Corbin's Captive (11 page)

"I have to go for a bit ... be right back."

Before she could ask where he was going, Corbin untied and dropped the pack on his back to the floor, bent down and picked up a small black sack. He then turned his back to her, and rushed out the entrance.

Yani watched him retreat. Uneasiness settled in her gut.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Violent convulsions racked Corbin's body. His head pounded with jumbled noise, like a thousand voices all yelling at once. He lay on the hidden cavern's sandy floor, writhing in pain. The need to scream overwhelmed him, but he fought the urge, realizing Yani was only a few feet away.

He had gone much too long without his dose. Using every bit of strength he could muster, Corbin lifted himself off the ground onto his knees.

His hands shook violently while opening the pouch of Trill and Velix Coral. Unable to hold onto the vial of liquid-coral, it fell to the floor. A good portion of the silver fluid spilled out.

The wasted Coral soaked into the sand, causing Corbin's heart to beat wildly in his chest. With trembling arms, he reached out and picked up the vial. The pain swelled up his body, almost toppling him over again.

He groaned. His breathing became choppy. Each breath flared up another painful cramp, as if someone had breached his insides and twisted his guts into knots. With a terrible effort, he opened the small package of Trill and poured the contents into the vial.

He had poured in too much. The damn tremors in his hands had made it impossible to hold the powder steady. Some of it spilled into the sand. Corbin knew he shouldn't trust the drug. He didn't care.

He needed it . ...

Pulling his dreads to the side, Corbin used his nails to scratch the healing gash at the base of his skull open. He shoved the open end of the vial into the gash and collapsed.

The Trill absorbed into his bloodstream. Corbin felt his body slowly slip into tranquility. The clatter in his head dulled to a low hum. He closed his eyes.

* * * *

He was no longer inside himself, no longer in the cave. Floating, he was floating. Warm wisps of wind caressed his skin. Billowing up and up, his body lingered in the wonderful state of nothingness. Everything was as it should be.

Something was missing, no, someone.

Yani materialized before him. Her beautiful face made even lovelier with the brilliant smile she gave him. Now all was perfect.

Words fell from her lips, but he couldn't decipher what they were.

It didn't matter. She was here with him now. He reached for her and she bounced happily over to him. Her dress slid off her body. She stood in front of him, naked, in all her magnificence. So beautiful...

His cock rose to greet her. With a firm fist wrapped around his solid length, he stroked up and down.

Offering himself to her, his heart soared when she fell to her knees and bent down to take his pulsing cock head into her mouth.

Oh yes, yes ... this was what he wanted.

What he needed.

Yani, sweet, sweet Yani…

Peace came over him. He suddenly began moving again, up and up, until a brilliant light enveloped him. He looked down. Yani was gone.

Her absence confused him, but only serene feelings filled his chest. The farther he traveled through the light, the less he cared about anything but continuing his journey to the other side.

The sound of his own heartbeat echoed in his ears. It began to wane until only silence surrounded him. Slowly he drifte, as the light dimmed, until a dark void swallowed him. He floated now in the nothingness where souls go before being summoned to join the Ancients on the Eternal Plains.

He waited for the call.

* * * *

Yani put the bowl of broth down. She had found some firestones, and after digging a shallow hole in the ground of the cave, she made a makeshift-cooking pit.

Using the dried meat they brought with them, she made a broth to which she added a few vegetables and berries. The concoction she made smelled pretty darn good, for someone who hadn't cooked a day in her life.

It had been some time since Corbin left. She began to worry that something may have happened to him.

A shiver ran down her back. She turned to see if anyone was behind her.

"Corbin ... is that you?"

Silence answered her. There were two tunnel entrances, but she couldn't see anyone in the pitch black darkness.

She shrugged the feeling off and uneasily looked around the room. They had settled down only about a yard from the main entrance, but Yani knew the cave probably branched out for miles. The Morey had lived here at one point, digging many entrances and exits through the mountainous terrain of Yor 's desserts.

Removing the cooking pot from the flaming stones, Yani poured sand over the fire, dousing it. She covered the broth with the cloth she had torn from the scarves she wore, so she could pick up the bowls without burning her hands.

Corbin's, footprints were easy to spot. She grabbed the laser light they brought and followed the prints. They descended to another level of the cave and led her to a small cavern.

Her eyes widened in horror as she entered the cavern and immediately saw Corbin's lifeless body sprawled across the floor. Yani ran to him and fell to her knees. She touched his shoulder, His skin was very hot to the touch, letting her know had a terrible fever.

He lay on his side. She went to reposition him on his back, when she saw the vial sticking out of the gash at the base of his neck. Dread struck her when she realized what the vial was. With a shaking hand, she plucked the small tube from Corbin's neck.

Tears weld up in her eyes. It contained Trill. Of all the things to suddenly discover about him, why did it have to be this particular drug?

Trill was a powerful hallucinogenic and highly addictive. As much as she wanted to deny that Corbin was a user, she knew with sudden clarity that the signs were there all along. How could she not have noticed sooner or suspected it.
You didn't want to admit it was a possibility.
She closed her eyes briefly to clear the thought from her mind.

Her home planet, Zen had one of the highest Trill addiction rates in the Three Galaxies. Her own brother had been an addict. Yani remembered his suffering with the addiction all too well. It had nearly killed her youngest sibling.

Fear.

Anger.

Betrayal.

A barrage of emotions bombarded her all at once. Forcing her jarred feelings aside, she returned her attention to Corbin. Right now, she needed to bring him back.

Panic overcame her.

She placed a hand over his heart. A faint pulse thudded against her palm. She put her ear to his chest and held very still. The undeniable thump of his heart gave her some mild relief. He’s alive.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she tried to shake Corbin awake. He didn't even flinch.

"Corbin! Corbin! Please wake up! WAKE UP!"

He remained unresponsive. Yani looked around frantically for anything that she could use to bring the temperature of his body down. This could not be happening. Her chest heaved with gasping breaths.

How could she survive alone in the deserts? Worse, how could she ever live without Corbin in her life? It was insane, yet she couldn't fathom the possibility that she would never be able to share herself with him, or simply see him smile. She'd barely known him, but she would even miss his scowls and bad temperaments.

However, as much as she tried to rationalize it, Yani knew she was falling hard for Corbin. In such a short period of time, he had made a permanent imprint in her heart. It was more than the physical attraction between them. Corbin had a vulnerability that fulfilled her desire to be needed.

Back on Zen, she was just another princess in a long line of royal women. Sure, she had everything she wanted at her fingertips and servants tripping over themselves just to cater to her every whim.

All her life, people pampered her.
Then why did she feel so empty before Corbin came into her life?
Yani knew the answer. No amount of wealth or luxuries could give her the one thing she wanted more than anything in the universe. Someone to care for, better yet, someone to care for her, to love her, not the status that came with her title.

Corbin.

She stroked his cheek. He was her life-mate. He may try to hide behind a wall of indifference and stoicism, but Yani saw the compassionate, yet tortured, soul struggling to come out. And although anyone else would most likely think her daft for wanting to be with him, she knew he did need her, maybe as much as she needed him.

That was why Yani couldn’t let him die, not like this, "Please Corbin don’t die ... I need you ... I love you."

Her resolve strengthened, she knew what had to be done. Corbin would not die. She would not allow it.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Water, Yani needed to find some cold water. There was no way she could lift Corbin, so she had to bring the water to him. Where though, was there water?

Wait, the Morey had lived in these caves. There had to be water somewhere in the cave. How was she going to find it?

She stroked Corbin's dreads as her mind stormed with every possible thing she could do to help him. She needed to find water.

Back on Zen, she remembered the trips her father had taken her on when he traveled to the Sh'kra home world. Naturally nocturnal, they Sh'kra lived exclusively in caves underground the surface.

One particular trip to the High Mistress's home, Yani remembered the Sh'kra queen taking her to an underground waterfall and pool, to go swimming.

Just follow the sound of rushing water ... s
he remembered the words the queen had told her as they made their way through the cavern.

Of course! Yani placed a kiss on Corbin's forehead. "I'll be right back Corbin. Just hold on... please."

She stood and ran back to their belongings. She grabbed the large animal hide lined pack they used for all their supplies and emptied it. Reaching in, she sighed with relief at the waxy feel of the lining.

Some type of waterproof sealant coated the interior. Well, at least she hoped, the sack would have normally doubled as a water container. There was only one way to find out.

Yani walked deeper into the cave, took a deep calming breath, closed her eyes, and stood as still as possible.

Remembering how the Sh'kra High Mistress taught her, she concentrated on the rushing sound often accompanying running water. The area where they set up camp inside the cave had carvings etched into the rocks.

The drawings indicated that the particular dwelling had once supported life. Yani logically surmised water must be nearer to, than farther away from, the domicile area.

After a few seconds, she heard the faint sound of cascading water. Keeping her concentration, she followed the telling noise. Her heart rate sped with sheer joy as the sound got louder.

Eventually, it led her into a narrow crevice about three feet wide. A rushing stream flowed in between the rocks. Yani wedged herself inside the crevice. She positioned her bare feet on two rocks, and braced herself by holding onto a protruding stone.

Taking the sack in her other hand, she bent forward and dragged the open end through the water. When she had as much water as she could lift, Yani tied the end, and heaved it over her head and onto the ground, before climbing out. She looked at the water filled bag and frowned. It appeared only half full, but it would have to do.

She had to get to Corbin quickly. The sack was heavier than she had thought it would be. With more determination than strength, Yani lifted the bag onto her shoulder and walked back to Corbin as fast as she could.

His heartbeat was still faint and his breathing slow and shallow. She dug a small trench, about five inches deep, and planted some flat, long, rocks upright in a circular formation. Then she placed the water sack in the center, and opened the top, folding the flaps around the stones to form a basin.

Although some water spilled out, there was still enough for her to soak a cloth and run it over Corbin's feverish skin. Without hesitation, Yani untied her top scarf and ripped it into strips.

She soaked the newly made bandages and wrung them over Corbin's face, neck, chest and abdomen. The frigid water turned her hands blue. Her knuckles cramped, but she ignored the pain and continued to soak and re-soak the strips. As one began to dry on Corbin's hot flesh, she replaced it with another cold piece.

Intermittently, Yani checked Corbin's pulse.

This routine went on for hours. Exhaustion set in but she refused to let it win. Something in her told her she had to keep fighting for Corbin. Her muscles ached. Numbness in her feet from the icy water, made it difficult for her to hold herself steady on the stones as she bent down to refill the sack.

She continued steadfast in her task. No matter what it took, Yani refused to surrender to her body’s demands for rest.

Death would claim her before she gave up on him. She pushed on, well beyond her limits, until all she had was force of will and stubborn resolve to keep her going.

* * * *

After her eighth trip to the creek for more water, Corbin's pulse finally began to grow stronger. His fevered body cooled to the point that the cold cloths could remain on his body for longer periods.

Yani continued to sit by him. She sang songs and stroked his head sweetly.

And she talked to him, telling him everything her heart wanted him to know.

"You know I should really be angry. After all, you did kidnap me against my will." She looked down and frowned a moment, "Well maybe not too much against my will." Chuckling, she absentmindedly played with four of his dreads.

* * * *

A soft, comforting, voice broke through the fog in his head. Vibrations hummed through his dreads. Someone came closer. In the distance, a figure appeared. A white, flowing, dress clung to the gentle curves of her body. Corbin's heart began to beat again as the lovely face got closer. Her smile soothed his troubled soul.