Read Online Pieces of Three by Kim Carmichael - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kim Carmichael
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a sorry excuse for a bedmate.
* * * *
Alyssa removed the poultice from her forehead and glanced in the mirror. The wound did indeed seem better, less red for sure. She wrinkled her nose at the rest of the image staring back at her. Julian only called her beautiful to have some fun, and yes, it was fun, but not real. After collecting her leaves she had returned to the ship trying to create some order from all the chaos. The small galley contained scant few supplies, but she collected what she could and tried to take inventory.
She made her way over to the ramp Julian cobbled together to get on and off the ship easily, stopped and looked out at the sea. Endless water.
For the first time in her life she was truly and utterly alone. Her stomach bottomed out. No parent, no job, no friend, no goals, only infinite nothing like the water. She had nowhere to go, no one of her species to turn to, she didn’t even have an island to call home .
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. All she had to her name was ill-fitting clothes, a suitcase filled with the booty she stole and two shifters who didn’t kill her only because she saved them. She needed to run, run far and fast and get away and she spun back toward the island.
“Are you all right?” From the beach, Julian waved to her. Still in too tight pants from earlier, he must have decided to ditch the shirt. “Come here.”
She managed to get down the ramp without injuring herself further. Instinct or desperation took her right to Julian.
“Hey.” He caught her by the shoulders. “You’re scared, what’s wrong?”
“What?” She shook her head. “How do you know that?”
“I just do, I can sense it.” He smoothed her hair back.
“I was looking at the ocean. It never ends.” She wondered if he would understand.
“There’s nothing frightening there, I promise.” He pulled her in, pressing her head to his chest. “I would not let anything happen to you.”
Her cheek met smooth skin that covered pure muscle. Wolves were covered in fur, but Julian’s chest was hairless at least in his human form, and Porter only boasted a bit of hair.
Porter. She scanned their makeshift campsite. The setting sun cast an orange-grey hue on everything with shards of light shining through the trees but no sign of their third castaway.
He hooked his finger under her chin and tilted her face up. “Better?”
Caught in the way his green eyes seemed to sparkle, she nodded.
“How about we relax on the beach, since there’s nothing more we can do until tomorrow.” He slid his arm down her side until he reached her hand, interlaced their fingers and guided her over to the wood they collected. “Later I’ll make a fire.” He helped her down to the large leaves and sat next to her.
“Where’s Porter?” She continued to stare at him, his chest. Everything.
“Here let me show you something.” He ignored her question and pulled her down until they were lying side by side. “See that.”
Without Julian’s chest to concentrate on, she peered into the blue-grey sky. “It’s the sky.”
“It never ends either, but everyday you sleep under it and never give it a second thought.”
She turned to him and he did the same. Nose to nose she had never been this close to a man of any species alone before.
“Don’t be scared of things that have no end, instead take comfort in them because you know they’ll be there.” He traced her lower lip with his fingertip. “Then you’re never alone.”
“I’m always alone.” Even on her island, or what was once her island, since her father died she’d been alone though she was with people.
“Never again.” He leaned in.
Her breath caught.
Rather than connecting their lips, he moved to her ear. “Porter took a walk to get some water, I think you should go to him.”
“I don’t understand.” Wait, what game was Julian playing? Her chest tightened. No matter the species, males toyed with her.
“I know you
* * * *
Alyssa removed the poultice from her forehead and glanced in the mirror. The wound did indeed seem better, less red for sure. She wrinkled her nose at the rest of the image staring back at her. Julian only called her beautiful to have some fun, and yes, it was fun, but not real. After collecting her leaves she had returned to the ship trying to create some order from all the chaos. The small galley contained scant few supplies, but she collected what she could and tried to take inventory.
She made her way over to the ramp Julian cobbled together to get on and off the ship easily, stopped and looked out at the sea. Endless water.
For the first time in her life she was truly and utterly alone. Her stomach bottomed out. No parent, no job, no friend, no goals, only infinite nothing like the water. She had nowhere to go, no one of her species to turn to, she didn’t even have an island to call home .
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. All she had to her name was ill-fitting clothes, a suitcase filled with the booty she stole and two shifters who didn’t kill her only because she saved them. She needed to run, run far and fast and get away and she spun back toward the island.
“Are you all right?” From the beach, Julian waved to her. Still in too tight pants from earlier, he must have decided to ditch the shirt. “Come here.”
She managed to get down the ramp without injuring herself further. Instinct or desperation took her right to Julian.
“Hey.” He caught her by the shoulders. “You’re scared, what’s wrong?”
“What?” She shook her head. “How do you know that?”
“I just do, I can sense it.” He smoothed her hair back.
“I was looking at the ocean. It never ends.” She wondered if he would understand.
“There’s nothing frightening there, I promise.” He pulled her in, pressing her head to his chest. “I would not let anything happen to you.”
Her cheek met smooth skin that covered pure muscle. Wolves were covered in fur, but Julian’s chest was hairless at least in his human form, and Porter only boasted a bit of hair.
Porter. She scanned their makeshift campsite. The setting sun cast an orange-grey hue on everything with shards of light shining through the trees but no sign of their third castaway.
He hooked his finger under her chin and tilted her face up. “Better?”
Caught in the way his green eyes seemed to sparkle, she nodded.
“How about we relax on the beach, since there’s nothing more we can do until tomorrow.” He slid his arm down her side until he reached her hand, interlaced their fingers and guided her over to the wood they collected. “Later I’ll make a fire.” He helped her down to the large leaves and sat next to her.
“Where’s Porter?” She continued to stare at him, his chest. Everything.
“Here let me show you something.” He ignored her question and pulled her down until they were lying side by side. “See that.”
Without Julian’s chest to concentrate on, she peered into the blue-grey sky. “It’s the sky.”
“It never ends either, but everyday you sleep under it and never give it a second thought.”
She turned to him and he did the same. Nose to nose she had never been this close to a man of any species alone before.
“Don’t be scared of things that have no end, instead take comfort in them because you know they’ll be there.” He traced her lower lip with his fingertip. “Then you’re never alone.”
“I’m always alone.” Even on her island, or what was once her island, since her father died she’d been alone though she was with people.
“Never again.” He leaned in.
Her breath caught.
Rather than connecting their lips, he moved to her ear. “Porter took a walk to get some water, I think you should go to him.”
“I don’t understand.” Wait, what game was Julian playing? Her chest tightened. No matter the species, males toyed with her.
“I know you
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