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Unleashing Her Saber
Rebekah R. Ganiere
Contents
Newsletter
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilogue
Taming His Saber
Taming His Saber
About the Author
Other Works
Unleashing Her Saber Copyright © 2018 Rebekah R. Ganiere
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are fictitious and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Unleashing Her Saber
Copyright © 2018 Rebekah R. Ganiere
ISBN: 978-1-63300-030-8
Cover art by Rebekah R. Ganiere
To every Saint who has a past, and every Sinner who has a future.
To find out more about Rebekah R. Ganiere and her other Upcoming Releases click here:
www.RebekahGaniere.com/Newsletter
Chapter 1
Satia sat in the middle of the fragrant clearing gazing at the pregnant moon. Her heart ached at the differences between her new home and the one she'd known her whole life. The colors. The smells. The tastes. All of them different. Only in the quiet moments alone running as a saber could she enjoy what Earth had to offer.
Memories of pain and torture flooded her, but she pushed them down, refusing to let them ruin her moment of serenity. Six months on Earth, six months, and the nightmares began to cease. The pain had dulled and the scars mostly healed. But the ever-present panic had become like a silent shadow continually clouding her decisions. Saber Mountain Lodge had been a serene retreat from her new world, and yet she couldn't shake the fear that at some point the Obsidian Mountain clan would return to finish them all off- or worse, claim her as tribute. No matter who Razor was.
The men had been more than kind to her. They'd regarded her like a little sister. And yet all of their concern, their kindness had begun to slowly smother her in the last months.
For as much as her nightmares and fear terrified her it had also begun to set a flame of anger deep inside. She hated being this way. Afraid all the time. Running like a rabbit here and there, jumping at new sights and sounds. So she stared up at the sky and breathed deep. The time had come. She needed to conquer her fear before it destroyed her. She could no longer sit in the shadows and pray for the terrors to subside. She needed to do something about it. She needed to get out and face her new life head-on. And she knew just the woman to help her.
Gerri Wilder.
Stix stared at his hands.
"You see," said his mother. "You see what I deal with? He won't date. He won't look at a female. He won't mate. Eight years I've waited for him to do something and he hasn't. So I come to you now and beg for help."
Stix shook his head. He couldn't believe he was sitting in the matchmaker's apartment listening to his mother tattle on him like he was a teen again skipping school.
His mother nudged him and he gazed up into her soft round face. She pointed across the way, and Stix swung his gaze to the tiny woman with eyes sharp as knives and a mind even sharper. A woman whose very presence commanded respect, even though she didn't even come up to Stix's shoulder.
Gerri stared at him for a long moment running the top of her finger around the rim of her teacup.
"Marris why don't you give me a moment alone with the boy. I'll see if I can talk some sense into him."
Stix's mother nodded. Without a word she walked to the apartment door and exited.
"So," said Gerri, her eyes never leaving his face. "You intend on leaving your mother in such a state?"
Stix opened his mouth, but then closed it. He didn't know what to say. In truth, he'd never found an ursa female that he got on with. The ones he'd met had been more about open relationships and bearing young than they had about actually finding a mate. What he wanted was a woman... not so worldly. Someone to take care of.
"Do you want a mate?" asked Gerri. "Or are you here to appease your mother?"
Stix snorted. "A little of both."
Gerri nodded. "Well, at least you're honest. Honest shifters I can work with."
"I've heard the tales from hundreds of shifters, but I tell you, there isn't a bear on the east coast I am interested in."
"Who says it needs to be a bear?" asked Gerri. "There are many other species. Wolves, dragons, panthers, sabers-"
"Sabers? I met a saber a while back. Affina. I thought she was the last of the females."
"No. Several sabers came through after Affina. A female and a few males."
"Interesting."
Gerri continued to stare at him. "That's beside the point. So, you've never had a girlfriend before? Never had a relationship with someone of the opposite sex?"
"Define relationship," Stix snorted.
Gerri's eyes flashed, and Stix swallowed hard.
"Sorry. I meant no disrespect. No, ma'am. I've been on dates. I've..." He cleared his throat. "Had relations. But I've never had a prolonged relationship with anyone. The closest I've ever come was with a female a few years back, but it lasted less than a year. She was a bit too crazy for my taste."
Gerri stood abruptly, and Stix jumped to his feet.
"All right I think I've got the picture pretty well. I'll see what I can come up with and I'll let you know." She set down her teacup and headed for the door.
"That's- That's it?" Stix rubbed his palms on his jeans.
"Afraid so. I've heard all I need to. I'll mull it over and see if there's a female I think might appeal to a bear such as yourself."
Stix nodded unsure of what else to do and headed for the door. Gerri stood with her hand on the knob but didn't open the door yet.
"Between you and me, I think what you need is for your mom to back off. Twenty-five isn't too old considering how long we live."
"I've told her that a dozen times. Maybe if you tell her, she might listen."
Gerri laughed. "I doubt it."
Chapter 2
The stewardess patted Satia's shoulder. "You did it. We're here."
Satia blew out a deep,
low breath and smiled. She'd gone on the plane alone. She stifled a chuckle and mentally patted herself on the back. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gone somewhere of her own free will. In fact, she didn't know that there had ever been a time where she hadn't been beholden to someone or had someone shadowing her when she went somewhere. Even in the lodge, though she had technically no longer been a slave, she'd not gone anywhere for long without one of the men searching for her. This trip had been the first real decision she'd ever made for herself in her life.
The men hadn't been happy with her decision to leave. They'd tried for two weeks to talk her out of it, and it had taken her that long to muster the courage to go alone, even though her mind had not once been swayed. If she was going to be free she needed to start being her own person, and that began with getting out on her own.
Satia thanked the stewardess and pilot and exited the plane. The pilot walked her bag down to the tarmac, and she smiled at him.
"Are you going to be needing a ride back?" he asked.
She shook her head. "I don't think I will."
He tipped his hat to her. "Very good, Miss."
"Uh..." Embarrassment flooded her cheeks. "Do... you know how I would get into town?"
"You can catch a taxi out front. They aren't cheap though."
Satia reached into her handbag and pulled out her wallet. "Will they take this?" She showed him the credit card Affina had sent her.
"Yes, ma'am. They sure will."
"Good." Satia put her wallet away and grabbed the handle of her bag. She stared across the tarmac. The expanse of black that separated her from the building and hence the taxis beyond seemed as if it would swallow her whole. Satia squared her shoulders and strode to the building. It was too late to turn back now.
Satia stared up at the familiar building with dread running through her. The last time she'd been in it, she'd been Mandrake's prisoner. Her body shook as she took a step closer. A couple exited the building, the scent of the lobby floor wax made her stomach lurch. She breathed deep and pushed the fear aside. It was only a building. Razor had told the Obsidian Mountain Clan they couldn't come back. And Gerri Wilder had threatened to have her wolves eviscerate them if they tried, which Satia had no doubt the woman could do. Even so, Satia's heart galloped as she stared at the place she'd last seen her captors.
Her nerve wavered, and she took a step away.
"Do you need help, Miss?" A man standing by the door asked.
Satia stared at him for a moment and then shook her head. She had come all this way. She couldn't back out now.
Swallowing hard she wheeled her bag to the door, and the man opened it for her with a smile. Technically, Gerri wasn't aware that she was coming, but Satia was sure when Gerri heard her plight, she would help. For all of her tough exterior, Satia had felt the woman's compassion and empathy. She prayed to the gods that Gerri would continue to show that same compassion now that she was showing up unannounced.
Satia blew out a deep breath and pressed her shirt with her sweaty palms. The place smelled of shifters of every species. Dragons, wolves, cats, ursas, all of them came to Gerri for help. And all of them left their scent behind. Inside the highly polished floor gleamed, reminding her of the hours and hours of her life she'd spent scrubbing Affina's floors.
As Satia arrived at the elevator and pressed the button her gut clenched. What would Affina think of her coming to New York and not contacting them? Razor had been kind to all of them but it was obvious he did it out of obligation, not affection. Not that she blamed him. The men had not been kind to him back on Aurora. Their lives as slaves had not been as harsh as some she'd heard of, but they had been in no way easy either.
The doors opened, and Satia stepped in. Her fingers shook as she pressed the button to Gerri's floor. Her heartbeat quickened as the doors began to close and memories bombarded her. Being shoved inside the small chamber, pressed against Mandrake and his men. She passed the fourth floor and stifled a cry remembering the feel of a large hand squeezing her rear to the point of pain.
Out. She had to get out!
As the doors opened she raced into the hall, fell against the wall and sucked in several deep breaths. This was not who she was. She was not her fear. She was Satia, daughter of Therimia. Satia took one last deep breath and stood straight again.
She strolled to Gerri's door trying to compose herself. She lifted her hand to knock but couldn't do it. What was she doing? Why did she even think Gerri would help her? She should get herself back on the plane and return to the lodge.
Satia rapped on the door. A chill ran over her. Too late now. She straightened her blouse and waited. Seconds ticked by and nothing happened. She knocked again with a shaky hand. Nothing. A pit grew in Satia's stomach. What if Gerri wasn't in town?
She blew out a breath and scanned the hall. Stupid. This was stupid. Satia pulled out her phone. It was three in the afternoon. Gerri could be anywhere.
Defeated, Satia slumped against the door, staring at her phone. She should call Affina, tell her she was stranded and stop with the foolishness. She opened Affina's number, and her finger hovered over the call button. Seconds ticked by and Satia set the phone in her lap and leaned back against the door. Something inside wouldn't let her. She didn't want Affina fawning over her. She didn't want to see the pity in Affina's eyes at what she'd been through. Didn't want to hear Affina's helpful suggestions as to what she should do with her life. The only thing that could help her now was getting a life of her own- on her own. But how could she do that now?
"Excuse me? What do you think you are doing camping out by my door?"
Satia started awake and blinked, sleepy-eyed, straight from Gerri's bright red pumps all the way up her thin legs to her stern calculating gaze.
Gerri's mouth twitched. "I know you. You're the saber female." She twirled her keyring around her finger and then prodded Satia with her pointed shoe.
Satia hopped to her feet and pressed down her clothes. "I'm so sorry. I must have dozed off."
Gerri pressed the key into the lock of her apartment door. "Yes, I see that. But what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you."
"No. No. I'm sorry. I... I didn't have your number to call you and I... I... need help."
Gerri opened her door and stopped, scrutinizing Satia. "You sure do."
"Please," Satia begged. "I fought all the men in my clan to come here. I don't want to bother Affina and Raze, they have enough on their plates. I need to stand on my own two feet. I need to provide for myself. I can't do that if everyone is always babying me."
Gerri's eyes scrutinized every inch of Satia and Satia fought the instinct to look away. Her saber growled deep in her chest, pacing back and forth.
"You do realize that I am not an employment service, right? I am a matchmaker."
Satia nodded. "I know but... I figured you meet a lot of shifters here and you might discern someone willing to help me. I'll work. I'm a hard worker. I was Affina's maid and lady in waiting since I was six."
"How old are you now?"
"Twenty-two, ma'am."
Gerri snorted and pushed her door open wider. "Ma'am. How old do you take me for?" Gerri held up her hand. "Don't answer that."
Gerri stepped into her apartment and disappeared around the door. Satia shuffled her feet unsure of what she was supposed to do.
"If you want my help you have to come inside," Gerri called. "I'm not prone to doing business in the hallway like a prostitute."
Satia gathered her bag and sweater and headed into the apartment. A thousand different scents hit her at once. Stronger and more pungent than in the lobby or elevator or hallway. Gerri entertained a lot of shifters in her apartment, though wolves seemed to be the most prevalent.
Satia closed the door. She spotted a couch and a large oversized chair. She left her bag by the door and sat on the sofa, once again straightening her clothes.
"You don't need to primp for me." Gerri walked back into the room holding
two bottles of water. She handed one to Satia before curling up in the large chair. "I can see everything about you already. And what I don't, I'll ask."
Gerri opened her bottle and took a sip. Satia adverted Gerri's gaze and chugging half of her own water.
"You're lucky you caught me. I am off to Aurora for a meeting in the morning. If you'd come a day later you'd have missed me. Pretty stupid if you ask me."
Satia's cheeks heated at the insult. "Being stupid is not something that has ever been used to describe me before," Satia retorted.
The corner of Gerri's lip turned up. "So there is spirit inside you."
Satia stayed silent.
"Okay..."
"Satia."
"Right, Satia. Were you mated on Aurora?"
"I didn't have time for a mate."
"Lovers?"
Satia stifled a gasp. Lovers? That was unheard of with sabers. Sabers mated, or they did not mate. That was all.
"I'll take that as a no," said Gerri. "So you're a virgin then. Those other sabers. Mandrake and his men. They didn't-"
"No," Satia replied. "They hurt me, but they didn't rape me."
Gerri nodded. "So you want a job."
"I want a life."
"And are you ready for a mate?"
"I haven't yet met anyone I was interested in... in that way."
"Oh, sweetie. Didn't anyone explain to you how that works?"
Satia dropped her gaze to her hands and shook her head. "My mother died before I came of age."
Paranormal Dating Agency: Unleashing Her Saber (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 1