Beth and the Barbarian

by Honey Phillips

  “Did he touch you?” Dragar demanded, staring down into Beth’s eyes. His hands clamped down on her shoulders.

  “The prince?”

  “No, Kievan.” His fingers were hard on her shoulders but Beth didn’t think he was angry with her. How much should she tell him? Kievan was still tense and waiting.

  Beth bit her lip. “He held me when the prince was there. And in the elevator.” Dragar growled and started to raise his hands. She grabbed them and placed a swift kiss on each one. “It’s fine. He was a gentleman.”

  Kievan raised a somewhat mocking brow but his tension eased. Dragar’s eyes darkened. “I don’t like his scent on you, little one.”

  “It doesn’t need to be now that you’re here.” She smiled and he kissed her again.

  “We really don’t have time for that,” Kievan drawled.

  “What’s happening?”

  “As I was saying, Prince Ustrod paid me a visit. He wants to buy you from me.”

  “You don’t own me.”

  “That didn’t seem to bother him.” Kievan looked at Dragar. “I wonder why he’s so interested.”

  Dragar shook his head. “I have no idea.”

  “Interesting. He gave me an hour to produce you. I suggest you depart immediately.”

  “What’s going to happen to you when you don’t send me to him?”

  Kievan contemplated his nails. “It will probably be unpleasant. But I have a couple of downed guards and an appropriately bloody trail. Since he was so impressed by your fighting skills, he shouldn’t be too surprised by your escape.”

  “Maybe I should stay. Together we could convince him that he doesn’t want me.”

  A sudden fierce grin crossed Kievan’s face. “Tempting. But where princes travel, Imperial Guards are not far behind. I have no desire to see my station blown to pieces.”

  Dragar hesitated and Kievan sighed. “Take your mate and leave. I should mention that Prince Ustrod also expressed an interest in her. He wants me to let him know when she has been trained.”

  Dragar growled and pulled Beth back against his chest.

  “Exactly.” Kievan nodded. “Now go.”

  “Thank you, my friend.” Releasing Beth, Dragar extended his hand to Kievan. The other man looked startled but stepped forward and clasped his arm. “If things get too hot for you here, come find me.”

  “On that primitive new planet?” Kievan shuddered slightly. “Not appealing.”

  Dragar laughed and turned to the ship. Before he could head for the ladder, Beth stepped toward Kievan. She looked at Dragar. “Stay there.”

  Not waiting for his response, she reached up and kissed Kievan lightly on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said softly.

  His face softened slightly. A twisted smile crossed his face, even though they could both hear Dragar starting to growl again. “If you get tired of him, just let me know.”

  She only had time to grin at him before Dragar snatched her away, threw her over his shoulder, and started up the ladder. Beth raised her head enough to wave at Kievan before she smacked Dragar’s butt.

  “I can climb a ladder by myself, you know.”

  He growled and kept climbing. Inside the cabin, he dropped her unceremoniously into the co-pilot’s chair and fastened the restraints.

  “As soon as we are away from here, you will remove his scent.”

  “Are you jealous?”

  “Do I need to be?” He was setting the controls and didn’t look at her. Beth reached over and laid her fingers over his.

  “Never. I love you, Dragar.”

  She felt the tension leave his fingers. “I love you too, little one.” He squeezed her hand and placed in back in her lap. “But you’re still taking a shower.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  As soon as the ship left the station, Dragar sent Beth to the san. Their mating bond was still too new; Kievan’s scent on her scraped at his nerves. He watched the controls but there were no signs of pursuit. The possibility that Keivan had tricked them—sending them off the station so that he could disclaim responsibility—crossed his mind but he discarded it. For whatever reason, Kievan had decided to help them. He just hoped the price Kievan would have to pay for assisting them wouldn’t be too high.

  “Is he going to be all right?” Beth’s question echoed his thoughts. She stood behind him and slipped her soft arms around his neck. He smiled as her sweet scent enveloped him, no longer tainted by the other man.

  “I don’t know. He’s very clever and he has a lot of connections. But challenging a member of the Royal House is always dangerous.”

  “Why did the prince want you?”

  “I have no idea,” he admitted. “I have heard rumors that he has his own fight pit. It’s certainly not unheard to coerce someone to fight, but they don’t usually trouble Sardorans.”

  “Maybe he was just impressed by how amazing you are.” Beth’s voice was a low purr as she started nibbling her way along his neck. His cock, already half-erect from her soft touch and delectable fragrance, sprang to full attention. He spun around and pulled her into his lap.

  “What are you wearing?” His voice deepened. A band of red fabric circled her hips, starting low on her waist and ending high on her thighs. Another band clung to her breasts but did little to conceal the pert mounds or the puckered nipples thrusting against the thin cloth.

  She giggled. “Someone left me a package of clothes. There are a few new things, plus everything I wore on the station—including the chain outfit.”

  Apparently he could get harder. Then he frowned. “I should provide for you.”

  “Do you want me to take this off?” She ran her fingers across the top of the breast band, pushing it down until it caught on the ripe bud of her nipple. He put his hand over hers, groaning as he felt the plump peak press against his fingers.

  “I need to set the autopilot first.”

  “Mm.” She nestled back against him, tracing the edge of his vest. Her fingers moved more and more slowly and he felt her tension even before she spoke. “Dragar, who was Ingirun?”

  The fear he hadn’t felt in the arena settled over him. He had left this part out when he had told her about Trillium.

  “She was a warrior.”

  “And you were going to claim her?”

  “We were in negotiations,” he admitted.

  “Did…did you love her?” Her voice trembled.

  He sighed, trying to decide how to explain, and felt her begin to pull away as she misinterpreted his reaction. His hands tightened. “No, little one. I didn’t love her.”

  “But you were negotiating a claim?”

  “It was an advantageous match. Her clan had a long history.” He wondered if Beth had any idea how much that would have meant to him at that point in his life. To have gone from homeless child to an alliance with one of the highest ranked clans on Sardor. “And I wanted a mate, a home.”

  He raised her chin, his heart hurting when he saw the tears in her eyes. “But she would never have been my true mate. I know that now. I love you, Beth, more than I ever realized was possible.”

  A watery smile broke through before she bit her lip. “What happened to her?”

  “As Kievan so kindly pointed out, she was part of the contingent on Trillium. I told her to leave and she refused. We argued.” He didn’t tell her that Ingirun had accused him of cowardice and dishonor. “Even if she had survived, there would have been no further negotiations. But I should have found a way to save her.”

  “Oh, Dragar. You can’t save everybody.” She pulled his head down and kissed him so sweetly that his pain and guilt drifted away. When at last he raised his head, they were both smiling.

  She settled back into his arms. “So, where are we going?”

  The question startled him. He hadn’t really thought about it; he had just planned on resuming course for Sardor Two. Working for Jakkar wouldn’t be as profitable as taking a mercenary contract, but at least Beth would be with him. No
w her question made him think again. Was that really where he wanted to go? Where he needed to go? He turned the options over in his mind.

  “I want to take you to Sardor.” he said finally.

  “Sardor? Why?”

  “I want to record our mating.”

  “What?” Beth shot up straight. “Rianen told me that our mating wouldn’t be recognized.”

  “Perhaps not.” Her eyes were wide and frightened and he smiled at her. “But it should be. I intend to speak to that effect.”

  “Speak?”

  “In the Place of Judgment.”

  “But…but if they don’t recognize it, couldn’t they declare you Outcast again?”

  “They could. But it doesn’t matter.” He tried to find the words to explain. “Last time I thought I had made the right decision but I wasn’t sure. I doubted myself and I didn’t fight the sentence. This time I know I’m right. I love you. You are my mate and I want everyone to recognize that. I will fight for you.”

  “But what if you lose?”

  “Then I will be declared Outcast again.” He sighed. “It will hurt me but not as much as it would hurt me to know that I didn’t fight for you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears and she stroked his scarred cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, little one. As soon as I set the autopilot, I’m going to prove just how much.”

  Dragar opened the view screens as the ship approached Sardor, and Beth stared in silent fascination at the approaching planet. It was both like and unlike the pictures she had seen of Earth from space. She could recognize land masses but these were heavy and dark, ranging in color from bronze to black. The oceans were pale, swirling sheets of gray and green. Instead of white clouds, the planet was veiled by streaks of red mist, deepening to an opaque crimson over several large areas. There was a harsh beauty to the sight but she shivered, suddenly aware of how far she was from everything she had ever known. Dragar had been watching her face and pulled her over into his lap. She cuddled against his warm body and took comfort in his strength.

  They sat in silence as the planet grew larger until, at last, a voice broke into the quiet cabin demanding identification.

  “Chief Dragar, Clan Leijona,” Dragar responded. He followed by reeling off a series of identification numbers.

  There was a long silence. Dragar’s hand tightened on the armrest.

  “Permission to land granted. Proceed to Ballara Spaceport.”

  “I intended to land directly at Leijona Home.”

  Another long silence. “Are you alone?”

  The armrest started to bend. “No. My mate is with me.”

  “Proceed to Ballara Spaceport. Sardor Control out.”

  “What’s going on?” Beth whispered.

  “I don’t know. The only two people who know that you are with me are Jakkar and Kievan.” He sighed. “Damn. I hoped to keep this quiet until it was time to make my claim, but it looks like it’s too late for that.” He looked down at her frightened face and hugged her. “Don’t worry, little one. Everything will be fine.”

  She tried to smile but it must not have been much of an effort. Dragar ran a finger down her cheek, then bent his head and kissed her until the only thing that existed was his mouth on hers. By the time he lifted his head, her smile was genuine.

  Reluctantly she returned to her chair and strapped in for the landing. As at Sigrast, control of the ship was handed to a landing beacon as soon as they were within range. Beth caught brief glimpses of towering black mountains against a reddish sky before they flew into the top level of a vast hangar complex. The ship slid quietly to a halt.

  “Come on, little one.” Dragar helped her out of the chair. He hesitated at the airlock and she lifted a brow.

  “Are you going to let me climb down by myself?”

  “I don’t want to but I want my hands free.” He reached into the locker next to the door and removed his weapons. Speechless, she watched as he strapped on a shoulder holster in addition to his usual knives.

  “You’re not making me feel any better.”

  “We’re planet-side now. This is my usual gear.”

  “Maybe you should give me one since I’m dressed as a warrior.”

  Dragar looked her up and down with the slow warmth that heated her blood. Kievan had provided her with an outfit much like Rianen’s with tight leather pants and a laced halter but the leather was a soft silvery shade.

  “Nothing can make you look like a warrior, little one. You’re far too delectable.”

  She blushed and he cupped her cheek before opening the airlock. He took two steps down the ladder and then leaned back far enough that she could climb down beneath him. During the rest of the brief descent, he kept his body between her and the rest of the hangar. His protection was comforting but the fact that he felt the need to do so was not.

  At the bottom, he turned, keeping her tucked against him. The hangar was a vast space, with reddish light flowing in from high windows in the walls. She could hear activity from one end but the area where they had landed was quiet. Their boot heels rang on the metal floor as they crossed to a large curved opening. Through the arch, a gate barred their passage, with a glass enclosed booth to one side. A Sardoran warrior stood inside, frowning at them.

  “Chief Dragar. Who is this female? I don’t recognize the species.”

  “This is Beth. She is human. She is my mate.”

  The man’s frown remained. Beth lifted her chin as he studied her, taking in the outfit and flicking over her mating cuffs. “That’s not possible. Unless you have a business contract with her, you must declare her as a slave.”

  Dragar growled. “She is my mate. I have come to record my claim—and to make a statement in the Place of Judgment.”

  The guard shook his head. “It is forbidden for her to enter. If you do not declare her as your slave, then she will be held as a prisoner.”

  “I will not be separated from her.” Dragar’s hand moved to his holster and the guard paled. He made a furtive movement and little red lights suddenly appeared on the inside of the arch. Beth’s throat was dry. This was not going well.

  “Maybe I should go with them,” she whispered. “You can make your argument and come back and get me.”

  “It’s not going to happen.” He wouldn’t even look at her so she slipped in front of him, keeping away from the holster.

  “Dragar, I can live with being in jail. I can’t live with you getting killed because of me.”

  He gave her one quick glance. His eyes had paled but his smile was as gentle as ever. “I’m not letting you go, little one.”

  A lump filled her throat but she nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist.

  “What does she have on her back?” the guard suddenly demanded.

  Startled, Beth looked over her shoulder at the man. He was staring at her back. “It’s my clan mark.”

  “You went through the Claiming Ceremony?”

  “Yes,” Dragar said. “I told you she was my mate. We performed the full traditional ceremony. I even have a witness.” Despite the gravity of the situation, his lip curved.

  “Which is why you are here to record the claim?”

  “That’s what I said. Are you going to let us proceed?”

  There was a moment of silence. Beth could see the man’s lips moving but couldn’t hear any words. Apparently the booth could be sound proof when necessary.

  “You will wait here,” the guard ordered. He raised his hand when Dragar started to object. “Someone is coming for you. It will not be long.”

  Dragar subsided, although his body remained tense. Beth moved closer and he tucked her under his arm, keeping his other hand on his weapon.

  “What’s happening?” she whispered.

  He raised a shoulder. “I assume they are sending a welcoming committee.”

  Looking down at her worried face, he smiled. “Do not be concerned. If they are coming to tell me that I’m not welcome, it give
s me an opportunity to convince them.”

  “We could leave and you could try again from Sardor Two.”

  “If I have to, I will. But you deserve this, little one. So we will wait.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  The wait seemed interminable, but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes before Dragar stiffened. Through the gateway, she could see a small group of Sardorans approaching, led by a large bronze warrior. As soon as they were close enough to recognize, Dragar relaxed.

  “Open the gate,” the stranger demanded.

  “Are you taking responsibility, Controller Jakkar?” the guard asked.

  “Of course. Chief Dragar is a valued member of Clan Leijona. I have never had reason to doubt his honor.” Jakkar looked directly at Dragar as he spoke and Beth felt the slight shudder that ran through his body, although he maintained his usual stern expression.

  “Very well.” The guard opened the gate and they stepped through.

  Dragar walked through without another glance at the man, keeping Beth against his side until they reached the small group of warriors. Dragar and Jakkar clasped arms and she could feel the affection between them.

  “It is good to see you, my friend,” Jakkar said before looking at her. “Apparently you have returned from Earth with more than just news.”

  “I did,” Dragar said proudly, and drew her forward. “This is my mate, Beth.”

  Beth started to extend her hand, but Dragar immediately pulled her back against his side.

  Jakkar laughed. “I am pleased to meet you, Beth.”

  “Not that I’m not pleased to see you,” Dragar said. “But what are you doing here, Jakkar?”

  “When I received your message, I realized that I should have done the same thing long ago. I also thought that some assistance might be helpful.” He gestured at the other warriors. “The rest of our squad agreed.”

  Each warrior came up to Dragar and clasped his arm while he murmured his thanks, shooting brief, curious glances at Beth in the process. None of them said anything to her and she felt curiously shy, although they were projecting nothing more than curiosity, spiked with harmless lust, and a very obvious respect for Dragar.