Page 68 of The Hero Within
Johnny's eyes narrowed on her, as Nnedi gestured the women away from him.
"Go," Nnedi said. "And fight with honor."
Hands pushed him. Pulled him.
All he could see was Eden.
It was stupid.
Reckless.
He didn't even know where the urge came from. But as the wargs began howling for him to enter the makeshift ring, he slid his hand behind Eden's neck and dragged her against him.
Eden's hands slammed against his chest as Johnny captured her mouth. The surprised exhale of her breath filled his lungs as he explored her lips. No time for finesse. Only hunger. Tongue lashing teasingly across her lower lip, and her hips grinding against his. Eden's palms skated up the back of his neck, her body softening as she kissed him back.
He'd dreamed of this moment a thousand times. She didn't know what she gave him with her forgiveness, and her need. Intangible necessities he still couldn't quite touch, more a dream than a reality still, but growing heavier and more real with every lash of her tongue.
Three... four seconds at most. By the time he stepped back, he was wearing a faint smile and her eyes were so wide, he could see dozens of the torches in the cavern reflected in them. It made her eyes look like a night sky. It made him feel like he could steal half the light of the world just by kissing her again.
"In case I never get another chance," he murmured, as she put her fingertips to her lips.
Then he stepped through the opening in the circle of wargs and headed for his destiny. The drums beat faster as he strode through the narrow tunnel of hooting wargs. Some clapped his back, others shoved their faces in his, screaming at him. Thumping their chests.
He ignored them all.
The only thing that mattered was survival.
Chapter Thirteen
The main caveechoed with shouts and the deep throat ululations Eden had heard earlier. But the tone had changed. It had been a song of welcome earlier, whereas now it reminded her of violence, of power, of the sheer, unblinking exhilaration of a people preparing themselves for war.
Nnedi climbed the natural dais, gesturing for her follow. Eden clambered up the stone, just as the others circled the pit below. Its floor coated with sand, it bore faint ruddy stains that made her throat catch. Clearly not the first time blood had been spilled here.
Colton flexed his shoulders, muscle gleaming beneath the coating of oil they’d rubbed all over him. They’d pressed white powdered hands all over his back and shoulders, a stark contrast to the red ochre handprints that stained Lincoln.
Lincoln had an inch or two on him, and broader shoulders, but Colton had him beat when it came to pure, hard slab of muscle. Every inch of him was rock, from his shoulders to his eight-pack, whereas there was a softer layer of muscle on Lincoln.
Arik lifted a gourd-shaped pot to his brother's lips, and Lincoln grabbed it with both hands, red liquid dripping down the sides of his mouth as he drank.
He lowered it, and Arik turned toward Johnny.
"Drink," the alpha said, his eyes glittering as he lifted the hollowed-out gourd to Johnny’s lips.
"What is it?" Colton demanded, his nose wrinkling.
"Kaga," Arik replied. "We call it Fire in the Blood. All our warriors must drink it before they face their testing. Master the fire, and you master yourself."
"It’s an enervative," Nnedi called. "It will stimulate your system and make it harder to control your darkness. Lust, rage, violence.... Everything is magnified."
Eden swallowed.Don't do it....
But he merely nodded and drained the rest of the gourd.
Wargs screamed in satisfaction as he lowered it, as if he'd done something they approved of.
"Can your man fight?" Nnedi murmured at her side.
He has to. Eden’s breath came short and sharp. Her lips still tingled from where he'd kissed her, but she couldn't focus on that.
