Botanicaust (48 page)

She willed her words to be firm.
“
Spirit Healers. Our
skin don
’
t
need the marks.
”
Best to include the twins in the safety net.

He flicked a look back at the twins,
then
returned his focus to her.
“
What about him?
”

She didn
’
t know how to protect Levi.
“
My mate.
”
Maybe it would be enough.
“
How many hunters?
”

The man curled his lip in disgust.
“
Flame runnas took out most.
”
He eyed her again, then leaned forward and wrapped his hand around her wrist.
“
We find the rest at dark. You come for healing.
”

Tula
’
s chest tightened in fear. She hadn
’
t counted on her bluff being called.

Levi grabbed the stranger
’
s hand and yanked it off Tula
’
s wrist.
“
Get your hands off her.
”

The man complied, but faced off with Levi, shoulders back as they stared each other down. Classic cannibalistic dominance move, but she noted he favored his burned arm. She had to deflect any violence.
What would Osula say?
“
What you got to trade?
”

He didn
’
t answer.

“
Ain
’
t worth nothing to me to help you. We move on. Keep the peace.
”

Repeating his claim for sanctuary appeared to deflate his aggression a bit. He didn
’
t look at her, but answered.
“
Depend on how strong you healing.
”

Again, silence tightened around them. The twins had melded into the walls, watching the interactions with wide, cautious eyes. Levi sat with his fists clenched at the ready should the cannibal attack. But the man wouldn
’
t. He held his own, but didn
’
t seem ready to violate the pact.

Could they simply part ways once night fell? She doubted that much luck. The Knowing had a certain responsibility among the cannibals, and she
’
d be breaking it if she didn
’
t trade her services. But if they ended up in the midst of a cannibal band
…

The cannibal rolled his injured shoulder and craned his neck to look out at the sky again. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the river. Not long until it would be safe to leave the shelter.

Tula chewed her lips and surveyed at the man
’
s blisters. Then she looked at his bleeding mouth. A thin mustache straggled over his upper lip. If she kissed him, maybe he
’
d be drugged enough for them to escape; an open wound would exponentially magnify the effects of the chemicals. The thought of putting her mouth on his repulsed her. She tried to summon some saliva to her dry tongue and rose to her knees.
“
Let me show you my healing.
”

“
I
’
m fine.
”

“
Your arm is useless.
”
Taking a chance, she flicked a purposeful glance to Levi.

The stranger looked between them and pursed his mouth, as if finally realizing he was outnumbered.
“
Keep the peace.
”

“
I keep the peace.
”

He clenched his teeth, but nodded. Eyes wary, he didn
’
t move as she leaned in to put both hands on his cheeks.

This close, the metallic scent of blood mixed with an oily tang on his skin made her want to vomit. She held her breath, summoning saliva to her dry mouth. He sat stiff, eyes wide open and focused on her face. Trying not to retch, she slipped her tongue between his lips, sliding along his gums and to the wound on his lip. He recoiled at her touch.

Then the chemicals hit him. He clasped both hands around the back of her neck and opened his mouth wide.

In confused horror, Levi watched Tula seduce the cannibal with her kiss. She
’
d used the word
“
healing,
”
and Levi knew she was drugging the stranger to save them from whatever the cannibal demanded of them. But how far was she going to take it? One of the man
’
s hands swept up and clutched her breast.

“
Tula?
”
Levi
’
s voice was rough. His hands trembled with indecision.

The cannibal pressed her back, and she toppled off her knees with the stranger on top of her. Levi flinched, muscles tight, but remained rooted in place. She
’
d kissed the man, not the other way around. She moaned
—
or was that a protest? Surely she wouldn
’
t prostitute herself to save him and the girls? She appeared to be pinned. Should he intervene?

The hand on her breast roamed lower, hiking the edge of her robe up her thigh. She bucked, and her moan became a scream, blocked as it was by the stranger
’
s mouth.

Levi
’
s hesitation snapped. The tension in his chest erupted in a roar of rage. Springing to his feet, his shoulders cracked against the lean-to. Logs and branches scattered like buckshot. His fingers fisted the cannibal
’
s greasy hair. He ripped the stranger off Tula and flung him onto the sandy bank as if bucking a hay bale.

The newness of Levi
’
s rage made his vision flicker. Darkness surrounded everything but one desire
—
blood.

Like a bull, he charged from the wreckage, skidded to his knees, and drove a fist into the stranger
’
s face.
Again and again and again.
All his frustration over the last few weeks found release in the sensation of his knuckles against hot blood and bone. This was what it meant to attack with intent. And it felt good.

Crying out, the bloodied man tried to protect himself with his forearms. The savage language of cannibals streamed from his broken lips. Gibberish. Levi slammed his fist into the babbling mouth.

Then on each side of him, the high, sweet voices of angels pierced his awareness.
“
Keep the peace! Keep the peace!
”

Four small, fragile hands, cool against his wrath, held his next swing in check. Panting like an animal, Levi blinked at the prone man on the sand below him. The setting sun bathed the scene in the orange light of Hell. The cannibal
’
s broken teeth gleamed with blood. He seemed unable to focus. With pupils so dilated they completely obscured the irises, his eyes rolled up into his head.

“
What am I doing?
”
Levi gasped, gulping for air.

“
Keep the peace.
”
Ana wrapped her arms around his bicep and urged him away from the carnage.

T
hey limped north, leaving the river. Levi stalked ahead while the girls trudged in silence with Tula. She was worried about Levi. He wasn
’
t hurt physically, but something in him had changed. The passive man once captured by the Protectorate was gone. And she knew he despised himself.

There
’
s no time for coddling
. Cannibals could be on their trail, right now. Ahead, Levi halted at a dry creek bed, the golden spikes of his hair silver with moonlight. He gestured a change of direction, but didn
’
t wait for them to catch up.

Ana released Tula
’
s hand, skipped a little ahead, and pivoted to walk backwards. Her eyes reflected the light from the moon. She
’
d scarcely looked away from Tula all night.
“
Tell me the magic.
”

Magic?
Of course the girls would think that. Tula shook her head.
“
Not magic. My green skin makes medicine.
”
The child cocked her head and frowned. Tula clarified.
“
You know the silliness you feel in the sun? That
’
s medicine.
”

Ana seemed to consider, stepping absently over a rock without even looking.
“
That
’
s why you don
’
t sex with Levi.
”

The bluntness of her statement made Tula laugh.
“
Partly.
”

“
I have the Knowing, too? The Spirit Healing?
”

Tula didn
’
t like the look in the girl
’
s moonlit eye.
“
I don
’
t know.
”
She wasn
’
t lying. She had no idea if the Fosselites had interfered with the girl
’
s chemical makeup. The children were remarkably immune to the sun
’
s rays. But Tula assumed that might be a developed tolerance due to their overexposure under the Fosselite lights.

“
You told we did.
”

“
I was trying to keep us safe.
”

“
I
’
m going to try.
”

Tula stopped walking. Eily stopped beside her. These girls were going to have enough trouble fitting into Levi
’
s community as it was. She hated to think they planned activities that would ostracize them.
“
Ana, promise me you won
’
t. The medicine is dangerous.
”

The child rejoined Tula, taking her hand.
“
Don
’
t worry. I know Levi your man.
”

Tula faltered. She
’
d never considered the girls might try to seduce Levi.
“
When the medicine wears off, that cannibal will be angry.
”

Ana glanced behind them.
“
Only
‘
cause you didn
’
t sex with him.
”

Eily chimed in for the first time.
“
Ana, sexing puts the baby in you. Then you like Mama and can
’
t run.
”

The girls were silent until they reached the creek bed and looked for Levi. He sat near some shrubs, and rose when he saw them and kept moving.
“
Levi mad you don
’
t sex with him,
”
Ana stated.