Thunde

by Arcadia Shield

  “Where did you live on Earth?”

  “At the top of a big hill, close to Old Richmond. When I stepped out of the front door, I could see a river. When I was young, the water used to be crystal blue and boats would bob up and down on it in high tide. But as the last war progressed, it became a dark, muddy brown, full of pollution and dead bodies.”

  “You have a lot of water on your planet?”

  “Many oceans,” said Jessie. “Have you been to Earth?”

  “Never have,” said Thunde. “Did you swim in the oceans?”

  “I’m not that good at swimming,” said Jessie. “But I like water. I find it relaxing to stand near the sea and hear the tide rustling in and out.”

  “On Vorten, our seas are full of deadly animals. You never want to get too near, just in case one jumps out and eats you.”

  “That is different to Earth,” said Jessie. “Doubt you’ll find me paddling in an ocean on Vorten any time soon.”

  “Not a wise thing to do.”

  They walked together in silence, Jessie’s hand brushing against Thunde's from time to time.

  Thunde placed a hand gently on Jessie’s shoulder and was pleased when she didn’t flinch away. “When we get out of here, you’re going to need to think about what you do with your life. Escaping a Fraken game won’t be the end of it. The Fraken will want you, and you’ll be a fugitive.”

  “I guess they will.”

  Thunde couldn't stop the next words coming out, even though he wasn't sure why he thought them. “You might like to come with me. We can use someone with a good brain in their head.”

  “I’d only get in the way of whatever you're planning,” said Jessie. “I haven’t thought about what happens after this game. It seems too much to hope that we’ll really get out.”

  “Think about it now.” Thunde was disappointed at Jessie's cool reaction to his offer. “We’ve got some time. The Fraken will be regrouping and wondering what to throw at us next. Use that time to consider what you want to do, once you’re free from here.”

  Jessie’s head dipped to her chest. “If I survive the game, that is.”

  Thunde squeezed Jessie’s shoulder. “When you survive. I promise you; we’re going to get out of this together.”

  Chapter 11

  The enthusiasm Jessie had felt when Thunde talked about getting out was gone. She would love to see what space had to offer her but knew there was no chance she was going to see it. She was going to die in this game and couldn’t figure out how Thunde was going to get them out. It wasn’t possible. If they came up against another Fraken beast in their current condition, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

  She found her pace slowing and dropped a few steps back from Thunde. He’d been trying to comfort her when they were talking, convince her they were going to get out. But he didn’t know how that was going to happen, so how could she trust him? He might believe the words of his fellow Vortens, but that didn’t mean she had to.

  Jessie’s gaze rested on Thunde’s back. He was huge, easily two heads taller than her, and three times as wide, if not more. She could see how his size would be intimidating to anyone who didn’t know him. But as she’d seen, he had a softer side. Maybe not soft, but a kind nature, and he was determined to keep her safe.

  He was also loyal and proud to be part of this elite warrior squad, and his eyes shone with pride when he talked about them. Maybe sticking with Thunde wasn’t a bad idea. And, he was nice to look at; his muscles were stunning, and she loved the way the colors flitted across his skin, almost as if his camouflage abilities had a mind of their own.

  “We should stop here.” Thunde dragged her out of her thoughts. “This hollow will do for shelter. We can eat and rest.”

  “Fine by me.” Jessie untied her bag from around her waist. “Can I help with anything?”

  “You can gather wood for the fire,” said Thunde.

  Jessie walked around and snagged some small branches and twigs as the base for a fire before selecting a few larger logs.

  “You know how to make a decent fire,” said Thunde, as she arranged the logs in front of him in a small dip in the ground.

  “I’m not just a pretty face,” said Jessie.

  “I like your face. Those marks on your nose are interesting.” Thunde turned his back on her and began rummaging in his bag.

  Jessie wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not and rubbed her hand on her nose, wondering if there was dirt on her face. “What’s for dinner? I fancy something exotic.”

  “It’s bland ration pack number one or number two.” Thunde turned and held out two packets of food.

  Jessie took the one in his right hand. “I’ll make these more palatable by adding herbs. They’ll enhance the flavor.”

  “I’ve experienced your herbs,” said Thunde. “They left me in an unconscious heap on the ground the first time I sampled them.”

  “Those were berries, not herbs.” Jessie smiled shyly. “And I did think you were going to kill me at the time. I was protecting myself.”

  “I should have,” said Thunde. “It’s a humiliation I’m not going to live down easily, being dropped by a tiny human.”

  “At least I didn’t stab you when you were out cold.”

  “I’m thankful for small mercies.”

  Jessie grinned as she ripped open the food pouch. “These are better warm, as well.”

  “Yes, I find the blandness fades if it’s heated.”

  “I’ll look around for some herbs.” Jessie handed Thunde her pack. “You can warm it up, and I’ll make it taste nice.”

  Ten minutes later, they were both eating warm, peppery infused ration food.

  “You’re right; whatever is in here does make it more palatable,” said Thunde.

  “I spotted some herbs when we were walking,” said Jessie. “I tried them and had no ill effects, so assumed they’re safe to cook with.”

  Thunde swallowed his last mouthful of food and stared suspiciously at the empty pack. “You’re sure the herbs aren’t poisonous?”

  “Absolutely. My tongue didn’t go numb, and there were no blisters on my skin. Both sure signs the plant is toxic.”

  “If I start to vomit and collapse, then I’m blaming you.” Thunde shot Jessie a glare, but she didn’t sense any malice behind it.

  “If I have got it wrong, we’re both in trouble.” Jessie licked her fingers clean. “But you don’t have to worry; stick with me, and I’ll make you some amazing meals.”

  “You like to cook?”

  “I enjoy making the most out of limited resources,” said Jessie. “Earth isn’t known for having great food. I got inventive with dried pouches of food. It’s amazing what some salt and a few herbs can do to a dish.”

  “On Vorten, we use food for fuel,” said Thunde. “But I’ve had some decent meals on space stations. You can get almost anything you want if you can afford it.”

  “Perhaps I’ll cook you a meal one day,” said Jessie, “one that isn’t heated over an open fire and then eaten with our fingers.”

  “This isn’t so bad,” said Thunde. “But I’m taking you up on the offer of food. I never turn it down.”

  Jessie grinned at him. “I can see that.”

  Thunde flexed his biceps. “I need to eat a lot to maintain my physique.”

  Jessie felt heat rising up her neck as she realized she was staring at Thunde’s chest. “So, what now?”

  “I want to check your injuries,” said Thunde.

  “Oh, they’re already feeling better.” Jessie rolled her shoulders and pressed her fingers against some of the bruises on her flesh. “I mean, I’ve got a few aches, and a couple of cuts, but nothing like you.”

  “I insist,” said Thunde. “A dragon does not slash you gently with its claws. And it’s easy for infection to take over in these games. If prey don’t treat their injuries correctly, they lose because they’re too weak to stand up to their predator.”

  “I could be in the peak of ph
ysical fitness and still lose to you,” said Jessie.

  “I insist,” said Thunde, “for your safety and my peace of mind.”

  Jessie sighed, but a tingle of excitement shot through her at the thought of Thunde wanting to look at her body. “I guess it’s a good idea.”

  “My ideas are always good.”

  Jessie took a deep breath, not believing what she was about to say. “But only if I can check your injuries again, as well.”

  ***

  “Agreed.” Thunde wiped his fingers carefully on his trousers, suddenly unsure of himself, and feeling too large and uneasy in his skin. Jessie was so fragile, and he wanted to make sure she was safe, but he was also aware of his growing attraction for her. He couldn’t figure out why he felt uncomfortable about that. He’d been with plenty of other women and always enjoyed looking at them. But it was different with Jessie. He wanted to protect her and keep her safe, but her intellect and spirit were attractive, making him want to learn more and explore her mind, as well as her petite figure.

  “Who goes first?” Jessie shuffled from foot to foot, not looking at Thunde.

  “We could do it together,” said Thunde. “My injuries are minimal and on my shoulder, leg, and chest mainly.”

  “You got smacked unconscious by a dragon’s tail and then chewed on,” said Jessie. “That left a mark.”

  “I was mainly winded,” said Thunde. “But thanks for reminding me of that.”

  Jessie glanced up at him. “I thought it had killed you.”

  “It will take more than a swipe from a dragon hybrid to end my life.”

  “Or a bite from a dragon,” said Jessie. “I’m still amazed you have any leg left.”

  Thunde flexed the muscles in his leg and instantly regretted it. “So am I.”

  “Right.” Jessie slapped her hands against her thighs. “Let’s start at the top and work down.” She undid her shirt and shrugged it off.

  Thunde stared at her, unable to look away as she revealed herself to him. Underneath her shirt was smooth, pale skin. She had a slim waist, and her arms were lean and toned.

  “Well?” Jessie held her shirt in front of her, her cheeks pink. “Your turn.”

  Thunde fumbled with the clasp on his weapons harness before shrugging off the remains of his shirt. He heard Jessie take a large intake of breath.

  “Those wounds still look bad.” She stepped towards him, and her fingers brushed lightly over the slashes the dragon's claws had inflicted. “I hope they’re not infected. We don’t have many Medi-patches left.”

  “What you did was fine,” said Thunde. “As you can see, the wounds are healing. There is no infection.”

  Jessie leaned forward as she inspected his wounds, and Thunde could feel her breath tickling his chest. “They do look clean. I didn’t wash them, though. I didn’t think about that. Maybe I should wash them now.”

  “There’s no need.”

  “Yes, there is. We need to be sure you don’t get an infection.” Jessie hurried away, grabbed a bottle of water from her bag, and returned to his side.

  “It’s a waste of water if you clean me.”

  “Stop complaining. I know how to find more,” said Jessie. “I hope this doesn’t sting.” She dipped the corner of her shirt in the water, removed the Medi-patches, and dabbed the wounds.

  Thunde struggled to suppress a curse as pain flared across his cuts. “I should be taking care of you.”

  “We can take care of each other,” said Jessie. “If you get sick now, I’m done for. I won’t be able to get a second warrior to drink one of my drugged liquids, or convince them I’m worth saving and fleeing from this game with. And as for getting into an actual fight, I wouldn't stand a chance.”

  Thunde thought Jessie could convince anyone to help her. His hand hovered over her head, tempted to stroke her hair, but he resisted.

  “It’s not too painful?” Jessie glanced up at Thunde.

  “It’s fine,” said Thunde. “And having the advantage over an enemy isn’t all about throwing your weight around.”

  “It’s never been that in my case,” said Jessie. “I’m hardly built for fighting with my fists.”

  The thought of Jessie fighting for her life against someone, trying to hurt them with her petite, scar-free hands, made him feel sick. “How are the wounds looking?” Thunde’s hand raised again. He could see Jessie’s hair was dirty, but he wondered what it would look like clean. He imagined it was silky and soft to the touch. It was something he’d like to find out. But there was no way she’d be interested in a brute like him. Jessie was looking out for herself by helping keep him alive. She was smart and knew he was her best chance of survival; that was the reason she was being kind to him.

  “They look good,” said Jessie. “Well, as good as slash marks can look. Let me check your shoulder, now.”

  Thunde straightened his spine as Jessie got even closer to him and looked at the puncture marks. “Well?”

  “They look deep.”

  “Vortens have enhanced self-healing abilities. So long as no infection sets in, the wounds will heal themselves.”

  “They’ll heal quicker with another Medi-patch on them.” Jessie reached for her bag.

  “Save it for yourself,” said Thunde.

  “My wounds are no more important than yours.”

  “Yes, they are,” said Thunde. “You don’t heal quickly. And I’m not going to carry you through the rest of the game if you get too weak to move.”

  “As if you’d do that,” said Jessie.

  “I would,” said Thunde. “And I’d barely notice you in my arms. You’re as light as a bird.”

  “I bet I wasn’t when you caught me.”

  “Actually, that surprised me,” said Thunde. “But you were easy to catch, and I can carry you if you desire it.”

  “You’re talking nonsense.” A blush crept across Jessie’s cheeks.

  Thunde smiled, liking her modesty. This was a different experience to his time with Vorten women. With them, it was always quick and fast. They picked a strong, healthy male, mated with him, and then left. He liked Vorten female company and enjoyed nothing more than a good hard fuck with one, but he’d never felt any connection to them.

  And, until today, he’d always been sure of himself when it came to females. His muscles caused positive reactions in every female who encountered him. But Thunde realized he wanted to impress Jessie without scaring her. He wanted her to see him as a protector, not someone to be threatened by. She looked so vulnerable, standing there in her torn trousers and vest. But she’d stood up to a dragon hybrid, drugged him, and stolen his weapons. She wasn’t as fragile as he thought she was.

  “Let me check your injuries now,” said Thunde.

  Jessie took a step back. “Really, I’m fine. And I haven’t looked at your leg yet.”

  “For my own reassurance,” said Thunde. “And I need to be sure you have no internal injuries.”

  “How will you check that?”

  “Dark bruising on the skin is one sign,” said Thunde. “A hard knock to the head or other parts of the body will cause deeper trauma that might not manifest, at first.”

  “You know a lot about injuries.”

  “I’ve been a warrior a long time,” said Thunde. “You have to know what needs treating and what you can leave when in battle. Having that knowledge will save your life.”

  Jessie licked her lips and then held her arms out. “See, there’s no damage.”

  Thunde failed to resist staring at Jessie’s body again, and he felt himself harden as he looked at the smooth lines and soft curves of her flesh. So different from Vorten women, but attractive. And he’d felt her skin before, so knew how soft it was. And he wanted to feel more.

  His eyes narrowed as he saw what looked like a bite mark on her shoulder. He touched the injury. “Who did that to you?”

  “One of the Fraken guards just before I left the cells.” Jessie covered the teeth marks with her hand.
<
br />   Thunde removed her hand and the Medi-patch on the wound and growled. “They do this when they... take a female.”

  Jessie sighed. “He would have raped me, but he was disturbed.”

  Thunde placed his palm over the injury. “I will kill him.”

  “It's on my list of things to do as well.”

  Rage crawled through Thunde's stomach as he imagined a Fraken damaging Jessie, hurting her and humiliating her. She deserved so much better.

  “Can I put my shirt back on?” Jessie gripped her shirt to her chest.

  “Turn around first,” said Thunde. “I need to check your back, as well.”

  “There’s no need,” said Jessie.

  “Turn around.”

  Jessie sighed and slowly rotated in front of him. He stepped forward and raised the vest she wore before running a hand along her back. “You have bruising on the lower right side.”

  “It’s sore but nothing serious,” said Jessie. “I got it when I landed in your arms after jumping out of the tree.”

  Thunde pressed a hand to the darkened skin, feeling Jessie’s warmth radiate along his fingers. “It doesn’t hurt when I do that?”

  “Well, yes,” said Jessie. “But it’s a bruise, it’s supposed to feel uncomfortable when someone prods it with an enormous finger.”

  “Sorry. I was trying to be gentle.” He stroked his hand up her spine a couple of times. She was so soft, and he liked the way her flesh gave under his touch. And she was warmer than him; her body temperature must be slightly higher than his. He saw Jessie shudder, and her flesh goose bumped.

  “Any more injuries?” Jessie’s words came out shaky.

  “Not that I can see.” Thunde dropped his hand from her skin. “Are you cold?”

  “It’s not cold,” said Jessie. She turned and stared into Thunde’s eyes. “Thanks for checking me over.”

  “You’re welcome.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. “You can put your shirt on now.” He didn’t want her to. He wanted to keep exploring her body, remove her trousers, and run his hands up and down her legs, press his lips to her flesh, and see what she tasted like. Thunde knew he needed to be careful with Jessie, but she’d challenged him and was tougher than she looked. Would she be tough enough to handle him? It was something he hoped he’d find out.