He was a young, hot, half-naked male.
“Burning up?” He seemed to shrug. “I suppose I was.”
Clearing her throat, she tried to move past where her mind was taking her. “The...the warmth was causing you to turn blue?”
“Bringing blood to the surface of my skin releases more heat.”
What?
“Your blood is blue?” She stared at his skin, trying to imagine what that looked like.
“And yours is red.” His gazed moved to the wound on her head before falling back to her face.
Just then, a slight breeze moved through the spaces between the slats in the barrier he’d put at the entrance and caused her to shiver.
“You should reactivate the sticks. You will be too cold for the rest of the night.”
No. She wouldn’t be selfish. Bringing blood to the surface of one’s skin was weird, but she didn’t need to know his biology to figure out that it probably meant the heat really wasn’t healthy for him.
“I’ll be ok.” She flashed him a small smile before moving back toward the bedding he’d made for her. Settling against the woolly material, she let her eyes wander back over to him, her gaze moving slowly from the sandy cave floor, up his sculpted torso, up to his pecs…
As her gaze reached his face, she realized he was still looking in her direction and she felt her cheeks warm.
Oh God, he’d caught her staring.
Another slight breeze came through the thin space between the slats, breaking her attention and causing her to shiver once more. She was close to the singular fire stick she’d left activated, but unless she managed to wrap herself around it, she would be shivering all night. It wasn’t enough on its own to keep her warm.
Kyris seemed to note this and, rolling his shoulders again, he was on his feet in an instant. Again, she marveled at how tall he was. And his wings. They were massive, too. Even folded right now, their tips stopped just above his ankles. In the dim light, his feathers glistened in their iridescence.
Moving over to the fire sticks she’d put aside, he took them up.
Jerking upright, Song reached over and grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“Please, it’s ok. You don’t have to.”
“You are cold.”
“I’ll be fine.”
His eyes seemed to narrow then soften as his gaze fell on her hand grasping his arm.
He seemed to contemplate something as he stared at her hand, and for some reason, she couldn’t move her hand away.
“What if I tell you there’s another way I can keep you warm...without the fire sticks?” That same intensity she’d seen in his eyes earlier was there again.
It made her throat parched and Song swallowed hard. She was suddenly thirsty but it didn’t feel like drinking water right now would help.
“H-How?” She was almost afraid to ask—almost too afraid to speak.
He seemed to hesitate a bit then uttered something that sounded deceptively like a curse underneath his breath.
Running a hand through his hair, a movement that was so relatable, so human-like, he dropped the fire sticks.
“Move over a little.” His voice seemed deeper now, thickened by some emotion she couldn’t grasp.
As she moved and he settled beside her, he rested on his back and opened his wings slowly.
Her already wide eyes grew even wider as she watched him.
He was settling himself, and when one of his wings brushed against her back, she realized there was no place for her to go except...
Gulping, she stared at him.
Did he want her to do what she thought he was suggesting?
“Rest here.” That intense gaze was still there as he motioned to his chest. “I generate enough heat that will keep you warm.”
Gulping again, she could feel her cheeks redden.
Surely, this was inappropriate.
She could just imagine her father frowning at the thought of her doing such a thing. But what was the difference in doing that now after they’d been through so much already? After she’d spent nights crying while he’d held her on the alien slave ship. After she’d spent hours in his arms as he’d flown around looking for a cave for them both.
What was so different about it now?
She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it definitely felt different this time.
Now it felt...intimate.
He seemed to go still as he waited for her to move and when she finally did, moving to rest her head against his chest, she realized he’d been holding his breath.
As his wings closed over her, she couldn’t help but sigh.
He was right. Underneath his wings was warm. Oh, so warm. And comfortable.
If she allowed herself, she would get used to this and want it all the time.
But she couldn’t get used to it because this was all an illusion.
As soon as this mission was over, as soon as they weren’t running for their lives anymore, everything would change.
12
Song inhaled deeply and buried her face deeper into the bed. It was warm, comfortable, safe.
It was the first time she’d slept properly in days. She wasn’t waking up in a panicky sweat. There were no Tasqals having their way with women. No screams. And she wasn’t next.
It almost felt like home.
Eyes fluttering open, two things hit her at once.
One: she wasn’t resting on a bed.
Two: He was awake and was watching her carefully.
Shit. She’d slept all night in his arms.
She’d intended to slip out of his grasp once he was asleep but it seemed she’d been too comfortable.
Attempting to ease off of him, she felt his arms tighten around her.
“Don’t move.” His voice had that deepness it had the night before and Song froze.
“Ok,” she whispered. “But surely, you’re uncomfortable...” She shifted a bit, trying not to rest on him fully.
As she continued to wriggle, his arms tightened around her some more.
“Please.” His voice sounded strange. “Your movements are...”
Song stilled, not quite understanding why he didn’t want her to move. Surely, her weight on his chest for so long was uncomfortable. She had half-expected to wake up back on the woolly skins he’d
