Chapter 11 #2
I shouted over the wind into my wristport, “C, is there anyway to link D’alton’s wristport to this map?
” Where would I seek shelter if I were D’alton?
I traced a couple of areas on the map, zooming in and out while cursing myself for not spending more time out of the station when I’d had the chance.
A couple of low spots beside a huge drop-off that might be out of the wind had potential.
“Sterling Peoples, I’ve synced D’alton of Clan Lasting’s wristport tracker to your machine’s operating system. They have a limited range. You won’t be able to track him until you’re within five hundred meters.” She paused for a second. “Please be careful out there.”
“I’m getting him back, C, don’t you worry,” I shouted into the wind as I hit the thumb throttle and shot toward D’alton’s blinking green light.
Hang on, D’alton.
I’d been circling the same jagged black rocks for over an hour, slowly going out of my mind.
The lack of progress was sucking steadily at my willpower.
Retracing the tracker’s dots, I flew to the bottom of the cliff then slowly rose once more, spitting out the chalky tasting dust the sandstorm left hanging in the air.
Hope rose at every nook and cranny, then plummeted when no sign of D’alton appeared.
I hovered beside the cliff’s edge, staring into the face of the full moon, dull orange and covered in blue swirls, racking my brain for ideas.
If I’d just let him drink from me in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
We’d be eating a delicious meal he’d created, followed by curling up in my bed watching another movie under the guise of him learning about humans.
His gaze would have grown more and more intense, flicking toward my lips as the night wore on and our bodies gravitated toward each other.
But I’d always held back.
Until the last time.
I’d never been drawn to anyone so strongly before. Then I’d turned it all to shit with my goddamn insecurities.
My fear of deception had had me slamming on the brakes even when the rest of my body screamed go.
You’re an idiot. D’alton didn’t have a deceptive bone in his body.
Everything showed on his expressive face.
His innocence, combined with his competence and willingness to take on anything, heedless of the danger, got under my skin and lit me up in the best of ways.
From the corner of my eye, I saw something flash beneath the moon’s orange glow. With nothing to lose, I flew toward it, my hands strangling the handlebar grips.
There would be no more fighting my attraction. The thought of D’alton’s fangs gliding over my neck before plunging into my vein had my balls tightening against the seat.
I shook my head and maneuvered closer to the glowing orange rock face, looking for a flat place to land. Quit fucking daydreaming.
The contours on the map showed a level area about twenty meters to the right, big enough to land a hoverbike.
I decreased the thrusters preparing to land. A skating rink-sized surface shone like ebony beneath the moon’s orange glow. As I maneuvered off the bike and slung my pack over my shoulder, I scowled at the green dot on my wristport. That motherfucker better not be lying.
Though I was warm inside my thick coat, something about the unnatural smoothness of the rock sent goose bumps prickling over my skin. The green tracker grew in size when I shuffled onto the slick surface. The air, still and silent, heightened my senses.
Ebony shards jutted toward the sky like sentinels, ringing the perimeter of the glossy rock. This whole place gave me the willies.
On my next cautious step, a giant boom filled the air, and I fell forward, landing flat on my belly. Ahead of me, the smooth rock broke off into nothing. Splayed out across what amounted to a sheet of broken black glass, my heart ricocheted in my chest.
I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing on the tinkling shower of glass as it smashed below. It sounded close, like maybe I wouldn’t break my neck if the section beneath me gave way.
D’alton had to be down there.
Though returning to the hoverbike would’ve been the smarter option, I spread my arms and legs out wide over the glass, distributing my weight as evenly as possible, and wormed forward on my belly, desperate to see him.
“D’alton!” I called out. “You down there?” My voice echoed through the open chamber.
Despite the lack of response, deep in my heart, I knew he had to be.
The closer I got to the splintered edge, the more it creaked and groaned, fine cracks spreading under my weight.
An arrow came into view, followed by another, then a black-clad leg, and at last…
I exhaled, my breath clouding the glassy rock beneath me.
D’alton’s deep-brown face, eyes closed as he curled on his side.
“D’alton,” I shouted again. He was so close now that my heart raced. Why wasn’t he opening his eyes?
Is he injured? I needed to get him out of there. I shimmied backward on my stomach, black glass falling like ice cracking over a frozen lake. Though I should have gone slower, the image of D’alton lying there helpless compelled me to hurry. What if I was too late?
What seemed like hours later, I’d made it back to the hoverbike. In a blur, I mounted, shot across what remained of the black glass and descended into a cavern the size of my mom’s bungalow on Earth.
Hoverbike left idling, I skidded to my knees in front of D’alton.
Black glass flashed on the cavern’s floor and over his body.
“Please be okay.” I yanked off my glove, wiggling my fingers beneath his to get to his wrist. When I picked up the thread of his weak pulse under my shaking fingers, I sighed.
He’d be okay. He probably just needed blood. Of course he needs blood, you fuckwit.
The temperature had dropped from cold to teeth-chattering as the sun set. Muscles tensed, I scanned the cavern for a place to build a fire but found nothing but vulcanized black rock.
If giving him my blood went even remotely how it had last time, then this was not the place. My cock stirred at the thought, and heat rushed to my cheeks as I reined in my poorly timed desire.
Quickly brushing the glass off him, I patted D’alton down for injuries. After finding none, I crouched to get his weight over one shoulder and heaved him up to my side. In short order, he was in the hoverbike’s side compartment, strapped down to keep his head from lolling.
I ran my fingers through the dark curls on his head before I placed the spare helmet over them. “Hang on just a little longer, baby, and I’ll give you whatever you need.”