Candidate (Selected Book 4) (23 page)

Not once did they bite me, but I went insane in my panic.

* * * *

I don't know how long I lay on the path once the bugs left. They had cleaned me. They cleaned me dry, even my hair. But I lay on the path, quivering.

"They're gone," Dark Skies said gently. "I didn't pick that one. If you accidentally get caught by a trap, we have easy punishments. But you ran right into that one, Andromeda, and then you had a choice."

I curled tighter then rose to my hands and knees. "Where are you, Soft Rain?"

"I'm at the bottom of this pit," she said. "Are you all right, my little prey?"

"Yeah," I said. "I think I'm going to have nightmares. Did she tell you why I was screaming?"

"Only after I fell into the pit," said the Wookie. "You could surrender, you know."

"How far away am I from you?"

"Two hundred meters."

"How long are you keeping her in there, Dark Rain?"

"Until you're a kilometer away."

I climbed to my feet and checked the map, then reversed my trail. I reached the edge of the pit and looked down. Soft Rain was looking up at me.

"Are you sure I can't jump that high?" she asked.

"If you could, you would have done so by now," I replied.

"I wouldn't suppose you care to lend a hand."

I sat down, pulled out my water, and held one towards her. "Thirsty?"

"Sure."

So I tossed the bottle of water to her and grabbed another. We both drank, and then she tossed the bottle back to me. It was a perfect toss, and I caught it easily.

"Having fun?" I asked her.

"I was," she said. "I admit, this is a little frustrating, and it was very hard to hear you screaming."

"I'm sorry about that."

"I don't think it's your fault," replied Soft Rain. "I think we should catch the Octal and give her to the insects."

"Please don't," said Dark Skies. "They don't like the taste of human, but I'm not sure how they feel about blue."

"Were they real insects?"

"Tiny robots," explained Dark Skies. "The liquid is what they burn for fuel. You refueled them."

"Happy to help," I said sarcastically. I stood up and slowly worked my way around the edge of the pit. "I'll see you at the finish line, Soft Rain. I'm going to enjoy having a pet Wookie."

She rumbled. "Pet human sounds so much better to me."

For the next five minutes, I walked quickly, but I didn't run. I turned north at the branch, and then I began to jog.

I could tell when Dark Skies let the Wookie go. She began running, and I could hear her breathing. I ran faster.

"How fast are you, Wookie?"

"Three quarters of a kilometer behind you," she said. "And closing."

I eyed the map. I wasn't going to make it. "I need a trap, Dark Skies!"

"If I guide you to one, the punishment is going to be bad, Andromeda. Is winning worth it?"

I sighed. "No."

"You're coming to a branch. One path is unpleasantly trapped. I can guide you to it or you can choose randomly. I can hide it, and if you catch it accidentally, it's unpleasant, but I won't add extra punishment."

"Hide it."

"Choose wisely."

The branch was only another minute.

"Half kilometer, my prey," said the Wookie. She didn't even sound wounded. "Tell me, do human pets purr when you pet them?"

I snorted and without slowing down, took the right path.

"I've almost caught you, Andromeda," said Soft Rain.

"Promise to be gentle."

"Very gentle," she said. "When I catch you, I hope you'll struggle. It's more fun if you struggle."

I looked over my shoulder. She wasn't there yet. But that was when I tripped, and when I landed, I was in thick mud.

And sinking.

Fast.

"It's quicksand," Dark Skies said. "You sink faster if you struggle. I hope you can hold your breath."

"Get me out!"

She didn't get me out, and I sank. And sank. I managed to tip so my face remained out last. "Soft Rain! Help!"

"She can't help you, Andromeda," Dark Skies said. "Hold your breath now."

I sucked in a breath, and then I was pulled down, faster than I had been. The world disappeared around me, and I felt myself being dragged by my feet.

I thought my lungs were going to burst when suddenly I was thrust back into open air. I immediately rolled onto my side, into a ball, gasping.

Then I heard a splash, and when I turned, Soft Rain was in the quicksand. She struggled with it, but she was quickly swallowed to her chest.

"I'll take care of her," Dark Skies said. "But you're only getting a half kilometer this time, and only if you run."

I stood up and ran.

It was only a minute or two later before Soft Rain said, "Oh, that was a nasty trick. Did you know that was there?"

"No," I said. "I asked her to hide it so my punishment would be smaller. But I think I want to see the rest of them, Dark Skies."

"I only hid that one," she replied.

I checked the map. I was almost there. Another kilometer and a half.

The trail had been twisty, but then I hit a long, straight section, and fifteen seconds later, Soft Rain said, "I see you, my little pet."

I looked over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of Wookie.

"How much do you want to win, Andromeda?" Dark Skies asked. "Trap coming up. You'll clearly see it. It's easy to go over it if you can see it. Go through it, and the punishment is the worst we have."

I looked over my shoulder. The Wookie was only forty yards behind me and coming fast.

Then I saw the trap. Twenty yards. Ten. I could hear the Wookie. I considered the trap.

I jumped, ran another ten yards, then spun around.

Soft Rain jumped, clearing the trap, and a second later, she wrapped me in a hug.

"You're supposed to struggle," she said.

"Too tired to struggle," I said.

"I get to tie you, you know."

"I don't care."

I let her tie me. She spoke gently the entire time. I thought it was kind of sexy. Then she picked me up and carried me away.

* * * *

We landed back at the center. I was blinded, of course, and still tied. Soft Rain picked me up and carried me inside. I leaned against her chest, exhausted and a little raw, but it felt good to let her carry me.

"Am I heavy?"

"No."

But once we were inside, she said, "We're both dirty."

"I know."

"You belong to me now."

"Yes, for the evening. I don't mind. What will you do with me?"

"I have never touched someone who didn't want me to touch them, Andromeda. I wouldn't make you do anything you didn't want to do."

"Just tell me."

"I'd like you to bathe me."

"In private and no cameras?"

"In private and no cameras," she confirmed. "You are mine tonight, no one else's."

"I am yours, Soft Rain. I wouldn't have agreed to this if I wasn't interested."

"I don't know if I want a female human mate."

"And I don't know if I want a Wookie mate. But I think I am happy to belong to you for the evening, and maybe we'll see how we feel."

* * * *

She carried me to her apartment, and then the visor lightened, but still she carried me, and still I remained tied.

"Your brother has another apartment?"

"We share this one," she said. "But he agreed to stay away."

She carried me into the bathing chamber. There was already a tub filled with soapy water. But she set me down, very gently, in a large shower stall. "If I untie you, are you going to attempt to escape?"

"No, Soft Rain. I am yours."

I stood still as she released me. Then she turned on the water, and the temperature was perfect. We let the water fall around both of us, although I was still in my clothing from earlier.

"Will you let me undress you?"

"Yes," I whispered. "Start with the boots."

And so she knelt down. I cooperated as she removed the boots. They went into the corner of the shower stall. I wondered if they were ruined by the water. And then I closed my eyes and held still as she peeled the jumper from me.

"Do I frighten you?"

"No." I opened my eyes, and she was looking at me intently. As I watched, she reached out a hand and brushed my arm.

"So smooth." Then she gestured to my chest. "Human women are self-conscious here."

"You don't have breasts."

"We nurse our young, but the glands to do so swell only when we are pregnant. I have six, not two. They are difficult to find under the fur, but they protrude when I have nursing young."

"Give me your hands," I said. She did, and I looked at them. Then I looked up at her. I turned her hands around and pressed them to my chest, holding them there. "If you are gentle, you may touch me however you wish, Soft Rain.

She made a sound. I couldn't tell what it was. And then instead of taking full advantage, she wrapped around me and pulled me to her.

Oh, being hugged by a wet Wookie. Now that's an experience. But it was worth it. We hugged, and then she collected shampoo and began on my hair. I let her bathe me, and then I washed her.

Washing her took a lot, lot longer than washing me.

She shut off the water, took my hand, and pulled me to the tub. It was deep, and warm, and frothy. She pulled me to one end, sinking down to her neck and pulling me into her lap, my back to her, my head leaning back against her shoulder. She wrapped arms around me.

"This is nice," I said, holding her arms tightly to me.

"I've never done this," she said.

"Neither have I. I'm in a tub with a big Wookie."

"I've never been in a tub."

"Oh."

"Or held anyone like I'm holding you."

"Oh."

"I really like it."

"I do, too."

"The water feels good."

"Your fur is going to clog the drain," I said. "I'm glad I'm not part of the cleaning staff."

She rumbled her laugh.

We soaked for a while then finally she asked, "Were the punishments that horrible?"

"They were enough I went around that last trap," I said.

"You could have won."

"And miss out on belonging to a Wookie? Why would I do that?"

She tightened her hold around me for a moment. Then she lifted a hand and began stroking my skin. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the touch. Her hand followed my arm, finding my hand. She pulled it from the water and held it up to look at it. I looked over my shoulder at her.

"So delicate," she said.

She didn't stop me when I reached up and caressed her face. Then I closed my eyes and relaxed again. She put my hand back where it had been.

A few minutes later, her hand wandered, but it was tentative. She brushed along the edge of my breast, but it was almost like a guy afraid to get caught.

"I already gave you permission, you know."

"I read," she said. I thought that was a non sequitur.

"What have you read?" I asked.

"About human women."

"And?"

"These are very sensitive."

"They can be."

"I am afraid I'll hurt you."

"You won't. Are you curious?"

"Yes."

"It's up to you," I said.

She grew a little bolder, but only marginally. And then she wrapped her arm back around me and held me tightly. I was a little disappointed, but I clutched her arm for a moment then relaxed again.

It was a while later that she said, "I'm hungry."

"I imagine. I could eat. I imagine it's going to take hours to dry you."

"Not as long as that. Will you help?"

"Of course."

And so we stood and she led me back to the shower. We first rinsed the soap from our bodies, one of us requiring her usual amount of rinsing, and one of us requiring a great, great deal more. Then the water turned off, and a moment later there was a warm breeze from one of the walls.

Then Soft Rain produced a sort of brush and handed it to me. "It fits over your hand," she said.

I pulled it on, and then I brushed the Wookie.

And brushed the Wookie.

And brushed the Wookie.

She spent the entire time with her eyes closed, rumbling, and the sound alone made it worth it.

When she was fully dry, she smelled really good, and her coat had a shine. She opened her eyes and turned to me. "That was wonderful, Andromeda."