Page 79 of The Warrior's Oath
“Everyone’s good to go,” she said to Halvax, falling into step as he walked far quicker than before. “Lead the way. We’re right behind you.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
The mood among the survivors had changed after the Dohrag ship’s flyover. They had been tense, wary, and a bit shell-shocked upon their rescue, but also hopeful with a sense of relief and a lessening of the traumatic memories with every step they took away from their former captors.
But now there was a new threat. One that came from above and could potentially drop in on them at any time if they weren’t at their utmost vigilant. As such, every passing bird high above or strange sound carrying over the treetops brought an involuntary tensing of their bodies.
Korvin and Halvax were the only ones even remotely calm about the situation, but even they were moving with heightened awareness, their salvaged Raxxian weapons ready for action if the need arose. They were warriors, and there were now two of them, and they had faced difficult odds before. But protecting the others while facing an adversary could make things exceptionally more difficult.
The one thing thatwaseasier was ignoring the deep pull Korvin and Nyota’s runes were exerting upon them. Even the powerful pigment drawing their bodies closer seemed to know to tone it down a bit. Their lives were at stake, and a dead mate could not consummate the bond.
Of course, that didn’t mean it was entirely gone. They still both felt a twinge in their nethers whenever their eyes met, but the exertion of the trek and drain of their glycogen stores remaining hyper-vigilant at all times served to keep them putting one foot in front of the other rather than scurrying off into the bushes for a quickie.
They walked in silence for several hours before reaching the gaping chasm Korvin and Nyota had previously traversed. With tired bodies, crossing would be difficult under any circumstances, but with varying degrees of injury slowing a few of their party it could be even more so.
Fortunately, with two Nimenni on hand, things would be a lot better than had it been otherwise.
“You have crafted a rope,” Halvax said, appreciating his friend’s handiwork. “This will speed the process.
“But we will need a proper harness and belay system to help the weaker and injured ones across.”
“On it. You see to your mate. You have spent far too much time apart for the newly bonded.”
Korvin nodded his thanks. “It is appreciated, brother.”
Halvax took the coil of rope and headed off to fabricate the other parts of their traversing apparatus from what they had on hand along with whatever he could fashion from the vegetation in the area. Fortunately, this part of the planet was lush and strong-fibered plants were plentiful. It would be no time before he had completed his task.
Nyota settled down beside her man and rested her head against his shoulder. His natural heat felt amazing, even after a long and sweaty hike. And speaking of sweat, she was amazed how quickly she became aroused by his natural odor. It was like the pinnacle of pheromonal attraction almost to the point of being distracting. Judging by the way he was looking at her, he felt very much the same.
“How do you fare?” he asked, offering her a sip of his water. “Are you well?”
“All good,” she said, drinking deep, then leaning up and giving him a refreshingly wet kiss. The barely dormant length between his legs roused at once, pushing hard against the fabric of his trousers.
“Oops. Sorry about that,” she said with a wicked grin.
His hand grazed her left nipple as he reached up to caress her face. Her whole body jerked with electric bliss at the touch.
“Oops, sorry about that,” he said, a soft chuckle in his voice but a burning-hot look in his eye.
She looked around at the other survivors. “Wereallyneed to do something about this.”
“We will. When we reach Molok, we will consummate the bond.Repeatedly.”
Nyota shifted, her legs crossing and uncrossing, applying just the right pressure. “God, I hope so. Ineedyou. I can’t take much more of this. Is that normal? Like, we’re out here fighting for our lives, and all I can think about is riding you until you can’t walk straight.”
The bulge in his trousers pulsed visibly.
“It-it is normal,” he said, his voice hoarse with restrained desire. “The newly bonded do not normally wait to seal their bond, but sometimes there are obstacles to the process.”
“Like running for our lives from Raxxians and Dohrags?”
“Something like that.”
“Then we need to get back to safety ASA-fucking-P, because I really don’t know how much longer I can take this, and I don’t think jumping your bones in the middle of the trail would be appreciated.”
“Likely not. We will make the best time back we can. And know this,” he said, his long fingers gently caressing the nape of her neck until goosebumps sprung up. “The sentiment is most certainly mutual.”
“I-you…”
