Chapter 22

Abby

I drop to Rojtar’s side and roll him to his back. Blood leaks from a hole just below his right shoulder, but he’s breathing. I stroke both sides of his face, pushing his hair off it. He doesn’t move or open his eyes. He doesn’t make a single sound.

“Please don’t die. Oh god, Rojtar.” I can barely see him through the tears.

“Boom!” A voice yells out with glee. “What a shot.”

I whirl around on my knees. Lewis strides forward with a cocky gait and a gun of some kind in his hand. One I’ve never seen before. He stares down at Rojtar with hatred spewing from his gaze. His face is still slightly bruised from the beating he took and the nick on his neck has healed, but a thin, white scar remains

“You son of a bitch.”

“I told you both you were going to regret crossing me,” Lewis says with so much malice it sends a shiver down my spine. “You should have accepted my offer when you had the chance, Abby. Instead, you chose this alien to spread your legs for so this is what you get.”

“Fuck you.” My fist clenches around my bow. God, I wish I had my spear. Not that it did me any good the last time Lewis attacked, but at least it offers better protection than what I have.

Lewis cackles like a mad man and moves closer. “Oh, Abby, we will. But only one of us will enjoy it.”

Panic flares, and I scramble to get away. Before I can get far, he tackles me onto my back. But then there’s nothing. No movement from him at all. He’s frozen on top of me with eyes that grow wider. A shadow shifts and I search out the source. I whimper in relief and despair at the sight of a bloodied Rojtar standing with his sword at Lewis’ neck.

“Are you well, keeshla ?” he asks in a steady voice. Only I can see the pain etched on his face.

I nod and push myself out from beneath Lewis. I’m on my feet in seconds and standing next to my mate. His tail weaves around me and I sink into the sensation of it. Lewis remains where he is facing away from us, the gun he’d been holding lying on the ground next to him.

“What did I tell you the last time I saw you?” Rojtar growls and presses the tip of his blade farther in, drawing a line of blood that trails down Lewis’ flesh. He hisses in pain.

“I’m sorry,” he cries out. “Please don’t kill me. You’ll never see me again. I swear. Just don’t kill me.”

“Turn and look at me.”

Slowly the asshole pivots, but remains kneeling. Rojtar’s weapon moves with him until he finally faces us head on. Where only minutes ago hatred radiated from him, terror has replaced it. Tears actually fall from his eyes. I want to pity him, but I can’t find it in me. This is the man who would have raped me on two different occasions—including now—if it weren’t for Rojtar.

“I will not kill you,” my mate says.

I’m surprised by his words. It might be the first promise he’s broken.

“The dhembi will,” Rojtar finishes. “While I would prefer to feed you to a luani, another beast will have to do. Unless, of course, you manage to escape before it reaches you. Rise.”

Lewis swallows against the sword tip which draws more blood, but he does what he’s told. He sways on his feet and for a second I almost think he’s going to try and bolt, but he doesn’t. I’m a bit disappointed since maybe that would be Rojtar’s excuse to follow through and actually kill him. I never would have considered myself bloodthirsty before, but after what Lewis has tried to do, hatred runs through me. Whatever happens to him is exactly what he deserves.

“Go. Sit there.” Rojtar gestures with his blade toward a towering tree with vines running up its length.

Without taking his gaze off us, Lewis side steps until he reaches the base of it and slides down onto his butt. My mate slices at the vines until they fall to the ground in long strands. In no time, he has Lewis securely bound to the wide trunk with his arms behind him on either side of it. There’s no way he’ll be able to reach the knots on the backside of the tree. They’re too far away.

Once he’s finished, Rojtar steps back and assesses his work. He’s even tied the mans’ legs in a way that would prevent his escape. Before I can blink, he drags the tip of his sword across Lewis’ throat. I gasp in shock and Lewis makes a strangled noise. Blood cascades down his neck from the wound.

Rojtar squats in front of the bound man. “Dhembi are attracted to the scent of wounded prey. I have caught a glimpse of one stalking us during our hunt.”

I stare in surprise, because I’d had no idea. He never mentioned some animal was following us. Maybe he didn’t want to worry me. My mate straightens and steps slowly backward. He withdraws a small dagger from the belt at his waist and tosses it on the ground. With his arms and legs bound the way they are, there’s no way Lewis will be able to reach it.

“If you are able to get the blade and free yourself, then I will not track you down. You will leave Abby alone and never try to harm her again,” Rojtar explains. “If you cannot get to the dagger in time, then you better hope another hunter brings down the dhembi before it reaches you.”

With those words, Rojtar takes my hand and together, we walk away, only pausing long enough to pick up our weapons, the two dhibani, as well as the gun. We need to find out where Lewis got it. From behind us, he screams obscenities and that he’s going to make us pay. The farther away we get from him, though, his vows of revenge change to pleading and begging.

Neither of us speak as we continue on our path back to the village and Lewis’ voice becomes quieter until I can no longer hear it. It could be seconds, or maybe minutes, later, and the roar of some beast fills the air. It’s followed by screams that are only more chilling by the abruptness in which they’re cut off.

Despite his injury, Rojtar doesn’t stop or even slow until we are off the hillside and back in the large field that spreads out from it. At last he pauses and turns to me. His wound has stopped bleeding. I drop everything on the ground and throw myself into his arms.

“I thought you were dead.” My chest heaves with sobs.

Rojtar wraps himself around me and holds on tightly. Over my crying, he whispers words of reassurance. His tail twines around my leg offering more comfort and he doesn’t let loose until I get myself under control. With a last shuddering breath, I lift my head to stare up at him.

“I made a promise to always protect you. That could not be the only promise I made that I was unable to keep.” Rojtar says with a gentle smile.

With great care, I stroke the scorched skin around the hole. It’ll be another scar to add to the ones already decorating his body. I don’t know what kind of gun Lewis used or where he found it, but someone needs to be held accountable for him having access to that weapon.

“He could have killed you despite your promise.” My voice cracks and I choke back more tears.

Rojtar cradles my face within his palms. “I have survived countless battles against the Krijese as well as the latest attack brought to us by the Njeri. I have hunted vicious beasts that require the effort of multiple Tavikhi hunters to bring them down and have walked away unharmed. It will take more than some human weapon wielded by a coward to kill me.”

“I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

“You will not lose me, keeshla ,” Rojtar promises. “Not when we have just found each other.”

As much as I don’t want to let him go, we need to get back to the village and let them know what happened. Word needs to be sent to the settlement. Most importantly, he needs to see Kyler or Sage about his injury. I hold him for a minute longer and then we gather our things again and make our way home.

No sooner do we walk through the gate as we’re stopped by Zander. His gaze homes in on Rojtar’s wound before he lifts it to meet his eyes.

“You are well?”

Before my mate can reply, I snap. “Of course he’s not well. He was shot and could have died.”

“Peace, keeshla ,” Rojtar soothes. “The shefir knows what happened.”

How he can tell, I have no idea, but I face Zander again and study him. He didn’t act surprised to see the injury. Almost like he suspected what had happened.

“One of the human leaders came to warn us of the dishonorable male you spoke of before,” the shefir says. “Another of their tribespeople saw him take one of their hidden weapons and leave the settlement. He has been speaking of getting revenge against someone for many turns. Ever since he returned from the forest and reported some alien assaulted him and threatened his life. I assume you are that ‘alien’?”

“He attacked my mate while she was out hunting,” Rojtar confirms and withdraws the gun from the pouch hanging off his belt. “It was when she triggered my mating marks. She stopped me from killing the worthless male that turn, but we encountered him up in the hills just now. He once again attacked her after attempting to kill me.”

“I assume your keeshla will be safe from now on?” Zander asks him.

Rojtar nods and passes over the weapon. “A dhembi took care of the problem.”

“I will let the human leader know their tribe is one less member and that I will be keeping this. Perhaps the Bohnari will be interested in it for trade the next time they return.”

“Just so you know, I had no idea there were weapons of any kind at the settlement.” I gesture at the gun. “There might be more where that came from.”

Zander inclines his head. “I will find out and take care of it.”

He fists his chest and walks away. I turn to Rojtar.

“You need to go see the healer. Please.” I tack on. “For me?”

“For you.” He presses a kiss to the side of my head and together we first make a stop at the tanning tent to drop off the dhibani and then we go see Kyler.