Kevin’s POV
It had been six hours that we had rescued Ella and yet she was still sleeping. I knew it was due to the stress of fighting off her attackers, getting tied to a tree and inhaling all of the gas oozing out of their skins but I couldn’t wait to see her open her eyes.
It had been a long day ever since I woke up and I knew I wouldn’t get myself in control until I found myself staring into her eyes and drowning in them.
I held her hand against my cheek, willing her to wake up. It was getting long and I was missing her already.
“Give her some time.” Liam said as he placed his hand on my shoulder. “She will wake up soon.”
I glanced at the men surrounding me, their eyes filled with grief and support. I was grateful that I had them with me.
“Thank you.”
“Let me get some meat heated on fire so that she can have something to eat when she wakes up.” Cephas said and excused himself from the room.
Fifteen minutes later, she stirred where she was and gave out a little moan. My heart almost jumped in my throat as I heard her and moved closer to her.
“Ella,”
“Hmmm,” she moaned and turned towards me. She smiled as she saw me and turned away, her smile widening as she looked around and took in the surroundings.
“You saved me.” She croaked as she turned back to me.
“I did. You should know by now that I would always protect you wherever you are.” I said, holding her hand and gripping it tighter.
Someone cleared his throat from among the men and we both turned towards them.
Ella smiled at them. “Thank you, guys. Thanks for rescuing and bringing me back home.”
The men nodded at her.
“It was a honor.” Liam responded. “We wouldn’t have left without finding you. Kevin brought you down from that tree though and carried you all the way home. All we did was fight with those bastards who dared to get near us.”
I shook my head subtly at Liam trying to be modest. I wondered why he had to say that right now to Ella. Was he trying to make me blush?
“I appreciate you all.” Ella smiled at them.
“We will excuse you now.” Liam said and signaled to the men.
I watched as the men filed out of the camp and left u alone. I turned to Ella and kissed her on the hand I was holding.
Her eyes filled with mirth as she turned to me. “So you carried me out without letting anyone else do it? Was I not heavy? You must have been tired after the fight.”
I shook my head. “I wouldn’t have let anyone else touch what is mine. Those bastards who touched you had to pay for their crimes with their lives.”
“Hope you didn’t inhale that scent?”
“We didn’t.” I shook my head. “Your warning helped. What was that thing anyways? Hope it isn’t poisonous? You inhaled too much of it that I was worried.”
“It was a gas that makes you tired and sleepy. You wouldn’t have been able to fight if you inhaled it. We could have all ended up tied on that tree and ended in their bellies.”
“Are you fine though?” I asked, pulling her up and checking her bodies for wounds.
I wanted to do that hours ago but I didn’t want to disturb her while she was sleeping. I didn’t see any wounds on her and the scars were already fading. I was relieved that her body was done with the healing process while she was asleep.
“I’m fine.” She smiled at me, definitely thinking that I was overprotective.
I was overprotective. I knew that and I wouldn’t stop being that way especially when she was concerned.
“I’m glad.”
“I am happy that I’m here with you.” She smiled at me.
“Me too.” I admitted, staring into her eyes.
It was a wonder being with her like this. I had been so worried that I had lost her.
“I love you.” I said, the confession bursting out of my soul.
Her eyes softened and she smiled. “I know. I love you too.”
“Ella,” I breathed her name as I lowered my head to hers and kissed her, grateful that she was here with me and I could feel her in my arms once again.
It would never stop to amaze me how a single name could both ruin and gladden my heart. She was my weakness and my strength as well.
For now, I chose not to think of anything else except the feeling of her in my arms and how divinely she tasted.
Ella’s POV
I could tell how stressed and worried Kevin had been while I was missing and also unconscious from the way he held me. He kissed me like he had been short of oxygen for days and wasn’t willing to let me go at all even if his life depended on it.
I whimpered, feeling bad for his sake. He sensed my distress and broke off from the kiss, assuming that I was still in pain.
He blushed and looked guilty. “What was I thinking? I’m sorry I got carried away. I shouldn’t have kissed you when you were just getting better.”
He didn’t have to apologize to me but he kind of looked cute as he rambled on and on about how sorry he was.
“I don’t mind the kiss. I want you to kiss me again.”
He blinked, looking at me as if to convince himself that he had heard me right. “You do?”
I nodded, not removing my eyes from his. “Yes. I want you to kiss me again.”
“But you are hurt.” He reminded me as if I didn’t know how I felt in my own skin.
“I told you that I was fine.” I reminded him too.
“Didn’t you whimper earlier in pain?”
“I did that because I thought of how stressed you must have been when you couldn’t find me and I felt bad.” I sighed. “It must have been hard on you.”
He smiled. “It’s fine. You are here now.”
“I am.” I agreed.
“We will continue on our journey when you are fully rested.”
I smirked. “I am fully rested. We can continue now.”
“Ella-” He began, about to start a protest.
I shook my head and placed a finger on his lips, interrupting him. “No, Kevin. I’m fine and fit to travel. I don’t want to stay here for another one minute even though I know those creatures are dead.”
I wasn’t scared of having another set of cannibals meet us here but I didn’t want to spend the night here. I was tired of the long journey already and that was what I told Kevin.
“I don’t want you stressed.” He said, trying to get me to change my mind.
“I don’t want to stay here any longer.” I insisted.
“You sure?” He asked, his eyes filled with worry.
I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. “I can’t wait to be home and do much more than this. Don’t you want me?”
His eyes started smoking with lust. “I want you.”
“Let’s go home.” I smiled and squeezed his hand.
We kissed again and moved out of the camp. The men looked at us when we got out. They seemed to be relieved that I was doing fine and strong on my feet.
“We are going home now.” Kevin announced. “Let’s start packing and get ready.”
“Are you sure?” The men asked, their eyes darting towards me.
I rolled my eyes at their actions. The men were all the same with how overprotective they were. I was grateful that they weren’t offering to carry me home on their backs so I wouldn’t get to walk.
Kevin nodded. “She says she is fine.”
I rolled my eyes. He didn’t have to say it like this. “I’m fine.” I said, looking at them one by one squarely in the eyes. “I can’t collapse on the way if that is what you are worried about.”
They exhaled as one. “Good. We believe you.” Cephas said. He moved forward and handed me a plate of roasted fish. “Eat this.” He said and moved away as I collected it from him.
“Thank you.” I said.
Cephas nodded. “I will be packing if you need me.” He said and moved away with six of the men.
They moved till I was left alone with Kevin. “I will eat this and help you soon with packing.” I said to him.
He snorted. “Sit there and have your meal. When we are done packing, we will come to meet you and then we can go.”
I frowned. “But there is a lot to be packed.”
We still had to pack the same food, clear up where we had camped. We normally didn’t sleep under the tents but there had been a weird breeze the following night that we had to put up tents so we wouldn’t have to inhale dust while we slept.
I should have suspected since yesterday that this place wasn’t where we could stay. I shivered in gratitude. I couldn’t believe that I had almost ended up in someone else’s belly. Today was a nightmare that I didn’t want to repeat ever again.
“You don’t have to worry about that.” He said and guided me gently to the ground. “Sit here and finish your food. We are more than enough to do all the unpacking.”
I smiled and nodded as I sat down, munching on my food as I watched him walk away.