This is why I’m here, came the realization. One touch from her and I was…weak.
Why?
The mere idea made me furious, that this slip of a female had control over me in ways I didn’t understand. Yet, my grip around her wrist gentled.
“Where are we?” I tried again, my tone soft. Unrecognizable.
Her throat worked. I saw her pink tongue dart between her parted lips. A tongue I had stroked with my own when we kissed.
My teeth ground together at the memory.
Finally, she answered.
“Dead Mountain.”
This time, it was I that froze.
Then I heard her gasp, saw her head whip towards the door, where I heard footsteps echoing.
“Emmi,” came an annoyed voice. “Wake up! What the hell are you thinking?” A pause. “Shit, where’s Mina?”
Then the owner of that voice stood in the threshold of the door. A dark-haired, slim human male. His face looked gaunt, the hair nearest his temples greying. Like Mina, he wore a dirtied tunic and trews, though his didn’t seem as loose on him.
“Mina,” he rasped out, his eyes widening when he saw me awake, with her wrist in my grasp. “Let…let go of her!Now.”
I bristled at the order in his tone. This human thought to commandme?
When I looked back to the female, I saw that her eyes were wide with panic. But I didn’t get the sense that she fearedme.
“P-Please,” she whispered.
My brow furrowed and with flared nostrils, I released her wrist. She stumbled away, the basin of water tumbling over the edge of the table I lay on. She didn’t make a sound as the bloodied water rushed over the floor.
“Mina,” the male hissed, prowling towards her. “Stupid girl! What the hell were you thinking, getting that close to him?”
I growled when the male reached for her. Loud and rough. A warning.
The male froze, his hand hovering in the air. Mina’s head snapped towards me from where she’d tucked herself against the workbench. I heard her swallow and then saw her gaze dart back towards the male.
“I-I-I’m so-sorry, Jacques,” she stumbled out.
The male glowered at her.
“You’re as half-witted as Benn says,” the male continued. “Clean this up and then get out.”
I watched the exchange with curiosity even as restlessness rose in me. The careful, blank expression the female wore told me this was no odd occurrence. Her movements were quick and efficient. She didn’t utter a single sound as she collected the water basin, soaking up the majority of the water with the cloth. It landed in the empty bowl with a wet sound but then she hesitated.
Her eyes darted to me. I saw her throat bob with her swallow as the human male watched on from the corner.
“Now,” he said, though his tone was a little gentler than before.
“I’m sorry,” Mina said, her eyes catching mine.
A long sigh came from the male she’d called Jacques. “Just go, Mina. Go eat. There’s some rations left for you upstairs.”
The male thought she’d apologized to him again.
My brow furrowed when I realized she’d been apologizing tome.
