by Auryn Hadley
Fuck, he sent without meaning to.
Jase slid from the edge, moving like a shadow, and carefully stepped away from the stone. His senses stretched and his mind reached for Hwa, finding the grauori trotting along the street below him. Listening for the clink of armor, he crept forward, keeping to the darkness of the wall.
What he saw made him stop cold. Crouched in a pose nearly identical to the one he'd just abandoned, a lean woman hid in the shadows, her quiver filled with black arrows. If he'd been cursed with normal human eyes, he never would have seen her.
She was tall and thin with dark human skin and wavy black hair. The girl wiped sweat from her brow, and he was amused. In the cold evening, it was a sign of her stress. She was probably considered disposable to her unit, and he doubted she was very skilled. Most likely a trumped up archer dressed in black and told she was an assassin. Her coloration might give her the advantage here, but Jase had learned to adjust.
He reached for his mate's mind. Sal, we have a complication. Her frantic thoughts wound through his head so he let her know he was still safe, pleased that she'd been so worried about him. I'm na the only assassin on the roof here kitten, he told her, sending an image of the woman only meters from him.
Roo's mind joined the conversation. Can she make the kill?
I dunno. I'm na even sure who she's after. Want me ta wait and see?
What's the worst case? Sal asked.
That she misses.
Then let her try and clean up her mess, Sal decided. Oh, and killer?
Yeh, kitten?
You aren't going to have a problem with this, are you? Sal's tone made it clear she meant because the assassin was a woman.
Jealous? he asked as he slipped out of the link, trying hard not to smile.
Quietly, he pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it to the string. Minutes ticked by as he waited. Each shift of the woman sounded loud in his ears, but she remained unaware of his presence. Finally, he saw what he was waiting for.
The King stepped across the window, but Jase waited to see what the other assassin would do. When nothing happened, he leaned back, looking around the stone at her, keeping himself in the deep shadow. The girl relaxed her string. She'd missed the shot.
Carefully, he moved to the next embrasure. His ears rang as he listened to the silence, seeking any sign that she still thought she was alone. She did. The idiot swore softly at her mistake, her words jumbled across the distance.
Keeping one eye on the window, Jase kept the other on the novice assassin. It wasn't long before the King walked past again, his shoulder and the royal insignia clearly visible. Without hesitation, Jase pulled and released in a smooth motion, turning away from the scene before he could witness the hit. A cry from the room across and below him told him he'd been successful, but his bloodlust remained quiet. Only the excitement of the hunt pumped in his veins. He was already stalking his next target.
The archer sucked in a breath, having seen the man fall to an arrow she didn't loose, but she wasted time watching when she should have been leaving. Jase stepped under her, his body hidden behind the stone of the battlements, and grabbed her ankle. One yank pulled her from the wall and into the shadow with him.
He slapped his hand across her mouth and hissed in her ear, "Name, rank, and country."
Her eyes wide against the darkness, she nodded. Jase wore nothing that could tie him to the Conglomerate – except his fair skin. The would-be assassin had not been so wise. Stitched into the material at her shoulder, he could see the falcon of Terric emblazoned in purple on black. From that, and the way she trembled in his hands, he knew she was inexperienced, but her fear made him excited. He could almost smell the sweet blood pumping in her veins, and he struggled not to think about how she would sigh as she died. Cautiously, he lifted his hand away from her warm lips.
"Ina Lien, Specialist, Terran Shadow Force. You?" she asked, assuming he was her ally.
"Jassant Cynortas, Sergeant, Black Blades." His lips lifted under his cowl. With his face pressed so close to hers, his second set of canines were easily visible. "An' I am na yer friend, bitch."
Yanking at the back of his neck, he pulled the hood away, letting his iliri-pale skin catch the starlight. His blue eyes bore into her brown. She gasped and struggled, the sound obscured by the men below screaming for reinforcements. It was so easy to hold her, shoving his hand back over her mouth to prevent the idiot from alerting the guard. The girl was weak, but she smelled amazing – her body releasing endorphins to fight the fear of him.
Jase put his mouth next to her ear, pressing her against the wall with his body. "Ya just made my life real easy, so I'll do ya a favor. Ya get credit fer this one – if ya can manage ta live through the night."
"Let me go, you beast," she hissed against his hand.
He snarled defiantly. "I hope ya can fly, ya stupid cunt. Learn how ta kill next time." Then he threw her from the wall.
Her body crashed into the roof below, a cry escaping her lips, and Jase heard the guards running toward him. Calmly, he walked along the battlements, keeping to the dark side, and made his way to the tower. Below him, Hwa followed the girl, barking loudly each time she came close to losing the guards. At the stairs, Jase collapsed his segmented bow and tucked both it and his quiver under his cloak before descending. With the chaos around them, it was easy for him to join the masses. The town citizens were milling in the wake of the guards.
The girl was running hard, and the mob chased her. The evening was still early. The gates stood open – no one having thought to have them closed – and she was leading most of the town in that direction. Jase followed, smiling at how easy she made this. When he heard the thunder of hooves, like the other townspeople around him, he moved to the side to let the mounted soldiers charge past. Then, as he crossed under the gates, a large dog brushed against him. Jase reached down to pet Hwa. Together they turned for the tree line, slipping away unnoticed as if they were headed home.
You're going to let her live? Hwa asked.
Jase looked down at the dog beside him as if his friend was a fool. Nah, I just needed her ta get caught first. Ya willing ta help cover my trail?
Of course.
The mounted riders caught her easily, the poor archer having been given no training in how to extract herself from her mission. One rider held her slung across his saddle, but as they neared the city lights, she writhed and slipped from the horse, crashing into the dirt before pulling herself to her feet and running again. Armored men surrounded her; their pikes held to block her path, and they slowly closed in around her. The girl looked from side to side, panic in her eyes, seeking a way out.
Jase was drawn to her mad dashes and attempts to flee even though she was caught. She knew what would happen to an assassin in an Anglian prison, but he had no intention of letting her live that long. She'd dared to hunt in his territory and hadn't even been strong enough to meet his eyes. His instincts screamed that she was just prey and pathetic prey at that. Crouching beside a tree, he leaned against it to steady himself, strung his bow, nocked an arrow, and pulled the string well past his ear. Patience was the key. Motionless and focused, he waited. The guards scrambled, trying to catch the squirming woman as she did everything in her human power to avoid their hands. One man lashed out with his pike, slashing her across the leg, and she went down, blood streaming from her.
Jase snarled in the darkness. That was his kill. How dare a human blood his prey! He took a deep breath, but still waited, stalking her in his own way. When two guards pulled her to her feet, he finally saw what he was looking for. From his eye to her face, nothing was between them. Exhaling, his fingers relaxed, and the string vibrated as the arrow took flight. Across the distance, the black Terran arrow slipped through the cold air, a soft whistle the only notice of its passing. The girl threw her head back and screamed as her mangled leg took the weight of her body, but her cry was cut short as the arrow buried itself under her chin and burrowed thr
ough her brain.
Move, Jase told Hwa.
The males ran, each taking a separate path. Behind him, the guards rushed his hiding place, but the pair kept to the rocks and hard ground, hiding their tracks. Running with every ounce of speed his body would give him, Jase could feel Hwa leaving him behind. The grauori was taunting him, so Jase pushed his body harder. He leapt up rocks, jumped across rivulets in the snow, and slid down hills as the sound of humans faded behind him. The effort left a sharp burning in his muscles, and it felt good. Natural. When pursuit was but a memory, he changed course, slowing to an easy jog.
Distance kills rarely excited him, except to incite his hunting instincts, but the taste of Sal's concern earlier made him eager to see her again. It wasn't the lust but something deeper that lured him home. The run had been good. The challenge of the kill filled him with pride, but there wasn't the irrational desire that hit him when his blade cut through flesh. He still felt a longing, something he'd thought would never happen, an emotion so human it confused him.
As he trotted across the snowy hill, he thought of Sal's smile and how happy she'd be to see him safe. He couldn't stop thinking of her soft flesh and sharp teeth. In all his life, he'd never met a woman more perfect. From the first time he'd seen her, he'd been both in love and a bit terrified of her. Now that he finally had her to himself, he planned to make the most of this. His breath steamed in the cold air as he pushed himself faster.
His mate loved him, and she was waiting.
Chapter 10
At the sound of footsteps, Sal and Roo found their feet, smiles on their faces when they recognized the cadence. Jase walked into the light of the fire. Panting, his breath froze in the air around them. Sal moved to his side feeling a need to be near him as he bent with his hands on his knees. His blue eyes met hers easily.
"Ayati, Sal, that was a fun one," he managed to get out.
She laughed and kissed him before tugging him toward the fire. Just as he reached the circle of warmth, they heard the soft tread of paws on the snow and Roo yipped. She galloped to Hwa as he came through the trees and tackled him, pinning him to the ground to nuzzle his face gently. As the iliri watched the young couple frolic, Sal felt Jase slip his arm around her. He pulled her back against his chest and buried his face in her hair.
"This feels like home, kitten," he told her quietly. "Our hunts are good, our kills are clean, and our pack is happy.
Smiling sadly, she looked back at him. "I miss home, though, Jase."
"Blaec?"
She shook her head. "Not really. I thought I would, but it's not that. I miss being able to walk into a town without a man making a comment on my clothes. I miss being able to go somewhere without my head covered. I miss the Blades, too." A wistful smile flickered across her mouth. "I wonder if Zep found himself a woman iliri enough to make him happy. I wonder if Tilso is keeping Risk in line. I always expect to hear Shift cracking a bad joke at my expense. I just miss my own pack."
"I know, kitten. I miss 'em, too. I'm just willing ta enjoy what I have now."
"Me too," she assured him before kissing him sweetly. Jase slid his hand to her face and pulled her closer, savoring her and enjoying that she was just his.
A short growl made him break off the kiss and look. The grauori were watching them, their tongues lolling, and Roo had her ears pinned close to her head. They had something to say, and it looked important.
Sal turned in his arms, resting against his chest and raised an eyebrow, "Yes? I take it you want something?"
Roo nodded, and they all felt the click of the link opening. I am glad to have my Hwa back to me, and I'm glad to see you so happy with your mate, Kaisae. This much happiness makes me want more. I would like to ask formally if I may be a breeder for the pack and produce pups for the Black Blades. Would you allow it?
Sal smiled. She hadn't expected Roo to ask in front of their small pack, but this had a feeling of formality. "Aroora, I would be proud to call your pups my own, and to have the strong talents of you and Hwa joined together. You may have as many litters as you choose, at any time you want, so long as Hwa is agreeable."
Hwa looked at his mate and then back to Sal, his eyes carefully resting on her jaw. I would be more than proud to sire pups with Aroora. She is the best bitch I have known, regardless of her color!
"I kinna like her color, myself," Jase added with a shrug.
You sure you'd want to have pups with me, Hwa? Roo asked him, and Sal felt the little female's fears of rejection.
I'd want nothing more! We could have tons, and they could grow big in the southern sun. They could choose to be whatever they wanted, no matter what color they are. The Kaisae has said you can breed, Roo. I want to see little Arooras, and to have them chase my tail, and to pamper you when they keep you up all night. I've always wanted to have pups with you, but until now, there hasn't been a chance of it.
Roo ducked her head, her eyes only for her mate. I asked her earlier when you both were hunting. Sal said she'd train our pups herself, Hwa. She said the pack would raise them as their own.
"I did, and I mean every word of it," Sal assured them.
Our pups would be full packmates? Hwa was beaming.
"Of course. It's very likely that Roo would be the first breeder for the pack. Her pups would have a special place with all of us."
Jase hugged her, resting his chin on her head. She knew he liked the idea of a family but found herself wondering.
"Jase?" she asked, twisting to face him, "Does this count as the family you said you wanted?" She kept her words for him only.
He nodded, a strange smile on his face. "Yeh, kitten, that counts." He turned to Roo and Sal saw his eyes gleaming. "Roo..." he paused. "Thank ya Roo. Yer offer means a lot ta me. I allus wanted a family, but -" he broke off.
Is it because your mate did not want to breed? Roo asked.
Jase shook his head, words failing him. "Nah, it's because I'm part human." He released Sal and squatted in front of his packmate. "Ya see my blue eyes, and ya know what it means. But I can na be around humans well. My body tells me they are prey."
You worry you would destroy them? That your instincts would reject them? she asked.
"Yeh."
But my pups? You're not worried about my pups?
Jase shook his head. "Roo, ya and Hwa bring something out in us. It's like yer what we were supposed ta be. When I held Worau's pups, they pulled at me and I wanted nothing but ta protect them. I would feel even stronger 'bout yers. Even if Sal chooses na ta raise them with me, having kids in our pack? That would mean so much ta me."
Roo shoved her head into his chest, dumping Jase onto his rump in the snow. His arms wrapped around her neck. When Sal saw his smile, she realized how much she still had to learn about the man she loved.
Then, Roo said, turning to look at Hwa, If the pack is agreed, I want to apologize. I asked too late.
The males looked at her, both confused, but Sal smothered a giggle.
I'm already pregnant, Hwa. The pups should be here by late spring.
Hwa howled and charged her, tackling both her and Jase into the snow. Laughing like she'd never seen him, Jase wrestled with the beasts. They used both hands and mouths to throw him around easily, making a game of it. Sal found herself smiling. For the first time, she felt like a true Kaisae.
The celebration lasted long into the night. Jase asked questions about Roo's pregnancy, and they answered. The grauori were truly a part of her family now, and Sal couldn't imagine life without them. She found herself excited about the coming pups and making plans in her head how to care for them. As the evening wore on, the males drifted away, but she heard Jase asking Hwa permission to spoil his mate. Hwa laughed as he trotted beside the iliri.
Kaisae? Roo slipped in beside her.
"Yeah?"
You have made me the happiest bitch in the world tonight. Thank you. You were right about Hwa, he's so happy.
Sal reached over and rubbed her friend's
neck. "I'm glad, Roo. You deserve it. I know how it feels to be shunned by those around you and then find yourself in a pack that finally understands that you aren't just one thing."
You had that, too?
"Yeah. In the Conglomerate, humans are in charge. Iliri are slaves, and most of us have either been bred out, or killed. The handful of us that are left, well, we're usually slaves."
And yet, here you are, Kaisae.
"I know. I was lucky enough to find a pack that understood me."
Me too. Roo rubbed against Sal's leg in a sign of friendship. Can we see if I can talk to your friend?
"Now?" I thought you'd be wanting to celebrate with Hwa.
Nah, Hwa needed a male to speak with. I think they'll be a while. Give me that burning of your friend, and we can see while we have time alone. I know you miss your pack, and this is the best way I can think of to say thank you.
Sal nodded and thought of Arctic. Her mind easily recalled his pale skin and full lips. She closed it into a tight package in her head. It was easy to remember the look of his nearly white eyes, his namesake, and his ebony hair. She could almost smell him, warm and soft, with the hint of oils and leather under his armor. She knew how he tasted as her teeth sliced through his skin, and his laugh as he encouraged her to be better, to be more. She thought of how her friend had always been there for her, whether it was in battle, or being worried about her lovers. Then there was her respect for him as a tactician, and how he'd halted her frenzy with a gentle command, accepting her for who she was so easily, caring about her in his own way.
She took those memories and tied them in a knot, wrapping it in the feel of his mind holding her mental link. With the burning in her mental grasp, Sal looked at Roo and pushed it between them. Roo took it gently, cradling the memories like a newborn pup in her mind as she savored every layer. Sal watched her friend's face as feral smiles flicked across her features and she inhaled the imagined scent of him. A few moments passed before Roo's eyes focused on the present.