“They’re scabbards. These are as precious as the swords to the warriors.” Sliding one off his arm, he held the sheath at an angle so the moonlight would light up the leather. “See there? That’s an engraving of the warrior’s lineage symbol. On his thirteenth year, a warrior receives this as a gift from his father. Together, they forge a sword that will reside here for a lifetime. It’s a very special event. This one is Makar’s.”
Lucien found himself pleased that she was running her fingers along the engraved symbol with reverent respect. Her words confirmed her mindset.
“This is beautiful. I’m so glad we’re able to get these back for them.”
Tearing his eyes away from her, he swallowed hard and fought from reaching out and caressing her face. It was becoming harder and harder to keep his distance. If he bonded with her, he’d spend every waking moment trying to work to the final cycle. If she wasn’t his potential…well, he didn’t even want to think about it. Clearing his throat, he pulled the remaining straps from his arm and set them next to the swords.
“You said that you needed to see one of the swords. What did you mean?” He saw her eyes light up and the grin returned.
Tana ducked behind the tree and dragged something out. Eventually, he realized it was a board almost as tall as her. There was something attached to it. Moving closer, he hesitated when she pointed at the swords.
“Bring one over.”
As he approached, she slipped behind the tree again and came back with a bowl-shaped piece of metal.
“Where did you get that?”
“Found it. I formed it the best I could. I think my knees are going to be bruised for a few days.” She knelt on the ground beside the board and stretched out a length of brown material fastened to it. Curious, he watched her open one end of what he now knew to be a very large bag, and slipped the metal inside until it shaped the bottom. She turned to him, smiled, and seemed very pleased with herself.
“Slip the sword inside.”
Understanding slammed into his brain. He couldn’t hide his delight at her cleverness. “Ah! Sweetness! You made a carry sling. You are the smartest female I have ever met in my life.”
She snorted and held the top wide as he slid the weapon inside and listened for the tip to connect with the bottom.
“Well, that’s saying a lot seeing how you’re practically ancient.”
Lucien slammed his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. Gods! Even with their lives in the balance, skirting the very edge of his enemy’s camp, and unsure if they would ever escape from this planet, she was capable of lifting tons of angst and worry effortlessly from his shoulders. He leapt to his feet and retrieved his personal sword just to give himself a distraction from the initial desire to throw her to the ground and kiss the hell out of her. She was steadily chipping away any resolve and control he pretended to have. She was lethal.
“I believe I remember telling you that I enjoyed your honesty.” He heard her chuckle.
“Yep. And I believe I told you that you’d probably regret it.”
“Duly noted.” He suppressed another laugh at the muffled giggles drifting over his shoulder. “Come on, mellis. We have six more to carry up here. The night is fading so we must hurry.”
Lucien held her hand tightly until they were secure inside the cellar. He was glad Tana thought to bring one of the sacks she’d discovered. While she collected small jars, he pointed out the cooking pot.
“Oh, good idea. I grabbed some spoons, but didn’t even think about how I was doing to boil the roots.” She shoved it inside the bag then stood by the door and waited for him to collect the remaining swords. She kept peeking outside and bouncing on her feet. She was absolutely adorable in her growing angst.
“Is there anything else here that we might need, sweetness?”
She shook her head. “No. Besides, there’s nothing worth eating in here, anyway. I grabbed some spices. That’s the only way I can tolerate the vegetables.”
Nodding, he moved to the door and scanned the surroundings. “All clear.” He hesitated when she whispered his name. He glanced over and saw that her eyes were wide and expectant.
“Do you think we have time to check the yellow container? There might be some food in there.”
“We’ll have to wait for a better time. I saw three guards on the other side since it’s closer to their ship. We can’t take a chance right now. Let’s focus on the swords and then we’ll figure something out.” He hated disappointing her and it was clearly written all over her face. She nodded and tried to give him a convincing smile as she slung the sack over her shoulder and followed him out.
Carrying the remaining six swords denied him the chance to touch her on the trip back. He liked how easily she laced her fingers with his, as if they’d done it for a millennium.
A thick layer of urgency wafted through his senses and sent a cold shiver down his spine. He wanted her back in the forest and away from harm and he could tell she was ready to drop where she stood.
Quickly, he slid the swords into the sling and slipped the leather scabbards onto the board. Ripping two long strips of material from another bag, he tied the other two onto the end of the board he was going to carry. He glanced over his shoulder and wasn’t surprised to see her leaning on a tree with a glazed look in her eye. The initial adrenaline dump was wearing off.
“Pick that end up and place it against your shoulder, sweetness. I’ll lift this side when you’re ready. She did as he asked and he slowly brought the board level.
“Is that too heavy? I can move further back and take more of the weight.”
Tana shook her head and smiled. “No, it’s fine. In fact, you can go ahead and put it on your shoulder. It’ll be easier for you to carry. I took into consideration our height differences. Now you know why there’s metal at the bottom of the sack. I didn’t want to get skewered the first time you picked it up.”
“Clever girl.”
“Nope. Just afraid of sharp things.”
Lucien chuckled and lifted the board to his shoulder. “Much better, thank you.”
After a slow march through the tall grasses, Lucien released a relieved sigh as he watched Tana plop down at the base of a tree. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
“Just let me rest for a minute and we can start again.”
Lucien pulled his sword from the sack and strapped on his scabbard. He reached down and patted her knee.
“That’s a good idea. I’m going back to the cellar. I forgot to have you pack the tools I needed for us to start a fire. I’d like to be further inside the forest to do that. Best to get them now.”
Tana nodded, never opening her eyes. “I’d try to talk you out of it, or offer to go, but I already know your answer. I’m too tired to argue, anyway. So, just be careful, okay?”
Chuckling, he bent down and ran his hand across her cheek. “I will. Rest, baby. I’ll be right back.”
Setting one of the kitchen knives next to her leg, he stepped back and drank in the sight of her. She had a smudge of dirt on the side of her nose and her hair was a tangled mess, yet she was more beautiful to him than the day they’d met. Her jaw went slack and he could tell she was fast asleep. His words released on the barest of whispers.
“You have a warrior’s heart, my lovely. And you’ve stolen mine.”
Chapter 19
Tana lay on her belly and scanned the compound. “Where the hell is he?” She glanced at the horizon and grimaced. The sun hadn’t risen, yet she could tell the night was fading. She promised herself one more quick scan of the area and then she was going after him. She squinted her eyes and almost squealed when a pair of dusty boots suddenly appeared beside her. Luckily, she recognized them and glanced up.
“Shit, Lucien. Give me some warning next time. Where the hell did you come from?” He smiled and adjusted a burlap bag slung over his shoulder.
“I had to push out forty meters from our initial trail. The shift changed and I n
eeded to find an alternate route before they spotted me. It was a good thing. I found a stream, so there has to be a larger body of water somewhere further up judging from the strength of the flow.”
Lifting up, Tana batted at her clothes to remove the clinging grass and twigs. “Good. I’m parched. You ready?”
When she looked up, she almost swallowed her tongue. He was wearing one of the leather shoulder harnesses and his left bicep was bulging from holding the bag over his shoulder. He’d bound his hair back with something and it only enhanced his square jaw and masculine features. He was breathtaking. She looked away before he figured out she’d gone comatose for a minute. Skirting past him, she took up her position by the board and ogled his back and tight ass as he tied the third bag to the wood. Something about that huge sword lying across his flexing muscles and extending over his right shoulder made her insides quiver. Instantly, her libido stood up and took notice. The whole package screamed virile, masculine, “please throw me over your shoulder,” hunk. She blinked a few times when she heard her name.
“Uh, yeah?” As soon as she registered his half smile and narrowed eyes, she was extremely happy for the semidarkness. Her face had to be the shade of a tomato judging by the sweat beading her upper lip.
“You can lift your end now.”
“Oh. Yes. Sure thing.”
By the time they reached the stream he’d located earlier and walked further into the forest to find a larger river span, the sun had risen enough for her to see the surroundings. It was rather beautiful if you weren’t fleeing from unseen monsters. The leafy, brilliant green canopy had split open to allow the sun to reflect brightly off the pristine water. There were still enough low-hanging branches to allow a reasonable amount of shade while still being near the water. Lucien walked along the edge and drew her toward a secluded area boasting a line of thick trees and vines. It was an effective barrier against anyone sneaking up from the rear. They notched the end of the wood between two trees to keep the pouches from touching the ground.
Rubbing her shoulder, she watched as Lucien pulled items from the bag he’d brought back and quickly checked the area for dried wood and grasses for a fire. As he worked to build a flame, Tana trudged over to the sling and started untying the other bags.
“How long can we stay before we need to meet up with the guys?” She was surprised when he knelt beside her.
“We’re staying here. They’re coming to us. Eryx said the area they’re in is hazardous terrain and difficult to defend. The Nawiens just barely made it there themselves. We have a better chance launching an attack from this side.
Tana chuckled. “I forgot you can do that mind thingy. Beats the hell out of a phone. At least you don’t have to worry about your battery dying or getting bad reception.”
Lucien laughed and nudged her on the arm with his elbow. “I like that you find humor in the smallest things, Tana. It keeps me from dwelling too long on the arduous task before us. It helps me to think clearly.”
Snorting, Tana pointed to the food bag. “Speaking of arduous. You want to help peel some of the vegetables? If we want to eat anytime in the near future, we’ll need to start right now. We can nibble on sweet berries until then.” She frowned when Lucien pulled the bag from her hands and set it aside.
“I have a better idea.” Reaching over, he unlatched the bag with his fire-making tools and set it next to her leg. “Look inside.”
Curious, Tana opened the top and felt like crying. Not from sadness, but for how damn sweet this glorious man could be. “Lucien! I can’t believe this.” She reached inside and pulled out cans of Ravioli, sliced pineapple, pudding, and spaghetti. When she lifted out a bottle of shampoo, Tana swiveled to the side and launched herself at him. He barely got his arms wrapped around her before toppling to his back.
Tana rained kisses all over his forehead, cheeks, and chin. She caught herself before pressing her lips against his. She knew he had some type of phobia about mouth kissing, so she stuck with the safe places. Maybe it was considered too personal and reserved for a mate. Whatever it was, she was going to honor his culture. When she felt she had displayed her appreciation fully, she clasped his face in her hands and gave him the largest smile she could muster.
“You’re my hero! It feels like Christmas or my birthday.” She felt his hands squeezing her waist before one rose and cupped her jaw. He was studying her face again. She knew he wasn’t going to say anything until he was ready to divulge whatever he’d worked out in his mind. She tilted her head and studied him back. She wasn’t as good at keeping silent, so she didn’t even try.
“You have excellent cheekbones, Lucien. I envy you. They start high next to your gorgeous eyes, then gracefully drift inward to align perfectly with your mouth. That just makes your strong jaw that much more spectacular. Add the fine dusting of hair and I can hardly breathe. You’re extremely handsome, my sweet warrior. So much so, that sometimes it hurts my eyes to look at you.”
Tana rose up and felt his hand drift slowly down her arm and land lightly against her thigh. She realized she was straddling his waist and her stomach fluttered. She reached down and placed her hand over his heart.
“You want to know the killer part? Everything in here is just as beautiful, if not more.”
He closed his eyes and she saw his jaw clenching and releasing before his lips parted on a soft rush of air.
“I’m not worthy of your admiration, sweetness. I cannot even begin to enumerate the qualities that you possess, for I would talk away the sun and welcome the moon before I would ever finish. You deserve Christmas every day.”
Tana pressed her hand harder against his chest and felt his heart thumping wildly inside.
“Damn, Lucien. The words you use, and hearing them said in that husky accent, is too much for me to handle. I need to get away from you before I do something stupid.”
Rolling off of him, she barely dodged his hand before she rose to her feet. She tried to gather her wits as she opened the gift bag and pulled the remaining items out. Conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, brush, black Nike T-shirt, and a pack of colored socks were her undoing.
Dropping to her knees, Tana felt her butt hit the back of her legs and she covered her eyes. There was no holding back the torrent of emotion that unleashed from her body. It was coming out and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. Wracking sobs jerked from her lips and she bit them to control the outburst. She rocked back and forth and let every bit of angst, frustration, and anger free. Her body knew that it needed the room for all the love she felt for this intelligent, kind, loyal, overprotective alien that had fallen into her life. He may have started regretting his confession of love while under duress, but it didn’t matter. Hers was fully entrenched and there to stay.
Tana didn’t struggle when he scooped her up from the ground and carried her to the coolest part of the shaded canopy. She didn’t argue when he sat down with her draped across his strong thighs. She gave no resistance when he pulled her tight into his arms and stroked her back until she quieted. She leaned her head against his massive chest, turned her nose into his warm skin, and inhaled the Insedi she knew she would love for a lifetime. His soft, soothing sounds of comfort lulled her into a peaceful sleep.
* * * *
Lucien pulled two spoons from the burlap bag and set them on the flat piece of wood he’d drug out of the forest. It wobbled a bit, but would work fine as a table to hold the food he prepared. He found himself looking forward to tasting the Ravioli that Tana had spoken of so highly. It better taste as good as it smells.
He’d almost been caught because of the yellow container. Lucien couldn’t believe how many things were piled inside once he’d breached the door locks. Knowing that he had stayed longer than he should, he couldn’t bring himself to leave until he found every item he thought she might like. Judging from her reaction, he’d done a pretty damn good job. He glanced over and his heart melted. The poor thing had finally broken, as she
should. It wasn’t healthy to keep emotions that tightly wrapped, especially for the fairer sex. Tana was stronger than any female he’d ever met. She constantly amazed him. He was glad she’d allowed him to comfort her. Trying not to dwell on how close he’d come again to kissing her, he shook his head and focused on his tasks.
Using another bag, he pulled the cooking pot from the fire and cursed when the edge grazed his pinky. He chuckled. That’s what you get for becoming used to the kitchen staff. Father would have been disappointed in you had he lived. He made a mental note to spend time in the field with his warriors when he returned home. A week steeped in the hunt for a kruthka would fix that problem very quickly. An emperor that lost touch with the realities of survival could soon find himself unworthy of his subjects’ trust.
Ravioli piled high on their trays and a large scoop of brown pudding added, Lucien focused on cutting open the pineapple can. He wasn’t prepared for the splash of juice across his hand. Licking his fingers he felt his brows lift. Inferni! The taste was wonderful. Lifting a few slices out, he laid two on each tray. Sitting back, he smiled at the presentation. The pineapple added a splash of color and made the fare very appealing. He jumped when a soft voice sounded behind his back.
“Just when I didn’t think I could be more impressed with your prowess, you go and fix a meal for me. You really do have to stop, Lucien. You’re making every man on Earth look like a slobbering barbarian in comparison. It’s just not fair.”
Grinning, he stepped aside, laid the bag on the ground, and smoothed it out.
“Here, sweetness. Sit on this while you eat. Are you rested?” She cast her eyes down and he knew she was embarrassed for her outburst.
“Yeah. It helped.” She plopped next to the makeshift table and picked up a spoon. Her eyes finally rose to his. “I want to apologize for going all ‘nancy’ on you. I’m not a crier, so I think it freaked me out just as much as it must have done to you. It won’t happen again.”
Fueled by Lust: Lucien (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 16
