Operation Honey Trap vs The Emperor of the Apocalypse-Chapter 217: Sleeping Soundly in Your Arms

[Suggested song for this Chapter, Apocalypse, Cigarettes After Sex]

Delphi stirred in Alton’s arms, but each time she stirred, she felt that she was wrapped in warm arms that she somehow knew were safe, and she drifted back to sleep.

She could feel a familiarity in the strong warm arms that were wrapped around her, that just felt right, and at a deeper level, her sub-conscious recognised that indescribable masculine scent she knew and loved.

Every time her brain tried to kickstart itself awake, her sense of smell and touch kept lulling her back to a deep and dreamless sleep.

It was dark by the time she finally really shook herself awake.

She could feel Miro’s familiar gait that was so different from that of a horse; and so much quieter than the ’ba-da-dum’ of galloping hooves.

She opened her eyes and peered up into the darkness. Under the moonlight, she immediately recognised Alton.

The feeling of relief and safety that flooded through her was almost overwhelming, and tears sprang to her eyes.

"A...Alton," she croaked, her throat so dry and parched she felt like she had escaped through a desert, instead of by swimming the harbour.

He looked down into her eyes.

"Thank God you’re finally awake. Miro, find a place to stop for the night," he called to the dragon.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" his voice was like music to her ears.

She nodded. Not trusting herself to speak yet. "Thirsty," she croaked.

He pulled up his water bottle and handed it to her. She swallowed deeply, water spilling out of her mouth in her hurry to slake her thirst.

"Take it slow, baby. There’s plenty of water. Careful or you’ll make yourself sick."

Miro left the dirt road and headed into the bush, crashing through the undergrowth in the dark until he found a small clearing he thought looked right for resting.

Alton climbed down and lifted Delphi off Miro’s back.

She yawned widely. "Sleepyhead," he rubbed her hair. "You’ve been asleep since I picked you up at Herdsmans Cove six hours ago. I was starting to worry there was something seriously wrong with you."

"Just tired," she murmured. "And I’m still so tired."

She felt bone-achingly weary. Like no amount of sleep would ever be enough.

"Let me build us a fire and get some food into you. Then you can have another big sleep."

He spread out her bedroll and tucked her into it before he set about building them a fire. She watched the peaceful scene from her comfortable warm swag.

The dragons spread out at the edges of the clearing. Most settled down to sleep. Miro and Maback remained standing for a few minutes before Maback disappeared, probably to hunt.

Once the fire was roaring, Alton put some water on to boil and brought her over some trail mix and an orange to snack on.

"I’m not very hungry," she said quietly. "Don’t bother cooking for me tonight. Just make yourself something."

"I’m boiling water for a warm tea for you. Or would you prefer a hot chocolate?"

"You decide," she said, too tired to make even that small decision.

His fears for what she had been through at the palace were rising by the minute, although his imagination had run wild over the last two days.

He’d never seen her so tired, nor so subdued. Not even after that man mountain attacked her. And that was the only time he had ever seen her cry.

"Tea it is then," he kept his voice light and upbeat, like that might somehow make life ordinary again.

She nibbled listlessly on the trail mix, and when he had made them each a mug of tea, he walked across and crouched down to hand Delphi hers.

"I want to sleep in your swag with you tonight. I won’t sleep soundly unless you’re in my arms," he told her.

She nodded her agreement. She knew she would sleep better wrapped in his arms.

He climbed in beside her and propped them half up with a log and the swag’s built-in pillow, wrapping an arm around her as they both sipped on their tea, while staring at the fire.

"There’s no hurry to talk about it," he said gently, "but tell me if you’re okay? Physically I mean. I couldn’t see any injuries on you when I dressed you, apart from a few odd bruises, but I might have missed something?"

"I’m fine, Alton," she whispered. "He didn’t injure me. Not in a way that would mark me anyway. He was very clear on that."

He was dying to ask her so much! Everything! He needed to know everything in minute detail straight away. And he wanted to ask her why she felt the need to hand herself over in the first place. But he knew he needed to take things slowly. She was clearly traumatised, and he didn’t want to add to her trauma by forcing her to relive it.

"But he hurt you in other ways," he muttered angrily, more to himself than her.

She didn’t say anything in response, which was an answer in itself.

"Are we going to Squeaking Point?" she asked him.

"No!" he said emphatically. "Niko is leading the assault up there as we speak. I came alone to rescue you. The rest of the mission team is there in support. If all goes according to plan, we’ll meet them on King Island."

"Do they have enough soldiers to do what they need to?"

"I haven’t heard yet, but they should have. Our recruitment efforts have apparently gone gangbusters since the bombing in the capital. Recruits are flooding in so fast Rutherglen can barely keep up ferrying them off the Island. He’s been in touch with Han since he fled to Woolnorth. We’ll see him up there."

That was good news, she thought. Hopefully her sacrifice had been worth it, saving a life each day after she turned herself in at the barracks, until they could rescue the townsfolk. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"How did you get me out?" she asked him.