigid. Lifting his head away, he stepped back and finally gave me space.

My body felt tingly and almost like jello. Pushing away from the tree, I hissed as my hair snagged in the bark and tugged at my scalp. My hands shook while I freed my hair, annoyance at Ander swirling with my confusion and shock in a turbulent whirlpool. Pressing a hand to my neck, I felt a bite mark indenting my skin. A throb ran through my neck at the contact, making me hiss again.

I struggled to understand everything that just happened, both with his actions and with my reactions. Did I seriously start getting turned on by being bitten? I’d never been one to mix pain and pleasure so this was confusing as hell. I knew I was—unfortunately—physically attracted to him, but this was ridiculous. He had just attacked and scared the shit out of me, letting me think I was about to be killed or worse. Then after all of that, he had the audacity to bite me. I should’ve been pissed, which I was, but I should’ve been so enraged that I couldn’t feel any other emotions. Especially not pleasure.

Even though I checked right before I was attacked, I pulled up the map again as an excuse to not face Ander right away. Yep, I was still several miles from the mark on the map. I hadn’t been thrilled to come out here in the first place, but now all I wanted to do was get this shit over with and go home.

I didn’t try to talk to Ander. Right now I didn’t care why he followed me out here, or why he hadn’t announced his presence several miles back. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him and whatever cutting remarks that would soon follow. Well, that and I wanted to avoid thinking about the last few minutes. Once I had my bearings, I resumed my hike toward the marked-off spot on the map. My pace was a little quicker than before, hopefully, I’d be rid of Ander soon.

It didn’t work. Now that I knew he was out here with me, he no longer hid his steps or kept his distance. His long legs quickly ate up the distance I put between us and had him walking beside me in seconds.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I practically growled, not bothering to look his way.

“What’s it look like I’m doing? I’m following you so you don’t get yourself killed out here.” He sounded annoyed at this. With how he was acting, you’d think I was the one forcing him to follow me. When in reality, I was the one that deserved to be angry.

“I don’t need your help.”

“No? It didn’t look that way when I had you pinned against that tree.” A mocking edge entered his tone.

“I would’ve gotten free if you hadn’t used that shitty move with my hands against me,” I protested, ignoring the flush that ran over my skin as heat warmed my core at his words. At the reminder of his body pressed against mine. It was the first time he ever touched me—technically, he touched me in the creature's realm when he saved me from the mud, but it hadn't been skin-to-skin contact since the mud was a barrier between us. He’d come close to it before but never made skin-to-skin contact. A deliberate move on his part. Like he couldn’t stand the thought of touching me.

He laughed, but there wasn’t any humor or joy in it. “I’m not the only one that knows that move sweetheart. Anyone with any sort of training knows to use it against a dragon.” Sweetheart, a term that was usually an endearment, didn't have the same effect when he used it on me. It almost sounded like an insult when he said it.

“But you only knew to use it because you know my animal.” I wasn’t usually this stubborn, but somehow he brought this side out of me. Where even if I found out I was wrong, I’d continue arguing, refusing to give in.

“Even with your hands free, you still weren’t getting out of my hold. Face it, you were trapped.” When I opened my mouth to protest, he cut me off. “Your brother wouldn’t appreciate me leaving you out here alone to get yourself killed. And I’d rather not have Jade lay into me for leaving you in a vulnerable position.”

Vulnerable position? Oh hell no.

I stopped and whirled to face him, my anger rising at the insult to my skills. He slowed to a stop, turning to face me as he lifted an inquisitive brow. Rather than let my anger get the best of me and call him names like I wanted to, I took a deep breath and chose to take a different route. “You know I’m out here. You can tell the others if I’m not back in the next few hours. We both know you don’t want to be here. So do us both a favor and leave me alone. I can handle this by myself. I've been doing this for the past few months.”

I hated the hint of vulnerability that entered my voice and how it almost sounded pleading. The last thing I wanted to do was show weakness in front of him. Especially now, when I was trying to convince him I could handle myself after getting pinned by him.

His expression gave nothing away. None of his thoughts or emotions could be read from his face and that frustrated me to no end. “I’m already out here, might as well replace out what’s brought you all this way.” He shrugged, his tone nonchalant. I didn’t believe the casual act for one second.

When I scoffed and rolled my eyes, he moved closer, invading my personal space. Holding my ground, I tilted my head back to maintain eye contact as he towered over me. I already made myself and my dragon seem weak in front of him, no way would he gain any ground or intimidate me.

“The more time you waste being difficult only increases the chance of us getting caught in the storm. So unless you want to navigate the Wilds in the rain, you’ll shut the hell up, move your ass, and stop wasting my time.” His eyes burned with an icy fire as he bent his head close to mine.

Standing this close to him, I was able to make out the variations in his unique eyes. Hints of a darker blue were on the outside of his right iris that I’d never noticed before, along with flecks of green around the pupil. The mint green of his left eye was due to multiple variations of the color, and a couple of those shades had a bluish hue.

I had the random almost childish urge to stomp my foot or slap him for talking down to me like that. But like the mature thirty-three-year-old woman I was, I did neither of those things. Instead, I took another deep breath that did nothing to cool my anger and pushed past him.

“Finally, some common sense from you,” he muttered, his voice dripping with condescension as he followed me.

What was that thought about being mature? Without looking back at him, I raised my hand and flipped him off, and said, “Fuck off.” It was a far cry from a mature response, but I was in no mood for his comments right now.

Ander grabbed my arm and yanked me to a stop, spinning me around to face him. Had I not raised my hands, I would’ve slammed into his chest. I expected him to make a shitty comment, but he didn’t.

His lips came crashing down onto mine in an angry and almost painful kiss. On my list of things I expected him to do, this was low on the list. I froze for a few seconds in shock, but once it wore off, my lips moved against his, matching his intensity.

A lethal combination of anger and lust—over four months' worth of it—came flooding to the surface, burning away all thoughts and emotions. There was nothing soft or gentle about the way I clawed at his back or the way he gripped my ass and pulled my hips forward, pressing our bodies together.

One of his hands remained on my ass while the other moved up to my ponytail, and ripped out the holder, freeing my hair. Plunging his hand through the curly strands, he tilted my head back to a near-painful degree, allowing him better control of my mouth. I bit down on his bottom lip in retaliation for my twinging neck. A faint metallic taste entered my mouth, making me realize I’d drawn blood. Oops. A growl against my lips was my only warning before he picked me up. On instinct, my legs wrapped around his waist as he moved. A few seconds later, my back slammed into a tree. My back stung from the rough bark of the tree as Ander pressed me against it. Once again I was trapped between him and a tree, only this time was more preferable.

Ander’s hips shifted forward, pressing his hard cock—that was straining against his jeans—against my center. An aching throb in my core drove my actions and sent me into a frenzy as I clutched at his back. He ground his hips against mine, and even through the layers of material between us, I felt it. My breaths were uneven as moans slipped free. I rolled my hips against his, following the rhythm he set.

Releasing my hair from his punishing grip, his hand slid up my shirt and under my bra, harshly grabbing and kneading my breast. A pained gasp escaped my lips as he pinched my nipple between his fingers and gave a sharp tug. Mixed in with the pain was pleasure, shooting from my nipple straight to my core as if they were connected.

I pushed my hands under his shirt, letting them trace over the hard muscles of his back. Once I reached his shoulders, I dragged my nails down his back, hard enough to draw blood. I smiled against his lips when he growled again and ground his hips harder against mine.

It was a bold move to make a blood mage bleed, almost as bold as bleeding in front of them.

A branch snapped in the distance and yanked us out of our lust-filled haze. Both of our heads snapped to the side where the sound came from. We waited for over a minute, aware of every little sound: our harsh breaths, racing pulses, the wind rustling the trees and leaves, and the animals moving through the forest. I couldn’t hear or sense anything out of the ordinary. It must’ve been an animal.

With the moment broken, Ander set me back on my feet, not bothering to make sure I was steady before moving away and turning away from me. He roughly raked his fingers through his hair, letting out a long exhale as he put more distance between us. His shoulders were stiff from what I assumed was either anger or frustration, and it radiated through his body.

What the hell just happened? One second I was flipping him off, and the next he was dry-humping me against a tree. These events shouldn’t have been connected. He should’ve called me immature or insulted me. The only part of our heated kiss that made sense was our rough treatment of each other. But even then, I was surprised by how much it turned me on. My body ached and still thrummed with desire, having not been cooled by the distraction out in the forest.

As hard as I tried to deny it, I was attracted to him. I wanted Ander, even when I wanted to punch him in the face. There had been multiple times where I woke up in the middle of the night from a sex dream starring him. Each time, my body ached and my pussy was soaked. I had to get myself off, pretending my hand was his, to be able to fall back asleep.

To ease the ache, I tried sleeping with other men, but each time I kept wishing it was him. I ended up leaving unsatisfied and had to finish the job myself. Where I would picture Ander’s face, and imagine his deep rumbling voice. Not the cold and unforgiving looks he always gave me, but the ones I caught only a few times. The ones where a smile lifted his lips as mirth sparkled in his eyes. A look he only gave his friends.

How fucked up was it that I wanted a man who seemed to despise me? I felt so pathetic every time I woke up from my dreams, annoyed at myself for wanting him. I deserved to want a man that wanted and actually liked me.

Ander showed he desired me, or at the very least was attracted to me physically. Something that still shocked the hell out of me since he’d always made sure not to let his body touch mine. I’d been so sure he was disgusted by me and that was why he kept his distance. But even if that wasn’t the case and he was attracted to me, albeit reluctantly, he didn’t like me. He didn’t respect me and my opinions. There wasn’t an interest in me or my life. Whatever happened between us moments ago, was lust, pure and simple. Like when people hate fucked.

This knowledge didn’t make any of this easier or less complicated. I had doubts I could hate fuck him out of my system. Life would be so much easier if that was possible. But maybe I could get him out of my system. Maybe this attraction to him and those annoying dreams were just curiosity over what it felt like to sleep with him. That once I had him, the novelty would wear off and I could focus on someone else.

I shook my head, those thoughts felt like justifications for giving in to this stupid and pathetic desire.

Ander was still turned away from me and even though I knew it wouldn’t work, I continued walking toward my destination. I kept my pace at a fast walk, feeling like it would be childish to run away. Behind me, Ander swore under his breath as he followed. This time he didn’t catch up to me, choosing to remain several feet behind. A decision I was grateful for and knew was for the best.

We didn’t speak the rest of the way, tension radiating between us. It was probably for the best that we didn't speak. Talking never worked well for us. Unfortunately, since neither of us were talking, it left my mind free to wander. My thoughts were unable to stay off that damned kiss for too long. I could still feel his lips against mine and imagine the taste of them, even his blood. The memories of his hands squeezing my ass, and breasts had me wanting to squeeze my legs together to ease the ache. No matter how hard I tried to forget, to think about anything else, I couldn’t.

I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t noticed the shift in the air right away. Not until Ander grabbed my upper arm and pulled me to a stop. I shook off his hand, ready to protest and tell him to stop touching me without my permission when I noticed it. The forest had gone silent. No birds. Nothing running through the tree branches or underbrush.

The stifling silence was unnatural and more than a little unsettling. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck rose. Whenever the forest went quiet, nothing good followed. Ever. I knew this from personal exprience, when the forest had gone silent that fateful day all those years ago.

“What are we looking for?” Ander demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Sighing, I ran my fingers through my loose hair, now that my ponytail holder was lost and I didn’t have a replacement. Fucking Ander. “We’ve heard rumors that something is going on with the animals out in the forests.”

Ander gave me an incredulous and disbelieving look. “That’s your lead? That’s why you came all this way?”

“Now you know why I didn’t say anything. I told you it might not be anything, but you just had to follow me.” I was talking at a normal level, but with the heavy silence, it felt like I was shouting.

“You were looking at something earlier, like you’re following a map,” Ander finally said after a minute of silence, wiping his hands down his face. The tension in his shoulders was visible as he scanned the surrounding trees. With how quiet it was, we would’ve been able to easily hear anyone approaching us, but Ander didn’t seem like the type to leave things up to chance.

“I was.” I pulled up the map and checked our location. “We’re nearly there.”

“How and why was this spot marked?” Ander’s exasperation was clear in his voice.

I cringed, knowing this wouldn’t go over well. “Wyatt pointed to a spot on the map and said he had a bad feeling.”

Ander roughly ran his fingers through his hair, tousling the strands. A humorless chuckle followed as he looked off to the side. “A bad feeling? You’re telling me you walked nearly eight miles because of a bad feeling? It wasn’t based on divination, prophecy, or a vision?”

He strung together more swears, pacing back and forth, spinning his ring around his forefinger. Normally, I’d let him get his pacing out of the way and work out his annoyance, but not this time. Not with how uncomfortable this area of the forest made me feel, with the insidious energy tainting the air. “Well, obviously he was onto something. Forests don’t randomly become silent out of nowhere.” A shudder racked my body as I took a deep breath.

After releasing another sigh and letting out another string of swears, Ander gestured for me to lead the way.

The silence continued. Worse than that, was how unsettled my dragon felt. If I didn't know something was wrong before, I did now. The insidious energy only grew, now accompanied by an odor that coated the air. It smelt of blood and death, a combination no one ever wanted to experience. Ander had moved closer and was now only a foot behind me having smelt the blood.

As we neared the spot on the map, the horrible odor grew, getting to the point where I was forced to breathe through my mouth. Which wasn’t that much of a better solution, not when I could practically taste the death lingering in the air.

We came across felled trees carelessly thrown to the side, creating a clearing. The scent of decay coated the air and was so strong I nearly gagged. Goosebumps raised along my arms at the oily magic clinging to my skin. My dragon shrunk away from the horrible combination. When I finally caught sight of what sat in the middle of the clearing, I gagged.

Laying in a circle of dead and blackened grass, was over a dozen dead and dismembered animals.