Klaz

KLAZ

T he cave’s chill seeped into my bones as I watched Cinta sleep. Her auburn hair spilled across the makeshift bedroll, made almost brighter by the icy blue of our surroundings. Even in slumber, her lips seemed to curl in mischief, as if she was plotting her next con in her dreams.

I shifted, wincing as pain lanced through my side. The crash had left its mark, but Vinduthi healing would take care of it soon enough. My attention returned to Cinta. In the dim light of our emergency lantern, her skin seemed to glow, soft and inviting.

This was madness. She was human, fragile, and far too young for me. Yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the curve of her hip beneath the thermal blanket.

Our situation was dire. Stranded on an ice planet with limited supplies and a damaged distress beacon. If rescue didn’t come soon... I clenched my fists, banishing the thought. I’d faced worse odds in the war and come out alive. We would survive this.

Cinta shook in her sleep, a small whimper escaping her lips. Without thinking, I reached out, my hand hovering just above her shoulder. Heat radiated from my palm, drawn to her like a magnet.

I yanked my hand back, clenching it into a fist. This wasn’t about attraction. It was about survival. Nothing more.

Another shiver wracked Cinta’s body, more violent this time. The cave’s temperature was dropping rapidly. If she got too cold...

Cursing under my breath, I made my decision. I scooped Cinta into my lap, careful not to jostle her as I layered the blankets over her. She was light, almost alarmingly so, and I tightened my grip instinctively.

“It’s just for warmth,” I muttered to myself, adjusting her so her head rested against my chest. “Nothing more.”

As if in response, Cinta snuggled closer, her small hand coming to rest on my bicep. Her touch was like fire, and I bit back a groan.

This was torture. Pure, exquisite torture.

I tried to focus on our surroundings, on potential threats, anything but the feel of her soft curves pressed against me. But my senses betrayed me, picking up every detail. The scent of her hair, a mix of ship soap and something uniquely Cinta. The warmth of her breath against my skin. The steady thrum of her pulse, so much quicker than my own.

Hours crawled by, each minute an eternity of sweet agony. I battled my rising desire, my growing need to claim her as mine. It went against everything I believed in, everything I’d fought for. I was her protector, nothing more.

And yet...

As the first hints of dawn filtered through the cave’s entrance, Cinta stirred.

What would I say when she woke? How could I explain this without sounding like a lecherous fool?

But Cinta didn’t wake. Instead, she mumbled something unintelligible and burrowed deeper into my embrace. Her lips brushed against my collarbone, sending a hot wave of need and desire straight to my cock.

I savored the moment even as I cursed myself for my weakness. When morning came, I would have to let her go. But for now, just for this moment, I allowed myself to imagine a different life. Where I was worthy of her trust, her affection.

Even if all of her sparkle and charm on the ship had been nothing but a game to her, part of some crazy plan where she needed someone like me on her side, I was willing to play.

The howling winds that had battered our shelter through the night suddenly died down. I blinked, momentarily disoriented by the abrupt silence. Sunlight streamed through the cave entrance, casting long shadows across the icy floor.

Cinta stirred in my arms, her eyes fluttering open. For a heartbeat, we stared at each other, faces mere inches apart. Then reality crashed in. She scrambled out of my lap, cheeks flushed.

“I... um, thanks for keeping me warm,” she mumbled, not meeting my gaze.

I stood, muscles protesting after hours of stillness. “We should check outside.”

We emerged from the cave, squinting against the glare. The storm had scoured the landscape clean, leaving behind a pristine expanse of white. Jagged ice formations glittered like crystal sculptures, refracting sunlight into prismatic rainbows.

Cinta let out a low whistle. “It’s beautiful.”

I grunted in agreement, scanning the horizon for any sign of habitation or rescue. Nothing but endless white stretched as far as I could see.

“Unfortunately,” I said. “This cave won’t protect us from another storm.”

Cinta nodded, already packing up our meager supplies. “Where to next?”

I pointed to a distant ridge. “Higher ground. Might give us a better vantage point.”

We set off across the snow-covered plain, our boots crunching with each step. The silence was oppressive, broken only by our labored breathing. I kept a watchful eye on Cinta, noting how her teeth chattered despite the layers we’d salvaged from the escape pod.

I watched Cinta’s shoulders shake as we trudged through the snow. Her thin frame looked even more fragile against the stark white landscape. The wind whipped at her hair, sending auburn strands dancing around her face. She stumbled, catching herself before I could reach out to steady her.

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. This wouldn’t do.

I stopped abruptly, causing Cinta to nearly collide with me. She looked up, confusion etched across her features.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.

Without a word, I shrugged off my pack and rummaged through it. My fingers closed around the thermal blankets. They weren’t much, but they’d have to do.

“Come here,” I said, gesturing for Cinta to step closer.

She hesitated, wariness flickering in her eyes. “Why?”

“Because you’re freezing, and I won’t have you dying of hypothermia on my watch.”

Cinta’s eyes widened, but she didn’t argue. She took a tentative step forward, and I seized the opportunity. With a snap, I unfurled the thermal blankets and draped them around her shoulders.

“Hold still,” I instructed, my fingers working quickly to fashion a makeshift cloak. I tucked and folded the material, creating a hood to protect her head from the biting wind.

As I worked, the softness of her skin where my knuckles brushed against her neck made me pause. The scent of her hair, even dulled by the cold, sent a jolt through me. Dammit.

“There,” I said, stepping back to survey my handiwork. The thermal blankets now formed a snug cloak around Cinta, complete with a hood that framed her face.

She blinked up at me, surprise evident in her expression. “I... thank you,” she murmured, pulling the cloak tighter around herself.

I nodded curtly, ignoring the warmth that bloomed through me at her gratitude. “It’s not much, but it should help keep you warm.”

We trudged on in silence for what felt like hours. The ridge seemed no closer, and fatigue was setting in. I was about to suggest a rest when a low rumble echoed across the plain.

I froze, holding up a hand to halt Cinta. “Did you hear that?”

She nodded, eyes wide. The rumble came again, closer this time. The ground beneath our feet trembled.

“What is it?” Cinta whispered.

Before I could answer, a massive shape burst from beneath the snow. Six legs, each as thick as tree trunks, propelled a bear-like body covered in thick, icy fur. Its roar shook the air around us.

“Run!” I shouted, grabbing Cinta’s hand and pulling her along.

We sprinted across the snow, the creature’s thunderous footfalls growing closer with each second. My mind raced, searching for a way out. We had no weapons, no shelter...

“The ice formations!” Cinta yelled, pointing to a cluster of towering spires ahead.

Understanding dawned. I veered towards the crystalline structures, Cinta keeping pace beside me. The beast was almost upon us, its hot breath steaming in the frigid air.

We reached the ice formations, diving between two narrow spires. The creature roared in frustration, too large to follow. It circled, searching for a way in.

Cinta’s eyes lit up. “I have an idea. Can you lure it to that overhang?” She pointed to a precarious-looking ice shelf.

I nodded, already moving. “Be careful.”

She nodded, then began scaling the ice formation with surprising agility. I circled the beast, drawing its attention with sharp whistles and sudden movements.

I darted out from our hiding spot, waving my arms. “Over here, you overgrown furball!”

The beast’s head snapped towards me, its jaws opening in a fearsome snarl. It charged, shaking the ground. I ran, leading it beneath the ice shelf. At the last second, I dove to the side.

“Hey ugly! Up here!” Cinta’s voice rang out, mimicking the beast’s roar with surprising accuracy. The creature’s head whipped around, confused by the sound coming from above.

The creature reared up on its hind legs, trying to reach Cinta where she perched atop the ice formation.

She leapt to the next column, shouting over her shoulder. “, now!”

I shoved at the base of the formation, straining with all of my might.

It didn’t budge. I pushed harder, desperate.

This had to work. With the final bit of strength, I shoved again, ramming my shoulder against the pillar.

An eerie groan echoed all around us. Then with a sudden shake the ice shelf groaned, then collapsed, burying the beast beneath tons of frozen debris. Its roars faded to whimpers, then silence.

I rushed to where Cinta was climbing down. “Are you alright?”

She grinned, eyes shining with exhilaration. “Never better. We make a pretty good team, don’t you think?”

Before I could stop myself, I pulled her into a fierce embrace.

Cinta’s body pressed against mine, her warmth seeping through our layers of clothing. I forgot about the biting cold, the looming danger, everything except the feel of her in my arms. My heart pounded, a war drum in my ears.

She tilted her head back, looking up at me. A strand of auburn hair had escaped her hood, curling against her cheek. Without thinking, I reached out to brush it away. My fingers lingered on her skin, tracing the curve of her jaw.

Cinta’s breath hitched. “...”

The sound of my name on her lips broke something inside me. Years of control, of holding back, shattered like the ice we’d just brought down. I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs stroking her cheekbones.

“I shouldn’t,” I murmured, even as I leaned closer.

“Then I will,” Cinta whispered, her hands fisting in the front of my suit.

As our lips met, a war raged within me. Part of me screamed that this was wrong - she was too young, too vulnerable. But another part, a part I thought long dead, roared to life. It whispered of belonging, of a connection I’d never felt before.

Cinta’s mouth was soft, warm, a stark contrast to the frigid air around us. I tasted her desperation, her fear, her relief - all of it mingling with my own surging emotions.

The kiss deepened, grew hungry. My hands slid into her hair, dislodging her hood. Cinta pressed herself closer, a small moan escaping her. The sound sent a jolt of desire through me, and I growled low in my throat.

I backed her up against the nearest ice formation, my body caging hers. Cinta’s hands roamed over my chest, my shoulders, leaving trails of fire in their wake. I nipped at her lower lip, relishing her gasp of pleasure.

I lost myself in the sensations. Her scent, her taste… I wanted to devour her, to claim her as mine.

Reality crashed back in with the distant roar of another ice beast. I tore my lips from Cinta’s, both of us panting heavily. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen from our kiss. The sight nearly undid me.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” I murmured into her hair.

Cinta pulled back slightly, her face tilted up towards mine. “Scared? The big, bad Vinduthi warrior?”

I cupped her cheek, thumb tracing the curve of her jaw. “When it comes to you? Terrified.”