Leather & Lace- THE SPECTER SERIES [book five]

Chapter ELEVEN

Lacey Paxton

The distant, far away sound of whistling wind whirs in your ears and you crack your eyes to be greeted by an eerily dim yellowish glow.. A quiet groan escapes your lips as you shift your aching muscles in a stretch.. "Mmmmph.."

Pushing up to your elbows you look around at the scattered neon tubes, like little glow sticks illuminating stone walls of the cave, the breath whooshing from your lungs when your gaze falls on the figure sitting several feet away at the rocky arched entrance..

"Ace?.." Your voice comes out hoarse and your throat is impossibly dry, a dusty taste lingers in your mouth..

Ace turns his glacial-blue gaze on you with surprised interest, his shiny black rifle resting on one knee, pointed out towards the hills outside, off in the direction he had been surveying moments ago.. Keeping watch..
For the second time in only a matter of hours you find yourself feeling inexplicably grateful for his presence..

Its still dark out, though the faintest orange light has begun to tint the sky.. "Doc, hey, you're awake.." He pushes up to his feet as you sit up, the jacket that had been draped over you falling away.. Your eyes are drawn to the crisp white bandage wrapped securely around your upper arm, your hand moving to the soft cotton instinctively..
The cut had been so deep, Ace must have been concerned by how much blood you had lost and patched you up.. Likely the reason you passed out too..

"I stitched you up best I could.. But, uh, I'm no surgeon, Doll face, you're probably gunna have a badass scar.." He winces apologetically..

You smile tiredly at his attempt at good humour.. "I'm sure you did just fine.. Thank you.."
You resist the urge to rip the bandage off and ensure he hasn't butchered your arm..
But in the scheme of things, a scar probably doesn't matter all that much..

He shrugs his broad, heavy shoulder, sinking to one knee on the dusty cave floor beside you he begins to dig through his pack, producing a bottle of water and a crinkly foil sachet.. He hands you the water bottle which you accept, even more grateful for the man and his preparedness.. "Where are we?.."

He tears open the shiny silver packet with his perfect pearly teeth before holding it out to you.. You peer inside the sachet in his hand curiously.. "A few klicks east of the village.. Go on.. You gotta eat something, Lace.."

You dip your fingers into the packet finding a thin round biscuit inside.. Nervously inspecting it, not at all hungry, but knowing he is right you need to eat it.. You can't help but notice the way his Adam's apple bobs in his throat as you bring the cookie to your lips.. It is not sweet at all.. But not savory either.. Instead, it's plain and buttery on your tongue.. Just what you need.. You hum in delight.. "Mmm.."

Ace's gaze flicks to your mouth when your tongue darts out to lick a crumb from the corner of your lips, but he quickly catches himself and looks away, falling back on his haunches and pulling a small black device that kind of looks like a GPS, from his pack before he begins fiddling with the buttons.. "I can't get a signal.. I'm gonna have to get to higher ground to get a distress message out.." He pulls out a slate grey pistol.. "Hunter taught you how to use one of these, right?.."

You eye the gun.. You hate guns.. The damage they do, the carnage.. And even though you know how to use them, you've never been comfortable with one in your hands.. They are machines of death.. "Yes, but.. Ace.. I-I can't.."

He sighs, checking the chamber before pulling the clip to show you that it's loaded.. "You've got this, Doll-face.."

You shake your head.. "I don't want to use that.. And I don't want to sit here by myself, wondering if you've died out there.. What am I supposed to do if you don't come back?!.. Please.. Why can't I just come with you?.."