Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

M yk-El was halfway back across the prairie, still rubbing his aching chest, before he realized that he was an idiot. A cowardly idiot.

Mee-na was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Even though he had tried to convince both of them that he was letting her go because it was in her best interests, the truth was that he was afraid. Afraid of being hurt.

He had to go after her. After his foolishness, she might still want to leave, but at least he could ask her to stay. As long as he wasn't too late.

As he raced back towards the building at lightning speed, the ache in his chest finally eased. Despite his fear that he wouldn't be in time, he knew he had finally made the right decision. When the building came into view, he searched frantically for any sign of her small figure.

She was no longer in the grass where he had left her, and the building looked as untouched as always. He would have to enter, he decided, aiming for the door, even though the thought made him shudder. But as he came into a landing, his keen eyesight picked up a trail of small footprints, heading into the woods that edged the grasslands.

She hadn't even entered the building? Where was she going? And why hadn't she told him she intended to stay?

Because I didn't give her a chance , he thought guiltily.

Flying low, he followed the footprints until the dense growth made him drop to the ground. The trail was harder to follow in the jungle, the ground thick with moss, roots and vines waiting to trap unwary feet.

He didn't like this place. The foliage was too dense for him to keep an eye on his surroundings. The air was too warm and damp, disturbingly reminiscent of the atmosphere in his cell. But he kept going, driven by an increasing sense of urgency.

The footprints disappeared.

No.

He refused to give up. He was going to find her. He searched for her scent, but there were so many fragrances filling the air that it was almost impossible to find. Just as he thought he caught a hint of it, a scream split the air.

Mee-na!

He took to the air, desperate to reach her. The heavy vines and thick branches impeded his progress, but he fought his way through them, not caring that he was leaving a trail of broken feathers. He burst through a final group of leaves and into a small clearing.

Mee-na sat against the base of a tree, undamaged, and relief filled him.

Until her terrified blue eyes met his, and he saw the many-legged creature suspended above her head.

With an angry roar, he launched himself across the clearing. The creature hissed and raised a glistening claw. Suspecting that it was venomous, he ducked beneath the claw and slashed at the bulging abdomen. A thin blue line appeared amongst the bristling gold fur, and the creature hissed again.

It was focused on him now, not on Mee-na, and he was determined to keep it that way. He dove at it again, barely avoiding its claws, and opened another wound. His knife would have increased his reach, but he had left it at the cave. No matter, he would never allow this creature to harm Mee-na.

The fight dragged on. He managed to inflict considerable damage, but none of it was fatal. One of the creature's claws caught a wing, and he could feel the edge of it going numb. He had to finish this fight before he was unable to use it.

He flew higher, then swooped rapidly, and this time his claws raked across a bulbous eye. The creature yowled and started to retreat. Determined not to let it escape, he repeated the maneuver, and this time his claws sunk deep into the viscous fluid of its other eye.

It shuddered, and then its body plummeted to the ground a short distance away from Mee-na. The legs twitched a few times, then stilled.

He followed it to the ground, making sure it was dead before he turned to Mee-na, still crouched against the trunk of the tree. He snatched her into his arms, vaguely aware of a ripping sound, his whole body trembling.

Her arms tightened around his neck as if she would never let him go.

"You saved me, my angel. Again." Tears streamed down her face as she hugged him.

"Are you hurt? Was I in time?" He ran his hands frantically over her body, checking for injuries. The back of her makeshift gown had disappeared, but her silky skin appeared undamaged.

"I'm fine. Nothing happened."

His hands slowed, caressing now. "I should never have left you."

"No, you shouldn't have." Her voice trembled, but a defiant nod accompanied her words.

He choked back a relieved laugh, then lifted her into his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back, her sweet mouth as urgent as his, as his hands slid down her bare, wingless back and cupped the soft curves of her ass.

The fact that she was only partially dressed finally penetrated. "What happened to your clothing?"

She pointed back at the tree, and he saw the kestava cloth entrapped in the moss.

"The moss is sticky. It acts like a trap for that spider thing."

They both shuddered. He started to turn in the direction of the grasslands, then staggered as his increasingly numb wing threw him off balance.

"Mikel! What's wrong?"

"The creature caught me with a claw. I suspect it was venomous."

Terror flashed over her face. "It poisoned you?"

He tried to stretch the wing, but it barely moved. "Not poison. I suspect it's a paralytic agent designed to hold the creature's victims in place."

"Do you think it will wear off?"

"Probably, but it would help if I could wash the injury. I heard a stream while I was following you."

She insisted that he put her down, but her small fingers locked around his as they headed in the direction of the stream. "I still can't believe you came after me."

"I told you I was foolish to have left you." His words sounded thick and slurred, and she shot him an alarmed look.

"Is it getting worse?"

"A little." He tried to shrug, but the shoulder on his injured side did not want to move.

By the time they found the stream, his head felt like it was floating above his body, and Mee-na was half-supporting him.

A sunlit slab of moss-covered rock edged a small pool, not even as large as their hot springs. The water sparkled invitingly in the sunlight, but Mee-na hesitated as they reached the moss.

"Do you think it's another trap?"

The dark blue surface was smooth and undisturbed. Ignoring her protest, he stepped onto it. Nothing happened.

"It's fine."

"You shouldn't be so reckless," she scolded, but he was already heading for the water.

He sank into the cool depths with a grateful sigh. It was barely more than knee deep, but it was large enough for him to submerge his entire body. The debilitating numbness immediately started to fade, replaced by a welcome tingling sensation.

"Is it helping?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes."

"Oh, thank goodness."

She collapsed onto the soft moss and, after a quick look around, shrugged and discarded the tattered remnants of her outfit. Her body gleamed pale and perfect in the sunlight, and more of the numbness washed way in a rush of desire. He had come so close to losing her.

"I need you," he growled, his voice harsh in the quiet clearing.