Orc’s Forbidden Claim (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss #33)

25. Saylor

25

SAYLOR

W ren and I desperately cling to one another. The sounds coming down the tunnel are terrifying. I stopped her from going down the tunnel because if there is one thing I am sure of, no matter how much I want to know Khiara is okay, it’s that either of us getting close will make things worse.

The boys are both warriors. They are the most badass alpha males I’ve ever seen, and Wren and I both have seen plenty of them. Every other man I’ve known in my life pales in comparison to the pure machismo of Khiara. There is no comparison and it’s not something he does, it’s who he is.

The way he walks. The confidence with which he approaches the world around him. That air of absolute certainty that, no matter what happens, he will handle it. Since the ship crashed on Tajss I’ve seen grown men who tried to project that same air, break down, or run. Not that they were wrong when they did, most of the time. Humans are not built for the threats of Tajss.

Wren is shivering in my arms, and only when I recognize this, I realize I am too. The dark, terrible thoughts and images are dancing in my head, but I will not give them a voice. I know that if I do it will somehow make them more real. No, he is okay. I know he is okay. He has to be.

A horrifying screech that sounds like all the pain in the world has been compressed into a single instance comes down the tunnel. It bounces around us, engulfing us in its hurt. Tears are streaming but that doesn’t matter.

“Was that—” Wren begins but cuts herself off, choosing instead to somehow tighten her grip even further.

The sound stops. There is no slow down, it’s just done and gone as fast as it came. My heart is pounding, and I can barely breathe, both from fear and anxiety and the tight grip that Wren has around my chest constricting my ribs.

We stare down the tunnel, waiting. The boys left the lantern, but the hood has slid down so there is only a tiny thread of light that does little to illuminate the wide tunnel. Seconds crawl past. The caverns are always cool, but the air seems to grow even colder.

“There,” I whisper, pointing a trembling finger down the tunnel.

Something moves in the darkness. Fear claws its way from my guts freezing me in place. The instinct to flee is so strong that it locks me up. Even if I did run, where would I go? The way back is blocked, and the only way forward is right into whatever is coming down that tunnel.

The dark shape in the darkness comes closer. It’s big. Really big. A whimper slips out of Wren. I’m too scared to even do that. My muscles tremble, my throat is dry, my heart is racing, and my knees can’t decide between turning to water and locking up.

“Saylor,” Khiara’s voice emerges from the darkness.

A heavy weight lifts the instant I hear it's him. My breath comes easier, and my stomach un-knots itself. His voice is like a wave washing over and cleansing all the fear and dark thoughts away.

Letting go of Wren, I stumble as I try to rush to him. Relief or no, my muscles are quivering too much to work right. He comes closer, stepping into the single ray of light from the lantern and Wrenlee cries out.

The first thing I see is that Sek’su is leaning heavily on Khiara. The next thing is that blood looks like it’s literally pouring out of Sek’su, splashing onto the ground. Sek’su has his arm around Khiara’s shoulders, but it looks like he’s barely staying upright.

“Bandages,” Khiara says. “Need bandages.”

I blink, trying to figure out how to make him bandages. It’s not like we brought a supply kit with us when we were kidnapped. Wren gulps and then she takes her shirt off. Feeling momentarily numb I turn my head and stare trying to comprehend what she is doing.

She has her shirt in her hands and is sliding it around in them. Her chest is bound, like all of us girls have been doing, with a single piece of cloth. All our bras wore out a long time ago and it’s not like there are shops for us to go try on or get new lingerie. Wren has great tits; I’ve always been jealous of them, feeling my own were a little too small and my nipples are too big. The sound of tearing cloth pulls my thoughts back on track and I get what she is doing.

I take off my shirt, all embarrassment now secondary to the immediate need. I fumble the shirt around until I’m at the bottom and try to tear it, which is much harder than it ever seemed in the old Earth Vids we watched on the ship.

Khiara carries Sek’su over to us, then lowers him to the ground, resting his back against the wall of the tunnel. Pulling a knife from his belt he puts his free hand on mine. I hand the shirt to him, and he nods before using the knife to slice the bottom portion of the shirt off.

He hands the remnant back to me then takes Wren’s and helps her do the same. Sek’su groans and Wren rushes to his side. The two of them whisper together. Khiara is moving back past me to tend to him, but I touch his arm.

“Is he… will he…”

“He should be fine,” Khiara says. “Weak for a bit, but fine.”

I nod, lip trembling as I realize this could have been much worse. I hate that I am glad it’s not Khiara sitting there. It probably makes me a terrible person, but it’s true. I don’t know what else I can do to help, and I hate that too.

Khiara works with quick, expert motions that can only come from experience. In moments he has the wound bound, checks his work, then stands up and takes a step back. He stretches his back and rolls his shoulders then turns to me.

Silent he walks over and takes me in his arms.