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Sleeping on the rocky ground next to smoky coals made from vomited up bones in the lair of a dead monster wasn't the worst way I've ever spent a night. But I can't say it was on my list of things to do again anytime soon—even with a warm, curvy body pressed to mine. Ahura was a clingy sleeper, it was damp, and I think I had a pebble permanently embedded in my left ass cheek.
The faint gray above us was starting to lighten marginally, and I was just starting to contemplate looking around for any edible rodents, when Theo's voice echoed around the cavern, calling my name.
I scrubbed a hand over my face and stood from where I'd been sitting on the ground staring at the remains of the fire. Ahura grumbled and pulled her shirt up over her head, snuggling back into her rock bed.
"Time to get up, princess," I said dryly. "Our knight in shining armor is here."
It took a lot of shouting and repeating myself, but eventually I was able to guide Theo and the others into finding and securing the rope I always carried with me on hunts. The end dangled down, just out of reach. I crouched and leapt, using my shifter strength, and was able to brush the rope with my fingertips. "Godsdamned fucking cocktease!" I yelled. "Hold still, you slippery son of a motherfucker."
Ahura snorted.
On the fifth try, I managed to grip the rope. Wrapping it around my leg in a crazy move I'd learned from a gnarled old miner Josie knew, I hung upside down and held my hands out to Ahura. "Okay, bug. Climb on."
She arched an eyebrow. "I know there's an innuendo in there somewhere," she purred, reaching out to clasp my arms. "But I'll save it for later."
I sighed. "Thank you. Now hurry up before all the blood rushes to my head."
She made it look easy. I barely had to use any of my own strength. I mostly just had to hang there while she used me as a human rope extender. She did manage to get in a couple raunchy squeezes to my anatomy on the way, and she paused way too long with her crotch in my face. I growled at her and she smirked, moving up the rope.
Curling up into a dangling crunch, I grabbed the rope and repositioned my legs, pointing down this time. Then I followed after Ahura. The rope swung with the motions of another person, interrupting my rhythm. My hands were chafed to shit, and my thighs were bruised by the time we made it up. But we made it.
Thank fuck Ahura wasn't human, or I'd have had to carry her the whole way. And I didn't think even my enhanced cur endurance was up for that. The rope stopped twitching above me, and Ahura gave a shout of joy. I reached the top and a pair of big hands clamped around my waist, lifting me from the crevasse like I weighed nothing. Emerson crushed me to his chest so hard I wheezed.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Sam," he rumbled, pressing a fervent kiss to the top of my head.
I wriggled free of his grip and slid to the ground. "I was okay, until you cracked my ribs."
But his red-brown eyes were full of genuine concern, and I just didn't have the heart to tease him anymore. "I'm fine, Em. We're both okay."
Ahura laughed. "Oh, I'm more than okay."
I narrowed my eyes at her, and she smirked. Great. Just fucking great. Now I was going to have to deal with that the all the way home.
Theo was nearby, his face like a thundercloud, eyebrows drawn together, and his arms crossed. "Well, if we're all done with this touching reunion, can we get the hell out of here? I do have a job to do back in Westhold. I can't miss my own coronation." He spun on a heel and marched off toward the camper, where he began untying the rope, his shoulders stiff and his movements waspish.
"What the fuck is his problem?" I muttered.
Fin looked up at me. "Not a fucking clue. He's been like that since yesterday. Little princess can't handle a bit of adventure, I guess."
I arched my brows at the leprechaun. "Right. Adventure."
He quirked a smile at me, but it was fragile. "Alright, Saber? You scared the living fuck out of me."
I knelt, putting myself at eye-level. "I'm fine. A little bruised, but Ahura broke my fall."
He sighed and tugged a hand through his thick red curls. "If I go prematurely bald, it'll be your fault, cat."
I grinned. "Life goals."
He reached out a hand and touched my cheek, pulling me into a soft kiss. I had to admit, I was more shaken than I really knew. Because his touch let some of the tension uncoil and I was able to draw a real breath.
"My eyes might have been playing tricks on me when we drove away last night," he muttered. "Are we gonna talk about how the unsanctioned chick sure as hell seemed too strong to be a cur?" he asked dryly.
I sighed. "No. We aren't. As far as anyone else is concerned, she's a cur."
His moss green eyes met mine and he nodded. "Sure, Sam."
I stood and turned toward the camper. "Uh, Fin?" I said, feeling more sheepish than I ever had in my life. "I may have freaked out down there. Bad." I clenched my fists at my side, still not looking back at him. "And...I may have...fucked Ahura."
Silence followed my blunt admission. Then Fin moved in front of me. "So...are you adding her to our...thing? Or is there something else you're telling me?"
I met his eyes, relieved that he wasn't freaking out. "Nothing else. But...it was just a fuck, Fin. I don't think she's the relationship type."
I startled when Ahura spoke from right next to me. Creepy-assed fiend and her ninja skills. "It was just a fuck, leprechaun." She shrugged. "Sam was about to lose their shit, so I gave them something better to think about for a while." She slanted a look at me. "That's some fear of the dark you've got there, hunter. I don't think I've ever seen a shifter suffer from life-threatening panic like that."
I glared at her. "Definitely not relationship material," I confirmed. "For one, she talks too fucking much."
Ahura just laughed and slapped me on the back. "Let's go, hunter. I want to get home and get paid."
I shared a glance with Fin. He just shook his head with silent laughter. "You sure can pick 'em, Sam."
I gave him the middle finger and hurried around to the driver's side of the camper. It was beyond time to get this fucking trip over with.