“Excuse me for trying to keep us alive,” I huffed. But I was secretly grateful I wouldn’t have to stay awake by myself as I lay down and snuggled beneath my coat.
Sebastian settled beside me, tucking me between the fire and the curve of his body. My back pressed against his chest, and I sucked in a surprised breath when his arms wrapped around my waist.
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” he said gruffly. “This is for body warmth.”
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. Awareness ran the length of my spine, and though a spark of self-preservation told me I should disentangle myself ASAP, I didn’t.
Iwaswarmer with him around me, and I liked how his body acted as a shield against the night. He felt safe, and that was something I desperately needed right now.
The combination of heat, hunger, and exhaustion pulled me under, and I gradually drifted into a hazy half-sleep. I thought I heard him speak, but I was so far gone it might’ve been a dream.
“For what it’s worth…” Sebastian’s voice was barely audible beneath the crackle of the fire. “If I could choose someone to spend my last hours with, I’d choose you.”
CHAPTER 13
Sebastian
A SCREAM TORE THROUGH THE AIR.
I jolted awake, my heart thundering as I shook off the dregs of sleep and searched for the source of the scream.
It didn’t take me long to find it.
Maya clung to my side, her eyes huge as she stared at something on her leg. She was trembling, and when I followed her terrified gaze…
Fuck. Me.
My stomach lurched.
A snake slithered around her ankle, its black scales gleaming in the early-morning light. It was at least five feet long, and its forked tongue darted out in quick flicks, tasting the air.
“Maya,” I said, barely moving my mouth. Every instinct screamed at me to act, but sudden movements would only make this worse. “Stay still.”
She didn’t answer, but her nails dug into my arm. Her breaths came out in quick, shallow pants.
The snake’s body tightened just a fraction, its muscles coiling with lazy, dangerous strength. Its beady eyes watched me as Ishifted an inch closer, taking great care to keep my movements deliberate and calm.
I kept my eyes on the snake while I slowly grabbed a short stick from the forest floor.
Easy…
I kept a tight grip and reached forward.
Easy…
The snake flicked its tongue again, its head lifting slightly.
I wasn’t an expert on reptiles, so I could only hope this particular one wasn’t venomous.
Easy…
I slid the stick between the snake’s body and Maya’s leg. She made a strangled noise, but she stayed remarkably still when the snake hissed.
If I forcibly pulled it off her, it might trigger a defensive bite. Instead, I used the stick to lift and redirect its coils.
It was forty degrees out, but sweat beaded on my forehead and dampened my shirt.
Come on. Get the fuck off her.