Cat and mouse (part 1) Revised version!

Chapter 31

"Loki!" I yelled.
I hadn't wanted to call for him, but those things weren't looking like they were going to leave anytime soon and I was not going to go out by being mauled to death.
"Loki!" I yelled louder.
I looked down at the creatures to see that Loki had materialized to the left of the pond.
"Loki!" I hissed down at him.
His head snapped up to where I was and he smiled.
"What the hell are you doing?" He laughed looking up at me as he walked right past the creatures without even the slightest hint of fear.
"Those things, they just came out of the woods and I didn't know if they were dangerous." I said down to him.
He let out a loud laugh and I realized this was the first time I'd heard a genuine laugh from him.
"So you climbed a tree?"
"Would you rather I fight them off with my bare hands." I snapped.
"They're called Qeerum, they're harmless." He said petting one on its back.
"They don't look harmless." I sniffed.
"Come down before you fall and break something." He said holding his hand up to me.
"Look at them? They look dangerous." I said not convinced.
"Just trust me."
I eyed the beasts for a second before groaning and dropped down from the tree branch ignoring his outstretched hand.
"You know, a lady in a dress hopping out of trees is considered unmannered." He said smirking as I dusted my hands off.
"Where I come from girls climb trees to-" I cut myself off when one of the creatures reared up towards me, standing on its hind legs.
I went to jump back but Loki stepped behind me, placing his hands in my waist, rooting me to the spot
"They are not aggressive but they do chase, so running is not in your best interest." He whispered into the crook of my neck.
His breath slid across my skin and I shivered feeling his lips ghosting there.
I gritted my teeth hating the way that I could picture them locking onto the sensitive flesh right there.
The creature walked hesitantly towards me on wobbly back legs making me jerk against Loki's iron grip.
Maybe this was his new plan, get me killed and then walk away free as a bird.
"Loki.." I hissed as it got closer.
He grabbed my hand and held it out to the qeerum.
I closed my eyes and turned my head away not wanting to see it bite my fingers off.
I opened them when I felt a tongue licking my knuckles.
"See, it's just smelling you. It's never smelt a human before." Loki said chuckling, the vibrations from his chest seeping through my back and nestling into someplace deep in mine.
It had two rows of teeth, all of them pointed.
I tried to stay calm while it inspected farther up my arm. It sneezed at me, dropped back down to its paws and walked back towards the group.
"No need to be afraid of something when it hasn't done anything to hurt you." He said dropping my hand.
His lips brushing against my ear, his breath tickling down my neck again as he spoke.
"Waiting for something to hurt you before you're afraid is just plain stupid."
The hands on my hips spun me around.
"Are you afraid of me?" He asked curiously.
"No."
"You're lying." He said letting his thumb rub small circles on my hip.
Why did he do this? What could he have to gain by working me into such a frenzy?
"Are you afraid I'm going to hurt you or try and kiss you? You seem equally afraid of both."
"I'm not afraid of you." I said jutting my chin up in defiance.
He brought his finger up and ran it along my jaw bone gently.
"You're blushing."
"Your trying to make me blush."
"Yes and it's working." He smirked.
I felt him getting closer to me, slowly inching his face down towards mine.
Not this time.
I shoved him as hard as I could, he stumbled back a few steps and tripped on a small boulder jutting out of the muddy bank falling ass first into the water.
"What is your deal lately?" I shouted down at him.
"You've done nothing but threaten me, manhandle me, and piss me off since the day we met. What would make you even remotely think I want to kiss you." I snarled pacing in front of him.
He lifted himself out of the water and back into a standing position flinging water from his hands and looking pissed.
"We are never going to happen." I said poking his chest.
He grabbed my wrist, quick as lightning and suddenly I was a little afraid that I'd provoked him to far.
A normal man didn't take rejection well, and a prince..well he might take it even worse.
"Whether you want to admit it or not, you kissed me back. You might not want to want me, but you do." He said taking a step towards me.
I jumped back.
"No! You won't touch me without my permission again, do you hear me?" I warned.
He stopped and his eyes narrowed.
Something about consent seemed to halt him in his tracks every time. It was admirable and I hated it.
"Take us back to the palace." I ordered.
He looked like he was going I argue, I'd told him
no and bossed him around in the same breath.
He could just leave me here out of spite. It looked like he was considering it but instead grabbed my arm roughly and teleported us back.