“I wouldn’t kiss him,” Ellard barked out.
“Good to know. I’m sure Keira would be reassured too.”
Ellard snorted, but her question had pierced his panic. If it were Jarlath, he’d assess his injuries then he’d do his best to treat him. He’d stop the bleeding. “I’m going to touch you, check for injuries.”
Gweneth opened eyes that had closed and licked her bottom lip with one slow lash of her tongue. “Sounds like fun.”
Ellard snorted again, this time the sound closer to a laugh. The woman killed him with her persistence, her charm, her love of life. “Tell me if I hurt you.” He sucked in a breath and pictured Jarlath. If he pretended this was his best friend, then maybe he’d manage the task. He started with her legs.
Jarlath. Jarlath. Jarlath.
Nope, not working, not with her warm flesh heating his hand. Slim, yet strong thighs, shapely calves. His gaze stopped on the hole in her trews. The skin beneath appeared blistered. “Is it still burning where the plant burnt you?”
“Yes, a bit.” She jumped.
“What?” He hadn’t been touching her.
“Something cold touched the burn. It gave me a fright.”
Ellard scanned their surroundings. Nothing. But even so, he thought they’d managed to stumble upon Niran’s missing people. He failed to understand their continued silence. “Is it helping?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you,” Ellard said with another glance around them to check for danger. When he saw nothing except tree trunks, he turned back to Gweneth and sucked in a fortifying breath before he touched her again. Arms next. Before he could second-guess himself, he checked her arms one at a time. She winced. “Sore?”
“A little. Bangs and bumps, I think.”
Ellard gave a curt nod and ran his hand over her torso. His fingers skimmed her breasts and heat blasted through him like combustible rocket fuel. He swallowed and jerked his hands away. A quick glance showed distinct humor and her white teeth tugged at her bottom lip as if to halt a smile or a laugh at his expense.
“Stop it,” he said sternly. “This is hard enough for me as it is.”
“Why?”
“I hate seeing you hurt.”
“And?”
Curse the woman. How did she read his mind? “And touching you unsettles me.”
“In a good way or a bad way?”
“Undecided.”
“Oh.”
“Nothing wrong with your thought processes. You’re teasing me.”
“And your point is?”
“What is the word Camryn uses? Ah, yes. Smart arse. You are being a smart arse at my expense.”
She flashed a grin and it warmed him through. His feline issued a purr of pleasure and blood poured into his cock, taking him from confused to ready for action in half an eye blink.
“I think you’re right. You’re going to have a few bruises. Let me try and clean up your wound. I need something to bandage it, stop it from bleeding again.”
“Use the bottom of my tunic. It’s cleaner than yours.” She wrinkled her cute nose. “What is that yellow stuff?” She leaned closer then reared back. “Stinks.”
“I woke up and found myself halfway inside a tube plant. I was the dinner menu.” Ellard stared at her tunic. “I’ve no idea how I’m going to rip a strip off your tunic. It’s not easy with one hand.”
“What happened to your Stores?”
“The plant swallowed it.”
“Oh. I’m not sure I have the strength to rip a strip free either,” Gweneth said. “Not yet. I feel as if the entire Indy crew have pummeled me during a training session. Oh, wait. Stars, I’m an idiot. I have a knife in my boot. The right one. There is a small knife concealed in the heel. We all had our boots modified after Jannike’s abduction.”
“I don’t suppose you have a communicator stuffed somewhere.”
“Nope. Mine was in my messenger bag.”
“Your what?”
“It’s a type of bag. I can’t believe I’ve lost it. You didn’t see any of the ship debris?”
“Nothing,” Ellard said. “I have no idea how long I was out.” He studied the heel of her boot. “How do I open it?”
“The stud at the back. Push on it and hold it down until you hear a click.”
Ellard followed her instructions and secs later, he managed to cut an uneven strip of fabric off the bottom of her tunic. “You are a very unusual woman.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. Gweneth and her female friends were different from Virosian women. “Can you turn onto your left side for me? Wait, I’ll help you.” He rolled her over, holding her in place until she breathed through the pain. “Okay?”
“Yes. I’ll have to get over it. It’s getting late. We’ll need to find shelter for the blacklight. We have no idea what might be wandering around.”
“I’ll check your injuries first.” He smoothed the tangle of locks off her cheeks to reveal a small cut. His breath hissed out.
“What?”
“It’s just a small cut. I thought it might be worse.”
“Head injuries always bleed a lot. Jannike bled all over the bridge because she didn’t have her safety harness on and slammed into the wall.”
“Ouch,” Ellard said. “That’s why you should—”
“Always wear a safety harness,” Gweneth finished for him. “That’s what Ry says.”
“How did you meet Ry and the others?”
She hesitated, uncharacteristic for her, since she usually sprayed her words everywhere without much apparent forethought.
“You don’t have to tell me.” He eased her up a fraction and attempted to wind the makeshift bandage around her head.
“I can hold the end.” Her small fingers covered his, and the muscles of his arm tensed.
He inhaled sharply, fighting the surge of lust that grabbed him by the nuts. Such an innocent touch, but now that she’d kissed him, allowed him to kiss her, his mind kept diverting to thoughts of closer contact. Sex. “I… All right.” He withdrew his fingers, his feline snarling through his mind in protest. “Let me put the bandage in the right place.” He did and gently pressed her fingers in position. “Hold that there and I’ll wind the bandage into place.”
Between the pair of them, they positioned the bandage and with her help, he fashioned a knot to hold it in position. With the bandage secured, Ellard turned his mind to the next step.
The endless expanse of forest offered little in the way of shelter, but there was no way they could venture into a glade, not with those tube plants. They required a steady stream of whitelight or else they would’ve followed them. Unless something else in these forests kept the plants confined to the clearing. The heavy weight of responsibility had him scanning the trees, casting out his feline senses in order to detect trouble.
This easy and quick jaunt to Narenda had turned into an adventure. A flash of humor struck him at a recollection of him telling Jarlath he enjoyed routine. Jarlath’s change of behavior had rattled him, yet he had to admit—despite the danger and the radical life changes—he did enjoy adventure.
“How is the head? Do you think you can walk or do you want me to carry you?”
“It would be better if I can move. I need to try. I’m slowing our progress, besides we don’t know what creatures wander the forest during the blacklight. We need to find a place to hole up for safety.”
“Kiss her.”
The soft voice offered temptation and Ellard froze. His gaze cut to Gweneth. No, she hadn’t heard. He frowned in indecision. Somehow, his feline must be sending him messages. Either that or they had invisible company.
Still, a kiss wasn’t a bad idea. Gweneth deserved one, given her pragmatism and sensible reaction to their situation. Before he could talk himself out of the idea, he bent over her and kissed her pink, tempting lips.
She never hesitated, kissing him back, enticing him to linger and savor. When his brain
began to work, he lifted his chin. For a long sec, they stared at each other.
She swallowed and her tongue darted out to soothe her full bottom lip. “Um, what was that for?”
“A thank you,” he said gruffly. “You’re injured, yet you’re not panicking. Instead, you produce a knife from your boot. Thank you for not behaving like one of the castle ninnies.”
“Ninnies?” A smile curved her lips, drawing his avid attention. “Ellard?”
“Kiss her again. Please.”
The small voice sounded close to his ear. Not his imagination.
He closed the distance between him and Gweneth. “I think we have company,” he breathed against her lips. “I’m going to kiss you again. Watch behind me to see if you can see anyone.”
He didn’t give Gweneth time to reply, settling in to kiss her. In the past, he restrained himself, kept the kisses as innocent as she’d allowed him. This time, he sank into the pleasure and gave her one of his very best, using every bit of technique he’d learned since he became sexually mature.
Gweneth responded so sweetly, her soft groan like a caress down his back and over his arse. A shudder worked through him as she opened to him. Unable to resist, he explored the silken depths of her mouth. Her tongue danced with his, and she issued another sexy moan.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
His gaze darted to her mouth. Her lips appeared redder than normal and swollen. A sense of satisfaction suffused him. “Did you see anyone?”
A flush collected in her cheeks. “Sorry. My eyes closed. I couldn’t help myself. Can you help me up? I can’t see anyone.”
“Sheera? Leeam?” Ellard swung in a slow circle but saw nothing but trees. “Maybe it’s my imagination. Give me your hand, and I’ll pull you up.”
“No. I need to crawl to my feet. Just hold on to my arm and help me balance.” As she spoke, she rolled and used her arms to push to a crouch.
Ellard watched her face, saw the strain in her features, and a sense of pride engulfed him at her lack of complaint. He helped guide her until she stood fully upright. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sore, but we need to move. I can’t see anyone,” she added.
“You go first. Cast out with your feline senses, test the air to scent for danger.”
Gweneth wrinkled her nose. “I can’t do any of that.”
“Trust your gut. We need to proceed with caution.”
Gweneth set a slow pace, and he watched her for a time. When she didn’t flag, he paid more attention to their surrounds. The sense of someone observing them persisted, yet he couldn’t hear a sound. He would have thought the Incorporeal couple would have made their presence clear since he’d mentioned Niran. Must be a reason because his instincts weren’t playing him false.
Someone had attached themselves to them. Someone was observing their every move. Someone followed them through the forest.
Gweneth limped along the natural path that wound through the trees. Smooth and well-worn. Something…someone had made the path.
Up ahead, bright whitelight shone on the trail.
“It’s quiet. There should be birds and insects.” Gweneth came to an abrupt halt. “This clearing is full of those weird tube plants. Oh my stars! Did you see that?”
“What?”
“There was a small bird perching on a bushy olive-green tree on the edge of the clearing. That tube thing sent up a green tendril and snatched the bird right out of the tree.”
“I hope the one that ate my arm gets indigestion,” Ellard muttered. “Those things aren’t cheap. I cleaned out my savings to make the purchase.” And even worse, the Stores was a one-time installation. He forced his mind off the unpalatable fact.
“Part of the clearing has rocks. None of the plants are anywhere near them. I think they have to stick to the soft ground.”
“And near water. This clearing has a pond too. We’ll have to go around.” Ellard checked for a suitable route. Thick tree growth surrounded the glade. Off the beaten path, bright green plants grew in thick abundance. Each stalk carried a series of sharp spikes. “We’ll circle the clearing. Let me go first so I can break through the undergrowth.”
“Wait.” Gweneth grabbed his arm. “I can hear something.”
Ellard sent his senses soaring, his feline stirring as if he anticipated danger.
“No danger,” the voice whispered.
But Ellard didn’t move and remained still, casting out his senses to get an idea of what might make the cracking noise. He caught Gweneth’s gaze and she mouthed at him then turned a quiet circle to take in their surroundings. So, she’d heard the voice too this time.
The crashing sounds continued, coming closer. Ellard signaled Gweneth, and they both edged off the path and hid behind a tree.
A bird appeared, but not like any bird he’d seen before. A weird grating moan came from the clearing, and the plants pulled back from the edges until they stood in a solid mass of white and mustard. Their writhing green tendrils retracted until they were short stubs attached to each plant. A second and a third bird trailed the first, equally huge in size. Their hefty legs and talon feet crushed the twigs and sticks on the path. Their bodies were birdlike, but on a large scale, and they possessed long necks with small heads and beady yellow eyes. Their brown feathers appeared almost furlike.
“They made the path,” Gweneth whispered, her breath warm against his ear. “Let’s hope they’re vegetarian. I’ve seen something similar on the planet Ornum. The birds I’m thinking of are rare, but they’re plant-eaters.”
“I wish the dragons had told us about the dangers here,” Ellard murmured, not taking his gaze off the approaching birds.
“Maybe they don’t know,” Gweneth said. “If they can’t fly over without getting pulled at by the glittery fever, then why would they travel here?”
“But Niran and his people come here. He should’ve mentioned something.”
Gweneth shrugged then winced. “Maybe he was too worried.”
“No danger,” the voice whispered.
“I hope you’re right.” As Ellard spoke, the nearest of the huge birds stared straight at him. Ellard froze, and the bird gave him another searching look before it ambled past. At the edge of the clearing, it waited. The moans from the plants increased in intensity. The other two birds lined up beside the first, and without warning, they charged.
The plants shrieked, but the birds ignored the cacophony. They seized one flower tube, and with combined effort, they dragged it from the group. The tube screamed and struggled, helpless in the grip of the birds. They dragged it from the clearing and into the trees. As soon as they reached the dim light, the tube’s struggles ceased.
“That answers two questions,” Ellard said. “The plants need the whitelight, and the big birds seem to prefer vegetables. Let’s go. If we hurry, we can skirt the clearing while the tubes are in a tizzy.”
Gweneth nodded and stepped onto the path. She muttered under her breath, pausing to stretch her right leg before hustling toward the clearing.
The birds had devoured the tube and strutted back in the direction of the massed plant tubes. The high-pitch screeches resumed but Ellard didn’t pause to look, instead striding after Gweneth.
The track reached the base of a hill and the gradient increased. The trees were thinner here and the rocks glittered different colors in the whitelight.
“Might find a cave,” Gweneth said.
“Maybe.” The top of the hill appeared flat. “If we climb up here, we might see where we are. The dragons will send out searchers if we fail to return.” At least he hoped that would be the case. Ransom had struck him as an honorable male.
“Danger,” the ghostly voice whispered, so faint Ellard wondered if his imagination played him false. But that little voice hadn’t steered them wrong so far.
“Let’s stay in the trees during this blacklight,” Ellard said. “Stay under the cover of the trees and observe before we make any decis
ions.”
Gweneth gave a tired nod. “I’m not sure I could make the journey at present. Every single muscle is singing a protest in time with my brain.”
“Why didn’t you say?”
“Wasn’t safe to linger.”
Ellard bit back his protest at her logic. She’d done what she needed to do to get to safety, and now he needed to do the rest.
The familiar drone of a ship had him peering through the trees. The pilot wouldn’t see them through the mass of vegetation.
“Quick, run back to the clearing. Try to hail them.”
Chapter 8
Ellard took half a step and bumped into a cold but invisible wall. At his next step, the icy wall engulfed him and a shudder sped across his skin. His feline grunted, and each of his senses—both humanoid and feline—spiked to full awareness.
“Ellard, hurry.”
“No.” He had to push out the word, the cold so bad he couldn’t think.
“Kiss.” The weak demand sounded next to his ear.
He took a step back toward Gweneth, and the cold disappeared. He studied their surroundings and couldn’t feel or sense anyone dangerous.
“Why aren’t you trying to get help?”
Ellard turned to face her. “Our invisible friends attempted to stop me. Can you hear them talking?”
Ellard closed the distance between them and slid his arm around Gweneth. Before she could voice the questions shining in his eyes, he kissed her. He dived straight into the experience, tasting her lips and the silken depths beyond. After her initial start, she slipped her arms around his neck and clung, pressing her breasts against his chest. A pleasurable shudder worked down his body to sink into his cock. Phrull. He closed his eyes and focused on the buzz of enjoyment, her scent, her taste.
The squawk of a bird had him raising his gaze to scan their surroundings. He remained close and allowed the truth to simmer between them.
Gweneth quirked a brow at him, her luscious lips tilting up at the corners. “What was that?”
“You don’t know? I must not be doing it right.”
Her smile broadened to a smirk. “You know you’re doing it right, Ellard. I want to know why.”
“An experiment.”
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