Chapter 38: The devil you know...
I now have an editor, so you all shouldn't need to put up with my typos and poor/dyslexic editing skills anymore.
:)
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Kendra sat alone in the dark on Ralgar and Anthiel's couch, still trying to process what had happened earlier that day with Ethan. She was almost sure that he had been mere moments from compelling her to have sex with him. She swallowed hard and tried to control her stomach's reaction to that. Ethan hadn't met her eye since it had happened, and she wasn't sure she wanted him to.
Then again, a part of her did.
She had heard of 'abject lust' before, but had never felt it herself; not with how detached and disciplined the Aldmiri had trained her to be. But what she'd felt over her bond with Ethan... That was something else. She shuddered every time she recalled it, and she couldn't tell if it was a good shudder or a bad shudder.
Her stomach lurched.
She drank down the last of the anti-nausea tea that Mirella had so kindly offered to make, but it only helped a little. And then there was the fact that Ethan had jumped between her and that mage to protect her.
Why?
He almost seemed to treat her like one of his wives. She had seen countless dragons defend their hoards before, even to the death. There was no doubt that Ethan felt that way about his wives and would die to protect them.
But her?
After what she'd done?
And yet she couldn't deny her eyes. He had looked exactly like a dragon who was ready to die defending his hoard; like Ethan ready to die defending his wives... and it had been for her. Obviously it must have something to do with their bond, but she still couldn't wrap her head around it.
The previous day she'd been wondering if the Argo's crew would fight for her. Now she knew they would. Or at least Ethan would, and she was sure his wives would follow his lead.
They were willing to fight for her.
She felt her throat get a bit tight and swallowed hard. She blinked several times as some extra liquid in her eyes threatened to make her vision blurry.
They were willing to fight for her.
She swallowed hard and blinked several times trying to clear her eyes. She had literally never had that before. Even her former squad mates only fought for her because she was useful to them; an asset. But it wasn't like that with Ethan and his wives. They were willing to fight for
her
. Not for what she could do for them, just for her as a person.
She didn't know what to do with that.
In fact, she--
She was shaken from her reverie by movement outside the door. There was the sound of scuffling and someone bumped into the door. Moments later, it opened. Ethan's disguise gem form came through the door, supporting Selene on one side while Beth and Alana were supporting her on the other side. The Brazilian woman's head was lolling slightly.
"S'up here? Back in the back place where the--" She hiccupped, then belched. Kendra could almost smell the whiskey on her breath from where she was sitting.
Ethan looked at her, and then averted his eyes. "Could we set her on the couch?"
Kendra got up and the movement appeared to draw the drunk woman's eyes. "Ken-ra. How doin' you?"
The dragon huntress rolled her eyes. "What happened? She doesn't seem the type to indulge in the sauce."
Ethan, Alana, and Beth lowered the caramel-haired beauty down onto the couch, where she appeared to pass out almost instantly. Even drunk-as-a-skunk and passed out from alcohol, she still looked amazing; far better than Kendra herself felt like she looked on a good day.
It wasn't fair.
"I have no idea why she drank so much." Alana turned to her. "I don't think any of us realized how much she was drinking until..." She blushed.
"What?" The raven-haired woman asked.
"Selene is really beautiful, but her voice is... less so." Beth explained wryly.
Kendra chuckled, then frowned. What had made her drink so much? Ethan and Alana were stone-cold sober, and Beth clearly wasn't even tipsy, but Selene...
Hmm.
Interesting.
"Hey, take the bed tonight." The raven-haired woman finally said. "Neither Selene nor I enjoyed waking up and having to avoid a peep-show."
"Are you sure? Because--" Ethan started to say, though he still didn't meet her eye.
"Trust me." She interrupted. "I'd rather not go through that again."
"Okay." He nodded.
There was an awkward pause, then Alana and Beth looked at each other before the former spoke. "We're going to bed." Both women said goodnight Kendra, then kissed Ethan, then headed towards the guest bedroom.
That was followed by an awkward silence.
Very awkward.
"Um, Kendra." Ethan said after several seconds.
"I forgive you." She replied.
He glanced at her. "What?"
"You were going to apologize right? For earlier?"
He nodded.
"Then I forgive you." She said. "I tried to kill you Ethan, more than once. I put you and your wives in danger too, and you forgave me. How could I not do the same for you? Especially since nothing actually happened."
"It almost did though." He replied quietly.
"Yes, but it didn't. I almost killed you a few times, but didn't. Trust me, we're square; more than square. You're so far ahead that I'll never catch up." She tried to keep a note of bitterness out of her voice on that last statement. She hated how much she owed him.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he ran his hand over the top of his head, exactly where his hair would be if he was human. "Can I be honest?"
"Please."
"My dragon side is getting stronger, and I'm not..." He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "I mean, if you keep traveling with us; if we get the Argo back and you stay on board, then at some point..." He trailed off, seemingly not able to finish the sentence.
Kendra's mouth replied before her brain had a chance to process. "That's a risk I'm willing to take."
