Page 55 of Dealing With Drak
Suddenly, Drak stops in his tracks, holding an arm out to stop me as well.
“What is it?”
His whole body stiffens as he sniffs the air.
“Hu-nims have been here,” he says, a cautious edge to his tone.
I don’t know whether I should be excited or scared. It could have been my family. But in a city this destroyed, it could also be the kind of humans I’d rather not run into. Surviving can make people cold and quick to shoot, or worse. The last thing we need is someone to aim a gun at me, Drak would probably rip their heads off of their necks.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d kill a human just as fast as I’d kill a zombie if they were trying to hurt me, but I’d like to avoid it if I can.
“An-nana, I do not wish to raise your hopes and then crush them, but…”
The air in my lungs seems to freeze. “But what?”
“The hu-nim who was here smells similarly to you. It is faint, and I could possibly be drunk with your scent, smelling what is not there, but I believe?—”
“Drak, you won’t disappoint me if you’re wrong, just tell me what you think. Be plainly honest, please,” I beg, interrupting what might have been that very same honesty I was requesting. The anticipation was making me too itchy to keep my mouth shut.
My mate nods in agreement. “The scent difference is big, but there is a lingering of your smell in it. Much like how Aprixians smell similarly to their families. I cannot tell how long ago the scent disappeared, and I can not grasp it well enough to attempt to trace it. But I believe one of your family members was here recently, a male.”
“Just one?” I don’t mean for the question to sound pathetic and broken, but judging by the sad look on Drak’s face, it does. “Don’t pity me!” I snap, pushing down sadness and worry to replace it with anger.
Drak frowns but reaches for me, cupping my face even as I try to smack him away. He holds me firm, his eyes firmly gazing into mine.
“It is only one, but that does not mean there are not more. Scents can be tricky, especially ones that are fading. I do not pity you, An-nana. You are my mate, and I feel your longing just as you feel it. Every fiber of my being wishes to make you happy, so when you are hurting, I am hurting.”
Mustering up my best scowl, I curl my lip up. He’s being sweet, and I don’t know how to handle him being sweet while I feel like I could blow up a building.
“You don’t know how I feel,” I grit out.
“I do not,” he agrees, continuing to hold my face. “But I do know some things.”
“Good for you.”
He isn’t perturbed by my attitude. “I know that sometimes hunting parties split into groups. So even though I only scented one hu-nim, there could be more. I know that I do not like to see you in pain, and I am going to do whatever it takes to help you. I know that you lash out when you are feeling things that you do not wish to feel. I know that I care for you more than I have ever cared for another. I know that I will help you on this search and hold you through every hardship. Tell me that you trust me, An-nana.”
My heart pitter-patters in my chest, jumping around as its beat picks up. If that wasn’t a love declaration without the three little words, I don’t know what else it could be. Part of me wants to smack him, part of me wants to sob into his chest, and part of me wants to kiss him until I can’t think bad thoughts anymore.
Steadying myself, I breathe out. “I don’t trust anyone.”
Once again, Drak doesn’t show if he’s affected by my harsh words. He only holds my stare. “You trust me, An-nana. You would not have agreed to be my mate if you did not. I am not asking for your heart on a platter, only for you to admit you trust me. Say the words, my mate. It will help.”
He may not be asking for my heart, but he probably has it.
Averting my eyes to the ground, I mutter, “I trust you.”
“Come,” he says softly. “We are nearly at the end of our loop. Let us search your hu-nim store for food that will make you smile. We will leave notes behind like your brother did for you, and then we will spend the night in our room again.”
“I—” I can’t find a reason to deny him.
It would be foolish to ask him to try and follow the scent since he already said it would be impossible to trace. We aren’t far from the shop or the hotel, so it’s best to go with his plan. Besides, I need to calm down before I push away the best thing to ever happen to me.
Lips quirking, I look back up at him. “You just want to find more Gatorade.”
Drak grins. “I would not be opposed to stumbling upon some of the blue gate-tore-raid. It is a good flavor, and I wonder what it would taste like from your lips rather than the bottle.”
Chills roll down my arms even as I try to roll my eyes at him. “You’re naughty.”