Strong arms wrap around me, and my whole body vibrates with satisfaction. His giant hand tucks my head against his chest as we sink deeper into the warm waters.
“Thank you,” he whispers as I lie boneless on his chest.
Maybe the universe isn’t indifferent, maybe every step was leading me here, to him.
Suddenly there’s a crunching behind us, some snapping of twigs and shuffling of leaves. Kitaico tenses and stands, wrapping my legs tightly around his back.
“What is it? Another one of those dinosaur birds?” I ask my protector.
"We have to go, Leeenuh," he says with urgency, pulling us out of the pool and swiftly retracing our steps back to the shore.
"Kitaico," I gasp, my body still trembling with the aftermath of my climax. He ignores me until I thump him on the chest.
“Kitaico!” I whisper, “What’s wrong?”
His feet move even faster, his heart thudding loudly in his chest.
“Exiles. We must return to the safety of the nest. Stay silent and hold on to me tightly," he says with a grave expression.
15
blaster barbeque
Exiles.
The word seems to slow down time. I know Kitaico is sprinting to the seashore, my body bouncing violently as he does—but everything feels like we’re moving through molasses, like we can’t run quickly enough.
It feels like we’ll get fucking caught.
My senses, which just seconds ago were blurred with a post orgasm glow, twist and distort as fear floods my system.
“Leeenuh, we’re nearing the shore. I need you to hold your breath!” Kitaico mutters. His feet showing no signs of stopping their pounding through the field of lava stone.
“Okay.” I breathe deeply, readying my lungs.
There’s a noise behind Kitaico’s back. Something big sounds like it’s scrambling as it slips on the jagged rocks of the shoreline.
I press the tip of my nose over Kitaico’s shoulder, trying to get a better glimpse of who is chasing us right as his feet leave the cliff. He arches his body, gripping me tightly, and dives into the water.
For the briefest of moments, I see the snarling vision of horror that trails closely.
Fangs lengthen as he stretches out a hand tipped with jagged claws. Its tentacles flare wildly around its scarred visage. His pupils are pinpricks and his face conveys nothing but a manic need. The alien is the same as Kitaico, an Andjin, but that’s where the similarities stop.
Exiles want nothing more than a mate. Kitaico’s words flood my mind as I face this nightmare creature behind me.
He wants me.
The exiled male's skin, a vibrant shade of crimson, catches my eye before I gulp and hold my breath.
The pursuing creature is getting dangerously close, and I can smell the exiles' breath just before my head submerges in the cool saltwater.
Kitaico's legs kick as relentless as a machine. With each stroke, his thighs exhibit taut and powerful muscles.
I refuse to open my eyes again, afraid of seeing the monster pursuing us.
Tightening my grasp on Kitaico, I realize the incredible stroke of luck I must have had. Luck that brought this gentle male to my side, instead of that crazed thing chasing us now. If that creature had been the one to discover me, would I have survived?
I suppress the thought, trying to control my panic levels. The burning in my chest won't subside if I keep imagining the worst possible outcomes. Instead, I press my ear against Kitaico's chest and listen to the rhythmic thump of his heart.
He’ll protect me, he promised.
My chest tightens, fighting against the suffocating sensation of airlessness. The spasms ripple through my torso, causing waves of pain to radiate outward.
“Almost there, hold on!” Kitaico yelps, but the sound is warped and twisted by the water surrounding us.
Suddenly, his feet kick off an object, causing us both to pivot quickly back up. With Kitaico's forceful push, I’m thrown into the nest, feeling like a rag doll. When my head finally emerges from the water, I gasp for air, and the sound echoes in the silence.
My fingernails claw up on the ledge of the opening before I pull myself onto the cave floor. Adrenaline still teems through my veins. Finally, with one last surge of strength, I pull myself up and onto the cave floor, my body thudding against the ground. Water drips off my naked skin as I shake on the floor. I can’t tell if it’s the cold or the dread I feel as I turn my head and look at the entrance to the nest.
Time stills as I wait for Kitaico to pop up behind me—but he doesn’t.
The water churns and splashes. There’s a ruckus occurring beneath its surface.
I can’t just lie here. What if Kitaico needs my help?
I push myself up, searching the cave for something to protect myself with. Rope, dried fish, nuite fruit, everything here is so unlethal! I slam my fist against the store shelves in frustration.
