Garrick kicked with all his strength for the bank, where overhanging branches provided a hidden point to climb out of the torrent. He grabbed a tree root, pulling them up to the sandy bank and bringing their river trip to an abrupt end.

Anna spun and collided against him, her teeth chattering from the cold. He took her hand and pressed it to a tree branch so she’d have purchase to pull herself out. His feet found the silty floor, and he was able to stand up in the water despite it slapping against his chest. He took a breath and wiped the water from his eyes.

“You okay?”

She nodded. Her hair was plastered to her skull, freckles standing out in sharp relief against her pale skin. Her cheek was bleeding from the fall. He wanted to wrap her in a woollen blanket and rub the blood back into her skin.

They were several miles downstream. South, Garrick guessed. Bleak industrial buildings rose up on both sides, but he wouldn’t know until they were properly out the water how far they’d been dragged off-route.

He swore under his breath. Now they were soaking wet, bruised, and sore. He’d had better mornings. He hauled himself out the river, cascades of filthy water pouring from his clothes. Chilled air found its way to his skin in moments as he extended an arm to support Anna as she clambered out.

She shuddered. He wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or the shock of escaping by the skin of their teeth. He ran protective hands over her arms, checking from the top down that she was in one piece and unhurt. If anyone hurt her, they were going to pay.

She was his. The words ricocheted in his mind as possessive instinct took over, but realistically, what did he have to offer? The world was full of new razor sharp edges, where did a relationship fit into that?

He pushed the thoughts away. Self-indulgence was a luxury he couldn’t afford. He straightened his legs, satisfied she was unhurt, but they were both freezing and needed to dry off. Worse, his backpack was making a grinding noise whenever he moved. He swore again when he opened it. The radio had shattered into broken pieces, pulverised by their fall.

He tipped the broken pieces out onto the muddy bank and kicked the shattered remains of the radio into the river. Then he took a deep calming breath before turning to Anna. “We must keep moving and put more distance between them and us.”

Upriver, in the direction they had come, the Thames swirled black and lazy, empty for now. Garrick scanned the banks. Sober grey buildings were crammed around them, making it difficult to see if anyone was heading their way. His scalp pricked uncomfortably, he didn’t want to take any chances.

“Are they likely to come after us?” she asked.

He grimaced. “I would.”

Anna flinched, glancing over her shoulder, then shook her head. “You would think that the Chittrix would be enough to deal with. But no, humans still need to keep kicking fifty shades out of each other, even when there’s a bigger threat trying to annihilate all of us.” Her shoulders sagged, overwhelmed. “Why are we such a messed-up species? No wonder the Chittrix came here. We do half their work for them.”

He slipped his hand under her chin, lifting her face to his. As he bent down and kissed her, what was meant to be a comforting kiss of reassurance flared into something far more, her tongue insistent on the edges of his lips. Despite the intense cold, heat uncurled and loosened low in his belly. He groaned and broke away from her, breathless.

Her eyes were dark through her lashes, binding him to her. He smoothed his thumb against her brow, wiping away a smear of mud.

He hadn’t known normal for such a long time. But holding Anna in his arms, there was comfort. She was a reason to go forward, to believe something good was possible. A small glow of hope had been lit within him. He was damned if he was going to let it go out. Even if he was just a fucked-up soldier with too much baggage, he’d show her he was worth the rough edges.

“Where now?”

Her question derailed his thoughts.

“Northwest. We’ve come south on the water, and we need to pull ourselves back up at bit.” He looked to the sky. No Chittrix for now, but the sun had broken through, feeble rays playing across his face. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the play of light across his eyelids.

Anna squeezed his hand. “Let’s move before we freeze to death.”