Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
That’s the kind of message I can get behind.
Mid-laughter, Hawk stops to take a deep breath and leans against a seaweed-covered rock. “Gimme a sec, babe,” he says, and then proceeds to take his shoes off so his feet touch the cool sand.
“While I appreciate that werewolves might need to be more in tune with nature, please make sure you don’t step on a crab,” I say.
“Well, if it cuts off my feet, I will be shorter, and kissing you will be easier.” Hawk gives me a faint smile, which… has me a little worried.
“Are you all right, my dear?” I ask, as we walk out onto a rocky beach. At this time of day, the waves have receded, which makes reaching our destination much easier. I even spot the large white skeleton of a leviathan emerging from the dense sand not far away. A reassuring sign that we’re in the right place.
Hawk looks at the stars with a grimace. “I just feel so damn hot all the time. And it’s like when a fever won’t let you think.”
I touch his forehead, suddenly worried, and he is, in fact, burning up. “Oh, my love, let’s cool you down before we go any farther. I’m sorry we cannot rest just yet. The boat trip will take several days, so maybe you will recover en route.”
I pull him along the beach and to the skeleton of the elongated sea beast. Strands of seaweed hang from its bones, and maybe their touch might provide the respite Hawk needs.
The wet sand, usually weighed down by tonnes of water, is easy to walk on, and soon enough, Hawk is assessing the leviathan’s sharp teeth while I lay the cool seaweed on his back, creating a weave that should help with his plight. I spot more of the cooling strands past the skull, between the skeleton’s ribs, so I grab Hawk’s hand and lead him in that direction.
One moment, we’re headed for the seaweed, the other, Hawk tugs me back with a growl that sends a shudder down my spine.
“Watch it!” he snarls.
I turn to see my man hunched forward and holding onto his forehead while blood spills from between his fingers. It doesn’t take a lot of brain power to conclude he must have hit himself on a bony ridge, and I step closer, trying to soothe him with my touch.
The noise he utters then comes from deep in his chest. It’s low and animalistic, and when he opens his black eyes, they are angry voids. I take a step back, suddenly aware how tight the spaces between the ribs are. My stomach drops and my instincts scream in warning, as if I’m a fox that let a hungry wolf corner it between tall rocks.
But also… I’m confused. He’s never been this snappy. Is it the illness that makes him short-tempered?
“I’m sorry,” I say and stroke his arm. “I’ll just get the seaweed myself. Wait here.”
I hate the fact that not hearing his footsteps follow me is a relief. Anyone’s allowed to be in a bad mood sometimes, and Hawk’s been through a lot in the past week, but there was something strange about the emptiness in his eyes. I shake off the unreasonable anxiety, but by the time I’m back, his eyes, while black, reflect the silver moonlight. It seems I’ve been spooked by a trick of the light.
He stands still as I place the leaves on his chest and abdomen, and only speaks once I’m almost done.
“Are you angry?” Hawk asks.
I hesitate, unsure what emotion has curled in my chest. “No. I'm just a pain in the ass when ill. All that matters is that you will soon be able to rest. Come.” I give him a kiss, and I have to admit that even his lips are hotter than usual.
“But I snapped. I don’t snap at my partners,” Hawk tells me and brings my hands to his boiling forehead. “Did I scare you? You looked scared.”
I swallow, but he deserves the truth. “A little. You are a man of substantial size.” I smile at him to sweeten my words. “Which will be a boon for us when we meet Captain Lepearl. I have heard she is fearsome, so I feel better knowing I have you at my side when we face her.”
Hawk nods, but he leans down and clasps his arms around me before lifting me up. His blazing face slides under my shirt in the process. “It won’t happen again, baby.”
I stroke his hair to comfort him, even though the fact that he has a sense of guilt over his actions is welcome. “I’m just sorry you are poorly.”
We end up walking along the beach with our hands entwined, and he does seem to have cooled down. The seaweed even has a fresh scent, similar to mint. Mingled with the smell of the ocean, it reminds me of nights back at the Nocturne Court, when I would escape my siblings to a roof above our bedrooms and read by the moonlight, with only tea as my companion. Now, I have Hawk.