Chapter 14
Calypsta
Somewhere in the Jungle
Softness greeted her as Kendra awakened, her mind fighting against a groggy fog. The first thing she noticed was the warm comfortable bed. It felt so nice, she thought, burying her head deep into a lush pillow, breathing in a familiar musky male scent. Reyne’s scent.
Reyne. The crash. The overwhelming rush of thoughts made her head begin to throb.
She probed her temple, felt the knot and flinched when a worse pain exploded beneath her fingertips.
How did that happen? She tried to recall hitting her head during the crash, she must have, but she couldn't remember anything past the ear-splitting scraping as the ship dove into the trees.
Glancing around, she tried to decipher her surroundings.
Kendra was in a bunk, with one wrist chained by another shackle. Reyne’s bunk most likely. He must have moved her here after the crash, which could only mean one thing—the wretch had also survived.
She glanced around the compact interior of Reyne’s spacecraft.
The walls, lined with smooth panels in muted metallic tones, curve gracefully to maximize space and comfort.
Her gaze landed on her vile captor who sat opposite the bunk, his elbow on his knee, his chin resting on his fist. He watched her, his hooded expression unreadable.
Glaring at him, she raised her shackled wrist, pulling the chain taunt. “Was this really necessary? Where exactly do you think I am going to go on this toxic planet?”
Reyne stood and unlocked and the shackle. "I couldn't take the chance that you might find another weapon to use against me while I surveyed the damage.”
Reyne didn't release his hold as Kendra would have preferred. Instead, his warm palm circled her reddened skin and his callused fingers rubbed away the soreness caused by the biting metal.
She glanced at her small hand clasped firmly in his. His hand was so large compared to hers, so lean and powerful that he could crush her delicate bones if he wanted, yet his touch remained warm and gentle.
Realizing his ministrations evoked sensations she did not expect, she jerked her hand away.
His lips twitched at the corners. “Calypsta is not toxic. At least not anymore.”
She eyed him with a suspicious gaze. “How do you know that?”
The incredulous look he flashed at her suggested she should know the answer. “Do you seriously believe I would have landed here if I thought she was still toxic?”
“I believe you would have done anything to avoid landing on Valeria,” Kendra hissed. “Especially knowing you would be arrested and publicly executed.”
“There’s that, self-preservation and all. But for the record, Calypsta is ready for re-colonization. She has been for years now.”
“Are you serious?”
He raised a dark brow. “Why would I lie?”
“Because lying is what you do.”
Breaking eye contact, he moved away from her. “You overshot the rendezvous point.”
The accusation in his tone caused her to bristle in annoyance. “A thank you would be nice,” she muttered. Afterall, she was the one who landed the ship…well sort of. But they were alive, and that should garner some form of appreciation.
“The long-range communication system was damaged in the crash.
The only communication device that still works is my short-range communicator.
He flicked open a small rectangular transponder, then closed it with a sharp snap.
“But the range is only several clicks, and useless until we almost reach our destination.”
“Reach our destination?” she repeated, blinking in confusion. “What exactly are you saying? We need to stay with your ship until we are rescued.”
“I’m saying I have no way to communicate our present location.
We landed in a remote area with a dense canopy.
There is no chance anyone will find us, and I only have limited supplies.
Our best chance to survive is an approximate two-to-three-day trek back to our projected landing site.
” He threw a brown backpack onto the floor and opened it.
“It will be dark soon, so the sooner we get started the better.”
“Go away, henchman. I’m not going anywhere, especially not with you.”
“I wasn’t kidding.” Reyne snapped.
“I’d rather shrivel up and die here, in this very bunk, before I will allow you to drag me through the jungle so you can collect your reward and give Mordrick the satisfaction of killing me.
” Kendra pounded the pillow and rolled over, presenting her back to him with a determined huff. “I’m not leaving this bunk.”
“Oh. Yes. You. Are.”
The glint of the metal manacle caught her eye. She reached for it in a crazy attempt to re-shackle herself to Reyne’s bunk.
It was childish. It was desperate. She didn’t care.
Reyne leaned over her and they ended up in a fierce struggle.
After a brief tug-of-war over the chain, Reyne’s brute strength won out.
Their battle ended with him holding the piece of iron out of her reach while he wrapped the length of the chain around his forearm and thumb.
He unhooked the chain and dumped the wound-up chain into the backpack.
Kendra closed her eyes, refusing to budge.
Reyne released a frustrated sigh. “Why do you continue to do this to me?”
He had some nerve. Kendra flipped towards him, glaring daggers at the side of his chiseled face since he was not looking at her, choosing to stare at the ceiling instead. “Do this to you?” She leapt from the bunk, ignoring the pain as her feet hit the floor with a thud.
She shoved his chest with both palms. “You abducted me from my home, you terrorized me, you drugged me, and then I almost died in a crash. And you dare ask why I’m doing this, to you?
” Furious now, she shoved him again. “Look at me.” She pointed to her bruised cheek, the knot on her forehead, and her reddened raw wrist, then pounded his chest with a clenched fist. “Look. At. Me. Damn you, Reyne.”
“What do you want me to say?” Reyne’s stormy gaze snapped to hers. “That I’m sorry? I am sorry, more than you will ever know, but it doesn’t change anything. It can’t. And if we have any chance to survive the next two to three days, I can’t be weak. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t.” Tears burned the back of her eyes. She was about to choke on the humiliation of crying before him, when his arm snaked her waist, pulling her against his solid chest. His shirt was damp; his musky scent mingled with sweat.
Fuck. She needed to fight this. Fight Reyne. But the events of the last day had left her completely drained of energy, both mental and physical. Instead, she melted against him.
“I can’t be weak. Not if I am going to keep us both alive.
” His fingers caressed her hair in long soothing strokes.
“The creatures here have had free reign over this planet for centuries. I have no idea what dangers could be lurking once we leave the ship. And since Odin stole my armband, I’m vulnerable. ”
Kendra leaned back, staring up at him, trembling. Reyne was now both captor and savior.
The irony wasn’t lost to her.
Reyne, the ruthless bounty hunter she could fight, the other, might just lead her into ruin.
The pad of his thumb brushed a stray tear off her cheek. Embarrassed, she lowered her lashes and stared at his plump kissable lips. She reddened, recalling the feel of those same lips on her flesh just before the crash and the overwhelming jolt of pleasure she had felt.
Would he do it again? She bit her lower lip.
“I can’t be weak,” Reyne repeated softly, then added.
“So, do us both a favor, and never look at me like that again, ever.” He moved away to rummage around the ship, stuffing random items into the open backpack.
A steel dagger slid into a sheath in his tall leather boot; a pistol slid into a holster under his arm.
He disappeared into the cockpit, returning a moment later with a rectangular box. He flipped open the lid and removed a long black strip that shimmered in a weird way.
Curious, Kendra asked, “What is that?”
“A marker,” he replied. As he stroked it with his fingers it seemed to move as it shimmered in waves. “The druids forge them from ground moonstones.”
“What does it do?”
“It binds the wrist of those guilty of a crime.”
Ah, she knew what he was about to do. Rather than fight another losing battle, she decided she would make it easy. She offered him her wrist. “Go ahead, mark me and be done.”
Reyne smirked. “I hate to disappoint you, Princess, but it won’t bind to you. You have not committed a crime on Talear.”
She frowned, not comprehending. “How does it know if someone is guilty of a crime?”
“I suppose the same way the moonstones are able to capture our shared history.”
“May I touch it?”
Reyne eyed her, then held out the shimmering strip. With a tentative touch she ran her fingers along the top of the marker, then jumped in shock when she felt an unexpected movement beneath her fingertips. She gasped in awe. “It moved.”
With a knowing chuckle he shoved the marker into his backpack, followed by a large machete, a canteen, and a handful of other useful items. He shrugged into it, over a short sleeve white shirt.
Watching him move about, Kendra could not deny she still found him devastatingly handsome, even after the awful things he had done, even knowing what he planned for her. What was wrong with her? She must have hit her head harder than she thought.
A leather strap pelted her face, pulling her from her thoughts. “I suggest you do something with your wild mane. It is hot as hell outside, and muggy.”
Kendra retrieved the long strip and did her best to braid her unruly long hair. And what had he meant by not looking at him like that? She didn’t recall looking at him in any unusual way. Or had she?
A collapsable ladder slid to the floor with a vibrating bang.
Reyne swiftly climbed the rungs and pushed open the top hatch.
Bright light streamed through the round hole illuminating dust particles in the air.
A second later he disappeared through the entrance.
“Come on, let’s go.” A helping hand appeared through the opening.
Cursing herself as an utter fool, Kendra clutched the metal ladder and climbed the rungs, grunting in pain with each step.
She reluctantly accepted his help, and just before he tugged her through the portal and into the blinding sunlight, he mentioned casually.
“Oh, I forgot. Your moonstone was glowing and chanting when I regained consciousness.”
Again? That would be the third time.
What in the hell was going on?