Chapter 10
Harlow
It tickles.
I moan in my sleep.
The tickling gets worse. It’s moving down my arm.
Holy shit! It’s moving!
I open my eyes but stay motionless.
A huge, hairy spider the size of my palm is slowly making its way across my forearm, its eight legs moving in perfect coordination.
Thanks to the firelight, I note every detail of the creature – its brown and gray markings, the way its body seems to pulse with each movement, the thick hair covering its legs.
Nooooo! Get it off!
For a split second, I’m too paralyzed with horror to react. Then it takes another step, moving from my arm toward my chest, and I completely lose it.
“AHHHHHHH!” The scream rips from my throat as I flick my arm violently, sending the spider flying into the darkness. I scramble backward, my heart beating so hard I can barely breathe. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!”
I keep scrambling away from where I was lying, my hands shaking as I brush at my arms and chest, convinced there are more of them crawling all over me. I’m sure I feel another one on my leg.
I hate spiders! Hate them!
Next thing, Drake is on top of me, his full weight pinning me to the ground as he covers my body with his own. His arms are braced on either side of my head, his body tense and ready for attack as his eyes scan the darkness around us.
“What is it?” he growls, his voice rough with sleep and adrenaline. “Where’s the threat?” He looks up and around us into the darkness. “What is wrong?”
Drake is completely naked, his muscular body pressed against mine, and his legs are positioned between my thighs. I can feel every hard plane of his chest against my breasts, every ridge of muscle in his abdomen.
And I can feel something else… Something hard and… It’s his cock. He’s fully erect.
Heat floods my body. His masculine scent fills my nostrils – something clean and wild and… Despite everything, my body responds to him with an intensity that shocks me.
My nipples tighten, warmth pools low in my belly.
What’s wrong with me?
I don’t like this one bit.
“I’m fine,” I bite out. “It was a spider. Get off me!” I gasp, pushing at his shoulders.
Drake’s tense posture relaxes, but he doesn’t move.
“A spider? That’s what you were screaming about?” he growls, eyes narrowing on mine.
“Yes, I’m not a fan of creepy crawlies. I may have overreacted.” My face is burning. “Why are you on top of me anyway?”
He pushes himself up and off me with obvious annoyance. He even grunts as he moves away.
“You overreacted, human.” He snorts, sitting back down near the fire. I note that he covers himself. Not wanting me to see his erection. It wasn’t because of me. It was morning wood, or whatever guys call it.
“I thought you were in actual danger,” he grinds out.
“I was in danger!” I tell him, sitting up and wrapping my arms around my knees. “That spider was enormous – the size of a small dog.” His erection was enormous, too.
I snort-laugh.
“What’s so funny?” he growls at me.
“Ignore me. I giggle when I’m nervous.”
Drake adds another log to the fire, and the flames leap higher, casting dancing shadows across his features.
“It was more than likely a huntsman spider. They’re big and they look scary, but they’re completely harmless. They actually eat other, more dangerous insects.”
“How was I supposed to know that?” I snap back. “You warned me earlier that practically everything in this jungle will kill me, so forgive me for being a little cautious after almost dying several times in the last twenty-four hours.”
Drake makes another grunting noise that might be acknowledgment or annoyance – I can’t tell which. He lies back down on his makeshift bed of large leaves, using his arm as a pillow.
The fire crackles between us, and I find myself studying his profile.
Even relaxed, there’s something tense about him.
He’s so serious all the time. No wonder he got the job when Ash was removed.
A guy like Drake would never mess around with a Tribute.
I almost feel disappointment, which is insane.
Why would I feel that way when I have no interest in him that goes beyond admiring his good looks?
“Are you happy that you got the position as Academy leader?” I ask, needing to fill the silence. “Was it a promotion for you?”
He’s quiet for so long that I think he might not answer. Then he lets out a heavy sigh.
“I’m filling in on an interim basis. It isn’t a long-term position.” He pauses, his jaw tightening. “That’s if I even have a job when we get back.”
The weight in his voice makes my chest tight with guilt. I haven’t really thanked him for saving me – for risking everything to keep me from dying.
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “And thank you. For saving me, I mean. I know you will probably get into trouble because of me.” I pick at the hem of my shirt. “I can be a bit clumsy. Always have been, since I was little.”
“I would say I hadn’t noticed,” he says, and I catch what might actually be the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, “but I’d be lying.”
The almost-smile surprises me. Drake always seems so serious, so brooding. It’s nice to see a softer side of him, even if it’s just for a moment.
“I tried really hard to concentrate today,” I continue, the words coming out in a rush.
“To think about what I was doing, particularly for the climb. I have to concentrate. I have to pay attention to every movement I make, hence being a little slow. If I don’t, I… it…” I sigh. “You saw what happened.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says, his voice gentler than I’ve ever heard it. “It isn’t your fault.” He stares up at the canopy above us, his expression darkening. “I hate that Tributes die every year. It’s something I want to put an end to.”
“That would be amazing,” I tell him. “It’s a great idea. Watching Vanessa fall…” My voice catches, and I have to stop talking as the image of her broken body flashes through my mind.
We sit in silence for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that.”
“She’s dead, isn’t she?”
He nods once. “I don’t know for sure, but I doubt she could have survived a fall like that. If, by some miracle, she did, it wouldn’t be without limitations to her future.”
I take a few deep breaths, processing what he just told me, even though we all knew it to be true.
“Am I going to be expected to attempt Sky’s Edge again?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” he says, his voice gruff. His eyes are blazing.
Relief floods through me so hard that I nearly start crying.
“Thank you. Again. I owe you big time.”
“We need to stick to the plan,” he says, turning his head to look at me. “Don’t acknowledge the bond between us. That will be payment enough.”
I nod. “Right. The plan.” I think about going home, about seeing Miles again, about getting back to my normal life. I wait for the familiar flutter of excitement in my stomach when I picture his face, but it doesn’t come.
That’s odd.
What’s wrong with me? I’ve been in love with Miles for a long time, ever since my ex and I broke up. Then Miles was with someone else up until about six months ago. Timing has never been on my side. I picture his face and feel very little.
Then again, I am in the middle of a jungle after nearly dying multiple times. No wonder my feelings are all over the place right now. Everything will go back to normal once I’m back home.
“Get some sleep,” Drake says, rolling onto his side with his back to me. “We’re going to have an early start in the morning.”
I lie back down on my bed of leaves, staring up at the stars barely visible through the thick canopy.
I pray that I won’t have to attempt Sky’s Edge again.
Hopefully, Drake can make it right with whoever’s in charge.
Then all I have to do is face the dragons without actually bonding with any of them, and I’ll be home free.
Once again, I wait for the excitement I thought I would feel at the prospect of going home, but it doesn’t come. Just that same strange emptiness.
It’s my situation, I’m sure of it.
I close my eyes, trying hard to get back to sleep.