Chapter 11

11

That morning, she'd woken up with more aches and pains than she could count, but she still felt better than she had in years. Fresh air, exercise, danger, and a hefty dose of mind-melting sex seemed to be the tonic she'd needed.

She'd looked at her wrists, admiring the markings in daylight for the first time. Whatever she had going on with Vengeance, it wasn't about sex. Well, not entirely. Was she really his mate? It seemed likely, but it was still hard to wrap her head around. They weren't even the same species. Had the verexi included enough human DNA in their creations make this bond possible? That didn't seem likely. She was no expert, but as far as she knew, none of the known species bonded like this.

Thoughts like this kept bouncing around her head as they made their way through the forest. She drank it all in, reveling in the wild beauty of this place. As they walked, Vengeance shared what he knew about the plants, the animals, and how they'd survived after the crash.

Sometimes she'd share stories about her experiences: the planets she'd seen while working as a bodyguard, the space stations she'd visited, and the various species she'd met.

By the time they'd reached the cliffs, she felt like they'd known each other far longer than a single day. He was a good male, one she was growing to like more and more.

Then he'd told her his plan, and she was back to thinking he was a cocky lunatic.

"Let me get this straight. Your plan is to use your netting to make a harness for me, and then you're going to lower me down the side of a waterfall that looks to be more than ten meters high and is surrounded by jagged, pointy rocks.

"There are areas where you can climb down yourself. I'll have hold of the rope to make sure you don't slip, but you'll be the one climbing."

"That's not much better," she said, already preparing herself for what she had to do. "And you still haven't told me how you plan to get yourself down."

"That's easy. I don't need the rope. I'll climb down freestyle."

She stared at him. "That's insane."

"The rope is too valuable to leave behind. We don't have much of it and no way to make any more. I'll be fine." He flashed her his trademark grin.

"Do not die on me, Venge. You can't just tell me I'm yours, give me these damned tattoo things, and then do something stupid that gets you killed."

He took her hands in his. "I'm not going to die today. I have too much to live for."

He didn't so much make a harness out of the netting as wrap it around her torso until she felt like she was cocooned in the stuff. At least it wasn't bulky, but it restricted her range of motion more than she liked. Still, she'd make it work. She had to.

"Give me your bag," he said once she was ready. "I'll lower it down with mine before I make the climb myself."

She almost handed it over before she remembered what it contained. "The rifle stays with me."

He scowled but didn't argue.

She pressed the point anyway. "I'm not going down there unarmed. What if more of those black fangs are lurking around?"

He nodded. "Be careful. Not everything in these woods can be dropped with one shot. Don't start a fight you can't win."

It was good advice. "I won't." She drew out the rifle, snapped the two pieces into place, and slung it over her back. Then she kissed him, sinking into the warm comfort of his arms for as long as she dared.

"See you at the bottom. Stay safe."

"You too."

Once she started down, the noise would make it hard to hear anything he said, and the mist would keep her from seeing much. Every rock in view looked like it was covered in some kind of moss or algae, which meant everything would be slippery.

This was going to be such fun.

She was only two meters down when she heard it. That same deep, booming call. The pattern was identical. Two short beats followed by one long one. And it was getting louder.

Vengeance shouted to her, his voice barely carrying over the roar of the water. "Keep going. I'll get you down as far as I can before it gets here."

"No! Bring me back up! I can help!"

He ignored her and continued letting out the rope.

She reached the first stretch of climbable rocks and clambered down them as fast as she could manage. Sharp edges cut into her hands, but she kept going.

Three quick tugs let him know when she ran out of rocks to climb. To her relief, he took up the slack and began to lower her again, her feet dangling as she hung, helpless and frustrated, unable to see or hear anything.

She was part way down the second climbable section when the rope tightened. She tugged at it, but it didn't give. He must have tied it off.

"Vengeance!" she screamed his name. Not that it mattered. She couldn't help him.

Thud . Even this far down the waterfall, she felt the rocks around her shape as something huge approached from above.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

The next the booming roar was so loud it made the mist dance and whirl around her.

Angry tears scalded her cheeks as she started to climb back up. It was pointless, but she did it anyway. If anything happened to him…

Pain twisted in her chest, and fear gathered in her throat, making it hard to breathe. Vengeance was up there alone. She should be with him. Fighting by his side. Keeping him alive, because if he died, she'd lose her only chance at love.

The word slammed into her like a comet strike. "Fuck me. I love him. He better not die, or I'll never get to tell him he was right."

She looked up again, and this time she saw him. He stood at the edge of the cliff, his sword in hand. He pounded a fist to his chest, striking the point where the markings intersected. Then he threw back his head and roared.

The beast roared back, and Vengeance vanished from sight.

She screamed his name, but she knew he wouldn't come back. He didn't have to. He'd already said goodbye.