Page 9 of Beta Hybrid

Being different will never be the reason someone trusts you. If anything, it will turn them off you at a glance.

With my vines, I try to pick up a small rock on the bank of the stream. It curls around the stone, but my vines are too thin, too wandering, to grip it.

I had to get away from all the ‘women-folk’.

I left them back there in their little head-in-the-sand oasis.

Even with Jana, Divina and Odette, I couldn’t think. I’ve spent too much time by myself to want to rely on others. In the back of my mind, I’m grateful to have them, but I need to be able to think things out for myself.

And I need the space.

The last thing I want is to be trapped in a magic bubble.

To be trapped at all. Like underground. It’s suffocating.

My vines snake out from my arms, stretching, reaching for the shore on either side of me, and it feels good. Like rolling your shoulders back as you first wake. I reach out and touch one of my vines. Not too long ago, they were just tattoos to me. I had no idea they could, well, come off my skin. There’s still Savannah’s mark on my right arm, but the vines dance around it.

There’s a lot I don’t know about myself.

Zenna? Cai’s voice calls down the bond.

I let my eyes fall closed for a moment, feeling him. It’s both strange and familiar, now. Having him in my mind. That connection we now share. Yeah, I’m on the bank.

I know, I see you. You’re beautiful, you know. I thought you looked stunning under moonlight, but in daylight… He saunters up to me as I turn around. He settles behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

Don’t stop, I tease.

He smiles, nuzzling into my neck. In daylight, you glow. Brightly. Fiercely. He reaches out playfully to touch my vines. ‘What are these up to?’ As though they are adventurous toddlers he looks at fondly, running wild.

I slide them home, back to my forearms. ‘Just stretching.’

He squeezes me, trying to turn to see my face. ‘Something I said?’ He runs his hands down my arms, his slightly calloused fingertips pleasantly rough against my skin.

I gasp as he scratches over the wound.

He goes rigid behind me. I’m sorry. Within a moment, he’s taking my arm to his mouth, licking gently over the wound. I should have insisted I do this before talking with Noah.

I stare for a moment. I was kind of out of it last time he licked my wounds, and then, well, I was incredibly focused on having sex with him. Now, in the light of day, I choke back a laugh.

Cai pauses, mid lick, tongue lolling out of his mouth. What?

I burst out laughing until my back is against the grass, and I’m looking up at him. Finally, he realises what I’m cackling about.

He pounces, straddling me, peppering me with kiss-licks over my neck and cheeks. It’s weirdly playful-sexy. I laugh until I can’t breathe, and I don’t remember the last time I did. I swat at him, but of course he’s too strong and heavy. And I don’t want to him to get off, anyway. ‘Noooo.’ I cry as he licks up my face. ‘Eewww.’

Cai sits up, mock-offended. Eww, hmm? Let me test that. He lowers himself to me, this time slowly. He slides his hands up mine—my wound healed—and holds my wrists above my head.

A tingle of excitement pulses through me. Hmm. I smile.

For a moment, sitting on top of me, hands pinned above my hand, Cai softens, staring hard into my eyes. Then, before I know it, he’s pulled me up, and wrapped me tightly into a hug.

‘Oh.’ I hug him back. Then blink. We’ve had sex… maybe four times in the last twenty-four hours. We’ve kissed, oh, let’s round it up to twenty times, I’m not counting…

But hugging?

I haven’t hugged him for over five years. Not really. Not like this.

Tears suddenly well in my eyes. ‘Cai,’ my voice cracks. ‘What are you doing?’