by K. A Knight
Standing up, still laughing, I reach down without thinking and offer Barrott my hand. His lips twitch as he stares up at me as he leans in, turns my hand over, and kisses the inside of my wrist before getting to his feet and twining out hands together.
“Come on, baby, let’s go to bed,” he says gently, and I hear Effie sigh in happiness, making me roll my eyes.
She gets to her feet and as she walks past, whispers, “Told you so.”
Barrott leads us to one of the farthest tents, the trees merely fifty meters away, and compared to the others it’s in darkness, with no flames or lights around it. It’s set back from the grouping of tents, obviously so the patrols don’t disturb people when they switch shifts, but it works just fine for us. Barrott pushes open the flap and lets go of my hand, I hear him rustling about before a click sounds and light comes on overhead. I blink to clear my fuzzy eyes and stare around in awe. These are definitely not normal tents.
The material of the tent is almost silver, and when I reach out and touch it, it’s thick with slight air holes.
“Keeps in the warmth or cool. Also blocks anyone from seeing in.” Barrott shrugs, watching me as I explore our new home.
The tent meets in a high point, giving enough room for even Barrott to walk about without ducking, and along that line are bright LED lights. The floor is the same silver material, comfortable under my feet and offering padding. The space is as big as any downstairs unit, with sleeping bags and blankets spread around the right-hand side, and clothes and bags on the left with some water and food rations.
“It’s not much, but it will do.” He shrugs again, looking around.
“It’s great, thanks, big guy.” I wink and kick off my shoes, dropping them near the bags. I hear the others getting ready for bed as well, and I turn my back to them as I unbutton my trousers and fold them near my bag, knowing I need to keep them as clean as I can. I would sleep naked, but it wouldn’t go down well, so instead I unhook my bra and shimmy it down my arms and under my shirt, and drop it onto my clothes pile. Turning back around, I realise the tent is silent and I glance at all my men where they are standing still, their eyes running across my body until I cough.
Cain winks, stripping off his shirt while I watch, Auden and Eldon smile, turning and getting undressed, but Barrott just watches me, his eyes dark and filled with heat as they purposely drop to my bare legs and run slowly up my body until they meet my gaze again. I shiver under the intensity and break eye contact.
“Which one is mine?” I inquire, looking at the sleeping bags.
“Which one do you want?” he asks, and I sense he’s talking about more than just the bags.
Shrugging, I pick the second to last bag and slip inside, wiggling down until the material is pulled up under my nose, and watch as they mill around. Auden and Eldon turn back, spotting the empty bags next to mine.
“Mine!” they both shout, scrambling over each other to get to them, making me laugh.
Barrott stops next to me and they both halt like naughty kids. “Mine,” he growls, jerking his head at the bag on the outside, next to mine.
Auden and Eldon grumble, but their eyes both light up at the still empty bag next to me. They look at each other and both jump, landing on the sleeping bag and start wrestling to get the other one off it. Giggling, I look over to see Cain watching them. I don’t know why, but I expected him to try for the bag, except he’s looking at me with a serious expression, his eyes guarded before he blinks and it disappears. He blows me a kiss and makes his way to one of the other bags. I watch with a frown as he gets in, turns his back on us, and goes to sleep.
“Yes!” Auden cries and I look over to see him in the bag with a disgruntled looking Eldon next to it.
“Fine, we swap tomorrow,” Eldon grumbles, as he climbs into the one next to it.
Auden grins, turning on his side and watching me. “Hi.”
I laugh at him, those dimples doing me in. “Hi,” I whisper back.
He grabs the bag and wiggles, shuffling closer until our bags touch and we are closer. “Better. Night, Good Looking,” he says around a yawn, his eyes fluttering shut. I smile, closing my own eyes, but ruffling behind me has me flipping in my bag until I see Barrott, now shirtless, climbing into his bag next to mine.
My mouth goes dry as I trace the hard planes of his shoulders and back with my eyes, the muscles bunching with his movements. He catches me looking and quirks a brow before zipping up the bag, his eyes locked on mine.
“Night,” I say quickly and close my eyes. I swear I hear a soft, throaty chuckle but that can’t be right.
The corridors around me are familiar and I find my pace slowing until an alarm blares.
“Explosion in the main lab,” comes the automated voice from overhead, and when I glance down the corridor, I spot my mum.
She’s walking along the corridor, and she glances over her shoulder and looks at me. I burst into a sprint, chasing after her. When I slide to a stop outside of her lab, I frown as she turns inside the room and looks at me through the glass, her face resigned and scared.
“I’m sorry, baby,” she coos, her voice loud in the silence despite the alarms I hear. I glance over my shoulder to see guards racing my way, but I frown at the flash of white racing the other way until her voice brings me back around to see her...
“Indy, remember what I said, baby, always look for the truth, I love you,” she says sternly, her hand pressed to the glass as she watches me with big sad eyes.
“No!” I scream, battering the glass, even as explosions sound from the lab behind her. Time seems to slow down as I glance up, our eyes meeting.
“Indy, wake up,” she tells me, her hand still pressed to the glass. It feels like I am being pulled away, and I fight and kick to get back to her.
“Mom!” I scream and she smiles sadly.
“Indy, wake up!” Her mouth doesn’t move, and her voice morphs from the soft, lilting tone to a dark timbre, making me stop fighting.
“Baby, please, wake up!” comes a hurried voice, a man's voice, one I would know anywhere.
Shooting upright, panting, my top sticking to my chest, I meet Barrott’s worried eyes with wide ones of my own.
Once he realises I’m awake, he softens his grip on my shoulders, his eyes still worried from where he crouches over my sleeping bag. The tent is still dark, apart from the moonlight streaming in from a gap somewhere, throwing his face into shadows. “I’m okay, just a bad dream,” I croak, my voice hoarse, and I frown when I spot my hands on his chest. Nail marks cover his pecs and shoulders, and I shoot a look at him.
“I did that?” I ask worriedly.
He cups my cheek, running his thumb over my bottom lip. “It’s okay, only when I tried to wake you up, but it looked like you were fighting to get away. Want to talk about it?” he inquires quietly, our voices hushed in the quiet of the tent, with only someone's snoring echoing around it.
Fighting? The memory of my dream comes back to me and I swallow hard. “No, I’m okay,” I whisper, dropping my gaze to my sleeping bag.
He sighs before leaning in and dropping a soft kiss on my forehead, then he lets go of my shoulders and starts to shuffle away, but I catch his arm. “Wait!”
He stops, looking at me in concern, and I man the fuck up, not wanting to be alone with my mum’s ghost still hovering in the back of my mind, like my words to Effie earlier subconsciously conjured them.
“Will you stay with me? Just ‘till I go to sleep?” I request softly.
His face softens. “Always, baby,” he whispers, and I shuffle over in my sleeping bag, turning on my side and watch as he climbs in next to me, his broad shoulders blocking everyone else from view.
Without asking, he draws me into his arms and wraps them around me, and I bury my face in his warm chest. My whole body feels cold, and I shiver as I wrap myself harder around him, needing his heat.
“I’ve got you, I’ve always got you,” he murmurs into my hair, and I press c
loser and let my eyes close again.
Ground Day Five
I wake up early, still curled in Barrott’s arms, his soft snores rustling the hair on the top of my head, and I suck in deep lungfuls of his scent—smoke and man. I let my mind wander, ignoring the painful dream I had of my mother last night, and her words resounding loudly in my head. What did she mean when she said always look for the truth? Was she referring to the Saviours, which apparently she helped start, or something more?
Feeling restless, I slip from Barrott’s arms only to freeze when his eyes snap open and focus on me, he went from snoring to wide awake. “Where are you going?” he rumbles, and I swallow hard, taking in the sweep of his messy hair, his plump lips half parted, and those dark eyes locked on me, sending warmth straight to my stomach.
“For a walk?” I reply lamely, and his eyes narrow before he grabs me and pulls me back into his arms.
“No,” he grumbles.
Pulling away so I can see his face, I smile when I see that his eyes are closed again. Leaning closer, I poke his cheek but he ignores me, so I try booping his nose but he just growls, his eyes tightly shut.
“Barrott,” I whine and his lips twitch.
“No,” he says again.
Narrowing my eyes, I lean in and kiss his lips hard and then pull away. His eyes shoot open, locking on me as his mouth parts in shock.
“Indy, what—” He sputters, making me laugh and him narrow his eyes.
“Inds,” he warns, so obviously I do it again, only this time when I go to pull back, he grabs the back of my head and holds me to him—keeping our lips nearly touching.
“You shouldn’t tease me, baby,” he whispers against my lips.
“Why?” I can’t help the grin that tilts up my lips, pushing them slightly against his.
“Because my control only goes so far, and you push it every time,” he whispers, his lips moving against mine with each word until I’m almost tasting them.
“Who said I wanted you in control?” I tease, and flutter a soft kiss across his lips.
He groans, his hand drifting down my spine, making me shiver when it lands on my hip and pulls me closer, until there isn’t an inch between us and I can feel every hard line of his body, and his even harder cock pressed against my pelvis. This pushes our boundaries, we hadn’t even kissed until we crashed, but it’s like expressing my feelings for him and being honest has broken down all those walls, and we are both still hesitating, waiting for the other to make the next move. Even now, he stops, obviously unsure if he should have done that. So I press a harder kiss to his mouth, and when he opens his lips on a sigh, I sweep my tongue inside, tangling with his. Pulling back, we watch each other breathlessly.
His thumb strokes the bare skin of my hip, moving higher and higher until he pushes up my shirt and holds my waist. “Baby,” he groans, pulling me closer until I have to splay my hands on his hard chest. In the back of my mind, I remember that we aren’t alone, but with Barrott’s eyes locked on mine, he makes them feel a million miles away.
He leans down, kissing me softly before whispering against my lips. “I love you baby, so fucking much. You’re my whole world.”
My heart bangs against my ribs like a bird trying to break free from its cage, aching for him, needing him. It’s been his for over a year, just not wholly. “I love you too, stalker.” I grin and he smiles, his lips stretching across his cheeks, his eyes lighting up like he believed I would never say it again, and that sends a pang of pain through my chest. Have I really been that harsh to him? Or is it simply that he is like me? Scared of feeling, worried someone's love will just disappear.
I find myself wanting to prove to him how much I love him, to reassure him no matter how much life is changing around us that I will never leave, never change. “I love you,” I whisper, pecking his lips again. “Always,” I promise, kissing his cheek. “Forever,” I add, kissing his other cheek. “I—” I kiss his left eyelid. “Love—” I kiss the other. “You—” I kiss his lips, sealing that promise, and he groans into my mouth, his hand gripping me as he rubs against me slightly, making me gasp.
He slips his tongue into my mouth as the kiss turns hard, all teeth and clashing tongues, as he fights me and I fight him. His hand moves higher still, his knuckle running along the side of my breast as he thrusts his hips slightly, pressing harder against my pelvis. Someone coughs before snoring starts up again, and I pull away from Barrott, reminded that we aren’t alone and as much as I love and want him, it wouldn't be fair or nice for them to catch us like this.
“We should get ready for the day, there is still so much left to do. We need to meet with Rilon, we need to secure—” His palm covers my mouth, stopping my words.
“It can wait for a while, just relax. Here, with me. We are safe, we are alive, what more can you ask for? Everything else can wait,” he whispers and I sigh, relaxing into his body.
“Okay,” I agree.
He holds me, both of us content just to be with the other in silence.
Eventually, we both get up, and when I spot the brothers still peacefully sleeping, an evil grin comes over my lips and I pounce on them, lying over both bags and laughing as they scream all high-pitched, struggling to get out of the confining bags.
“Good Looking!” Auden whines, and I laugh when Cain comes and stands over me with a smirk.
“Need a hand?” he addresses the brothers, and I narrow my eyes.
“Traitor!” I declare, as he reaches down and hauls me up, before throwing me onto my sleeping bag. He kneels next to me, his hands slowly reaching out to my sides.
“You wouldn't dare!” I warn and he smirks.
“Watch me, speed demon.” His hands grab at my sides, tickling me as I squeal and laugh.
“Stop! Please!” I beg, as tears gather in my eyes and I writhe on the sleeping bag. “Stalker, help!” I shout, but when I look at Barrott, he just laughs and goes back to packing his bag. “Noooo!” I cry as Auden and Eldon each grab a foot and start tickling. “Effie!” I scream as she watches us from her bed, laughing. Kicking out my legs, I howl as they continue their assault.
I hear a growl and we all freeze as Ker pounces in to the tent, his rump in the air, tails flickering behind him as he focuses on me.
Auden and Eldon slowly back away, sitting next to Cain, and he watches them as I sit up and hold my hands out. “It’s okay, baby stalker.”
He huffs, eyes still on the boys as he trots over and jumps into my lap, making me grunt as he knocks his head into my chest, pushing me back. He lays on top of me, staring at the boys with narrowed eyes as if to say, ‘my human.’
“Good boy, aren't you, stopping the mean guys,” I coo, stroking him and he purrs, his tails wrapping around my thigh.
“Er, Indy, what the hell is that?” Effie shrieks, and it starts us all laughing again.
We eventually leave our tent just as the camp is rousing, and I spot Riley on patrol around the perimeter. She waves at us and I return it as I take in the sleepy looking survivors emerging from their tents, ready to face their second day in camp. I grab Effie’s hand and we zip to the toilet area, which was dug out in the forest with wooden slats and metal beams used for privacy. After relieving myself, we head back to camp to a much more somber mood and shifty looks being thrown around again. The aliens have arrived, and with a sigh, I let Effie go back to the others as I trot up to the aliens waiting at the entrance to the camp, obviously unsure of their welcome.
Among their masses is Rilon, Wrenil, and Effie’s alien, Nidolak. I notice him looking around and when he spots her, his thin lips turn up and his eyes remain glued to her. I follow his gaze to her and watch as she blushes and waves, but when I turn back, the most interesting thing is Wrenil’s reaction. His eyes obviously followed Nidolak, and he is watching Effie intensely, his nostrils flaring and his tail lashing the floor…he doesn’t look angry, more intrigued?
Oblivious to the tension between the two aliens, Rilon is waiting like a hap
py puppy for me, and I grin as I reach his side, facing all three and trying to block their views of the humans, even though they can easily see over my head.
“Morning,” I greet them, and they all tilt their head at the same time, reminding me of our differences instantly.
“Sun birth to you,” they greet back and I blink.
“Sun birth?” I repeat curiously.
Rilon tilts his head. “Yes, it is what we say in the early hours once the sun has been reborn and its rays fill the sky. When they die at night, we say moon birth. Later on in the day, we would say happy sun rising,” he explains.
“Ah, we say something similar. Good morning and Good evening or night,” I elucidate, and he blinks before raising his arm and tapping notes.
“Writing a paper on us?” I joke and he stops typing to look at me again. I am getting better at reading their facial cues, because I know instantly he is confused. “It’s what humans do while they study something new, they write it all down and publish a paper on it so others might join the exploration and learn.”
“Ah, paper, yes. No, we have journals. We keep them and we investigate, and as scientists we share them with other races, so yes, similar to your paper. This is the first real interaction with your race and it must be documented for future purposes,” he clarifies.
“Okay, I thought today we could look for survivors while the other members of my race continue to build our camp. You mentioned a way you might be able to help?” I inquire, giddy at the thought of finding Howard and the others.
“Yes, yes, of course. Sun’s rays, how silly of me to forget. Please, join us at our camp where we have the terminals and access, we will also put out further calls to our outposts,” he rushes out and I grin.
“Sounds great, let me grab some people and make sure everyone is okay, and we can get going.” I turn, but Wrenil’s voice stops me cold.
“Bring the bubbly human female,” he orders, and I turn back with a confused blink, only to follow his gaze to Effie. Interesting…when I look back, Nidolak is glaring at Wrenil and they look like they are trying hard to break their whole easy-going persona.