Ella's POV I breathed with relief as we walked into a clearing, glad that we were done with fighting our way through. It had been so dense I could barely feel my feet. I couldn't even feel the others near me and was only conscious of myself and breaking through. I was only worried about myself and feeling nothing about the others and it was then that I knew. This place was spiced with magic. It wasn't much but was thrumming beneath the surface. I was becoming selfish and concerned only about myself within five minutes of being here and wondered how the creatures living here would be, having been here for long. They would no doubt be without mercy. I blew out a breath as I realized that we were in for a long fight but I was ready. I wasn't going to die here or go back home scarred. I was going to fight with all that I had and everyone was going home safe. My chest swelled with energy as I anticipated our journey in the Guchemba jungle to get to the Arok tree and getting back home.
Ella's POV The little girl moved back as we stepped forward and looked at her. "Don't be afraid of her. We are not going to harm you." I said, reaching out a hand to her and careful not to touch her so I wouldn't scare her away. "Where are you from?" Kevin asked. "What are you doing here?" The girl winced and I turned to Kevin. "Easy. You are scaring her." "Better I do that than she stay here and meet something that would kill her." The girl looked at me. "My name is Rue. I'm looking for my parents." I was glad that she finally spoke to me. "Your parents?" I asked in confusion, wondering where they were. The old man didn't mention that people lived near the jungle but I didn't doubt the girl. The villagers also lived near the jungle though not so close and it was possible the girl had people who had their reasons for staying close. The old man might have not have met the girl so couldn't have mentioned her. After all, he said those who ventured into the jungle had different
Ella's POV We didn't see it until it was too late. In my haste to get the girl home, I didn't notice that the soil before me was different from the one we had been walking on in the jungle. I yelped as my feet sank into the ground. In a bid to help me, the men rushed forward to grab me and we all sank into the sand. Suddenly, the ground caved in and we all fell tumbling down into the large hole beneath it. I tried to protect the girl from getting hurt as we fell and was shocked when she sprinted out of my arms and flew out of the hole. My mouth opened in surprise as I wondered how the little pathetic girl suddenly turned into a strong flying human creature. I had been played. I winced as I saw the girl smiling down at us and saw two huge creatures, a male and a female, walking towards us. "You did well, Creka." The male said, his voice booming. Creka? I sighed, feeling stupid. Everything about the little girl was a lie. I realized that the voice of the male sounded exactly like
Ella's POV "You brought this upon us." Andre hissed, finally breaking out. I sighed and didn't bother replying him. I knew he wasn't one to hold on to grudge for long and had been wondering when he would finally burst out with his anger and lash out at me. "Don't be too hard on her. She was only trying to save a lost soul." Liam sighed. "And now we are going to lose ours." Andre hissed. "Actually, we are only going to lose our flesh." Damien winked. Andre glared at him, shifting his anger from me to him. "Do you think it is funny? Is this the right time to make jokes?" "No, it's not but the joke made you stop glaring at Ella. She feels bad already." Damien replied. "You don't have to make her feel worse." Andre blushed and looked away. "I actually feel like shit." I whispered, turning to Andre. "I'm sorry if that makes you feel better." "It doesn't make me feel better but it's a start." He replied. "I don't think I can feel better until I leave this hell hole." "We all have
Ella's POV "Let's go." Kevin said once everyone had shifted into their human form. We nodded and waited for him to check the map so we could know the path we were to take from there to the Arok tree. Suddenly, there was a loud roar and we all looked around, wondering what it was. "I think it's the cannibal father." Damien sighed. "He doesn't seem like he is alone." Liam noted. "It seems like he went for reinforcement." "We can't stay here and wait to fight them when we don't know how many they are. What if we get outnumbered?" Andre sighed. "Let me see." Kevin said, peering at the map. "There should be a way back here." Suddenly, the ground started moving and vibrating under our feet. It felt like hundreds of huge feet were moving on it and running towards us. "Screw that." Andre said in panic and ran off. He wasn't the only one who ran off. The ground was shifting so much under our feet that we were all at risk of sinking under and getting buried alive. Everyone ran to avoi
Kevin's POV I was lost the second my mouth merged into hers and groaned as I slipped my tongue into hers. I loved how she responded easily and eagerly, her tongue dueling with mine with passion as her mouth sucked lightly on it. The world before me faded away—it didn't matter that we were in a haunted jungle and had pissed off a cannibal giant who was on our trail with probably his friends or more and neither was the absence of my men pricking my mind like it was minutes ago, not that I wasn't worried about them still but my worries have been pushed to the back of my mind. It was Ella, only Ella at this moment and she was the only one that mattered. Kiss me, Kevin. I had almost lost it at the time she said that and wondered where I had gotten the restraint to ask her if she was sure of what she was saying because there was no going back for me again and I wasn't going to play any more push and pull game we've been having. I could sense her arousal, the sweetness of it filled my no
Liam's POV "My lord! My queen! Andre! Damien!" I shouted, wondering where they were. I wondered more if they could hear me. If they could, they should have responded back with a yell of their own but all I've got for the past twenty minutes that I've been calling out their names was silence. I didn't think anyone heard me. I hissed as I continued walking, wondering where they were and pissed at the jungle. What the hell was wrong with this jungle? Everything was getting echoed when we were together but now that we were separated and needed to find one another, it was all silent. I froze as an unbidden thought crawled into my head. We had all dispersed, all in different directions, without thinking and I hoped that the cannibals hadn't gotten a hold of them. I was afraid I couldn't hear them because they had been consumed in revenge by the cannibals. I knew none of the men would go down that easily into the bellies of jungle cannibals but there wasn't much anyone of them could do
Ella's POV"Did you hear that?" I asked as I turned to Kevin."I didn't hear that." He said and shook his head.I smiled. I didn't think he heard me. He was busy staring at my face and smiling that I was wondering if he would fall down flat on his face any moment from now. So far, all was well as he hadn't fallen on his face but I didn't need him to be distracted.I knew that he loved that we were here but we were still in the jungle with dangers all around us and we needed our wits with us."You need to be focused, Kevin." I sighed."I am focused." He replied.I shook my head and snorted. "You need to be focused on the journey and not on me."He grinned. "How can I focus on anything else when I have you by my side?"I shook my head. "Focus, Kevin. You are not being funny.""I am not?" He chuckled. "I am not but you smiled.""Did I?" I chuckled, my tongue in the crook of my cheek. "I don't think I did."He snorted. "You definitely know you did."I was about to reply when I heard the s