Page 21

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

CORVAK

"This seems like a bad idea, that's all I'm saying." Aidy holds onto my arm as I lead her up the steep, unwieldy path to the cave I have claimed for us. "It never ends well for the guy that lies to the locals about being a god. Never."

"You have run into this scenario before?" I put my hands on her waist when one of the boulders proves too large for her short legs to navigate and heft her onto it.

She anchors her hands to the sheer rocks as we climb even higher, her breath puffing in frosty clouds. "Well, no, but I've seen a lot of movies. Like, a lot of them. I'm just not convinced this is smart."

"You worry too much. Let me handle things."

"Me big strong man, you stupid woman," she comments as she climbs.

I go still, fury blistering through me. "Did those creatures call you stupid? I'm going to snap their necks after all."

Aidy glances back at me. "What? No! I'm just—you know what? Never mind. How much farther?"

"Wait here," I tell her and climb ahead.

Once I've established a foothold, I lean over and hold a hand down to her to help her climb the final section.

"Look at how defensible this is. No one will be able to get to us without a struggle.

We will move some loose rocks and scatter them on the path to make the footing dangerous for interlopers. "

"I don't think I'm going to be able to climb down, either," Aidy comments as I haul her up and pull her against me.

We gaze into each other's eyes for a long moment, and I could swear that the incessant humming grows louder. Her lips are shiny and pink, and for a moment, I almost wish she would try to gnaw on my face again, just so I could feel that warm mouth on mine.

Her gaze drops to my chest, and then she pats me. "I should ask Pinkie about the humming. No one else seems to be doing it."

"If you like." I shrug and then gesture at the cave mouth. "Behold. Our new fortress."

She stares at it in wonder. "How did you find this?"

"The snow-people did. They showed me. And you'll never believe what's inside."

Even though the mouth of the cave is narrow and irregular—another feature I like when I consider defense—it is very tall.

It spans my height twice, and from the entrance, one can see that the interior is spacious and open.

So far the caves we have found have been cramped sorts of things, but this one has promise.

I can tell by the wonder on her face that I have done well to bring her here, and a hot curl of pleasure makes my sac tighten.

I imagine Aidy showing me her happiness with small touches of her hands, her fingers fluttering down my chest to caress my cock…

"Can we go in?" she asks, interrupting my fantasies.

I nod, and when she steps forward, I adjust myself.

Not right now. Mornings are for touching.

My cock just needs to learn this instead of springing to life at all times.

It must be because I was on suppressants for so long.

Now it is uncontrollable and aches whenever Aidy so much as breathes… which is all the time.

Her face tilts up in wonder, her delicate hand skimming over the stone as she moves through the entrance. "It's so big."

My cock surges at her words.

I manage a grunt. "Very big." Then my mind goes to dangerous places, and I dig my claws into my skin, trying to focus. "This front chamber is not as large as the next one, and there are more chambers farther down in the tunnel."

"How fascinating." Aidy turns back to look at me, her eyes glowing blue from the parasite. "These mountains are practically honeycombed with caves, aren't they? I guess we're lucky in that aspect. How far back does ours go?"

"I did not go all the way to the back. The tunnel narrows down to a crawlspace, and I had no interest in scurrying about on my hands and knees. There is more room in these front chambers than anyone could need."

"Any monsters?"

I give her a wicked grin. "Just me."

"Very funny."

"Are you pleased?" I ask, following behind her. "This is the sort of place I have been hoping to find. It is difficult to get to from below, and spacious. The game in this area seems to be plentiful, and there is running water. This is an ideal place for our fortress…and for privacy."

I am thinking about that privacy more than my fortress lately.

Aidy turns to face me, worry on her face. "And what about the snow-people? More and more of them keep showing up."

"I know why." I lead her to the far wall of the front cave and gesture at it. When she squints hard, I realize it's too dark for her to see anything with her poor human eyes. So I take her hand in mine and lift it to the stone, where it has been flattened out.

She gasps in surprise. "Carvings?"

"Yes. Can you not see them?"

"Not really. What do they say?" Her fingers move over the wall, touching everything.

"It is of a male in a feathered cape, or he has wings of some kind." I move her hand along the carvings as I describe them. "There is a panel with a bunch of wiggly lines on it?—"

"Water, maybe?" Aidy interjects.

"Maybe." I move her hand along to the next section, where there are a bunch of smaller people. "And these are his followers."

She turns to me, her eyes wide. "They freaked out when you put on your cloak, remember? That's when they started bowing."

"I know. I think they think I am this male, in this carving. They brought me here and would not come inside, but they were not offended when I entered. It's like they expected it."

Aidy's fingers drift over the carvings, her touch delicate, and it makes my cock throb and ache, because I want her to be touching me like that. She feels everything out again and then purses her lips. "I'm worried. I don't like how they're acting. It feels like a trap."

"I will handle it." I am not thinking of the snow-people right now, but of Aidy and her hands. Aidy and the soft caresses she's giving the rock. Aidy and the humming in her chest. Aidy when she smiles up at me even as she reaches for my cock…

"Corvak, I'm afraid they're becoming a problem." She takes a few steps back toward me, concern etching her brow. "I swear more of them are showing up every time I turn around. The fact that they look at you as some kind of god…that's bad."

"Why is it bad?" I don't care if they worship me or not, but if they do, it makes things easier.

Her eyes widen. "What happens if they expect you to do godlike things and you don't? Or you can't? Feeding a handful of them a shitty soup for one night is very different than feeding a hundred of them for days on end.

And what if it's not just a hundred? What if it's a thousand?

Ten thousand? What if they all show up expecting to be fed because the Northern Lights told them you were here to save the day? "

"I will handle it," I say again. "There is no sense in worrying over things that have yet to happen. For now, we can enjoy this cave and relax for a few days. Your feet can heal. We will have privacy ."

Her eyes narrow, and I can tell she's annoyed with me. "Can you stop thinking with your dick for five seconds? I'm interested in being alone with you too, but we've got serious problems here."

I move toward her, because I find her magnificent and compelling when she is angry with me. "And I have said I will handle things. Trust me, Aidy. Let me show you your new home."

She groans as I take her hand in mine, but she lets me tug her along. "I'm adding this to the list of grievances."

"If you like. Let me show you why this is perfect for us.

For you, especially, my female." I have been keeping the best part of this cave for last, because I know that the moment she sees it, all her doubts will melt away.

She will fling herself into my arms with gratitude, and then we will get the privacy and the caresses I have been dreaming of.

Both her hands clutch at the one I am leading her with. "I can't see a thing in this darkness."

"I can see. I will lead you. Just keep holding on to me."

She moves so close that her toes step on my heels, and I can practically feel her breath against my back. "Go slow."

"I have you. You think we would come this far only for me to have your delicate head knocked against a cave wall? Have confidence in me, Aidy."

Her little chuckle warms me. "It's not that I'm not confident in you. It's that I'm not confident in me."

"You should be. You have been doing amazing."

"No, I've been managing, and poorly. You've been doing all the hard work. I promise I'm going to try and do more."

"You say that, but I have not asked for more. You have done what you can, given your smaller, weaker human body. You have been learning their words, too. This is important work, just as important as me exploring caves or finding meat."

"I guess." But she squeezes my hand.

"Not much farther. I think you will like this next part."

"I hope so. Is…is it just me or is it getting warmer?"

I smile to myself in the darkness, because I'm excited to show her this. I cannot wait to see her delight. "Almost there."

The rocks slope downward, the tunnel narrowing, and then it opens up into a humid, rounded cave.

There is a large hole at the top of the cave, probably worn away from eons of steam flooding upward.

It provides enough sunlight that Aidy should be able to see.

Just barely visible above the hole is the edge of a cliff, hiding the treasure below.

There is a narrow lip of wet stone around the edge of the cave, and then the interior of this final chamber is nothing but hot, steamy, crystalline water.

Aidy gasps. "You are kidding me."

"I am not. There is hot water inside. I hope you do not mind the smell."