His words struck home in a way that really hurt. It was true—James hadn’t even known about her abduction until long after she’d been rescued. “Leave James out of this,” she flared, put immediately on the defensive.
Merrick stopped walking and turned to her. “I’d be happy to, baby. But even if I did, he’s not the only thing standing between us, is he?”
“I…” She opened her mouth to reply and closed it again when she realized they had all stopped walking and were standing at the edge of the dense gray-blue vegetation that marked the beginning of the jungle. “Are we here?” she asked, ignoring Merrick and turning to Shuura instead.
“Indeed we are, my dear.” He smiled at her and made an expansive gesture toward the jungle. “Go and may the Goddess go with you.”
“Thank you,” Elise said faintly. “It was very nice to meet you.”
“And you, my lady fair.” Tongs smiled and captured her hand. He rubbed it against his rough cheek as he had when they first met before relinquishing it. “I hope to see the two of you alive and in one piece again very soon.”
“We’re shooting for a week,” Merrick said shortly, apparently deciding to ignore his uncle’s courtly gestures. “If you don’t see us after then, assume the worst. I won’t ask you to come looking for us…”
“You don’t have to,” Shuura said quietly. “If you’re not back in one solar week from today, we’ll come.”
Tongs grinned. “Exactly. I don’t know if we’ll find anything, but we’ll at least look.”
“Thank you.” Merrick nodded formally. “I’m not asking for myself but for Elise. She must be returned in time for her joining ceremony. I swore an oath that it would be so.”
“We’ll make sure you haven’t given your word falsely,” Shuura said. “And now you’d better go.”
“As should we,” said Tongs.
“Goodbye,” Elise said but both of them had turned away. As she watched, they left without looking back once.
Merrick obviously saw her puzzled look. “What—did you expect them to wait around and watch us walk off into the sunset?” he asked roughly.
“Well, I thought they might at least have waited until we were out of sight.” Elise frowned. “After walking us all the way here it just seems like such an abrupt parting.”
Merrick shook his head. “It’s bad luck to watch someone you care about walk into the jungle—it means you won’t see them walk back out again. Come on—we need to make some miles if we’re going to reach the Deep Blue before dark.”
Elise followed him into the jungle as he strode ahead, apparently following a path only he could see. “But I thought this was the Deep Blue,” she protested, ducking to keep a springy branch from slapping her in the face.
“Not even close, baby.” Merrick threw a glance over his shoulder. “This is just the town’s backyard. You’ll know it when we get to the Deep Blue.”
“How? How will I know?” she asked, scrambling over a huge fallen tree which Merrick simply stepped over.
“You’ll know,” he murmured and would say no more.
Chapter Nineteen
They walked for hours in silence, Merrick following the scent trail through the blue-gray leaves with Elise close behind. He could feel her hunger growing with every step but he studiously ignored it. They weren’t at the danger level yet and he was in no mood to be rejected again.
He ached when he thought of how she’d pulled away that morning when he was only touching her face. There had been nothing sexual about that touch—nothing threatening or frightening. Elise had even seemed to enjoy it at first. Then he’d felt the hunger turn into something else—something more intense—and suddenly she went stiff as a board and jumped back as though his fingertips on her skin had burned her.
What the fuck? Merrick thought angrily, shoving the thick vines and creepers out of the way and holding a springy branch of soothoom bush back so it didn’t slap Elise in the face. What the hell does she want from me? Now I can’t even touch her non-sexually, even though she needs it so bad she was about to go fucking crazy back there. Though he hated to admit it, her constant hunger was affecting him too—making him short tempered and irritated at every little thing. It was like an itch he couldn’t reach to scratch, not to mention a constant reminder of her absolute rejection of him.
Why was she acting like this? Did she really care that much about her stupid fiancé? Yes, she’d agreed to join with him, but from what Merrick had seen, there didn’t seem to be much of a connection between them—nothing like what he and Elise shared. Of course, that was from an artificial bond, he reminded himself. Could that be the reason she was keeping her distance? The fear that everything they had would go up in smoke the minute the bond was dissolved? Or was there a deeper, darker reason, as Merrick had long suspected? What happened to you, baby? he thought, casting a quick glance over his shoulder to see her trudging along behind. Who hurt you and what did he do?
He had a billion questions but Elise’s stubborn silence offered no answers. She didn’t even speak when they stopped along the way several times for a brief rest and a drink from the water bottles Merrick carried in his pack. Since she remained obstinately quiet, he maintained a stony silence as well.
He’d packed light for the journey—just the water, some nutrition-dense dried protein strips, and a first aid kit. Anything else would slow them down and the jungle could provide almost everything they needed if they knew where to look—and Merrick did. He’d spent hours out here after fleeing from Tranq Prime, wandering, lost in more than one way and trying to come to terms with what he’d done and what he’d seen. He felt the old pain like an ache beneath his ribs and stroked his scar thoughtfully, as though trying to rub the memories away. Gods, he tried not to think about those days but he couldn’t help it now—the jungle brought everything back all too clearly…
“What are you thinking?” Elise asked, breaking the silence for the first time in hours. “Why have we stopped? Is this it?”
Merrick frowned and looked around. He’d lost the trail and his feet had automatically stopped walking. The vegetation around them had gotten considerably denser and darker but it still wasn’t the solid indigo of the Deep Blue.
“Not yet,” he said aloud, frowning. “Hang on—lost the fucking trail.” He lifted his head and sniffed, trying to pick it up. There were two possible ways it could have gone but if he picked the wrong one, they’d wind up right back at the town and have to start all over again. He sniffed harder but all he could catch was Elise—her heat and need invading his senses, making him crazy. No fucking good. I have to get away to find the path or I’ll screw this up for sure. “I need to scout ahead,” he told her. “And I need to go by myself—have to concentrate. You’ll have to stay here.”
“I can be quiet,” she objected.
“Yeah, I know,” he growled impatiently. “Very fucking quiet—you proved that all afternoon. But it’s not your noise that bothers me.”
Elise put a hand on her hip, glaring up at him. “So what does bother you about me?”
Merrick ran a hand over his head. You want the short version or should I recite the whole fucking list? He managed to keep himself from saying it out loud—barely. “Your scent,” he said briefly, instead. “It confuses my nose—I can’t find the trail with you hanging around so close.”
“My scent? Are you saying I stink?” she demanded.
“No,” Merrick snarled, finally losing it. “You smell hot. Your hunger…your need…they’re coming through loud and clear, baby. I can feel it through the bond…see it in your face. And now it’s hanging in the air like a Goddess-damned cloud of perfume. You’re so hungry you’re practically in heat but you won’t fucking admit it!”
Elise opened her mouth to reply, but Merrick didn’t give her a chance to say anything. Suddenly, the thin thread of self control he’d been holding on to all day snapped. Grabbing her around the waist, he lifted her and pulled her in for a fierce, hungry kiss.
At first she fought him, beating against his chest with her small hands and trying to get away. But Merrick wasn’t about to let go. He’d promised himself he wouldn’t take her by force—but this much, he permitted himself. This kiss, this touch, was what Elise needed—what they both needed, so desperately it was about to tear them apart.
Then, suddenly, she was kissing him back, her arms looped around his neck and her lush lips open, welcoming the invasion of his tongue. Merrick groaned low in his throat and took her offer readily. Gods, she tasted so sweet, felt so right in his arms… Despite all the holding and touched they’d done before Elise had begun to shy away from him, this was their first kiss. And somewhere in the back of his mind he realized it might be the last. He wanted to make it count.
Easing up on the intensity some, he stroked her tongue with his, savoring her sweetness, and then sucked tenderly at her bottom lip. His shaft was hard as a rock and throbbing for release inside his pants, but he refused to rush. He held her to him, one hand cupped under her full ass, and threaded the fingers of his other hand through her long black hair, pulling her closer, letting her know through his gentle, persistent touch how much he needed her.
Turning the oral assault into a gentle caress had the desired effect—Elise moaned softly and melted in his arms. Merrick could feel her hunger turn to lust, could smell her sweet, feminine scent intensifying and he knew she was getting wet. Gods, what he wouldn’t give to peel down the tight black jungle-pants she was wearing and expose her hot little pussy. He wanted to touch her again, wanted to slide his fingers deep into her slick channel and stroke her soft, slippery petals until she moaned his name.
But even more than that, Merrick yearned to taste her. He imagined parting her thighs and burying his face between her legs, learning her taste with his tongue, lapping her wet little cunt until she quivered and clawed his shoulders, until she came all over his face again and again…
Suddenly he realized he was right on the edge of losing all control. If he didn’t stop kissing her right now, he wouldn’t be able to stop. He wouldn’t rape her—that was out of the question. But the need to taste her, to get his tongue inside her and lap her sweet nectar would be too great to be denied. And she doesn’t want that…I know she doesn’t. I can’t…I can’t…
With a grim effort, he broke the kiss and pushed her away. Before she could even cry out in protest he put her down on her feet and took three big steps away. Then he turned away from her and breathed deeply, trying to get the rich, growing smell of the jungle into his lungs, trying to erase the maddening scent of her desire. He became aware that he was panting, his chest heaving and his heart pounding in his ears. Behind him, he heard Elise panting, too.
“What…I don’t understand,” she said at last. “Why did you—”
“Because you fucking needed it,” Merrick growled, turning to face her. He was beginning to feel more in control, but he still didn’t trust himself any closer to her. Now more than ever he needed to get away, to find the trail and clear his head. He lowered his voice and looked her in the eyes. “And because I needed it too,” he admitted. “Don’t forget, baby, we’re in this together.”
She bit her lip, which looked swollen and tender from their frantic kissing. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Next time, ask.” Merrick ran a hand over his head and blew out a breath, trying to reign in his frustration and need, trying to ignore the hunger he felt still burning just below the surface of her mind. “Just ask and let me give you what you need.”
“I…I can’t.” Her face was a mask of misery. “I’m sorry, Merrick, I just can’t.”
Frustration gripped him again and shook him like a rough fist. “Then I guess it’s going to be a long fucking week in the jungle,” he snarled. “You stay here on the trail—I have to find the scent again. I’ll be back in five minutes—ten tops.” He glared at her sternly. “Whatever you do, don’t move from the trail—it’s the only safe place.”
Then he turned and plunged into the jungle, running away when what he wanted more than anything was to gather her in his arms and kiss her again. Kiss her until she came to her senses and let him give her what they both needed so very badly.
* * * * *
Elise stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say or do for an entire minute after he left. Her entire body felt overheated and her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was shaking her entire body. I’m going into meltdown, she thought and on the heels of that, Hell of a first kiss!
She never felt like this when James kissed her—which he only did rarely, to be honest. Never felt like her knees might collapse at any minute or heard her blood rushing in her ears or saw stars dancing before her vision.
God, am I about to faint? What’s wrong with me? She stumbled for a moment, feeling strangely physically disoriented. Had the kiss really been that intense? Maybe…or maybe it was simply the hunger finally letting up some. That was an incredible relief—Merrick was right, she’d needed the kiss he gave her badly.
But the kiss…he kissed me…the vault… She waited tensely for a moment but for some reason, the undead denizens of her inner vault were silent. Why? Because, a soft voice whispered in her mind. He never kissed me. It wasn’t about that for him. It was all about pain…domination…No!
Elise shut out the voice quickly, but she had her answer. As deliciously sexual as the kiss she’d shared with Merrick had been, it hadn’t aroused the demons from her past—for which she was incredibly grateful. She wondered if she dared kiss him again…and if she could make him understand that kissing was all she could do. She didn’t dare risk more, but another kiss…that might be doable. Very doable…if he wanted to kiss her, that was. The angry, hurt look in his blue and gold eyes was etched in her memory. I’ve treated him very badly, she thought miserably. I wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to lay eyes on me again…let alone kiss me.
She looked down at her blue leather boots, scuffing along in the verdant greenery—or perhaps bluery was a better word—of the jungle floor, and realized that she was in a different place than she’d been a few moments ago. These creepers with the pale orange flowers—I don’t recognize them. Where did they come from? Where am I?
Elise looked around herself and confirmed her fear—she’d been so deep in thought that she’d absentmindedly wandered away from the spot Merrick had left her. His last words echoed in her head, “Whatever you do, don’t move from the trail—it’s the only safe place.” But where was the trail? It was apparently some kind of scent that he’d been following—a scent he’d lost because of her. But what did it smell like?
Lifting her nose, Elise inhaled deeply, drawing in a lungful of the damp jungle air. It was hot and humid here, no doubt—but as a Florida girl, she was used to the subtropical climate. What she couldn’t get used to was the idea of using her nose to lead her through it. A variety of strange and enticing aromas caught her attention, but none of them seemed to mean anything. Although there was one scent that seemed interesting…
Inhaling again, Elise attempted to isolate it. Yes, there it was again—a scent that was a cross between honeysuckle, cinnamon, and freshly baked bread. Weird, but also delicious. Could this be the smell of the trail? Almost unconsciously, she began to drift toward it—and the closer she got, the better it smelled. Was it possibly there was a Kindred version of Krispy Kreme around here somewhere? Elise’s mouth watered for a hot glazed donut. It was silly, but the scent just smelled so damn good.
At last she found the source of the smell. It appeared to be coming from a small clearing in the jungle—very small, in fact—only about five feet across. The little, roundish patch was covered in long, pale pink grass—much different from the blue-gray color that dominated the rest of the jungle. From the pink grass, tiny bell-shaped flowers sprouted. The flowers seemed to come in every pastel color imaginable—pale blue, mint green, lavender, peach, cotton-candy pink… To Elise they looked like they were made out of frosting—l
ike something you might find on a very imaginative wedding cake. Though she knew they might be poisonous, she couldn’t help wondering if they tasted as good as they smelled. Not that she would actually try one…
And then she saw something that made her forget all about the flowers.
There was a rustling sound in the grass and a small animal about the size of her hand suddenly appeared among the pale pink blades. At first Elise shrank back, uncertain of what it was—a snake? Some kind of big bug? But no…the animal came closer and she saw she’d been wrong. This was no terrifying jungle creature, slithering toward her, poised to strike and ready for the kill. This was a…
“My Little Pony!” Elise breathed.
It was true—the tiny animal looked almost exactly like the plastic retro toys Elise had played with as a little girl. It was a bit shaggier, to be sure but when it tossed its miniature mane and let out a clear, bell-like whinny, the resemblance was unmistakable.
As though the first creature’s call had been a sign that the coast was clear, several other tiny ponies appeared and began moving around the pink patch of grass. Like the flowers they were grazing on, they came in a variety of pastel colors. In fact, as Elise watched she saw that they seemed to prefer eating the flowers that corresponded to their own color—the mint-green pony only ate green flowers, the lavender pony only ate purple ones, and so on.
Enchanted, she dropped quietly to her knees, taking care to go slowly so as not to startle the small creatures. All thoughts of the trail and Merrick’s warning were completely forgotten—her entire attention was centered on the tiny ponies.
As an experiment, she found a pale blue flower that was growing close to her foot and plucked it. Then, still moving very slowly and quietly, she held the tiny, sweet smelling blossom out to the pale blue pony.
“Here, sweetie,” she murmured in a low, coaxing voice. “Come on, come a little closer…”
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