Human Bait

Chapter 16: Rules

Rekkan led me into an alcove of trees and foliage. Early morning sunlight seeped through a spiderweb of tree branches overhead. He unzipped his backpack and drew out antiseptic and a bandage.

"Let me see your hand."

I shook my head. "It's not that bad. We can wait until we reach the research base."

He lifted his palm between us and raised an eyebrow. With a sigh, I laid my hand on top of his. His fingers closed over mine, warm and rough. Then he unscrewed the antiseptic and dabbed the bite marks.

He had cleaned my gunshot wound with the brusque attentiveness of a sous-chef. Now he bandaged my hand as if handling something fragile... something precious. My eyes darted to his lips, which were pursed in concentration.

Heat swirled in my stomach, and fantasies danced before my eyes.

Until he spoke.

"You seriously let a baby bite you?"

I propped my free fist on my hip and scowled. "This baby had superpowers or something."

"Superbabies?" He fastened the bandage with a pin. "Could it fly or shoot lasers?"

"No, it... it just crawled really fast."

"Ah, a speedy baby. Terrifying."

I glared at him. "Rekkan, I'm serious!"

"So am I. Children are scary, in all forms."

My glare intensified.

He frowned, more a playful pout than display of remorse. "Are you angry?"

"I could have died, you know."

His eyebrows ticked together, and the pout dissipated. "I know. And I wasn't there to protect you." Eyes still on mine, he drew my hand to his lips and pressed a slow kiss to my knuckles. "That won't happen again."

I stared at him, wide-eyed. His soft lips and tender gaze spilled fire through me, singeing my nerve endings and incinerating all thought.

He tilted his head, and a tiny smile teased his lips. "Are you still angry?"

I swallowed and snatched my hand away. "Fuck you."

His smile spread into a grin. He slipped the antiseptic into his backpack, and drew out a tupperware. When he popped off the lid, the aroma of seasoned vegetables and meat wafted toward me.

"Eat."

Saliva welled in my mouth, but I fisted my hands at my sides. "I'll eat after we reach the research base. Saving the world is more important than filling my stomach."

He huffed a harsh laugh. "Do you think I abandoned my fortress so I could save the fucking world? You realize I'm only here for—" He blew out a breath and softened his voice. "Will you eat? Please."

My chest squeezed, and a fuzzy warmth fluttered in my belly. Only here for... me?

But then why did he keep rejecting me? Did he not want me like I wanted him? Or was he still afraid of Infecting me?

I accepted the tupperware and shoveled food into my mouth. As I scraped it clean, I said, "I still don't see why you think you're Infected. There are plenty of other reasons the Infected might not be interested in you. Maybe you smell bad. I mean, to the Infected. You smell great to me. I mean..."

I bit my tongue.

A smile flitted over his lips, but then he sighed. "Zaf, it's not just... even if I'm not Infected, there's something... something wrong with me."