Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

G emma woke up surrounded by warmth—a feeling so forgotten that for a moment she thought she was still dreaming. Thick furs covered her, and the crackle of a nearby fire filled the air. The ceiling high above her head was composed of stone and she gave it a confused look, just before the memory of their desperate trek came rushing back.

Liam!

She jerked upright, then sighed with relief when she saw him sleeping next to her. He was still pale enough that his freckles were clearly visible, but his chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm. He didn’t seem any the worse from their encounter with the storm and even the bruise on his cheek seemed less angry in the gentle light.

What light? Where are we?

Polished logs framed the big bed where they had been sleeping, and her gaze swept over a set of wooden shelves and a chair also built from logs before snagging on the huge windows—or more accurately, the enormous figure standing in front of the windows. Their rescuer.

She still wasn’t entirely sure why she’d agreed to go with him. Part of it had been sheer desperation and the knowledge that they couldn’t survive the storm, but there was also something oddly reassuring about that big figure and the way he’d waited so patiently for her response. When he’d put his arm around her it had felt… protective rather than alarming.

Even though she suspected he slowed his pace on her account, her legs were still weak and tired from her earlier efforts and she struggled to keep up with him. The third time she stumbled, he made an impatient noise and then he was carrying her as well.

She probably should have objected but she was so tired and the heat radiating from his body was so comforting that she didn’t want to pull away. The last thing she remembered was burying her face into that warmth, Liam tucked safely between them.

The grey light coming in through the windows must mean that it was daytime, but the snow was still swirling outside the glass. He was staring out the windows at the storm and she took the opportunity to study him. He was so clearly not human—the sweep of his horns, the thick white fur, the sheer size of him—that she should probably have been afraid. Yet there was something about the way he held himself, those broad shoulders bent as if bearing an invisible weight, that aroused her sympathy instead. He looked so alone. The emptiness of the room around them reinforced that impression of loneliness—everything functional, nothing personal. No pictures, no decorations, just the necessities.

He was wearing loose white pants tucked into heavy boots, with a wide belt around his waist. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the large knife holstered on the belt, but she still didn’t feel afraid. He was wearing an open vest and the short, velvety fur covering his torso did nothing to hide his powerful muscles.

He suddenly tensed and swung around, silver eyes focusing on her face. Her brief impression from the night before had not been wrong. The thick white mane didn’t cover his face and his strong angular features were not that dissimilar from human features. He shifted his weight awkwardly under her inspection, but remained by the windows, as if he were afraid of frightening her. Instead he gestured towards two metal mugs on the wooden table next to the bed.

“Drink. It will help,” he said in a deep, gruff voice. After a brief hesitation he added, “You’re safe here.”

She bit her lip then reached for the mug. The outside was cool to the touch but when she lifted the lid, steam curled up from the contents, rich and fragrant. The tantalizing aroma didn’t mean it was safe, but if he’d meant them harm, he’d had plenty of chances already.

“What is this?”

“It’s called zura. It has…nutrients to help you regain your strength.”

She took a cautious sip of the hot liquid and sighed with pleasure. It reminded her of hot chocolate, creamy and rich, but it was spiced with an additional flavor that made her think of evergreens and snow. It warmed her from the inside and she felt better with each sip. A soft moan of appreciation escaped as she drank, and his silver eyes flashed before he turned back to the window.

“Thank you for helping us,” she said after a moment.

“It would have been irresponsible not to assist.”

His voice was flat, but there was something beneath it—something that sounded like pain.

“Neither you nor the child are suffering from frostbite,” he added after another pause. “I checked your extremities.”

She wiggled her toes and realized her feet were bare, although the rest of her layers of clothing seemed to be intact.

“That’s a relief. I’m Gemma, by the way. My son’s name is Liam.”

Another long pause.

“You may call me Yede.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Yede.” She gave him a speculative look as she put the empty mug back on the table. “Do your people live here in the mountains?”

No one had ever mentioned encountering someone like him before, but the human population was quite small. It was possible their paths had never crossed, especially if his people kept to the high mountains.

Those broad shoulders stiffened before he shook his head.

“I am the only one.”

This time the pain in his voice was so clear that her heart ached for him. But if he were the only one…

“I suppose that means you come from another planet?”

That brought his head around as he gave her a surprised look.

“You know of such things?”

“There are stories, although I’m not sure how much truth they contain. The most common is that we—humans—came to this planet on a ship from beyond the stars many years ago. Most of the stories agree on that point, but the reason we are here varies—an accident, a punishment from God, fate.” She shrugged. “As I said, stories. And there are those who do not believe any part of them.”

“I believe there is an…anomaly in this part of the galaxy which affects ships that pass through it.”

“It happened to you too?”

Before he could answer, Liam stirred and she bent over him. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, then gave her a sleepy smile.

“Hi Mama. Where—” He saw Yede and his eyes widened with excitement. “Wow, you’re huge! And fuzzy!” He scrambled to sit up, furs falling around him. “Mama, look at his horns! They’re so cool!”

Heat crept up her cheeks. “Liam?—”

But Yede’s reaction stopped her protest. His big body relaxed, his face softening. The change transformed his entire bearing from intimidating to almost gentle.

“You don’t find them frightening?” he asked, his deep voice less gruff than before.

“Nuh-uh. They’re awesome.”

Liam started to say something else but then his stomach growled loud enough to echo through the room. He clutched his middle as the corner of Yede’s mouth twitched.

“There is a drink waiting for you. After that there is food in the kitchen, if you’re hungry. Soup and bread.”

Liam started to agree, then bit his lip and gave her a hopeful look. When she nodded, his face split into a wide grin.

“But drink this first,” she said firmly, handing him the other mug.

He obeyed enthusiastically—so enthusiastically that he ended up with a wide white ring around his mouth.

“I’m ready.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up first. That is…”

She gave Yede an uncertain look but he gave an abrupt nod and headed for the door, still staying as far away from the two of them as possible. Was he still concerned about frightening them?

Or maybe we frighten him.

The thought made her smile as she slipped out of bed, the stone floor cool beneath her bare feet but not as cold as she’d expected. Liam hopped down behind her, looking around curiously.

“Is this a cave?”

“Yes. I used the existing caves as the basis for my residence.” Yede opened the bedroom door to reveal a corridor carved out of the rock. The wide passageway lacked the smooth plaster walls of the bedroom and it was noticeably cooler. “The sanitary facility is behind that door. The living area is at the end of the hall. You may join me there when you are ready.”

He turned and strode off without another word as she stared after him. He was such an odd mixture of gruffness and kindness. Pushing that aside to think about later, she opened the door to the sanitary facility and Liam’s eyes widened.

“It’s all metal, Mama.”

“It certainly is.”

She’d never seen anything like the sleek, high-tech space before, not even in the city. It was a shocking contrast to the rough stone corridor and she decided it must have come from his ship. Fortunately everything worked much as she would have expected once she figured out that she needed to wave her hand in front of a control panel rather than trying to find a handle to turn.

They both washed and she stripped off most of their outer layers leaving Liam in a sweater and pants, both worn but enough to keep him warm inside. She settled on a shirt and pants and swept her hair back into her usual braid as he waited impatiently by the door.

Folding the discarded clothes into a neat stack, she led the way down the corridor and into the living area. The vast space was surprisingly welcoming even though it too was designed for function rather than comfort. More of the huge windows covered the front wall and a fire roared in the fireplace. The log furniture was an odd contrast to the metal fixtures, but both felt right for the space.

An archway carved out of the stone separated the living space from a kitchen area. A wooden counter ran below another window and a wood burning stove was centered on the far wall, but it was flanked by metal counters and several machines she didn’t recognize. The long wooden table in the center of the kitchen had only one chair.

Yede was standing at the stove but he turned as they entered. Those silver eyes swept down over her body and she was suddenly very aware that only one layer of clothing protected her from that silver gaze. It made her aware of her body in a way she hadn’t experienced in a very long time and her nipples beaded beneath her shirt.

His eyes lingered there for a fraction of a second before he turned his attention to Liam.

“Are you ready for some soup?”

“Yeah!”

Liam bounced across the room eagerly. She followed a little more slowly, still looking around. Open shelves contained a few cooking instruments, but once again, she was struck by how empty the place felt.

Yede handed Liam a basket of bread and asked him to put it on the table before filling three bowls with a thick, dark soup that smelled delicious. So different from the watery gruel they’d survived on at the camp. She carried them to the table, then looked at the single chair.

“Sit down,” he said gruffly.

“But—”

He walked out of the kitchen before she could finish her objection. She sighed, then sat down, lifting Liam onto her lap. Just as she was about to pick up her spoon he returned, carrying a heavy wooden bench as if it weighed no more than a feather.

He set it down across from her, then took his place on it. Liam hopped down before she could stop him and went to sit next to him. She opened her mouth to object, but Yede shook his head and she let it drop.

“This is really good,” Liam mumbled a few moments later, his mouth full of soup.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” she said automatically, but he was right. The rich, savory flavors were like nothing she’d ever tasted before.

As they ate, Liam peppered Yede with questions, and he responded briefly but patiently as Liam’s curiosity wandered from one topic to the next.

“What are the windows made of?”

“Transparent aluminum.”

“Did you build everything yourself?” Liam swung his legs under the table.

“Yes.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I salvaged some of it from my ship and I built everything else.”

“Can I see your ship? When the storm is over?”

“Liam,” she said warningly, but Yede shook his head.

“It’s fine. What’s left is mostly scrap—and currently buried beneath the snow.” His eyes flickered to the window, where white flakes still whirled past. “Since it appears the storm may last for a while, you may stay here until it passes. But only until it ends.”

“Thank you for letting us stay,” she said sincerely.

“And I have certain conditions.”

Her heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. What was he going to expect in return?