by Rayna Tyler
“See, I’m not the only one who thinks we should take care of it now.” Zaedon might argue with me, but he wouldn’t argue with my grandfather. “There should be a medical kit in the mini.”
Zaedon gently grabbed my hand. “Cara, it can wait.”
Zaedon had proven more than once that he could take care of himself, that he’d willingly risk his life if it meant saving mine. I didn’t have time to tell Isaac that his advice, though appreciated, was already too late. That I’d fallen for Zaedon in a big way and had already decided to give him a chance if he wanted to take one.
My position on not having a partner might have changed, but my stand on taking care of his wound hadn’t. Conditions on the planet were harsh, and not addressing injuries in a timely manner could sometimes be fatal. I wasn’t about to let Zaedon’s passive attitude about the cut on his arm make him a casualty. “Zaedon, I’m sure you’re right, but I want to do this.” Then in a lower voice I said, “I need to do this.”
Chapter Eleven
Zaedon
Even if it was not in the context I had hoped for, I was elated when Cara came to my defense and stated that she would choose me over any other male. It was not easy dealing with the emotions that accompanied the realization that someone you knew could so blatantly betray your trust and that of the people you cared for. I’d resisted the urge to pull her into my arms, unsure if she would allow me to comfort her.
She was a strong female, not easily broken, but hearing the raspy tone in her voice when she pleaded for me to let her tend my wound was nearly my undoing.
When she went to retrieve the medical kit from the minisolport, I went after Chompers and coaxed him closer.
“Make yourself comfortable,” she said, motioning to a nearby boulder.
Instead of sitting on the rock as she had intended, I sat on the ground with my back pressed against the hard surface, then took her hand and pulled her down with me.
She made a noise between a snort and a giggle and settled on my lap by straddling my legs. “Not exactly what I meant, but I guess it’ll work.” She set the small rectangular kit between us and extracted what she needed to clean my wound.
She didn’t look up until she’d meticulously wiped away all the dried blood. “If I didn’t think you’d get all smug about it, I tell you the cut doesn’t look bad.”
I struggled not to grin. “Then I guess it is a good thing that you are not going to tell me.”
She ignored my comment and retrieved a tiny container filled with a healing salve made from plants. After smearing it along the cut, she reached for a roll of fabric to use as a binding. “I’d hoped I’d be able to spend another day or two with my grandparents.” She concentrated on wrapping the thin strip of material around my forearm several times before securing the ends. “After what I learned from Des, and now this thing with the merc, I think it would be a good idea to leave for the settlement tomorrow.” She raised her head, locking her dark, inquiring gaze with mine.
“It is probably best. Maybe Burke has received more news and can give us an update on the situation with Doyle.” I did not want Cara to spend the rest of her life worrying about the male’s bounty and the danger it posed for her family. I was tempted to go after the male myself, but planned to have a private discussion with Khyron first to see what could be done to help her.
“All finished.” She returned the supplies to the kit.
No sooner had we gotten to our feet than a shrill noise echoed around us. The sound was similar to the one made by the tubular stick Cara had used to summon a grundogal. Cara dropped the kit on the ground and quickly grabbed Chompers’s lead. “Hold on a second,” she said when the animal pranced back and forth, tugging to get away from her.
“That sounded like another animal from his herd, most likely his mother.” She continued holding his lead and used her other hand to unhook one of the straps attached to the wagon. “Would you mind unhooking the other side? It shouldn’t take us long to empty the wagon into the containers in the back of the mini, then take them to the meeting point to be unloaded.”
As soon as the straps were removed, she slipped the lead off Chompers’s head and stepped back. Without any encouragement, the creature took off in the direction of the other grundogal.
“I was just getting used to all the licking.” I had grown fond of the animal and hated to see him go.
“I’m sure Chompers would be happy to give you some more of his slobbery kisses if you showed up to work the next harvest cycle,” Cara teased.
“Would you be happy as well?” I grabbed her hips and pulled her closer.
“Maybe.” She placed her hands on my shoulders.
“Happy enough to give me one of your slobbery kisses now so I will not miss Chompers so much?”
As expected, she huffed indignantly and smacked my chest. “I do not slobber.”
I slipped my arms around her waist when she tried to pull away. “Unless you are willing to prove otherwise, I have not tasted your lips enough to know if you are telling the truth.”
“You unbelievably arrogant…”
I captured her mouth with mine before she had a chance to finish, and was rewarded with a pleasurable moan. She slipped her hands to the back of my neck, then possessively took over the kiss, proving she could win the playful challenge I had set. Both of us were breathless by the time I found the strength to release her.
“Sooo.” She stayed within the circle of my arms, giving me a satisfied smirk. “Did I slobber?”
“I am undecided.” I slowly swept my tongue across my lower lip. “Perhaps I will need to do more testing to be sure.”
“No more testing.” She groaned and squirmed out of my arms. “It will be dark soon, and we still need to unload the wagon.”
***
Cara
“I don’t believe it.” I smacked the flat metal surface next to the mini’s controls.
“What is wrong?” Zaedon asked.
The mini’s operating area lacked the room of a regular solarveyor, and he looked uncomfortable sitting in the passenger seat with his knees pressed against the control panel.
“There isn’t enough power in the solars to make it back to my grandparents’ place. It’s too far to walk, so it looks like we’re spending the night out here.” The solars would automatically start charging as soon as the sunlight touched the panels on the roof, and we’d have enough power to make it home.
“Will Isaac send someone when we do not return to the village?” he asked.
After Isaac’s earlier comment about me giving Zaedon a chance, I was pretty sure my grandparents wouldn’t have a problem with me spending a night alone with him. They’d go out of their way to make sure no one came looking for us.
“I doubt it.” I reached behind the seat and opened a small storage unit. “By the time they get done unloading the harvesters and storing what was picked, it will be late. Besides, he knows I can take care of myself, and he’s convinced you can handle yourself in any situation.”
“And you know about his thoughts how?” It was obvious by the tone of his voice that he was curious to know if Isaac had said anything to me about him.
If Zaedon was hoping for my grandparents’ approval, he didn’t need to worry. They’d thought he was wonderful ten minutes after meeting him, which, now that I’d had time to think about it, was why they’d encouraged me to spend more time with him. Not that I’d had a choice since I was the real reason he’d come to the farming community to begin with. “Um, he might have mentioned it during our drive earlier.”
“This would be when you were concerned about my welfare, correct?”
Ignoring the infuriating male and the way he happily clung to the information I’d divulged, I continued to sift through the bin’s items until I found what I was looking for.
“It’s a good thing all the transports are stocked with emergency supplies.” I pulled out a large bag, peeled back the flap, and dug through the contents. “It look
s like there’s a couple of blankets and some solar emitters in here.”
“At least we won’t starve.” I got out of the vehicle, then reached inside to grab the bag sitting on the floor between the seats, the one containing water cylinders and what was left of our lunch. “Unless you ate the last of the pyteinna while I was gone.”
Zaedon snorted. “It was difficult, but I resisted the urge to deplete our supplies.” He stretched his body after removing himself from the cramped space. “Surely you are aware that I am a large male and require a lot of nourishment.”
“I thought you ate so much because you enjoyed Ellie’s cooking.”
“There is that as well.” He walked around the front of the vehicle and held out his hand, offering to take one of the bags. “Though, now that I am aware of your food preparation skills…”
“Don’t even think about it. I’m not spending hours in the kitchen just so you can eat.”
His laughter was infectious, and I couldn’t stop smiling until I heard what sounded like rumbling in the distance. I glanced at the clear sky, noting the fading sunlight and straining to listen.
Zaedon heard it too and frowned at the skyline. “A storm is coming. Sleeping on the ground will not be possible.”
Heavy rains could be brutal, and I preferred staying dry. “Guess we’ll have to sleep in the back of the mini.” I walked to the rear of the vehicle and opened the door. After setting my bag off to the side, I reached for a container.
Zaedon placed his hand on my arm to stop me. “If we leave the harvest outside, the rain will damage the contents.”
“Most likely, but I don’t think we have a choice. Getting caught in a downpour can be dangerous, and there’s nothing else we can use for shelter.”
“I have a better idea.” He picked up the bag I’d discarded and waited for me to close the doors. “While you were repairing the harvester, I noticed the entrance to a cave.” He took my hand and urged me toward the rocky formations a short distance away. “It is not ideal, but will protect us if it storms during the night.”
“What if there’s something already living in the cave, something unfriendly and not interested in sharing?” The planet had quite a few creatures, most with sharp claws, that liked living under the sandy dirt or in dark places.
“I am not worried. I have you to protect me.”
Anticipating my reaction, he sidestepped to avoid a punch to his arm, then made it worse by laughing.
When Zaedon suggested spending the night in a cave, I didn’t know we’d be climbing up an incline over several large boulders to reach the entrance. He’d insisted I go first so he could catch me if I slipped. I was pretty sure after glancing back and catching him staring at my backside that his motives had nothing to do with being heroic.
Shortly after we reached the ledge near a dark opening that Zaedon would have to crouch to move through, he set the bags on the ground and dug out two of the glow emitters. After handing one to me, he held up his light and peered inside. “It is not as big as I had hoped, but it will protect us from any bad weather.”
Once he made it into the cave without being attacked by something vicious, I crawled in behind him. “At least there’s nothing with claws and fangs living in here.” I aimed the light at all the corners, checking for anything that moved, I knelt on the hard, mostly even ground next to him. “I don’t see any crognats, so that’s a plus.”
Crognats were tiny pale gold creatures that liked cool, dark places. They resembled something between an Earth beetle and a miniature lizard. Personally, I thought they were nothing more than a nuisance unless they decided to use their stinger. The tiny jab usually caused a painful red welt that lingered for several days.
I set the emitter on the ground and pulled the blankets out of the bag.
After helping me spread out one of the blankets, Zaedon sat with his long legs stretched out along one end, then smiled at me expectantly.
“You’re hungry again, aren’t you?”
“Looking after you is hard work.” He grinned, leaning back and bracing his upper body with his arms.
“You mean keeping an eye on my backside is a lot of work, don’t you?”
“I will have to admit it is a very nice backside.”
“Uh-huh.” The bag containing our food sat on the other side of him, and, instead of asking him to hand it to me, I reached over him.
He didn’t bother to hide the sniff he took of my shoulder before I returned to my side of the blanket.
Zaedon had never lied to me, had always been honest in all our conversations. Thinking about Erin’s advice, I decided now was a good time to ask him why he was constantly sniffing me. “Is there a reason you keep smelling me? I’ve taken plenty of baths since we got back from the Quaddrien, and I know I don’t smell like chaugwas dung anymore.”
“I know, and I have enjoyed smelling you after all of them.” The turquoise in his eyes darkened.
“But why?”
Zaedon straightened, indecision furrowing his brow. “Because it is how a ketaurran male discovers the identity of”—he twirled the end of one of my curls around his finger—“his ketiorra.”
“What?” I drop back on my haunches. “Are you saying that I… No, that can’t be.” I was self-assured in most instances, had no problem handling the toughest of situations, yet after hearing his claim, I couldn’t form a simple sentence.
I took a deep breath and tried again. “Are you sure?”
“I am quite sure.”
Not only did he just confirm there was definitely something between us, he’d also informed me I was his life mate. “How long have you known?”
“Since the day we arrived in Aztrashar.”
“After I’d taken a bath.” It was the day after we’d escaped from the Quaddrien, and I’d finally been able to wash off the dirt and stink I’d used as part of my disguise. I remembered how much I’d enjoyed soaking for over an hour.in the large tub carved out of stone
My pulsed raced, and I gripped the strap on the bag, trying to deal with the emotions pulsing through me. At the moment, anger was taking the lead. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Human females, more specifically those with fighting skills, view things differently than ketaurran females. I was unsure of your reaction, feared you would leave, and I would never see you again.” He dropped his hand to his lap.
I crossed my arms. “Then why keep it from me after you escorted me here?”
“You seemed unhappy about my presence and unwilling to accept my help. I did not want to fail at convincing you that we belong together.” After a long pause, he caressed the side of my thigh with his tail. “Please tell me I have not ruined things between us.”
This was the first time he’d openly admitted he cared for me and allowed me to glimpse his vulnerability. His motivations for not telling me had been sincere. I wondered how much of what I’d told him about losing Graham had been factored into his decision. I cared about him, wanted to be with him, and wasn’t about to let him think otherwise.
I also wasn’t going to disappoint him by surrendering too easily. I exaggerated a sigh, then speculatively tapped my chin. “You’ve already proven you’re handy to have around in dangerous situations.” I forced myself not to grin when he narrowed his gaze. “You’re also not bad to look at, so that helps.”
“Cara,” he growled, then pulled me onto his lap so I straddled his thighs.
I draped my arms over his shoulders. “What?” I bit my lower lip, trying hard not to grin. “If I’m going to be your ketiorra, I want to know what I’m getting into.”
“What else would you like to know?” Zaedon pulled me closer, the hard evidence of how much I affected him pressing against the sensitive spot between my legs.
He knew me better than I thought. By letting me lead and take control of the situation, he was showing me he understood what I needed. Thinking back on all his actions since I’d met him, he’d always supported my decisions. Sure, the
re’d been a few times when he argued with me, but he never once tried to force me to do something I didn’t want to.
“I believe you said something about convincing me we belonged together. I’m curious to hear what you had in mind.”
He ran his hand along my back, stopping to tangle his fingers in the hair at my nape. “I would start by disproving my notion that you slobber.”
“I thought we already…” He stopped me from talking with a kiss. A kiss that started out slow and enticing, then gradually progressed to possessively dominating. I responded by rubbing my body against him, wanting and needing more.
Until he started giving the same attention to my throat as he had my lips, I’d barely noticed the tip of his tail encircling my ankle.
“When you told me your tail was highly sensitive to a female’s touch, were you talking about the end or the entire thing?” I skimmed my fingertips across his smooth blue scales, starting at the tip and not stopping until I’d reached the base.
When he tipped his head back, closed his eyes, and groaned, I smiled wickedly. “I guess that answers one of my questions.”
“You have more?” Zaedon opened his eyes and wiggled his brows. “If all your questions are this pleasurable, then please continue to ask.”
I should have known he’d try to turn things around to his advantage, and I wasn’t going to let him. “I know you’re pretty good in a fight, but how do I know you have the right kind of skills to please a ketiorra?”
Zaedon snorted. “I am an excellent fighter, but if it is proof you desire, then I will be more than happy to give you as many demonstrations as you require.”
“I don’t know.” I absently trailed a finger along the exposed skin on his chest. “I have a lot of questions, and there are only a handful of pyteinna left. Are you sure you’ll have the strength to keep up with me?”
“For you, Cara, I would starve to prove my worth.”
“You may have to, but until then I wouldn’t mind seeing at least one of your demonstrations.” I wiggled my hips and rubbed against his erection.
