Saki dropped the two large bags she had been carrying and stretched her arms skyward, breathing in the fresh mountain air as her team hiked through the woods. She has been driving straight for almost eight hours, save for a few quick rest stops and lunch at a drive thru.
Saki has a feeling like she would be sleeping like a log tonight.
The team has received information the night before about certain artifacts that may be similar to the ones they found in Mongolia. The exploration team on standby since the site at Ulaanbaatar was closed and the only work left were for those in the labs. So they decided to do a quick investigation on the lead they have received.
Because she was never a person who would dilly dally when on the job, it was always the team's protocol to arrive at the location a day earlier so they could rest properly before working on the field. And right now, she led the team on their way towards a clearing mentioned by one of the villagers where they could pitch their tents for the night.
For Saki, personally, going to Oku-Iya was a good opportunity for her to escape from the city and the office. She has never liked being cooped up in places with so many people and tall buildings standing side by side.
Here in the mountains, she was in her element. Most especially when they get to higher places where she feels she can reach the sky and see the world down below.
She takes another deep breath of the cool mountain air. There was also a deeper reason for her sudden decision to go there. She has been on the edge ever since she had that weird dream about a queen and the golden hairpin. She clearly remembers waking up to find the hairpin in her hand and tossing it to the far end of the bed. When the sun had risen, the hairpin was gone without a trace.
She began to wonder if it was all just a dream, even the part where she woke up in the middle of the night. Yet she could clearly remember how the cold metal felt in her palm.
Unconsciously, she placed her hand on the right side of her neck.
She was still deep in her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice.
"Saki?"
It was the voice of the person she least wanted to see.
"What are you doing here?" Hunter asked as he stopped right in front of her. Saki noticed that there was a group of six men trailing behind him.
It was the first time for her to see Hunter looking disheveled. His brown cargo pants and black t-shirt had traces of dirt on it. Had he been in a struggle?
She fought the urge to reach out and smooth away a few strands that were sticking up from the top of his head.
"What are *you* doing here in Oku-Iya? Are you following me?" she retorted. As far as Saki knows, this part of the mountains in Oku-Iya isn't really open for tourists.
"We've been here since this morning," he replied, sounding tired. "So if anyone is following anyone, it's you."
Saki shot him a glare.
"Oi, Hunter," Milo called, having caught up to Saki. "You're here too."
"Hey Milo," Hunter replied. "We just came from a hike up the mountains."
"Really? We're also going up there tomorrow to investigate a site. For now, we're looking for a place where we can pitch our tents."
Upon hearing Milo talk about going to investigate up the mountain, Hunter shot a quick glance at his companions, a move that did not escape Saki's notice. He then grabbed the two bags Saki was carrying and turned around.
"Hey, those are our equipment!" Saki protested.
"And I'm also a part of the team, aren't I?" Hunter replied over his shoulder. "We went past a clearing on our way down. Follow me."
Saki catches up to him after a few steps and tries to grab at least one of the bags back but Hunter pulls them out of her reach. She gave up after a few attempts and the two ended up walking silently side by side.
It was already dark by the time they arrived at the clearing and they immediately got to work setting up the camp.
A few minutes later, Earl approached Saki with a worried look.
"Boss, I can't find your tent," he told her.
"What?"
"I've checked everywhere, it's not here."
"Maybe you left it in the van."
Earl shook his head. "I checked thrice before we went up the mountain. I've even checked your car. We must've left it back in Tokyo."
Saki gave a deep sigh. She can't really inconvenience the team just for her own comfort. She was about to state that she was going to sleep outside tonight when Hunter interrupted.
"Use one of our tents."
"What? No," Saki protested. "I'll be fine."
"We're all men so you can't share a tent with any of us," Hunter said. "You plan to sleep outside?"
"But--"
"It's a spare tent," Hunter said, cutting her off. "Take it."
"Alright, already." Saki turned to look him in the eye and smiled warmly. "Thank you." At least she won't have to worry about being bitten by mosquitoes tonight.
Taken aback by Saki's sudden warmth, Hunter could only nod. It was the first time she showed him an expression outside of her usual annoyed and quick tempered face. He noticed how beautiful she was and for an instant he suddenly had this irrational wish for her to only smile like that for him.
His thoughts were interrupted when Duren suddenly called everyone to have dinner. He quickly turned back, clearing his throat.
Dinner was lively as everyone introduced themselves to the other group. Saki, however, felt tired after the long drive and proceeded to the tent Hunter lent her.
"Master," Duren began to speak silently by his ear.
Hunter held up his hand. "No need to discuss this further," was all he said.
It was already late in the night and most people had gone inside their tents and went to sleep. Calad, who was unlucky enough to draw the short end of the stick, sat on a tree branch and watched his master pace restlessly outside his tent.
It was just a whim. A spur of the moment decision that Hunter couldn't really explain. What he did know was that he couldn't bring himself to think about letting her sleep outside for the night. So he did what he thinks a gentleman should do, offer her his tent.
The fact about it being a spare was a lie, of course. He knew she would refuse adamantly had she known that it was, in fact, his own tent that she was using. So he lied.
And now he is stuck outside of his tent and at the mercy of thousands of mosquitoes. He wondered if he should just go in and set up a sleeping bag beside her. They were engaged, anyway, so there shouldn't be anything wrong with them sleeping in the same tent.
The thought of seeing Saki's sleeping face entered his mind and his heart began to race. He still couldn't forget the image of the smile she gave him a while ago. He shook his head, hoping both thought and image would dissipate, and ultimately decided against going in.
Nice going, Hunter, he quietly admonished himself.
Admitting defeat, he sat cross legged and began to meditate.
Saki woke up in the middle of the night feeling very hot. She had already kicked off her blanket, tossing and turning to try to go back to sleep, to no avail.
She opened her eyes, annoyed. She was having the best sleep she's had since the nightmares started. What the f*ck is interrupting her sleep now?
She closed her eyes and tried to spread her awareness.
There wasn't any danger she could detect, yet her heart was beating loudly. She found it very odd. Her body is used to high temperatures. Heat such as this shouldn't make herself uncomfortable.
Unable to take it, she opens the top two buttons on her shirt in hopes of cooling her body down.
There must be something inside the tent. She needs to get out. She unzips the flap to escape.
Just outside the door, Saki found Hunter sitting with his back to her. Surrounding him was an aura so thick, Saki could see it with her naked eye.
The moment she opened the tent's flap, the aura rushed to her and her senses were attacked by a surge of images flashing in her mind.
Lips touching..
Skin against skin..
A familiar man lying on top of her..
And that heat that couldn't be quenched.
"What's wrong?" It was always his voice that seemed to snap her out of her thoughts.
Saki, startled from her visions, willed herself to respond, "I was going to get some water."
"I'll get it," Hunter said, standing up.
Saki took a deep breath and looked around. In an instant, the thick aura that oppressed her was gone.
She wondered if she was just having another nightmare.
"Here."
Saki took the glass of water and drank. It was only after she finished drinking that she looked up at Hunter.
The guy was standing shirtless in front of her. Saki couldn't help but stare at the well defined muscles that shaped the body that was being flaunted in front of her. Her throat moved as if to swallow but she couldn't stop her eyes from sweeping over every inch of the glorious torso that was in her view.
Until finally, her eyes met Hunter's and she instantly felt her blood rise to her face. She immediately looked away.
"Why the hell are you standing naked in the middle of the night?" she asked, her voice sounding a bit higher than usual.
"Accidentally got my shirt wet," he replied as he proceeded to fish for another shirt from his bag.
"What were you doing sitting in front of my tent?"
"I was meditating to keep the mosquitoes away."
The heck? Saki placed her fingers on her temple. She had understood by then that Hunter had lied to her, and that the 'spare tent' he gave her was his own.
"Come inside," she blurted out.
"What?" Hunter stared at her in disbelief.
"I'm not so ungrateful as to let you continue staying out there after knowing that you're there because of me," she said, biting her lip. "You can sleep inside for a few hours, but you better leave before daybreak. I don't want anyone to know that we slept in the same tent."
Hunter chuckled and gave her a slight smile.
Saki immediately turned away and went back to her sleeping bag. She bit her lip as she realized that she had just seen that same exact face wearing that same exact smile lying on top of her in her visions.
Wanting to drive away her thoughts, she buried her head deeper into her pillow and willed herself to sleep.
Hunter, on the other hand, was awfully aware of Saki's body just a few inches away from him. He waited for a few minutes until he could feel Saki's breathing relax and become constant before turning around to face her back.
He couldn't understand the ache that he felt in his heart every time she was nearby. He thought he only needed to be by her side, but now, with her sleeping almost right beside him, he could barely stop himself from reaching out to touch her.
He turned to lie on his back, placing an arm over his eyes. It's going to be a long night.