Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

M yk-El rushed out into the freezing night, desperately trying to force his zemka back inside his body. What in the name of all the gods was wrong with him?

Fifteen years. Fifteen years of solitude and discipline, learning to control his body and his emotions, and one taste of Mee-na and he was lost.

His zemka ached, still swollen and throbbing, and he gave into the inevitable. Leaning against a tree, he took himself in hand, rubbing fast and hard, desperate to relieve the tension. But his hand provided little satisfaction. It wasn't until he allowed himself to recall the feel of Mee-na's body against his, her enthusiastic response, and the slick heat of her cunt against the tip of his zemka, that he finally exploded. His seed spurted out into the snow, steaming in the frigid night, as he sagged against the tree.

This was unacceptable . He would not allow himself to trust another being—and especially not a female.

Unsatisfied but spent, his zemka retreated inside his body. He cleansed himself with snow, welcoming the icy chill, then pulled control back around himself like a cloak.

That control almost faltered when he reentered the cave and saw Mina huddled on the rocky ledge that served as their—his—bed. Her blanket was back around her shoulders, and she looked as small and defenseless as she had when he found her.

"You did not give me a chance to finish my explanation," he said, determined to ignore their previous encounter. "This game, as you put it, appears to have a goal. We were each provided with a map."

She raised her head and looked at him, blue eyes wide with hurt. The avian was leaning against her side, and he could have sworn that it too was giving him a reproachful look. He refused to acknowledge the pang of guilt.

"I don't think I had a map," she said softly.

He pulled out the one he had retrieved from her bag and handed it to her, immediately stepping away.

"This is a map?" she asked.

"It is. There is a symbol which indicates your planet in the grasslands."

"You mean this little blue and white dot?" She frowned at it. "I suppose it does look a little like Earth."

"I believe it indicates that there is a way to return to your planet at that location."

"But what if I don't want to return?"

Then you can stay with me, he thought, then immediately pushed the tempting idea aside.

"You do not belong here."

The color drained from her face, and she closed her eyes. He saw a single tear on her cheek and took half a step towards her before he forced himself to remain on the far end of the cave.

"I will take you there. As soon as you are well enough," he found himself adding.

"Is it a long way?"

Yes . The word trembled on his lips. If they traveled down the mountain and across the grasslands, it would take days and she would be with him the entire time.

"No," he said instead. "I will carry you and we will fly there. It will not take long."

"I see." Her voice was flat, dead.

"Get some sleep. You need to recover your strength as quickly as possible."

"So you can be rid of me." The words were barely audible as she turned her back on him and huddled against the wall.

He wanted to protest. He wanted to go to her and pull her back into his arms. He wanted her to promise that she would never leave him. But he was too old for such foolishness. She would leave eventually. It would be better for both of them if she left now.

Mina didn't know if Mikel had heard her, but he made no response. She heard a soft rustle, then felt a cold breeze whisper past her face. Perhaps he had left the cave again, but she didn't bother to turn around and look. What was the use?

Everything had happened so fast that she still felt shocked. From thinking that she had died to finding out that her angel was an alien to the sudden, explosive passion that had flared between them. He had kissed her so hungrily, as if he needed her, and that had been as seductive as the feel of his body against hers. He felt so good, so right, but then he left her. When he returned, he acted like a cold stranger instead of her angel.

She should have known better than to think he might have wanted her to stay. A lifetime of moving from one foster home to another had taught her differently. The longest she had stayed anywhere were the two years she spent with Mother Ruth and Father Joseph. Mother Ruth was very strict and very religious, but she had not been unkind. Mina had been desperate enough for a home that Mother Ruth's refusal to allow any popular culture into her home had seemed like a small price to pay. But then Mina turned fourteen, and her body had finally started to develop. Father Joseph had paid her little attention up until that point, but suddenly he was asking her to help him in his shop and coming in to tell her good night. A few weeks later, Mother Ruth had handed Mina her battered suitcase.

"Time for you to move on, child," she said firmly.

"I don't want to go. Please don't make me leave." Her eyes filled with tears. "I'll work harder. I'll be good."

The older woman's face had softened slightly, even though she shook her head. "A wife's duty is to her husband. That includes keeping him away from temptation."

"But I didn't do anything," she pleaded.

"It doesn't matter. Your caseworker will be here in five minutes." Mother Ruth stepped back into the house and closed the door.

That was the last time she had ever tried to argue when she was told to move on. It hadn't done any good then, and it wouldn't do any good now.

The thought of returning to Earth filled her with dread. She would be cold and alone and desperate once more.

She tried to lose herself in sleep, but memories of the past horrible months tormented her.

The rock ledge was hard and uncomfortable, and despite her blanket and the fire still burning in the cave, she couldn't get warm. Draco pressed against her side, but all she could think about was that she was going to lose him too.

She did her best to remain still, but suddenly Mikel was there. He lay down next to her and lifted her into his arms so that she was lying on top of him instead of the hard stone. She started to push herself free, but his arms tightened around her.

"Hush. You need your rest."

His wings settled over her, soft and warm, and she took a deep breath of his cool, clean scent. This felt so familiar, and she realized he had held her in just such a way while she had been ill. His long, white hair brushed her cheek, and she ran her fingers through the soft, thick strands. Not hair exactly, she decided, as his hand came up to cover hers.

It was an illusion of safety, of belonging, but she let herself give into it. Her body relaxed and she finally drifted off to sleep.

But she didn't sleep peacefully. Her dreams were haunted by memories of all the times she'd been forced to leave a different home. Each time she startled awake, Mikel was there, stroking her back or her hair until she settled into another uneasy doze. When the pale light of dawn finally began to illuminate the cave, she pushed herself free. This time, he let her go.

"I need to use…" She couldn't quite make herself say it, even though she was sure he had tended to her while she was unconscious.

Silently, he led her into a back cave. Steam rose from a pool of water in the center, and she remembered him holding her in the warm water.

"You brought me here, didn't you?"

"Yes. I needed to raise your body temperature."

She sighed and some of her frustration ebbed away. Perhaps he had been her angel after all. She was quite sure that he had saved her life.

"Thank you," she said softly.

The stiffness in his bearing eased as he dipped his head in acknowledgment. Then he showed her a channel where the overflow from the hot springs traveled along the rear wall before disappearing into the rock. She nodded, but he showed no sign of leaving.

"Would you mind leaving me alone?" she asked.

"What if you fall? Your strength is not fully returned."

"I'm sure I can handle this."

He hovered uncertainly, and more of her annoyance seeped away at his obvious concern.

"I promise I'll call you if I need help."

He left reluctantly, and she quickly took care of business, afraid that he would return to check on her. She used the water from the hot springs to wash herself and considered taking a bath, but he was right about her lack of strength. Her legs trembled as she returned to the main cave.

He took one look at her, then came and picked her up, carrying her back to the rocky ledge which served as a bed. She didn't protest. And was it her imagination or did his hands linger against her skin as he set her down?

Before she could decide, he moved away to attend to a pouch suspended over the fire pit. Now that the sun was up, she could see more of the cave. It was surprisingly homey. In addition to the fire pit, he had a small store of supplies against the far wall.

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

"I arrived several days before you." He poured hot liquid into the bark cup and brought it to her. "Here. Drink this."

The meaty scent of the broth made her stomach gurgle, and she sipped willingly.

"Then why didn't you return home? Did you go to the place you're going to take me?"

He turned back to the fire, but she could see the ends of his wings flutter.

"I am in no hurry to return."

"There's no woman—no one—waiting for you?"

"No." He looked over his shoulder at her. "There never will be."

She got the message, but she found herself feeling more sorrow for him than for herself. He must be just as lonely.

"There's no one waiting for me either," she said quietly.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, then shook his head and rose to his feet, shaking out his wings. As she watched admiringly, the sunlight gave the white feathers an almost silvery gleam.

"I do not think you are ready for the journey today," he announced. "I will hunt for our meal, but I will not go far." He headed to the cave opening, then hesitated and looked back at her. "You will be all right while I'm gone?"

"Just lonely."

His wings fluttered, but he only dipped his head in acknowledgment of her words and then he was gone. Draco hopped down from the bed ledge, and for a moment, she was afraid that he was about to go after Mikel. Instead, he headed for the fire pit.

Afraid that he would hurt himself, she followed him.

The fire pit consisted of a bed of coals placed between a short rock pillar and a wall of rocks Mikel must have built. The smoke escaped upwards through a natural opening in the rock. A wide, flat stone covered one half of the pit, while a cooking pouch made from some kind of leather hung suspended from a branch over the other half. Draco eyed the pouch longingly, and she laughed.

"I suspect you've already had your share."

Unable to resist the little dragon's pleading look, she dipped out more of the broth. He certainly devoured it as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

Once he was finished, he curled up next to the fire, and she started investigating the small collection of supplies neatly assembled on natural shelves formed by the folds of the rock. One shelf held a stack of bark like that used in the cup. Hmm. Maybe she could make her own.

She studied the construction of the other cup, then set to work. By the time Mikel returned, she had managed to make a second cup. A little lopsided perhaps, but it held water, and she couldn't wait to show it to him.