Alex Wales: Promise

face. “Okay, you have to tell me what the hell that was.”

“It was my way of protecting you.” He kept his gaze up, surveying the area.

“The bird touched you but didn’t even register you were here…why?”

“For some reason, the birds can’t sense me. It’s why I’m the only one who ventures out of our village.”

“Right, so when you mentioned before that the birds would notice me, you weren’t talking in general? You meant they’d eat me and ignore you?”

“Yes,” Damon said, finally meeting her eyes. “Are you all right to keep moving?”

As good as it felt in the circle of his arms, she managed a nod. Freaked out or not, she didn’t hesitate to run beside him this time.

So far, she didn’t like this planet very much, what with the crash-landing, the liquid spill, and now these killer birds. Although, Damon was a different story. He intrigued her. How could his body have been enough of a shield to keep the bird from snatching her?

Alex allowed Damon to lead her farther into the darkness ahead of them. Everything looked the same to her. She felt as if they were getting deeper into the regions of the jungle, rather than escaping. She had to trust this handsome stranger knew where they were going. She sure as hell didn’t have a clue of which way to turn.

She ran past another bunch of overhanging branches, and all of a sudden, they were in a clearing. Alex looked around as the scenery moved past them. They were moving fast through what looked like a darkened meadow with knee-high grass and a pitch black sky above.

Alex made the mistake of looking up. What she saw made her heart thump so fast, she nearly lost her footing.

The sky was filled with fleshy beings, all much bigger than the one they’d seen. Yet, justlike the one in the jungle, the only feature that made them resemble a bird was the huge beak-like thing in front of their horrid faces.

She pumped her legs faster, harder, until her lungs felt like they were burning. She was pretty sure her legs would give out on her at any moment, but she willed them to keep moving.

“Don’t look at them,” Damon called beside her. He held her tightly and stepped closer, until their arms were touching.

Not looking was easier said than done. She didn’t want to see the ugly creatures, but they were diving lower, like a shroud ready to cover them.

“Jump!” Damon shouted over their screeching.

“What?”

“Alex, you have to jump!”

He didn’t bother explaining himself, instead stopping long enough to grab and throw her over his shoulder. Before she could protest about his cavemen behavior, he was airborne, taking her with him.

Everything changed around them. The air became thick and hot, weighing heavily on her already overused lungs. The blood rushed to her head as he carried her like a sack.

By the time he put her down again, a flush of anger swirled inside her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Protecting you,” he said, not looking sorry about what he’d pulled.

“Manhandling me is not protecting me!” She took another step away from him, glad the backpack had stayed put. “Besides, I can take care of myself.”

Damon gave her an amused look. “I’m sure you can, but while you’re in Eden, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure your safety.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard,” she spat. In her experience, people never helped others unless they wanted something in return.

“Listen, I need to tell you something, Alex. I don’t want to be your babysitter or your bodyguard-”

“I don’t want to hear it.” She didn’t want to have this conversation right now. She was too confused and angry, and she didn’t particularly care what he wanted. She’d find out soon enough, anyway.

Damon stared at her, his green eyes intense. “I’m sorry if I offended you. That wasn’t my intention.”

Alex ran a hand through her unruly curls, and her fingertips got stuck in the mess. She pulled out a few leaves and decided to change the subject. “Where are we?”

“We’re home.”

“You live here? ” She looked back over her shoulder. Behind them was a concrete wall, but that wasn’t possible. They’d just been inside a jungle and a meadow. She hadn’t noticed any sort of fortress up ahead as they ran. Where had this wall come from?

Alex took a step toward it. She pressed her bandaged palm to it and felt its solidity. The concrete was smooth beneath her skin, and very much there, even if it didn’t make an ounce of sense. “How is this possible?”

“The walls keep our village safe from attack. It’s a protection barrier laced with magic.” She heard Damon move up behind her.

“Did you say magic?” She couldn’t help but chuckle at the notion. They lived in a galaxy where credits and violence were the only form of power and manipulation. Technology ruled supreme. Magic was make- believe, woven into stories. Tales about mythical places-like the ones her father used to tell her about, every night before she went to sleep. Magic wasn’t real.

Yet, she had to admit there was something very strange about this planet.

Alex craned her neck to follow the length of the wall. It continued up and up, seemingly unending.

“We’re blocked off from all threats of danger. You’ll be safe here.”

He stood so close that Alex felt his breath on her hair. She fought to keep the shiver of pleasure from showing, but it was there. Below the surface lay an undeniable attraction she would eventually have trouble keeping at bay. No matter how much his protective actions angered her, the caring nature of this man was somehow softening her up.

“So this wallcan magically keep those bird things out?” Alex spun around and met his gaze. If she extended a hand, she could touch him. Run her fingertips along his smooth face and down his chest. She couldn’t help but look at his exposed abs. She bit her bottom lip.

“Yes,” he said.

“What about the other animals out there?”

His eyes darkened. “What other animals?”

“Are you kidding me? You didn’t hear the scary roar out there? I’ve never heard anything like it.”

“I don’t know what that was. Only the birds live outside.”

None of this makes any sense.She’d heard the birds go quiet because of it. Still, she didn’t want to argue with him, anymore. The bottom line was she was stranded on this bizarre planet and needed his help. “Magic doesn’t exist, by the way. It’s a fairy tale.”

Damon shook his head. “It does exist.”

“Well, I don’t believe in it.” Alex narrowed her eyes and stared at him. Was he serious? Did he really expect her to believe without proof?

“You should,” Damon said, taking another small step forward.

“Why?” she whispered.

“Don’t you feel it buzzing, right now?”

She had no idea what he was talking about.

“Didn’t you see the bird walk away from us when we stood right in front of it?”

“That wasn’t magic. It was some sort of shield, a repellant.”