Chapter 5

Hannah

Blade was right, the water wasn’t cold and, though tinted an odd hint of lavender, it tasted completely normal. Fresh, clean, if a bit lukewarm. I hadn’t risked more than taking off my boots for a dip of my toes in the stream, but Blade had stripped out of his leather pants as casually as could be before he’d waded in to hip height.

Beneath the canopy of the trees, and right next to the warm stream of water, the temperatures were much warmer. I’d left my thick leather coat and sweater on the saddle of his hovercycle so they wouldn’t get wet, and it felt good to unwind for a second. The warmth felt good; it relaxed me, and tension seemed to flow out through my feet to be swept away on the gentle purple stream.

Currently, I was staring at his muscled bare back and admiring the artwork that decorated his green skin. If I were being truthful, I was also sneaking glances at the sexy curve of his rear, covered only in a pair of snug black boxer briefs. I couldn’t believe I’d really ended up transported to some other world, and that something as mundane as boxer briefs were the exact same.

If I somehow managed to go back to earth, I was going to give the kind lady of the B the drops swept away by the cleansing water. It felt like I had though, because I could taste it on my tongue.

“Hannah, what’s happening, my sweet lass? Are you ill?” Blade demanded, but he sounded far away, my ears roaring. “Here, try this.” I was hustled forward, my head between my knees, a bag held in front of my face. I snatched it up and eagerly breathed into it and slowly, very slowly, my breathing eased up.

Only when I felt like the world was no longer spinning wildly around me did I lift my head. He had lifted me straight out of the water and onto his bike; I hadn’t even noticed that. His arms were around me, one on my knee to hold me in place, the other around my back, his fingers gently cupping the back of my neck. He had no idea how close his question came to the truth, and still, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him. I didn’t want his pity. Mostly, I didn’t want to make him sad.