Chapter 16 : All I Could Feel Was Him

♦Lena*

I wanted nothing more than to crawl into my sleeping bag and close my eyes. I was exhausted. I truly hadn’t slept much at all over the past week. This was not at all how I'd envisioned my time spent on my field study.

I was meant to be researching the plant samples and soil, determining the best course of action for the area to not only improve their harvests but also gather information on the area's flora as a whole to add to my report that I was required to turn in to Morhan.

Instead. I found myself sitting on the edge of the bed I shared with Xander, unwinding iris bandages.

"It looks so much better," I whispered, in awe of the abrupt change taking place on his skin. I’d expected the wound to be large based on the damage it had done to his body, but it was small, just a few teeth marks where the swelling had gone down.

"I'll get the sample we need." he said, closing his eyes as he laid back against his pillow with his hands behind his head, "while you're back on campus."

It wasn't a question. I knew pushing the subject would be fruitless.

"I need to put new bandages on you-"

"I'm fine for a minute. I've been wearing them all day."

I placed my hands in my lap. pursing my lips. Bethany had brought me a medical kit. but it didn't have the herbs and tinctures Hemy's medkit possessed. It was obvious to me that Henry's medkit was for him. and him alone.

"Well." I sighed, rising from the bed. "I'm going to read for a bit. I brought my textbooks on the medical uses of plants local to tills area-"

"Lena, we're both exhausted. Please, just sleep."

"We need to know-"

"You're not going to find what you're looking for in those books." His eyes were closed as he spoke, on the edge of sleep himself “The bed's warm. Lay down, okay?"

"Not until you have fresh bandages." I protested.

He sighed deeply, then shrugged, which was invitation enough for me to get on with it. I grabbed the medical kit off the kitchenette counter and brought it back into the bedroom. I rifled through the contents, finding antibiotic ointment and several rolls of fresh bandages.

"I'm going to go wash my hands." I said, looking down at the supplies to make sure I had everything I needed. Xander could easily do this himself, but I knew he wasn't going to. He'd let the wound get infected again before he made a big deal out of it.

I did all the little things I needed to do in order to get ready for bed. brushed my teeth, then washed my hands thoroughly. By the time I'd changed into pajamas and my hands were so clean they were raw. I found Xander sitting up in bed. looking toward the window

"Did you see something?" I asked as I came back into the room.

He shook his head, turning in my direction, his face void of expression. "Let's get this over with." he mumbled, his shoulders falling a bit as I stood hi front of him, positioning myself between his knees as I bent to my task.

"This is going to scar. I think you should've gotten stitches, honestly."

"No. thanks.' he said with a brief smile, then shook his head as if thinking of some long-forgotten memory. “I've never needed them."

"Me neither." I murmured as I rolled the bandage over his chest and back to hold the piece of ointment-soaked gauze over the wound m place.

“Why does talking about the royal family make you so uncomfortable?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject.

I blinked, then met his eye. "What do you mean?"

"Over dinner, when everyone was talking about the Princes of Poldesse."

"It's just gossip." I replied, feeling a slight tightening hi my stomach. I tucked the loose end of the bandage in place over his chest.

anyone wants to

"Not you. though."

"No. not me."

"Do you know them?"

supplies

“The princes?"

the medkit. chewing on the hiside of

tilting his head to the side as I straightened up to my frill height and

a little defensive when Prince Oliver was

sad. that's all. It's rude to speculate on what really happened and gossip about it." I couldn't hide the bite in my voice. My cheeks reddened as I scooped up the medical supplies, turning from the bed to set it on

"Why would you care?"

wall and turned out the light. Now.

of silence between us as we settled into our sleeping bags. I was lying flat on

the princess is

would you even know that? No

“Weird, right?"

to gossip about them." I huffed,

gossip.

Maybe she just doesn't like being out in public and constantly

what

but snapped it shut, nanowing my eyes at him. “You were the one who wanted to go to sleep. Xander." I closed my eyes and began to turn away from him when I heard him chuckle.

said, shrugging his

alone." I grumbled as I turned away from him, rustling my

“Fine," he replied.

eyes to stare blankly at the wall. It was raining

me. yet again. I knew Xander was still awake. He was facing

moved closer to me. effectively spooning himself around me while

His warmth was penetrating my sleeping bag. wanning me from within. His aim came around me. pulling me closer, as he nuzzled liis face against the back of

annoy me."

just getting comfortable. There's no room on here with the two of us

wrong,

rise and

sorry about Jen. I know it

"It's fine-"

"Not to me."

"We're not together. Xander."

pretty together to me." he whispered into

felt a rush of desire as his breath

that for me. But I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't meant to be. Every tune we were alone together, like we were now, we were pulled apart by some catastrophe. It was a warning, at least to me. that this wasn't fate. Xander had put himself

wanted

kissed my neck, and I closed my eyes, tears welling in the corners and threatening to spill over my lashes. I was inches away from falling over the edge into

my skin, sending a ripple of gooseflesh up my anus.

said now or never once before. I had to

my face, his fingers

I was a goner.

only a matter of moments before we were out of our sleeping bags. Xander was on top of me. kissing me deeply as his hands traveled the

Would a flash flood wash the farm away? Would whatever creature that was lurking outside

lowering himself on top of me and resting between my

I whispered, hying to push the doubt out of my mind as I reached up to run my fingers through

before kissing my jaw. nudging my head to the side so he had access to my

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