Page 17 of Fated to the Alien Healer

“Remember, you are safe. Nothing can hurt you again,” he murmurs in my ear.

I force myself to fully relax into his light embrace. My eyes close and I try to push all thoughts out of my brain and only focus onhis words. It isn’t long before I feel the pull of sleep. I don’t fight it, but rather, let it take me under.

My pallet has never felt this comfortable before. No matter how many furs I stack on it, there’s always a lump somewhere beneath me. My tent doesn’t smell like eucalyptus either. It has the distinct scent of the fire pit. The thing doesn’t have to be burning for the smell to fill the air. It’s always just…there. This scent is different. It’s soothing and makes me want to snuggle farther into the bed. Which I do.

Except the movement brings a whole new awareness. One of pain, and one of a distinct hardness against my lower back. It’s then that everything comes back to me. The kidnapping. My broken arm. Kyler’s mating marks. The nightmare. Falling asleep against him. Slowly, I open one eye, then the other. Occasional beams of light filter through the trees and everyone is breaking up camp.

My brain registers what exactly is pressing against me, and I manage to sit upright and twist to look at Kyler behind me. A pained expression flits across his face before he quickly erases it. Against my will, I glance down. An impressive bulge is outlined by his leather pants. I squeeze my thighs together, because now isn’t the time. It doesn’t help. I jerk my gaze away and meet his. Pupils have darkened color and are dilated. At least I’m not the only one affected.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Kyler’s greeting comes out on a husky rasp. “Did you sleep well?”

I guess we’re ignoring the charge between us. “I did. Did you?”

“Not in the slightest.”

My eyes widen at the admission. “Oh. Sorry.”

“It was exquisite torture having you in my arms all night,” he continues. “Holding you. Smelling you. Yet not being able to do all the things I have dreamed of doing to you. Every time I closed my eyes all I could picture was you turning in my arms and kissing me and then lying beneath me so I could pleasure you.”

Every drop of saliva in my mouth dries up. What the fuck happened to Kyler? This isn’t the same guy from yesterday. The one who lacked confidence and approached me with uncertainty. This is someone new. My tongue flicks out to try and wet my lips. His heated gaze drops to it and for a second, I imagine him claiming my mouth in a fierce kiss. Except he doesn’t, and I nearly groan in disappointment.

He blinks and the heat in his gaze disappears. In seconds, he’s on his feet and reaches down to help me up. Trying to convince myself that the last two minutes weren’t a dream, I clasp his hand and stand. He pours more of that nasty shit powder into a water skin and passes it to me. I drink without him having to tell me. By the time I’m finished, everyone appears ready to head out.

Remi walks over and passes me some meat. “You good to go?”

I’m going to have to be. I’ve already put us so far behind. “I’m good.”

She nods, casts a quick glance in Kyler’s direction, and then she returns to Zydon’s side. I take a deep breath and start moving.

Kyler will be right next to me the whole time.

Chapter 10

Kyler

I have not taken my eyes off Zara the whole day. She has held up surprisingly well, but I sense her increasing fatigue. There have been a few times where she has stumbled, but I have been at her side for each of them to help her recover, which she managed quickly. We have only stopped twice to replenish our water supply and for everyone to take care of their personal needs.

Remi assisted Zara once, but the other time I did. My mate has appeared to get over her embarrassment of asking for my help. While I have tried to treat her as I would one of the injured warriors who comes to see me, I admit to being curious about the human female’s body. Not just any female’s but Zara’s. I caught a glimpse of her bare cunt each time I pulled her leg coverings up. It fascinated me and also made me uncomfortably hard.

“We will rest soon.” I will call for it if I have to.

She huffs and braces her free hand on her thigh as she trudges up the hill. I suspect by the time we stop we will have reached the peak, and tomorrow will begin our downward trek to the village.

“Thank God. I’m really trying here, but I swear the oxygen is half of what it normally is and I’m out here sucking wind.”

“You have done well,keeshla. I know the journey has been difficult, but if we are lucky, then by the next turn of the sun, we will be back in our village.” If we are lucky. There still has been no sign of Njeri and only a few sounds of predators within the forest.

“I’m not sure I believe in luck. At least for me.” Zara loosens a small laugh. “Now I probably just jinxed it.”

“Jinxed?” This is not a word I have heard any humans use.

“It basically means I just screwed us.” She glances over and waves her hand in my direction. “Sorry, that didn’t help. Um, how to explain jinxed? It’s sort of a superstitious thing. It’s like me saying ‘I’ve never broken a bone’ and then the next day, I break a bone. It’s as if I brought it on myself by putting it out there in the universe. It’s sort of like calling in bad luck.”

I nod. “We do not have a word for this, but I understand what you mean. Let us hope then, that you have not ‘jinxed’ us.”

Although it was not my intent, Zara laughs again, and it is the sweetest sound. “Fingers crossed.”

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