Page 91 of Tempting Fate

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Somewhat arrhythmical

Imani

AIRIDA LAY ON the sand, his limbs sprawled awkwardly, traces of that darkest-blue blood around his mouth. I pushed down rising panic. Think. There was no way of knowing if he was exhausted or worse. Poisoned?

Pieces of tentacle twitched on the sand, and I suppressed a shudder.

Shit, I was a fucking idiot.

His forehead was cool, and I stroked his headspines, which twitched in response to my touch. A good sign. I pressed a hand to his chest, where his breathing felt strong. My fingers trailed down his arms, looking for injuries, but there was nothing but blackened blood under his claws.

“Airida?” Don’t think about what could have happened. Don’t think about how good it felt to be held by him. Don’t panic. Was he still breathing? How did you give first aid to a different species?

“Airi, please. Please wake up.” I rested one hand on his cheek. The other stroked his ear ridge, which pulsed in time with his heartbeat. Please be okay.

Comm. I could comm one of the others, get someone out here. But I didn’t want to stop touching him, didn’t want to lift my hands away in case I lost him. And that was ridiculous, wasn’t it?

I focused on the strong heartbeat under my palm, then on my own breathing, matching it to the rhythm of his. This was okay. He’d wake up, we’d fly back to the village, we’d be fine.

“Imani.” The faint, rumbling syllables brought a rush of relief. Not lost. He was right here.

“Airi.” I swallowed around my too-thick throat. “Are you okay?”

“Can’t move.”

“Fatigue? Or something else?” I could cope with flying the speeder, but I couldn’t help him into it.

“I think… fatigue. But this feels different too.”

I slid my hands to his chest, worry and guilt churning my stomach. “I was stupid, I’m so sorry.”

He put weak arms around me and stroked my back. “It is forgiven. Your safety is the only thing that matters.”

Tears pricked at my eyes. Sweetest man. “We need to get to the speeder.”

“Soon. Let me gather my energy.” He tugged me closer.

We needed to leave, but my head swam and my eyes felt heavy. Yes. Rest.

I settled on his chest and hooked my leg over his. My head tucked into the divot below his ridgetip. His scent filled my nostrils, the familiar smokiness like calm, like safety. He’d saved me. I could lie here for a moment, couldn’t I? Enjoy the strong, solid feel of him, his warmth, his comfort?

I woke, disoriented, eyes flickering open to glowing moonrise as one of the planet’s smaller moons started its odd arc across the sky. My back ached, my arms were sore, but Airida’s chest rose and fell beneath me in a steady rhythm.

As I shifted position, he breathed my name.

“Airi? Are you okay?”

He groaned, his voice coming out in a gritty rumble. “I have a headache. But I have you in my arms, and I like it.”

My stomach lurched. Oh, so did I.

I pulled out of his embrace with lethargic reluctance, the cold of the night air rushing in and making me shiver. “It’s getting dark. We should get back, if you can get into the speeder?”

“Not until after kalidi. I am sorry.”

I glanced at the familiar bulge in his trousers, then examined my arm, twisting it around, seeing the full extent of the angry red lines left by the creature and the blue-black blood dried on my skin. I flexed my fingers, and they responded sluggishly.