The clinking drew closer, followed by murmured voices. About six Kulks broke out of the dense foliage into the clearing below us, and it took all my strength not to scream. I could still feel the smack to my face and the punch to my gut. The sight of their soulless eyes peering around through the slits in their helmet sent a bolt of fear straight into my veins.
Heart didn’t move. In fact, I wasn’t sure he was breathing. Even his hair was still despite the soft breeze blowing through the leaves.
Just when I thought we’d made it, that the Kulks hadn’t seen us and would leave, Heart’s aura went from dead calm to hurricane. With a raspy growl, he dropped to the ground between two Kulks like a spiked blue bomb. His forearm machets came down on the back of their necks, slicing their heads clean off their bodies.
I slapped my hand over my mouth to cut off my shriek.
Heart wasn’t done. He reached into the waistband of his pants and while I couldn’t see what he withdrew, sunlight gleamed off a shiny surface. He flung his hands out and two more Kulks dropped, blood pouring from their eye slits.
He must have blades, which explained how he’d been able to drop the Kulks who’d captured me at a distance.
The last two he took on hand-to-hand, slamming his elbow into the shoulder of one while his tail swept the other off his feet. As they clutched their pained limbs, he finished them off with two quick snaps of their necks. Just like that, it was over.
Heart stood in the center of the carnage with heaving shoulders dripping in green Kulk blood. I hadn’t moved from my curled ball position, and my hand remained tightly pressed over my mouth.
I had to get over my shock and remember this planet was a violent place. The other women told me how their mates had reacted when they were threatened. Sax, Val’s mate, had slashed some guy into bits and pieces.
Heart had thought I was threatened. And he did something about it. In his … alien way.
Capable. As. Fuck.
He turned his head slowly and met my gaze. His aura was still once again, but the smoke was thick, layer after layer built up so I couldn’t see a damned thing beyond it.
Before climbing the tree to me, he tore off a few dew-drop-wet leaves and wiped down his body. When he was clean of Kulk blood, he climbed up the trunk. When he crouched down in front of me, his expression was cautious.
Did he think I’d be upset at his violence? The only thing that upset me was the solid wall of smoke in his aura. Violence seemed to take him away from me.
I touched his cheek because he seemed to like that gesture. He leaned into my hand the first couple of times I’d done it. This time, he didn’t move for a long moment, then finally his eyes closed briefly, dark lashes casting shadows on his blue cheeks, before nuzzling into my hand.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He blinked his eyes open at me, pressed a kiss to my wrist, then picked me up.
The way back was less eventful, thank fuck, but he remained alert the entire time, his head constantly on a swivel as he checked our surroundings. As for me, I listened. I documented what sounded normal so I’d be able to pick up anything unique.
When we finally swung into the doorway of his hut, he placed me on my feet near the bed. After arranging the furs, he slowly lowered me down to the floor. Seriously, I was getting too used to this. I didn’t want him to think I was incapable of doing things for myself. I’d managed pretty well on this planet so far. Sure, I’d been under the care of other Drixonians, but I still had to hold my own, not lose my shit, and look out for my girls.
He started the fire again and then skinned the moira using his claws. His movements were quick and efficient. I couldn’t do much from my spot on the floor, but I did set the table—er, floor—so to speak.
He only had the one board which he’d used to feed me yesterday, so I placed it between us to share with two jugs of qua. I dug out some fruit, a white fuzzy thing that reminded me of a peach but tasted like a melon. The skin was not edible, so I eyed Heart before beckoning him over to me. When he stood nearby, I grabbed his hand and tapped on the tips, growling, and curling my fingers into a claw imitation. For a moment, he only blinked at me like I’d lost my mind, but then he blinked, and his black dagger-like claws unleashed.
I grinned and almost patted him on the head. Using his finger like a tool, I sliced the fruit, taking my time and even cutting a few fun shapes into it. What else did we have to do other than watch a moira cook?
Heart sat beside me patiently, not moving, allowing me to twist his hand this way and that. When I was finished, I patted his hand and arranged the fruit along with a few seeds and nuts from what I dubbed his trail mix stash. I sat back and analyzed my board, pretty proud of my Planet Torin charcuterie. I might be in a tree house with a barbarian-like alien, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t eat in style.
I found a crude cup, filled it with some qua, and placed the bouquet inside. After fluffing the foliage, I eyed my little place setting. It was almost romantic.
Wait, was that what I was doing? Setting this up like a date? The setting sun cast an orange glow over everything and deepened the shadows in the hut. Heart remained crouched beside me, and when I turned to see what he thought of my task, I found him looking at the flowers.
He didn’t turn his head, and I searched his aura to see how he was feeling. The smoke was calm, swirling delicately in little curls. Finally, he met my gaze, and purple irises met mine. They were the lightest I’d ever seen them.
I reached out a hand to cup his cheek, feeling like I needed to physically connect, and he slowly lowered his lashes as he leaned into my palm. I adored the gesture, like every time I granted him my touch, he needed me to know how much he appreciated it. Not for the first time I wondered how long he’d been alone. He seemed wary of physical contact, while also craving it.
He swallowed and he opened his eyes to lock with mine before he pressed one single kiss to the inside of my wrist over my loks.
Six
The Warrior
I didn’t know when I’d ever felt pride like I did watching my female eat food I’d prepared. With my own hands, I’d killed and cooked for her, and now my efforts nourished her body. If I’d been able, I would have shouted it from the treetops.
Look at me, a warrior with a purpose once again.
I didn’t understand the reason for the blooms in front of us, but every once in a while, Merr-anda would reach out and touch the tip of her finger to a petal. She’d smile to herself, and the sight filled me with a welcomed warmth.
“Purridy,” she said to me when I caught her looking at the blooms.
I didn’t know what that word meant, but the blooms made her happy, and I had to admit the bright colors stood out amongst the dark wood of my hut.
She’d sliced the fruit into shapes, which I found indulgent, but as I tossed them into my mouth, found they tasted better. That made no sense, and I frowned at them. But every time I chewed and swallowed, I liked them better.
Would Merr-anda always do these fancy things for us? And why did I like it so much? Everything she touched seemed to sparkle. Around her, colors were brighter. The sun was warmer. I felt less like a savage.
After dinner, I decided to share with her my favorite place. Because of her leg, I scooped her into my arms and carried her outside of my hut. I traveled around the side, where I’d made a small platform path just barely wide enough for my shoulders. She clung to me, and while her bloom trembled with nerves, she didn’t protest. Her trust humbled me.