Chapter 13
“I would kill for a dunk in a lake right now,” Lacey groaned.
“You kill?” Koss turned his head toward her, interest gleaming in his black eyes. “What you kill?”
Of course kill was the English word Koss had picked up on.
“No, no. I’m not—”
“Lacey will make a kill this day,” Koss declared to the others in vrix.
The thornskulls cheered in their gruff voices.
Okkor thumped his chest with a fist. “Our little huntress wants to make a kill.”
“What will you hunt?” Garahk asked in English. “Soota? Nurunal?”
Lacey sighed heavily and pressed her fingers to her temples as the vrix chattered in their language too quickly and excitedly for her to understand.
Cole laughed from where he walked in front of her.
“No kill,” she said with a smile as she lowered her arm. “Sorry to disappoint, but it was a figure of speech. It’s an exaggeration. A joke.”
“What nean?” asked Koss in stumbling English.
“Ah’ul ikar ikarex tes edar,” Telok said from directly behind her, his rough, raspy voice cutting through the din of conversation.
She spoke words of jest.
“I just really want to go for a swim,” Lacey said in vrix.
“What does swimming have to do with killing?” Ayali asked.
“Zet. Nothing,” Lacey responded, switching back to English. “I’m just desperate to cool off because it is so damn hot.”
Though that was a complete understatement.
They’d been traveling through the sweltering jungle for three days, almost always slogging uphill, and she was downright miserable.
While they’d come upon small brooks to refill their waterskins and rinse themselves off a little, they hadn’t found any water deep enough for Lacey to sink into.
Her clothing was soaked with sweat, sticking to her like a second skin, her hair was damp and greasy, and her inner thighs and the scars upon them screamed in agony from how chafed they were.
She knew she was walking funny because of it.
And despite quite liberally applying and reapplying her homemade deodorant, she was sure she was positively rank.
Not that Telok seemed to mind.
Every night, he insisted she sleep with him, drawing her possessively into his arms. Whenever it was his turn to keep watch, he did so with Lacey tucked against him.
He was always near. And she wasn’t about to complain.
Not only did he prevent her from tossing and turning herself right out of a tree, but he warded off the chill that often crept in during the night.
The Telok traveling with her now treated her very differently than the Telok she’d known in Kaldarak. He hadn’t been avoiding her or acting like he was repulsed by her at all, and the change was stark enough to make her question everything that’d happened between them before this trip.
He was still bossy, overbearing, and overprotective, but he was clearly motivated by a deep caring. And he seemed to seize every opportunity to steal a glance at her, to get close, to touch her. After so many months, he was finally the same vrix he’d been when they’d fled from Zurvashi together.
Nuh uh, Lacey. He’s not at all the same. Remember his little admission?
Little? Lacey was still reeling with shock.
Shock and…pleasure that still made her toes curl every time she thought about it.
Telok had been spying on her. Straight up freaky ass stalking her.
Any sane person would’ve been angry and alarmed at the intrusion, but apparently voyeurism—at least when it came to Telok—was a kink Lacey hadn’t realized she had.
Because fuck, she really, really liked the idea of him of secretly watching her.
How long had he been doing it? Had it been all along? If he’d wanted her so badly, why had he worked so hard to push her away?
And why had he so abruptly stopped doing so?
It was enough to give her whiplash.
“We should stop to rest,” Telok said in vrix, pulling Lacey from her thoughts.
“Oh please, oh please, oh please,” Lacey whispered as she brought her palms together, spear between them.
“You give good words, Scarhide,” Garahk said with a chitter before calling a halt.
Thank God. Or the Eight? Whoever.
Droztar, who’d been out of sight at the party’s front, rejoined the others as they gathered. The thornskulls found spots where the sunshine broke through the canopy and eased down to relax in the light, already chatting as they took waterskins and bits of food out of their bags.
Before Lacey could even scope out a place to plop down and melt, Telok plucked her backpack off, scooped her up from behind, and cradled her in his arms in a surprise bridal carry. She squeaked and threw an arm around his neck as he carried her to a shady spot near the rest of the group.
He tested the fern- and grass-covered ground with his spear before gently setting her down with her back against a boulder. The stone was hard but wonderfully cool.
Standing over her, he opened her bag, removed the waterskin, and held it out to her. “Rest. Drink.”
Shaking her head with a laugh, Lacey stood her spear beside her and took the waterskin, removing the stopper. “Thank you.”
Straightening, Telok fixed his unwavering stare upon her. Lacey drank deeply and gratefully.
Seemingly satisfied, he bent down, grasped her wrist, and placed something large, round, and weighty in her palm. Lacey looked down as he pulled away. It was a moonblossom fruit.
Before she could reply, Telok turned and walked over to the thornskulls. He leaned down next to Garahk and said something she couldn’t hear before striding off into the jungle alone.
Lacey frowned as she watched him go. Was he scouting ahead?
An unsettling feeling crept into her chest the instant he was out of sight. Since they’d begun this journey, Telok had been a steady, constant presence. He’d been near her every moment, even when she’d gone to relieve herself, much to her embarrassment.
But now, she felt his absence immediately and intensely, like a physical part of her was missing.
She stretched out her legs, grimacing at the stinging, burning pain shooting through her as her pants brushed the inflamed scars on her thighs. Standing up was going to be torture.
Cole plopped down beside her on a low, flat rock, dropping his bag next to himself. “Look at you getting the princess treatment.”
Lacey snorted. “Hardly.”
He gave her a droll look. “The dude just called a break for you, carried you into the shade, and handed you a drink and a snack.”
“For one, it’s about time we all took a break. Telok just happened to call it. And two, this is my own drink.”
Cole pointed to the white fruit. “And the snack?”
“Um…” She had no real answer for that.
“See? He’s basically treating you like you’re his mate.”
“We all share food all the time. It’s not that deep.” Yet something warm spread through her chest as she stared down at the moonblossom fruit, and she couldn’t help but smile.
Like I’m his mate?
Was that why Telok was acting differently? Was he…courting her?
Cole held out his hands, palms upturned. “So you going to share with me since he didn’t?”
Lacey pulled the fruit to her chest protectively and twisted away. “Get your own.”
“Wow. I see how it is.” He pouted and lowered his hands.
“I’m kidding!” she laughed. Plugging the waterskin, she set it aside and held her hand out. “Can I borrow your knife?”
He drew his blade from his belt and passed it to Lacey. Carefully, she sliced into the hard, thin outer rind and peeled it off, revealing the bright red inner flesh. Once she was done, she split the fruit and handed Cole half of it along with his knife.
Tearing off a wedge, he tossed it into his mouth. “You’re the best.”
“You should thank Telok,” she said, licking the sweet red juice from her fingers.
“Why? He didn’t give me any.”
No… Telok gave it to me, and only me.
Smiling at the fluttery feeling in her belly brought on by the simple yet thoughtful gift, Lacey raised a wedge of fruit to her lips and took a bite. Was it possible that the fruit tasted sweeter because of who had given it to her?
She listened to the jungle sounds and the thornskulls’ conversations, picking up a few words here and there but not paying them any heed.
She was simply enjoying this moment of rest. In this humidity, the shade didn’t really provide much relief from the heat, but it was still a respite from walking, and the boulder behind her at least cooled her back.
But Lacey wasn’t able to fully relax. Anxious for Telok’s return, she continuously scanned the area. She knew he was strong and could take care of himself, but she also knew the jungle was unforgiving and brimming with danger.
Cole finished off his share of fruit and wiped his hands on his pants. Settling down on the ground, he sat back, folded his arms, and closed his eyes. “Wake me when he gets back.”
“I’ll be sure to give you a nice swift kick.”
“Har har. You’re so cruel. But better you than Telok, I guess.”
Lacey chuckled and took another drink of water.
Cole wasn’t the only one to doze off. Droztar lay near the others with his arms folded beneath his head, body relaxed, and eyes closed, his orange hide sun dappled.
A nap was tempting, but Lacey knew it would only leave her feeling worse.
If she let herself sleep now, she was going to sleep deeply, and it would take ages to shake off her grogginess once she woke up.
Reaching back, Lacey picked one of the larger leaves growing beside the rock and used it to fan herself as she slowly ate the moonblossom fruit.
This would make an amazing flavor for a cold drink.
God, she could really go for a sweet, cold treat right now, like a bubble tea or a shaved ice.
That was one of the things she missed from Earth, especially in this climate—ice and snow.
Lacey had never been a big fan of winter, and she’d never thought the day would come when she longed for snow, but here she was.
Right now, she wouldn’t have thought twice about running outside bare-assed to make naked snow angels just so she could feel that brisk jolt of cold against her skin.
You’re only torturing yourself with these thoughts.
There would be no snow days here, no air conditioning to cool her off, no ice cubes for her sugary sweet drinks while she relaxed on hot days, and that sucked. But if by some fluke of nature this jungle were ever hit by a blizzard, she was sure she’d remember real fast why she disliked winter.
Lacey looked around again. Still no Telok.
She sighed and rested her head against the rock. As hard as she tried to stay awake and watch for him, fatigue, enhanced by the heat, lulled her toward slumber until she couldn’t keep her eyes open.
“Lacey,” said a gravelly voice, thick with concern. A large, strong, callused hand cupped her jaw. “Time to wake.”
She groaned, attempting to pull her face away, but the grip remained firm.
“Lacey, wake up,” Telok said.
She reached up and weakly swatted at the arm holding her jaw. “Tired…”
He grunted. “Be tired later. Wake now.”
“Don’t blame her,” Cole said from nearby, interrupting himself with a yawn. “This heat is brutal.”
There was a delicate touch on her forehead and a slight scrape as Telok’s fingers brushed aside the wet strands of hair clinging to her temple. “Wake, vi’jatai. I must show you something you will much like.”
Her eyelids were heavy, fluttering as she battled them open. She found Telok’s mask-like face hovering not far from her own.
His glowing green eyes narrowed in satisfaction. “Good, female.”
“What do you have to show me?” she asked groggily, struggling to keep her eyes from falling shut.
He took her wrists, his fingers circling them completely, and gently drew her upright. “Come and see.”
As she stood, agony radiated from her inner thighs and crackled through every pain receptor in her body. Knees buckling, she staggered. Telok’s hold solidified, and one of his arms banded around her waist, supporting her.
Clutching her fists, she hissed. The pain forced her to full awareness.
“What is wrong?” Telok demanded. “You are hurt?”
Brow pinched with discomfort, she attempted to pull her wrists away. “It’s okay. I just…need to get moving again.”
Telok tightened his hold on her. Not enough so to be painful, but enough to tell her that he was not going to let go. His gaze was as demanding as his voice. “Where is your hurt?”
Lacey tore her gaze from his and looked down. She hated that she could feel everyone’s eyes on her, hated that she might be the one to slow them all down.
“The scars on my thighs,” she said quietly. “They’re inflamed.”
His mandibles fell, and he emitted a buzz so low that she swore she felt it vibrating faintly in her bones. He turned his head to look at someone out of Lacey’s line of sight. “Avokt’ven ah’ani ithaahl.”
Carry her belongings.
Her gaze shot back to his as she shook her head. “I can carry my own—”
Lacey gasped as Telok swept her off her feet and cradled her against his chest. He was striding forward before she could say another word, moving with speed and determination. She glanced over his shoulder to see the rest of the group following, with Elharat holding her backpack and spear.
When she looked back at Telok, his green eyes were on her.
“How long?” he asked.
Lacey cringed. “A…couple days?”
Telok growled, fury sparking in his eyes as his fingers curled around her, pricking her with their sharp claws. “Khan’ul Tavitahl, vishaax kir seldax. Days?”
Hunter, grant me patience.
She folded her arms across her chest as she shrunk within herself, staring at her lap. “I didn’t want to complain. I was already doing that with the heat, and I know that Cole and I are slowing you all down.”
“Vi’jatai… When you hurt, you tell me. Even small hurts.” He caught her chin in his powerful fingers and forced her gaze back up to him. His tone grew both softer and rougher, his stare remaining just as intense. “Tell me, and I will take care of you.”