by Zara Starr
“Tremor? Tremor?” I called, wondering where the hell he had gotten off to and if I would ever find him.
At this point, the latter seemed hellaciously more likely, as much as I hated to admit that.
Crunch. Crunch.
The sound of something in the distance brought my head forward as I searched out the cause of the noise.
“Hello, is someone there?” I called out as I neared the bank of the creek’s edge.
Soft glowing eyes fluttered open and I noticed what appeared to be a hollowed-out cavern covered by shrubbery. It was almost impossible to see unless you were standing right in front of it, just as I was now.
Instantly my skin felt as if it were thirty degrees warmer—a burning fear overtaking me as the eyes began to move toward me. From the shadowy cavern, emerged an obsidian scaled creature that could only be described as…
“A fucking dragon? Are you kidding me?” I groaned as I turned, digging my nails into the steep hillside and bounding back up the footpath.
My only thought at this moment was to run as fast as my legs could carry me, which was surprisingly quickly. I leaped like a gazelle back onto the initial landing and began to zigzag, running from side to side.
I didn’t dare look behind me. I knew the dragon wasn’t too far behind. It had the benefit of flight—something that quickly caught me off guard, throwing me off balance as the wind ripped up from under me, and my feet tumbled into one another.
I landed on my back, pushing my legs up underneath me quickly as I struggled back to my feet. As I peered up into the canopy my eyes widened as the inky creature came hovering closer to me.
Was this it? Would I soon reach the end of my life—in the snapping, salivating jaws of a mythical beast?
The sudden shock and fear sent a wave of nausea through my belly and then… everything went black.
Scar
“Do you hear that?” I asked, perking my ear up after having followed after Arh for what felt like an hour.
He paused, kneeling downward as his eyes instantly shot up to the canopy and listened closely.
“Sounds like someone screaming?” Arh asked, his eyes widening as he leaped to his feet and began bounding through the jungle underbrush as fast as his muscular legs could take him.
I followed suit, jumping over a large purple fern as we ran through the woods.
As we came around the corner of a large tree, my eyes fluttered upward as I noticed the sliva hovering in the air—it’s bright eyes focused on something balled up on the ground.
“It’s Mikaela!” Arh roared, lifting his spear and throwing it with all his might, his arm cocking back as the weapon flew through the air.
Swoosh!
The spear flying through the air made a loud sound, but it was Arh’s bellowing that really distracted the sliva.
I quickly pulled a few loose arrows free from my pouch and laced them through my bow—taking quick aim for the underbelly of the beast.
Just as the spear slid into the dragon’s left lower leg, the creature double-barrel-rolled, drawing the weapon up beneath itself and ripping it from its appendage with glinting, saliva-covered fangs.
“Mikaela!” I hollered as I put another arrow into the bow—the first had completely missed the sliva but this didn’t matter considering what Arh’s spear had done.
I knew that I needed to make a critical hit in order to distract it from eating all three of us.
What the first arrow had done though, was allow enough distraction to keep the creature at bay long enough for me to make my way over to her.
She was already covered in dirt from head to toe. I wondered if she had fallen somewhere before the creature had come along, or if it had all come from stumbling in an effort to get away from it. I also observed that Tremor was still nowhere to be seen.
Mikaela was really completely alone in this and had been just lucky enough that Arh and I had found her. A chance that would have been one in a million had we both not been familiar with this place.
She rushed to my side and my arm instantly swung around her, but I couldn’t hold her in a tight embrace long. I needed to focus on killing this creature. A creature that Arh was definite and intent on taking out.
Whoosh!
The sound of the sliva’s wings as it flapped them above us was the only warning of the uplifting wind that came up beneath us as the dragon drew down on us—it’s massive jaws parting as it roared loudly.
A shot of clear fluid sprayed from its throat, quickly igniting just a foot above Arh.
“I need another spear!” Arh called out to me.
I quickly tossed him the one spear I had with me—it was a bit shorter than his usual chosen weapon but I knew that in his capable hands it was more than possible for him to make the target.
He caught the spear and whirled it between his fingers, his head snapping back toward the creature.
I pulled the string on my bow, sending the arrow straight for the sliva’s face.
The creature blinked as the arrow embedded itself between the center of its eyes and I grinned widely, pulling a third arrow from my pouch and aligning it within my bow’s string.
Mikaela had ducked down near my leg, hiding slightly as she watched Arh and I work the creature.
Arh lowered himself and I watched in awe as the sliva fluttered over his head, massive jaws parting as it came closer to his head.
Arh
I knew that we only had a few moments to get to where I had heard the screaming coming from. The bloodcurdling sound of the wails was instantly familiar to me and after what she and I had shared the night before I wasn’t about to miss the chance to keep her alive.
Perhaps, it was because I loved her now. I didn’t know, there were so many new emotions she had stirred within my heart, body, and soul that I could only imagine a life of depression and emptiness should anything bad befall her.
She neither deserved it nor could I imagine I would ever find the chance of having anyone like her again in my lifetime. That was no place I wanted to be. If anything, sharing her with both Dey and Scar would have been much better.
I recognized that Scar being here now was a blessing in disguise. Now, there would not just be me singlehandedly trying to get rid of whatever was after Mikaela—who had already attracted a monstrous beast to her whereabouts on one occasion.
As we came into the clearing, my eyes spread out across the scene. I reacted without waiting a moment or giving a second thought to it, my arm lifting high as I tossed my spear as hard as I could toward the animal’s thick hide.
I knew instantly it was the sliva dragon. There was no doubt. The similarity to the beast that had killed my sister was uncanny.
From childhood, I had always wondered if it had actually been a single type of dragon, or if it was an individual creature. I now knew the latter to be the truth, which was a revelation I would discuss with the elders later, undoubtedly.
“Mikaela!” Scar had called out to her as I ran past her, hoping the spear would bring the creature down.
To my dismay, though it penetrated the beast’s flesh, it did not bring it from the sky and I glanced back at Scar, hoping he would allow me usage of his spear as he began pelting arrows toward the beast.
Mikaela ran past me like a whir, straight toward Scar where I knew she would be safer than she had been sprawled out across the ground with dirt all over her. She looked like she may have slid down the cliffside, but why was the question I couldn’t answer.
I also realized that her annoying yapper was nowhere to be seen and that only solidified my thoughts on what had prompted her to leave our mating space.
I watched in awe as the dragon pulled the first spear from its body and rolled, tossing it far from my reach. It flew higher into the canopy and Scar sent his shorter spear toward me.
I caught it with my arm and whirled it around, lifting my arm as I prepared to toss this spear harder than I had the first—waiting for the creature to fly over my he
ad.
I waited and waited—timing the moment just perfectly as I knew this would be my last chance to get it right. And I had to get it right.
I had to get it right to save my beloved Mikaela. I had to for my sweet mother’s heartache over the loss of my darling baby sister. I had to do it for all of us—so we could be sure that this monstrous creature could never again bring harm to any of us—to any of Eilahas.
Scar sent another arrow toward the dragon’s face and it began screeching loudly as it clawed toward its face.
Distracted by the arrow between its eyes, the animal was unable to see the large tree it was headed straight towards. It smacked into it face first and my second thrown spear plucked its underbelly deeply.
Black fluid instantly started seeping from the beast’s stomach and the inflicted wound. From the multiple wounds, and crashing into a tree, the animal came to an instant stop, collapsing in a heap in front of the tree.
I quickly ran for the dropped spear, my own, leaping over a few lower plants and ferns and gripping it quickly.
I turned and ran as fast as my feet could carry me, straight past Scar and Mikaela—who still knelt close to the ground as near to Scar’s leg as she could keep herself. She was visibly shaking from what she was witnessing.
I had no time for distractions though. I kept on running toward the beast, hopping up onto its back as I ran up toward its head and neck muscles.
By now, the animal was knocked out cold from the impact of the crash and I used this to my advantage, lifting my arm high over the middle of the creature’s massive scaled neck.
I pursed my lips and drove my arms down quickly and roughly—hoping to tear through the sliva’s neck and ensure it could never again bring any harm to anything, or anyone so long as I lived.
The spear slid into the sinew and past those hard scales. I grinned fiendishly as I watched the deep color of its blood that was flowing from the wound.
I twisted my arms slightly, driving the spear deep down into the animal’s throat—all I wanted to do was drive it as far as it could go.
“Arh! It’s dead!” Scar called out from behind me as he moved toward me.
I turned to look back at him and shook my head.
“Not until I have sent it completely through its skull! I must do so, Scar. I must!” I hollered as I continued to twist and push against the spear.
Finally, I felt the flesh of the creature’s throat give way, as the spear found its way through the animal’s neck.
I sighed, flexing my fingers around the rest of the spear’s handle, as I finally came to release it. I nodded and turned to look back at Mikaela—my eyes making contact with hers.
True, my tongue may not be understood, but what I could not utter was said in my look— there was nothing I wouldn’t do for her. If only she’d quit running and give me a chance.
“You shouldn’t be so brutal in front of her,” Scar muttered, turning toward Mikaela.
On one hand, I knew he was right but after what had happened to Tishena—and what I had nearly lost with Mikaela—I couldn’t allow her judgment of my brutality to stop me.
She could think what she wanted, for now, because in my mind all that mattered was keeping her safe, happy, and alive.
I had already come to terms with her pet being a nuisance. I had already come to terms with the idea of having to share her with someone else. But what I knew I could never come to terms with was the idea of her possibly being killed or never seeing her again.
As Scar stood near her and wrapped his arms around Mikaela I realized that for the first time, I didn’t feel possession or jealousy.
By strange contrast, I felt relieved.
Eighteen
Mikaela
The way that Arh had handled the dragon that was after me was breathtaking, shocking and lifesaving all at once. I recognized that he had gone above and beyond—and not only him, but also Scar.
As I watched Arh hop off the dead dragon’s body and reach for me I walked toward him, lacing my hand into his as I smiled back at him.
“Woof! Woof!”
I turned my head to watch as Tremor came bumbling into the clearing, making his way instantly to my side. My jaw fell agape, and I knelt down to lift up his leash—fashioning it around my wrist as I held Arh’s hand. I waved toward Scar before scooping Trem up and tucking him beneath my arm.
“Come, Scar,” I urged, as I flexed my fingers in his direction.
Scar walked toward me and I grabbed his hand. I knew they would want to take me home, and after all the excitement of the day, I honestly didn’t mind it. I was starving and after seeing that dragon—the last place I wanted to be was in the middle of the jungle.
All I wanted to do was get as far away from this scene as I could, as quickly as possible.
I smiled at both of them as we began to walk back toward the tribal cave. This place had been beautiful, no doubt, but I now understood completely why it was not a place any of the others regularly visited.
I hoped that Veruka and Dey would at least be happy enough about my return that they would feed me before I had to go face the council I was certain would come howling about me as soon as the next day.
As I thought more about the possibility of it, it didn’t seem like I had any way of getting out of it. And the way that Scar and Arh both went to bat for me—it spoke of everything. I really needed to give them each a fair shot.
Arh had been blessed with the opportunity to spend a whole night with me and we had made epic love, but I hadn’t given Scar much of a chance to really get to know me. Him and Dey both.
But now, as I thought about what each of them had to offer me it seemed like maybe Ella was right. Each of them had a lot of different gifts and talents to offer, and I appreciated what they had done for me. Arh had brought me juicy meats, Scar had cooked me delicious soups, and Dey had helped when I’d been poisoned.
Each of them was entirely different from the other, but I realized that I appreciated them all.
I had heard that the Eilahasans didn’t approve of males with scarring, but the scar that had produced Scar’s name was one that brought character.
It made me wonder how daring he truly was. I had often heard that the more war scars a man had the riskier he was—not that this was a bad thing, because to me it showed the possibility of fun, interesting, and adventurous sexual experiences.
Admittedly, I had just barely escaped death—after the most ground-shattering sex I had ever had in my life. Naturally, the devious mind in my head was flirting with the possibility of what it would be like to delve into Scar’s fantasies, and somehow fulfill mine.
What all of this meant was that if I chose both of them I would not only have great food and provisions, but I would also have two men who would put their lives on the line in order to keep me safe—at any cost and effectively.
And if the sex with Scar was even remotely as amusing as it was with Arh—I was going to be living a life of constant orgasmic bliss—across two mediums; food and sex!
This was both a hot and promising concept. I mean, thinking of the long run, I was starting to envision a life that included them all. And I did really like Veruka, who had always been considerate and kind to me—no matter the trouble it may have brought.
And then there was Dey—who seemed to be so quiet, shy, and reserved that I wondered if he would be a doting lover or if he would behave like a teenage boy.
He was hot, no doubt. He was the one whose handsome looks I had first noticed. But I suspected he was a little younger than I was by the natural timeframe and I just hoped that didn’t mean he would be shy in bed.
I already knew that Arh was by no means a shy lover, and seemed to know exactly how to move his hands to make all the right feelings come into play.
I wondered if Ella had begun toying with the ideas of fantasies with her three mates.
Of course, the idea began swirling in my mind—many delicious possibilities of what the four of us mi
ght be able to share if only I went along with it.
Scar
Walking back with Mikaela and Arh, I realized there was still a high chance that she may not go along with anything that we wanted her to, but somehow it didn’t matter.
I could smell the scent of Arh on her and I knew without a doubt that the two of them had already mated. There was nothing I could do about it though.
These females were nothing like our own, which already seemed confusing to me—but I realized that was not a bad thing. It meant there was more possibility for the rest of us—and definitely a clear path toward much more rejection.
I now wondered if that was how Arh had first felt when Ella had chosen Karr, Dew, and Bahl—after being completely repelled by him. And now that he had been given the first chance to mate with a female he did so without any hesitation or consideration for our own customs.
It was frowned on for any male to mate with a female alone during the courting process and still, I did not feel the need to argue with him.
I imagined if I had been given the same opportunity, I would have done the same thing—if the female was eager and willing, why not?
We were now very close to Veruka’s and I sighed as I realized the inevitable truth. If Mikaela did not choose at least one of us, one of us would have to keep her safe and I was willing to do that if it truly came down to it. I could not just leave her to fend for herself out in the wild.
But, somehow, I doubted Arh would ever let her go either—not after uniting with her in ways the rest of us never had.
That seemed unfair to me, but I also recognized that Mikaela had to come to care for me of her own accord or mating with her would mean nothing.
Because Arh had chosen to go against our usual customs, he had an upper hand that was never favorably looked upon. Any female who had already slept with one of the males she chose had the advantage of knowing what he had to offer and that created bias in the female.