15

I feel like I run at least five miles before I stop for much needed breath, gasping crazily with crushing agony, my limbs beginning to ache and burn from overuse and the unfamiliarity of speed running like this. Much like unfit people, we have to build our stamina so the human side of us can catch up, and I have not been good at building up to this kind of sprint. My legs and muscles are throbbing and feel like my tendons are being torn apart. I collapse behind an overgrown ridge to try and regain some equilibrium. So my lungs don’t cave in and give myself a few moments before dragging myself up and walking the rest of the way at human speed now I’ve made up good time.

Deep in the woods, following the worn animal path to the cavern that I know well, I feel a little lighter, and less depressed. Every kid has been here at least once in their life, long before the vampire attacks. This used to be the go-to spot to hang out, play and swim in the lake nearby and the path made it impossible to get lost. Animals walking the link to their watering hole once you reach the shadowy depth of a forest so dense that it’s permanently in shade, even on the brightest of days.

I know this is why he chose this place. In my memories he would have seen I frequented it a lot with my brother Jasper, as a child. He knows I know it well. No one comes here now; they’re too afraid, yet every kid knows the way and knows exactly how to get there. The fear of vampires still haunts us even now with all the years of quiet living. They are still out there somewhere and shaded gloomy secluded areas like this, would be an ideal spot for them to hunt.

A twig snapping off to my left makes me jump a foot high, head snapping to follow its source and eyes burning to see what is coming. I dart inside a large hollow log to conceal myself and glance around, heart elevated and breath laboring quickly. Senses kicking into red alert.

It's me.... don’t be afraid.

The much longed for voice in my head, smothering me with calm, like thick honey and I exhale with both relief and something else. That elation at being close to him again, but I wonder why I haven’t picked up on his scent or his proximity yet. We’re supposed to feel our mates when they’re close.

Where are you?

I mutter awkwardly as I crawl back out, peeking cautiously, picking the dried moss from my hair and straighten up to scan the woods around me.

“Keeping my distance, downwind of you, over here.” He calls back verbally, drawing me to him by voice alone. That explains why I didn’t feel or smell him approaching. He’s close enough to make me jump, and I spin in the direction his voice came at me from. I catch sight of him, jumping down from a rock overhanging the clearing, to one lower, I placed myself in, as he pulls on a t-shirt over those sculpted tanned abs and throws a backpack to the side of him. He must have carried clothes with him, and I have to admit, I’m a little disappointed and eye rape him appreciatively. My body heating up with the insane lust I feel for this man, just because he got within fifty feet. My crazy hormones have had me dreaming of doing all kinds of naked things with him that a virgin shouldn’t know how to do.

I make a move towards him, but he raises his palm and throws me a serious frown that halts me in my tracks. That dominant warning, I have to heed.

“Stay there. Don't come closer, it’s better for both of us if we keep our distance.” He seems extremely wary, voice a little husky and unsure.

“Why? What do you think I’m going to do to you?” I retort angrily, hurt stupidly, and reacting like he offended me on every level. It’s an insane disappointment, eating me up inside, because all I really want to do is run into his arms and continue what was interrupted days ago. I need to feel his skin on mine and hate the fact he clearly doesn’t.

“It’s not you, it’s me. I'm finding things hard and after what happened at the pack house, it’s safer to keep you at least thirty feet away from me at all times.” He shrugs, rounding those large shoulders and drawing my eye, making it obvious he doesn’t trust himself.

I guess he means the kiss, and the urge to mark me that followed seconds after. I guess I’m wrong and he does have the same insane need I do. I have to agree, proximity does make me want to touch him all the more, but thirty feet is a little extreme.

“So why bring me here if you have no intention of coming anywhere near me?” I spin on my heel and head to the log once more, in a bid to stomp some of this sudden aggression out, only this time I climb on top of the rickety old wood and slump my butt down, dropping my legs over the side to sit comfortably. Sulking inwardly, like a chastised toddler and focus my eyes on the snowdrops pushing through in the only crack of sunlight to hit the ground, rather than look at him. My pride is wounded and as stupid as it is, I’m mad at him for it. This hunger is only cured with contact.

“I owed you some sort of explanation for cutting off our link. For staying away after we........ I needed to do this properly.”

Colton’s voice makes me all kinds of crazy. It’s that deep male sexiness laced with a raw husky and almost commanding edge. He has always had a nice voice, that underlying hint of a Colombian accent in the depths and now more than ever, it does insane things to my insides and dampens my irritability a little. Not quite all though.

“Your father made it pretty clear, all the why and what nots. I don’t need you to repeat it.” I snap a little too tetchily, and instantly get hit with a wave of sadness, maybe regret, as it moves over me, and I pick up on his feelings. I glance up and see he is marginally closer, and I guess that’s why I can now feel what he does. In our separation I couldn’t feel much except my own misery, I guess that’s the only positive about being apart. Now I’m carrying both of our emotions.