Distinctly Defiant

Chapter 21 ~ Bounty

 Chapter 21 ~ Bounty

Everett huffed in annoyance and pulled off his shirt. The action caught Vivienne’s attention and she stared at his shirtless torso. Everett smirked and winked at her.

Her eyes widened and she looked away. “Is there some reason you’re not wearing your shirt?” She was pointedly looking down at her food, a few crackers from their dwindling supplies; even rationing carefully they had run out again and were in need of stopping at a town to get more.

Everett chuckled and went to crouch in front of her. His fingers went under her chin and lifted it up so her gaze met his. “Why? Is it displeasing to you to see me shirtless?” He detected a faint blush creep onto her cheeks. “I seem to remember you distinctly not having a problem with it last time.”

Vivienne gasped in mock outrage. “How dare you say something like that,” she laughed swatting at his hand. “I was merely wondering. Why must you make everything about you?”

Everett tilted his head watching the smile on her lips grow. He raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you know?” He leaned in. “Everything is about me,” he whispered before leaning in further to steal a kiss.

What was intended to be a short peck on the lips turned into a longer one when Vivienne reciprocated the kiss equally as passionate. The kiss deepened and then all Everett could focus on was her. His new werewolf heightened senses made it more intense, the smell of her was more intense and he could hear her elevated heart rate easily and clearly, it beat in time with his own.

He moved forward as Vivienne laid back and pressed his body close to hers. His hands found the soft skin of her stomach exposed when her shift had ridden up. Vivienne arched her body into his and her fingers went through his hair, pulling at it and making him groan in pleasure. His lips left hers and she pulled back with a satisfied knowing smile.

She sighed. “As much as I want to continue and see where this will end up I’m afraid we need to keep going. We don’t know where Griffin and Ashworth and his men are. We don’t know how far his reach goes. We need to continue to Amstia. It’s only a day or two ride away. And while we won’t be completely safe, we’ll still be safer than here.”

Everett tensed at the name of their pursuers and unbeknownst to him, a growl had started because of the instincts the new wolf part had instilled in him. Vivienne looked at his with her worried golden eyes. She touched his face lightly and Everett blinked; the growl and the alarm in his body dying down.

“It’s okay,” she murmured. “We’ll be fine. I don’t even think that Griffin will try anything anytime soon, if ever. He’s alone now, he would need to find more people he could trust and that are skilled before taking us on. It’s going to be okay.”

Everett forced a smile. “Of course it is, you’re right.” He didn’t want to trouble her with his worries. He wanted her to be in the state of ignorance she was in for the moment. Nothing good would come out of them both being worried and uneasy. He would just have to stay on guard and protect her. He could do that. He would have to be able to do that.

Griffin wouldn’t be too affected by the loss of Ezra. His own skills were pretty good that all he would need would be a few skilled men that wanted to kill some werewolves for a profit. That is if the route of brute force was that one he chose. For Griffin was also intelligent and sly. Surely he would be able to come up with a few plans that would rely on him outsmarting them. The benefit of outsmarting them was that he wouldn’t need anyone else. Then he could keep the profit to himself.

Everett got to his feet and extended a hand to Vivienne to help her up. “You’re right. We should keep moving. There will be plenty of time for that sort of thing once we’re safe.” He laughed as he saw Vivienne trying to hide her delight and pleasure at his words.”