Page 27 of Captured By The Alien Barbarian
My hands slip to Taccit’s defined jaw, guiding him to look at me. “The worst-case scenario is that you find out you’re right after all. Then you can come home to me, and we’ll get through it together.”
He cups his hand over mine, pressing his cheek into my palm. “The elders warned us about using the medicine—only in extreme cases. My father was, in fact, most vocal about it. He thought we should just destroy the amount that my tribe had.”
He gives me a pleading look, desperate for me to understand.
A chill washes over me. I start thinking that my injuries are just figments of my imagination, that my leg hasn’t been as mangled as I thought. It’s easy to question yourself when you look down and see little more than a few half-healed scratches.
“You used the medicine on me, didn’t you? I was hurt pretty bad, wasn’t I? But you patched me. You healed me.”
He nods. “Forgive me, mate. You were dying. I had to do something. I couldn’t bear to lose you, especially not after I just found you.”
I try to pull away, but his grip on me tightens. He looks absolutely devastated, which makes it impossible for me to get mad.
“But what does the medicine do, Taccit? Besides healing, I mean.”
“I don’t know,” he says, his voice hoarse. “The elders wouldn’t say. All I know is that it’s forbidden.”
* * *
Our little chatdoesn’t exactly put me in the mood for more exploring. Sure, Taccit saved my life, but at what price? The fact that he doesn’t know the full effects of the stuff he used is even scarier.
As we walk, I inconspicuously pat myself down, trying to make sure everything is in tip-top shape physically speaking. As far as I can tell, everything is where it’s supposed to be and doing what it should. I seem fine—better than fine, even. But a low level of anxiety grips me, as if at any moment I might suddenly just... die.
I start to feel tired after just a few hours of walking—and a busy few hours at that. I stumble, more focused on how I feel than where I’m going. Taccit is right there to catch me, quickly lifting me up in his arms as though we’re newlyweds.
“I’m too heavy,” I say.
Taccit just snorts. “You weigh less than a drear, little Nika.”
I have no clue what a drear is. I can only hope it’s a flattering comparison. He’s not comparing me to some alien equivalent of a blubbery seal, is he?
Seeing my disbelief, he demonstrates my weightlessness by bouncing me up and down a bit, flexing his muscles all the while.
“I can walk,” I say, squirming in his grip. His hold tightens, with his claws digging through my clothes and scraping my thigh and ribs. When he doesn’t set me down, I wriggle some more. My body is pressed against his, and I find myself strangely drawn to his touch.
“I like having you close,” he says.
I can’t help but smile up at him, overcome with the weirdest urge to reach out and caress him right back. Just a little touch, like tucking some of his black hair behind his pointed ears.
Taccit deftly ducks through the cave’s entrance, and once inside, he carefully sets me down. He keeps an arm wrapped around my waist for support until I regain my balance.
My hand flies up to cover my mouth in a feeble attempt to stifle a yawn.
“Get some rest.” Taccit nudges me towards the bed with a gentle push. “I will join you soon.”
I instantly dig my heels into the ground, my eyes widening in surprise at his words.
“No. Nope. Not happening.” I whirl around to confront Taccit, crossing my arms over my chest and fixing him with the best glare I can muster. “We’re not sleeping together!”
Taccit returns my stare and, in an amusing mirror image, also crosses his arms. The only difference between us is the way his bulging muscles threaten to distract me from my indignation. “We are mates, little Nika. This is what mates do.”
“We aren’t... I don’t want to share a bed!” I can’t deny the possibility that we might be mates—or could become mates, at least. I’m aware that many alien species place high value on the concept of mates, and I don’t want to hurt Taccit by rejecting him outright. But just because I might find him ever-so-slightly attractive doesn’t mean I’m ready to hop into bed with the guy! It was difficult enough with my late husband—we had known each other for several months before getting married, after all. I am just not the kind of gal who can leap straight into sex with someone.
Taccit bares his teeth in a sudden snarl, startling me into taking a few steps back and creating some space between us. He instantly reins himself in, his eyes filling with regret.
“I cannot protect you if you sleep closer to the entrance.” His voice remains calm and steady, betraying none of the frustration I can see in his face.
He advances toward me, and I scramble backward to avoid being steamrolled by the larger male. My retreat is cut short when my back slaps against the cave wall. Undeterred, Taccit continues to close the gap, crowding close. His hand is firmly planted on the wall beside my head, effectively caging me in.
