AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But could he stand? She needed him to stand.
Her good arm went out to him. “Come to me, Krieger.”
He paused, but every second was precious.
“Damn you, you haven’t survived this long just to die now. Get on your feet and take my arm.”
With wooden movements, he gained his unsteady footing. His body slumped against the dirt wall she sat atop, but it was a start.
He lifted his arm to her, and she took hold of him and said, “Climb, I need you to climb.”
His fingers trembled as he grasped the wall of mud. Using all her strength, she heaved Krieger upward. When his foot slipped on a rock and his body jerked back, she screamed as his full weight tugged on her good arm. Clenching her teeth together, she bore down and pulled again. Finally, his hand appeared at her side as his fingers tore at the earth. With one final yank, she was able to lift his torso over the bank.
Exhausted, she sat back on her haunches. Her body wavered as the strength left her body, and she fell on her side next to him, her lungs gasping for air. He lay flat on his stomach, with his head turned to the side and his hands stretched out before him. His eyes were closed, but he was still breathing. It was the most beautiful sight she’d seen in a long time. He was alive. Alive.
When shivers racked over her body and she noticed his skin was red with cold, her instincts screamed at her to find shelter. Here, out in the open, they were exposed to the cold and vulnerable to attack.
She looked to her right—darkness. Before them lay the river of death, and to their left was more darkness. Yet, a white glimmer caught her eye. Metal, perhaps? Metal could mean shelter. It was their only hope.
She drew back off the ground and reached for him with shaking hands. “We need to move.”
He helped support his weight the best he could as tremors took control of his limbs. It was a miracle he was able to get off the ground and move toward their only prospect. After wrapping his arm around her shoulder, she moved with him on unstable legs. Somehow, his pack was still slung over his shoulder, but hers was long gone.
As they closed in on the thing that had caught her eye, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. It was a white car. She couldn’t have asked for anything better.
When they reached it, he leaned against the trunk, and she opened the door to the back seat. Then she turned to him, thinking they had to get these clothes off.
With trembling hands, she reached for her knife, grabbed the bottom of his shirt, and cut it from him.
“Wat argue doo-in’?” His speech was slurred, but she thought that had to mean What are you doing?
She didn’t want to answer him, afraid her words would sound the same. Then where would they be—jibber-jabbering and getting nowhere?
Eva continued her work on his clothes. First his shirt, then his pants. After she drew the drenched fabric from his body, she helped him into the back seat. Then, with shaky hands, she removed her clothes next and laid them out on the trunk. Maybe they would dry by morning. She kept her bra and panties on as she approached the back seat to join Krieger so they could warm up.
When she saw his trembling body, she hurried. If his breathing turned shallow and his heart rate slowed, then it would only be a matter of time before he slipped away. But if she raised his temperature too fast, she risked him having a heart attack. She had to do this right.
Trying to work quickly, she grabbed his bag and pulled out the tarp. The blankets would be soaked, but the plastic would act as an insulator. After pulling it out, she shook it of any droplets, draped it over her shoulders, and tossed the bag into the front seat.
She climbed in the car and shut the door, then straddled his legs to sit atop him. The car smelled of mildew and earth, but she was beyond thankful it was here. It might just save their lives.
She rested her head on his chest and placed her hands on his torso to try and warm him up. When she looked at his face, his eyes were closed, but his breathing seemed steady.
His skin was cold, but so was hers. The contact was not startling, but her nipples pebbled nonetheless. When she was settled, he eased his arms around her, and a smile tickled her lips. He was alive and safe in her arms...
She wanted to savor the feeling. No matter how much she might want to explore these feelings—this attraction—she couldn’t. She just couldn’t let anyone else in...
Not again.
These emotions would bring nothing but darkness into her life. They would make her weak, distract her from her duties. Her responsibilities to her people. This was just not meant to be.
Besides, he was better off without her. If it wasn’t for her, he would be safe back at Everwood. Not freezing to death in a piece-of-shit car.
Fighting fatigue was no longer an option, so she closed her eyes, his strong heartbeat thumping in her ears and lulling her into a much-needed sleep.
They had survived this incident, but it most likely would not be their last.
She’d protect him, guide him, lead him—but that was all. This was business, not pleasure, after all. Anything more could get them both killed.
