Chapter 10 Scarlett Learns A ThingTwo #2
“He’ll turn up. There is a stream, just off to the right. It’s cold water, but you can wash while I set up camp and sort out a meal.”
“We’d better do half-rations instead of full. We don’t know how many cycles we are from the prince.”
Talon appeared then, dragging a furry creature with long ears. He pulled it over to Ransom, then pointed at the fire.
“Thank you,” Ransom said.
Scarlett went to wash while the boys sorted out dinner. When she returned, the enticing scent of cooking meat drifted in the air.
As soon as she sat, Ransom handed her a leg of the roasted rabbitlike creature. It was charred in spots, but she didn’t complain. Delicious.
With a full stomach, she found a soft spot and placed her foil blanket down.
“Hey, where are you going with my blanket?” Ransom demanded.
Scarlett turned, her mouth open to tell him it was hers, when she spied Talon dragging Ransom’s blanket away. “Come over here and share mine. It’s big enough for two.”
“I need to wash first.” Ransom stoked the fire and left in the direction of the stream.
Scarlett lay back and studied the night sky. So different from Earth with the extra moon and the other nearby planets.
She tallied how many days had passed since Ransom had abducted her from the resort.
Not enough for her brothers to come yet.
At least her brothers weren’t heading into the path of the volcano.
An eruption was imminent with the increased quakes and the sulfurous tang filling the air.
The tremors never bothered Talon, but that didn’t inspire her confidence.
“I thought you might’ve been asleep by now,” Ransom said.
“Not a chance. I want your body and I intend to have it.”
“I don’t think—”
“No pondering required. Honestly, I don’t normally have to work this hard to get a man.”
Ransom sat on the blanket beside her and turned to look at her. His expression held worry, concern, and something—was that guilt?
“Something you want to tell me?”
He hesitated. “The prince forced me to find you. He wishes to mate with you, and I presume to start the next generation. At first, I refused, but he tortured me for cycles until I agreed out of self-preservation.”
Anger at the prince burst through Scarlett before she forced herself to take several calming breaths.
She was pissed at Ransom too. Might as well chuck in Daenys at the same time, although she had told Scarlett the truth.
“I wondered when you were going to tell me everything. I knew. Daenys told me,” she snapped.
“What? When?”
“During the trip through the meteor field. You slept.”
“I’m sorry. Truly sorry. I didn’t know what to do for the best, and I didn’t… You were a stranger then.”
Scarlett’s muscles tensed, his economy with the truth bringing betrayal even though a part of her understood.
“You could’ve told me the truth. I’m angry, dammit.
Every part of me wants to cling to my rage, but I’ve seen the way he tortures you and how sick you’d become with him feeding off you so regularly.
And your suffering makes me feel selfish, especially since Daenys says he could move on to Tiraq next.
” She sucked in another lungful of air. “I forgive you.”
“I’m so sorry.” Remorse carved into his features. “This isn’t your fight. You’re strong enough to reach the ship. Leave before it’s too late.”
Scarlett snorted. “So selfless of you. You dragged me here, and I’m staying to the end.
The bastard prince is going down. He’s caused too much suffering.
To the Trolleris. The Elevenoss. The Quito.
Your dragons. You. Someone must stop him.
What happens if the volcano erupts before we find him?
If lava buries his chamber even deeper, and it’s impossible to release him.
Or what if this eruption is so big it blasts down the mountain range that stands between here and your region?
What then? What if that enables the Maphra to feast on your family, your friends? My family and friends?”
“But what will the prince do to you?” Ransom rubbed his hands over his face before he focused on her again. “I care for you. My dragon likes you. A lot.”
Aw! Scarlett paused, his confession punching a hole in the last of her indignation and anger and sending her feline into a stupid happy dance.
Her feline returned the sentiment. His courage.
His tenacity. His protectiveness and caring nature.
He bore many admirable traits. “If we die trying to stop the prince, we know we’ve done our best. All the more reason to enjoy each other now.
Besides, isn’t the prince trying to find a way inside my head?
At least, that’s my assumption. The Quito told me that was what was causing my headaches. ”
“How are you stopping him? I thought your feline blood might be the difference. My friend, Ryman Coppersmith, is a feline shifter, and the resonance doesn’t bother him.”
“Maybe the prince is stronger. I build a barricade in my mind before I go to sleep. Then I let my feline guard the barrier. She wakes me if the prince tries to force his way through.”
“I should try that more,” Ransom said. “When the prince first started visiting me in my comatose state, the resonance had fried my brain. The discordant music from the mountains damaged me, and it took time for my dragon to repair my mind enough for me to wake. It’s not as if I have anything to lose. ”
“The fighting spirit. Excellent.” She rubbed her hands together. “We have a plan! My life is on track. How much longer will it take to reach the prince?”
“One or two cycles. I’ll show you the map again once whitelight arrives. Two of the landmarks are familiar.”
“Excellent. Now we will celebrate the fact we’re alive, and the volcano hasn’t blown its top yet.”
“I think—”
Scarlett rolled her eyes, although she doubted he caught her exasperation.
Despite the whitelight’s trek exhausting her, a bath and a hot meal had worked wonders.
“I’ve forgiven you for lying. Everyone we’ve met during this journey needs us to finish this quest. We have to kick the baddie’s butt and save Narenda.
If I have to worry about this, I won’t sleep.
I won’t be at my best when whitelight comes.
We both need the stress-busting release of sex.
You’re a male. I’ve no idea why you’re arguing. Kiss me, Ransom.”
“One kiss?”
“Yes,” she fibbed. It was kinda fun seducing this dragon-man instead of surrendering to a flirting male. She slid across the blanket before he could change his mind and plastered herself against his chest.
“You’re naked,” he spluttered.
“Give the dragon-man a prize.” Before he could reply, she pressed her lips to his and settled down to working her feminine magic. She used her tongue, her body, her smarts, and smiled against his mouth when he groaned and drew her closer. He was way too easy. Now to get him out of his clothes.
She slipped her hands beneath his tunic and ran her fingers over his abs. The defined muscle she found thrilled her as did his rapid intake of breath. She parted their mouths.
“Remove your tunic so you can feel my breasts against your chest. You know you want to.”
“You’re a cheeky minx. A sly vixen.”
“So my brothers inform me.”
“I have a com-circle. I tried to contact my brother and also your resort. There is too much static. I heard voices, but they cut off. Not that I could tell what they were saying.”
“You must stop this lying. I won’t have it.” She paused. “We’ll try again tomorrow. Meantime, back to the subject at hand.” Scarlett lowered one hand to stroke his swollen cock through his trews. She squeezed once and smiled at his heartfelt groan.
“What if Prince Kalim can sense what we’re doing? What if he gets angry and flexes more of his muscle?”
Scarlett snorted. “Let him huff and puff. What’s he going to do? Kill us and ruin his chances of escape?”
Ransom smiled without warning. “All right. You win. I can’t fight both you and my dragon.”
“I’ll be gentle,” Scarlett said, managing to keep a straight face.
“Huh! I’m past the point of gentle. The instant you mentioned sex, my brain stopped working. Most of my blood diverted to my cock.”
Scarlett chortled, her eyes glowing. “Males are so predictable.”
Ransom winked, a part of him wondering where this playfulness had come from. The corners of her eyes crinkled, and he stared, trapped in her gaze. Right now, the color hovered between green and brown. A bit like his own eyes.
He pulled away from her and stood to take off his clothing. Aware of her simmering impatience, he took his time, folding each garment as he removed and set them aside in a neat pile. Finally, he rejoined her.
“Are you finished?”
He grinned.
“You can start now.”
His grin widened. “Some men might object to you bossing them around.”
“If I don’t state my needs, how do I get what I want?”
Her pithy reply resonated with him as images of previous lovers drifted through his mind.
While he’d tried to give pleasure, he had no idea if his lovers had enjoyed the experience or if they’d wanted him because of his position.
At the time of his death, his father had started negotiations to mate him to a female from another dragon tribe on a distant planet.
Everything had stalled when his father died.
“Hey! You keep drifting off. It’s not flattering.”
“My apologies. The truth is now I’m staring death in the face, or at least coming close, I’m wondering about my life, and if I should’ve done things differently.”