A Mate for the Savage(10)

Not trying meant death, maybe not in the literal sense, but death all the same.





Chapter Four



The deep, even sounds of her captor breathing told Audrey he had finally fallen asleep. For what seemed like hours upon hours she’d lain there, still, silent, but she’d felt his eyes upon her, knew he watched her. But Audrey couldn’t have fallen asleep anyway, not with her mind working a mile a minute and her entire body screaming for her to run. But even though she had the instinct to escape, there was this small part of her, this little voice in the back of her head, that said this male wanted her like nothing else in this world. He’d saved her, healed her, and wanted her for himself. He’d told her he’d protect her, care for her, and in return he wanted her to be only his.

But she couldn’t just roll over to be his in all ways, not when she’d managed to escape the slavers and a life of sexual servitude. Essentially, wouldn’t staying with this male be the same thing?

She opened her eyes and stared into his face. For how dirty he was she couldn’t help but admire the fact he was handsome, in a very savage, brutal kind of way. The fire was still going strong, and the light from the flames cast shadows throughout the stone surrounding them. She was on her back, and she looked down the length of her body to see his hand on her belly, holding her in place. The heavy weight was a reminder that this man saw her as his.

Audrey shifted slightly, and snapped her focus to his face to see if even the slightest move from her would wake him. He still slept, so she moved a little more, rising up and moving to the side until his hand fell onto the furs and away from her. Moving quickly away from him was what she wanted to do, but she needed to take things slow, and be patient if she wanted to escape and go unnoticed by him.

Audrey sat there motionless, not even breathing as she stared at Styx. His breathing hadn’t changed, and it was still even, easy. His body was so big that when she’d been lying down his form had blocked off everything else. Breathing out slowly, Audrey started to stand. Her side was still bandaged, of course, but she felt nothing in terms of pain aside from a slight pulling sensation. Whatever had been in that tea he’d made her drink really did help.

Are you sure this is the best option? Do you think running into the unknown, and up against things that know this land far better than you’ll ever know, is really the best course of action?

No, she couldn’t think that way, couldn’t let herself be fooled into thinking that staying here, after what he’d told her, was the best option.

She stood there, not moving, just watching him. Ever so slowly she stepped over him, her body tight, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. She wasn’t breathing again, not wanting to even cause the slightest ripple of air that might wake him. Once she was on the other side of him she moved slowly toward the left, where she assumed the exit to the cave was. The fire crackled and popped in that instant, startling her and having a little gasp of inhalation come from her. She froze, looking over her shoulder at Styx. He still lay with his back to her, his chest rising and falling easily.

Just run.

And she did. Audrey took off down the long cavernous corridor, a few torches placed on the stone wall beside her. She breathed fast and heavily, pumped her arms and pushed herself harder. But with each passing second that slight pull in her side gave way to something more uncomfortable, something painful. She didn’t know how long she ran, but her side throbbed. Audrey gritted her teeth and placed her hand on her wound. She felt wetness, but didn’t look down to verify she’d bled through the bandage.

Don’t stop. You can’t stop.

But the corridor seemed to go on forever, and she could barely see ten feet in front of her despite the torch sconces intermittently on either side of her. Audrey’s lungs burned, her legs and feet ached, and her side was hurting even more with every second that passed. And then she saw light up ahead, not bright sunlight, but the muted glow of the moon. It gave her strength, and she pumped her arms and legs harder, wanting to feel the cool, fresh air moving over her face. Freedom was so close, and she didn’t dare look behind her to see if Styx followed.

The opening to the cave came closer and closer, but all she could see was the vast expanse of sky. Audrey didn’t think on that too long, because the taste of freedom controlled too much of her. And then just as she was about to reach the opening she felt her eyes widen as she caught the first glimpse of the canopy.

Canopy?

Massive treetops greeted her view, and she stopped, but not before she realized the cave was high above everything else.

Oh. Gods.

She’d had too much momentum, and the threat of falling right over played through her mind. But she slid onto her ass, sliding on the unforgiving hard ground, dust flying up around her and blocking her vision. Reaching out on instinct, Audrey gripped onto the side of the cave, her palm being sliced open from the jagged rock.