by Zoey Draven
Any moment Gribrak would cut off their only hope of escape if he didn’t act quickly. Lihvan’s mind raced as he disengaged the escape pod from the transport vessel to the sound of Gribrak’s curses.
Relief flooded him when the pod shot off the vessel and hurtled into the darkness. One problem solved, one to go. Aware that Beks’ body was being crushed by his weight, he quickly charted a course for the nearest planet…the name of which was Jalun.
Vrax, he cursed silently, scowling. But they had no choice. The Jetutians would only be able to follow the escape pod in their main vessel and Gribrak wasn’t even close to it. They needed to get to the planet’s surface and get to safety before the Jetutians pursued them.
Although only a fool would follow them to Jalun. Even though there was plenty of oxygen in the atmosphere, its surface temperatures were mercurial and it was home to some of the most deadly creatures Lihvan had ever encountered.
Still, there would be food and water and shelter. Lihvan could work with that and provide for his mate until they were found…hopefully by his own people.
Only after he sent out a coded distress call in the direction of Luxiria—praying to the Fates that it would find its intended mark—did he attend to his female. Pulling her around his body, he ran a palm down her cheek, checking her for injuries. Her eyes were wide with shock from what had happened and once he made sure she wasn’t harmed, he simply pulled her soft, vulnerable body into him, cradling her.
“I will protect you, luxiva,” he said softly into her hair, his eyes on the horizon. Jalun came into view and only grew larger and larger as they approached. “As a Luxirian warrior, this is my bond to you.”
EIGHT
Beks could officially add ‘Crash land on a freaky alien planet’ to her list of things she’d done since getting abducted. Also on that list was ‘Masturbate in front of a sexy alien,’ ‘Get kidnapped by more aliens,’ and ‘Watch more aliens get killed by aforementioned sexy alien who I have weird, achy feelings for.’
Terrific.
The moment they climbed out of the completely destroyed oval shaped pod they’d escaped in, a wave of heat crashed down on her and she gasped. And hey, Beks had been to Florida in the middle of summer, but that heat had nothing on this heat. She could hardly breathe it was so suffocating and she immediately broke out into a full-body sweat.
Lihvan was busy scanning their surroundings, but he didn’t look nearly as sweaty as she felt. He seemed a little slower than usual, but she figured it was from getting tasered one too many times.
“Are you okay?” she asked him, remembered the sight of him weakened and frustrated. She wiped her forehead and her palm came away sticky. “I mean…are you injured?”
He looked at her, his expression serious and grim even though he reached out to stroke a hand through her sweat-clumped hair. “Do you think I cannot protect you?”
Uh oh, Beks had a feeling she’d just insulted the big guy. “No, no…I mean, yes, I know that you can, um,” her eyes ran over his generous muscles and bulk, “protect me. I just…that alien really dropped you.”
He grunted, but didn’t respond.
Swallowing, she asked just two of the questions on her mind. “Who were they? Why did they come aboard the ship?”
“Jetutians,” he said, face unreadable, but his brows drew together. “An enemy of ours. We were in their territory.”
“Oh,” Beks said quietly, knowing nothing of the politics of aliens. At least she now knew that Lihvan hadn’t been planning to sell them off to the highest bidder. That had just been a product of her overactive—and paranoid—imagination.
Lihvan studied her for a brief moment and then grunted, releasing her from his grasp. “We must find shelter. Before the sun falls. It is dangerous out in the open.”
Dangerous? Beks wondered, gulping. She looked around the clearing where they’d landed. The planet had a dark landscape, full of sharp ragged rocks and dark forests made of what looked like black, shiny vines, as opposed to trees. In the distance, a yowling, warbling sound made the hairs on her arms stand on end and she unconsciously stepped closer to Lihvan.
“What was that?” she asked, her voice sharp as fear skittered up her spine.
“What we need to avoid,” Lihvan said. He bent over to crush something in the pod—perhaps a tracking device of some kind?—and even though Beks’ number one priority was getting away from this area, the sight of Lihvan’s backside still managed to draw her gaze. “Although its meat is very tender.”
“You…you’ve eaten whatever that was?” she asked, incredulous.
He jerked his head in an affirmative nod she’d come to recognize. “Tev.”
Which Beks had deduced meant ‘yes.’ And since she didn’t really want to know the specifics of that story, she tugged on his bicep a little, wanting to leave and yet marveling at the smooth hard muscle she encountered. Yeah, her mind was all over the place.
“Let’s go,” she said quietly, her gaze flickering around the clearing. There was also a strange, sulfur-like smell emanating from the soil that she wanted to get away from. She was a city girl through and through and she wasn’t apologetic about it. She’d gladly take cracked, weathered concrete to grass any day.
Lihvan pulled her into pace beside him as they left the pod behind, but Beks only made it a few steps off the soil when she hissed. The path of the direction they were headed in, towards a range of mountains—or at least what looked like mountains—was covered in tiny pebbles as sharp as shards of glass. Not only did they lacerate her bare feet, but they were scorching hot.
Her big, towering alien cursed in his language and immediately swung her up into his arms, peering down to check her feet. His expression was one of anguish, as if he’d done something unimaginable horrible and for a moment, Beks forgot the pain, so taken aback by his intense reaction.
“I am sorry, luxiva,” he murmured, his voice gruff, his surprisingly gentle fingertips brushing off some of the stray pebbles, so carefully, like she was made of glass. “I am sorry.”
“You didn’t know,” she murmured, her gaze never leaving his face. That weird emotion, that same one when he’d embraced her right before those aliens had taken them, returned in full force. It clogged her throat and she forced herself to look away from him, trying to stop that emotion from progressing into anything else, something inevitable. She cleared her throat, suddenly shy. “Is there another way we can go?”
Lihvan shook his head. “I will carry you.”
“But—”
“I can move more quickly than you would be able to,” he said and even though a part of her bristled at his implication, she knew he was probably right. She would only slow them down if she had to carefully monitor every step she took and her feet would be useless by the end of their journey.
Beks nodded and Lihvan set off, towards the thick vine forest. Shifting her body to get a better grip, she heard him sharply inhale when she twined her arms around his neck. She caught his gaze on her, that intense, broody look making her shy again, but she looked away, towards the direction they were headed.
Silently, they made their way through the roughened path. The moment that Lihvan shouldered aside the veil of vines and let them fall closed behind them, it grew so quiet that it was almost eerie. It was like the vines absorbed sound. What was even better was that inside the forest, the heat receded slightly, cooled by the shadows. She could breathe again.
Thick light filtered through and Beks had noticed that the sun on the planet had already begun to set. How long would it be before it was completely pitch black? And more importantly, would they find shelter before then?
Her body vibrated with every step that Lihvan took and when she slipped down where he tightly cradled her against his abdomen, she felt the unmistakeable shape of his cock. And it was hard. Very hard.
Beks cleared her throat and she almost jumped at how loud it sounded. Barely above a whisper, she asked, “Have you been to this planet before?�
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Planet. She almost shook her head in disbelief. She’d said planet so nonchalantly, like she was asking him if he’d ever been to a particular restaurant in town. It was her new normal, this strange new life she’d found herself in where planets and sexy aliens existed.
His eyes were scanning the vines all around them very carefully, as if he was watching for something. Remembering his skill, remembering how easily he’d dispatched the other aliens they’d encountered with a slash of those deadly claws that clutched her to him so gently, she wondered where he’d learned to fight. Was he a soldier of some kind on his planet?
“Tev,” he said just as quietly, answering her question. His massive feet, covered in a soft leather material, crunched on the razor pebbles, but it didn’t sound as loud as Beks thought it should. “I have been here once before.”
“Why? Is it common to travel to other planets?”
“For a hunt,” he replied. “It was for…sport,” he finally said, testing the English word in his mouth. His accent was thick but Beks liked his voice, liked how deep and guttural it was. She wondered what he sounded like waking from a deep sleep and a shiver raced through her.
His gaze drew down to her again, as if he was helpless not to, before he returned to scanning their surroundings.
“You were hunting that animal we heard earlier?”
“Animal?” he repeated, brow furrowed. “More like a beast. I hope not to encounter it while we are here.”
Lihvan stopped his stride in front of a massive rusty orange blob that looked like a clay material. It was spread out over the pebbles and Beks swore that she saw it move.
“Stand on my feet for a moment, female,” Lihvan ordered, gently lowering her down. Her bare feet made contact with his leather boots and her eyes went wide when he suddenly whipped off his shirt, displaying an endless supply of muscles on top of muscles. His strange, scaled skin that she was becoming mildly and embarrassingly obsessed with was tinged a dark green color, reflecting off the light of the vine forest. Back at the pod, his skin had looked almost peach.
Lihvan dropped his shirt down onto the pebbles and nudged her onto it so her feet wouldn’t get cut.
“What are you—”
A sharp squeal emanated from the clay blob when Lihvan broke off a large stump with his bare hands. The blob begin weeping a clear fluid and Lihvan reached down by her feet to rip off a swath of cloth from his shirt. He blotted up the fluid with his shirt and then carefully folded and tucked it in. And then, where Lihvan had broken off a piece…the clay began to grow back. Right before her very eyes.
It had completely regenerated in the span of thirty seconds and then it began to move, albeit slowly.
“Was…was that thing alive?” she managed to ask, rooted into place, watching as the clay blob hightailed it away from them as fast as it could.
“Its blood makes starting a fire easier,” he replied and then held up the clay chunk he’d broken off, “and its flesh keeps it burning most of the span. This will last us for tonight and most of tomorrow. Stand on my feet again, female.”
She did as he requested, still eyeing the blob. Lihvan retrieved his shirt and tucked the small strip of cloth inside, wrapping it up tightly.
“I can hold it,” she murmured, her eyes briefly straying to his chest. She’d always been a sucker for nice, defined pecs and Lihvan’s were drool-worthy.
Lihvan did his frowning thing, like he didn’t approve of her lifting a finger during their little ‘vacation.’
“You can’t hold me and that…blood ball,” she reasoned.
Lihvan’s frown deepened, but then he said, “Do not let the blood soak through and touch your skin,” before placing his shirt in her opened hands. She considered it a small victory as he once again swung her up in his arms.
They walked in silence for what seemed like hours. Every moment, the sun sunk lower and lower into the sky, the vine forest darkening more rapidly. As it became darker, it also became colder. Beks didn’t know when she’d noticed it, but one moment, she was sweating bullets, making even Lihvan’s grip on her slip, and the next she was curling deeper into his body, trying to soak up his constant heat like a sponge.
By the time they reached the mountains, although it was the side of the mountain that backed against the vine forest, Beks was shivering uncontrollably and Lihvan’s pace had noticeably picked up. It was a relief when Lihvan spotted a deep crevice, carved into the mountainside. He tucked Beks between two large boulders to shield her from view and instantly, she missed his heat, the feel of his skin against hers.
“Stay right here and do not move. You will be safe while I make sure there are no creatures inside,” he murmured, concern etched onto his face when he saw her shivering. Just like the oppressive heat, he didn’t seem too bothered by the icy cold. “I will warm you soon.”
His words weren’t meant to be erotic, but that was where her mind went. Naturally. Even when a tinge of panic colored her as she watched him enter the slim cave entrance, she kept thinking about his words.
Why does he effect me like this? she couldn’t help but wonder. It scared her.
Slow, tortuous moments ticked by and dark thoughts began entering her mind, her overactive imagination at work again. What would happen if there was something in the cave and it attacked Lihvan? What if he was injured and needed her help? What if he never came back?
Unease made her stand from her hiding spot and, still clutching the blood ball, she ventured into the cave, thankful that it wasn’t covered in the same rocky pebbles as the vine forest was. It was smooth beneath her feet…but it was also pitch black. The entrance was the only place that gave some semblance of light, from the lowering sun, but beyond that…it was darkness. Complete, thick, can’t-even-breathe darkness…
“Lihvan?” she whispered, blindly reaching out to try to touch the sides of the cave. It was narrow enough that she was surprised he’d managed to squeeze inside.
There was no answer. And even though she tried to suppress it, her panic only rose.
“Lihvan,” she called louder, hating the desperation that tinged her tone. “Lihvan—”
“Female,” came a growl and sweet relief filled her, making her gasp out loud. “I told you to stay there.”
His voice came from just a few feet in front of her and when she reached out, she encountered his smooth, scarred chest. Her palms instantly warmed and she didn’t possess the willpower not to press herself against his body.
“I thought…I thought that maybe something had happened to you,” she said, slightly embarrassed that she was clinging to him like an overly obsessed girlfriend.
He grunted, gentling his tone, “Come. It is safe.”
Beks followed him deeper into the cave, keeping a hand firmly planted on his back so that she wouldn’t lose him in the darkness. And she told herself she was definitely not coping a feel…but even she knew she was lying to herself.
“We will rest here,” he murmured, but Beks saw nothing. In addition to having crazy weatherproof skin, he must’ve also been able to see in the dark extremely well.
But to admit to him that she didn’t have night vision seemed, oddly enough, like an embarrassing shortcoming even though she knew she couldn’t help it. Especially when he was so amazing and self-assured at everything she’d seen him do so far. He was probably annoyed that he had been saddled with a human weakling.
“I—I, um…can’t really see anything,” she said softly, feeling her cheeks burn even as her teeth continued to chatter from the cold. She hated admitting weakness. It was partly her motivation for clawing herself up in a very male-dominated industry back in Chicago. Weakness just never sat well with her.
“I will have a fire soon,” he replied simply, taking the bundle of cloth from her hands. Then, a high-pitched clinking sound reached her ears, like he was striking something.
Not five minutes later, he was true to his word and a small ember of fire drew her eyes. Soon, it was a blazing ba
ll of light, fueled only by the clay he’d taken off that creature in the vine forest.
Immediately, she registered the warmth. It reached out to her with welcoming fingers and she savored every touch. Once she stopped violently shivering, she looked around and noticed that the cave extended even farther back, but they were making themselves at home in a smaller alcove. She couldn’t see the entrance of the cave, which relieved her. At least they would have time to prepare if they heard something coming down the tunnel.
Once he seemed happy with the bulk of the fire, Lihvan stepped over it towards her. Immediately, he drew her into his arms and Beks moaned as even more heat infused into her bones.
Lihvan drew her down to the ground and she let him maneuver her limbs until she was happily nestled between his thighs. His giant arms wrapped around her from behind and very slowly, she allowed herself to relax against his chest, giving him her weight.
“What’s back there?” she asked softly, tilting her head to the back of the cave.
“Water crystals,” he replied. Beks felt the words vibrate from deep in his chest. “We are fortunate.”
Beks puffed out a soft breath, letting the warmth lull her. They had fire, shelter, and now water. She knew those were the three essentials when it came to survival, due to her morbid fascination for Naked and Afraid. She’d binge-watched the show on more than one occasion and hell, at least she had a shirt…and a giant, impressive, hot and broody alien to keep her warm.
Yeah, she’d hit the survival partner jackpot.
“Thank you,” she murmured, turning her head slightly to look at him, “for everything. For keeping me safe.”
His expression was unreadable, but she saw his brow lower slightly. “It was my fault you were taken by the Jetutians. I put you in danger.”
Now it was her turn to furrow her brow. “No, you didn’t. I was the one who followed you on the ship. I got myself into that mess.”
“Nix,” he grunted. “I should have not…”
“What?”
His jaw set. “I should not have touched you. Those few moments would have been sufficient for you to escape before they saw you.”
