Page 54 of Marked
“Em…”
“I hunt and kill men in the woods for Queen Titania. He hunts and kills them in a city. If you think about it, there’s not a huge difference in our roles.”
“Just the motives,” Orion muttered.
Ace’s gaze met mine and without a word, he started walking back toward us. His whole body radiated menace and irritation. His gaze flashed as it snagged on Orion, and he curled his hands into fists.
“Just promise me you’ll be careful,” Orion said.
“Yes. Fine. I promise,” I said.
Ace moved with that centred, fluid gait of his, the movement that screamed danger. Maybe I should be more concerned or scared at learning Ace’s history—but if he was here to try to kill me, why the charade of becoming my partner? There was no need.
No need unless he was here for information instead of murder.
Orion pressed his lips together, his gaze bouncing between us.
“I hope you two are done,” Ace said. “We’re going to have to set up camp and find dinner in the dark at this rate.”
“And I need to get back to Perga.” Orion nodded before looking at me one last time. “Just…remember what I said.”
It took every ounce of self-control I had left not to groan or glance at Ace. “Of course.”
We said our goodbyes and Orion left the same way he’d arrived, stomping, and cursing through the bushes.
21
The last rays of the day filtered through the canopy overhead, dancing along the moisture on the leaves and casting long shadows. During dawn and dusk, the few non-migratory birds in the area broke their silence and filled the forest with sounds of their sweet songs. They’d disappear into the shadows soon.
The setting sun took with it the little heat it offered, leaving the chill in the air to grow stronger. Though I wore leather pants and a leather shirt, the cold here soaked through to the bone. We’d need to make a fire soon before my chattering teeth lured large predators out of hiding.
“Do you want to tell me what that was all about?” Ace asked.
“Not particularly.”
“Looked like a lover’s spat to me.”
I snorted and shook my head. “You must be incredibly inexperienced as a lover if you think a quiet conversation like that was a lover’s spat.”
A sly grin spread across Ace’s face. “Nothing could be farther from the truth.”
“Is that so?”
Ace leaned down, his dark gaze scanning my face. Before he could say anything, though, Nala growled.
I grabbed Ace’s arm and pulled down as I dropped to the ground. Nala only growled like that for one reason, and that was to alert me to danger.
My wolf stared at the forest at the north end of the path.
“Nala,” I whispered.
She stiffened but didn’t take her attention off the path. She didn’t need to for me to know she heard me.
“Go,” I ordered.
Without hesitation, she took off, her paws silently pressing into the trampled moss. Nala had been and always would be my number one hunting partner.
My heart thudded heavily, threatening to punch free of my chest, as I waited. Nothing flushed hunters out of the forest faster than an angry wolf.