Crystal Fire by Kathleen Morgan Read Free Book Online Page B

put filthy breeches back on, is there?"
    "No, I suppose not. But that means I must sleep unclothed. How do you feel about lying next to a naked man?"
    Marissa froze. "Put that thought from your mind. I have no intention of sleeping next to you."
    "Oh? Do you plan to get up every hora or so and stoke the fire then? If not, this cave will soon be quite cold. And in my fragile condition, I need all the warmth I can get." She scowled, then returned to her fierce scrubbing of his breeches. "Fine," she gritted through clenched teeth. "That's fine with me. But if you lay one hand"
    "I'd never force you to do anything against your will, Marissa. Can't you trust me in that?"
    His voice was deep and rich. It caressed her, mesmerized her. Marissa struggled to free herself.
    "Trust you?" She shot him an angry look. "And since when has that been a prerequisite for our 'arrangement'? I only want your cooperation."
    She pulled the breeches from the pot and wrung them out, spreading them on a nearby rock to dry. Then Marissa returned to Brace's side.
    "Keep yourself wrapped in that blanket." She grabbed up the other two blankets. "I'll cover us with these."
    Brace shrugged. "As you wish."
    He moved over to make a spot for her before the fire. "Come to bed, Marissa."
    She glared down for a moment more, then lowered herself to lie beside him. Settling the blankets over them, Marissa scooted up against Brace's backside.
    His masculine scent, musky and warm, rose to her nostrils. It was surprisingly pleasant. She hadn't thought a clean male could smell so good. But then, there were a lot of things she hadn't realized about males. "Rest well, sweet femina," he murmured drowsily.
    "I am not your"
    Marissa halted. Oh, what was the use? He was the most stubborn, arrogant male she'd ever met. And also the most disturbing.
    She sighed. "Rest well."
    And regain your strength as quickly as possible , she added mentally. The sooner we're on our way, the better. And the sooner I can be rid of you. Once and for all  . . .
     
    Brace jerked from a deep sleep, his heart pounding, his body bathed in sweat. He'd been back in prison, with Mardoc brutally, relentlessly beating him until he screamed from the pain. Screamed on and on until he finally spiraled down into an endless maw of madness.
    With an effort, Brace shook the horrible memory aside. Strange that never once in the cycles of his imprisonment had he experienced such a dream. Perhaps it was the newness of his freedom, a freedom he still found hard to accept. Or perhaps, just perhaps, it was the madness working its insidious way into the deepest recesses of his mind . . .
    He shoved himself up and glanced around. Where was Marissa?
    His sleep-thickened gaze swept the cave. No sign of the little Sodalitas. With a deep sigh, Brace fell back.
    Marissa must have wakened earlier and set out on another foraging expedition to the vil- lage. But how long had she been gone? There was no way of knowing. And if something had happened . . .
    Brace cut short the thought. It was pointless to consider going out after her. His strength wouldn't be equal to any extended journey, much less attempting a rescue.
    He did feel markedly better, though. The long rest, combined with last nocte's nourishing if meatless food, had done wonders. His glance sought out Marissa's booty bag. There should still be some fruit left . . .
    A sound behind himfaint, but unmistakably a footstepbrought Brace up short. He jerked around, but it was already too late. A fist slammed into his jaw. A scattering of stars exploded before his eyes. He gasped, inhaling a rank, heavy scent.
    Simian !
     
    The sun was setting behind the mountains before Marissa made her weary way back to the cave. What a long sol it had been! The foraging trip to the village had required more time than she'd planned, thanks largely to the numerous skim craft searching the area.
    The Bellatorians were looking for them, that much Marissa knew, and she'd been