5. Zephyr

5

ZEPHYR

M y eyes roam up and down this huntress' athletic build of a body. She is still wiping the blood from her arms and face. She winces slightly as my eyes divert down to her arm that is bleeding. I reach out an arm to help her but she retracts from me. Still guarded.

I smirk at her stubbornness. "Very well. Come with me, I have something that will help your arm."

"No," she says, stopping in place. I turn to gaze at her. "I need to go back to my campsite first. I have medicine and more supplies there."

"The medicine I have will instantly heal you. I could remove that scar on your cheek as well." I point to the scar and she takes her own hand and runs a finger across the scar.

I narrow my eyes to stare at her for a moment. With folded arms, I search her eyes to understand her. I watch as her eyes drift away from me. She is recalling a memory, perhaps. This scar holds meaning to her. She shakes her head, refusing my offer. This time, I don't push further. I understand how deep wounds can run within you. And the emotional wounds cut deeper than the physical.

"It's not far from here. Just a short distance back there," she says, pointing to the left of her.

Exhaling deep, I give in. "Fine," I growl.

She holds her head high, heaving her chest up as I approach her. This time she will not deny me. I tear a piece of cloth from the bottom of my tunic and grab her arm. She tries to pull away but with my two upper arms I hold her in place. I wrap the cloth around the wound, tying the ends as a tourniquet.

I let her go as she checks her arm. "That should stop the bleeding until we get to your campsite."

She huffs before whispering, "Thank you."

"That wasn't hard, was it?" A chuckle rumbles in my chest, as her face turns red. Before she could say another word, I immediately cut her off, "You wanted to go to your campsite. Lead the way, huntress."

She narrows her eyes at me with pursed lips then turns to grab her cloak. I revel in the amusement she provides me. She is an interesting creature, this one. I follow her as we make our way back to her campsite.

The scent of pine and earth fills my nostrils as we trek through the dense forest. Selena leads the way, her steps sure and silent. I hover just above the ground, my wind powers keeping me aloft. At intermittent times, she looks back at me.

"There." Selena points to a small clearing ahead. "That's my camp."

I scan the area, my lips curling in distaste. A threadbare tent leans precariously against a gnarled tree. A pitiful fire pit sits cold and empty.

"This is where you've been staying?" The words come out harsher than intended.

Selena whirls on me, eyes flashing. "Not all of us have fancy demon palaces."

"Careful, little one. You have no idea about me." My eyes shift from lavender to a reddish hue. If only she knew.

She struck a nerve and smirks at me because she knows it. "I may not know you but I don't live like you do in the lap of luxury."

"It's not about luxury." I drift closer, lowering my voice. "It's about safety. This setup is asking for trouble."

"I can handle myself." She tosses her pack down, chin jutting out defiantly.

The wind shifts, carrying a faint but unmistakable scent. My nostrils flare as I sniff the air. "Fuck."

"What?" Selena's hand flies to her weapon.

"More are coming." I lock eyes with her. "Your scent. It's like a beacon to them."

"My scent?" She sniffs her arm, confused.

"To demons and monsters, you smell... potent." I struggle to find the right words. "Like power and potential. It draws them in."

Selena's eyes narrow. "Is that why you're here?"

"No," I growl, bristling at the implication. "I'm here because—" I cut myself off, unsure how to finish that sentence.

She raises an eyebrow, waiting.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Look, we need to move. This place isn't safe."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Selena crosses her arms.

I sniff the air again and grimace from the growing stench in the air. The rest of the flock are coming this way. I can hear the cries in the distance, they know their brethren are dead and are out for blood.

"A storm's coming. You won't survive out here," I growl as my eyes flash a steely gray with hints of red. A sign of my growing impatience.

She glares at me, refusing to back down. "I've weathered worse. I don't need your help, demon."

My jaw clenches as my hands tighten into fists. "Stubborn woman. This isn't just any storm."

"I said no." She turns her back to me, determined to make her own way.

I uncurl my lower hands, circling my wrists to command a gust of wind. It whips around her, tugging at her clothes. She stumbles, caught off guard by its strength.

"Last chance," I warn her in a low and dangerous voice. My demonic nature is stirring with me. She is testing my patience, which is growing tired.

She spins around to face me. I notice her hand is on her weapon. "I'd rather die than?—"

"Enough!" I cut her words off with a thunderous roar that echoes through the forest.

With lightning speed, my strong hands grip her wrists, binding them together with what feels like solidified air.

"What the—" She looks up at me as she tries to struggle against the invisible bonds. "Let me go!"

"No," I say with a firm tone, making no room for argument. In one fluid motion, I hoist her over my shoulder as if she weighs nothing.

"Put me down!" she snarls, kicking and thrashing. Her efforts are useless against my iron grip.

I ignore her protests, striding forward with purposeful steps. The wind picks up, howling around us as if urging me on.

She cranes her neck, trying to see where I am taking her. The rugged landscape blurs past, unfamiliar terrain replacing the area she had been tracking me through.

"Where are you taking me?" She is relentless. A challenging creature. I admire it but my patience has worn thin.

"Home," I say in a gruff voice.

Finally, she falls silent, seething. A grin plays on my face as I take the win in this round. She could not deny the feeling of the temperature dropping. The minute she tries to weather the storm and light up the fire pit, the harpy flock will come.

Looking ahead, the silhouette of a mountain looms against the darkening sky. I spot the opening, nearly invisible unless you know where to look. I approach the hidden entrance, my stride never faltering. The entrance leads out to acres of grassy clearing and there in the center sits my palace high on the mountaintop.

I command the wind to lift us high off the ground. That is when I hear her gasp as we scale the mountaintop with the graceful stride of the wind. She angles her head to watch as we fly towards the entrance of the mountain palace.

"Welcome to my home."