There might be something wrong with me. I push back my right sleeve and swallow back the bile gathering in my throat. Skin isn’t supposed to move like this. Something slithers just underneath the skin like a worm or rather a snake, but a worm is far less threatening than a snake, so I like to imagine it is a worm that I can easily cut out and not some mythical serpent that is slowly dissolving my bones and my sanity.

  I should say something to Katsuro.

  I should keep my mouth shut and focus on clearing some of this debris.

  Or...no, there is no other option. Keep my mouth shut and figure this out ter. There are more pressing matters, like getting some kind of shelter set up in this abandoned vilge before nightfall. I don’t know what winter is like in this world, but with how much Roharu has gone on about not wanting to travel in in the snow, it must be like experiencing a blizzard.

  I want no parts of that.

  Still, my skin—or something under my skin, is moving around in the shape of a K. Either I bumped my head when those tentacles pulled me into this world, or I ate something that is giving me a bad case of hallucinogens.

  “Chloe?”

  I jerk and shove my sleeve down, covering my arm again. How the hell did she sneak up on me? I’m normally sharper than this.

  “Oh, hey, Megan.” That could have come out better.

  She tilts her head to the side and stares at me like I’m under scrutiny for a crime I didn’t commit. Or maybe I did. I’ve done a lot of sketchy shit since I’ve been in this world. A small part of me mourns the woman I used to be—na?ve. There’s something to be said about being unaware of the horrors of the world.

  Out of sight, out of mind.

  But now? No matter where I turn, I am reminded of how cut throat this world is, and it scares me how easily I slip into this trance when danger creeps up.

  “What’s up? Worried about Roharu?” I stuff my hands in my pockets so she can’t see how badly they are shaking. We have enough problems as it is. She doesn’t need to worry about me too.

  “No,” she says slowly. “Roharu has a thing for taking out mages. Plus, I can feel him.” She pces a hand over her heart.

  “Sappy.” It’s cute how close she and Roharu are. How open they are with their affections.

  Megan rolls her eyes. “No, I mean literally. I have a part of his shadow inside of me, so I can—”

  “Too much information,” I wheeze. “Last thing I want to think about is any part of him inside of you.”

  “Ah...my bad.”

  “You could sound more apologetic,” I tease, shaking my head. “Anyway, I’m fine. Everyone is off working on their sections. We’re going to make small piles and probably have Roharu or Zika burn the trash.”

  Everyone is doing their part except for Edith, who is standing off to the side with her arms wrapped around her and muttering something under her breath. Megan thinks I should be more understanding of what Edith is going through, and I am, to an extent. Wallowing in her misery isn’t going to change the situation.

  This is not our world.

  And I see the looks she gives Roharu. How Megan hasn’t spped her upside the head or, better yet, punched in the face is a mystery to me. I just don’t get it. Zika clearly has a thing for her. He sticks close to her and damn near lost his mind when she got taken as a meal for some beasts. Objectively, Zika is attractive. Not my type, but surely a man... dragon, is much better than lusting after a fox demon that has a mate?

  “If you gre at her any harder, Edith may combust,” Megan says, pulling me from my not-so-nice thoughts. “She’s just struggling to adjust. We have it a little easier than her. We knew each other back home. To Edith, we’re all strangers.”

  “Yeah, well, she could help a little. I get it, sucks and all, but she would have died if we left her back at that temple.” She stares at me and I swear it is as though she can see through the lies. Is it a saintess thing? To have a sixth sense for sickness or something? Maybe I should just come out and tell her that there’s something wrong with me.

  “Chloe—”

  “Megan!”

  Oh, thank fuck, Roharu is back. Megan will be too preoccupied with him to pester me.

  I turn my head and search for Katsuro. My mind is a battlefield and the st thing I want is to sh out or watch Megan eat a heart. Katsuro walks over to the middle, or what I assume to be the middle of the vilge, with a tree dragging behind him. His lips twitch upward into a smirk. The other men are busy setting up this shelter or inn for us.

  Not sure what the point of an inn is if no one comes to this region.

  I narrow my eyes. What is that look for? He’s being coy, and I don’t like it. Katsuro has as much sneakiness as a sledgehammer. I cross my arms and head for him. Bazur and the other vilge men work in tandem. Even though it is more people to worry about, having the extra set of hands helps. Not that I doubt what Katsuro and Roharu can accomplish. I can’t help but wonder if we would have been sleeping in another cave instead.

  “What’s up? Need to hunt?” Katsuro drops the tree and circles his fingers around my wrist. Despite the chill, he’s wearing a bck short-sleeved shirt that honestly looks as though it was a long-sleeved top that someone took a bde or a pair of scissors to. His pants are bck as well. On his hip is his whip that he always has on him and the magical bag we got back in the capital.

  Do I need to hunt?

  Yes.

  No.

  I sigh. “Humans aren’t supposed to have a need to hunt outside of needing to eat.” What happened to me? I used to be afraid of any kind of conflict. Now? I seem to crave it.

  “And? Ya ain’t a normal human.” Katsuro tugs me close. “Apollo came back with some fish, but we could always get more. Something with more meat on the bones. The structure is pretty much in pce for now. Only doing one rge room and then we’ll add on, so everyone can get their own space.” He jerks his head to the left. “Got the extra tree for firewood.”

  “Is that what you want?” I lie my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It doesn’t beat quite the same as mine. It’s slower, as if his body doesn’t have to work as hard to stay alive.

  “Hunting or the inn?”

  “Ain’t about the inn or hunting, it’s about what’s going with ya.” He pulls away, grabbing my wrist again. “Let’s go. They got it from here.” Katsuro tugs me along. We walk until the vilge is far behind us and my legs burn from the exertion. Gradually the sky darkens. At least one of us can see in the dark. If need be, I can always ask him to make a light like he did back in the dungeon. Though that might draw too much attention to us.

  “So hunting, after all?”

  “Nah, that ain’t what you need.” He stops. His ears twitch. “C’mere.” He lifts me, keeping me close as he leaps onto a branch.

  Ah.

  “You want another tree house?” He wanted one back when we were going to stay at Bazur’s vilge, but that was before we rescued the saintess and made an enemy of the capital and the temple.

  “Eventually.” He leans back, maneuvering me so my back is against his chest. His chest is rock solid and warm. I want to turn around and run my fingers over his body. Katsuro feels like safety. “The inn ain’t a problem right now. It’ll keep everyone warm and give us all a pce to sleep. Ain’t much to despise about it.”

  “But?”

  “I like being up high.” He inhales. “Stop stallin’. What’s wrong?”

  “You just don’t let up,” I grumble. “It’s...” I debate not telling him and deflecting. It wouldn’t take much, just reach around and caress his ears. They’re sensitive. One touch and he’ll forget all about what’s troubling me.

  “Chloe. Ain’t gonna judge ya.”

  “It’s my arm. My right arm.” I pull back my sleeve. “There’s something wrong with it or something in my arm.”

  Great, he thinks I’m insane. Why isn’t he saying anything? Maybe I got infected by a beast or maybe the food wasn’t cooked all the way through?

  “Forget—”

  “Wait.” He pces his hands on my hips. “Need a better look.”

  A better look? He can see just fine from this position.

  “You just wanted me to straddle you,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood. Clearly, I’m dying. Katsuro’s expression is far too serious. It isn’t like him. “How many months do I have left to live?”

  “Centuries,” he replies, not looking at me. His green eyes glow in the night. “You have centuries left, not months, not days. Centuries.”

  “I’m human, remember? On average, we don’t live for centuries.” And with my arm acting weird, I might only have hours left.

  Katsuro brings my arm up to his lips and presses a kiss to it. “Stop fighting it.”

  “Stop fighting what?” Maybe he hit his head one too many times. “If it is a worm, then it needs to come out and stop being a parasite.”

  “You’re fine.” He brushes his thumb across my skin. “You’re fighting the mark.”

  “Mark...as in a mating mark?” Can you do that? Megan made it seem like it was something instantaneous, and she didn’t have any control over it.

  “What are you scared of?” He side steps the question.

  “I don’t want to get so caught up...in us,” I admit, “and forget about helping those other humans. We helped Edith, but we aren’t any closer to finding who is behind these portals. Besides, even if this is a mating mark, that doesn’t expin this blood lust I have.”

  “Call it a prey drive.”

  “You aren’t listening.”

  “I am. Seems like it’s bothering ya a lot more than me. Was gonna tell ya once things calmed down for a bit, but....” He drops my arm and tugs his shirt to the side, revealing some markings right above his heart.

  “How do you know that says my name? You don’t have a mirror.”

  He rolls his eyes and scoffs. “Who else would it be? No female infuriates me more than you.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re mine. Always has been.” He brushes his lips against mine. “Always will be.”

  “Katsuro...I.” So, this is just the effect of the mark? There’s nothing wrong with me? “How long?” It’s been a minute since we’ve st bathed together, so it must have happened somewhere between leaving the capital and arriving here.

  “Dunno. A few days? Felt like my chest was on fire, and I have a mirror. It’s in the bag, remember?”

  “That’s my mirror.”

  He shrugs. “Your mirror. My mirror.” He eyes my lips before flickering his eyes up at me. “As far as the high prey drive goes, your mate is a cat. Comes with the territory.”

  “We take on each other’s attributes?”

  “Maybe?”

  I roll my eyes and make a fist. “So, you don’t know.”

  “You ain’t normal, so maybe.” He smirks, one fang pokes out. “Roharu and Megan act simir.”

  “They...” I frown. “Megan doesn’t go out of her way to hunt like I do... or like Roharu.” Maybe I should ask Megan if she feels different since getting her mark. But she is a saintess, so maybe that pys a part? “The mage from the dungeon said I had power.”

  “Everyone has energy, but not everyone can use it. I can teach ya instead of hunting.” He wets his lips and then kisses me. I sink into his embrace, my body acting on its own. With one kiss, he takes my breath away. Takes the urge to fight with him as he pulls away.

  “I’d like that.” Maybe then this blood lust will simmer down. I lift my arm, though it is difficult to see now with the night upon us. Strangely, I’m not cold. The skin trembles before giving way to Katsuro’s name. Underneath is a whip, highlighting whose name is on my arm.

  “Man, what a relief,” Katsuro breathes. “Thought I was gonna have to kill your mate. Good thing it’s me.”

  I blink.

  “What!?”

  AutumnBanks

  Thanks for reading!