Forging the Alliance short Read online

  “Call… the… doctor…” Darius rasped, his head pounding with every syllable.

  Spots danced across his vision and he squeezed his eyes shut to stop from vomiting. Beneath him, Xerces grew still, and he realized that he was smothering her, but he couldn’t drag himself off of her. It dawned on him that he might be the one to kill her, and the thought made him panic.

  “Call… the… doctor…” he tried again.

  The last thing Darius saw before he lost consciousness was the guard’s sneering face. As his vision went black, he heard the man’s boots retreating into the distance, and he tried to scream, but nothing came out. Everything slipped away as his blood pooled on the floor beneath him, soaking into Xerces’s clothes as it went.

  When he awoke, Darius tried to sit up, alarmed and confused. He had only fuzzy memories of finding Xerces and being struck. He quickly discovered that his arms bound to the bed. He could sit up part way, but they shackled his arms, limiting his movement. Trying to settle his spinning head, he took a deep breath and looked around. He could not immediately tell where he was, but it relieved him to see that Xerces was on a nearby bed, also shackled from what he could see. That was a good sign, he thought. Nobody would leave a dead woman shackled to a medical bed. At the very least, she was still living.

  Darius didn’t immediately recognize where they were, but he was sure that they were not in the medical bay. Only after further inspection did he realize that they were still in the brig, now in an isolation room converted to hold the two of them.

  The door creaked and Darius turned to see Dr. Kandre approaching, two guards flanking his sides. It seemed unnecessary, Darius thought, but he was in no position to be making such remarks, so he kept it to himself.

  “Ah, good morning, Darius. Glad to see you awake,” Kandre greeted him with familiarity.

  “How is she?” Darius asked.

  “Xerces? She’ll be fine. It’s a good thing you found her when you did. Probably saved her life, lucky you. If I were a believer, I’d say you’re some kind of guardian angel to that girl, but what do I know?”

  Kandre shuffled around the bed, and then he shone a bright light in Darius’s eyes and watched his pupils dilate. He nodded approvingly and continued to check the soldier’s vitals. The two guards always stayed a step behind, too close for the confines of the isolation room, and definitely too close for the doctor, who kept having to step around them. After several minutes, Dr. Kandre cleared his throat loudly and gave the two men a look of annoyance.

  “I think I’ll be all right. You two can wait at the door.”

  The guards hesitated, but Dr. Kandre shooed them away insistently. They relented and went to stand guard at the door, their hands poised on their weapons, as if they might have to shoot Darius despite the shackles. Darius rolled his eyes but settled back on the pillow and allowed Kandre to continue his exam.

  “The guard?” Darius asked, uneasily.

  “He’ll be fine, too, although I’ll say you might be more gentle next time. You barely missed leaving permanent damage when you crushed his throat. As it stands, you’ll have to answer for assaulting him, but just be glad you’re not standing trial for murder.” The doctor gave Darius a disapproving shake of the head.

  “I didn’t mean to,” Darius said, a tremor in his voice. He was telling the truth. He had nothing against the guard, but when he saw Xerces choking, his instincts had kicked in and he had put them all in danger.

  “That’s none of my business,” Kandre cut him off. “But I’m telling you right now that the judge will not like this whole thing between you and her. This is twice in two weeks that you’ve pulled some ridiculous stunt on account of this girl, and I need not remind you we still know nothing about her. She hasn’t been cleared. As far as we know, she was a medical officer for the insurgents.”

  “No!” he gasped. “She wasn’t. I wouldn’t have brought her here if she was.”

  Kandre held up a hand to stop him. “It doesn’t matter, Darius. Word got out about you bringing her here, and rumors started flying. Now this little stunt of yours, and more people are talking. We can’t have you hurting our men over an unknown. Her best chance for survival is you staying away until she’s cleared back home. If the guards have another problem with either of you, they’ll likely shoot her and dump the body. Nobody will know the difference, and there will be no repercussions for them. Don’t press your luck.”

  Darius was speechless. He wanted Dr. Kandre to understand why he had taken the guard’s keys. He wanted all of them to know that Xerces was not a threat, but their refusal to hear him out was putting him on edge. He was getting the impression that no amount of evidence or good behavior from her would change their minds.

  “Doctor?”

  Kandre stopped what he was doing and looked at Darius curiously.

  “Yes?”

  “Can you push us closer together? I want to be close to her when she wakes up,” he mumbled.

  “I suppose.”

  Dr. Kandre pushed the two medical beds close together so that Darius could just loop his pinky finger around hers where the shackles held them. It felt like a lifeline, and he was holding on as tight as he could.

  When the doctor finished examining them both, he left them alone. Xerces was still asleep, her face as peaceful as Darius had ever seen it. Forcing himself up onto one elbow, he shifted his weight a little at a time until he was leaning over the edge of the bed. Stretching as far as he could, his shoulders and arms burning with the effort, he watched her sleeping form, willing her to feel his closeness and wake up. He watched as long as he could, and then he fell back into his own bed, exhausted.

  9

  “Good morning, soldier.”

  Darius blinked several times, trying to shake the fog from his head. He slept hard, and he wasn’t sure what time it was or how long he’d been out. With the bright lights of the brig on at all times of the day and night, it was impossible to really know. He tried rolling onto his side, and remembered a second too late that they tied his arms, wrenching his shoulder back painfully. Immediately regaining his wits, he laid back and settled for turning his head instead.

  To his surprise, Xerces was sitting up on the edge of her bed. One arm remained shackled, but she appeared comfortable and lively. She was even kicking her feet girlishly and snacking on something as she sat watching him. His eyes went wide, and he jolted himself upright again, before giving up and laying back down with a huff. Xerces snickered at him, but gave him a pitying look.

  “It’s nice to see you, too,” she said with a sweet smile.

  “Thank the gods, you’re okay!” he sighed. “I was so worried. And you’re… you’re not locked up.”

  She shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that. We’re still in the brig, but I managed to sweet talk that doctor of yours into letting me sit up to eat. Small victories, and all that.”

  “So…” he began, frowning as he realized he didn’t know what to say to her next. He shut his mouth and just stared at her in awe. She must be the strongest woman he had ever met.

  “The doctor won’t be back for a while. He just brought my breakfast and checked on us. He’ll be back around lunch. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you awake. Less work for him once you’re up and about.”

  “That’s not very reassuring,” Darius said mildly.

  “Want some?” she held out some kind of fruit to him, hopping down from her bed into the narrow gap between them.

  “No, I couldn’t. You need to eat. You still need your strength.”

  She shook her head in amusement. “Don’t worry. There’s more, and I’m feeling fine. You’re the one who’s missed a few meals.”

  Just like that, she leaned over and plopped the berry between his lips before he could argue. Pinned down to the bed, he had no choice but to chew it slowly and swallow. The juice was shockingly sweet and sent a buzz of energy through him. It had been a long while since he’d tasted something so fresh. He closed his eyes
to savor it for a moment.

  A moment later, he felt something soft pressing against his lips and he opened his eyes in shock. Xerces was leaning over him, her lips pressed tightly to his. She pulled back for a split second at his surprise, and when his face turned to a smile, she leaned back in and pressed harder. This time, her tongue parted his lips, and he let her in. He wanted so badly to wrap his arms around her again, but all he could do was lay helpless, yearning for her to come closer as his tongue swept across hers and he inhaled the scent of the berries on her.

  He felt her free hand on his chest as it moved up toward his collar. With gentle pressure she leaned into him even more, and he felt her hand ball into a fist as she nibbled at his lips and kissed him deeper still. Finally, she broke away, and he took in a deep breath, unable to tear his eyes off of hers. She wore a satisfied grin as she stepped back and hopped back up onto her bed.

  Shocked, Darius felt himself growing hot in the groin, and he thought he must be blushing. Embarrassment swept through him as he realized that she might notice his cock growing hard between his legs. He shuffled his legs, trying to conceal his obvious erection, which only drew her attention down there instead. Horrified, he shifted his hips away from her.

  “What was that about?” he stammered, trying to recall her focus.

  She giggled, and it delighted him to see her cheeks turn rosy with her own recognition of his condition. That only made him want her more.

  “What was what about?” she asked coyly, popping another berry between her teeth and grinning like a cheshire cat.

  Taken aback, he huffed with false indignation and tried something else.

  “Any idea how long til we land?”

  The change of subject seemed to put her at ease. “Who knows? They don’t tell me anything.”

  “Well, have they told you what will happen when we get there? Will there be police waiting to take us away?”

  “What part of ‘they don’t tell me anything’ don’t you get?”

  “Sorry,” he muttered, a little hurt by her snippy tone.

  She ate another berry, slow and silent. A barrier was emerging between them suddenly, and the heat that they had shared a minute before had evaporated like it had never existed at all. Darius cleared his throat to break the silence, but then he turned his head away from her and concentrated on the far wall of the brig, ashamed of the way his heart was aching. A sullen atmosphere filled the space between them.

  Just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, he heard a creak behind him, and then her hand was on his chin, turning his head back toward her. She stared down into his eyes, and he felt the drop of a tear as it slid off her cheek and fell onto his face.

  “I’m sorry. I know as much as you do. Please don’t be angry. I just don’t know how to manage myself in here.”

  He would have given anything in that moment to wipe her tears away. He could see the fear and regret in her eyes, and he felt guilty for making her feel bad. It had all been a misunderstanding, and he cursed himself for taking it so personally. He cursed himself for putting them both in this situation. But then again, he was glad to be here, with her. He was glad to have tasted her lips, just once.

  “Kiss me,” he instructed.

  She blinked, a look of confusion flitting across her features. He repeated himself, louder and more forcefully this time, and she did as she was told.

  With her hand still on his chin and her fingers caressing the sharp line of his stubbly jaw, she kissed him again. He closed his eyes and relished the experience, wanting to memorize the way she smelled and tasted, and the softness of her lips. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and let it dance across hers, meeting her partway. He gripped the rails of the bed, rattling his shackles, pressing into them as he pushed himself up to kiss her. It was the best he could do under the circumstances, but it was enough. He was hungry for her, reluctant to break the connection that they shared, even as they grew short on breath. He did not want her to pull away again, ever.

  Their kiss went on, lengthening until Darius was reminded of being a young boy, greedily kissing his young girlfriend until their faces were sloppy with saliva amid their inexperience. But this was better. Xerces was skilled, and he liked to think he had learned a thing or two with age, as well. The fervor that filled him was much the same now as it was way back then.

  When their lips parted, he could do little more than sigh in resignation. This time, she did not pull away from him. She stayed close, and he kept his eyes shut as she ran her fingers behind his ear and down his neck. It was soothing.

  “We’re going to make it out of here, right?” she asked quietly, her previously concealed fears rising to the surface in a slight quaver.

  “Yes,” he reassured her.

  “What if they separate us? I don’t want to be alone again.”

  “It will only be a few days. We have to be getting close to home.”

  She shifted uncomfortably and looked away. He kept talking about home, but that word meant something different to her.

  “I mean, we’ll be at the port soon, and we can speak to the authorities about what to do next. They’ll find you a place to stay, and work on getting you resettled. Maybe even help you find a way back home once your home is safe? Until then, I’ll be close by.”

  “It’s not that,” she intoned. “I just don’t think it will be that easy. We don’t know how long it will take them to clear me. We don’t know how long they intend to keep you locked up for what you did to that guard. You’re acting like we’re going to get out of here and just move on, but that’s not how things work.” Now there was resentment in her voice.

  “You’re right,” he conceded at last. “But we’ll figure it out. I don’t care how long they lock me up, as long as I know you’re okay."

  Nothing he said could erase the sorrow in Xerces’s eyes.

  10

  When Dr. Kandre came in at lunchtime, he went straight for Darius. Upon seeing Darius awake, he chirped happily about his good fortune, and hurriedly looked him over.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine. I’d be better if I could sit up properly,” Darius said hopefully.

  “I’m afraid I can’t just go freeing you after your little outburst. I am under strict orders to keep you subdued.”

  “Oh, come on. You know I had to do it to save Xerces. I shouldn’t be punished. That guard is the one who wasn’t doing his job!”

  As Darius’s voice grew agitated, both Dr. Kandre and Xerces looked at him. Xerces shook her head insistently, cautioning him not to make a fuss. Kandre gave him a warning look.

  “Whatever. How long then?”

  “We are two days out from port. Maybe a little less. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can switch out these shackles for something else. We have little to work with, but there’s no sense in you being forced to lie down so someone has to feed you. I don’t have time for that, myself.”

  “Thank you.”

  Kandre nodded and turned away. “And how about you?”

  Xerces gave him a big smile. “Better now that I have someone to keep me company,” she said.

  “You’re looking better. Looks like your complexion is coming back, too.”

  Her blush deepened, and Darius felt a twinge between his legs. He knew he was responsible for her glow, and he couldn’t wait for the doctor to help him out of the shackles so he could continue getting to know his companion in privacy.

  “The food has helped and being able to move around a little. It won’t be long before I’m back to one hundred percent!”

  Dr. Kandre looked her up and down with admiration. “When Darius first dropped you in my medical bay, I never would have believed it, but you have made a remarkable comeback. Two days from now, you’ll be walking out of this room under your own power. Anyway, you two should eat. I’ll be back before your next meal for another checkup. I need to make my report and let the officers know that Darius is awake. They want to have a few w
ords with him. Give me a few minutes to see about those shackles.”

  Darius groaned as the doctor spoke, but he was trying to be optimistic. There was a chance that the officers would speak to him in the brig and they could clear this whole thing up before they landed. That would make him feel vindicated, and it was sure to put Xerces at ease, too.

  Dr. Kandre exited the room swiftly, taking away the breakfast tray and leaving behind two lunch trays. Xerces laid one across Darius’s lap and began dropping bits of food into his mouth, in between taking bites of her own. He marveled at the efficiency of her movements, and then he remembered that she had been a nurse. She was probably used to doting on people like this. Darius nearly choked when he thought of himself as her feeble patient.

  “What is it?” she asked, concern wrinkling her brow.

  “Nothing,” he answered quickly. “Just swallowed wrong. Thank you for helping me.”

  “It’s nothing.”

  With the food finished, she picked up the trays and set them at the foot of her bed. There was very little to talk about, and even less to do, but that didn’t stop her from standing close to him and slipping her hand inside of his. Sometimes she spoke, telling him short stories about her past, or asking him questions about his. Other times she hummed or sang under her breath to pass the time, and he listened to her with growing affection.

  Unexpectedly, the door of the room swung open, and a guard walked in. In his hand he held a pair of long leather straps and a set of keys. Xerces jumped up, instantly suspicious, as she moved back to her bed to get away from the man.

  “What are those for?” Darius demanded.

  “Relax. The doctor said to put you in these so he wouldn’t have to come down here and feed you or wipe your ass. I told him you deserve to suffer longer, but apparently he’s too busy with other things, and nobody else volunteered to come look after you, so you got lucky.”

  The guard wrapped the strap around Darius’s forearm and pulled it a little too tight, making his skin burn as it twisted against the leather. He couldn’t miss the flash of malice that the guard aimed his way before buckling the strap tightly. Next, he took a padlock out of his pocket and looped it through a ring on the metal clasp, ensuring that the strap could not be removed. With a firm click, the lock was in place. The guard reached across the bed and unlocked Darius’s other wrist.