Witt Will Not Save You (Adventure and Romance)

Part 21

Maive still lay there on the cold forest floor listening to her own breaths, reminding herself of all the reasons why she was was still breathing, still living. She now remembered very well why Harlen had said Headings forest was so dangerous, she remembered that he had said it would lure you away and drive you insane. She lifted her hand down to her chest just to feel her heart beat when Harlen said softly,

"We have to get back to others, the forest is even more dangerous at night.'

Maive still remained frozen, breathing heavily. She agreed with him and wanted to move but just couldn't. 

"Maive". He said in almost a whisper.

"Ok, I'm going to carry you." He said.

Still no movement.

"If you don't want me to you'll have to tell me." He spoke again but still nothing.

He moved toward her and carefully wrapped one arm under her back and one arm under her legs, he hauled her up and swiftly broke into large strides back towards the tents. He could feel her shivering against him. Maive closed her eyes and could do nothing as his warm body cradled her as he walked. She thought briefly about how gentle he was with her in that moment, how his hands that had probably seen such violence, hands that could probably easily rip a mans limps clean off his body, held her with such grace that she could almost let herself believe that part of him did care for her. No, she thought, all you are to him is cargo, delicate cargo. 

When they arrived back to their tent Harlen placed her down on her feet just outside the tent.

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked.

Maive stiffened before she said,

"There were these voices, and everything just felt cold, like the world had some how been drained of all joy and color."

"I saw you walk out of the tent and when I tried to talk to you, you ignored me and walked right past me." Harlen said.

"I didn't see anyone when I walked out, it was like everyone had vanished." She said with a shiver.  

"It was the forest, the darkness can sometimes toy with our minds. It can make us see or rather not see what it wants, but-" Harlen trailed off.

"What?" Maive said.

"It knows, I think it knows that your blood is special. And it knows that you are a threat." He said.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"It means that you have target on your back, if the dark forces know then probably so do others, word spreads quickly in Costovia."

"So now I'm in even more danger than I was before, this is just great" She said harshly.

Harlen only sighed in response.

"Listen, there are things that I cant tell you, things that aren't for me to tell you. But there are some people out there who will want you dead, some who will want you alive but to use you for  your blood-"

"And you." Maive cut him off.

"What do you want?" she asked sternly.

Harlen paused. His face softened. In that moment there was only them staring intently at each other, Maive tried to read Harlen's stern face. 

"It doesn't matter what I want." 

He paused for a moment feeling the tension between them, filling his body. He took a sharp breath before he spoke again.

"I know you can't trust me, but you can trust that I will do whatever it takes to protect you. I wont let anyone or anything harm you."

For some reason she wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that he would protect her. But a part of her was screaming at herself for being so foolish as to want him to care for her.

"What. Do. You. Want." She repeated slowly.

Harlen stepped closer to Maive, although his large frame towered over her their faces were now just inches away. She could feel his warmth seeping into her skin and her breathe hitched at the sensation. 

"You really want want to know what I want?" He said in that low, enchanting voice.

Maive held his stare, her eyes glistened with anticipation. Then his mouth was on hers, stealing her breath. His hand raced up to cup her tender cheeks. His kiss was soft at first, then it became hungry and demanding when she opened her mouth more to him giving him all the conformation he needed to know that this was ok. One of his hands snaked around to cup the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her wild hair. A rush of need raced through Maive's body and she let out a slight groan against his lips. Harlen devoured the sound and intensified the kiss with a brush of his tongue. At that moment Maive didn't care about who she was or who he was, she didn't care that they were two  vastly different people, in that moment it was just them and they became one. One bleeding heart.