Scarlet - The Cook

Angel's prediction was correct. We didn't get to the forest until sundown. Up close, the trees were like towers over us. The branches were huge and crowded with red leaves. I had expected inside to be dark with all these trees. However, the night was bright enough to reveal anything with ease. Streaks of silver danced between the red leaves, creating a beautiful sight.

Angel had us set up camp at a comfortable spot near a tree. We were not too far in the forest but we were not at the edge either. At our position, it was easy to view any creature coming from all sides. Plus, the tree was also a good source to hide us from any upcoming presence.

With a snap of Angel's fingers, she was able to summon tents, sleeping supplies, and utensils for a meal, and food. It gave me a clear idea of why she didn't walk with a bag. She stashed the items in another dimension she controlled. Hence, she could summon them whenever they were needed.

"Ha! I'm so awesome," Sabastian boasted at lighting a fire.

Angel giggled and clapped, cheering him on. "You bet, one try and it was a success. I wouldn't expect any better from an Anderson."

Ah, what?

Sabastian smirked. "Damn right about that. Who's going to do the honors of cooking?"

I glanced at the meat and ground products to make the stew. "Isn't cooking hazardous? Isn't the smell going to attract the beast to us?"

Angel shook her head. "I've placed a barrier around us. Every sound and odors are illuminated before they get outside it. This way it helps to mask our scents as well as the food."

Okay.

"Well, in that case, I'll cook," I announced.

It would help me to monitor the pot. No one would be able to slip anything into it.

Sabastian sat, leaning against the tree root. "Since when can a princess like you cook?"

I gathered the cooking ingredients along with the utensils needed. "I've been on my own for centuries. One can learn a lot from independence."

It was true I was spoon-fed for the first part of my life. I had drudges for almost everything. It was not after my life went haywire was I forced to learn things. My mother didn't help much. She showed herself when it was convenient for her. Cooking was one of the things I was self-taught.

Sabastian crossed his arms across his chest. "It doesn't mean that you can cook well. This is my first time experiencing all this. I am not up for eating crappy shit, so if you can't cook, then don't."

I gritted my teeth.

Angel broke up the potential argument with a sweet smile. "Easy guys. Scarlet is going to have to cook. I can't and neither can the bandit. We all know you would not know where the pot should be put, Sabastian. We'll have to give up the cooking duty to Scarlet. Besides, if it tastes awful, we will know for sure she can't do it and we will think of the next best thing. But, it's not nice to put down a person's self-esteem without knowing the facts."

No, we shouldn't put down anyone's self-esteem no matter the facts. We all had feelings, no matter which creature we were. We were all equals.

Sabastian dismissed the topic with a bounce of his shoulders. "Fine, we'll see."

Yes, you were going to. When I was done, he would be licking each of his fingers. I was going to make sure of it.

"Good," Angel gleamed. "Scarlet, you cook. Sabastian, you stay here and watch over the camp and Scarlet. The bandit will guard the northwest side of this camp. I will be on the lookout on the southeast side. Not because there is a barrier, we still have to keep our guard up."

"Okay," we all chorused.

Angel and the bandit, Leo left us. I went to work. Sabastian did nothing but watch me. It was annoying and made me, even more, self-conscious than ever.

"I'm not going to add anything poisonous to the pot, you know," I snapped, adding the food to the bubbling seasoned pot. "You can stop watching me."

He said nothing but stared.

I closed the pot and straightened. "Didn't you hear me?"

He stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankle. "By how loud you just got, I bet even Leo heard you."

His carefree posture irritated me even more. It was as if I didn't affect him at all. It was not that he affected me that much. It was just annoying, that was all.

I rinsed my hand in the small bowl with water. "I wouldn't have to be so loud if you had answered me."

"I just don't get what has got you so on edge." Gold irises drank me in. "All I'm doing is trying to learn. I didn't peg you for the shy type. You had never been that way before." His eyes left mine to stare at the leaves overhead. "Or you have and I didn't notice."

We hadn't met before. If we did, I would have never forgotten a man with Kyleon's face. Never.

I perched on the root adjacent to him. "Stop talking like you know me. I was born with emotions like every other creature. Shyness was one of them. Some of us just showcase some and suppress others."

Especially if it was necessary for us to do so. Some emotions made us appear weak in the eyes of others. If that person was surrounded by enemies, it was vital to suppress the weaker emotions.

A corner of his mouth curled up. "So does that mean you used to be more confident because it was necessary to suppress shyness in the world of the living? Why did you discard that emotion and settle with shyness now?"

I wasn't a shy person, but he did have a point. Ever since I entered this Realm my usual emotions have been out of sorts. Most of them went haywire whenever this alpha was around. It wasn't that I was a newbie in the presence of a strong male.

Kyleon was my first love. He would always be the man who took my heart. After the tragedy with Mother forcing him to kill his parents and I had to go into hiding, many men warmed my bed. It was a numb time. Still, I learned a lot. Rob was the second man to gain my affection. We weren't in love but we were close. Or at least, I didn't love him. He never told me he loved me but he swore his loyalty. We helped each other through dark times. He was the only one I trusted with my life.

I glanced away at the flames of the fire. "I'm not sure what's going on."

Sabastian cocked his head to the side. "I don't like you. The thought of killing you fills me with excitement."

The ominous words didn't even flicker fear in me. My brain processes it as an empty threat. It was not that his voice wasn't demanding as usual or that it didn't have enough venom. I just came up with that conclusion anyway.

"But," his drawl was nearer than before, "there is also a part of me that gets upset at the idea. The thought that you would be gone forever makes me feel weird."

I didn't have time to look at him before we were both on the ground. Strong arms pinned mine over my head. He leaned into me until his lips touched my pinna.

"I made myself a promise to kill you because my brother was too weak to do it." His warm breath made my toes curl from the sensual sensation.

I swallowed as my brain took longer to process his words. "What do you mean? Who is this brother of yours?"

Maybe if I got an idea of who his relative was, it would make things better. Mother had angered many men. I was possessed by her, so all those men saw my face. They thought I was her. Having more enemies than I could handle was my punishment for a wretched life.

If Sabastian's brother was harmed because of Mother or by Mother's hands, then it would be best to know who and explain myself. He might understand. Almost everything was done out of my will. He had to understand.

Sabastian raised to observe me. His face was too passive to read.

I licked my lips. "Tell me, who is your brother?"

"My brother is Kyleon Anderson." His casual statement blew my breath away.

I gapped.

This was not possible. Kyleon's brother was… he… No, this couldn't be right.

"You can't be," I choked out.

"No? Why not?" His grip tightened on my hands. The pinch from the pebbles and dirt sank into my skin. "You know I exist. You've heard about me, so why can't it be possible? Why shouldn't I take my revenge, huh?"