Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
He didn’t care how bad the fog was, tomorrow they would take their leave from this strange place. He remained silent as he hurried her down the stairs, but he could tell the claw marks had frightened her. They had even disturbed him and that wasn’t easy to do. What were the scratches of a clawed beast doing so high up in the keep?
Cree hurried Dawn into their bedchamber and wished there was a lock on the door after he closed it. When he turned, Dawn began gesturing to him and her hands trembled as she did, and her facial expressions made her gestures easy to understand.
He went to her and grabbed her hands to stop her from talking. “Werewolves were born from tall and often drunken tales. They are not real.”
She slipped her hands out of his and gestured again.
“I agree that tall tales can be born from a grain of truth, but a man turning into an actual wolf is far too tall of a tale to believe.”
Dawn continued to disagree with him.
“Aye, I saw those claw marks and it is puzzling how they got there and worrisome since it tells me that a wolf gained entrance to the keep, which means it is not safe here. We leave in the morning. I don’t care how foggy it is.”
Dawn nodded rapidly, then cringed as a pain struck her head.
“Bloody hell,” Cree said, his arm going around her and he helped her to sit on the bed. “You still need rest.”
She shook her head and cringed again.
“The healer advised you to take two or three days’ rest, that any travel before than could prove difficult and possibly harmful. We cannot leave, at least not for another day.”
Dawn mouthed, not safe.
“Whether we leave or stay, either way could prove dangerous for us. We will not sleep at the same time. I need less sleep than you so I can sleep for a few hours during the day and stay awake throughout the night.”
Dawn shook her head, not agreeing.
“Your protest is useless. I command it and so it shall be.” He reminded her of his earlier decision. “I will no longer put off showing you where the stable is located, so you can escape on my stallion if it should prove necessary. The horse will find his way to our warriors or home.”
Dawn kept shaking her head.
“I will hear no more protests. You will do as I command, Dawn. I will have it no other way.”
Her chin went up and she crossed her arms over her chest, demonstrating her tenaciousness, letting him know that she had no intention of leaving him.
“Do not be foolish,” he scolded. “One of us must survive and return home to the children.”
She sighed and gestured slowly, her exhaustion obvious.
“Bloody hell,” Cree mumbled, annoyed that she was right. It was not safe for her to travel alone, not with the wolves around. Worse, no one would hear her screams if she were attacked. No one would know to go to her aid. The image of what she would suffer was too excruciating to bear. He had to make sure they remained together.
Dawn tapped his chest, then hers, and crossed two fingers, reminding him they would do better together, always together.
As usual their thoughts mirrored each other’s, and Cree reached out to cup the back of her neck and draw her slowly to him. Then his lips descended on hers in a possessive kiss, and his manhood instantly responded. It had been days since they last made love under the covers of the bed in the noble’s house where they had stayed. He knew the noble’s predilection for installing peek holes in the guest bedrooms so he could spy on them, not for information but for the pleasure he got in watching them perform intimately.
So, in the week they had been there, they had coupled only once and not at length. He was growing needier for his wife by the day, but his need would have to wait. She needed rest if they were to get out of there as soon as possible. Kisses would suffice for now. That Dawn rested her head on Cree’s chest when the kiss ended proved him right. If she was feeling herself, she would have made sure to get him into bed and not to sleep.
“You need to rest if we are ever to get out of here,” he said and stood, taking her along with him, then reached down to draw the blankets back for her to get into bed.
She gestured before climbing into bed.
“Worry not. I have no intentions of leaving you here alone,” Cree assured her.
She gestured after pointing to the bump on her head and around the room.
“You don’t know if it is the bump or this place that leaves you feeling uneasy?”