Sienna crossed into the wood and threw her arms around Duchess's neck. "Oh, my girl. I've missed you."
Duchess whimpered in response as if to say she did, too. Luca and the two brothers, Kai and Hugo, circled nearby. They'd never come too close with Nikolai shadowing her. The natural enemy of hart wolves was vampires. Sienna's grandmother had told her old tales of the vampires hunting hart wolves for sport and even as a rite of passage for young vampires, as hart wolves were the strongest and fastest prey.
Sienna pulled back, still with both arms around her neck. Duchess licked her face. Sienna laughed.
"There, there. I'll be with you for the rest of the day."
"If we make good time, we'll be beyond the forest by midday."
Duchess swiveled her head to Nikolai and let out a half bark, half growl, then padded away toward the trail.
Nikolai opened his mouth to say something, but didn't, watching Duchess trot away.
"What?" asked Sienna, following after Duchess toward the trail.
"It's like she understood what I said and didn't like it."
"Oh, she certainly understood you. And no, she didn't. She's worried for me." Sienna walked on.
Nikolai shook his head as he stepped in front of her to bend a low-lying branch out of her way. "They're wolves."
"Thank you," she said, passing before him. He joined her at her side as they finally found the trail. "They're hart wolves. I've told you. There is magic in them. Just as there is magic in this forest." Even now, she felt the tingling of magic singing along her skin, a soft caress that warmed her on the inside.
Sienna examined the overhanging branches of the black oak trees, the last she'd see for a long while. Now in autumn, their silvery leaves turned white before falling. Some drifted down, blanketing the path like new fallen snow.
"Perhaps you're right."
She scoffed. "I know I'm right. You're just a stubborn male, so it takes some convincing before you believe anything. No, a stubborn vampire male, which is worse."
"Worse? Hmm. You didn't think so lowly of me last night."
Her heart hammered faster. "I was wondering when you'd use that against me."
"I'm not using anything against you. Merely stating a fact. And it certainly didn't take any convincing for me last night."
"That's because it was something you wanted."
"I won't deny it," he said, all joviality leaving his voice. "I've often imagined what it would feel like to sink my fangs into your pretty neck. Among other things."
She sucked in a breath, eyes wide when she shot him a sidelong glance.
"But I certainly didn't believe you'd actually ever offer yourself. I'm starting to believe the rumors that you are a witch. For I felt quite enchanted and unable to do anything but take your offering."
"Stop teasing me, Nikolai. I was only-"
He gripped her arm and stopped her in her tracks. "I am not teasing." His jaw clenched tight. "I could not resist you last night if the world itself was on fire."
He held her in his gaze, eyes electric with the energy rolling off of him and charging the air between them. Sienna had a sudden vision of them tumbling to the ground and finishing what they'd started. God save her, she yearned for him, like an aching agony that would not relent. Her gaze fell to his mouth where she could see the tips of his canines. For a split second, she thought he would take her in his arms again. Instead, he broke the trance and stepped swiftly along the trail.
"We must move on. We need to be in Lobdell before nightfall."
Sienna fell in step beside him. "Who is our contact there?"
Arabelle had told her in the letter that Nikolai had memorized all of the contacts' names and appearances. It was crucial that nothing be written down in case one of them were taken captive.
"She is the butcher's daughter."
"The butcher's daughter? That's odd. Why not the butcher?"
"He's dead," said Nikolai with a sidelong glance.
"Oh."
"Ivan informed me that her father never returned from working one of the feasts at the Glass Tower."
Hugo, the fiercest of Duchess's brothers, crossed their path ahead, golden eyes glowing even in the morning light. He watched Nikolai keenly before vanishing again.
"That one doesn't like me," said Nikolai.
Sienna smiled. "None of them like you very much. But I think you're right. Hugo likes you least of all."
"Might there be a reason for that?"
"He and his brother, Kai, are very distrusting of strangers in our wood."