The Hidden Princess

Ablaze

Gavins POV

The pain was excruciating. It felt like fire burning me alive. The pain shot down my legs and up my spine to my head. I felt dizzy. I bit the stick hard and felt bile rise up in my throat. But I did not move. I could not. Beth then took some long tweezers and dug it into my flesh. The whole room started spinning, and I saw black spots in vision until suddenly everything went black.

I felt a bright, warm light on my face. I cracked my eyelids open and saw bright sunshine streaming through the window right on to my face. Then, a searing pain shot through my head. I groaned and quickly shut my eyes.

I awoke again sometime later. I am not sure how much time has passed. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was high in the sky. It must be sometime around noon. Then I saw a blurry halo of blazing red that came in front of my line of sight. The sun caught it, and it looked ablaze with bronze and flax golden hues. I squinted and saw concerned emerald eyes staring down at me amidst the fiery red halo. It was breathtaking. I then noticed her bewitching red lips were moving. She was saying something but I couldn't make it out. I was too enthralled with the vision in front of me.

"Gavin!" Finally, my mind registered what she was saying.

"I thought you wouldn't wake up. The bullet was lodged really deep. Took me over an hour to get it out. You lost a lot of blood." Beth spoke with concern in her eyes.

"I appreciate all your help. I would have bled out for sure if not for you. I owe you my life." Gavin honestly stated.

He slowly sat up. Felt his side rip with pain, and the room started spinning again.

"Lay down," Beth whispered while pushing his shoulders back down onto the table. "You won't be able to travel for a while. Especially with the Black Watch searching everywhere for you. You can stay in one of our old barn's hay lofts until you are recovered."

"No, I can't put you at risk like that. If the Black Watch found out that you were hiding me, they would kill you. Make a public example out of you for everyone to see." Gavin determinedly stared into her eyes.

"No one will find out. Not even my father nor siblings. They never enter that barn during the winter, and the barn is situated well away from the road and prying eyes." Beth stated matter of factly.

"You only need a couple days of rest, and you will be ready to travel on. Where are you heading anyway now that you left the Black Watch?" Beth inquired.

"Home, I suppose, if I can make it that far."

"Where is home?" She asked.

Gavin regretted telling her the truth immediately. He should have lied and just made something up. He did not want to tell her where home was. It was too risky at the moment.

Gavin sighed and looked away. "It's a great distance from here traveling on foot, that is."

"Well, we will need to find you a horse then after you are recovered." Beth said.

"Hmph." Gavin grunted as he thought. How does he tell this lady that he doesn't need a horse? That he is faster on foot than the fastest through bred stallion?

Beth's POV

I grabbed a white linen sheet off my bed. Then, I went back downstairs to Gavin lying on the table.

"Ok, I am going to wrap this around you then around me, so if you start to pass out, as we walk to the barn, I won't drop you. It will kinda be like a sling, and I can carry you on my back." I said.

He looked me up and down, studying my 5'2" slender frame. Then, he looked down at his impressive 6'2" muscular frame.

"That's very brave of you and all, and I am sure you are strong. But if I pass out, I will squish you flat." Gavin stated.

"Hogwash! I have dragged cows like this since I was little. I can handle it. Don't let my small stature fool you." I said, winking at him.

Gavin whistled and then looked me up and down again. I felt heat rise to my cheeks.

"NNot..I..meant to say...I...Thats not what I meant." I finally croaked out. Could feel my cheeks flaming now.

Gavin slowly stood and approached me. He tucked a wild curl behind my ear and was smiling down at me. That gorgeous smile and those warm chocolate eyes inches from my face. My knees felt weak, like they would give out at any moment.

"Your cheeks are the same color as that wild mess on top of your head." He chuckled.

It felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped on me. How dare he! I had always been teased about my hair growing up. It was a frizzy mess of burnt orange that had a mind of its own. I could never style it like the other girls styled theirs. It stuck out in random places everywhere, and every pin I tried to put in it just went flying out after 5 minutes. Everyone called me carrot top. I hated my hair. My parents and siblings all had gorgeous silky blonde or burnette hair. They could do anything with it, and it always looked gorgeous even rolling out of bed in the morning. But not mine. I usually hid mine under a bonnet to contain it, but with everything that happened this morning, I had totally forgotten that I didn't have one on.

"Well, fine, you brut! You can find your own way to the barn! I will not be helping you at all!" I yelled and shoved his chest away from me. I turned on my heel and stormed out the back door.

I didn't stop or look behind me until I made it all the way to the barn. Which was a good 1000 feet behind the house. I plopped down on a hay bale outside the barn doors and stared angrily at the house.

About 15 minutes later, I saw him emerge from the back door of the house. He was leaning heavily on a long, sturdy stick. He must have found it by the chopped wood. I felt a twinge of guilt as I saw him hobble through the field and to the barn. Each step was labored, and with each one, I saw him grimace in pain. Well, it serves him right, I thought. I was just trying to help, and he made fun of and belittled me. I stared nonchalantly into the distance to show him that I was unbothered by him or his words.

Gavin finally made it to the barn about 30 minutes later. He didn't pass out. But I could see that his wound was bleeding again from the exertion. It had already soaked the dressing I had put on.

"Well, now I will have to reapply your bandage." I huffed.

I stood up and went to the small door on the side of the barn.

"Through here." I said and walked through the doorway.

It was dark in the barn. Sunlight shining through the slates on the side of the barn was the only light. I walked to the back of the old barn and then inched behind a tall tower of stacked hay bales. There was a little space back here that would be perfect. It wasn't big. There was just enough space for him to lay down. But with a couple of quilts on top of some hay, Gavin should be warm enough at night.

I turned around and saw Gavin staring at me in the small opening.

"You didn't let me finish earlier." Gavin said, looking at me intently.

"I think you said plenty. You insulted my body frame and hair in the same sentence." I glared at him.

"No, you didn't hear what I was going to say. I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He said as he stepped closer to me. My heart skipped a beat.

He wasn't making fun of me then? Maybe I had read more into it. I thought.

He put his finger under my chin and gently pulled it up till I was looking into those gorgeous eyes. My heart started to beat wildy within my chest.

"You have the perfect body. I never meant to insult your figure. I just never want to be the one that brings you pain. I was scared of hurting you. You are strong. You are also incredibly brave. I don't know of any other woman who would go against the Black Watch just to help out a complete stranger. You intrigue me. I feel something pulling me towards you. Something so strong I couldn't fight it even if I wanted to. And your hair.." Gavin tantalizingly ran his fingers through my hair. "Sets me ablaze inside." he whispered. Then, he grabbed a handful of my hair at the nape of my neck and gently pulled down. It caused me to look all the way up, and I gasped. His chocolate brown eyes swirled with golden honey color. He stared at me and then slowly wrapped his other strong arm around my waist, never releasing my hair in the other hand. He pulled me into him. My hands laid on his broad chest. He was rockhard but so warm and comforting. He slowly lowered his head until his lips were inches from mine. His eyes were completely golden now and staring into my soul. It felt like coming home after being gone for so long. He pressed his soft lips onto mine. It was tender and soft and first, but soon, we both hungered for more. It turned more aggressive and passionate. I don't know what came over me, but I only knew I needed to taste more. I broke our kiss and kissed along his jawline to his ear. Flicked his ear lobe with my tongue. Then, I left a trail of kisses down his neck. When I got to the base of his neck, I could hear his racing heartbeat. Could actually hear the blood flowing in his artery. I felt my fangs elongate, and I bite down hard into his neck and main artery.