"No," the hooded man said. He nodded toward me. "I like his idea."
I put the coins back into my pouch.
Calls for a wager came from the onlookers. Then more people chimed in agreeing. "Make it worth something!" a man said. "Yeah!" Then a man said, "Loser stands in the outline on the wall for the next round!"
Uh, no. I'd never thrown a dagger. The sword was a fluke, I thought. No way I'm agreeing to be the target.
I looked at Lop and the other guy, to see if one of them had a better idea. Then I glanced to Tara. She shrugged and gestured with upturned hands as if to say she didn't know what to do. I wagged my finger at her in a light-hearted scolding for getting me into the competition.
"Yes!" the hooded man said. "That's a great idea!"
I turned around to see what he was talking about. Lop looked at me with surprise.
The hooded man stepped into the center of the clearing and raised his arm toward the target on the wall.
Huh?
The crowd quieted, evidently waiting to hear his proposal.
With his arm still extended in front of him, he slowly turned toward me. He was pointing. I looked at myself to see what he could possibly be meaning, then I noticed he wasn't pointing to me. He was pointing above me, past me.
"We play for her!" he said, pointing to Tara.
The crowd of fifteen or twenty men erupted in cheers and shouts of approval.
"What? No!" I said. "Are you crazy?"
The crowd grew louder. I glanced around hoping to see Jan. I knew she wouldn't stand for this sort of thing and it was her place. Obviously, I wasn't going to stand for it either.
"It's happening," the hooded man said, then he nodded to someone across the room.
I turned to see who he had signaled and why. Tara screamed as a large man grabbed her from behind. He'd climbed onto the bar top and he had her in a bear hug from behind. Monica took a swing at the man, but someone else pulled her leg out from under her and she fell onto the counter beside Tara's feet.
"Let her go!" I pushed the crowd around me, trying to get through to save Tara and Monica, but they were too tightly packed around me. I knock the two closest to me down and scrambled to get over them, but half a dozen arms jutted out against me, keeping me back.
"Den!" Tara screamed. The man had her arms pinned to her sides. She stomped on his boot, but he held on to her.
I whipped my head back toward the hooded man. "Tell him to let her go, now!" I had my dagger up. I'd flipped it around, grabbing the handle instead of the blade. I stepped toward the hooded man, threatening to cut him down if he didn't call off his thugs.
He retreated until his back was against the crowd.
"Now!" I said. "Or this blade's going in you!"
"Take it easy," he said. He glanced up to Tara and his man.
I turned around to look, but the man still had her. Monica wasn't on the bar top anymore. The crowd still blocked my path to Tara. I looked back to the hooded man, but he was gone. I scanned the crowd in a split second, but he had disappeared into them somewhere.
"Den!" Tara screamed. "Help!"
I watched the man jerked his arm tighter against her chest. He'd released his other arm to fend off someone who was climbing up to try to stop him. He had Tara to one side of his chest. She elbowed him and his grip on her loosened. She broke free of him enough to take a step away, but he caught her by her hair.
I whipped my arm forward, shoulder steady, elbow lined up, flicking my wrist at the end of one fluid movement. The dagger flew from my hand in a flash, striking the thug between his eyes—blade buried into his skull to the hilt. He fell back off the bar top and Tara pulled free from his lifeless hand.
The crowd fell silent. Tara collapsed onto the counter and sat with her legs out to her side. She breathed heavily as she looked up at me. I could see she was shaken, but unhurt.
No one else seemed to pose a threat. The man who'd pulled Monica down had gone. She stood beside the bar and was checking on Tara. I scanned the crowd and the rest of the room for any sign of the hooded man or his other accomplice. After I noted every face and scoped every corner of the room, I was satisfied they'd left.
Lop walked over to me, putting his dagger back in its sheath. "Looks like you won."
"You had nothing to do with this. Did you?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No." He glanced over to Tara. "People can't be used like that. That's just not right."
"No, it's not."
I marveled out how the two people I'd been pitted against in the now-canceled dagger darts contest exhibited the good and the bad in Galderia.
"I'm glad your friends are okay," he said. Then he looked around the room.
"What is it?"
"I was just looking to see where the other three went."
Oh, shit.
The booze I'd had leading up to the dagger darts match clouded my head. I remembered Victoria saying something about going up to the room to get some rest, but I couldn't remember whether Alara and Nithia had done so too.
I glanced to Tara and Monica again. Tara was on her feet and off the counter now, standing next to Monica. They appeared to be waiting for me.
I extended my hand for a handshake. "Lop, it was good to meet you." He looked down at my hand, then slowly put his up. I took it and shook hands with him. "It's what we do where I'm from."
He nodded understanding and smiled.
"I need to go see how Tara and Monica are doing, and check on the others."
"Of course. Travel safely."
Something about the way he spoke those last words struck me as odd. Was he the one listening to Jan and me?
"How do you know we're traveling?" I asked.
He laughed. "If you're not from Hyrin, the locals can tell. And I've lived here all my life."
"Ah. I see. Well, thanks."
I gave him a quick nod and he returned it. Then I hurried over to Tara and Monica, to see if they knew where the others were.
Chapter 4
"They're in the room across the hall," Victoria said. She had already gotten into one of the two beds and had the covers pulled up to her neck.
"Okay, good," I said. Tara and Monica had come upstairs with me to find everyone and make sure they were okay. The three of us were standing inside the room, but I lingered by the doorway. Tara went over to the other bed and sat on it facing Victoria.
"I can't believe that happened to you two." Victoria looked concerned as she spoke to them. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Tara nodded.
Monica walked over beside her and put her hand on her shoulder. "You should have seen it. It was awful. I tried to stop the man who attacked her, but someone grabbed my leg."
Tara turned to her. "You could have been really hurt from that fall."
Monica shrugged. "Bruised me a little, but at the time, I just wanted to help you. I didn't feel it."
"What did you do?" Victoria looked at me like I shouldn't have let it happen.
I felt guilty for not stopping the incident sooner. I knew the fact I'd drunk so much played into it. "I stopped the man…but not soon enough." I glanced to Tara. I should've been faster.
Tara gazed upon me with sympathetic eyes. I'd apologized to her several times on the way to the room. "It's not your fault, Den."
I heard her but I couldn't shake the sense that I let her down. Victoria was right, I thought.
Evidently, my face told her how I felt. "Hey," she said. "You're the one who saved me. Remember?"
I smiled half-heartedly. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"I'll be fine," she said. "But I think I'm done for the night."
"Me too." Monica took off her boots and put them on the floor at the foot of the bed. "Sleep sounds good."
"Right. Good idea." I glanced out the doorway behind me toward the other room, where Alara and Nithia were, then turned back to the three of them. "I'm going to check on the Alara and Nithia."
"Yes," Tara said, taking of
f her boots too. "Go. I think we're all going to go to bed soon."
I lingered at hearing her last words, waiting to see if I understood her correctly, that she meant sleep, and she didn't need me for that.
She smiled, evidently reading the uncertainty on my face. "I know Alara would like to see you." There wasn't a hint of disdain or jealousy in her words, and she looked upon me with affection.
Even though Victoria confirmed Alara and Nithia were safe across the hall, I wanted to see them. After the attack downstairs, I needed to put my eyes on them to get every last sliver of doubt about their well-being out of my mind. I'd failed Tara—though it turned out alright. I was done with hesitation when it came to keeping my women safe.
"Alright." I stepped through the doorway. "I'll leave you three to get some sleep, but if you need me, I'll be right across the hall."
Tara nodded and smiled. Then she yawned and leaned back onto the bed.
I closed the door and stood in the hallway for a moment.
Tara's reassurances started to sink in. I could see she'd calmed and seemed to feel secure in the room with Monica and Victoria as company. She hadn't been hurt, despite the man's brutal hold on her. He won't be a problem anymore, I thought.
The rush of adrenaline from dealing with Tara's attacker hadn't left me entirely, but I knew seeing Alara and Nithia would help calm me down.
"Yes?" Alara said, from behind the closed door.
"It's Den."
I heard a click and she opened the door.
"Wow." The word just came out of me when I saw her. She wore dark red silk panties, with a diamond-shaped patch of cloth hung like a tiny garment on a clothesline of silk wrapped around her full hips. Her breasts tested equally small bits of silk, which covered her nipples and a small area around them—pushing their silk tethers to an extreme tautness. I expected the strap around her neck to snap at any moment and her boobs to bound outward with much-desired freedom.
She smiled, though in a manner which made me feel uneasy.
"Hi, Den," Nithia said, from her spot on the bed across the room. I noticed she was fully clothed. The contrast confused me for a moment and I didn't answer her.
"I came to make sure you two were alright," I said.
Alara's smile disappeared and she turned away from me and walked toward the bed. "Why wouldn't we be?"
I came inside the room and closed the door. "There was an incident downstairs. Tara-"
"Is she okay?" Nithia said, sitting up taller.
"She's fine." I walked toward the bed. Alara was in front of me but hadn't turned around. "I got into some dagger-throwing contest, and there was this guy."
"Hmph." Alara crossed her arms and turned to face me. "So that was more important?"
"What?" I said. "No. I didn't even want to be in the stupid contest. I was drunk."
Alara's eyes narrowed as she stared at me.
"Why are you mad? I stopped him. Tara's okay."
"I'm glad she's okay. I am. But…"
"But?"
She uncrossed her arms and her scowl disappeared.
What am I missing?
She glanced down at her large mostly naked chest.
"Oh," I said.
She slowly nodded. "Yeah." She went over to her clothes, which were piled on a small table in the corner of the room and began getting dressed.
I remembered her whispering into my ear before I got caught up in the dagger darts mess. I wanted to take her up on her earlier offer of missing some sleep together, but it was obvious she'd been expecting me a long time ago.
I looked to Nithia, hoping she could signal some quick advice for me. She tilted her head, drew her pressed lips back a little, and shrugged with her palms up.
"I'm sorry," I said, walking toward her.
She didn't respond. I stood behind her as she finished getting dressed, putting everything on quickly.
"Alara." I touched her upper back. She froze. "I shouldn't have kept you waiting. I got caught up in everything."
She turned around slowly and looked into my eyes. I exhaled, feeling the weight of what I'd done to her.
"I waited for you." She sounded calm now, which oddly felt more uncomfortable. "I get it," she said. "You can't be with me all the time. I don't expect that. I shouldn't expect that."
I opened my mouth to reply, but I couldn't come up with the right words. So, I said nothing.
She glanced over to Nithia, who was sitting quietly on the bed, with her knees up and her arms wrapped around them. "I've been putting off dealing with the Order," Alara said. "I miss the sisters I lost." She averted her eyes from Nithia to the ground. "I'm sorry, Nithia."
"It's okay," she said. "I miss her too. I know how you must feel about losing the others, along with my sister."
Alara nodded, still looking at the floor.
"I haven't had anyone in my life for a long time," I said. I gently touched beneath her chin and eased her to look up at me. "Until you brought me here to you." I glanced to Nithia. "To both of you."
I waited for her to respond, as I watched her eyes study mine.
"I'm new to this," I said. "I may make some mistakes, but I'm committed to all three of you."
"And those other women?" she said.
"Monica and Victoria?"
"Uh huh," she said. "And the other ones from your world."
I hesitated to say it, but I knew I had to rescue them, to send them back to Earth. "I'm their only way home." I shrugged apologetically.
She seemed to be thinking about my answer for a moment. "No. You're right. That's something you have to do."
"So, we're good?" I eyed her chest, though her breasts were now hidden beneath her shirt. "I'd love to see that new outfit again."
She chuckled slightly. "I bet you would."
Hot damn.
"But," she patted my chest. "I think I'm going to go hang out with Tara and the others tonight."
Whoa. What just happened?
"Yeah?" I said.
She rolled her lips inward with her mouth closed, and she nodded.
"Okay. Your call." I glanced to Nithia, then back to Alara with what I thought was a brilliant plan in mind. "Maybe all could spend the night over there…and you could still show me that new outfit again."
She patted my chest a little harder. "Keep dreaming, Den. Not tonight." She turned to Nithia. "You should stay with him. I think he's feeling needy."
Wait. How'd she turn that around? A minute ago, she was the one…
"I can do that," Nithia said.
"Good." Alara walked away from me and toward the door. "I want to get to know Monica and Victoria better. Who knows, maybe they'll decide to stay in Galderia."
I wondered if she was thinking about them for the Order of Carnera.
"She's not the only one who got new underwear," Nithia said, making me lose focus on what Alara's plans might be. I looked back to her. She had risen onto her knees, with her legs tucked under her. She raised her eyebrows twice then smiled at me.
"Den," Alara said, as she opened the door.
"Huh?" I looked at her again.
"We're fine. I just need some girl company tonight." She glanced past me to Nithia, then looked at me again. "And so do you. You two have fun. I'll see you in the morning."
I raised my hand to wave but just held it there. I was confused but the last few minutes. She went out and shut the door.
"Dennn," Nithia said, seductively. "Come here. I want to show you something."
I turned around.
"What's that," I said, playing dumb.
"Well," she said, putting her hand on her shirt over her breast. "I have this problem." She started rubbing herself through the shirt. "I think I might need you to help me see what's wrong."
Oh, shit.
"Yeah." I stepped closer. "I did take a CPR course one time. I think that qualifies me to…give you a proper examination."
She certainly had no idea what 'CPR' meant, but she got the gist of what
I said. "Oh, okay, then. I should probably lie down." She demurred and batted her eyelashes at me. "Does that sound right?"
"Oh, yes. That's exactly what you should do."
As her head touched the pillow, she moved her hand down from her chest across her stomach then between her legs. "I just hurt all over, Den. I really need you to help me."
There's no porn in Galderia, is there? I didn't know where she'd come up with her routine, but it was doing something for me. That much was sure.
I walked around to the side of the bed, watching her hand move up and down slowly between her legs.
"You know," I said. "I can't properly check out what's going on with all that on." I glanced at her pants and shirt.
She nodded. "Could you?"
"Miss," I said. "I'm here to help you. Don't you worry."
I reached down and loosened the waist of her pants. "Here's your problem."
"What's that?"
I chuckled, breaking character. I couldn't help it. "You've got too damn many clothes on. That's what."
She laughed, then affected a faux-serious look and pouted her lips. "You need to do something. And hurry."
Her acting skills were spot on for a porn movie, which is to say they needed work. But, similarly, I wasn't into right now for her drama chops.
"Let's fast forward," I said, taking hold of her pants at the waist and peeling them down. I hooked my thumbs under the edge of her panties to take them down at the same time, but she grabbed my hands.
"No," she said.
"No?" I stopped.
"I want you to see them on me first. I got them for you."
"Oh, right. Sorry." I pulled my thumbs out from under her panties and continued removing her pants. She helped me by doing a little flutter kick so I could get them off her ankles.
"Those are nice," I said, looking at the light blue panties on her. They rode up high on the sides of her legs, but were cut low around her waist, actually sitting lower than her waist, only an inch above the blond I knew was below.
She held a finger up. "Hold on." She sat up and pulled her top off, tossing it onto the floor beside the bed.
Swing and Thrust: A Harem Fantasy (Sword and Sorority Book 2) Page 3