“Yeah. Let’s secure this one first.”
Between the two of us we drag Noil over to the ship and tie him to an exposed girder. The Paohl haven’t stripped the ship of everything useful; they’ve left it as a fully equipped outpost. Noil groans as though waking as Harding tightens the rope and Harding takes care of it with one blow.
I wince and look away too late.
Wraight is still sitting with Eskar. They aren’t talking, both conserving their energy or silently seething. I’m not sure which.
For a moment Harding and I stare at the wounded. Eskar is more serious and heavier. I don’t want to drag him the way we did Noil, but I don’t know if we can lift him without hurting him.
Eskar opens his eyes and looks at me. “I’ll be fine out here.”
“Shut up, you can come inside with the rest of us,” Wraight snaps. He sticks out a hand, and Harding and I help him to his feet. I check his bandages to make sure his wounds haven’t started bleeding through, but they remain clean. Harding helps Wraight walk over to the ship, leaving me with Eskar.
“There’s only two bunks set up,” Eskar says. “So just leave me.”
“I can’t leave you out here. It’s snowing.”
“I don’t feel the cold.”
I bite the inside of my lip.
Harding returns with a blanket. “Do you want to get him up?”
If Eskar moves, something will tear open. I shake my head, and Harding hands me the blanket. It doesn’t smell old or musty, instead I smell Eskar’s cool sharp scent. I’m sure I shouldn’t be able to smell him, nor should I enjoy it so much.
I toss more wood on the fire, wishing the meat the beasts left wasn’t in the dirt, then sit between the heat and Eskar with the blanket around my shoulders. For a while I stare at him. I don’t love him—that would be impossible—but the moment I first saw him I was drawn to him. Maybe that was just my near-death experience.
This whole situation is ridiculous, and if I wrote home no one would believe me.
Three days, less now, to decide my future.
I don’t want to be handed over to whoever is next in line if Noil dies. But that seems to be the way of it. No one gets a mate until the most senior Paohl has a mate. Eskar, as the most junior by rank and age, would’ve been waiting forever. I can understand his decision and his need for change.
I nod off and jerk awake. I don’t know how long I’ve slept for, only that the ground is now dusted with snow. Keeping the blanket around me, I creep over to Eskar to check on his wound and make sure he hasn’t frozen to death.
He is awake and staring up at the stars. “Are you cold?”
“Not really.” But I still like the heat of the fire.
He unfolds an arm as though inviting me to lie with him. Unable to resist him any longer, I lie down and rest my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me close, kissing the top of my head. “Thank you for trying to help me.”
“I’m not done yet.”
He sighs and I know he’s no longer fighting to live. I’ve seen people give up too many times not to recognize it. “No matter what you say, I won’t be allowed to be your mate.”
“Then I won’t be anybody’s.”
“And the captain will not care. He’ll let me die and you go free, but he won’t help you either.”
I force out a breath. There isn’t only me to worry about and Harding is right, we won’t even last ten days on our own. “Do two Paohl men ever mate?”
“Why do you ask?”
“For Harding.”
“Yes, and there are several who would be glad to have him.” Eskar kisses my hair again and draws in a deep breath. “Why don’t you worry about yourself.”
“I am.” I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t think past losing Eskar. This close to him my blood is hot and my pussy pulses with need. It’s not the right reaction to have in the situation, but my body is betraying me. I prop myself up and stare at his now familiar face, the curve of his lips and sweep of his pointed ears. I place a soft kiss on his lips, wishing it was enough to save him.
