A Vixen's Curse

4 ~ Alive

My eyes blink rapidly until they finally come into focus. There's a distant sound of waves crashing into rocks and looking around I notice I'm in... tent. There is little saliva coating my tongue and I force it down my throat, scrunching my nose from the salty taste that still lingers.

I push against the bed with my leg to prop myself up. As I do, a familiar pain reminds me of the injury I sustained when I plummeted into the water. On that note, where the fuck is Thane? He better have a damn good explanation for all this.

"Ah, you're finally awake. I thought I heard movement." Okay, I will lie if my eyes didn't trace the godly figure in front of me. Wait, who the hell is this guy? With the tent door now open, I feel a breeze gently brush over my bare nipples.

My nipples!

I'm god damn stark naked. My hands scramble for the sheet and I pull it up quickly to cover my chest. Shirtless hunk over there doesn't even seem to bat an eyelid.

"Who the hell are you? And where is Thane?" My voice rips around the tent.

"Ah, there's that name again. You have been mumbling and calling it out in your sleep."

Great, now I feel completely violated knowing he has been in here with me while I have been unconscious.

"I demand you explain what is going on, right now!"

"Three days ago, I pulled you from the water, but you were alone."

How is that possible? Why would angel boy go to all this trouble to dump me in some ocean?

"So, where am I then?" I look around the small tent, which consists of the low stretcher I'm on, a fold up chair and a small cane dresser.

"This is Temple, a settlement for people like us." He crosses his arms and leans against the dresser.

Now I'm completely thrown. What does he mean by like us... strippers? His gaze questions my puzzled face and he turns sideways, revealing a mark resembling mine. It's darker and a heck more prominent, but it has a striking fiery, thorny resemblance.

"You're a vixen?" I sit there staring and trying to understand how, because vixen are female.

"Yup! Well, I'm a vexin and I go by Vex. The name kind of stuck, when I was found by Dame Rosella. She is pretty much our surrogate mother, as most of us have never had one." His accent is not one I'm familiar with. It's Old Lancer in likeness. The way all those snobs spoke in the history videos we had to watch for school.

"But you're a dude?!" I sit there feeling a little dumbfounded, my brain buzzing with questions.

"I share the similar talents as vixen, except for the need to survive from feeding, it's more of a good time for me. Oh, and yes, I prefer male partners." He grins a little, proud he has made me shocked. He takes a few steps towards me and I watch him cautiously.

"Relax," he chuckles. I'm going to check your break."

Oh crap, my leg is broken, how the hell am I meant to dance now? As I finish my thought, his warm hands are running over the slightly tender area.

"Healing nicely, another few hours and you should have full strength back."

This guy, seriously, he is nuts.

"Yeah, cause healing bones in a few days is totally possible." My statement has sarcasm dripping from it.

His eyebrows tighten before he asks his next question. "How long have you known about being a vixen?"