Remembering she had a roll of duct tape in the living room that shead used to tack pieces of the pods together while she a.s.sembled it, she dashed into the other room and grabbed it up. He hadnat moved when she got back, thankfully, and she set to work with a will, taping his ankles together and then crawling up on the bed and grabbing first one arm and then the other.
His arms felt like tree limbs. She would never have thought anybodyas arms could weigh so much! She was panting with exertion by the time she managed to get his wrists together behind his back and wind tape around them. It didnat help that she had to hold his wings up with her shoulders while she worked on him.
Weak with relief and the expenditure of energy, she collapsed on the side of the bed to catch her breath when shead finished, waiting until shead steadied her pulse and breathing before she finally rolled off the bed and searched for something to put on.
She didnat have much of a wardrobe. Every dime she could rake together had gone into the project and keeping body and soul together. Shead never been particularly interested in clothing anyway. As long as it didnat bind her and didnat cost much and served its purpose, she was satisfied.
Dragging a sloppy loose T-shirt from the drawer that bore the slogan aI see dumb peoplea, she pulled it over her head. Shead just stepped into a pair of panties when she heard a sound from the vicinity of the bed. Her head whipped around so fast a bone in her neck popped. Cold fear washed over her. Head only shifted slightly, however, and she hurriedly grabbed a pair of pull-on knit pants, shoved her feet through the legs and jerked them up around her waist.
Moving back to her bed, she crossed her arms over her chest and studied the birdman frowningly, wondering what to do with him, but becoming less frightened and more worried about the fact that he was unconscious.
The only thing worse than having a live birdman in her bed was having a dead one. Visions of trying to dispose of the body danced through her head.
Anthropology wasnat her thing, but her scientific curiosity began to gain the upper hand.
She wouldnat have admitted it under torture, but her female inquisitiveness began to gain the upper hand over her scientific interest.
If she just ignored the fact that he was scary as s.h.i.t when he was behaving aggressively and looked at him from a purely detached perspective--he was exceptionally beautiful.
Truth be told, she had pretty much had her nose in books her entire life and they hadnat been about anatomy--and she certainly hadnat had a lot of first hand experience so she didnat have much to compare him with--but she had never seen a more beautifully formed male body. He was pleasingly proportioned despite his fairly extreme size, arms, legs and torso in harmony--instead of stork legs and an ant body like the guy shead last dated, whoad probably been almost as tall but not nearly as well built and certainly not as pleasingly proportioned. He was well muscled--everywhere that she could see--which was most of him, far more than atypicala in a naturally well built male, but not extreme like a body builder.
A long leather looking case was strapped to his back between his shoulders/wings. Pushing his hair out of the way, she grasped the ornate handle protruding from one end and pulled. A long, wicked looking blade slid into view.
It was heavy. It took two hands to remove it.
She cut her hand when she touched the blade to support the tip. Jumping in surprise, she lost her grip and the thing clattered to the floor beside the bed.
Staring in dismay at the blood that instantly began to ooze into her palm, she looked at him again after a moment. Sharp blade, obvious cuts, blue stuff smeared all over him.
Frowning at that, she leaned over him and touched the blue stuff smeared along his arms. It was still damp to the touch and she tested it with her fingertips and then sniffed it.
Metallic. Her heart clenched in her chest, her gaze flickering over the sc.r.a.pes on his arms.
He was bleeding! Shead been standing here like a love sick teenager admiring his beautiful body while he lay bleeding to death!
Whirling around abruptly, she raced to the bathroom for a cloth and medical supplies, spilling half the contents from her medicine cabinet onto the vanity, in the sink and on the floor.
Band-Aids! That was all the h.e.l.l she had in the cabinet? Band-Aids?
Grabbing a clean cloth, she wet it with cool water, wrung it out and hurried back to the bed. Pushing one wing out of the way, she dabbed at the blood carefully, examining each cut she revealed. She was only slightly relieved when she had cleaned both arms and saw that none of them looked deep. The wounds were already sealing themselves.
Head had worse on his torso and thighs, though, she remembered.
And he was laying face down.
How the h.e.l.l was she going to get him over to look at the wounds when she could barely lift his arms?
It was going to take a frigging crane.
Getting onto her knees, she placed one hand on his bicep and one on his hip and began straining to lift him high enough to roll him over, grunting with the effort. Shead only managed to lift him a matter of inches and was wondering if she could do any better with her feet and legs when he roused slightly and pulled away. Relieved when he rolled onto his side, she grunted and pushed until he rolled onto his back.
aMarchete!a he growled.
aShut up!a Danielle snapped, mopping the sweat from her forehead and grabbing up the wet cloth again. aYouare hurt. I need to see how bad it is.a Her hand was shaking so badly it was all she could do to manage the washcloth. Within moments it was so saturated with his blood that she had to run to the bathroom and rinse it. When she returned, she saw that he was struggling against the bindings. aWill you be still?a she snapped. aThese cuts look theyare closing but youare going to burst them open again if you keep that up.a Surprise flickered in his eyes. He went still as she clambered onto the bed and began carefully wiping away the blood on his belly. Seeing that the cuts were still bleeding sluggishly, but very little, she shoved his sarong out of the way and examined his thighs.
Puzzlement began to supersede her anxiety. When shead finished wiping the majority of the blood off, she saw that none of the cuts were very deep. Frowning, she studied the gashes. Almost before her eyes, she saw them closing more tightly, becoming little more than red lines along his skin.
Her gaze flickered to his face. She saw that he was studying her. Pain still glazed his eyes, but there was something else in those deep blue depths, as well.
aHow did this happen?a Whatever had been in his eyes vanished at her question. Anger supplanted it. aIt happened because my prisoner escaped and I had to fight for my life,a he growled.
Danielleas jaw dropped. Guilt flooded her--unreasonably. She hadnat trespa.s.sed on purpose and she had no reason to feel guilty about running for her life. aNone of it would have happened if you hadnat caught me to begin with,a she said tightly.
aNone of it would have happened if you had not breached the gateway.a Danielle studied him a moment and finally shrugged. aOk. Youare right, but it was an accident. Believe me, I donat want to go there again. I just need to study the machine and make some adjustments--Iam pretty sure.a aIt must be destroyed,a he growled.
Danielleas jaw dropped. aAre you out of your f.u.c.king mind? That thing will make me rich! Even if werenat for the money, Iave invested every dime I have to my name and years of my life in this research! I told you it was an accident. Believe me, nothing could be further from my mind that going back. I canat imagine anybody in their right mind wanting to go there.a aThen I will destroy it! I can not return to Pearthen until I have seen to it, until I can carry proof to my king that I was guarding the gateway as was my duty! Until then, there is a price on my head and I will not yield up my life for you, woman!a
Chapter Four.
Danielle scooted off of the bed, plunking her hands on her hips. aI donat think so. Youare a.s.suming Iall let you, and I wonat. Itas mine! Your problem with your king is your problem!a Growling furiously, he struggled for several moments and finally frowned in puzzlement. aWhat have you done to me? I can not feel my hands or my feet.a aI tied you up with duct tape.a His brows drew more tightly together. aYou bound me?a he asked, his voice strangely neutral.
aYou chased me.a aI did not. You ran.a Blood flooded Danielleas cheeks at the reminder. aWhat did you expect me to do when youad terrorized me?a He didnat seem to have an answer for that. aYou fear me? Why did you bathe my wounds?a Danielle looked away uncomfortably. aI thought you were hurt really bad. I had to see about the cuts, didnat I? I couldnat just let you bleed to death.a aBut you bound me?a aBecause I didnat want me hurt, either!a She showed him her hand. aLook what that sword of yours did and I barely touched the thing!a He stared at her palm for a long moment before his gaze returned to her face. aYou have disarmed me,a he said flatly. aIf they come for me here, they will slay us both.a Danielleas eyes widened. A coldness washed over her. aThey?a she said a little weakly.
aIt is my duty to guard the gateway and see that none pa.s.s through who are not allowed. You breached the gateway, and because of you I left my post to report the machine. The penalty is death.a Danielle felt a little sick to her stomach. aBut--you escaped and came here. They wonat follow you. They canat, can they?a she asked doubtfully.
aTwo already did. I slew them, but a third did not pa.s.s through. He will have reported my escape.a Despite her uneasiness about his claim, she frowned. aI donat understand this gateway thing. How did you follow me, anyway? I turned the machine off.a He thought it over and finally frowned. aI can not explain this in your tongue. There are no words.a Danielle pursed her lips skeptically, but she knew d.a.m.ned well it couldnat have been sheer blind luck. If he hadnat tracked her because of the machine, they would have to be able to track scents like a bloodhound, or heat signature, or maybe chemical signature.
That meant he was probably telling the truth about the others.
What the h.e.l.l was she going to do? She couldnat just let the guy go. Head probably throttle her and then destroy her work--not that the work was going to matter if she was too dead to enjoy it.
But if she didnat let him go, then the others like him were liable to show up and then theyad both be dead and shead have the same problem.
She studied him uneasily. aIf youad give me your word you would go away, I might consider letting you go,a she said hesitantly, knowing even as she said it that shead have to be a complete moron to trust him.
aNo.a Danielleas jaw dropped. She hadnat expected him to flatly refuse. After a moment, though, it occurred to her that head at least been honest about it--when she wouldave expected him to lie. Maybe she could trust him if she could get him to give his word?
He began struggling to free himself almost the moment the word was out of his mouth, distracting her. aIf you keep that up, Iam going to bind you tighter.a aI can not feel my hands and feet,a he said through gritted teeth.
In her enthusiasm, shead bound him too tightly and cut off the circulation. She didnat have to be very familiar with biology to figure out what that meant. She was going to have to figure out some other way to tie him or he was going to lose the hands and feet from lack of circulation. aWell, Iam not going to let you go when you wonat even give me your word about leaving,a she said testily. aIall see if I can figure out a better way to bind you, though.a Digging through the drawer in the bedside table, she found a pair of scissors and climbed onto the bed. aYouare going to have to roll....a She didnat manage to get the words out. Almost the moment she climbed onto the bed, he grabbed her, rolling on top of her. Danielle shrieked, ear splittingly.
Despite the siren racket, though, she heard him grunt, as if shead kneed him in the stomach.
Gripping her shoulders, he lifted slightly away from her and Danielle followed his gaze as he looked down.
The scissors were buried in his stomach. Her own stomach clenched. aOh G.o.d! Look what you made me do!a she gasped faintly, feeling blackness closing in on her at the sight.
Danielle surfaced from the blackness with the same sense of heaviness of climbing from a pool after being buoyed by the water for hours. She strained to lift her head, her arms. She couldnat move. Relapsing, she searched her mind instead, feeling nausea well inside of her again when she recalled what had happened.
Her eyes flew open at the memory and she looked around quickly for Kirin, more than half expecting to discover she couldnat move because she had a dead body on top of her.
He was lying beside her on the bed, studying her curiously, his hand supporting his head. She glanced down at his stomach. The scissors were gone. Blood had oozed from the wound but the wound itself was closed. Swallowing a little sickly, Danielle met his gaze again. aPuncture wounds can be really dangerous--and the scissors must have gone in two or three inches. You need to have that looked at by a doctor.a aI have had worse. It will heal.a aIam serious! You need to have....a She broke off as she struggled to sit up and discovered she couldnat move. Glancing upwards, she saw why. Her wrists were bound with the tape to the bed. Lifting her head, she looked down and discovered her ankles were bound, as well.
She was also naked.
Her head jerked in Kirinas direction. aMy clothes!a He almost seemed to shrug. aI like you better without them.a Danielle blinked at him while that slowly sank into her mind.
Almost casually, he lifted his free hand and moved it over her belly. aYour skin is smooth, soft. Like your flesh.a Danielleas belly clenched so hard at his touch, the muscle cramped painfully. She winced, but he was watching his hand as he stroked it along her midriff and belly. aExactly what do you think youare doing?a she asked with a touch of alarm. The ademanda came out as a breathless sort of whisper, however.
aYou touched me.a Danielle gaped at him. aI was trying to help you, you a.s.shole!a There was desire in his eyes when his gaze met hers. Anger subverted it. aWhere is the machine? I must protect the gateway. It is my duty.a Danielleas eyes widened. She licked her lips, her mind scurrying around for any possibility of escape. This time, there didnat seem to be one. Head underestimated her before. Obviously, he wasnat going to take any chances on her slipping through his fingers again.
But, what would he do if she didnat tell him? She was no m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t, but shead endured a h.e.l.l of a lot for that d.a.m.ned machine. As unnerved as she was, she couldnat bring herself to just tell him and let him destroy it.
Of course, it was in the living room in plain sight. All he had to do was look around the house and he was liable to decide to do just that at any moment.
He seemed interested in her, which probably would have flattered the h.e.l.l out of her at any other time. All she could think about at the moment, though, was if there was any chance she could use his interest to her advantage.
It was unfortunate that she really had very little experience with men. She certainly had none in trying to seduce one, but she had a feeling shead just pa.s.sed up an opportunity. All shead really had to do was to keep her mouth shut and let him aexplore.a Thwarted of that possibility, she began struggling against the tape head used to bind her--the same tape shead used on him. Head broken it fairly easily, though, and she figured if she worked on it she should be able to also.
Wrong. The d.a.m.ned tape stretched but it only got tighter. When she glanced at Kirin again, though, she saw that his gaze was riveted to the contortions of her body as she bucked and tugged against the bindings.
He rolled away from her abruptly, presenting her with his back as he sat up on the edge of the bed.
aI donat see how itas going to do you any good to wreck my work,a Danielle said crossly. aYou already said they were going to execute you for leaving the gateway if you went back. Do you honestly think theyall wait and let you talk, when they already tried to hack you to pieces? And what kind of proof are you going to give them anyway? If you break the d.a.m.ned transporter, itas just going to be a pile of junk.a He stood up abruptly and stalked from the room.
Danielle couldave bitten her tongue off. Now he was going to find the machine!
She tried to comfort herself with the thought that she could build another one, but it wasnat much consolation considering she was broke and would have to beg, borrow, or steal to come up with the money to buy components she needed to rebuild--a.s.suming he didnat break her computer, in which case it could take her months to get everything figured out again. It wasnat like it was all inside her head.
Kirin raked his hair back from his face with a hand that shook noticeably, struggling to shake off his arousal so that he could think. He could not think when he was anywhere near the woman.
It had been a mistake to give in to the impulse to study her body when she had fainted. He had not even tried to rationalize his actions. He had simply dragged the clothing from her body so that he could see her as he had not been able to when she had covered herself before.
Her skin was paler than his own, making the color of her hair contrast sharply. His curiosity had gotten the better of him and he had tested her hair with his fingers. The hair on her head was darker that the pelt on her mound, silky, and fine and straight. The brighter hair at the apex of her thighs was curly, nearly as silky--and far more fascinating.
It had taken an effort to drag his mind from it and bind her hands and feet, but he found the moment he had that she was far more of a distraction than before, for then he had glimpsed the delicate lips of her womanas place and he could not get that image out of his mind.
He frowned. She was a strange contradiction. She did not just seem soft and weak. She was. And easily frightened. And yet she fought him as if she thought she had some chance of besting him. Instinct, he supposed, but lacking any sort of logic for it was obvious she had no training whatsoever beyond the limitations of her physical body.
He could not give her credit for outwitting him before. That had taken little effort, he thought wryly, for between his disordered state of mind that she had breached the gate when she should not have been able to; his shock that she had escaped him the first time and very nearly done so the second trip through; his arousal toward her; and his horror at what shead told him, he had certainly not had his wits about him. He could not think when, if ever, he had been so thoroughly rattled that he had lost the ability to think at all rationally.
What completely baffled him, though, was that, despite everything, his life had been important to her. She obviously did not know that he could heal far faster than she did. She had been concerned for him when he had pa.s.sed out from the loss of blood and she had tried to help him.
He had treated her as his enemy, with very little regard for the fact that she was so fragile. Why had she not treated him as an enemy?
Clearly, he did not understand humans as well as head thought. He had believed they were very simple creatures, weak, not very intelligent--and repugnant because of their nearness to the lower animals of Earth.
She was not repulsive to him, far from it. He was fighting for his life and his freedom and he still could not discipline his mind to ignore the demands of his body each time he allowed himself to gaze at her.
He would have to put that from his mind. It was forbidden. He could not more surely condemn himself forever than to act upon his desires.
And yet he could not dismiss what she had said, either. Deep down, he knew that she was right. He had not been condemned to banishment. He would have been condemned to death if he had not fled--and if he returned, whatever he did, it seemed very unlikely that he would evade that fate.
His honor was at stake, though, not just his life. He had spent his entire adulthood as a warrior. His honor was everything. If he failed to protect the gateway--and his people, he would be dishonoring himself--not just his vow to his king.
In his heart, he felt that he knew what he must do, and yet was it reasonable to blindly follow all that he had believed in before when his whole world had tumbled around him?
He frowned. In one fell swoop, he had lost all--home, king, and country.
If would have been shameful enough if he had fallen from grace and been banished, but he had fallen so far from redemption, there seemed no way out.
He had been among the most honored of warriors. He had been promoted to archangel, a position much coveted since it was reserved only for the best of the best--the guardianship of the realm itself from intruders.
In truth, he had not appreciated it as another might have. The duty was tedious and mind numbingly boring. He would have far preferred to stay with his unit, to fight beside his comrades in the war for power that was being waged.
That hardly mattered now.
The woman was right, he realized. He could not return.
The hard truth was that no matter what decision he had made, his life would most likely have been forfeit. If he had not abandoned his post, if he had stayed and kept the woman captive while he awaited his relief, he would very likely have been condemned for dereliction of duty for not informing his superiors immediately.
The only path he could have taken that would not have meant his life was to have slain the woman immediately, and he had not even considered doing that. If she had been a warrior as he was, an enemy of his people, he would not have hesitated.
But the fragile, human woman had looked at him with great wounded eyes and he had turned soft--in the head!
He shook his head as if he could deny it, but he could not.
After a moment, he lifted his head and looked around the structure where she lived. Like the humans themselves, the abode was soft and weak, designed for comfort not for security.
A sense of both unreality and loss filled him. Could he grow accustomed to living among humans? Should he even attempt such a thing? His own world and people were lost to him, and yet it was forbidden for Elumi to live among humans, to interact with them and, regardless of his changed fortunes, he was not comfortable with the idea of simply discarding the laws of his own people.
Finally, he decided that this was not a decision that he could make until he had had time to accept what had happened. For now, he would focus on his duty to his people, the responsibility of protecting the borders of Pearthen.
The woman had said that she did not wish to go back, that she would change the machine so that it was not possible. He believed her. Perhaps it would be better to be her ally than her enemy?
Chapter Five.