The rain had stopped, but the night was bone-chillingly cold.


    Curled up inside the tent, you could hear water dripping onto the rocks outside, along with the asional, unidentifiable cry of some wild animal.


    A warm light glowed inside the tent.


    Archie had insisted on keeping themp on. Even though he tried to convince himself that the crying sounds were just M''s altitude sickness-induced hallucinations, he was clearly unsettled.


    Who would have thought a guy his size would be spooked by something that might not even be real?


    M, on the other hand, seemed unfazed.


    She was puzzled, yes, but oddly enough, not scared. The only thing bothering her was the sharp, stabbing pain in her head, which made her feel woozy and out of sorts.


    Every time she tried to think, the pain threatened to split her skull.


    As midnight drew on, a heavy, gasping breath suddenly broke the silence outside, followed by the rapid, pounding thud of hooves-urgent and close.


    In the next instant,


    Both of them jolted awake from their half-sleep, staring out at the tent walls in rm.


    Thanks to themp, a shadow was thrown up onto the fabric-a huge animal with horns. The silhouette was stretched and warped, vaguely cow-like, but somehow heavier, more menacing.


    A wild bison? she wondered.


    M''s heart thundered in her chest. Gritting her teeth, she crawled out of her sleeping bag, ignoring the pain in her head, and instinctively reached for the hammer lying on the ground for protection.


    If it really was a wild bison, they were in trouble. Unlike domesticated ones, a lone bison could be aggressive and unpredictable, even if it was technically an herbivore.


    A fully grown wild bison wouldn''t think twice about challenging bears or wolves.


    It could flip a truck without breaking a sweat.


    Killing a person would be child''s y.


    Just her luck-one problem after another. M had known thest stretch to Sris City would be dangerous, but not like this.


    And with her altitude sickness in full force, her strength was already running low.


    As she was steeling herself, a hand reached out and blocked her. She looked up to see Archie, gripping a hunting knife, crouched and staring hard at the shadow outside. He didn''t look at her-just stayed poised, ready to spring.


    "Stay in the tent. Don''t go out."


    He tossed the words over his shoulder, ready to charge outside, but M grabbed his sleeve and hissed, "Don''t be stupid. If anything happens, we run."


    There was no way they could fight this thing, not just the two of them. Their best chance was to run.


    The animal''s shadow loomed closer, hoofbeats shaking the earth. M pointed to the left side of the tent and whispered urgently.


    "Now!"


    Archie burst out first, and the two of them scrambled out one after the other, not daring to look back as they sprinted to the left, toward a cluster of rocks where they could hide.


    Behind them, the bison thundered closer.


    M had barely taken a few steps before her breath caught in her throat. Her head spun; her brain felt like it was boiling, every step sending a jolt of pain through her skull.


    She fumbled with the oxygen canister as she ran, hands shaking.


    It barely helped.


    Just as she copsed, she saw a massive hoof crash down beside her head, sending dust and pebbles flying. In the blur ahead, she heard Archie yelling her name as he ran back, and somewhere behind, the strangled shout of a voice with an odd ent.


    A sharp pain exploded in her head, and everything went ck.


    ...


    "Why so eager tonight?"


    The room was dim, shadows drawn long across the walls. The girl''s slender arms wrapped around the young man''s neck, pulling him down for a kiss-more daring and passionate than usual.


    His fox-like eyes glinted in the dark, his response just as intense.


    When the kiss finally broke, she clung to him, chest heaving as if she couldn''t catch her breath, her voice soft and teasing as she whispered against his ear. "Don''t you like it?"


    He didn''t answer, but the way he pressed in was hotter than ever.


    The room filled with the sweet scent of desire.


    They didn''t stop until well into the night.


    Later, he carried her out of the bathroom, holding her close as she drifted off in his arms. But long after, the girl''s eyes opened in the darkness, clear and sharp, no trace left of the earlier haze.


    Shey quietly on his chest, listening to his steady breathing, and whispered his


    name.


    "Lysander?"


    She called several times, but he didn''t stir.


    He must be exhausted.


    M tried to slip out of his embrace, but a soft moan escaped her lips-her body ached all over, every movement sending a wave of difort through her.


    She waited a moment, catching her breath, then slowly eased herself free and slipped a pillow into his arms to rece her.


    She moved as quietly as possible.


    Wrapping a towel around the chain at her ankle to muffle the sound, she slid out of bed and reached for her phone on the nightstand. Just then, Lysander shifted in his sleep, making M''s heart leap into her throat.


    She froze, barely daring to breathe. When he settled again, she tiptoed toward the bathroom.


    The past few days had been rough-she''d learned what Lysander liked, yed her part, and finally earned this one chance to ask for help.