“Are we safe here?”
“There is no way to tell for certain. I do not know where the other sections touched down. Regardless, I must move from this location quickly. Raxxians may make an attempt to retrieve their cargo, and I would be well served to not be here if they do.”
He began moving at a quick pace, forcing Darla to scramble after him.
“Hey, wait a minute. Where are we going?”
“We?”
“Yes, we. You just saved my life. You’re not seriously going to just leave me behind, are you?”
“You are free now, so pick a path and follow it. As for mine, you will just slow me down.”
“Oh, hell no. I can keep up.”
“You say that now, but you are small and weak. I cannot afford to be hindered by the likes of you.”
“So what? You leave me to the Raxxians?”
“The Grommix may come first. They will treat you well enough. You can hide in the wreckage and determine if it is safe to come out when they arrive. Small as you are, there are plenty of places to conceal yourself.”
“While you run away.”
“I am not running away. I am heading up onto that rise to discern where exactly we have landed. And once that is achieved, to evaluate what threats may be lurking on this world. On top of that, I must then attempt to find food and water in the process of planning a proper escape.”
“So, you are running away. Just with a few stops on the way. Well there is no way I’m staying here like a sitting duck while you put distance between yourself and the most likely place the Raxxians will show up.”
“If the Grommix do not arrive first.”
“Yeah, whatever. The point is, I’m coming with you.”
“But—”
“Don’t even start with me. I’m tired, hungry, filthy, and stuck on some God forsaken world. I am not being left behind,” she said with a fierce glare.
Heydar considered refusing her demand then thought better of it. The noise this human female had proven herself capable of making was more than enough to draw additional attention to the area, and that was the last thing he wanted.
“Very well. But remain quiet and keep up. I am not slowing my pace for you.”
“Whatever. Can we just go, already?” she grumbled.
The towering alien’s jaw flexed as he sized her up for a long moment. His eyes were distracting in this light. Almost sparkling as the rays illuminated the gold ring circling the luminous violet. He let out the slightest of chuckles at the tiny woman’s fierce resolve. Then, without another word, he shrugged, turned, and began trekking away at a healthy pace.
Darla scurried after him, covering the ground with a fast and agile step where his long legs simply strode over the debris.
Good thing I’ve been doing those kickboxing classes, Darla mused, glad her lungs, legs, and booty were up for the exercise.
They cleared the crash site a minute later, heading into the lush growth surrounding them. Looking at the verdant alien trees and shrubbery, Darla was sure they were close to a water source. All those years camping with her family in her youth had taught her that much, even if the outings had been more glamping than camping, thanks to her mother.
She followed close behind the muscular alien as he evened out his stride now that the ground was level. From this vantage point she couldn’t help but admire the rather impressive round, sculpted ass walking before her. Say what you would about the rude alien, he certainly hadn’t skipped leg day.
Mind on the task, Dar, she chided herself. And remember the pledge. No more emotionally unavailable douchebags.
Given Heydar’s pleasing physique, Darla couldn’t help but wonder if other alien races were so well put together.
I guess I might very well find out sooner than later, she thought as the distant hum of a flying craft reached their ears from afar.
Someone else was out there. The question now was who?
CHAPTER EIGHT
The climb to higher ground went relatively smoothly, all things considered. Heydar, despite his protestations, slowed his pace somewhat so the human female could keep up, and the two of them reached the top of the target hill in good time.
“This will suffice,” he said, gazing upward at the sturdy limbed tree rising above them.
It was tall with thick branches ending in tufts of purple and burgundy leaves, matching the coloring of many of the plants on this world from what Darla had seen so far.
“Suffice for what, exactly?” she asked.
Heydar didn’t bother with a reply, leaping up and grabbing one of the lower branches far over their heads with a vertical that would have put any basketball player to shame. He was going up higher to get a better view, leaving Darla on the ground below.
“Hey!”
“Keep your voice down,” he hissed. “We do not know who may be lurking nearby.”
“Fine. Just help me up.”
“I do not require your assistance in this matter.”
“I didn’t say I wanted to help. I just want to see.”
Those gold-rimmed eyes stared at her a long moment, making her shift uneasily. In all the commotion, she’d forgotten how much he could resemble a predator, and an apex one at that.
A long, bulging arm lowered toward her.
“Grab hold,” he growled
She did as best she could, but his wrists were too girthy for her to get a proper grip. Heydar sighed and wrapped his fingers around her forearm, the additional joints allowing them to encircle her limb in a snug embrace.
Then, as quickly as he’d reached his arm down, Darla found herself hauled aloft and placed gently on a sturdy branch.
“Satisfied?” he asked, releasing his grip.
“Yes, very.”
“Hmph.”
He began scaling the tree without another word, once again affording her a great view of that magnificent ass on the way up. With that impressive thing staring her in the face, Darla couldn’t help but look.
What’s with me? Did the Raxxians put something in the food to make their livestock breed or something? ‘Cause hot damn, I’m feeling horny as hell. Then again, now that I think of it, that may also just be the whole narrowly cheating death thing doing the talking. Funny how adrenaline can do that.
She shook her head and pushed those thoughts from her head, shifting her legs to relieve the little tingle the pressure from her current perch was producing. It was nice. Really nice, truth be told, but she had other things to focus on.
Darla’s reach wasn’t nearly as long as Heydar’s but she managed to follow him up into the heights of the canopy, and what she saw when she joined him there took her breath away.
Stretching as far as the eye could see was a lush, green world, jutting bursts of burgundy, purple, and orange plant life springing up in some areas making it into a patchwork of stunning nature.
The air was clear and crisp, small, happy clouds drifting in the breeze. It was as if they had landed in some pristine corner of the world, untouched by humanity. Of course, this was an alien world, so technically that was true.
Off in the distance the lush colors of the forest gave way to what seemed to be a reddish-brown desert. Heat waves radiated from the ground, giving it an almost wavy appearance. But that wasn’t the only thing they saw.