She didn’t care if any of the guards saw her. After overhearing Darius arguing with his brother and guards, she wasn’t as angry as she had been hearing about the claiming. It would serve Darius right. If he had indeed gone and claimed her after she said she thought any claim should be mutual, then he could suffer the consequences. Or, worse, if he had claimed her before and then mentioned that he could claim her just to tease her, he had insulted her intelligence. In the end, none of it mattered. He couldn’t force her to be his claim. And if he knew she was a Runner, he must also know announcing a claim on her would only make him appear the fool if the truth ever came out.
The blue pullover shirt and dark pants she borrowed from Torgo fit snugly. Tara guessed she probably showed a bit more of her figure through the clinging material than she planned. But she moved easily in the outfit and that mattered more than her appearance.
“You won’t believe what I got.” The boy danced around her when she entered the yard. “Look!”
Next to the shed was a motorcycle about the same size as Tara’s.
Torgo ran to it and patted the seat. “It’s mine.” He glowed with pride. “Darius gave it to me just this morning.” Torgo looked around them then whispered, “You can ride. I know you can. I heard my brother talking with his men. Will you teach me? My brother isn’t in a very good mood today. He gave it to me and said we would ride, but then he got some kind of news and left.”
“What kind of news did he get?” Tara asked.
“I don’t know. What I do know is I want to learn to ride. Darius learned to ride when he had twelve winters. He told me so. I have fourteen, and I don’t know how yet. You’ll teach me, won’t you?” he begged, with gray eyes a softer version of his older brother’s. “I know some of my brother’s men think it’s odd that you know how to fight. But I don’t think it’s strange at all. Your papa was smart to teach you all he did.”
Tara wondered how the boy was so open-minded when his older brother seemed so closed to new ideas. “Of course I will.” Tara ran her hands over the small bike.
It was well designed, painted a clean metallic red, with the word Bryton written in gold. The seat curving up in the back was of the familiar Gothman style. It was an impressive motorcycle. Tara was just about to straddle it but hesitated at the surprised look on Torgo’s face.
She turned her head to see Darius walking around the shed coming toward them.
Torgo looked as if he just got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. “I was just letting her look at my new motorcycle.” Torgo blushed and leaned on one foot then the other.
Darius stopped next to Tara. He stared down at her.
She noticed the undeniable lust in his eyes. Her insides quickened in response, but it was the hard edge around them that had her pay heed. She looked up at him and pretended not to notice the warring emotions so visible on his face, then looked back at the boy. “Torgo, a true warrior never lies.” She looked directly into the youngster’s eyes. “My papa said that to my brothers again and again.”
Torgo took a slow deep breath and squared his shoulders. “Tara was going to teach me how to ride because you’re too busy.”
Tara immediately felt very proud of him.
“Torgo, you’ll make an incredible warrior some day.” Darius gave away his feelings on the matter when a small, crooked smile appeared on his face. He was proud of his younger brother, too. “You’ll have that lesson, but first I want to speak to Tara. Run on along now, boy.”
Torgo looked at both of them before slowly walking away from his bike.
Tara faced Darius. His shoulders were broad enough to block the sun. He towered over her—emphasizing his domination. And that’s when all the anger inside of Tara raced through her blood once again. If Darius noticed, he hid it well.
“Come here.” He walked back toward the shed and opened it, pointed to the bike inside, then stared back at Tara. “A true warrior never lies. Those are your words.”
She stared at her motorcycle before looking at Darius. Then clasping her hands behind her back—the stance of a warrior—she waited for what he would say.
“Can you start this motorcycle?”
Tara met his gaze. She wouldn’t be caught that easily. Not to be outdone, she issued a challenge. “And you?” She would turn this around on him. “I’ve heard people say you’re a true warrior.”
Darius walked to the other side of her bike. “Ask me anything. I’ve no reason to lie.” He leaned on her handlebars, his legs on either side of her front tire, and stared into her eyes.
“You’ve already lied to me.” She glared back at him, wanting to pounce on his pompous ass and wipe the smug look from his face.
Darius raised his eyebrows, looking surprised. Then his gaze narrowed and grew serious.
Her words affected him, her accusations a serious charge. But she was the enemy here, on his land. She knew, as he did, that there was no way she could beat him in hand-tohand combat, yet she’d still take him on if need be. Her anger was genuine. She’d become involved with this culture and this family. If she were to become a part of this family, it would be her decision, not his. She would never take a man who didn’t know her mind and simply decided he liked her body. They had experienced wonderful sex together, but sexual compatibility wasn’t enough to build a relationship.
“You think you know what you need to about me, but you haven’t asked me anything. You don’t even talk to me.” She grabbed on to the back of her bike with clenched fists, growing more outraged at the thought that he would claim her with so little prior knowledge of who she really was.
“I know that you’re even more beautiful when you’re mad.” He smiled and reached for her face.
Tara smacked his hand, knocking it away with a good amount of force. “I’m not unclaimed land to be taken without asking.”
Darius pulled back his hand slowly and straightened. When he spoke, it almost sounded like a reprimand. “If you’re referring to the claiming, I’ve broken no laws. I’ve a right to any unclaimed lady in Gothman. There’s no discussion required. That’s been the law of the land since before my papa was born, or his papa before him. Are you trying to tell me you think you’re not affected by the laws of this land?”
Tara watched his muscles twitch. He stepped to the side of her bike until his face was close to hers. Enough emotions moved around inside him it was hard to see which dominated by simply studying him. She didn’t care if he were amused or mad as hell.“It’s a bad law,” she whispered. “I’ll not be claimed unless I say I’m claimed.”
Darius slowly moved his gaze from her face down to her breasts. The tip of his finger stroked the fuel tank on her bike. “Can you start it?” he whispered.
He challenged and seduced her simultaneously. Tara took a step backward.
Darius grabbed her. He pulled her against him, holding her arm and lifting her to her toes and against his virile body.
His touch sizzled her skin, and the smell of man and leather consumed her senses. But outrage overpowered her.
He must have surmised that his touch wouldn’t cause her to swoon because his expression became serious. “This is your bike…” He lifted her higher. “…And you are a Runner. Start this bike, and I’ll never tell a soul. I’ll say I started it. At this point your only threat here is me. And my dear lady, right now I’m no threat at all.”
He let go of her arm and placed his knuckle under her chin, then tilted her head back so his lips brushed over hers. Touching her mouth with his, he growled, demanding a response when she did nothing.
Tara pushed away and gasped for air, trying to get her bearings. She studied his face and hoped she wasn’t making a mistake.
“A warrior doesn’t lie,” she said.
“True,” Darius agreed. “I won’t lie to you.” Tara broke away and walked around him. He didn’t stop her. Touching the bike, she ran her fingers over the handlebars for a moment, then grabbed it without looking up and rolled it into the
sunlight.
Darius followed with all the eagerness his younger brother had displayed a short time ago. “I’d love to ride it. It must possess a speed not known in Gothman.” He watched her every move as she climbed aboard.
Tara looked around to ensure the yard was empty from any of Darius’ guards. Immediately she took off with a jump, causing the bike to literally leave the ground.
“You can ride it if you can catch me,” she yelled over her shoulder.
“Ah, yet again you believe you can tell me what to do?”
Darius ran to his motorcycle, which was parked along the side of the shed. He was laughing when he reached it.
Tara made it to the edge of the backyard, then spun around and stopped. She would make her challenge a fair one. It would not do to beat him and have him say she had some kind of edge.
He brought his bike up alongside hers and stopped. His bike rumbled a lot louder than hers did. “We both know your bike is designed to be faster than this one.” There was fire in his eyes.
Darius was indeed a true warrior. He was thrilled by her challenge and excited to take her on in a physical activity other than having sex. She saw it in his eyes. Tara smiled wickedly. “This bike may be faster, but you know the land like you know the gloves on your hands. It’ll be a fair race. Just name the destination.”
“We’ll race to the cliff I wanted you to climb. You’re not in a dress today.” He grinned as his gaze raked down her pantclad body. “And, my lady, the claim stands.”
Tara didn’t respond but instead took off across the meadow with all the skills of her Runner heritage. Darius was right at her side, dodging the rocks and ruts in the ground that opposed both of them. The two sped fast, pushing their limits and skills to the edge.
Although Tara didn’t know the terrain, she’d travelled at high speeds across a lot of countryside she hadn’t known. She didn’t look next to her to watch her competitor but instead kept her eyes ahead of her, soaring over the gullies in the land. She climbed and descended hill after hill, and when she spotted the crag with the rocky road outlining it, she added to her speed and easily left Darius behind.
The rock-strewn road was steep, and her bike was not designed for such travel. Tara decelerated, fearing the bike would literally slip out from under her. She crept up the hill aware of Darius approaching from behind. She knew the dust from the gravel impaired his vision and intentionally spun her tires on the road to further slow him down. A large rock came up on her before she noticed, and Tara slid off the side of the road, scraping her leg. The sting from the scrape intensified when she put her weight on it, but she wouldn’t let an abrasion cause her defeat.
She glanced down at Torgo’s torn trousers and the scratched skin underneath.
Darius came up behind her and slowed his bike. “Are you okay?” He looked concerned.
Tara righted her bike and took off, yelling, “Gothman have never cared about Runners. Why start now?” She grinned as she reached the patchy area surrounded by the pine trees where they’d had sex.
She looked at the rocks Darius suggested they climb and drove over to them, then parked. Knowing there was no way she would be able to ride up the jagged rocks to Darius’ cliff, Tara jumped off her bike and lunged for the first group of rocks.
She’d rock climbed for sport as a child and from what she saw, the jutting wall offered little challenge. Nonetheless, her heart pounded as she grabbed the first tier of rocks and pulled herself up. When she anchored her foot on the next level up, the sting from her scrape raced up her side, letting her know how bad she’d cut her leg. More than anything, she wanted to beat Darius. He would see that she would never submit.
Darius easily matched her skills. Reaching the first ledge of rocks, Tara turned and looked to see where he was. The tree-covered hillside, hiding a rocky ground strewn with protruding roots, hadn’t slowed him down a bit.
Darius had parked his bike next to hers and also jumped for the rocks. He was impressive on the rocks and appeared to crawl up the side of the cliff with little effort. She remembered that he’d told her he’d come up here since he was a boy.
The second set of rocks was more jagged, and she was forced to move around them since she had no gloves. Ahead of her, a good fifteen feet above, she saw what appeared to be a flat ledge. Ignoring the sharp jabs from the rough boulders, Tara hurried to reach the top. As she crested the rise, she looked out across the grass and was overwhelmed by the view beyond.
No wonder he’d chosen this place as his sanctuary. A leader would easily be reminded why he was willing to fight for his land when it was laid out before him in such a panoramic fashion. Tara pulled herself up on to a large rock and sucked in her breath as she witnessed the glory around her.
The countryside was beautiful, providing a view to the north as far as the eye could see. The rolling hills went on for miles, and although not visible, Tara knew mountains lay beyond. She had spent her life travelling the land that she now looked at from a distance.
It seemed as if the sky was higher, spreading out farther than usual. It looked bigger to Tara than she knew it should. Very few clouds prevented the aqua color above from almost overwhelming the vast shades of green below. For a moment, its beauty transfixed her.
But she had a man to whom she needed to prove herself. With a quick glance around her, she reached for the next ledge and pulled herself up to lean on her elbows. That’s when she saw the grassy flat area at the top of the rocks. It was a small secluded section of Nuworld secluded from all around it. Tara relaxed her sore leg for a moment, before putting her weight back on it, and took a deep breath so she could judge the depth of her injuries. As she did, she noticed Darius pulling himself up from the other side of the plateau. Hell be doomed! He’d been behind her. How had he ended up over there?
He pulled his body over the ledge with ease and sat on the ground, catching his breath for just a brief second. Then he moved over to her and reached to help her up.
“Get back, you!” she said through clenched teeth and pulled herself up. Tara didn’t take defeat well. She cursed the time she’d wasted enjoying the view, knowing the victory would have been hers otherwise.
The smug grin on his face showed that he would enjoy gloating. “I won. You have to let me ride your bike now.” Darius sat back on the ground and smiled broadly.
Tara sat next to him and pounded the ground with her fist as she scowled.
Darius leaned forward and brushed her hair away from her face.
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and broke out laughing. She knew herself well. Back at the house she had been fuming with anger. The ride and the intensity of the rock climbing had freed her of all hostilities. Physical activity cleared her head every time. “You’re lord of all this great land.” Tara swung out her hand, gesturing to the magnificent view in front of them. “How can an invader of your country possibly stop you from riding that motorcycle?” She pointed to her bike next to his, parked beneath them against the rock wall.
“You’ve done a good job of stopping me so far.” He laughed with her.
“So how long have you known I was a Runner?” She looked at him, serious now.
“Ever since you shot that trash can to prevent my little brother from getting the tar beat out of him. Although, for skipping school, he should have had worse than that.”
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t you capture me right then?”
“You had me curious. We were scouting the town, looking for a Runner, an enemy in our land. I didn’t find an enemy. I found a woman acting differently than other women. I saw a lady, beautiful beyond all measure, who made my blood race in my veins. You were out of place, but not a threat.” Darius blew out a breath and stared down at the grass between them.
Tara sensed he chose his next words carefully and watched while he thought. Finally, he looked at her.
“Runners don’t enter Gothman. It’s an automatic death sentence. Why are you here?”
“And what have you concluded?”
“Why do you care what I think?” she answered sarcastically. “I didn’t think it was my mind that impressed you.”
Darius smiled and put his arm around her. He took her chin and lifted her face to his. “At first, that was true. You are so beautiful. There is more to you than that, though. I didn’t know women like you existed. I’ve yet to find a man that is my match, much less a woman. But you may be that exception. You stand up to me, and challenge me. I’m not sure how I feel about that yet.”
Darius looked so focused, yet his expression remained gentle. Something released inside her, like a dam breaking—something she’d never experienced before. He had made her so angry yet she also knew a longing to be right here by his side indefinitely. Patha described love to her once. He told her that love was when you were content to be with one person no matter what you were doing. He had said that when you weren’t with this person they were somewhere in your thoughts always. He had also told her that no matter how mad you may get at that person, true love never allowed you to stay angry for too long. Had it been the motorcycle race and rock climbing that soothed her anger, or was it something else?
“Not to mention, my lady, you’ve made it quite clear I can’t do anything with you unless you say it’s okay.” He brushed his lips gently across hers. In one quick motion, he stood and pulled her with him then held her in his arms. He pointed to the countryside that lay magnificently in front of them. “Look at it, Tara. We can rule this together, you and I. You must say that has some appeal to you.”
“Darius, we’re enemies,” she pointed out, although made no effort to be released from his arms.
Nuworld: Claiming Tara Page 11