Trooper motioned her to follow when she finished. He took her to the smaller room and sat her on the bed. He spread his hands indicating she was to stay put. This time when he took off Adan knew he was in search of Blu. Blu would have some dilemma. She knew there was no way in hell he would mate with the bird in the air. He couldn’t kill the creature or he’d never find her. After the freezing cold set in during the night Adan was certain without Trooper to keep her warm she would freeze to death at this altitude when night settled.
Having her own dilemma, Adan wasn’t certain what to do. Blu mentioned a male didn’t keep a female for long, for fear of them falling to their death. Perhaps young male air dancers lured a female out in hopes of mating, but because of their small size they wouldn’t be able to fly with a female. The male would have to drop her. Which was what the young male’s father was probably explaining to the youth as he was being dragged away.
Adan wondered what the air dancer would do with her once he realized Blu wouldn’t mate with him. Hopefully he would give her back. With her thoughts spinning in her head, Adan wondered if she’d die of boredom. There wasn’t a single thing to do in the nest. She supposed she could climb back outside, but after witnessing the youth’s attempt to coax her out she wondered if it would be safer to stay put.
For a while she paced. Adan gathered a few small twigs and wound them together to create a small broom. She swept the eating area free of old food and decided to air out the feathered fur in the small nest. A small sound caught her attention. Adan spun toward the entry and blinked. Alaric stood gazing at her. He hadn’t morphed but was huge. When he moved closer his muscles bunched under his skin. Adan gulped. There was no escape.
“The Tonan hired you,” Adan said.
“Nope.”
“The Braxians?” She was hopeful.
“Guess again.”
There was only one other reason. Alaric wanted to ransom her off. What he did with her in the meantime would be anyone’s guess. The Braxians wanted her to mate. As Adan backed away she didn’t think they would care who she mated with and would be pleased if she came to them pregnant. She wondered if a female assassin were lurking. The mountain was monstrous. The spikes on Alaric’s feet had given him an edge.
“I won’t kill you, female,” Alaric said. “I have more interesting plans.”
Adan gripped the broom in her hands. She knew she looked ridiculous. Alaric wasn’t going to touch her. She took a deep breath and wished with all her heart the broom was a witch’s and capable of flight. Gritting her teeth, Adan ran at him.
“Alakazam.”
Chapter 8
Blu watched the skies. He had covered his body in the most disgusting smelling ‘mud’ he had ever had the misfortune of Veikko coming across. Blu wrinkled his nose and gazed over at Veikko.
“You’re positive this will work?”
“You’re green and you smell so bad even your own mother wouldn’t recognize your scent.” Veikko smiled at him.
“This is mud, right?”
“Sure.”
Blu had his doubts. A dot formed in the distance. As it came closer, Blu could make out the contours of an air dancer. It floated effortlessly toward him and hovered. The being cocked its head, then sneezed. The wriggling lips formed a fine line of distaste. To Blu’s relief it kept its distance.
“Make the noise,” Veikko urged.
A strangled sound came from deep within Blu’s throat for mere moments before he stopped. “I sound ridiculous,” he complained.
“I told you, it’s the noise a mother air dancer makes if she’s lost her child.”
Blu gritted his teeth then made the noise again. The air dancer flew closer opened its arms, paused and sneezed again. He flapped around Blu, undecided. Veikko said if the air dancer refused the mother, he would return the child, or Adan in this case, they hoped. The air dancer came closer until it was face to face with Blu. The air dancer shook its head sadly and flew up into the sky.
“Congratulations, you’re too damned disgusting even for a desperate prospective mate,” Veikko said.
“It had better return Adan to me.”
“It will, we need to wait. He might keep her for a day or two but will realize without the mother there to protect her while in the nest she is susceptible to young air dancers.”
“What the hell? You mean it’s true the young males try and lure the young females out? Why didn’t you mention that before?”
“Seemed irrelevant at the time.”
“Ass wipe.”
“Look out.”
Blu spun and ducked at the same time. They were under attack by two assassins, both males. Veikko battled a scaled green beast. Blu was attacked by a slimy covered upright creature. Scum dripped from the being, Blu’s senses told him it was toxic but his skin wouldn’t allow the toxins to enter. It would be deadly to Adan. It meant Blu was battling an assassin who wanted her dead. Veikko had informed Blu when two assassins were contracted it didn’t mean they worked together. If one was successful he would get both rewards.
“Give me the female.”
The Zargonnii words were crude to Blu’s ears but he understood the slimy being. “Not happening.”
“Then die.”
A ball of scum was tossed at Blu’s face in a small wave; his eyes set it aflame before it reached him, ashes dropped to the ground. The assassin roared in pain when Blu centered his gaze on him. The creature was not immune to fire and soon his entire body was burning while he flailed. In desperation, the assassin ran at Blu. Blu’s eyes sliced him in half at the hips. The assassin’s body slid apart.
Veikko and the scaled lizard continued to fight. “Go,” Veikko yelled.
“The air dancer,” Blu yelled back.
“The air dancer won’t give her to anyone but you. Go, with your stench it can find you.”
Comforting.
Blu took off. The day was waning. If the air dancer brought Adan back, he needed shelter for her. The terrain he covered moved swiftly under his harried feet. If two assassins had found them others would follow. Blu hoped Veikko killed the lizard. It had to be one of the assassins the Tonan hired.
Blu slipped into a small cave. He eyed the green leaves on the ground. He strode forward to stand in the middle. The leaves closed over him.
“Lower,” Blu said.
The leaves lowered. All he had to do was wait. Blu stepped outside of the cave making himself visible to the sky. He would get Adan back, he had to. And he would mate her. No more waiting, she was his. Blu’s feelings were too strong. Even if a real mating hadn’t taken place with his seed sealing the deal, she was his. He had wanted to die when she had jumped. His nightmare was Adan falling to her death before his eyes. He squeezed his eyes closed.
“Adan,” he whispered. “Please come back to me.”
* * * *
Adan tried to dodge past Alaric. As she ran toward the opening of the nest, Alaric ran up the inside of the nest, his spiked feet dangling him from the ceiling. She whacked him in the face with the broom when he lifted her off her feet. She kicked and punched at his massive body until her fists hurt. Alaric lifted her, his fist in her vest pulling them face to face. Adan spit at him. Alaric tossed her to the ground and placed a knee across her chest pinning her. Adan gaped as her spittle absorbed into his skin. He smiled and touched her hair. Adan could no longer kick at him, if she brought her legs up her thighs would be impaled by his foot spikes. Her hands rested on either side of her head.
“What will it be, little human. Should I give you to the Tonan who is hot and bothered to kill you? Or should I mate with you and send you to the Braxians carrying my offspring? The air dancers are breeding which leaves a certain desirable smell in the air. Your taste is intoxicating and flowing through my blood, lighting up a heated trail. Look.”
Adan watched the spot where her spit absorbed sizzle to life, a lit fuse traveled down his chin to his throat, for a second she was certain she watched the thumping of hi
s heart at his chest wall. Lower the sizzling trail traveled, until it slipped past his waist.
“Guess where it ends up?” Adan knew and she was freaking out. “I’m told the assassins the Braxians hired if Veikko failed would like to mate you. If they return you in a breeding state they will gain far more. Now the fortune will be mine. If I mate you I won’t give you to the Tonan. I’m cruel, even evil, but I have been known to take care of my children.”
Adan was hard-pressed to wonder what would sleep with this thing. Adan knew no matter what she would return with Blu. If Braxians were cruel enough to send assassins to breed with her before they returned her, she wanted nothing to do with them. She didn’t care if she had to wait for Blu forever. Loving him and staying with him would be enough. He would find her a place and watch over her. It wasn’t perfect but anything was better than the hell staring her in the face.
When she balled a fist and sent it toward his chin Alaric grabbed her wrists. Spikes shot out to cover his face.
“I can see it will be interesting to keep you safe from me,” Alaric said as though pondering. He studied her hand. “Our females are durable, and deadly. They have been breeding less and less. I think the overseers are getting worried. Who knows, they may tempt their assassins with gifts of human females.”
The idea sickened Adan. The assassins she had met so far excluding Veikko were disgusting and brutal. Veikko was creepy enough but possessed compassion. The spikes disappeared off Alaric’s face. He gazed behind him and Adan saw his foot spikes also disappear. He grinned at her.
“Do your worst little female. I can’t wait.”
Adan brought up her knee and hoofed him in the balls. Alaric sucked in air, but still grinned. For a second, more of his weight pushed Adan to the floor. She couldn’t breathe. Alaric watched her as she struggled and he eased his weight.
“Your windpipe is clearly vulnerable. Good to know. I will refrain from harming you there.”
With one hand he turned her face to either side, squeezing until she winced. His hand moved to touch a breast and she flailed wildly. Alaric stopped before touching her. His gaze was thoughtful.
“I mated one female whose breastplate tried to sever my wrist. It appears you have no breastplate. In fact you have nothing in the way of defenses. I’ve never seen such a vulnerable throat. One squeeze and you would be dead. I’m uncertain the Braxians will want you if you can only give them some of my skills with your offspring. Unless they want a completely helpless half human spawn to study and breed.”
Alaric slid a hand under her shirt up her side. His hand stayed away from her breast roaming to below her armpit. For single second she felt a stinging sensation in the spot he touched.
“Get off me fuck head,” Adan bellowed.
“Ah yes, it must be your charming wit-filled intelligent words the overseers desire.” Alaric removed his hand from inside her shirt and grinned.
Adan was panicking, her thoughts focused on Alaric. A small headache began to form wishing with all her might Trooper would return and take her to Blu. Harder she concentrated until she gazed behind him. Her fear vanished with her headache.
“I think you better get off of me.”
“I like it here.” His words were a slow drawl.
“You won’t for long. Daddy’s home and he looks pissed.”
Alaric turned as Trooper’s talons clawed his back. Adan yelped when Alaric shifted with his attempt to escape. The pressure on her chest and belly hurt, reminding her the clothes she wore were indestructible but she wasn’t. Alaric jumped up and Adan rolled away. Trooper circled him keeping Adan behind him. Her sweet little bird creature morphed into Godzilla. From its flat fuzzy face a sharp, hooked, black beak sprouted. The clawed hands that had caressed her cheeks earlier were twice as big, forming single hammering fists. All four of its wings were no longer cuddly soft but razor sharp. The entire being turned a dark purple.
When Trooper attacked, Alaric was grabbed by its inner wings and pulled to a hard breastplate chest while it mauled him. Trooper wasted no time. He fled the nest with the assassin in tow. Adan raced to watch the fight out the door. Alaric twisted from Trooper, swinging his feet to the outside of the nest; he managed a tight hold and pulled free from the bird. He ran straight up to the top, obviously trying to escape across the wood and mud bridge. Trooper flew at him, claws ripping at his arms, trying to dislodge Alaric. The two were a whirlwind of motion. Trooper backed up. From her position, practically hanging from the opening, Adan could see Alaric standing on the top of the nest gazing from Trooper to the bridge. With a roar, Trooper swooped as fast as he could nailing Alaric in the gut. Wood ripped out from beneath Alaric’s spiked feet. Both went spinning in the air somersaulting and tumbling. Alaric swung at the powerful bird creature, but if he killed Trooper he would fall to his death. If he let go of Trooper, he would fall to his death.
Adan bit a fingernail as the pair fought in front of the nest opening. She didn’t want Trooper to die; she also didn’t want to stay forever in a nest being thought of as an air dancer’s baby. The fight was the most vicious thing Adan had ever witnessed. Alaric ripped out hunks of furry feathers from the underside of Trooper’s wings. The spikes on the bottom of his feet thrashed, trying to shred the bird. Trooper’s beak stabbed Alaric in the forehead making a huge dent. He then plucked off two of the spikes at his cheek while Alaric howled.
Alaric grabbed an inner wing and twisted, flipping the air dancer over a shoulder. Trooper screamed as his wing was broken. Trooper’s clawed feet grabbed Alaric by each thigh and tried to rip him in half. A fist smashed between Alaric’s legs against his vulnerability. Alaric let go of Trooper. Adan covered her mouth as she watched Alaric freefall, face up, arms and legs spread, spiraling to his death. He watched her as he fell until she lost sight of him as the green gas closed over him.
Limping and injured, Trooper entered the nest. He fell to the ground in his normal form. Adan rushed to him. She grabbed a few of the twigs on the ground and using material from her skin vest she tore off strips to make a splint for his wing. Trooper seemed surprised. Adan ran a finger down his cheek. Trooper sat quietly for a few moments before standing. He gathered Adan to his chest and left the nest.
They flew for a while before Trooper began circling an area beneath the gas. As the powerful alien came into view, Adan knew it was Blu. He was on the ground waiting for them. Trooper landed a few feet from Blu. The bird creature pressed Adan to his chest, sneezed in Blu’s direction and took flight. Adan raced to Blu and stopped short.
“Good God, what the hell were you rolling in?” Adan asked.
“I’m not altogether certain,” he replied.
“The gas smells better than you.”
She looked at her proud, smelly green warrior and laughed. Blu waved her into the cave and settled her just outside the leaves.
“I’m going to wash. The rain may be green but when it stops the sediment in it settles and the water turns clear in the ponds. There’s one nearby. Give me a few minutes then lower the leaves.”
Adan stepped into the center of the leaves and lost sight of Blu as they closed. She counted out ten minutes and asked the leaves to lower. Blu stood in front of her holding two orange round balls of fruit, split in half. One was scooped out and held clear water. Gratefully Adan accepted the offerings. She smiled cheekily.
“What, no horny dance to woo and bedazzle me?”
“I can show you a dance,” Blu said.
Adan sat down, guzzled the water and nibbled some of her fruit. The water bowl was set off to the side. “Go ahead, amaze me.”
Blu took the food and stripped her shirt from her. He frowned and traced a long red mark from her chest to her belly.
“What happened?”
“I’m fine. Alaric paid me a visit in the air dancer’s nest. Those birds are cool when pissed.”
Blu looked thunderous. “Bastard, I’ll kill him.”
“He’s already dead. The air dancer killed
him.”
Adan rubbed her hands on Blu’s chest. His red eyes glowed, making a soft light, better than any candle. She loved his possessiveness and protectiveness. In the leaf pod, Blu could change from battle mode. His wild hair settled, his teeth were no longer daggers. His hand gripped one of hers and he tenderly kissed her palm.
“I was so worried,” Blu said. “I’m so sorry.”
“None of this is your fault.”
“You almost died because of me.”
“Not because of you, for you.”
“There’s something I need to tell you, something we need to do. Something important.”
Blu’s words were hard to hear. A hard pounding of thunder rent the air, making Adan jump and she tried not to panic. Another storm was brewing. The rains were deadly, the grounds might open. The leaf pod they were in began rocking. A storm was how they were separated before. The idea was terrifying to Adan, she couldn’t lose him again.
“Blu?”
“Veikko told me nothing can penetrate this pod. Underneath it’s attached to an unbreakable vine; it will simply float with the water and retreat back when the water retreats.”
“I’m inside the guts of a giant lily pad,” Adan muttered, then louder, “Great. When will we know if we can open the plant?”
“The plant won’t open unless it feels safe. It doesn’t only protect the occupants.”
They sat for a moment feeling the pod rise and fall with the water. The upper leaves tipped but the plant didn’t slide over. Under her ass Adan’s flesh was kneaded with waves. The leaves allowed for flexibility and for a second Adan thought she was on a tilt-a-whirl. They whipped to one side, stopped then swung back in the opposite direction.
“This is going to get annoying,” she said.
A hard wave under her ass sent her flying. Adan was thrown into Blu’s arms.
“Very annoying,” he said and tipped his face to kiss her.
“We’re in a green sail boat,” Adan said when they parted. “Can’t you hear that freaking rain? We must have floated from the cave. It sounds awful.”
Cautious Surrender Page 9