Dragon Witch ✔️

15 - Changeling

The smell of Kyton's magic was already clouding my thoughts. Why did he have to smell so delicious? He was like a walking buffet, but a million times better.

"Are you okay?" His breath wafted more magic smell toward me.

Shaking, I couldn't tear my gaze from the cut on his neck. He moved closer. I should have moved away, but I couldn't. A dull thudthudthudthud resounded in my ears. It was too fast to be my heart, like the buzzing of a hummingbird's wings. My mouth watered.

"Lilly, can you hear me?" He waved a hand in front of my face.

I lashed out instinctively, grabbing his forearm in both hands. His fingers hovered inches from my face. All I had to do was lean forward, just a little, and strike. He would never know what hit him.

I couldn't. He hadn't done anything to me. Grandma would kill me.

Kyton pried his wrist from my grasp. "You don't look so good. Let's head back." He took my hand and tugged me toward the barrier.

It was all I could do to follow him without getting closer. I was so focused on not getting closer that I forgot to watch my feet, and I tripped. Kyton tried to catch me, but he wasn't fast enough. We both went down in a tangle of limbs. He scrambled to get up. I grabbed his shoulders without meaning to.

He froze in a half push-up, his face inches from mine. "Let go, Lilly."

I couldn't help it. I lunged at his neck. He stiffened as my lips touched his jugular. It took every fiber of self-control I had not to bite. I didn't have enough strength to pull away, but I didn't bite. My arms shook. My heart raced. My hunger roared. But I didn't bite.

"What are you doing?" Kyton asked in a low, almost sheepish voice.

What was I doing? What was wrong with me?

Eva--obviously unhappy being squished between us--shrieked and bit Kyton. He jerked back and scrambled to his feet. I didn't try to move. If I got up, I might try to bite him again.

My whole body was on fire with embarrassment. There was something seriously wrong with me. What did Kyton have to think was going on? Probably that I was a freakazoid. I thought I was a freakazoid.

Why did I even care what he thought? He was a fairy I hardly knew. Maybe it was because I hadn't seen anyone else my age in months. Or maybe it was some part of his glamour that made it hard not to like him. Whatever it was, I didn't think I'd be able to talk to him again. Not after what I'd tried to do. Or what I'd done.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding out a hand to me.

"Stay back." I moved from him, backing against a tree. I dug my fingernails into bark to keep from jumping on him. This was worse than just being in a kitchen with him. The fresh blood made his scent like a living thing, callling to me.

"What's wrong?" He crossed the distance between us in two easy steps. Easy for him, torture for me.

"Take her home." I said the words through gritted teeth, digging into my last reserves of self-control. "I'll follow."

He knelt and hooked his arm around my waist. "Don't be ridiculous. The dragon can't be far behind, and it'll settle for eating you if it can't get me."

Eva peeped. Go home now, bite magic later.

Before I could agree to being rescued, Kyton carried me into the air. I pressed my face into Eva's feathers, desperately trying to ignore Kyton's blood. It was nearly impossible, especially when it soaked through the shoulder of my shirt.