Fall (Hold #3)

by Claire Kent

  Her head was still spinning and her stomach churning from pain and fright and disorientation.

  Rone was now snuffling at her groin. “Hosh hurt Lenna?”

  “No,” she choked, realizing what had almost happened. “No. Rone save. Glad. Glad.” She reached down for his shoulders, and he pulled her into a hug with a groan that was obviously intense relief.

  She sobbed some more, and then suddenly it was too much. She jerked away from Rone suddenly and turned behind her to vomit painfully onto the grass.

  Rone was making distressed noises as he stroked her hair and back. “Lenna hurt. Lenna hurt.”

  “Lenna no hurt bad,” she finally managed to say. “Cave?”

  Rone nodded and stood up, reaching down to swing her back into his arms.

  He carried her to the cave and then to his bed. The rest of the tribe gathered round, obviously worried about her. In her half-stupor, she was still glad to see that Desh was on his feet, having been stabbed in the shoulder but not serious enough to be life-threatening. Rone took water and herbs to bathe her injuries, and he took off her clothes to wrap her in blankets from his bed.

  He told the others that he’d caught up to the Hosh in no-man’s land and managed to rescue her, but Lenna knew the truth.

  He’d gone into another tribe’s territory.

  He’d risked not just his own safety. He’d risk war.

  For her.

  To rescue her.

  Because he cared about her that much.

  The rest of the tribe went outside to make a fire and prepare dinner. Lenna couldn’t eat anything, and Rone wouldn’t leave her.

  Eventually, he climbed into bed with her, pulling her against him.

  When he started to rub his face against her, Lenna managed to say, “No fuck. No fuck.”

  “Rone no fuck,” Rone murmured, still nuzzling her gently. “Lenna sick. No fuck.”

  She realized he hadn’t been trying to initiate sex. He was just covering her with his scent. He was just taking care of her.

  “Lenna home,” Rone said, over and over again as he held her in his arms. “Lenna home.”

  She’d been independent all her life. She’d never had to rely on anyone else.

  She did now.

  But at least she could trust that Rone would always be there for her.

  She fell asleep in his arms, safe in that knowledge.

  Eight

  Four days later, Lenna’s ribs were still sore and her face was still bruised—but she was feeling content, almost happy, in a way she hadn’t been since she’d arrived on the planet.

  It felt like something restless had finally been settled inside her. She wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but it had happened when Rone had rescued her from the Hosh. After that, her whole world—even this harsh, primitive one—felt better.

  At the moment, she was grooming Rone, carefully shaving his jaw. He always sat completely still on the rock near the river they always used, and his dark eyes never left her face as she focused on her task.

  When she winced very slightly as she leaned over to reach near his far ear, he murmured, “Lenna hurt?”

  “Small hurt,” she told him, smiling at his concern. “Lenna good.”

  “Groom tomorrow?”

  “No. Groom now. Small hurt.” She finished with the razor edge, wiping the cut bristles away with her thumb

  When she lifted her eyes to meet his, she saw that his expression had changed, softened. He raised a hand to her cheek, rubbing her bruises very gently the way she’d rubbed at his bristles.

  She smiled and leaned forward to press a soft kiss on his mouth. “Lenna good,” she murmured.

  He returned the kiss the way he always did—trying to match her motion with a questioning urgency that proved kissing was still new to him. Then he smiled against her lips. “Lenna home.”

  He’d been saying that a lot, ever since he’d rescued her from the Hosh. She assumed he was still basking in the relief that he had gotten her back.

  She understood the feeling.

  With one more quick kiss, she smiled back at him and pulled away to pick up the little clay bowl that held the oil. She rubbed him down with it, unsurprised to discover he was already fully erect.

  She chuckled as she finished with his legs and leaned back to set down the bowl on the dirt beside her. “Done.”

  Rone inhaled sharply and narrowed his eyes at her.

  She laughed even more at his expression.

  He obviously knew she was teasing because there was a warm sparkle in his eyes. But he kept feigning teasing indignation as he said, “Lenna no good.”

  “Lenna very good.” Her voice was soft and hoarse as she rose up on her knees and slid her hands beneath his trousers to find his cock.

  He gasped again, this time in a different way. His whole body tightened up. “Lenna very good.”

  Freeing his erection, she tilted her head down so she could tease it with her tongue for a minute, enjoying the way his muscles tensed and his breath hitched in his throat. Then she took him into her mouth, sucking around him rhythmically until he could barely control his hips.

  He came hard into her mouth, roaring as he climaxed with a complete lack of inhibition she’d never known in a man before Rone.

  She loved it. Loved that he took such pleasure in her. Loved that she could make him feel so good.

  He was breathing heavily as she straightened up, wiping her mouth as she smiled at his damp, flushed face.

  Before she could say anything, he’d pulled her up into his arms, cradling her on his lap in a way that left her feeling so off-balance she could do nothing but cling to him.

  He nuzzled her face and neck, sliding a hand down until he’d snuck it into her trousers. He found and rubbed her clit as he kept rubbing his face against hers.

  She clutched at him helplessly as the sensations overwhelmed her. She’d already been very turned on from making him come, so it didn’t take long until a climax was shuddering through her, making her moan and gasp. He kept rubbing and nuzzling until she’d come again and then again, almost screaming as the last orgasm overtook her without warning.

  Finally, she had to reach down to pull his hand away from her groin. She was hot and limp and exhausted and completely sated, still sprawled in his lap, against his chest.

  “Rone good,” she gasped. “Rone very good.”

  He chuckled and pressed a little kiss just to the side of her mouth. “Lenna good. Lenna home.”

  He stroked her hair as she recovered, and it was several minutes before she felt steady enough to pull out of his arms and sit on the rock beside him. She leaned against him as he wrapped an arm around her.

  Finally, she said, “Rone?”

  “Yes.”

  “Lenna ask Rone question?”

  “Yes. Rone give Lenna world.”

  She smiled at the words. She’d heard others say the same thing and knew it was mostly just an expression, but it really felt like Rone would give her anything, anything in his world. She was a little nervous about her question, though, so she paused before she said, “Rone help Desh hunt?”

  Rone tensed slightly and pulled away so he could look down into her face.

  She cleared her throat. “Rone help Desh hunt?”

  He shook his head after a moment. “Desh boy. Desh no hunt.”

  “Desh no boy. Desh man. Desh fight Hosh, help Lenna.”

  Very slowly, Rone nodded in acknowledgment over the part Desh had played in trying to save Lenna.

  “Desh hunt. Rone good hunt. Rone help?”

  He was frowning with a familiar look of confusion and jealousy. “Lenna Rone mate.”

  “Yes, Lenna Rone mate. No Desh mate. Rone help Desh hunt? Desh man?”

  Rone rubbed at his face with one hand, clearly torn.

  Seeing that he might be caving, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Lenna ask good.” There was no way to say “please” in their language, so that was the closest she
could come.

  After a brief hesitation, he laughed softly and shook his head. “Lenna ask good. Rone help Desh hunt.”

  She made an excited exclamation and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, and Rone’s reluctance disappeared.

  ***

  The following afternoon, Rone took Desh out to help him practice hunting. Lenna went with them because it was a lovely, crisp day and she didn’t want to stay at the cave and clean turnips.

  Rone started by giving Desh tips on how to hold the spear, how to aim it, and how to throw.

  Desh was clearly pleased with the assistance, and he listened carefully and tried to follow Rone’s instructions.

  Lenna watched them at first, but then she got bored, so she picked up Rone’s spear and tried to hold, aim, and throw it herself.

  As Desh went to pick up his spear after one particularly long throw, Rone glanced back and saw what Lenna was doing.

  Making a wordless sound in his throat, he walked over and took the spear from her hand. “Lenna woman,” he said with an affectionate smile. “Lenna no hunt.”

  She wasn’t surprised or particularly offended. Rone had spent his entire life believing that this was true. It would never occur to him that anyone would want to challenge this basic truth.

  “Lenna woman,” she said, reaching to take the spear back. “Lenna try hunt.”

  “Spear hurt Lenna.” His smile had faded into concern. “Men strong. Men hunt.”

  “Lenna strong.” To prove her point, she aimed and threw the spear as hard as she could.

  It was a much better throw than she’d managed when she’d practiced with Desh, since the tips Rone had given had helped her with holding the spear in the right way. The spear went almost as far as Desh’s had.

  Rone’s eyes widened in astonishment at the length of her throw.

  “Lenna strong,” she said again. “Lenna try hunt.” Then, realizing his allowing her to do this might cause conflict in the tribe, she added, “No tell Kroo.”

  Rone thought this through for a minute, and then he nodded. “Lenna hunt. Lenna hunt no alone. Rone help.”

  “No alone,” she agreed, smiling as something fluttered in her chest.

  It might just be a small thing, but it felt significant.

  People could change. Rone could change. The difference in their worldviews didn’t necessary have to be an unmovable obstacle.

  He wanted what was best for her, even if it wasn’t what he’d always assumed.

  She wanted the best for him too.

  She reached over to give him a hug without thinking, and he returned it enthusiastically, nuzzling her face fondly.

  They were interrupted by a voice from behind them. After a teasing exclamation that sounded like, “Hey!” Desh said, “No mating here. Mate cave. Hunt now.”

  Both Lenna and Rone laughed and pulled apart, and they continued the lesson in hunting.

  For about an hour, Rone showed them how to look for signs of animals nearby, stalk them, move without making noise, and then go in for the kill.

  Lenna actually had no desire to kill animals if she didn’t have to, but it wouldn’t hurt to know how, in case she ever was in the position to need to.

  After the lesson was over, Rone sent her and Desh ahead of him to track a small herd of deer in the distance and then try for a successful kill.

  Rone was going to wait and come after them in a while so they could try it alone, without his help.

  Desh went off immediately, but Lenna paused to look back at Rone.

  “Lenna hunt,” he said, gesturing toward Desh. “Lenna strong.”

  Filled with affection more powerful than anything she’d ever felt before in her life, she put down her spear and threw herself in his arms. “Rone good, good, good. Glad Rone mate Lenna.”

  He chuckled and returned the embrace, being careful with her sore ribs. When he released her, he met her eyes soberly. “Glad Lenna mate Rone. Lenna home.”

  She smiled rather wobbly, strangely emotional. Then she pressed a quick kiss on his mouth and picked back up the spear. “Lenna hunt.”

  She was happy and excited and fond and off-balanced from feeling things so deeply as she hurried to follow Desh, glancing back once more over her shoulder at Rone—standing alone in the sunshine—before he was out of sight.

  When she caught up with Desh, they smiled at each other as they moved in unison to track the herd.

  They’d walked about a half-hour when they finally got close.

  Lenna suggested a strategy, and she came from one direction to scare the grazers, who immediately ran away from her.

  Right toward Desh.

  Before she knew what was happening, Desh had thrown his spear right into the throat of a medium-sized female.

  Both Lenna and Desh stared down at the dead deer.

  “We did it,” he murmured, clearly astonished.

  “I can’t believe it.” She didn’t look too closely at the dead animal, since it made her remember her poor little fawn too much, and that made her a bit sad. “It was a great throw.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Rone will be so proud,” she said, smiling and touching his arm in a friendly way.

  Before Desh could respond, she heard a rustle from the trees nearby. She whirled around, holding Rone’s spear defensively, her heart jumping into her throat at the thought that it might be Hosh hunters again.

  The ones who had taken her were dead, but it was possible there could be others.

  It wasn’t Hosh hunters.

  The man who stepped out from the trees was grinning at her in a very familiar way.

  “Leave it to Lenna,” he said, “to survive a planet dump and then attack her rescuer with a spear like some sort of barbarian maiden.”

  “I am not a maiden,” she said automatically, focusing on the most irrelevant thing first.

  “Oh, I believe you,” Hall said, stepping closer to her. “So do you want to be rescued or not?”

  Hall had been her smuggling partner for a long time before he’d retired. He was still her friend.

  “Damn,” Desh breathed, coming to stand beside her. “You mean the distress signal actually worked?”

  Hall turned his handsome face to the younger man. “Is this a friend of yours?”

  “Yes. This is Desh.” She was still so shocked she could barely move, barely think. “He got planet dumped here too.”

  “Great. He can come along if he wants. The more the merrier. But let’s get moving, if you don’t mind.”

  “Hallelujah,” Desh said, taking the spear out of Lenna’s hand and laying it down on the ground. “I’m not going to say no to a miracle. I’m ready when you are.”

  “I’ve got a ship nearby. We found the crashed ship and your note, so we were heading toward the cave you described. Just as well you saved us the trip.”

  “We?” Lenna said, rather hoarsely.

  “Me and my buddy Cain. We’re in his old clunker, and it doesn’t like to be rushed. So the sooner we get out of here the better. It looked like a Coalition fleet was going to pass by this planet in not too long, and I’d rather be gone by the time they get here so they don’t think we were up to nefarious doings.” Hall always had a teasing, confident manner, but she could see genuine urgency in his eyes.

  She couldn’t let him and his friend get arrested for coming to save her. She had to do what she was going to do, right now.

  She glanced back in the direction where she’d left Rone. “So we… just leave?”

  Desh obviously knew what she was thinking about. “I don’t think you can tell him you’re leaving. He’d never understand. He might actually try to stop you.”

  “We don’t really have time for long goodbyes,” Hall said, for the first time looking rather concerned. “If you need to take someone else with us, we need to get them fast.”

  Lenna was frozen, still looking back in Rone’s direction, picturing him standing in the sun, waiti
ng for her.

  He would be so confused. So upset. So dismayed.

  She would have just disappeared, and he’d have no idea where she was.

  “We can’t take him with us,” Desh said softly, sounding unexpectedly sympathetic. “He’d be miserable on any world but this one.”

  She knew that was true. She couldn’t sentence him to a life he’d hate just so she didn’t have to say goodbye to him.

  “Lenna?” Hall asked gently. “You do want to come with us, don’t you?”

  She swallowed hard. “Yes. Yes, of course.”

  It was all happening too fast. She couldn’t think of any other options. Only leaving now—without Rone—or staying on this planet forever.

  “Then come with us now—while we can. If you change your mind, you can always come back here.”

  Hall’s words were like a lifeline. The option of maybe coming back if she decided that was what she wanted.

  She wouldn’t necessarily be abandoning Rone forever.

  She didn’t belong on this planet. She belonged in the civilized world with Hall and Desh and others like them.

  She was a pilot and a smuggler. She belonged on a ship.

  She shouldn’t have ever had a spear in her hand or a man like Rone in her bed.

  It wasn’t who she was.

  It wasn’t who she’d ever be.

  “Okay,” she gasped, nodding her head. “Let’s go.”

  Both Hall and Desh looked relieved, so that made her think she must have made the right decision.

  It didn’t take very long for them to reach a small, rather dilapidated spacecraft that Hall’s friend Cain evidently used for transporting goods. They buckled in and Cain took off, and soon they were breaking through the planet’s atmosphere.

  And all the time Lenna was imagining Rone’s face.

  He would come to find them when they didn’t return. He would find the dead deer with Desh’s spear still in it. He would find his own spear on the ground nearby.

  He might follow their tracks. He was good at that.

  But it would only lead to a slightly charred patch of grass where the spaceship had launched from.