I shrug and say, “Being with him makes me happier than the other guys. I’ll take my chances with him.”
“Fair enough.” She gazes at the fire. “You haven’t asked about Dominique.”
I swallow the hard knot in my throat. I’ve been deliberately avoiding the topic, not sure how the others would ask if pressed. Like Vektal said earlier, they seem fragile. “I . . . saw her dead body. Out in the snow.”
Liz nods. She moves in a bit closer. “So the first night we were here, we heard some creatures. They hooted like owls and stuff, but they looked like skinny teddy bears or something.”
“I’ve seen those,” I tell her. “They’re pretty nasty. Vektal’s not a fan.”
“Yeah, I’m not either,” she says with a grimace. “They weren’t smart enough to figure out how to get in, but they still scared the shit out of us. Kept us up all night. Dom cried the entire time.”
“I’m sorry.”
She bats my arm. “I’m not telling you to make you sorry. Just telling you what happened. Anyhow, we decided we needed a defense of some kind, so me and Tiff and Dominique went up top and made snowballs the next day. Tiff and I turned our backs for one minute, and Dom just ran off into the snow like a crazy girl. We tried to follow her, but we’re all kinda broken, and it’s too cold to be out there long.” She shrugs. “Tiffany went looking for her and had to come back. I think her feet have frostbite.”
I nod.
“So we never saw her again. We kinda hoped she found you. Guess not, huh?”
I shake my head. “She was dead when I found her. Long dead.”
“I can’t even be sad,” Liz says with a sigh. She hugs her good leg closer to her body. “She didn’t want to be alive. Not after what they did to her.” She looks at me, eyes big in her too-thin face. “We have to get out of here, Georgie. We can’t be here when they come back to pick us up.”
“I know,” I tell her quietly. I haven’t figured it out yet, but I’m going to get us out of here. I just need a plan.
VEKTAL
The others watch Georgie and me closely all night. Every time I touch her hair or caress her cheek, their eyes regard us uneasily. Is it because I’m showing her affection in front of them? My people are not shy about such things. Georgie doesn’t seem to mind my touches, and her nearness keeps my khui humming pleasantly.
When the human women begin to yawn, they file off to bed with Georgie’s blankets, a fact that makes me angry. They are cold, but she is my mate, as small and fragile as the rest of them. When I suggest she take one for herself, she shakes her head.
I make sure my complaints are heard by the solemn-faced one with the shell in her ear who can understand my words. A moment later, she hands her furs to Georgie, and when my sweet mate protests, the girl insists and goes to curl up with another girl. They will be warm enough. The strange cave is closed off from the bitter winds, and despite the smell, it’s warm enough inside that they will not freeze. Between the fire and body heat, the temperature inside is pleasant.
There is no watch, though. Either the women are too trusting they will be safe or so sick and exhausted that they cannot stay awake. I suspect it is the latter. I will be their watch, then.
But first, I will spend time with my mate. My khui demands it.
Georgie yawns and wraps the blanket around her, moving to curl up next to the other women. I bank the fire with a large log so it will provide warmth for many hours, and then I move to her side and pick her up, carrying her to the far end of the cave with me, where we will have some privacy.
One of the girls laughs and calls something out. “Gitsum grlfrend,” says one.
Another calls, “Kppdown ovrthr. Weer tryntew sleep!”
Georgie just buries her face against my chest.
I take her as far from the others as we can get. Here, they will not be able to see much beyond the firelight. I put Georgie on the side closest to the wall, and my body blocks her in. I cover us both with the fur and pull my mate against me.
My khui sings and hums. It wants more of our bodies joining, and I am eager to do so.
She tucks her smaller body against me, her cold hands moving under my clothing to press against my bare skin. “Sohwarm,” she murmurs. “Sohnice.”
My khui rumbles in my chest as she rubs against me. Her eyes are closed, and I’m not sure if she realizes just how much she’s tempting me. My cock rises in response to her sleepy touches, but she’s not giving me more. I need to make her aware of what I require, then.