And that was the truth.
“I don’t want to die here.”
“I wouldn’t want to die here either.” He sniffed the air. It smelled vaguely of an arrancar. They were predatory creatures, also one of the few animals in Level Two that could easily take down a hunter or prey.
“Is this where you slept last night?”
She nodded. “I tried to find something better, but it was just too cold and dark. This was the best I could come up with on such short notice.”
He glanced around, noting how open and exposed she was. The barren trees didn’t provide proper cover. The animals couldn’t sneak up behind her, but one could pounce on her from above. She wasn’t out in the open, but she was still exposed. Her fire was a beacon to animals and hunters alike. She wouldn’t last another day in her current predicament.
“You’ll need better shelter for tonight. You have all day to look. Be careful. There are two other hunters in this arena. They’re going to be better skilled than the hunters you’ve encountered in the last level.”
Esme let out a deep sigh. Her body seemed to deflate. “Of course they are.”
“But you can handle them. You had a blade that you knew how to use. Did you look over the rest of the survival items and weapons at your disposal now?”
“I had to use the spear last night. Some crazy wolf-looking thing was following me. I didn’t know if he was a friend or foe. I didn’t kill him, I just scared him away. I had to get him off my tail.”
“It’s called an arrancar, and it’s definitely a foe. The good thing about them is they’re very territorial and solitary hunters. The arrancar will continue to seek you out until you kill him or he kills you.”
“That’s a good thing?”
“Since they’re solitary it means that there are no other predators in this area. You only need to worry about one.”
She used her blade to push the fire sticks closer together. “Great. Not only am I being hunted by aliens, but I’m being hunted by alien animals too.”
“You’re in a new level. The stakes are higher.”
“Right.” She glanced at him, and at that moment he knew she was perfect.
Her hair was in disarray with uncontrollable waves. If they’d met in a different setting, he would’ve approached her and started his mating claim. He would’ve made his intentions clear, so all her other suitors knew as well. He would’ve lavished her with gifts large and small, giving her anything her single heart desired.
But they hadn’t met under normal circumstances, and no matter how much he wanted the female in front of him, he couldn’t have her. Never in the history of The Hunt had a warden entered the game to lay claim on prey. The scandal would do more than have the bureaucrats questioning his leadership. It would ruin his family’s business forever.
“What happens in Level Three?” she asked. “Will the hunters be allowed to kill me?” When he didn’t respond, she glared at him. “Seriously?”
“It would incur the same price as if they’d captured and claimed you.”
Esme inhaled a sharp breath.
“While it does happen, it would be a wasteful use of time, credits and energy. Hunters aren’t likely to come in the game to kill their prey. They would be losing their investment.”
Esme pulled her knees to her chest. “I want to go home.”
“Then you have to beat the game. And to do that you’ll need to get out of the open. I didn’t have any trouble finding you.”
She locked eyes with him. “You never seem to have trouble finding me.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I’m curious about you.”
Esme scooped up snow with her bare hands and dumped it on the fire sticks. They sizzled, and steam billowed and rose in the air. “Well, you shouldn’t be. When I beat this game, I’m going home. That means I’m not planning on being an alien’s mate. And it doesn’t matter how helpful you’ve been either. Not even yours.”
He smirked. No matter how fond of her he was, he couldn’t. The Hunt wouldn’t survive the scandal.
She gathered the now cool sticks and stuffed them into the coat pocket. “By the way. I’m keeping this coat. No take-backs.”
“You can have it.”
She got up, and he saw how the coat dwarfed her. It reached past her knees, and the arms hung well past her hands.
“I think the coat may hinder rather than help you. You won’t be able to run in it. For your safety, I should take it back.” He reached out to grab it.
She used one of the coat’s long arms to slap his hand away. “I’ll figure something out. It’s too comfortable to give up.”
“You should use the one that’s available to you.”
Esme started off, leaving him behind. “I’ll get it later, but for now I’m keeping this one. You might as well come with me,” she hollered over her shoulder. “It will save you the trouble of trying to find me later.”
She was right about that. Xrez trotted to her side.
“So do you know this area? Any good hiding places?” she asked.
“I don’t know if I should be helping you find shelter. It might not work out in your favor or mine.”
“Right. I have to survive on my own.” She trudged on.
“But if it were me, I would look for high ground. I would also realize The Hunt has been in existence for generations.”
“How would I realize that?” She struggled to walk through the deep snow. The snow came up to her knees. He resisted the urge to pick her up and carry her, letting her rest in his arms where he would protect her.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you would run into a chatty hunter?”
A hint of a smile crossed her lips. “Right, and if this hunt has been going on for a long time, then there’s probably plenty of shelters around here. I just have to find the right one.” Esme stopped and looked around, turning in a semi-circle. “Like that cave, Payton and I found in Level One,” she whispered under her breath.
He wanted so badly to point out the mountain range seven clicks to the south. The trees had leaves which meant coverage, food, and water.
“I think I’ll go that way.” She pointed to the south.
“That would be a good idea.”
“A good idea that I thought about all on my own.”
“Of course.”
Chapter Eighteen
Esme had five hiding spots to choose from. There was a tight pit hidden next to a sprawling green and orange bush. If she crawled in feet first, she had just enough room to turn around, but couldn’t do much else. There was a cave that could’ve easily fit twenty people with plenty room to spare. But it was massive, too large, cold and drafty.
A quick inspection revealed many entrances and exits. She wouldn’t feel cornered, but she also didn’t like the idea of hunters coming in through any of those entrances. She found a crevice between two rocks on a sloped part of a hill. It had one way in and one way out but only allowed her to sit comfortably. There was another pit that allowed her to be comfortable and it was well hidden, but the rank smell and clumps of fur were dead giveaways that she would have a roommate.
The last she’d found by pure accident. She’d been trying to climb a tree to get to the next ridge when her foot had slipped. Instead of her foot hitting the side of the mountain, it had gone through a hidden opening. Curious, she dropped to her hands and knees and crawled through a tight tunnel, reaching a cavernous opening.
“It’s dark. I can’t see anything,” Esme whispered.
“Call for firesticks.”
Esme pushed the now illuminated icon on her comlink. Seconds later a ball popped to the surface. She opened it and activated the firesticks.
“You can call for as many as you need,” Xrez said. “Since it’s so cold here, the firesticks are unlimited. Unfortunately, you won’t have this same luxury in Level Three.”
After pushing the icon a few more times, she placed the firesticks around the cave until it was well lit.
> The selling point on the cave wasn’t just the hidden access, but the shallow underground hot spring and the dirt ground. She could finally take a bath, and she could call a pod in an emergency. The choice was easy. The cave was larger than the one her and Payton had stayed in, but still small enough so that the heat rising from the hot spring kept the space warm enough for her to take off her coat and feel comfortable.
She dropped her purse on top of the folded coat then with hands on hips took another look around. The walls were made of a mix of dirt and stone and guessing from the distance they’d crawled to get inside the cave, she could talk without worrying about her voice carrying to the outside.
“So this is the place I’m calling home until I progress to Level Three.”
Xrez smacked the wall and nodded when he heard a dull thump in return. “It’s well insulated. You’ll stay warm. You should also keep the other places we’ve seen today in mind just in case you’re caught out in the open and can’t reach this one in time to hide.”
“But that might be a moot point anyway. If I’m caught out there and can’t get back, I’ll have to transport myself away.”
“Only use it in emergencies.”
Running into a hunter other than Xrez was an emergency. Could she outrun one? If it came down to it would she kill one again? Her stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot.
Xrez walked over to the hot spring and crouched to flick his finger in it. “There’s an underground stream here. I see the current. It’s coming in through the rocks on the other side there and leaving through an opening here. This will serve you well as a good water source for drinking and bathing.”
She itched to take her clothes off and scrub the grime from her body. But she had to get her questions answered first. “Xrez, where would I end up if I called for a pod?”
“You’ll end up in another part of the Level Two arena.”
“In Level One we stayed in the jungle, just different parts of it. Will it be the same? Will I still be someplace cold?”
Xrez stood and nodded. “This arena is called the Arctic Wasteland. No matter where you go you’ll be cold.”
“So to survive Level Two, I’ll be up against the elements as well as the hunters.”
“There won’t be as many hunters as you’ve faced before. Only the serious hunters progress onward.”
At least she didn’t have to worry about bumping into hunters as often. But when she did see one, they’ll be more advanced than what she’d encountered in Level One. “I’ll have to be smart to survive.”
She had smarts on lock. That’s if she was being judged on book smarts—which she wasn’t. In the area of street and survival? She was severely lacking. She wasn’t going to let that small caveat deter her though.
“I have a good home base,” she continued. “I’ll only go out when necessary. If I play my cards right, I can probably stay in here until my time is up then progress to the next level.” She nodded to herself. “This level is going to be easier than the last one.”
He gave her a pitying look. “Sorry, but you’re wrong. Check your comlink.”
She did as told and immediately noticed it was different. How hadn’t she seen this before? The icon to talk to the others was gone altogether. Next to the transporter icon were two solid lines instead of three and the food icon also appeared slightly different.
She scrunched her brows. “How do I contact the others now?” She tapped on the comlink where the icon used to be. “Do I call them another way?”
“You’re on your own. Communicating is only allowed in Level One.”
“So they want us to split up, do this on our own. Okay. But they throw us a lifeline, so we’re able to share advice and tips and talk to each other. At least we’re able to make friends and not feel so…so alone. Then, they snatch that away from us?” She pressed her lips tight together. She could barely control her anger.
“I’m sorry, but I did tell you that each level would get harder.”
“So what happens in Level Three? We’ll be forced to kill one another?”
“Esme, calm down. The more you’re able to survive on your own, the faster you can win. You can do this.”
She could do it, but it would be better if she had everyone else to talk to at night. How would she know who’d made it or not? Thanks to the game attendants she wouldn’t.
“This sucks.” A burning sensation spread across her chest, and she fell back against the wall. Now she had to deal with more experienced hunters and limited escape options. She tapped the band on her comlink. “Do I even want to know why this food icon is different?”
Xrez winced. “You get water. That’s it.”
With all the stress during the last day, she hadn’t tried to call for food. Every time she remembered her knife piercing that alien’s flesh and how warm his blood had felt pouring over her, her stomach twisted into knots, and she had to swallow down puke. Killing someone—alien or not—was enough to take away her appetite. “Please don’t tell me that I have to find my own food out here.”
“Not find. Hunt.”
Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Esme twisted her hands. The cave seemed to grow hotter and hotter with each passing moment. Prickly heat spread across her forehead and chest. “B-but I don’t want to hunt for my food.”
He crossed his arms and tilted his head, peering down at her. “Then you won’t eat.”
“Humans can live two to three weeks without food.”
“And I’m sure the game attendants are aware of that fact. Believe me, they won’t advance you to the next level if you can’t survive. I’m sorry, but hiding in a cave isn’t surviving. It’s hiding. It’ll take you a very long time to get through this level.”
A small cry burst from her lips, and she covered her face with her hands. Any courage she once had was now gone. She’d tried so hard to stay strong, but this was what would do her in. She’d killed an alien and now was being forced to kill daily for her food. How could she survive now?
Xrez’s steps echoed off the walls then strong arms surrounded her. She stiffened, but her uneasiness faded quickly, and she relaxed in his embrace. It wasn’t that she particularly enjoyed him hugging her, she told herself. She missed the show of emotion. Since waking up on an alien planet, she’d been on guard and so focused on surviving, that there was no time for the simple things in life, like a hug.
Esme tried to ignore how right his arms felt around her. She also tried to ignore being surrounded by muscles and his woodsy scent. She rested the side of her face on the area between his rippling stomach and hard pecs.
Despite how hard he was, she found the short hairs covering his body soft. The pricks of his claws against her back should’ve made her uneasy, but the effect was the complete opposite. Knowing they rested so close to her skin sent a pleasurable tingle down her spine. The anxiety that coursed through her slowly disappeared.
She felt safe in his arms. No matter what went on outside these walls, she was safe inside the cave with Xrez, and she didn’t want him to let her go.
“You have the necessary tools to get what you need.” He lifted a hand to stroke her head. His claws gently grazed her scalp, and his fingers continued downward to sift through her hair. She snuggled deeper into his embrace as he wrapped one of her curls around the tip of his finger. “When you’re out hunting you’ll have to make sure no one is hunting you.”
She should’ve been afraid by his statement, but the deepness of his voice made her feel strangely secure.
“That’s how this level works.”
As if realizing how closely he held her and how he played with her hair, Xrez dropped his arms and stepped back, suddenly finding the wall more interesting than her. “Um…keep your wits about you and remember to stay away from the arrancar. It won’t like that you’re hunting in its territory.”
“So I’ll need to kill it?” Her stomach tightened at the thought.
“If you kill it another will claim its territory. It’
s a never-ending battle with those beasts. Try to stay out of its way. If it attacks you, defend yourself. The best scenario would be to wound it. That might give it pause to steer clear of you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Esme hugged herself, suddenly feeling overwhelmed, cold and alone. She cleared her throat. “The first thing I should probably do is take advantage of that pool to wash. The last time I was clean was when I met you. I hate to even admit that out loud.”
Good Lord, she’d rubbed her stink all over him. No wonder he’d dropped her and stepped away like she had the plague.
“I should go and let you…” It seemed he would continue, but instead he abruptly turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Xrez paused.
Esme bit her lip. She would be a fool to do what she was thinking. “Can you stick around for a little while longer? I really want to take a bath, and I’d feel better if I had someone watching my back.”
Xrez didn’t turn around. She braced herself for rejection. He would walk out and leave her alone. What right did she have to ask him to watch over her when he’d proved time and time again that he wouldn’t get involved if she was in danger?
Xrez’s shoulders contracted and released as he took in hard breaths. “I’ll stay.”
Esme didn’t wait for him to turn around. She wasn’t sure if he would. Instead, she turned her back on him and slipped out of her clothes, embarrassed how dirty she was and how bad she smelled. Dried blood, grime, dirt and sweat caked her. When she was naked, she gathered her clothes and stepped into the pool, submerging herself in the warm, clean water.
“Oh, my God. This feels so good.”
She let go of her clothes, leaving them to float. She would clean them later. Esme leaned back and did the same, spreading out her arms and closing her eyes. She really needed to wash up, but that could wait a little while longer.
She laid there, letting the water calm her as she floated in relative peace. After a while, the water rippled around her, and she cracked an eye open. Sitting on the ledge was Xrez, fully dressed and legs dangling in the water. His boots were on the ground next to him. He had her clothes in his hands.
The Game Warden's Mate: An Alien Abduction Romance (The Hunt Book 1) Page 15