Lihvan stopped his stride in front of a massive rusty orange blob that looked like a clay material.It was spread out over the pebbles and Beks swore that she saw it move.
“Stand on my feet for a moment, female,” Lihvan ordered, gently lowering her down.Her bare feet made contact with his leather boots and her eyes went wide when he suddenly whipped off his shirt, displaying an endless supply of muscles on top of muscles.His strange, scaled skin that she was becoming mildly and embarrassingly obsessed with was tinged a dark green color, reflecting off the light of the vine forest.Back at the pod, his skin had looked almost peach.
Lihvan dropped his shirt down onto the pebbles and nudged her onto it so her feet wouldn’t get cut.
“What are you—”
A sharp squeal emanated from the clay blob when Lihvan broke off a large stump with his bare hands.The blob begin weeping a clear fluid and Lihvan reached down by her feet to rip off a swath of cloth from his shirt.He blotted up the fluid with his shirt and then carefully folded and tucked it in.And then, where Lihvan had broken off a piece…the clay began to grow back.Right before her very eyes.
It had completely regenerated in the span of thirty seconds and then it began to move, albeit slowly.
“Was…was that thingalive?” she managed to ask, rooted into place, watching as the clay blob hightailed it away from them as fast as it could.
“Its blood makes starting a fire easier,” he replied and then held up the clay chunk he’d broken off, “and its flesh keeps it burning most of the span.This will last us for tonight and most of tomorrow.Stand on my feet again, female.”
She did as he requested, still eyeing the blob.Lihvan retrieved his shirt and tucked the small strip of cloth inside, wrapping it up tightly.
“I can hold it,” she murmured, her eyes briefly straying to his chest.She’d always been a sucker for nice, defined pecs and Lihvan’s were drool-worthy.
Lihvan did his frowning thing, like he didn’t approve of her lifting a finger during their little ‘vacation.’
“You can’t hold me and that…blood ball,” she reasoned.
Lihvan’s frown deepened, but then he said, “Do not let the blood soak through and touch your skin,” before placing his shirt in her opened hands.She considered it a small victory as he once again swung her up in his arms.
They walked in silence for what seemed like hours.Every moment, the sun sunk lower and lower into the sky, the vine forest darkening more rapidly.As it became darker, it also became colder.Beks didn’t know when she’d noticed it, but one moment, she was sweating bullets, making even Lihvan’s grip on her slip, and the next she was curling deeper into his body, trying to soak up his constant heat like a sponge.
By the time they reached the mountains, although it was the side of the mountain that backed against the vine forest, Beks was shivering uncontrollably and Lihvan’s pace had noticeably picked up.It was a relief when Lihvan spotted a deep crevice, carved into the mountainside.He tucked Beks between two large boulders to shield her from view and instantly, she missed his heat, the feel of his skin against hers.
“Stay right here and do not move.You will be safe while I make sure there are no creatures inside,” he murmured, concern etched onto his face when he saw her shivering.Just like the oppressive heat, he didn’t seem too bothered by the icy cold.“I will warm you soon.”
His words weren’t meant to be erotic, but that was where her mind went.Naturally.Even when a tinge of panic colored her as she watched him enter the slim cave entrance, she kept thinking about his words.
Why does he effect me like this?she couldn’t help but wonder.It scared her.
Slow, tortuous moments ticked by and dark thoughts began entering her mind, her overactive imagination at work again.What would happen if there was something in the cave and it attacked Lihvan?What if he was injured and needed her help?What if he never came back?
Unease made her stand from her hiding spot and, still clutching the blood ball, she ventured into the cave, thankful that it wasn’t covered in the same rocky pebbles as the vine forest was.It was smooth beneath her feet…but it was also pitch black.The entrance was the only place that gave some semblance of light, from the lowering sun, but beyond that…it was darkness.Complete, thick, can’t-even-breathe darkness…
“Lihvan?” she whispered, blindly reaching out to try to touch the sides of the cave.It was narrow enough that she was surprised he’d managed to squeeze inside.
There was no answer.And even though she tried to suppress it, her panic only rose.
“Lihvan,” she called louder, hating the desperation that tinged her tone.“Lihvan—”
“Female,” came a growl and sweet relief filled her, making her gasp out loud.“I told you to stay there.”
His voice came from just a few feet in front of her and when she reached out, she encountered his smooth, scarred chest.Her palms instantly warmed and she didn’t possess the willpowernotto press herself against his body.
“I thought…I thought that maybe something had happened to you,” she said, slightly embarrassed that she was clinging to him like an overly obsessed girlfriend.
He grunted, gentling his tone, “Come.It is safe.”
Beks followed him deeper into the cave, keeping a hand firmly planted on his back so that she wouldn’t lose him in the darkness.And she told herself she was definitelynotcoping a feel…but even she knew she was lying to herself.
“We will rest here,” he murmured, but Beks saw nothing.In addition to having crazy weatherproof skin, he must’ve also been able to see in the dark extremely well.
But to admit to him that she didn’t have night vision seemed, oddly enough, like an embarrassing shortcoming even though she knew she couldn’t help it.Especially when he was so amazing and self-assured ateverythingshe’d seen him do so far.He was probably annoyed that he had been saddled with a human weakling.
