Shadow of the Beast (Twisted Dark #2)

Chapter Twelve: Distractions

I carried the little witch through the forest, she hummed lightly, her chin resting on my shoulder. I was content with the little female, despite the very slight bitter undertone to her scent. For me, it didn't matter. I had a willing female that seemed to crave my attentions. It also settled me to take care of a female, to provide for one. It made it very clear to me that once I got my brother back that I would need to find myself a female to carry on my line with.

As much as I liked the witch, she wasn't compatible with me for offspring and I wanted babes. I wanted a female who would grow round with my child. I wanted to be there as she created life within herself, to watch the changes in her body. There was a small part of me that wondered how the little pixie would look if my seed took within her but it was easy to push it away with her scent. The bitterness was all it took for the thoughts to stop.

"What are you going to do when you find your brother?" Her question was light as she shifted her arms around my neck.

"Go home." Take him and go back to our hunting grounds before going to the compounds to find suitable females for both of us.

"Oh." It was a small sound and I switched directions, I could faintly scent humans and I knew that we would be coming towards a human settlement.

"What will ye do with the witch dead?" I wondered about the little witch, what she would do with her freedom. I could only imagine that she would like to return to a Coven to be with other witches. Perhaps finding herself with a werewolf. The thought made me wish to bare my teeth. I didn't particularly like the thought of another male stroking her skin, feeding themselves into her heated sex. I didn't want to think about any other males that would be with her because it gave me an urge to destroy the males who thought they could touch her as I did. She didn't answer me and I jostled her slightly. "Pixie, what will ye do with the witch dead?"

There was a pause before she made a small sound. "I don't know." Her voice was tiny and I frowned.

"How is it ye don't know?" She should have had a plan. If I had been stuck for years I would have had a plan for my freedom.

"I've never known anything but Irma and her world. I don't know what I would do outside of it." She had a good point but she sounded perturbed and her voice trembled as if she were scared of the uncertainty her future held. "I don't know." It was once again that tiny and uncertain voice that made me frown. It made that small part of me wish to take her away and pamper her as she should have been.

"Well ye will have yer gold. With it ye can buy a good life for yerself." With me killing the Elder witch it would leave her with the significant amount of gold. She could get herself a small place and start a new life. It made me feel better to know that she would have the ability to take care of herself.

"I could go to my parents." She said it carefully at first before a bit of hopefulness entered her tone at the end.

"Aye." I gave a slow nod at that, she would be well taken care of with her parents.

She made a small sound in her throat. "Do you think they would want to see me?" There was a timid tone to her voice, as if she were hesitant to believe her parents would want her back.

"Aye, ye're their babe. They will wish t' be reunited with ye." I couldn't imagine what situation where they wouldn't wish to see her. If I was separated from my child there would be nothing in the universe that would stop me from finding them once more.

"Irma always told me they gave me to her and never wanted me." The way she said it made me bare my teeth and tighten my grip on her legs.

"She's a cruel bitch, pixie. Doona put any faith int' her words." I couldn't imagine why she would ever believe anything that female said to her. She should never lose faith in the parent's love for her because I was certain they loved her dearly.

She was silent for a few moments before she nodded. "You are probably right." She wiggled on my back before tapping my collar bone. "Set me down so I can look for herbs." At her words I immediately let her down, watching her as she tugged down my shirt around her smooth thighs as she tucked her hair behind her ears before she smiled at me.

"Find some St John's Wort an' bring it back t' me." I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against a nearby tree. I nearly smirked at the blush that crossed her face as she stared at my chest. She was a lusty female, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. It took her a second before she nodded and headed away from me. I watched her carefully, making sure she didn't wander too far from me. I could still smell the human town that was not far from us. I wasn't sure of the exact distance but it was no greater than two miles.

I watched as the little female crouched down, looking at different plants on the forest floor. I was pleased that the female was so interested in the healing herbs. It showed an inclination towards the healing arts. There weren't enough people who showed such an inclinations and healers weren't common. There was only one or two shared between several compounds and it caused many issues. Werewolves didn't get sick or hurt frequently but battles happened often and wounds needed to be tended too.

Time passed by as the little pixie flitted to me and back, showing me different herbs and flowers and trying to find the ones I told her to look for. However the more I stood there watching her, the more I felt uncomfortable and agitated. It took a several minutes of this uncomfortable feeling within me before my instinct started to creep back to life. It went around my ribcage and moved through my veins. It made my muscles twitch and my bones ache.

Find brother

The words were hissed at me and I stiffened underneath them as the uncomfortable feeling I had been experiencing was shown. I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the little witch. I had been too distracted by her to remember to look for my brother. My instinct had been satisfied with the female but now it was going back to our prime objective, finding Lyxton.

I looked towards where the scent of humans were coming from. I needed to find more clues as to where the Elder witch was so I could find my brother. I glanced at the little female as she slowly picked some herbs further from me. I narrowed my eyes further as I turned to look back in the direction of where the town was. "Pixie." My voice came out a bit more gruff and she jumped but immediately headed right for me. Once she drew close enough I crouched down, gesturing to her foot. She held it up for me and I unwrapped the chain from around her ankle.

When I glanced up at her she gave me a puzzled look as I held the thin chain in my hand "What are you doing?" I looked at her, judging my chances. If I brought her to the town there was a higher chance of me being ambushed by a group of witches and losing the little female all together. I could leave her in the forest and she would be safe and there would be no chance of witches coming after me aggressively because of her but I didn't want her to wander off and get lost.

"Jax?" Her voice wavered slightly but I ingored her as I looked up at the tree and let my claws come out. I jumped high up on the trunk, digging my claws into the tree before I threw the chain over a high branch, tying it tightly. "What are you doing?" Her voice rose in pitch and I dropped down to the forest floor.

"Goin' t' the town." I looked down at her and her brown eyes widened.

"Take me with you." Her voice came out in a rush as she looked up at the branch where I had put the chain.

"I canna do tha', pixie." I shook my head. "Witches would come after me, could hurt ye in the process. Canna allow tha'." I looked towards the direction of the town. "I'll be back, doona worry 'bout it." I started to walk away and she grabbed my arm, I could hear her heart thudding in her chest.

"Don't!" It was a fear filled word and I shook her grip off before turning and grasping her face.

"It will be fine, pixie, doona worry. I'll be right back." I kissed her hard before I let her go and moved away. There was no reason for her to worry. I would be back and everything would be fine.