Chapter 6 #2
“The light would bring unwanted attention. I will guide you until moonrise. Then you should be able to see well enough on your own.”
“Whatever you think is best. This is your world, Havoc. I trust your judgment.”
That pleased him. After days of arguing with his clanmates, he’d finally found someone who valued his opinion. He also liked her soft voice and quiet demeanor. After a lifetime spent with the raucous exuberance of his brothers, her presence was soothing.
He unslung the bag from his shoulders and pulled out a length of cord. It measured about five of his strides and was light enough to do the job. He tied one end around his waist and then handed the other end to her while taking care not to make skin-to-skin contact.
“Fasten this around one wrist. If you fall behind, I’ll feel it, and I can let you know what the terrain is like.
She nodded, tied the cord into a neat loop, and slipped it over her hand. “Will we walk all night? How far do we need to travel?”
Havoc set out at an easy pace. “It took us most of the day to reach your camp, and we ran a good portion of the distance. It will take us longer than that to return. And to answer your other question, we won’t walk all night.
We’ll both need to rest. My goal is to reach the river at the base of these hills tonight.
Tomorrow we’ll follow the river back to our base camp.
The trek will be easier than going over land. ”
“We’re headed for a river?” Maddison’s voice lifted to something almost cheerful. “Well then. I think I have something that could cut some time from our journey.”
He recalled the size of the pack she wore and tried to work out what she might be carrying that could do such a thing. Nothing occurred to him, but it also struck him he hadn’t asked her what she’d packed. That was an oversight on his part.
According to Bysshe, all the fa’rel were stubbornly independent, a character flaw that frustrated the android.
They could work together when necessary, but that level of cooperation rarely happened for long.
In part, that was because the scrawnies had designed them that way.
They wanted warriors, but they were afraid of their creations, so they added personality traits that made it difficult for them to spend too much time in each other’s company.
They also pitted the brothers against each other, forcing them to compete for rations and other rewards.
“What are you carrying?” he asked.
“Oh, a bit of this and that. Food, water, a fire-starter kit, two thermal blankets, a first-aid kit…” She paused for a moment. “And a packet of Smart Fabric that can form several useful shapes, including a raft.”
He spun around to stare at her. The scrawnies had trained them in the use of such technology, but they’d only seen the items in demonstrations. Their creators never allowed them direct access. Probably out of fear that they’d use the tech against them somehow. “Show me.”
“We’ll need more room than we have here. According to the instructions, the fabric can form a two-man shelter or a raft with a sort of roof. Both forms will take up a lot of space. At least, more than we have right now.”
She was right about that. The forest here was thick with underbrush. At the moment they were on a narrow game trail, but he’d have to lead them away from it soon. While it increased their speed, the risk of running into whatever predator hunted the makers of the trail was too high.
“That is a valuable item. What made you consider bringing it?” He was curious about this female’s thought process. Her choice showed surprising foresight, especially since she had no idea where they were going.
“Honestly, I was more interested in it as a shelter. We’ve already experienced one storm, and I didn’t want to be caught out in the open with no way to stave off the worst of the wind and rain.”
Her answer made him smile. Despite her fragile appearance, this female had good instincts, and she seemed determined to survive despite her fears. “The storms here are fierce. That was a good decision.”
He looked at her again, allowing himself to see her without filtering the facts through his preconceptions.
She was slender, yes. But he saw strength there, too.
She wore a light jacket that covered her arms and shoulders, but he could still recall how soft her skin appeared before she’d donned the extra layer.
But under that softness were muscles that showed her fitness.
He’d assumed she was weak because the others had protected her.
That had been a mistake.
“Thank you. My ex… I mean, someone I used to know always complained I was too practical. He never thought about the best way to do something. All that mattered to him was that it was the flashiest, most expensive way.”
They should get moving again, putting more distance between themselves and the shuttle. Instead, he asked her a question, “Was he the one who hurt you, Maddison?”
For a brief second, he saw everything. The pain, the embarrassment, the still-raw scars. Then her eyes closed, and she nodded once.
“He was.”
The words were out of his mouth before he even knew what he intended to say. “He won’t hurt you again. No one will.”
She looked up at him then, her dark eyes shining with a warrior’s determination. “I won’t let him hurt me again. I’ll die first.”
No. He caught her by the hand and hauled her into his arms without thinking about the consequences, the need to make her understand stronger than anything else.
“You are not going to die. I will keep you safe. I will…” He trailed off as heat tore through him.
He felt as if a star had kindled inside of him, making his blood boil and his body thrum with need.
Only then did he comprehend what he’d done. He’d touched her. Connected to her. Fuck, what a connection it was. His cock surged to life, his balls tightening with desire.
Maddison made a startled sound, part cry, part moan. Her soft hand touched his shoulder, but she didn’t push him away.
“What?” she whispered. “What is happening?”
“The madness.” He should apologize for touching her, but he couldn’t. Now that it had happened, he had no regrets. His need for her was a flame that consumed every doubt, every thought but one.
“You belong to me, Maddison.”
She cried out again, this time in fear. “No! No please. Not again.”
“Yes,” he held her as she fought to get free. “You need to hear me, little star. I will never hurt you. I’ve been hurt too. More times than I can count. I would never do that to someone else. Never.”
She stopped suddenly and looked up at him. “Who hurt you?”
“The ones who put us here. The scrawnies. They didn’t just imprison us. They made us. And when we failed to be the mindless soldiers they wanted, they tried to destroy us.”
“So… you’re not a criminal?” she asked. She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it anyway.
“I am not.” He huffed, offended at the suggestion.
“And you promise not to be cruel?” Even as she spoke, her fingers stroked up the side of his neck.
“I swear to you, I will not treat you with cruelty. I have very little to offer, but I can give you my word. I will keep you safe, little star.” He gave in to his need and brushed his lips over hers. “And I will give you pleasure.”
To his delight, she shivered and rose on her toes to meet his kiss. “Your offer is accepted, for however long this lasts. Since I don’t have anything to give you, I think I’m getting the better side of this deal.”
He tangled his fingers into her hair and kissed her hard, his lips crushing hers as he plumbed the depths of her mouth with his tongue. He didn’t tell her that this madness might last forever. That was a conversation for later.
Much, much later.