The warmth of the rising sun beat down on Rayne's embarrassingly sweaty forehead. She shakily swiped it away as a part of her longed for a damp cloth to cool her skin down but knowing Jarrah didn't believe in taking very long breaks, she sucked it up as best as she could. Though she knew a little stream wouldn't hurt to stop by or a hotel at the very least, he wanted to get their journey over with as soon as possible.

She wasn't sure where they were, just that she was forced to stare out across the beautiful expanse of greenery, greenery, and more greenery. The mushrooms were starting to sprout for the spring, as well as the pretty patches of flowers, but that was all she could really see. She thought she'd caught a glimpse of a fairy dancing on the sprinkle of mist over some dewy dandelions, though she wasn't sure if it was true. She never had time to dwell on the dancing creatures, however, for Jarrah never stopped walking.

It wasn't until the incoming of the following night that Jarrah slowed down to an abrupt halt, forcing Rayne into the back of his hard body. His sweetly masculine scent wafted up her throbbing nose, momentarily dazing her before she quickly recovered from her surprise.

"Ouch! Hey!" Rayne hissed, but Jarrah whirled around to wrap a hand over her mouth.

"Quiet," he shushed, his alert gaze stuck on something up ahead.

She stilled at the urgency in his voice. She pushed his hand away from her face and followed his direct line of sight. Hidden between two trees with their backs curved to their unexpected company, rested two men who were out on patrol. One was easily the size of a tree trunk, while the other was tall and slender, their spines unnaturally straight as they stalked the area.

Jarrah waved his fingers and a translucent bubble of sparkles appeared around their frozen forms. He pointed to his mouth to show that the vampires ahead won't be able to hear them with the bubble surrounding them inside. Rayne had to admit, the wavering bubble was beautiful to look at, but she'd rather die than tell him that.

"This won't last long," Jarrah said. "So, we need to make this quick."

"Can't you do something?" Rayne asked. "Don't you have magic?"

He shifted impatiently at her questions. "Because turning myself invisible or making myself shrink would be helpful in this situation."

"That's all you can do?" Rayne scoffed, earning a heated glare in return.

"I have to save as much of it as I can for the real fight when we get to Crimson Peak. It's more than what you can do, anyway."

Rayne glowered at him. "Why do you have to be such an ass all the time?"

"Like you're perfect? 'That's all you can do?'" he mocked. His arms folded firmly across his chest. "I'm just giving you your attitude right back."

"Okay, okay," she grumbled, impatiently. "I'm sorry. Can we come up with something now before this disappears?"

Jarrah thinned his lips and peered over at the oblivious vampires pacing above again. He tilted his head. "I don't think shifting would be a good idea right now."

"No . . . but I got another idea."

"What idea?"

"Well . . ."

He looked at her again, his eyes narrowed. "Well?"

"You can fly, right?"

Jarrah's expression soured, but she cut in again before he could object. "It won't be for very long. We just need to fly off to the right a little, so they won't see us and get ahead of them. Then we can walk again."

He still didn't look happy after her quick explanation but seeing as how they didn't have much of an option, there was no rebuttal. If they wanted to get into Crimson Peak undetected, which was the only way for them to even have a chance at grabbing the elixir, they needed to stay on the downlow, and only kill when necessary.

And seeing as how they could barely trust each other, the thought of battling another enemy with their fate in each other's hands was less than ideal.

"Fine," he huffed, and before the bubble could completely shrink away from their bodies, he unfurled his heavy wings.

She practically swallowed her tongue in surprise as Jarrah reached an arm out for her, impatiently waiting for her to hop onto him. Not wanting to embarrass either of them any further, and needing to get a move on before the bubble popped on them, Rayne moved forward reluctantly. She adjusted her backpack straps as if warning him she wasn't going to be very light, but he only rolled his eyes and easily wrapped a strong arm around her back and the other under her knees. In one swipe, he swooped her curvy body up into his arms.

There was no warning.

Just a clench of her eyes, the pushing of her head against him, and the feel of him pushing off the ground. The pressure of the soft breeze ruffling through her unruly curls startled her into gasping and she wrapped her hand harder into her shirt, her fingers desperately clutching as she tried not to freak out. Jarrah snorted above her, but she ignored him.

She wasn't ready to open her eyes and look down yet. There was a reason why wolves couldn't fly, and she was more than happy to stay her butt on the ground. Heights . . . flying . . . they just weren't her thing.

Thankfully, she wasn't woozy in flight for very long.

It took her a minute to figure out how to let go of Jarrah, and when she finally opened her eyes, she caught onto his gaze burning down into her face. She shakily swallowed back the gasp that desperately wanted to push its way from her lips and allowed him to put her back on her feet. She tried her best to fight the burning flush in her cheeks as she cleared her throat.

"Well, then . . . let's um—let's get back to uh—walking," Rayne stammered, trying her best to control how frazzled she truly was. Ronan warned her against falling into the fairy's enamoring trap before she left, and she was going to guarantee that she wasn't. She was meant to be with another wolf and Jarrah was betrothed to another, so nothing could happen. He was attractive and that was it.

"No thank you?" Jarrah asked, raising a brow. She adjusted the strap of her backpack and lifted her chin up, defiantly.

"Not until you start learning how to give me one," she snarked. With that, she led the way to Crimson Peak without checking to see if Mr. Fairy King was walking behind her. The silence for the two minutes she had was comforting, but, of course, it didn't last long.

"Can you blame me?" Jarrah snorted, beside her now. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your father. What need do I have to thank you?"

"Do you hear how entitled you sound?"

"Entitled?"

"Yes, entitled! You act like you're here because of me, and we keep running in circles with the same conversation over and over again! It's not my fault my father brought you into my pack, so get over it," Rayne practically exploded, turning her blazing gaze on him. Jarrah's eyes were narrowed, his lips twisting off to the side as he battled the fury raging through his shaking body.

"You want a thank you, you royal brat? Fine—thank you."

"I'm the royal brat? Have you met yourself?" she seethed.

"Have you met yourself?" he fired back.

"Just say thank you and get over it, FAIRY."

"Fine. Thank you, DOG."

"THANK YOU," she screamed.

"WHATEVER," he boomed, pushing past her to lead them.

"Nuh uh—I was in charge of going first!" she argued, pushing past him to the front.

For a childish period that lasted much too long, Jarrah and Rayne rushed forward and would take turns leading.