16. Drasuk

16

Drasuk

As the night air grows cooler, I continue to follow Kira through the forest, her slender form a dark blur ahead of me.

Her mood is sour, but I have no complaints about the diverting spectacle she's putting on.

Unlike her stealthy steps from before, each step she takes now is fueled by the irritation I provoke in her. It is fascinating how easily she's riled up.

The moon dips lower in the sky, casting long shadows that meld into the creeping darkness. Despite my heavy footsteps crashing through the underbrush, Kira moves with a determined grace, pushing forward as if trying to outrun her anger.

Her scent is impossible to ignore—an intoxicating blend of arousal and irritation that has my senses on high alert.

Kira eventually shoves her way into a thicket, a tight cluster of bushes and low-hanging branches offering a semblance of shelter for the night. She's quick, efficient, and clearly wants nothing more than to be rid of my presence, even if just for a few hours.

My spines shift, amused by her futile attempt to hide from me.

"You can't fit in here," she snaps over her shoulder, her voice tinged with annoyance. "Go away."

Ignoring her, I take a step back and then leap, landing gracefully in the middle of the thicket beside her. Kira lets out a quickly cut-off yelp, her eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and anger.

"You fumbling fornicator," she hisses, her voice low but seething with rage. "Arg, stupid fuck ."

Leaning closer to her, my eyes gleaming with mischief, I speak to her in a rumbling whisper. "I fumble at nothing, little one. I would have you trumpeting my name and groveling on your belly for more."

She fidgets, her scent growing stronger with every word.

It's maddening and alluring all at once, but instead of retorting with another biting comment, she turns onto her side, facing away from me.

"Food excrement. Bullshit . Fumbling fornicator..." she mutters under her breath, cutting herself off.

She laments softly, almost to herself. "Why do these attempts at cussing you out not have a word-for-word translation?"

Her frustration is palpable, and my spines shift to amusement at the way she's hitting sticks out of her way, rearranging the thicket as if it would somehow ease her anger.

"Fumbling pieces of excrement putting broken tech in me. I'm going to fornicating kill them all," she growls under her breath, her voice a dangerous whisper.

Feeling conversational, I interject with a rumble of amusement. "Now I see how someone so small can survive. You draw them in and fornicate them to death. It sounds messy, but effective."

She whips her head around, glaring at me. "What? No. I don't fornicate to kill. It's— I mean— Just close ascent or leave. Shut up . Fornicate. It's like they made sure I would sound as stupid as possible."

She finishes her tirade with a growl, the sound both menacing and appealing to me. I watch her in silence for a moment, my spines shifting to betray how fascinating she is.

She's a fiery one, this little human, and the more time I spend with her, the more I understand why animals get trapped in carnivorous plants. Except the one calling me so strongly with her scent has a barbed tongue, and I love it.

The night deepens around us, the sounds of the forest a symphony of life and danger. Kira's breathing slows, and though she remains tense, her anger seems to dissipate slightly. I lie beside her, feeling the warmth of her body despite the distance she tries to keep.

"Hole in rear," she mutters again, but there's a softness to her voice now, almost as if the fight is leaving her.

"Charming," I reply, earning another huff from her.

The silence between us stretches, filled with the sounds of the night. I can hear her blood pumping, the steady rhythm comforting. She's strong, this human, stronger than she realizes.

And while she may not admit it, I know she needs me as much as I need her.

An image of Nkisa rises, unbidden. I fling it away, but not before making the connection in my mind. Protecting others is my natural role, but this is becoming more. Is this my chance to do better? To provide Kira the protection I failed to give Nkisa?

My mind provides no answers.

As the hours pass, the forest grows quieter, the night creatures settling into their routines. I find myself watching her, her small frame curled up defensively, her expression one of defiance even while resting. There's a vulnerability to her she tries so hard to hide, and it only makes me more determined to protect her.

I've never responded like that to a weaker species.

Strange.