Mari's Mistake (Icehome, #10)

by Ruby Dixon

I pass the dead corpse of one of the creatures, and one of the aliens is limping nearby, but my thoughts are only for my mate, who lies so still in the sands. “T’chai!” I cry his name again, falling to my knees next to him. “Talk to me!” My mate twitches and tries to prop himself up on his arms. He’s still face down in the sands, and there’s so much blood that it worries me. I brush his hair back from his face and my cootie starts up. Now, of all times. It’s idiotic, but I’m thrilled when I hear his thrum in response. It means he’s not dead. “M’rsl,” he grits out, opening his eyes to look at me. He’s beautiful in that moment, and I smile at him, fighting back another sob. “Hi,” I whisper. “Are you okay?” His arm presses to his abdomen, and then he tries to roll onto his side. As he does, something wet slides from his belly…and I realize it’s his intestines. “Oh no,” I moan. “Oh, no no no.” He’s trying to hold them into his body…and failing. Sand is getting everywhere on his wounds, and there’s so much blood. He twitches, clearly trying to get up, and blood bubbles from his mouth. “M’rsl,” he murmurs again, and lets go of his gut wound to reach for my face. He’s trying to comfort me while his guts are spilling out onto the beach. My heart hurts, even as my cootie purrs and purrs. A strange sense of calm washes over me, powered by shame. I’ve wailed and wept like La Llorona through this entire crisis, and T’chai’s falling apart in front of me…and his only thought is to comfo...