Possessed Soul

Chapter 48

"We push," he responded.

"Or we could just cover it in leaves and twigs and hope the FBI drive past it." Once the words were out of my mouth I realised how unlikely that sounded. "Anyway, it's not like we're going to stay here." I gestured around us, to the expanse of nothing that lay ahead of us. The road was desolate, apart from one truck that was quickly moving away from us. On either side of the road was a thicket of trees that stretched as far as the eye could see.

"Actually, I think we should." Kaden bit his lip, as if he was trying to make a decision. "None of us are in any condition to walk. We'll head off into the woods and rest for the night."

I looked at Holden's motionless body and knew he was right, but moving from here seemed like more of a risk than what it was worth. "No, thanks." I folded my hands over my chest. "I'm not eager to play Red Riding Hood."

"Don't worry," Ryan pulled me to him and kissed my cheek. "I promise to keep all wolves off of you." I knew he was still mad at me, but he was trying to prove to Kaden that he wasn't ready to give up on me, at least not yet.

Kaden opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again, and instead leered menacingly. I wasn't sure if this look was directed at me or Ryan, or at both of us.

***

"Don't be stubborn," I told Kaden, who was still trying to move the unmoveable car.

"Where's Ryan?" he enquired, leaning his back against the car and crossing his arm around his torso in a way that made his muscles bulge attractively. His eyes were tired, but he somehow still managed to gaze at me intently; as if he were seeing down to my soul and peeling away the charade of emotions I had built up.

"Asleep." I gestured behind me to the clearing where Kaden had left Holden. We had decided that was the best place to rest. Kaden had promised to stay awake and watch out for trouble, while Ryan and I slept. Ryan fell asleep fairly quickly, but the ground was too uncomfortable for me to sleep, so I decided to stay up with Kaden. I wasn't expecting him to still try to move the car away from the road, further into the woods.

"Some guy," Kaden muttered. "What happened to keeping you safe from wolves?"

"He was just really tired and he thought I would sleep next to him. He's perfectly capable of keeping me safe."

"Keep telling yourself that. He abandoned the stolen car and walked up to me, keeping his emerald eyes trained on me to see my reaction to his close proximity.

"You should also sleep."

"I need to do something about that," I said as I pointed to his forehead.

"I don't see how." He swiped his hand over the cut and winced when he irritated it.

"Sit," I instructed and pushed down on his broad shoulders. He obeyed and sat cross-legged on the ground, looking up at me with raised eyebrows until I joined him. I started by ripping off a piece of the jacket Kaden gave me.

"That's the only clothes you have." Kaden caught my wrist, causing the strip of material to fall to the ground.

"That's the only face you have," I retorted.

"Why are you such a...," he paused, pretending to decide what the right word was, "...spitfire?"

I pursed my lips and chose not to answer; instead I wrapped the cloth around his head, pulling tight. I used my sleeve to rub off the blood that had dried around his eye, and realised there was not much more I could do. I didn't even have any water to clean the wound.

I leaned back to admire my handiwork, but Kaden pulled me closer to him. He held me against his chest, and I practically sat on his lap. Just like that my resolve to stop wanting to be with Kaden went out the window.