She tightened the fur around her shoulders and sipped the elixir. Her insides were warm and tingly but she didn’t like the fuzzy feeling in her head. She set the cup down and curled onto her side on her new bed in the corner.
Earlier she’d bathed and doused herself with Jade’s lotion. The flowery scent uplifted her mood somewhat. A very little, actually. During the past four days she’d barely stepped foot from Bronto’s hut. Not that she hadn’t wanted to but she was too leery to walk outdoors. Everyone acted exceptionally nice the few times that she had. She didn’t say much because she was too busy focusing on the wilderness and eyeing the forest, looking for things possibly hiding in the trees. She’d even moved to the corner of the hut away from the ventilation hole. That was where her fears started. In Vulcan’s hut where springy arms reached inside and wrapped around her like snakes and pulled her through the roof.
She squeezed her eyes shut and forced her thoughts elsewhere. To Wisty. To her momma. To Bronto.
She sighed heavily and smiled at the visual of his image when all she had to do was roll over and open her eyes. He was only an arm’s length away.
Again she sighed. He hadn’t done anything wrong, so she had no clue why she’d turned her back on him during the past few days. He’d been nothing but tender and he hadn’t left her side but she couldn’t look him directly in the eyes. She tried but the amount of concern or pity displayed in his gaze forced her to shy away.
Maybe it was because she no longer felt attractive—tainted in a manner of sorts by the aliens. They hadn’t assaulted her intimately but they’d pressed on her tummy with their gnarly fingers and carved a deep cut into her skin between her hipbones with their claws. They’d done the exact thing to the other women prior to removing their female organs. That was when she nearly became delirious from fear, broke free, ripped out the tube and ran.
Bronto had yet to see that mark. She’d done her best to hide it when she stripped to bathe. It’d grown red and puffy but only hurt when she touched it.
Chills rippled down her spine and she coughed at the first indication she was about to cry.
She didn’t want sympathy or special attention. Gosh, she’d received enough of that lately. What had happened to her could’ve happened to anyone. She didn’t want to be treated any differently than the other tribal women. She just wanted to sit back and nurture her own wounds in her own way.
She swallowed and batted tears from her eyes. She’d not let thoughts of the aliens completely destroy her. They might have stolen her dignity. She’d not allow them to steal the remains of her emotional strength. She already felt grotesque and poisoned from their contact. How could Bronto want her after the ordeal? Or did her tears signify guilt because she’d survived when the other females perished from their injuries? “Bronto?”
She sensed him moving closer. Then he hovered above her, cupping his hand gently over her shoulder. “I’m right here, love.”
Compassion saturated his actions and tone and she mentally collapsed. She’d selfishly avoided him too long and suffered needlessly without his touch or strength because of pure stubbornness. “Can you hold me?”
The instant he snuggled protectively behind her and tucked his arm around her waist she rolled over into his embrace, facing his chest. The swift movement tugged on her belly wound but other than causing an annoying ache, it barely hurt.
His scent reached her nose and she inhaled, savoring it. Between the masculine smell of evergreens mixed with spices and his body warmth she was content for the first time in days. The power surrounding her brought forth thoughts of the possessive cave lion and its instinct to protect.
“I’m-I’m sorry,” she stuttered, her voice a hoarse whisper.
“You have no need to apologize,” he replied, kissing the crown of her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I’ve treated you so badly.”
“You needed time to come to terms with what happened.”
She snuggled her face against his heartbeat. “But it wasn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”
“It’s human nature, Ivy.”
“You’re the most patient man I’ve ever met. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not giving up on me.”
His arms tightened and he pressed his lips into her hair. “That’ll never happen, I’m afraid,” he said, his voice whisper-soft.
The soothing thump-thump of his heart lulled her to sleep, where the nightmares from prior nights turned into peaceful dreams.