A League of Exiles

  “Honestly, Scarlett, you continue to surprise me in the most incredible ways,” he said between kisses. “I can see in color again, thanks to you.”

  “I’ll never leave your side, if you’ll have me,” I whispered against his lips, feeling my heart open up wide, eager to receive everything he had for me. “I… I’ll be there, through thick and thin. Whatever you need, I’ll give you.”

  His lips moved to the most sensitive part of my neck, just beneath my ear, and I felt them brush against my earlobe as he whispered. “Give me you, Scarlett. Your heart, your soul, everything. I’ll take it… and I won’t let it go.”

  He dropped a tender kiss at the side of my neck, then pulled me closer, until I was almost straddling him. We ran our fingers through each other’s hair—he seemed to enjoy the length of mine, while I relished his dark curls and the thousands of tiny electric sensations that the very touch of him sent through my body.

  Hundurr’s growl from outside reminded us that he was still there, and that he could hear us—a little too well. I giggled softly as Patrik laid us both down and wrapped us in a thick fur. He didn’t stop kissing me, though. His mouth made love to mine beneath the cover, his hands exploring the length of my back.

  “You’re here,” he whispered, “and I couldn’t ask the universe for anything more.”

  “I didn’t think you’d ever have eyes for me,” I confessed, trailing a finger along his jawline, then holding his chin.

  “The moment you walked into the base on Mount Zur, I was done for, Scarlett,” he replied softly. “I just didn’t realize it. Not straightaway. The image of you became permanently fixed in the back of my head then, and I found myself thinking about you whenever I was left on my own. Grieving and suffering felt too comfortable at the time for me to truly look at you and see the incredible creature I’m lucky to hold in my arms tonight. But I see you now, Scarlett. And I’m not letting go.”

  Good. Because I can’t let go, either. Not anymore.

  No matter what happened, we were going to emerge victorious from all of this. There was no other option in my mind—not after we’d just found each other.

  Come morning, Patrik and I would get back out there and push everything we felt for each other aside so we could focus on the mission and keep moving forward.

  But for tonight, hidden in a hole somewhere in the woods of Lagerith, Patrik and I let sleep claim us, wrapped in each other’s arms with our lips almost touching, dreaming of the end to this Nerakian mess, a time when we could focus on ourselves, and what we might become together.

  Avril

  Technically speaking, after I’d blurted out my feelings to Heron earlier, having a moment alone with him would’ve been a good opportunity to follow up on that—since he’d yet to respond to my declaration. However, at this precise moment, as we climbed down into our hole in the mound, the silence was awkward and weighed heavy on my shoulders.

  What could I possibly say? I’d already told him how I felt about him. I had no idea whether he felt the same or not. And he wasn’t saying anything, either.

  Oh, man, I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

  No, no, I did the right thing. I let it all out. Now I just have to deal with the consequences, whatever they may be.

  The hole was spacious enough for the both of us to lie down comfortably, the floor covered with soft layers of fur. We didn’t need any light, as our eyes functioned perfectly in its absence. I could see the frown pulling his eyebrows closer as he avoided my gaze, seemingly looking for his spot on the ground.

  I was so nervous my hands were literally shaking. Figuring I’d have to make myself busy, somehow, and get my mind off our earlier, mostly one-sided conversation, I started fumbling with large pieces of fur, pulling them together into a makeshift mattress. There wasn’t enough room in here for me to move without occasionally bumping into Heron, who instantly reacted with a muffled “Sorry” whenever we got too close. I just couldn’t take that silence anymore.

  “So, yeah, we can share this, I guess,” I muttered, pointing at the “bed”. “I mean, it’s the size of a single, but, given the circumstances, it’ll do. This isn’t exactly a hotel room.” I chuckled nervously.

  “Avril, I—”

  “Or you could make your own pile on the side, if you want. I’m okay regardless. There’s plenty of fur here for the both of us.” I kept droning on, comfortable with how my senseless words were filling up the emptiness between us. As long as I kept talking, I wouldn’t have to bring up my feelings toward him—feelings which, by the way, were messing with my senses.

  The close proximity thickened the air and made it difficult for me to breathe. My heart thudded, and my pulse was on a constant race, to the point where I was getting lightheaded. I didn’t even realize that Heron was standing still, watching me as I gathered more furs in the middle.

  “Can you just—”

  “These are really soft furs, though,” I said, once again cutting him off. In my panic to avoid silence, I’d completely tuned Heron out, as well, along with his attempts to speak. “I wonder what animals they got them from. Oh, God, they’d better not be from other Adlets, because that would be insanely creepy and—”

  “Avril!” Heron raised his voice, finally snapping me out of my fidgeting frenzy. I straightened my back and looked at him, with only a couple of feet between us.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, clutching a piece of fur at my chest. “You were saying?”

  “Well, then, good to see you’re finally still and quiet for a second, so I can gather the courage to tell you that… I like you, too, Avril,” he said. My heart made its way up to my throat, dissolving into a heatwave that then spread through my entire body, leaving my toes and fingers tingling. “More than before. More than I ever thought possible. You’re not the only one dealing with this, as far as this is concerned. I can’t get you out of my head. I’ve tried, believe me, but the thought of you is incredibly persistent. Just wanted you to know that.”

  I blinked several times, while trying to get my heartrate under control. My chest burned, and my stomach tightened. It was now my turn to reply, and… What do I say?

  “Would’ve been nice to hear that hours ago, when I first told you how I felt,” I said, my cheeks catching fire.

  “I was just about to say it when we spotted the Adlets,” Heron replied, raising his arms to the sides in exasperation.

  I couldn’t help but chuckle nervously. “Better late than never, right?”

  “I would’ve said something sooner, if I’d know that this is how you feel,” Heron said, then let out a heavy sigh. “I’ve had a thing for you from the moment you handed my ass to me during training. I just didn’t think you’d even look at me.”

  “Why wouldn’t I look at you? You’ve got two legs, two arms, and the ability to formulate a coherent thought, right?” I retorted, seeking refuge in sarcasm. I didn’t really know how to handle such confessions, and my foot-in-mouth syndrome was clearly taking over.

  Heron raised a sarcastic eyebrow at me, crossing his arms. “Really, Avril? Is that your standard, as far as guys are concerned?”

  “No. Dammit, that’s not what I meant,” I replied, rolling my eyes, frustrated with myself. This was bad and getting worse, and I had no idea how to stop it. “I feel like I’m riding a train off a cliff right about now, Heron. How do I stop?”

  “You can shut up for five minutes and formulate a coherent thought,” Heron shot back with a smirk. Ah, there he is, the Mara I fell for. The biting sarcasm and using my own words against me, infuriating and amusing me at the same time.

  “This is how you get yourself kicked in the mouth, Heron.”

  “By being the smartass you fell in love with?”

  “Yes!” I replied, then stilled, realizing what I’d just said yes to. In all fairness, it was the truth. I loved our banter, and, ugh, I loved him. His jade gaze softened on me, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. My breath hitched. There was no turning back now.
“This isn’t the right time, I know. It’s what really ticks me off. But we could die tomorrow, or the day after, or we could get out of this mess in one piece. Either way, there’s no guarantee I’ll have another chance to tell you this. But yes, Heron. I’m in love with you. You overconfident smartass.”

  Heron took a step forward, and my heart stopped for a sweet moment. He closed the distance between us, his eyes locked on mine. I stared into the endless jade pools beneath his black eyelashes, and time stopped. Everything contracted, then expanded around me, as he lowered his head, his mouth capturing mine.

  I closed my eyes, relishing the explosions of bright colors as I parted my lips and allowed Heron to take me over, body and soul. His arms came around my waist, tightening. He pressed me against his hard, toned chest. Heron wasn’t big, as far as muscle mass was concerned, but he was tall, and his frame enveloped mine in a way that made me feel small, even fragile, and perpetually cherished in his embrace. I ran my fingers through his short black hair, and he grunted softly against my lips. We were in so much trouble. We couldn’t get enough of each other, and we’d been carrying this tension around with us for a long time.

  And now, as we unraveled in each other’s arms, everything we’d been holding back was gradually, but surely, coming undone. His hands traveled up and down my body, discreetly and skillfully removing my weapons and protective gear, dropping each with a muffled clang or jingle on the fur-covered floor.

  Heron cupped my face, the gentle touch of his fingers on my cheeks making me shiver as he brought the kiss to a soft end. His darkened gaze found mine, and my body bucked from the intensity emanating from him. My breath was rapid and ragged, my heart struggling to keep up with this incredible moment. For a few, deliciously long seconds on this savage planet, Heron and I had only each other to deal with, and the feelings we’d been trying to ignore for days.

  “Avril, I just want you to know that if we get out of this alive, I plan on taking you on a real date. Dinner, great view of a forest or a waterfall, music in the background… the works,” he whispered.

  “Your lady friends back home will hate me,” I replied, chuckling softly.

  “I’m sorry I gave you the impression of a Grade A philanderer,” he said, his gaze dropping to the ground. “It’s not really me. I know I’ve said it before, but I feel the need to say it again. Don’t worry about any lady friends or whatever. Nobody sees me the way you do, and you’re all that matters to me.”

  “I’ll be honest, that’s what scared me the most about this. I mean, us,” I breathed, then offered a faint smile, watching as he took off his weapons, his belt, and the rest of his protective gear, then sat on the furs, looking up at me. “That you’d consider me one of… well, one of your lady friends.”

  With lightning speed, he grabbed my hand and pulled me down. The move caught me by surprise, and I landed in his lap. He kissed me with insatiable hunger, with one arm wrapped around my waist and the other taking a firm hold around the back of my neck and pulling me closer.

  I could hear his heart thumping, and his natural scent threw me off balance completely. The sweet fragrance of desire and affection mingled and tickled my nostrils, and I inhaled deeply, taking it all in.

  “I don’t deserve a creature like you, Avril,” he whispered gently in my ear, parting our lips, “but I’d be foolish to turn you away, or treat you like anything other than the goddess that you are. All I can do is worship you and all your quirks, and hope you’ll take me, as I am.”

  “You mean the smartass I fell in love with?” I replied, then turned my head and dropped a kiss on his neck. “Yeah, I’ll take you.”

  He laughed lightly, then rolled us over on the side so he could envelop me in his arms. I fell asleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat—frantic and irregular, mostly because of me. The pattern carried me off to dreamland, where Heron and I somehow met again, beneath a giant magnolia tree.

  If only for one night, it was just the two of us, lost in streams of our subconscious, relieved that we’d fallen for each other. That we felt the same way.

  Harper

  The darkness that cradled me felt snug and warm as I gradually regained consciousness. I kept my eyes closed, relishing the sensation, fearful that, once I opened them, reality would crash back into me, cold and unforgiving. The murmur of a heartbeat guided me through the silence. Caspian’s scent, that soft mixture of musk and raging seas, filled my lungs and stretched my lips into a smile.

  The memories of what had thrown me into my dormant stasis came back—snippets of my fight with the Manticore queen’s daughter. The punches, our blades slashing and drawing blood. The venomous spike of Pheng-Pheng’s scorpion tail that pierced my flesh. The poison.

  Am I dead? Did Manticore venom actually kill me? Could it kill a vampire?

  If this was death, it felt amazing. My eyes peeled open and quickly dismantled that theory. I was still very much alive, and I’d been sleeping in Caspian’s arms beneath the cover of a small tent. The animal skin blocking the sunlight was a soft, crackled brown, thick enough to protect us from the sun.

  “Harper?” Caspian’s voice made me turn my head, slowly, so I could see his face. His jade eyes were dark, emotions flickering in bright flames of emerald and gold as he smiled gently and caressed my cheek.

  I was awake. Pheng-Pheng had not killed me. But I’d fought her for a reason. “What happened?” I murmured, stirring in Caspian’s embrace. He’d covered us both with woolen blankets and a thick layer of fur, and he’d laid down beside me, probably watching over me as I recovered from the Manticore sting. My entire body hurt, but the venom burn was gone. “Pheng-Pheng… Did she win? No, wait. She yielded, didn’t she? But I passed out…”

  “You fought like the warrior that you are, Harper,” Caspian replied, his voice rich with pride. “And yes, you got Pheng-Pheng to yield, just before her venom took its toll and rendered you unconscious. But she administered the cure and admitted her defeat. You won. We won.”

  I glanced around, breathing a sigh of relief. Judging by the brightness peeking through the tent’s stitched edges, it was early morning. “How long have I been out?” I asked, unwilling to move from Caspian’s hold.

  “You were unconscious for most of the night,” he replied, using his thumb and index to grip my chin and pull me in for a deep, sweet kiss. I loved the taste of him on my lips, especially after my near-death experience. “I thought I’d lost you when Pheng-Pheng stung you. I thought that was it. But you… You found the strength to defeat her, despite the poison working its way through you.”

  I blushed, brushing my fingers against his lower lip. “The thought of never seeing you again enraged me,” I whispered. “I was horrified that I’d never get to be with you like this. You’re the reason I’m still here, I guess.”

  “Good.” He nodded slowly. “Good to know I’m still useful, despite my current condition.”

  He meant the blood oath. I knew he wanted to tell me everything that we were missing to complete the picture of the conspiracy between the Exiled Maras and the daemons. His inability to do so made him feel helpless, but judging by his warm, golden aura, that wasn’t the emotion dominating him at this point. That glimmer was all for me, and I welcomed it.

  “I don’t know, I think we can find a couple more uses for you, still.” I smirked, then bit my lower lip as I looked up at him. His gaze darkened, and the shadow of a smile flickered over his face.

  “What were you thinking?” he replied.

  “Oh, I imagine you already have an inkling of that.”

  “More than an inkling, Harper. I’m painting an endless stream of images in my mind right now,” Caspian said, then captured my mouth in a hungry kiss.

  I was still in my leather suit, and as his lips began to make their way along my collarbone, for the first time, as much as I loved its comfortable design, I genuinely loathed its presence on me. Caspian found the hem of my collar, and growled, equally frustrated. And yet, he didn’t let it
stop him.

  The sound of my zipper going down made my heart somersault. Caspian was determined to discover more of me beneath my leather suit. He kissed me again as his fingers settled on my throat, then gently traveled downward, peeling away my suit so he could touch and explore my soft flesh.

  As his fingers inched lower, he sucked in a breath, then paused and looked at me, his gaze clouded, his aura brimming with bright gold. “I would love nothing more than to take this further, Harper,” he murmured, “but I’m afraid it would mean we wouldn’t leave this tent for a very long time.”

  I giggled softly, barely recognizing myself, all flushed and breathless. I stroked his cheek. “Let me guess, they’re waiting for us outside.”

  He nodded, then smiled and dropped a brief but intense kiss on my lips. He sat up and offered me a hand. I took it and allowed him to pull me into a seated position. His gaze lingered on my torso, my pale skin and sports bra in full view. My cheeks burned delightfully as he slowly reached out and zipped my suit back up, with a disappointed groan.

  “I’ll bookmark this moment then, so we can pick up where we left off, later,” I said, then used one of the elastic bands on my wrist to pull my hair up in a loose bun.

  “Oh, no, we’ll have to start all over, I’m afraid,” Caspian said, grinning as he geared up, then passed my protective plates, boots, belt, and weapons over. I got up and began preparing myself for what waited outside—my team, the Manticore queen, and a lot of sunlight in the middle of the Akrep Gorge. “My memory isn’t what it used to be. I forget things...”

  I burst into laughter, surprised to see this brighter side of him. It was a sight I rarely saw, and I loved it. “Don’t tell me you’re getting old,” I replied, as he moved closer and took me in his arms.