Chapter Thirteen
Simon watched the play of emotions on Madison’s expressive face. She wasn’t as immune to him as she’d like to think. She had also melted against him when he’d kissed her earlier. Her momentary surrender had been the most incredible sensation Simon had felt in decades. Hell, who was he kidding? More like centuries.
He ignored Madison’s idiotic comment and turned his attention to Roman. “I’ll surrender myself to Svetlana in exchange for Madison’s safety. Take her with you.”
“He’s not taking me anywhere!” Madison snapped, moving to step in front of Simon. “And I’ll not let you run back to that sharp-toothed bitch on my behalf. Forget it.”
Simon lifted an eyebrow. “Sharp-toothed?”
“You heard me. Now think of something else, because your plan is ridiculous.”
Simon couldn’t look away from Madison’s whiskey-colored eyes. Damn, but she was sexy when angry.
He peered over her head and met Roman’s quizzical gaze. “I’ll give you another twenty-four hours to locate Svetlana. If she hasn’t been destroyed by then, I’ll seek her out myself.”
Roman nodded.
Madison’s mouth fell open.
Simon sighed.
“Find her,” Madison demanded of Roman without turning to face him, “before she has a chance to torture Sawyer.”
It roasted Simon’s ass that Madison worried so much for Sawyer’s fate. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was infatuated with the wolf. His fangs threatened to elongate.
Roman spun toward the door. “I better get going. It’ll be daylight soon. I’ll check in with you the minute I find something.”
Simon watched him go, more than aware of Madison’s penetrating stare. He returned his attention to her upturned face. “What?”
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”
“Are you offering?”
“Of course not,” she snapped, moving back to the couch.
She lowered herself onto the cushions and covered her legs with the blanket. “But you need to feed if you’re going to outsmart that floosy. You have about an hour before sunrise, I suggest you get a move on.”
Simon almost laughed. “So, you want me to just race into town and snatch up the first person I see? How very sociopathic of you.”
Madison narrowed her eyes. “That’s not what I meant, freak. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re out in the middle of nowhere. Go suck on a bear.”
Amused by her suggestion, Simon murmured, “Are you speaking from experience?”
Madison threw a pillow at him.
Simon laughed on his way out the door. Though he’d always had a sadistic side, Madison seemed to bring it out more in him. Taunting her was way too easy. Not to mention enjoyable.
He took a deep breath before blurring his way deeper into the forest. As much as he abhorred drinking from an animal, Madison was right. He did need to feed if he expected to remain alert. It had, after all, been a good week since he’d last replenished.
Coming to a stop a few minutes later, Simon closed his eyes and opened his senses. The hoot of a distant owl blended with the sound of crickets. A twig snapped to his left and the trickle of running water could be heard on his right. There was a stream nearby.
Another twig snapped, followed by a crunch of leaves. Simon cranked his head in the direction of the sound, his nostrils instinctively flaring. A deer.
He was more than a little relieved it wasn’t a bear moving through the trees. Truth be told, Simon hated the feel of fur touching his tongue. At least deer weren’t known to shed.
With a sigh of resignation, Simon blasted toward the deer, overtaking it without much of a chase.
The animal’s eyes were wild with fear, terror seeping from its pores.
Simon’s fangs descended without conscious thought. He leaned in toward the deer’s neck, and his gaze landed on a fawn staggering to its feet in some nearby brush.
Dammit, he silently cursed, staring into the fawn’s innocent eyes. He couldn’t drain the doe and leave her baby to die.
With a sigh of resignation, Simon pushed into the doe’s mind, filling her with calm. “Go now.”
The doe blinked once before Simon steadied her on her feet. She slowly moved toward her baby, stopping when she reached the fawn’s side.
Simon blurred his way deeper into the woods, releasing his hold on the doe’s mind as he ran. I must be growing soft.
Unsure of how much time had passed, Simon gave up the hunt and turned back toward the house where Madison no doubt slept. He hated the thought of leaving her unprotected, even for an hour. Worse still, he would have to leave her vulnerable while he slept today.
The only solace Simon had as he hurried back toward the house was that Svetlana would have to sleep also. But her minions were a different story.