Marina tried once again to get to the window of the cold, dark room she was trapped in. But it was no use. She wasn't tall enough, there was nothing to get her foot to grip on... she was trapped. She sat back down on the floor, wishing she had something to keep her warmer. Something to eat wouldn't be half bad either.
It would be a stupid headline. "Woman Dies After Getting Trapped a Mere Six Feet Away From Rescue!" No one knew she was here... No one could rescue her either. Her mother had always warned her about exploring by herself and now she knew how bad it could be. She could easily die. She sighed again. There was no point in crying, it wouldn't help. Maybe if she heard someone in the abandoned building outside her little cell...
"Oh for an A'mara!" she cried out with frustration. An A'mara wouldn't think anything of the six feet. He could hold her and jump out without a problem! But that was precisely the type of man she had not met in her meager life.
"Did I hear someone?" a voice carried to her.
"Help!" she cried out. "I'm trapped!"
"Hold on!" the voice replied.
She stood, anticipating her rescue in a few moments. She wouldn't have to be the subject of that headline now!
The man emerged in the hole above her. He whistled.
"Get me out!" she cried, reaching for him, touching the tips of his boots.
He laughed and sat down, dangling his feet before her. "I'm faced with an interesting situation. I see a beautiful young woman trapped with no way to get out - except me. I have to wonder what she's willing to do to earn her rescue."
"That's not a gentlemanly thing to do!" she cried, not able to believe her ears.
"Perhaps not. But maybe I'm no gentleman. And maybe I'm frustrated by the fact I don't have a girlfriend right now..."
"Not my problem," Marina retorted.
"But it is now. See, I'm willing to rescue you - for a price."
"You're a mercenary?! How despicable!"
He shrugged and started to get up.
"I can pay!" she cried out. "I don't have much in my accounts, but you can have all of it!"
He laughed and shook his head.
"My parents can pay more!"
He continued shaking his head. "You misunderstand. I don't want money!" He rubbed himself suggestively.
Marina understood now. "No! I'm not agreeing to that!"
"Then I'm not agreeing to rescue you!" he got up, threw her a packet of crisps and left.
Her mouth gaped in disbelief as he left her alone again. She greedily tore open the packet and devoured the food, as meager as it was. She wondered if he would be back or whether he'd simply postponed her starvation. She thought about the horrible type of man who would only rescue her if she agreed to let him have her body! She had heard about Balan before - the adversaries of the A'mara. The A'mara were noble and virtuous. The Balan were not.
♥
Maybe an hour later, the man appeared again. "Well?" he asked. "Have you decided to be rescued?"
She turned away from him.
A moment later, he had leapt into her trap and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck. "I take that as 'not convinced yet.'"
"I said 'no!'" Marina reminded him.
"You'd rather starve to death in here than give me what I need in exchange?" he asked.
He turned her to face him. He pressed his lips to hers gently, then again.