Page 20 of Rescuing Red

She swallowed and nodded again, wondering how long she’d slept and what time of day it was. Blaide took the few steps required to cross the room and lifted his hand over the door handle. When he looked over his shoulder at her, Liz straightened her spine, tugging the shoulder of the shirt up and following him to the door. Blaide extended a hand toward her, palm up, and Liz slid hers into it. Neither of them could hide their shudders from the electricity the slight contact sent up their arms.

Blaide opened the door to reveal a deep violet sky streaked with the last rays of evening sun and a flurry of activity in the nearby windows. The street below held a decent crowd, but nothing like earlier in the day.

As Liz followed Blaide down the stairs, she couldn’t help but marvel over how tall he was, since she never saw over his head even though he was lower on the stairs than she was. After turning in their room cards, Blaide thanked the teller and wasted no time beginning their adventure.

When they got to the dim street, she stepped closer to him, letting her shoulder bump his arm with every step. Being close to him soothed her as she fought off visions of alphas jumping out from every darkened alley they passed.

It wasn’t until they’d walked almost an entire block that she questioned whether he actually had a plan. No matter how much she’d begged, the soldiers wouldn’t let her through the gate, so she’d expected him to sneak them out through some secret passage, but he was heading straight for the men who’d denied her twice. They got within hearing distance of the blockade before she could ask, and she didn’t want to spoil whatever he had planned by saying the wrong thing. So she clamped her lips shut and stayed by Blaide’s side.

He stalked straight up to the guard standing at the mouth of the barricade.

“Sergeant Filden, long time no see. Last time we met, you were still a corporal. Glad to see being in the guard has given you a chance to move up and you’re still in one piece.”

The alpha’s slitted orange eyes widened before a small smile flitted across his oblong face. A quizzical expression flashed across his features when he glanced at Liz, but then he studied Blaide from head to toe and let relief ease the creases on his forehead.

“Good to see you’re doing well, Corporal Woodzmin. When you didn’t reenlist, we were all a little worried, especially since your unit went through so much. But you didn’t hear that from me of course.”

He sent a glance over his shoulder at the man standing next to a vehicle near the wall. He continued speaking before he’d even turned all the way back toward them.

“What are you doing on this little rock?”

“Settled here to get some peace. Looking to get home now before it gets nasty out there. We got caught in the city’smayhem during a supply run, but now that the gate isn’t so busy, we’re ready to head back out. I figure my place is much safer for us than any hotel we might find here.”

After looking between them for a moment, the soldier turned and waved at the vehicle. The alpha who stepped out was burly yet plain, but as he sauntered over, Liz decided she was glad for Blaide’s protection. There was an edge to the male, something brutal and sharp, which made him seem more dangerous than the ones she’d faced in the alley.

“No civilians may leave the city.”

His scratchy voice made Liz tighten her hold on Blaide’s hand even though he hadn’t given her more than a cursory glance. Squeezing right back, Blaide reached his other hand into his pocket and pulled out a card. He stepped forward and handed it to the new alpha, putting more of his body in front of Liz as he did so, and her heart pounded in her chest over the possessive move.

The guy studied both sides of the card before handing it back and lifting his chin.

“You sure leaving the city is the best idea? The enemy has already landed troops in the jungle.”

“Yes, sir. We’re safer in my den than in the crush in here.”

Liz’s stomach curdled as the plain man’s eyes raked over her, and Blaide gave her hand a warning squeeze. She met his eyes and followed his pointed glance, not feeling the way her fingers mangled her tail until he silently chastised her. Forcing her hand to let go of her tail, she reached across her front and wrapped her palm around the outside of his wrist, clinging to the arm she’d already monopolized.

The evil-eyed alpha nodded before motioning to the soldiers manning the blockade.

“Guess that’s a good point,” he said, giving the all-clear for Liz and Blaide to pass.

Despite wanting to dart through the militarized area and escape to the jungle beyond, Liz stood by Blaide’s side when he didn’t immediately move.

“If we encounter any enemies, I’ll call it in on the radio in my den. Most of the people in the town near me hunkered down to wait it out, so be sure to point the troops to Frigg when they get here.”

Liz swallowed at Blaide’s solemn words, then tried to hide how her entire body locked up when Corporal Filden responded.

“Yeah, knowing you, you’ll be reporting a gravesite if you run into any Krantor. He’ll make our job easier, Captain.”

The men nodded to each other before her furry knight led her through the blockade.

Never had Liz wished more to have bland coloring. Her fiery red skin no doubt stuck out amidst all the concrete, even though her black hair and the dark clothing helped her blend in. She tried to ignore the watchful eyes of the guards as she followed right on Blaide’s heels, still holding his hand with both of hers.

The rumble of engines faded as they stepped through the gate, the thick wall buffering much of the city’s sound. With ears perked forward and boots set on a path Liz couldn’t see, Blaide led them into the thick trees.

Liz used him as a compass as he guided them to his den. As the chirps of birds quieted and the daytime animals settled to sleep, gentler noises rose, the nocturnal beasts stirring as night took over. As the minutes passed by and she settled into the new surroundings, Liz took a deep breath. Filled with Blaide’s delicious wild scent, the smell of the jungle lost her interest as waves of heat rose from her toes and caught in her lower belly.

The longer they walked, the hotter Liz became. Even with the strong pheromones from the alpha she’d entrusted with her life right in front of her, she didn’t skyrocket to mindless need theway she had previously. She stayed in a floaty, wondrous state as they traversed fallen trees and cut through underbrush.

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