“It’s all right,” Tani said. “I suppose that I wanted to separate myself from my sisters a little. I love them very much and we’re really close, but I guess I just wanted to look as different as I felt. Silly huh?”
“No, I don’t think it’s silly at all,” Astra said, wondering at the hurt and the sadness she felt beneath Tani’s words. She was usually so bright and confident. But sometimes, like now, she glimpsed a well of pain, carefully hidden. “Why do you feel different from them?”
“Because I am different from them,” Tani said softly. She stood up with her plate and took it over to the kitchen area, effectively signaling an end to the conversation. She found a large basin of soapy water so she put her plate in and looked for something to scrub it with.
“Please, leave it Tani,” Astra said, getting up to join her. “Steel will be here in a moment, and the dishes give me something to do.”
“That’s not fair, Astra,” Tani said, not wanting to leave her friend with the cleaning up. “You did the cooking, I should do the cleaning.”
“You have more important things to do for all of us than wash plates,” Astra said, smiling at her. “I promise that I don’t mind. It really does give me something to do.”
“All right,” Tani said reluctantly. “But just this time. I don’t intend to let you wait on me while I’m here.”
“Are you ready?” Steel asked, entering the cave. Astra grinned, glad that she didn’t have to agree to Tani’s last statement.
“Yes, I’m ready,” Tani replied. “Is there anything I should know first?” Steel nodded, and Tani was surprised by the expression of embarrassment on his face.
“You should know that I can’t talk in mahrac form.”
“I never would have imagined you could,” she said. “That’s why I asked if there was anything I needed to know before you shifted.”
“Why would you assume we couldn’t speak?”
“Because Jasani are shifters, remember? None of them can talk in their alter-forms.”
“None?” he asked, surprised.
“Nope. Their alter forms don’t have the right physical equipment for speech, but they can communicate telepathically. What about you?”
“Yeah, we can communicate telepathically when we’re in mahrac form. We have to be very close together for it to work, and it takes a lot of concentration. Some of us are better at it than others.”
“Interesting,” Tani said.
“Why is it interesting?” Steel asked.
“I’m not sure. I just feel as though something is…missing.” She shrugged. “How long will it take to get there?”
“About an hour and fifteen minutes, maybe a little longer depending on the wind.”
“Steel, I’d prefer to be armed before we leave.”
“Armed?” Steel asked in surprise.
“Yes, armed,” Tani said. “With weapons. You do have weapons, don’t you?”
“Yes, we have weapons,” he said. “But, are you sure about this?”
Tani’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, I’m sure. We’re going to be very close to what amounts to the enemy camp, and they’ve already tried to get me once. If anything goes wrong, I’d like to be able to defend myself.” Tani’s eyes narrowed further and began to glow slightly. “I began training with weapons when I was five years old, Steel.”
Steel gaped. “Isn’t that a little young?”
“I started learning Tiketa when I was three,” she said with a shrug.
“What weapons have you trained with?”
Tani heard the curiosity in his voice, and relaxed. “Swords, four types, six lengths, single and double methods. Throwing knives, double hand technique, sai, shuriken, projectile and laser weapons both hand and rifle, all types of explosives including missiles. I also hold a ninth Dan in Tiketa, and a tenth Dan in Jujitsu, which are the highest ranks possible in each discipline.” Tani cocked her head. “Is that enough?”
“I think it’ll do,” Steel said, unable to stop the slow grin that spread across his face. “Come on, I’ll take you to the armory.”
Tani returned his smile, relieved when the tension that had been building bled away. She said goodbye to Astra, then followed Steel outside and up to a higher level of caves, having no trouble whatsoever with the faint path worn into the rock. From a distance the face of the cliff looked steeper than it actually was, but it was still a very steep and strenuous climb.
They’d nearly reached the top of the cliff when Steel turned into a medium sized cave, then led her through two connecting chambers into the largest one she’d seen so far. As soon as she saw the weapons neatly stacked on the floor and on a number of tables throughout the room, she stepped past him and went straight for the swords. She selected two swords with three foot long blades and leather wrapped hilts, each one in a sheath that was attached to a belt. Since the belts were far too big for her, she put them on so that one hung diagonally from her right shoulder to her left hip, and the other from her left shoulder to her right hip. She adjusted the belts so that the hilts of the swords stuck up above each shoulder, and they were snug enough to stay in place. The throwing knives on the next table were all far too big and heavy for her, so she passed them by regretfully. Then she spotted a table holding stacks of shuriken in the shape of six pointed stars, and grinned. She grabbed two leather pouches designed for carrying the shuriken and stuffed them both, then tied them to her belt loops, one on the left, the other on the right. Perfect.
“Bows?” she asked Steel.
“Over there, on the wall,” he replied, watching her every movement. He couldn’t deny that she looked far more comfortable selecting and handling the weapons than most of his men, or he himself, for that matter. “Don’t forget that I have to carry you, Tani. I’m not sure carrying a bow and quiver filled with arrows will be comfortable for either of us.”
“You’re right,” she said. “These bows are far too big for me anyway. What I have should be enough.”
“Tani, at the risk of sticking my foot in things again, I have to tell you that I’m worried about this.”
“Worried?”
“Yes,” he said. “I don’t know what I’d do if you got hurt, or worse, killed, in battle. Aside from my personal feelings, I must also think of my people. I don’t even want to imagine what the Jasani would do to the Khun if something happened to you.”
“My people know me, Steel, and they understand all too well the dangers of battle,” Tani said. “If I’m injured or killed, they will honor me for my efforts. I promise you that no one will blame you for my decisions.” Steel nodded reluctantly, knowing better than to question her promise. “May I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” she replied.
“Are all Jasani women battle trained?”
“No, not at all,” she said. “It’s a choice that all men and women are free to make. My sisters have enough training to defend themselves, but no more than that. Now, may I ask you a question?”
“Always,” he said.
“Why did you kiss me last night?”
Steel blinked at the sudden change in topic, then smiled slowly. “Because I couldn’t stand going one more minute not kissing you,” he said, his voice deepening as he spoke.
“So, it wasn’t just a spur of the moment impulse?” Tani asked, moving closer to him.
“No, I wanted to kiss you from the moment you landed unconscious on the Stray’s transport pad.” He frowned. “That’s not true. I wanted to kiss you from the moment I saw your image on Astra’s micro cam, when she walked around that corner and saw you on EDU-12.”
“Well, you’ve got me beat, but only because I didn’t actually see you for a few days after that,” Tani said as she stepped close enough that her breasts brushed against him. She looked up into his dark eyes, rose up on her toes, and placed her palms on his chest. It was an invitation that Steel was happy to accept. He lowered his mouth to hers, closing his eyes when their lips met.
She was so soft,
and so warm, but it wasn’t enough. He had to taste her. He licked her lips slowly with the tip of his tongue and she opened her mouth in response. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close as he slipped his tongue into the heat of her mouth. She tasted sweet and spicy, just like she smelled. Her tongue met his and they tangled together, gently at first, then faster and deeper as their excitement rose. When she boldly entered his mouth with her tongue he thought his heart would pound right out of his chest. He pulled her tightly against him, moaning at the feel of her hard nipples pressing against him. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, withdrew, then thrust again. She met him thrust for thrust until his lungs screamed, forcing their mouths apart. Tani leaned her forehead against his chest as they both gasped for air.
Steel wanted her so badly that for a moment it was all he could think of. He was on the verge of taking her on the floor right then and there, until he realized that they were standing in the armory. Anyone could enter at any moment. The thought was like a splash of cold water on his desire. He loosened his arms which, to his mild surprise, were wrapped around her.
“We need to stop, Khalute,” he said. “Anyone could walk in at any moment.”
The glazed look in Tani’s eyes cleared as his words penetrated her arousal. She blinked and stepped back a little. “Um…sorry,” she said, looking down at the floor. Steel placed one finger beneath her chin and pressed gently until she looked back up at him.
“I will remember that kiss for the remainder of my life,” he said. “Please do not be sorry for it.” The worry in Tani’s eyes vanished and she smiled warmly. He brushed her cheek lightly with the tips of his fingers, amazed at how soft her skin was. He’d never felt anything like it in all of his life. He wondered if she was that soft all over, and had to squeeze his eyes shut for a long moment while he tried to think of something unpleasant.
“What are you doing?” Tani asked. “Is something wrong?”
“I’m thinking really hard about how awful the wound on Naran’s leg was,” he said, opening his eyes after a moment.
“Why?”
“So I don’t pick you up and carry you off to my bed,” he said, then shuddered at the very thought.
Tani grinned, though her cheeks grew warm. “Yes, it was a bad wound, wasn’t it?” she asked with laughter in her voice.
“Yes, it was,” Steel replied, returning her grin. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Tani followed him as he led the way back outside, but stopped him before he shifted. “Speaking of Naran, I think I should check on him before we leave,” she said. “Would you mind?”
“No, I don’t mind at all,” Steel said, then led the way down to the lowest row of caves. He was grateful for the need to concentrate on the path as it helped him to calm his body and cool his ardor. By the time they entered the small cave that served as a waiting area for the clinic, the heavy bulge in his jeans had returned to a more relaxed state.
When they entered the clinic he smiled to see Naran sitting up in bed with the tray table in front of him, eating breakfast and talking with Drya, whose curly headed grandson, Dirk, sat on the floor playing quietly with his toys. Drya started to stand up but he waved her back to her chair.
“Good morning, Naran,” Steel said, smiling at his childhood friend. “You certainly look better this morning than you did yesterday.”
“I certainly feel better, that’s for sure,” Naran said. “Good morning, Tani.”
“Good morning, Naran, Drya,” Tani said. “I just wanted to check on you real quick, but I don’t want to interrupt your breakfast. I assume it’s the first real meal you’ve had for a few days.”
“It is,” Naran said. “I feel great, Tani. I walked to the bathroom on my own and other than feeling a little stiff, I feel great. No pain at all.”
“That’s good news,” she said. “No running or shifting for a few days, and be careful to keep the stitches dry.”
“Why can’t I shift?” Naran asked.
“Because it could pull the stitches out,” Tani replied. “Other than that, let me know if you have pain, swelling, fever, dizziness or anything else abnormal, even if you don’t think it means anything.”
“Are you saying I can leave here and go home?” Naran asked in surprise.
“Yes, I am. I’ll take a look at the stitches tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Tani,” Naran said. “I mean that sincerely. I wish there was a better way to express how much I appreciate your help, and all of your hard work yesterday.”
“You already have, Naran,” Tani said. “We’ll get out of here now and let you finish eating.”
Tani went to stand outside while Steel spoke with Naran for a minute. There was something bothering her, but she didn’t know what it was. She felt as though something inside of her had suddenly gone tense and wary the moment she stepped into the room with Naran. Whatever it was, it hadn’t happened the night before when she was not only in the same room with him, but touching him.
“Is something wrong, Tani?” Steel asked, joining her outside the cave.
“Not really,” she said, looking up at him. Her frown deepened when she saw his eyes. “What is it?”
“Several men went looking for Roark, the man who was with Naran when they were attacked,” Steel said. “They couldn’t find him anywhere. I just told Naran, and he’s upset about it, of course. He wants to go out looking for him on his own but I told him not to.”
“I know that he feels good right now, and compared to how he felt yesterday at this time, I’m sure he feels fully healed. But he’s not. His body needs another day or so of rest, minimum.”
“I told him as much,” Steel said. “The problem is that Roark and Naran have always been close. It’s hard for him to know his friend is lying out there somewhere.”
“Is there a chance he could be alive?” Tani asked anxiously.
“No,” Steel said. “Naran is certain of that much. He just wants his friend to be properly buried.”
“Yes, I can understand that,” Tani said. “Why couldn’t anyone find him?”
“Naran thinks he might have given the wrong directions. He was in a lot of pain at the time. That’s why he wants to go looking himself.”
“Maybe he’ll be strong enough to do that tomorrow,” Tani said. “Are you ready to go, or do you want to put it off for a day or two?”
“No, I don’t want to put it off at all,” Steel said. “You?”
“Nope, let’s do this,” she agreed, stepping back to give him room.
The moment he was in his mahrac form, Steel watched her carefully. He knew that he was grotesquely ugly, all of them were when they shifted, but he tried to remember what she’d told him and hid his worry.
“I hope you plan on carrying me in your arms and not your claws,” she said, walking right up to him. She stopped and looked up at his face, studying him for a long moment, but the expression in her eyes was curiosity, not disgust.
He reached up to activate the Blind Sight, then placed his arms around her slowly and carefully. She relaxed into them as though it were the most natural thing in the world. And that, he realized suddenly, was exactly what it was for her. She’d grown up with shifters, her parents were dracons, a creature he’d never seen, but had read about while researching the Jasani after she’d told him about her inner dracon onboard the Stray. She’d probably ridden on them when they flew from the time she was a baby. All of this was more natural for her than it was for him because her people had always been shifters, and had embraced it in a way that the Khun never had.
Something inside of him relaxed and he stretched his wings out, made sure she was settled securely, and jumped. Since they were so heavy, their flesh so dense, it took a while to gain altitude, but he was used to that and barely thought twice about it.
He looked down at Tani, then pulled her closer against his chest and picked up speed. It was thirty miles overland to the mine, and he’d have to rest before they returned.
>
“You’re purring,” Tani said, startling him. He looked down to see her looking up at him with a smile on her face, her ear pressed to his chest, just over his heart. He shook his head, not sure he’d heard her right, sure that he’d never done such a thing before. Somehow, she understood, or seemed to.
“You’re purring, Steel,” she said again. “Do you know that?”
He shook his head and smiled, forgetting for a moment that he had a mouthful of long, glistening sharp teeth. But that didn’t bother her either. She just laughed up at him, then turned to watch the landscape unfold below them.
“You asked me a question last night that I didn’t get a chance to answer,” she said. “You wanted to know why I was different from other Clan Jasani women.”
Steel glanced down at her and nodded. “Do you want me to answer now, or wait until we can both talk?” He thought for a moment, then nodded again. Tani didn’t need to clarify his answer. She already knew what he meant.
“My sisters and I were the first female Jasani to be born in over three thousand years,” she said, startling him. She saw his surprise and nodded. “It’s a long story that I’ll share another time. I have cousins…well, they aren’t truly cousins I suppose. They’re Bearens. They were the first females ever born to Clan Jasani who were already shifters. Before them, only males were born shifters. They had to perform a ritual on their destined female, their berezi, to transform her into their Arima, and give her the ability to shift into whatever Clan they were part of. My point is that only a berezi can be a destined Clan Jasani soul mate, because only a berezi can be converted, thereby linking the three parts of her male-set’s shared soul together as it was meant to be.
“Not long after my Dads found my Mom, who was fully human by the way, the Jasani began to discover more and more human women who turned out to be berezi, like she was. They also discovered that the Xanti were identifying berezi and kidnapping them to sell as slaves. In order to protect those women, the Jasani had to be able to identify them too, so they developed a blood test for that purpose.” Tani looked up to see if Steel was following her. He nodded, so she continued.
Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) Page 12