Page 58 of Ice Planet Barbarians

“Fair enough,” I say. The thing is pressing against his hands, looking for a way to burrow into his skin. I feel faint at the thought of voluntarily letting it inside me . . . but what choice do I have?

I made my choice. I chose Vektal . . . and our child, who might even now be inside my womb.

“Do I need to make the cut?” I ask him. “Or will you?”

“I can,” he says and offers his cupped hands to me.

I take the khui with a small grimace. It feels like a sticky strand of spaghetti, impossibly warm despite the cold, wintry wind blowing around us. The light flickers faintly as it’s transferred to my hands, and I experience a moment of worry. What if khui can’t bond with humans? But Vektal has pulled out a new, clean blade, and his hand has gone to the back of my neck, cupping it.

And then there’s really no going back.

“Are you really going to do this, Georgie?” Kira asks, sounding ill.

“I really am.” I look into Vektal’s glowing eyes as he leans in. He presses a kiss to my forehead, and I’m struck again at how wonderful he is. “I love you,” I say softly.

“You are my heart, Georgie,” he murmurs. I feel the cool press of the knife against my throat for a quick moment and then a sting as he nicks me near my collar bone. Not deep, but enough that the blood crusts up and freezes against my skin.

Vektal takes the khui from my hands and lifts it, and as I see his hand with that weird, glowing filament approach my bared neck, I think No, no, wait, I changed my mind.

But it doesn’t matter.

The moment the khui touches my skin, it begins to burrow, seeking warmth. I suck in a horrified breath as I feel it push through my body. It’s like ice water moving through my veins, and I can feel the thing climbing toward my heart and oh shit.

Oh shit.

Everything’s going dark.

Vektal’s face is blurring in front of mine.

This is a mistake, isn’t it?

But then there’s warmth.

So much warmth.

And humming…

And then darkness.

•••

My eyes snap open at some point later. It’s curious because I can feel the wind blowing and snow falling around me, but I’m not cold anymore. Warm fingers brush over my cheek, and I look into Vektal’s handsome face. I feel a little stiff and achy overall, but I don’t feel as weak as I was before. I lick my lips. “How’d it go?”

“Your eyes are a lovely shade of blue,” he tells me, voice warm with happiness.

“Oh?” I sit up with his help and look around. Not much time has passed, I think, since I took in the khui. There’s thunder in the distance, and the skies are black with night. I blink and look around. I feel . . . the same. There’s no weirdness. No oh-my-God-there’s-a-tapeworm-in-me feeling. Everything is quiet.

As a snowflake lands on my arm, though, I look around in surprise. “I’m warm?”

“The khui will keep you warm,” he says, his hand brushing over my skin. He’s touching me everywhere, as if he can’t quite believe I’m all right.

“Wow, okay.” I glance through the camp, and the men are helping the women to their feet. “Did they all take it? The khui?”

“Everyone,” he says, a proud note in his voice. He helps me stand, though I don’t suppose I need the help anymore. I’m just fine, oddly enough. I feel . . . good. “You were brave and led the way.”

“I have a lot to live for.” The sound of the thunder increases, and as his hand touches mine, I feel . . . strange. Aroused. It’s weird because all he’s doing is touching my arm. I look at Vektal in surprise. I fight the urge to kiss his hard mouth, to climb him like a freaking tree, and to drag him into the snow and make sweet, sweet love to him.

Good lord, what is going on with me?

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