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Chapter 11

11

O ctavia

Hours later, and I'm still reeling. What the hell is wrong with me?

I had a huge mountain man on top of me. Granted, he was helping me, but still. He was there, covering me, his erection digging into my ass, and I felt that same feeling in the pit of my stomach as before. I felt a warmth spreading. I felt a zing of need from between my legs. My clit was throbbing in time with his hard cock.

I should have been uncomfortable.

I should have been angry.

Instead, I was turned on. So turned on, I felt my nipples grow tight. I felt myself get wet. I felt…need, like I've never felt before. I must have hit my head harder than I thought when that helicopter came down. There is no other explanation that makes any kind of sense.

The funny thing is that I feel completely safe with Creed. Even now, cradled in his arms as he walks. His strength, power, and sheer stamina floor me. How does he keep going? His arms should be shaking with fatigue. His legs, too. He hasn't even broken a sweat. His breathing is still even. He looks fresh and well-rested.

"What is it?" he asks, and I realize that I'm staring at him.

"How are you still walking?" I whisper. "I'm getting tired, and I'm not the one hiking through rough terrain."

"I'm strong and fit from living in the jungle." He shrugs like it's no big deal, but it is. It's a huge deal, even for a well-seasoned mountain man.

"I'd say," I mutter to myself. The man is as hard as a rock. He's packing more muscle than can be deemed normal, even for a bodybuilder.

We walk on for a while. "Is that…is it…?" I'm straining my ears. "Is that water?"

Creed nods once.

We keep going, the sound of running water growing louder with every step. Then Creed puts me down, and as I turn, I see the most beautiful, picturesque setting. We're on the banks of a river. It's flowing fast, the sun dancing on the surface. I walk out under the rays, feeling the warmth on my face. Then we stand there for a moment, catching our breath and taking in the serene beauty of our surroundings. The sound of the rushing water is soothing.

Creed scans our surroundings, his eyes sharp and alert for any sign of danger. I can see the tension in his muscles, coiled and ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Despite the tranquil scene before us, we both know that we are far from safe.

As if reading my thoughts, he says, "We can't stay here long." His voice is low and urgent. "They won't be far behind."

I nod in agreement, my heart racing at the thought of the dragons. I look up at the sky but see nothing but blue. Then I look behind us into the dark depths of the jungle, and all is calm. I know better than to believe that. We need to keep moving, keep putting distance between us and our pursuers.

"Can we wash off?" I ask him. "I promise to be quick."

He nods once.

"Can you give me five minutes of alone time so that—"

He shakes his head, so I stop talking. I frown.

"The current is too strong. You could be swept away. You may bathe, but I will need to stand with you."

Shit!

"Can you close your eyes?" I ask.

"I will not look. If you are shy, you can wear your undergarments."

Two scraps of lace aren't going to offer much in the way of cover. He's already pretty much seen my breasts, but that doesn't mean I'm going naked.

"Close your eyes," I tell him, and Creed does as I ask.

"Hide your things under one of the bushes," he murmurs.

I make a noise of agreement as I slip off my trainers and socks, followed by my jeans, which I shimmy down my thighs. Then I'm standing there in just my underwear, feeling exposed. The thought of washing off is just too good to miss out on, so I place my things out of sight.

"Ready?" he asks. "We have to hurry this up."

"I know. Don't look, okay?"

He grunts, holding out his hand. "Take it. I can't keep you safe if I can't see you. At least this way, you won't be swept away."

"Is it that strong?" I look down at the water as I grab his hand, which is calloused and huge.

"Yes. Let's go." He starts to walk toward the river. He keeps his eyes shut.

I take a deep breath as we step into the cool water, the current tugging at my legs. It is stronger than it looks, the water swirling around my calves, trying to sweep me away. We go a little deeper, and I start washing myself with one hand as soon as the water reaches about mid-thigh. Creed does the same. The water splashes against us, threatening to knock me off balance. But Creed's grip is strong, and he keeps me steady as we first drink our fill and then start to clean ourselves.

It's great to feel the grime and dirt from the last two days come off me. Creed dunks under the surface, emerging a few moments later before going back under. It looks good. My hair feels caked to my head with soot and ash, and god knows what else.

"I'm going under," I tell him.

Creed grunts.

No sooner is my head below the surface than he's pulling me up and into his arms. Three bounding strides later, we are out of the water. Another few steps, and we are ducking under the canopy behind a thick bush.

We crouch behind a tree; Creed presses his front to my back. I turn, noting that his eyes are cast upward toward the opening in the jungle, where a dragon appears. An honest-to-god dragon. I can barely believe what I am seeing. It's flying over us. My mouth unhinges and drops open as three more appear behind it. One of them circles back around. They call to one another in low rumbles.

Their scales shimmer in the sunlight, casting an otherworldly glow around them. I feel Creed tense behind me; his muscles coil with restrained power. His fingers dig into my arms, an unspoken command to stay still, to stay quiet. It's unnecessary; I can barely breathe, can barely think. I'm frozen in place. The dragons fly in lazy circles above us, their wings beating rhythmically as they scan the area below. They're anything but lazy. They seem to be searching, their eyes perusing the ground below. I hope I hid my clothing and backpack sufficiently. Another of the creatures circles back, descending even lower.

They are searching for something. Not us. Surely not? How could they know to look for us? Perhaps they're merely looking for prey. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. It could be that they're just out for a leisurely flight.

One screeches and dives down; the others follow.

"Shhhhh," Creed says in a barely-there whisper straight into the shell of my ear.

I quake, breaking out in a cold sweat. I can't believe it. I can't! They're huge. Even from up here, I can make out barbed tails and spiked heads. Not to mention a jaw that is full of sharp teeth. They're apex predators, and we're food. Creed was being kind when he said they would tear us apart and eat us. They will obliterate us. We'd be dead in less than a second.

There's another screech as they return to the sky, heading away from us this time.

I feel Creed's heart slow, and the tension drain from him. I, on the other hand, can't stop shaking. He doesn't move for a long while. I don't dare.

"They've gone," he finally whispers, getting to his feet and tugging me up with him.

My eyes are wide, and adrenaline is still coursing through my body. I can't seem to stop shaking.

"You're safe with me," he tells me. "I'll protect you."

I shake my head. "They're…they're terrifying. Is it true that they can breathe fire?"

He nods.

I put my hand over my mouth. "We're never going to make it, are we? Be honest with me, please."

"We can make it." He takes both my hands and squeezes. "Look at me." I do. I look straight into his eyes. They soften. "We can make it, and we will make it. You need to trust me and stay calm, no matter what. You did good. You coped very well."

I nod and swallow thickly. "O-okay. I'm glad you think so. It's just that they're huge and—"

"No, none of that." He shakes his head, letting me go. "We can do it."

I grab his hand for a second before letting go. "Thank you. I can't say how much I appreciate your help. You're putting your life on the line to help me."

He stiffens. "Get dressed, and then we need to leave. They could double back." He turns away, taking a few steps. Creed clearly can't take a compliment and words of thanks. He's such a good guy. I would be in huge trouble without him. What am I saying? I'd be dead if it weren't for him.

I go to the bush, grabbing my things. Creed stands to the side with his back to me to give me privacy.

What? Wait just a second!

His back. I cock my head, holding my jeans to me but not putting them on. I can't quite believe what I'm seeing.

"Get dressed, Octavia," he says in a low but urgent voice.

"There are no scratches on your back." My voice is filled with shock. "You were scratched bloody a couple of hours ago. I saw it with my own eyes. You were bleeding. There's nothing there. It can't be." There was crusted, dried blood all over his back when we went to wash. Now that the blood is gone…his back looks fine.

"I told you I'm a quick healer. Now, please, we have to go!"

I frown because I've never known anyone to be that good of a healer. There isn't so much as a scratch left anywhere on his back.

I want to argue, but what would be the point? The memory of those creatures spurs me to action. We need to get away from here.

After removing my wet underwear, I put on a clean, dry set that was in my bag, shoving the wet garments into my pack. Then I pull on my jeans, followed by my socks and trainers.

"Done?" he asks.

"Yes."

"I'll need the empty bottles." He turns and holds out his hand, his eyes dipping to my chest before he looks back at me, his jaw tightening.

Crap!

Why couldn't I pack an exercise bra? I'm in a sexy red set. What could possibly have inspired me to pack that in the first place? Sure, I like my sexy underwear, but this is just plain silly out here. At least it isn't see-through like my white set, but the bra is a push-up with half cups designed to give maximum cleavage. I might not have the body of a Victoria's Secret model, but I know I look good in it.

I dig in the backpack, handing him two bottles. I note that he keeps his gaze averted. Then we go to the river. Creed often has his gaze cast to the sky. He looks worried, and I can't say I blame him. I'm worried, too. We hurriedly fill the bottles, and then I climb onto Creed's back. If I look really closely, there are a couple of very fine white lines to prove that I'm not going insane. Not only is he fast and strong, but he also has insane healing abilities. All great assets to have in the middle of a dangerous jungle. I'm not sure where I would be without him. Having said that, I think he was being overly optimistic when he said that we would make it. I don't see how it is possible. I'm not a negative person, but I am a realist. I can't see an outcome where I leave this island. I'm either going to end up as food for a hungry dragon or as a bride to a mountain man who would see me as something to own and breed rather than a human being.

I shiver at the thought, closing my eyes and trying not to panic – yet again!

"You okay?" Creed asks.

"I'm fine," I lie.

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