Saving Verakko: The Clecanian Series Book 3 by Victoria Aveline (books to read for teens TXT) 📕

Her look of worry instantly transformed, lips pulling tight and eyes narrowing. She shoved her hands on her hips. “Okay, you really want to help?”

“Yes!”

“Then let me pee in peace!” Without another word, she stomped away.

Way to go.

***

Just when she was beginning to feel like she understood him, he had to go and get all pushy again. She used some of her water to clean herself up and then made her way back toward camp, being sure to take her time.

It makes sense he’s grumpy, she admitted. He hadn’t slept all night, after all. Had he stayed awake because it was clear she’d needed a good night’s sleep more than him? Or had he done it out of some misguided sense of male duty to sacrifice his own needs and protect her while she slept?

Either way, she’d have to force him to take a turn sleeping tonight. If this was his mood after two nights of no sleep, she couldn’t imagine how much worse he’d be in a few days.

When she reached the camp, she froze in place. “What are you doing? That’s my toothbrush!”

Verakko was cleaning his teeth the same way she had, using her toothbrush. He shrugged and reached for the water container she’d brought with her. When she didn’t hand it over but instead glared at him, he crossed to her and plucked the canteen out of her hand.

Lily seethed. She didn’t share toothbrushes. It’d taken her countless tries to find the type of tree that would have sticks fibrous enough to create a brush and soft enough not to tear up her gums. Now she’d have to do it all over again.

She made short work of gathering her belongings—apparently their belongings now—and slung the bag over her shoulder. She hadn’t made it two steps before the weight was gone.

“Hey!” She spun, and her breath caught. He was only a few inches away. Her eyes focused on his broad chest first, then traveled upward to meet his gaze. He smirked.

Reaching forward, he brushed a hand across her cheek and into her hair. She had to stop herself from leaning into his touch. “You asked me to put my muscle to good use.” She felt a tug, and his hand reemerged, pinching a bright yellow leaf. “Remember?”

She cleared her throat. “Fine. I need to find a new toothbrush anyway. The bag will slow me down.” Traipsing past him, she kept her breaths even and her chin high.

They emerged onto the riverbank, and Lily frowned. It was only morning and the air was already thick and hot, the last of the early morning sunshine blocked out by a sheet of gray clouds. Gloomy day, gloomy companion, gloomy me.

“We’ll have to stop earlier than normal today. We need time to boil more water, scavenge for food, and find you a few water containers of your own.” Lily said, halting at the edge of a particularly hazardous hillside.

The steep descent was covered in slippery bedrock and about fifteen feet high. She wiggled her toes and winced in anticipation. The soles of her once-bright-red flats were wearing thin. Thanks to the ankle straps, she’d managed not to lose the shoes in her rapids ride, but the cheap metal buckles of the ankle straps had cracked four days ago. Although her feet were quickly becoming calloused, no longer hurting as much during her daily hike, rocks were always painful.

Before she even heard Verakko move, he was next to her. “I could carry you today. We’d cover more ground faster, and then we’d have more time to hunt and find some real food.”

Carry me? “I know you’re a strong guy and all, but seriously? That’s crazy. You can’t car—” She gasped as Verakko swept her up, one arm under her knees and the other around her waist. She threw her arms around his neck on instinct. “Put me down!” Lily eyed the steep, rocky pass.

She glanced back to him and saw he was grinning. “Hold on tight.”

Before she could blurt out her rejection of his request, he’d jumped.

She screamed and buried her head against his chest. This is how I’m gonna die. A stupid man comes and takes stupid risks. Trying to show off. This is it. No more soda. No more French onion soup. No mo—

Hot breath near her ear brought her mind to the present. “Lily, you’re safe.”

The way he said her name in that velvety voice, like he was savoring it, sent a flutter through her stomach. She was still clutching his neck, her face buried against the warmth of his shoulder. His scent toyed with her again, making her relax despite herself.

Cautiously, she peered around and her lips parted. His leap had cleared the rocky outcrop. She focused on him. “How did you do that?”

His eyes were a deeper shade of emerald green, and from this close, she could see they were almost translucent, like the inside of a gem. Hypnotizing.

Lily knew she should let go of him, but he was so damn warm and firm and he smelled so good. She was used to the bad smells that came from extended camping trips; it was one of the reasons she loved her assortment of scented candles so much. It felt nice to be held by her own personal scented candle. A stray thought concerning the amount of sex she’d have to have with this giant in order for his smell to rub off on her danced through her mind.

He was staring at her mouth hungrily. Would he kiss her? Then his gaze traveled lower and settled on her neck. He ran a pointed tongue over his fang.

Fuck no!

“Put me down.” She squirmed. No way in hell was she letting some super-hot alien gnaw on her carotid. A surprising