“I know.” He replied grimly. He pulled the woman closer, and she sighed softly and nestled into him.
“How do you feel?” Nicholas asked curiously.
“Fine.” James grunted. It was true. Although the woman had lain on top of him the entire night and her injuries had been grave, he felt as robust and healthy as he always did. There had been some pain when he first pressed her naked body against his, but that had faded quickly.
He sighed and stared into the small fire. There was something about the tiny, fragile woman in his arms that made him feel unsettled. It was just the shock of seeing her on the forest floor, bloodied and bruised and nearly dead, he decided. Of course, it didn’t explain the odd pressure in his chest whenever he held her, or his sudden desire to protect her from harm.
His blood boiled in his veins as he thought about Lycans tearing into her fragile body. What kind of Lycan would attack an innocent woman?
He didn’t realize he had spoken out loud until Nicholas replied.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen Lycans behave in such a manner. We’ll have to speak to dad about it. Perhaps he will know.”
“Perhaps.” James grunted and pulled the woman closer.
* * *
When she woke for the second time she was back in his arms. The man was sitting on a fallen log and she was sitting on his lap. A blanket was wrapped around them both, and her entire body was warm and tingling pleasantly. She raised her head from where it was nestled against his shoulder, and stared at him in terror.
She tried to struggle away from him and his arms tightened around her. “No Tia. Stay with me.”
She realized quickly that she was no match for his strength and she sank back against him, staring around the campsite with wide eyes. The blonde man was crouched next to a small fire. The body of a rabbit was roasting on a spit over it and as the smell of cooking meat drifted to her, her belly growled loudly.
The blonde man grinned. “Someone’s hungry.”
“When was the last time you ate Tia?” The redhead’s voice rumbled above her.
“Bree.” She whispered.
“What?”
“Tia is the dog. My name is Bree.”
“Oh. Sorry, I thought you said your name was Tia.” The man smiled at her in a friendly way but she tensed when his big hand rubbed her back. He was still shirtless despite the cold air, but at least she wasn’t naked. She squirmed a little on his lap.
“Please let me go.” She said softly.
He shook his head. “No little one. Believe me when I say that sitting with me is the best thing for you right now.”
The blonde man pulled the rabbit from the spit and began to tear it into sections. Tia sat at his feet, her tail wagging hopefully, and he tore a leg bone off and blew on it before tossing it to her. She snatched it out of the air and began to gnaw at it contently.
“My name is James. That man is my brother and his name is Nicholas.”
Bree stared curiously at the two men. “You do not look like brothers.”
Nicholas laughed. “Aye Bree, we do not. I’m much better looking than him, and I have a far better sense of humour.”
He winked at her and she flushed, making him grin.
James was still rubbing her back and she wished he would stop. The pain in her side had subsided again, and the feel of his hand on her back was causing not entirely unpleasant tingling in her lower body. She squirmed again and gave him a pleading look. “Please, let me go.”
He actually pulled her closer, pressing her head back into the curve of his neck. “Try and relax Bree. It will help.”
Help with what, she wondered as Nicholas piled three plates with rabbit meat. He carried them to the log and sat down beside them. James carefully folded down the blanket and took one of the plates Nicholas offered him. He held it out in front of Bree.
“Here, little one.”
She refused to take it at first and kept her hands clenched tightly in her lap. He held it patiently until, unable to ignore the delicious smell any longer, she reached out and took it from him.
Her fingers trembling, she took a small piece of meat and chewed delicately at it. It tasted amazing, smoky and sweet, and after a few seconds she was wolfing the meat down. It had been nearly three days since she had eaten last and over a month since she had eaten meat. She forgot about both James and Nicholas and began to stuff her face as fast as she could.
After only a few minutes her plate was clean, her belly full, and her fingers and mouth shiny with grease. She sighed contently and then burped loudly. Her face turned red as she covered her mouth and gave James a guilty look.
He was grinning and Nicholas actually laughed out loud. “The gods be damned James, the girl can eat.”