Lazet

by Arcadia Shield

  “My love life is none of your business.”

  “It was my business not so long ago.”

  Melody glared at him. “That was a mistake.”

  “Fine. But I’d still like to know more about you,” said Lazet. “Why not tell me, and the audience watching, something about you that will stick in our memories? You could go on one of the prey boards the Fraken put up. The top ten most memorable prey would be nice to aim for.”

  “I don’t care what the audience thinks of me,” said Melody. “But I’ll be up there. Everyone will remember how I trapped you the first time we met.”

  Lazet gave her a rueful grin. “Yes, that should stick in people’s memories. As will you being dragged into this swamp.”

  Melody flicked more mud at Lazet.

  “Enough. Tell me about your time on Earth.”

  “It was nothing special,” said Melody, after a short pause. “I wasn’t anybody important if that’s what you’re interested in. You won’t be able to sell me for any profit.”

  “So, if you were a nobody on your own planet, what were you doing going into space? Did you hope you’d have your dreams and wishes fulfilled by a gorgeous alien?”

  Melody shifted in the swamp. “Not likely.”

  “You did!” Lazet laughed. “You thought you’d hop on board a spaceship and every problem would vanish?”

  “I wasn’t going to rely on anyone to make a better future for me,” said Melody. “But I did wonder if other races would be different to humans. We did a good job of messing up our planet, and I wanted something else, something better than dying from radiation poisoning.”

  Lazet felt a pang of regret. He hadn’t meant to tease Melody so much. “Not every alien is going to welcome you into the stars. We all know what you’ve done. What’s to say you won’t do it to others when humans get a foothold somewhere else?”

  “There aren’t enough of us to do any real damage anymore,” said Melody. “It was always the people in charge who made the biggest mistakes. They were the ones who had the weapons. The rest of us had to sit around and watch it happen.”

  Lazet nodded. He’d watched the archived footage. Missiles had gone off target, hitting highly populated areas. Millions died or were badly injured.

  “Besides, I know nothing about warfare,” said Melody.

  “You know some,” said Lazet.

  “Sure, I got one over on you,” said Melody. “But as I said before, my luck never holds for long.”

  Lazet finished his food and stood. “You change your own luck, just as you make it. If bad luck follows you around, it’s because that’s what you want.”

  “Not true,” shot back Melody.

  “Well, it looks like this is your lucky day because, despite you not asking for help, I’m willing to get you out of that swamp and save that pretty face of yours.”

  “How kind of you.”

  Lazet took a couple of steps into the swamp, checking he was on sturdy ground before leaning forward. He pulled a blade from his weapons belt and turned it so the handle was pointing at Melody. “Grab hold of the end of this and pull yourself out.”

  Melody eyed the handle with suspicion. “What’s to say you won’t drop me again?”

  “It was fun the first time around, but I’m already bored of the swamp.” As Lazet looked down at Melody, who was splattered with foul smelling mud, her vibrant red hair hanging in stringy clumps against her cheeks, he realized she was still cute. He brushed the thought away and extended the blade. Believing your prey to be cute was not a smart move.

  Melody let out a sigh and then eased one hand out of the swamp. Her fingers had just brushed the end of the handle when she gave a yelp and vanished from sight.

  Lazet stared at the space Melody had been in. The swamp wouldn’t have taken her that quickly. He flipped the blade around in his hand and poked it gently in the swamp, hoping to feel her just underneath the surface. But there was nothing there.

  He walked out of the swamp and peered into it, his heart thundering in his chest. Where had she gone? If this was Melody’s idea of a joke, then it would backfire. She’d drown in seconds underneath the swamp.

  Lazet strode back in, this time letting the mud go up to his knees, feeling its force tug at him. He wasn’t worried about going under, he had the strength to get himself out. Feeling under the swampy surface, Lazet hoped to catch hold of an arm or leg, stop Melody from doing something stupid and getting herself killed. But there was nothing there.

  Melody had vanished.

  Chapter 8

  Melody fought against the punishingly tight grip around her middle. Something had pulled her under the swamp. She dug her fingernails into whatever it was, feeling it yield underneath her hand. Air vanished out of her lungs, and the desire to breathe became intense. Her heart thudded through her body, pounding in her ears, as panic raced through her. She had to get out, get back to the surface.

  She yanked against the thick, rubbery bind squeezing her waist. It had to be alive, whatever was holding her. But it was strong, and she could feel suckers adhered to her skin. It must be some sort of mutant sea beast the Fraken had sent into the game to liven things up.

  Punching the rubbery arm repeatedly, she felt it slacken an inch. Melody pushed her way to the surface and broke through for a second, taking in a welcome lungful of air.

  Through the stinging sludge in her eyes, she saw Lazet standing by the edge of the swamp. Hatred ran through her. He was just going to watch her die. He could help her if he wanted, but he was taking the easy way out. He was happy to stand there and let whatever this monster was kill his prey. That made him more of a coward than she was. Maybe he didn’t want to get his pretty blades dirty with her blood, but to stand there and watch her drown so calmly, without helping, that was low.

  Melody yelped as she was yanked under the swamp again. This time, her legs caught in a tangle of suckered arms. She kicked and bucked in the swamp, feeling herself being taken deeper. She didn’t know which way was up anymore. Even if she could break free from this beast’s bone crushing grip, she could end up pulling herself farther into the swamp, drowning as she went in the wrong direction in an attempt to escape.

  Groping around wildly through the murky water for a weapon, Melody hunted for anything that might give her an advantage over whatever this monster was. But there was nothing, only sticky mud, and freezing water. She thrust a hand into her coat pocket and felt something sharp scrape her skin. It was one of the stones she’d collected to defend herself against Lazet; she’d left one in her pocket. Melody pulled it out and slashed at the thing grabbing hold of her legs. She felt the stone rip through her clothes and a sting of fresh blood, but she wouldn’t give up. She kept slashing and tearing at the rubbery limb entwined around her legs. It loosened, and she kicked out several times. After numerous hard kicks, the thing let go and slid away.

  But Melody was almost out of air; black spots flashed in front of her eyes, and the strength seeped out of her muscles. She’d put everything she could into getting free from this beast and had no energy to do anything else.

  Melody closed her eyes as the last of the air left her lungs. She felt her arms float upwards. She should go that way. Maybe if she went up, she’d be free. But it was too much for her to think straight, let alone move.

  Her arms lowered as unconsciousness overtook her.

  ***

  A steady throb of panic ran through Lazet. He paced along the side of the swamp, waiting for a sign that Melody was still alive.

  She wasn’t joking as he thought she first was, and dread clutched at his stomach. Something had her under the swamp. Lazet stepped back into the waters and inched forward, feeling around for any sign of Melody.

  He grabbed at something soft and warm, but it was only soggy leaves trapped in the swamp. He threw them aside and kept searching. Melody had been under for too long. She’d be running out of air.

  A flash of something pale underneath the swampy water cau
ght his eye, and Lazet lunged at it. It was a hand; this time it was really her. He grabbed hold and pulled, but her flesh was slippery and slid out of his grip.

  Determined to save her, he went farther into the swamp and pushed his whole arm underneath. He let out a frustrated growl. There was nothing, Melody had gone again.

  He felt around some more, desperation and anger hitting him in the gut. If she died, then he’d have broken his promise to Axen. And he’d also have broken a promise to himself. He didn’t want to kill this woman. In fact, he liked her. He wanted to see her survive. Lazet wanted Melody to grab hold of some of the good luck she thought evaded her. She was clever, beautiful, and made him feel something he’d never felt before. He cared for her. It was the first time he’d ever worried about keeping a woman safe.

  He felt a flutter of movement against his hand and grabbed hold. His shoulder muscles strained as the swamp mud attempted to claim its victim. “You’re not having her; she’s mine.”

  And then he saw Melody’s hand, limp in his, as he continued to pull.

  “Just a few seconds more, and you’ll be free.” He backed out of the swamp, using his blade to anchor himself into the ground and stop it from swallowing his legs.

  Melody’s head emerged from the water, and Lazet’s heart pounded. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open, but he couldn’t see her taking any breaths. Maybe he was too late. The swamp had already claimed her.

  With a roar, he yanked Melody free, slipping backwards so that she fell on top of him as she escaped the swamp and its treacherous waters.

  They lay together in a tangled, filthy heap, the sulphurous stench of swamp drifting off both of them.

  Lazet rolled Melody onto her back and listened for a heartbeat. It was faint, but there. He shoved his fingers into her mouth and removed some of the mud. She gave a gurgling breath and her eyes fluttered.

  “You’ve got to breathe,” said Lazet. “I can’t imagine this is the way you’d want to die, covered in mud and soaking wet.”

  A gurgling sound came out of Melody’s mouth.

  “Keep doing that.” Lazet risked a glance at the sky. They were under the cover of trees, but drones would easily spot what he was doing. He grabbed hold of Melody’s shoulders and moved them to denser coverage.

  Melody began to cough, and Lazet rolled her onto her side and thumped her back. There could be mud or water on her lungs. She was still at risk.

  “Take your time,” said Lazet softly. “You almost drowned.”

  “You.” Melody coughed up the word.

  Lazet smiled. She was waking up. “What did you try to say?”

  “You. Your fault.” She coughed again, and her eyes rolled back in her head.

  Lazet smiled as he looked down at their mud stained, sodden clothes. Melody had almost died, and she was still blaming him, still fighting him.

  He heaved her into his arms, pressing her soft, mud drenched body to his. “You can thank me later.” He had a fight on his hands with this woman, and he liked it.

  Chapter 9

  Melody’s eyes blinked open. She was warm, clean, naked, and out of the swamp. But how? As hard as she’d fought, she hadn’t been able to get out. She remembered battling whatever it was under the water, but then what? A memory of Lazet and then blackness.

  She slowly pieced together the memories that flickered through her mind. Lazet had been leaning over her at one point. Had he saved her? No, he wouldn’t. He’d been too busy standing and enjoying watching her die to offer assistance.

  Melody looked around her new environment. She was inside a small cave, and pale light flickered in from the entrance nearby. She must have been asleep for at least a day and then slept through the night. There was a small fire in the center of the cave, but no sign of Lazet.

  She sat up carefully, her lungs aching as she did so. Taking in a big breath of air, she could smell the faint odor of swamp. She looked down at her bare legs and saw spirals of angry red welts on her skin. She pressed a finger to one of the welts and winced. Whatever that creature had been below the swamp water, it had meant business. The same angry looking welts were also imprinted around her waist.

  After another quick inspection of the cave and finding no clothes to put on, Melody headed to the fire. The worst of the cold had left her bones, but her hands and feet were chilled. She warmed them quickly near the open flames before spotting a ration pouch of food by the side of the fire. Her stomach growled, and she grabbed the ration pack and tore it open. The food was tasteless but nourishing.

  As she walked back to the cover she’d been lying under and folded herself into it like a makeshift sari, her ankle protested. The swamp beast must have done more damage than she realized. She tested her weight on it a few times and was satisfied it wasn’t broken, but the pain would stop her from running. That would be a disadvantage when she faced off with Lazet.

  But where was he? Had he really helped her out of the swamp? What was he doing saving her? This was the second time he’d helped her escape death. She hadn’t stopped to think about it before, but he had saved her life when she’d fallen from the tree. He’d caught her easily in his arms. And now, the rescue from the swamp. It had to be Lazet who came to her aide. There was no one else inside this game who would help her.

  Maybe he’d done it as a way to humiliate her. After all, she was naked and sitting in a cave on her own. Had Lazet taken her clothes as some kind of punishment? Perhaps he hoped to trap her in here and had removed her clothing because he thought she wouldn’t run off naked. Well, he was mistaken. She’d run through the snow and ice with not a stitch on if it meant getting away from him. She was not going to die at his hand.

  She looked down at her clean skin. Lazet must have stripped off her clothing and washed her. A shudder ran through her. He’d seen her naked, and Melody realized she didn’t object to that. She was confident in the way she looked, and her curves appealed to a lot of men. Hell, she’d even used them a few times to get what she wanted.

  Melody dwelled on that thought. It didn’t sit well with her and was a little too close to the comment Lazet had made about her being a whore. But she wasn’t. Sure, sometimes she’d had to rely on the resources she’d been given when she was born, but that didn’t make her a whore. It made her resourceful and sometimes desperate. And that was everyone’s story on Earth.

  Melody finished her food, tucked the cover around her securely, and started to inspect the cave more thoroughly. She got close to the fire again and spotted a Healing Stick had been left for her. She grabbed it and held it over her injuries. Healing Sticks didn’t help serious injuries, but they were quick to smooth over cuts and grazes and get rid of bruises. And they helped repair more serious injuries, giving time to get somewhere for proper treatment.

  It took a few swipes, but slowly, the welts on her skin faded, and her ankle felt better.

  Why had Lazet left this for her? He should keep his resources for himself. This Vorten warrior was a mystery. When he wasn’t teasing her or making fun of her, he was helping her. Or kissing her. Another shudder ran through her body, and Melody pressed her fingers to her lips. He was playing his own private game, but Melody was determined to discover what it was. And since she was currently a part of it, she needed to know the rules.

  She heard movement at the cave mouth. “I hope you’ve got my clothes with you.” She turned on her heel, expecting to see Lazet, and froze.

  In front of her, was an enormous black wolf.

  ***

  Lazet rubbed his neck. The Fraken had been shocking him to go to a comms link for some time. But he’d refused to leave Melody’s side until her breathing was even and she was sleeping soundly. He had to assume she’d ingested water and mud from her time in the swamp, and he didn’t want her to get into any problems while he was away from her.

  But that delay meant the Fraken had punished him by increasing the strength of the shocks he received from the collar they’d stuck around his neck when he’d joi
ned the games.

  Lazet swiped at the sweat on his forehead. The last blast of pain had almost knocked him to his knees. He stood before a comms link, waiting for the Fraken to make contact, forcing his features to appear calm. He would not let them know anything was wrong.

  He paced a few steps away and then came back. Lazet still hadn’t wanted to leave Melody. After her escape from the swamp, he’d removed her clothes to stop her from freezing to death and washed her with some of the water the Fraken had provided in her kit bag. And he hadn’t lingered over her curves, despite their allure. This had been strictly business. She’d needed to get clean, dry, and warm.

  After the worst of the mud was gone, he’d wrapped Melody against his skin and raced through the trees. He’d scouted several caves upon arrival in the game. One of them would make a suitable place to stay overnight. He’d gotten to the first one, checked it was empty, and then laid Melody down. He’d covered her in a thermal blanket from his pack and lit a fire.

  Once Melody had stopped shaking, Lazet spent several minutes rubbing her hands and feet to get the circulation going. Again, he didn’t linger over her curves. He had been worried about the blueness of her lips, but as he continued to massage her, the blueness faded, and the fire warmed her body, her color improving.

  And when he’d left her asleep in the cave, she’d been back to the soft pale pink color she always was. It was different to his natural light tan skin, the color he was when he wasn’t using his camouflage, and he’d liked the contrast of his hand on her arm.

  Whatever had grabbed Melody under the water had made a mess of her legs and waist, but the injuries weren’t life threatening. If she did wake up when he was gone, she’d be able to heal herself with the Healing Stick he’d left.

  He grinned as he thought about Melody asleep in his cave. She was sharp and vicious, and even when she’d almost drowned, she’d still blamed him for the attack. She’d still fought, even though she barely had any breath in her body. He admired her; she was fearless. And the more he’d looked at her, the more he realized her fearlessness made her even more beautiful.