Only Kateri had done that. She owed him nothing. Nor did she pity him. She actually liked him as a person and teased him playfully. He could see it every time she looked at him. Every time she touched him.
His eyes watering, he met Windseer's gaze. Save her. Whatever it takes.
Windseer smiled cruelly. We told you you would come back to us one day.
Damn them for being right.
An instant later, Kateri took a deep, ragged breath and opened her eyes.
His heart pounding in gratitude, Ren sank to his knees and pulled her into his arms to hold her as his tears finally fell.
Windseer moved to stand between Cabeza and Jess, neither of whom could see her. Remember your word, Makah'Alay. If you fail us, we won't kill her. Grizzly will take her as his own, and you know what he does to his property. She will be well used.
Ren ignored her as he inhaled the scent of Kateri's skin and felt her warmth against him.
"Anyone else feeling really awkward here?" Sasha asked. "Guys, get a room."
Ren let out a puff of laughter before he pulled back to cup her face in his hands so that he could assure himself she was fine.
She touched the tears on his face. "Did I miss something?"
Sasha snorted. "Nah, nothing too important. Just your death."
"What?" she asked with a stern frown.
Ren nodded. "You died in my arms."
"How?"
"I don't know." But he had a good suspicion it was something Grizzly had caused. Just as he was certain Grizzly was the reason they hadn't been attacked. The bastard had most likely allowed them that time knowing what Ren would do. Knowing what she'd come to mean to him.
First Grizzly had sent Windseer to screw him over and now he'd done it with a woman who had no idea she'd been used as a tool against him.
But that wasn't her fault. He was the moron who couldn't keep his heart and his body separate. He couldn't just screw a woman and walk away. He'd felt too used by the world too many times to give that feeling to someone else.
And now his enemy knew exactly how to cripple him. Grizzly knew his greatest weakness. Kateri.
I am so fucked....
Kateri choked as Ren tightened his hold on her. "Sweetie, I can't breathe. You're killing me."
He loosened his arms, but still kept her pressed up against him as if he was trying to merge their bodies together.
Jess cleared his throat. "Maybe Sasha's right and we ought to leave them alone for a bit."
"Yeah, sure, what the hell?" Urian said snidely. "Not like the fate of the world hangs in the balance or anything important. You two take your time. There's a clump of bushes over there that should give you some privacy."
Ren let go and got up with a look on his face that actually scared her. He leveled a killing glare at Urian. "If anyone should understand me right now, it's you." Bracing his legs into a warrior's stance, he held his hand out to her as Urian looked away bashfully.
Kateri took Ren's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She brushed the tears away from his face, amazed that he would allow anyone to witness them. Especially after all the visions she'd had where he went to great pains to make sure no one saw him weak or hurt. She placed a kiss on his cool cheek. "Are you okay?" she whispered in his ear.
The burning sincerity in his gaze pierced her. "I am now." He turned toward the others. "What are you waiting for? Don't we have humanity to save? The Apocalypse waits for no one."
Sasha stroked his chin as they started forward once more. "You know, I have to wonder about that. Does it really wait for no one or do you think it would wait for the four riders? Maybe we ought to have someone kidnap them."
Urian scoffed. "That idea didn't work out so well for Sisyphus. Last I heard, Hades was still making him suffer."
"Good point, and I learned well not to meddle in the affairs of gods, or pick one over another. You get seriously trashed." Sasha started whistling "Heigh-Ho."