Page 92 of Black Mamba

I shake my head and stop him. “Don’t bother with a fire. I have a few rations left I can eat. I’d rather eat those than have… fish for another meal. I can stomach the fish but I’ve eaten a lot of it recently and it’s not my favorite. Skipping the fire will also save us some time. I’m eager for a shower, even a cold one.”

He places the firestarter back into the pack. “You seem to be in better spirits today. Are you no longer sad?” He scans my face, his stormy gaze squinting.

I grab my shoes from between the ferns and slip them on my feet, dressing before we end up having sex. I want my shower, and to soap up, before it happens again. “I’m not not sad but I feel better than I did yesterday. A lot better. You being here… holding me. I needed that. I needed that more than anything, I think.” I stand and face him, my heart warming. Glancing down at his bulge, I swallow and look back up, uncertain how he can always be so hard.

Last night I picked Lukys. I decided to stay with him. Fully and completely. I’m willing to try this relationship between us. He and it have given me a solid reason to live. Without him, I would be lost.

We will continue searching for Jenna, and we’ll be together. We’ll do it together.

I’m his mate… and he’ll be mine.

He rises on his tail until he’s level with me. “I am glad you are feeling better.”

I lean into him and he embraces me easily. With his affection and nearness, a sense of calmness fills me.

“I didn’t know if I was giving up on Jenna, leaving the encampment behind…” I admit what I didn’t yesterday. “The farther we got from it, the more guilty I felt despite knowing she wasn’t there. The feeling of failure brought back the loss of my parents, it’s all still so fresh in my mind, and I… I didn’t want to feel like a burden to you.”

He leans back and frowns, cupping my cheeks with his hands. “You will never be a burden to me. You will banish the lonely days ahead, and the lonelier nights. The most I must do is keep you safe, fed, and even then, I will teach you how to do it yourself. Meat and berries are plentiful, and my nest will be warm and well protected. We are surrounded by allies on every side.”

“Stop. You’re going to make me cry again.”

“Cry all you want, Elena.” He wraps his arms back around me and pulls me into his chest. “I will hold you.”

I push away from him. “No! No. Today is a good day. Today, I get to take a shower and eat bland pasta from the food replicator. I’m not going to cry anymore. I’m so tired of these woods.” I spin on my feet. “Maybe it’s the forest and being without electricity for so long that’s making me feel things,” I partially joke. I really miss electricity, and air conditioning.

A small smirk twitches the corners of his lips, and he tilts his head toward the river. “Well then, if you are ready, we shall continue. I am also eager to get you naked in my nest, mate.”

“After my shower,” I contend.

“After your shower then…” His eyes darken with lust as his tail coils under him. “Tonight, you will be mine, surrounded by my trophies, claimed as I have wanted to claim you from the beginning.” He scans me from head to toe. I straighten under his perusal, quivering at what he might be thinking. But then he picks up my packs and turns for the forest.

It’s not long before we’re at the veil—where the air smells sweeter. Lukys takes his time inspecting the dusty, mostly transparent wall, especially where it touches the ground. He swipes his hand through it, and when it does nothing besides create a temporary opening, he straightens. “It does not appear to be dangerous.”

“That’s good.” I eye the wall suspiciously, refraining from putting my hand through it just yet. “It’s clearly a shield of some sort, but what kind, I have no idea…”

Lukys hisses and turns away. I follow him silently into the forest where we use the coverage of the canopy to shield our passage through the veil. We traverse across an opening caused by the trees’ leafy branches.

As we leave the dome behind, I glance over my shoulder for one last look at it.

As we near familiar landscape, he slows, lifting his head and listening to sounds I can barely hear. Eventually, a humming noise, one that reminds me of a spaceship, emanates through the trees.

“Did you leave your ship running?” His ears continue to prick. “I do not think so but now I am uncertain.”

“No.” I shake my head. “Why? Is that what that noise is? A spaceship?”

He nods and I frown, slightly alarmed. The only other ships besides mine are Greg and Levy’s and the third, dead one. Neither of which would be on and running.

My eyes widen as my heart skips a beat, recalling the vaguely familiar ship that woke me this morning.

I freeze, my lips parting. The ship I saw this morning…

It was Mateo’s.

“Stay here and I will check out the noise.” Lukys slips ahead of me, ascending the ledge of the gorge. “I will be back momentarily.”

I lunge forward and grab his arm. “No. No, don’t leave me. I think…”

He hesitates and faces me. “What?”