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dug in and ran, angling across the gravelly slope, heading for the trees.
    They found the cave by accident. It was shrouded by brush and hidden under a rocky undercropping. Together, they squatted under the shelter and peered out into the storm. Unconsciously, Sai huddled closer to Arick, needing warmth and reassurance.
    "We should be out of danger…." Even as Arick spoke, the hissing sound grew into a rumble, and without warning, water exploded down the slope, filling and flooding the gully they'd just escaped. It foamed and crashed, carrying downed trees and tumbling rocks in its wake. It was magnificent. It was horrifying.
    "Shit." Sai rubbed the water from his eyes with a shaking hand.
    They were safe, but the men in the camp were not. Sai pushed himself backward into the cave, unwilling to witness any more. He fell back, wet and cold, aching from dozens of cuts and bruises. For the moment, he was safe.
    Arick's form was little more than a silhouette as he stood at the entrance of their shelter, watching the torrent. Sai clenched his hands, one fist closed over the grip of his sabre.
    Now what?
    He wanted to kill the bastard. He wanted to bow to the Gods and offer thanks. He wanted to beat the hell out of Arick, and then fuck him blind.
    He wanted to lie on the floor of this cave for the rest of his life.
    As Sai watched, Arick stripped his clothing away, draping the sodden garments over a rock. He sat, untying his sandals until he was completely nude except for the loin wrappings he wore, shivering a bit in the cold. Carefully, Sai set his sabre well out of reach. He had a bit of revenge to dispense, and it was best served with flesh, bones, and skin; not steel and leather.
    He crouched.
    ****
    Arick shivered from more than the cold. Behind him was the lover he'd betrayed. Outside was death. No matter where he went or what he did, the situation was fucked. He'd cut the picket line that held the horses in place. Hopefully the horses had survived. He prayed that the general and his men had not.
    He heard the sound of leather on rock and started to turn, and then was slammed against the wall of the cave, his skin burning, his head spinning. He gasped, grappling with Sai, his hands digging into the other man's sodden clothing. They wrestled, going to the soft dirt floor, rolling and struggling until Sai's shirt tore away under his hands.
    "Dammit, Sai, let me talk!"
    His answer was a fist to the jaw. Arick fell back, his head slamming hard against the floor. In a flash, Sai was on top of him, raining blows over his face and head. Arick brought up a knee, catching Sai in the diaphragm. As the other man gasped and choked, he slipped away, retreating to the entrance of the cave. He waited, making sure Sai hadn't suffered any serious damage. And then he looked out into the rain.
    Where could he go? The entire mountain was alive with rushing water. The encampment was gone; if there were survivors, they were up on the mountain somewhere. He turned just in time to catch movement from the corner of his eye.
    "Aren't you finished yet?"
    Sai staggered forward, his fists up and his head down. This time, Arick took the fight to him. He was taller but Sai was broader; hitting him was like slamming into a wall. He was magnificent in his rage: fury burned in his blue eyes, his wet hair straggled around his face in chunks and strands. The rain had washed away the dirt and blood, revealing that beautiful, brutal face.
    Distracted, Arick was unprepared when Sai attacked, twisting his arm and slamming him face first into the wall. He grunted in pain at the pressure on his arm. And then a heavy body covered his, an iron-hard cock pressed into the muscle of his ass. In a heartbeat, all the pain vanished, all the fear and despair faded away. The years were as nothing and all he could absorb was that he was pinned to the wall, submissive, willing, and desperate for Sai's touch. He laid his forehead against the chilly rock, stifling a groan.
    Those