Page 35 of Chieftain
Between the Kerzak battle and finding paradise, it took a minute to remember the conversation.
“Hardly.” My laugh echoed as though we stood between mountains. “He’s the main character in the Outlander books. Khaion’s face scrunched with confusion. “It’s a series of books my friends and I read and discuss. We became friends through those books, so the characters are special to us—like friends. Jamie Fraser, the character I told Dixa about, is the story's hero."
“Hero," Khaion repeated the word, tasting it.
"A hero," I repeated, becoming all buttery inside before adding, "Like you." Khaionwasa hero, the most courageous man I'd ever known. How he'd battled the Kerzak for me nestled in my chest, a calming warm feeling. I held no doubt for mysafety while in Khaion's presence. He would protect me no matter the cost. The thought both excited and scared me.
A slow grin curved his lips, showing white teeth and canines that were just a bit too long and a bit too sharp. I couldn't stop thinking about how soft his lips looked. He took a step closer, my heart hammering in response. The lower part of my body did something too, but I determined to ignore it.
“Chieftain.”
Charick’s concerned tone crackling from his wrist comm shattered the moment.
Khaion stepped back, huffing a long, slow breath. "Yes."
“Bartuk has returned to the Bardaga, and we are currently in orbit around the space station. Would you please explain why we abandoned you and the human?"
If I could see Charick right now, he would undoubtedly give me the stink eye. I'm sure he thought the whole fiasco was my fault. Which it was, but he didn't need to know the details. Khaion gave him the abbreviated version, including relaying his battle with the Kerzak as anuneventful skirmish, leaving out the fact that I caused the whole fracas by not watching where I was going.
“Bartuk returned with no issue?” Khaion asked, finished with the recap.
“He reports the Kerzak watched him closely but did not attempt to hinder his leaving.”
“Good,” Khaion’s golden irises swam in a cobalt sea. I could imagine the wheels turning in his brain. "I want the Kerzak to think Emmy and I are stranded on the station. Take the ship out of orbit. Once you are certain you are not followed, sendBartuk back for us—use the Verdeese skiff we acquired a few moons back. There are many Verdeesian here, and seeing one of their vessels in orbit won’t raise suspicion. Contact Siemba. He will give you the coordinates for pick up.
“Affirmative. See you soon, Chieftain."
“Why do you want the Kerzak to think we’re stranded here?” I asked as he clicked off his comm.
“Kerzak are hunters.” Khaion’s large palm landed in the middle of my back, steering us toward a white metal bench peeking from behind a bright pink bougainvillea. “Now that they have your scent, they won't stop hunting. Our best defense is to make the Kerzak think we are still at the station and slip away. They will search for you here for many moons, not realizing you are gone until we are well away and unable to track you."
“If they have my scent, can’t they find me here?" I cast a worried glance toward the chipped red door.
Khaion took a deep breath, nostrils flaring. “Not even the Kerzak can scent you here.” His nose scrunched adorably, and he rubbed it with the back of his hand. “We are on level seven, next to the garbage bay and trash chute. With that stench plus the florals here, even I am having trouble finding your scent.”
Goosebumps rippled over my skin from relief, not from the feel of Khaion's fingers resting on the small of my back. Focusing on our predicament, something else nagged at me about the grizzly-aliens. "What about Dixa and Siemba? The Kerzak won't go after them for helping us, will they?”
Khaion's broad shoulders moved in an exaggerated shrug. "Siemba can take care of himself… and Dixa. Besides, Siemba’s family is one of the wealthiest in the universe possessing aprivate army that could wipe the Kerzak from existence should Siemba or Dixa be touched.”
“Good to know,” I laughed, leaning over to take in the scent of a large, bright pink blossom before settling on the wrought iron bench. It was a big piece of furniture, obviously alien-sized.
Khaion sat beside me, dropping his pack at my feet and wincing painfully in the process.
“What's wrong? Did you get hurt?” The memory of his grunt of pain echoed in my ears as I ran my gaze over his body. His clothes and arms carried vestiges of battle, but it was a putrid green color—Vaktaire blood flowed black. I'd learned that from Hakkar.
He shrugged again and stretched his back. This time a hiss of pain accompanied the wince. "It is nothing, a mere scratch.”
"Let me look." I fussed, standing and shucking out of my cloak to move more freely—and because it was warm in the garden.
Moving slowly around the bench, I perused every muscle, every inch of skin visible. There was a shallow scratch on his left bicep that looked made by a claw and a bruise darkening his right forearm. The thighs that strained against his leather pants were perfect, though marred by drying splashes of Kerzak blood. I glanced quickly at his bulging crotch, justifying the inspection with the excuse I wanted to be thorough in my examination. Everything in that vicinity looked largely perfect. I walked around the back of the bench to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks.
I might have missed it; thankfully, the fingers I trailed over his back hit a spot of dampness. On the right side, midway down, was a wide dark streak and a trail of blood visible only because of the dampness on his black vest.
"Take this off." I grabbed the collar of his vest and pulled. Khaion shifted his shoulders, and I couldn't tell if his grunt was pain or aggravation. Grabbing the hem of his sleeveless black silk tunic, I pulled it above the wound site and gasped.
The stab wound was around three inches long and at least that deep. Gleaming black blood trickled from the torn edges, but nothing like what I'd expect from a wound this size. The stark fear that he was bleeding internally made my heart hammer to the point where I felt dizzy. Not to mention, the Kerzak weren't the cleanest aliens I'd ever seen. No telling what kind of nasty germs occupied their blades.
Dammit!
