Page 14 of Argurma Warrior (The Argurma Chronicles #1)

W ithout any windows, there was no way to tell the passage of time from her room. All she knew was that she woke at the sound of her door sliding open and the heavy tread of Kaylar’s footsteps on her floor, approaching her bed. Her eyes flew open to watch him, taking in his pensive expression. She didn’t know why she wasn’t afraid of him with the way he was looming over her while she lay in bed, but it might have been the guarded wariness in his expression that did it. None of the guys who intended to do something to her ever watched her with such a conflicted look of uncertainty. If it weren’t for the sour pinch of his lips, it might have been endearing. His tightened mouth just ruined the whole thing, taking him from vulnerable uncertainty straight into asshole who didn’t really know what to do with her now that he was stuck with her for the foreseeable time.

Well, that certainly wasn’t her fault. She didn’t crawl into his lap and beg to be kidnapped. Nor did she drop his ship out of the sky. None of this was on her. She hadn’t asked for any of it.

“You require sustenance,” he stated flatly, his gaze skimming her face. “You will follow me. I will see that you are suitably fed before I begin my work.”

She ran her tongue over her lips and his eyes snapped down to the movement, watching with such intensity that she felt her cheeks heat. She couldn’t get all flustered now when she finally had his attention.

“About that. I would really like to not be locked in here. I can help.”

He regarded her without a trace of emotion on his face, his eyes boring into her as the ends of two of his tendrils hanging down along his shoulders flicked in a manner that could be thoughtful—or it could be agitated for all she knew.

“No,” he replied in a clipped voice as he gave her his back. “Now, come, human female, Meg. I have much to do after I see to your care.”

She stared after him in shock as he headed to her door. That was it? There wasn’t going to be a discussion or any explanation. Just…”no?”

“If you would just hear me out,” she began as she followed after him.

“Unnecessary,” Kaylar interrupted without so much as glancing back at her. “You are vulnerable, and weak, and are my responsibility to protect. Reason dictates that your room provides superior protection for you so that I can expedite repairs. Your ‘assistance’ is not required. It would only be a distraction that would throw off my calculated timeline and an unnecessary risk.”

Her eyes narrowed on his back. So that was it. She is to be kept locked up for her own good because there is nothing that she could offer that he would find the least bit helpful. It seemed that she was destined to get similar treatment from him that she did in the city if she just rolled over and went along with it. Granted his motivation was different. He didn’t know anything about her past or what she had done to survive. And perhaps his interest in protecting her without any strings could almost be considered a good thing… but it didn’t change anything. And it wouldn’t. The only way anything was going to change was if she put her foot down and stood up for herself.

“That’s too bad,” she replied stonily, “because I’m not going to let you lock me back in that room like a wayward pet. If you don’t want me to help, then fine, I will find something else with which to occupy myself out of your way, but I refuse to be locked in my room.”

He rounded on her, his head tendrils puffing and rattling slightly at the bite of challenge in her voice. She knew that he heard it, and she tipped her chin stubbornly as she met his stare. His glowing gaze was unnerving to hold and, when his eyes slitted dangerously, she felt her resolve shake momentarily before she shored it up with every bit of stubborn fiber in her body.

“By what calculations do you assume that you would have any choice in the matter?” The words that came from him were so silkily spoken that they were nearly purred but she heard the implied threat behind them loud and clear.

He would bodily put her in that room and lock her in even if she went kicking and screaming. He was stronger than her and could overpower her easily. She wasn’t going to delude herself on that matter or insult either of their intelligence by making ridiculous threats in order to attempt to wrestle power from him.

“I’m very well aware of what you could do and the fact that you don’t need my cooperation to do it, but I guarantee I will not just meekly go with it. I will fight every step of the way and make it as difficult for you as possible every time you put me in there.” She pinched her lips thoughtfully. “Honestly, if you are so dead set on getting to work as quickly as possible, it would probably just be easier on you to just let me tag along. I will be safe with you,” she quickly added when his tendrils stirred with notable displeasure, “but I will also make a point of staying out of the way and not help if not asked to.”

It grated on her to offer that compromise since she would still feel pretty damn useless but when he finally cocked his head, his demeanor shifting to speculative, she let out the breath she’d been holding.

“I will consider,” he grumbled, his displeasure biting with every word, but when he tipped his head in acknowledgement toward her and turned to lead the way from her room, Meg couldn’t help but to feel a little victorious as she hurried after him.

Although electricity now appeared to power the entire building, illuminating the stark plaster walls, it didn’t make the place seem any more hospitable. Quite the opposite, actually. The white walls made the hallways seem even brighter in a way that hurt her eyes and scream a sort of emptiness of light that only the bleak paleness of sun-bleached desert sands could equal. There was nothing comfortable about it and she almost wished for the subdued grays and heavy shadows that persisted following their arrival because at least that gave some illusions of comfort. The darkness at least felt natural in comparison.

When it came right down to it, the darkness made her feel safe whereas the glaring light of the halls made her feel exposed. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if they could dim the lights a bit, but she bit back the request. Even though they were currently only heading toward the kitchens, she had asked to tag along. Admitting that that brutal gleam of the lights with its occasional, faint static flicker and crackle unnerved her wouldn’t make Kaylar any more pleased to have her along. It would possibly even give him an excuse to strongarm her back into her rooms since he had not made up his mind whether or not to even allow her to accompany him yet. She had a feeling that he wouldn’t have any patience for even a hint of weakness from her right now that might inconvenience him.

He was an utter asshole and yet she couldn’t really hold it against him that he simply wished to get his job done as quickly and efficiently as possible. In reality, despite what it meant for her, those were admirable qualities. Ones that would get them far away from the creepy, weird lab in the middle of nowhere far quicker than someone dancing around her feelings. It would just be nice if the alien actually realized that she had them.

Kaylar came to a stop before a set of metal doors and pressed a finger on a button. Meg stared at them for a moment in surprise as the sound of something moving whirled behind the sheets of metal. She knew what an elevator was. She just hadn’t expected him to bring her to one. Her stomach dropped as the machinery continued to whirl and the glowing numbers above the doors climbed from the lower levels of the building. Her only experience on an actual working elevator had been in the City and those had creaked and moaned in such a way that had her clutching the rails along the walls fearfully every time she was forced to take them. A cool sweat popped over her skin as she stared at the numbers numbly. As stiff as she stood there, she felt Kaylar’s gaze slide over to her, but she didn’t return his regard. Instead, she kept her attention fastened on the door as she fumed internally.

Did he know how afraid she was? Meg gritted her teeth. It was hard to believe that he was oblivious to it, so it was possible that it was a test to see how resolved she was to stay by his side. They certainly had not come this way when he had brought her up to her room. They had gone up staircases until her legs had burned but in her mind that was preferable to trusting a rickety machine that hadn’t been used in decades. Her fingers curled into fists at her side and her jaw ached with the force with which she clenched it. She sensed him shift and lean in.

“Your vitals are elevated,” he observed, his voice a soft purr that seeped through her fear and into her bones. “You are afraid. Why?”

She swallowed sharply. “I’m not afraid,” she denied and was met by a quiet chuff of amusement.

“You are brave, female, to face what you fear without complaint, but I do not judge you in this. All things experience fear. Not even superior Argurma programming can vanquish this response of instinct. I only seek to understand. Why are you afraid?”

She turned her head and cast him a suspicious glance. There was no condemnation or mockery in his gaze. Just a direct curiosity that made her shift uncomfortably.

“I do not want you to think that this makes me incapable of keeping up with you… because it won’t stop me,” she added with a fierce glower.

He chuffed again, this time louder as his tendrils moved around his head in a sinuous slither. “I do not doubt it. I process that you will keep up with me even if you had to chew your own limb off to get out of a trap.”

She relaxed a little at his amused retort and a rueful smile formed on her own mouth in response. He was almost likable like this.

Meg nodded her head toward the elevator door. “Elevators make me nervous. I’d never seen a working one until recently and every time I had to take it, I swore that it would finally break and fall with me inside of it due to the terrible sounds it made. It gave me nightmares and I would feel physically sick anytime I was sent to clean on one of the upper floors.”

Kaylar gave a few clicks in his throat, his mandibles moving as he too looked over at the door. “Machines require maintenance to remain in good repair. I saw to this elevation unit after restoring power. There was little degradation that required addressing. It moves steadily.” His eyes turned toward her. “I will not permit anything to harm you, human. Certainly nothing in this laboratory. If you insist on accompanying me, that will change nothing.”

The door slid open then, its softer, more muted light appearing almost welcoming. Meg gave it an uncertain look and glanced over Kaylar again to find him watching her patiently. Her tongue slid over her lips, wetting them again. Did his gaze just drop to her mouth? A shiver ran through her, her skin prickling with a warm, tingling awareness of the male standing close at her side. Without a word, she quickly stepped inside before she could change her mind, Kaylar’s large bulk following close behind her to swallow up the space with his heat and spicy scent. The doors slid shut with a soft hiss and then with another whirl above them, the elevator lowered so smoothly that for a moment Meg was distracted by it. It didn’t last long, however. Within the confines of the elevator, he seemed to surround her with his presence in such a way that her awareness of him seemed to grow stronger with every passing moment as the elevator descended. A sort of giddiness settled within her in result as her belly gave a warm, nervous clench when his body came near enough to faintly brush hers as he turned a bit more toward the door, his eyes scanning their surroundings.

When was the last time that had happened? When was the last time she felt even the slightest bit of natural attraction just from being so near a man? Certainly not after being kept as a camp woman among the Red Reapers, nor afterward in the City. She couldn’t understand why she was feeling it now of all times. None of the men at the city, regardless of how attractive or kind they had appeared to be, had so much as tempted her. Why an alien?

Kaylar wasn’t even close enough in appearance to be mistaken for human! She would have questioned if everything even worked together properly except that Terri had left with one of these aliens. Surely her friend had found pleasure with her male. But that didn’t mean that Meg didn’t balk a little at the idea of it. She certainly had no interest in trading her body for protection again. But would it be that if he was already determined to protect her? That thought gave her a pause. Could she enjoy the pleasure of someone’s touch without that worry hanging over her head?

She couldn’t believe she was actually contemplating it but the more she thought of it the more intrigued she became. What if… what if turned into something more? It could be nice having a companion if he decided that he wanted to stick around.

She choked back a laugh. And she was getting way ahead of herself. Meg cleared her throat as the elevator settled and the doors swung open. She quickly stepped out into the corridor and drew in a deep, cleansing breath of astringent air that was not yet filled with Kaylar’s musky spice as she peered around. She hadn’t paid much attention to the lower floor when they passed through it so when Kaylar stepped past her, taking a hall to their left, she quickly followed after.

The room they entered was large and filled with numerous metal tables. The room was clearly meant as a communal space for eating but she didn’t see any food. Not even a vending machine that would offer stale, sweet goodies to the persistent. Her pace dropped to a slower walk as she looked around for any signs of something edible but scrambled to catch up with her alien when it became apparent that he didn’t intend to slow down even a little. Instead, he headed directly for a set of doors at the far end of the room. He shoved them wide around his broad shoulders, their thick black spines brushing the doors slightly at he stepped past them and inside the room beyond.

Meg stumbled to an abrupt stop just inside the doors, her eyes staring at her surroundings in awe. There was a large oven and metal boxes that kept things cool from what she was shown in the City, but just beyond them where shelves upon shelves stacked with great big tubs, numerous pins, bags and countless cans filled with… food. More food than she had ever seen in one place in her life. Perhaps they had that sort of food at the City, but she couldn’t say for sure since they kept the food storage area locked up and only a few had a key, but here the food was just sitting out there in the kitchen and was the most beautiful sight she’d ever seen for all its bounty.

“Wow,” she whispered, drawing Kaylar’s gaze back toward her as she stepped past him almost in a daze, reaching out for a large can of peaches. “I haven’t had peaches since I was a child.”

“You know what this all is?” he asked, his head cocking as he scrutinized her and then the provisions surrounding them.

She flushed a little. “Some of it from the picture on the label. I could probably work out what other stuff is with a little trial and error.”

“That is satisfactory. Begin.”

Meg blinked as he propped himself against a shelf and looked at her expectantly. Did he expect her to cook for him? Heat slowly rose into her cheeks. She wasn’t exactly kept around for her cooking ability, but she knew enough to get the job done. She supposed it made sense for him to look to her. On his ship he had a replicator preparing his meals and he didn’t know anything more about human food than she knew about his.

He was trusting her to feed him. And somehow that made all the difference in how she felt about his command.

Blowing out a long breath she gave him a faint smile and nodded. “Okay, let’s see what I can do.”