Sweet Submission

by Desiree Gelsi

  She flushed, trying to cool the desire in her blood. Casually she reached down into the snow with her hand, nonchalantly rolling the powder until she had a perfectly formed ball of white in her palm. She smiled mischievously, backing away as she held her weapon by her hip.

  Sasha watched her in wonder. Her blue eyes were as deep as the ocean, and he could almost feel a tidal wave washing through them, ready to crash down on him as she stepped back. She had something at her hip. He could see the way that she held her hand behind her back.

  "What are you doing?” he finally asked when she had yet to produce her secreted toy.

  She pursed her lips, “Nothing...” she leaned to the right, pretending to look behind him, and she nearly burst out laughing right then and there when he took the bait.

  He turned to look, following her gaze, and his moments inattention left him vulnerable. Suddenly something hard smacked into his back with a thwack. He spun around. Kita was grinning from ear to ear with self satisfaction.

  "That,” she informed him haughtily as she dusted the snow from her hands, “was for thinking impure thoughts about me."

  He smiled, reaching down into the snow with a shrewd look on his face. She backed away, giggling nervously and shaking her head.

  "Sasha, don't you dare.” She warned him. “Unless you want to eat that snow you'd better not ... ah! Sasha!” The snowball thumped into her side just as she swerved to avoid it.

  It was his turn to dust of his hands as he announced, “that, my sweet, was for thinking impure thoughts about me.” He laughed, “and for taking advantage of my—"

  He never got to finish his sentence. A snowball was launched into his chest, smacking into him as it shattered into a million white fluffy pieces on his coat. He looked at Kita. She was laughing hysterically, holding her stomach with her convulsions. He smirked, grabbing up another ball of snow.

  She screeched and ran, prompting him to chase her across the snow covered meadow. She didn't have a chance to outrun him. She was still too busy laughing and slipping in the snow. He caught her easily, wrapping his strong arms around her as he spun her around to face him. She was gasping for breath, still laughing uncontrollably.

  She squealed with delight, “Unhand me you, you ... ah!” She slipped in the snow, nearly falling on her backside.

  Sasha grabbed her, pulling backwards before she could go down. But when he drew back he lost his own footing, slipping into the snow while taking Kita with him. Again she screeched, laughing harder than ever when she landed on top of him. She lay on his chest, straddling his hips as she panted for air and looked down at him.

  She sucked in a deep breath, “You make a hard pillow...” She had barely gotten the words out of her mouth and she began to giggle once more.

  Sasha smiled. She was so beautiful. Her eyes twinkled with energy, her hair was wet and messy with fallen snow, and her smile lit everything around him. It could have been dark out and he never would have known. Her cheeks were pink, from laughter or cold he wasn't sure, and a tear streaked downward over them.

  Kita sighed, desperately easing her laughter to soft chuckles, “My stomach hurts from laughing.” she gasped breathily. “But you should have seen the look on your face."

  "My face,” he echoed with an amused grin, “you should have seen the look on your face.” In an instant he wrapped his arms around her, rolling her beneath him.

  Kita's breath caught for a moment, and she resumed her laughter. She wrapped her legs around his hips, and raised her chin defiantly, taming her mirth for all she was worth.

  "What is it with you Alpha's always having to be on top?” she joked, feeling the tightness in his jeans as he held her close.

  He winked down at her, “I'll let you be on top if you want to be."

  She scoffed, stating, “the funny thing is you think you're the one in control. But the truth is,” She purposely tightened her legs around his hips, emphasizing her hold on him, “It's me that has you."

  His eyes softened, and he brushed the wet hair from her face, “I'm never in control around you, Kita. And believe me I know damn well how hard your hold is on me.” He leaned down and kissed her, crushing his lips against hers.

  Kita closed her eyes, welcoming his kiss and the passion within it. He was warm and wet, deliciously arousing as his tongue slid along the curve of her lips. She moaned into him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him down to her with her legs. His tongue tickled hers, tasting her and lingering lovingly inside of her.

  He drew away, shifting his kisses to her earlobes. He sucked on her lobe, gently tugging as he pulled away to trail down her throat.

  She whispered against his skin, “Sasha, let's go home..."

  "That's an admission,” he rasped playfully, “my home is now your home."

  He continued to kiss her neck, circling her skin with his tongue. It was excruciating to feel his hot breath burning on her flesh, only to be frozen by the cold winter air the moment that he moved his mouth. Biting snowflakes nipped her cheeks and fell in her lashes, all the while a fire was building inside of her.

  "Sasha.” She implored again, “let's go home, please."

  He pulled up, hovering over her with a roguish smile, “What's the matter? Is it too cold for you out here?"

  She pushed on his chest, “Yes, and you know it."

  He kissed her again, pausing to tease her, “I'll keep you warm, Kita."

  "You're warm, but you're not that warm.” She informed him good-naturedly.

  He smiled, finally conceding to her, “Alright then, pretty baby, we'll go home.” He stood and extended his hand out to her, “I can ravish you there just as well as I can here."

  She blushed, “You can ravish me anywhere you like, Alpha, as long as it's not in the cold."

  She took his hand and he pulled her up, watching her adoringly when she tried to turn from him. He held her hand, relishing that moment, where her delicate palm was securely locked in his own.

  He froze. There was a noise somewhere beyond the river, the sound of a twig snapping. It made him tense, and then it hit him, like a sickening wave crashing down on him. Something wasn't right.

  "Sasha?” Kita squeezed his palm, “What's wrong?” She saw him go rigid, and worry flashed in his eyes.

  He didn't answer and she looked past him. They were near the tree line now and the meadow was nearly obscured by white. Even the black rolling river was faded in the falling snow. She couldn't see anything, and she hadn't heard anything.

  "Sasha, what's wrong?” She asked again, this time her voice was soft, worried, “Sasha, you're scaring me."

  He snapped his head back to her, gently brushing her chin with the pad of his thumb. The feel of her soft skin in his touch, it was a sensation that he never wanted to forget.

  "Kita, my pretty baby,” He stepped away from her, backing into the meadow, “Don't be scared. I won't let anyone hurt you."

  She frowned in confusion, “What are you talking about?"

  Suddenly a shot zipped through the air, clean and direct. She saw Sasha grimace in pain as he tilted his jaw in ire. She cried out, seeing the softly feathered end of a small arrow imbedded in the side of his neck.

  Sasha was irritated, and he lashed upward with his right hand, jerking the dart from his throat. He snapped the projectile in two with a simple flex of his fingers, throwing it off to the ground as he glared across the meadow.

  "Shooting me with poison darts won't improve my temper any.” He hissed as he stepped back until he was leaning against the firm base of a tree.

  "No, but it will make you more predictable."

  Kita looked up to the sound of the familiar voice. Four shadowy figures had crossed the river and were walking through the snow towards them. She recognized the man in front, and her heart lurched.

  CHAPTER 15

  Kita felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as she glared at her father. He was a stern-looking man, with salt and pepper hair, a thin, narr
ow jaw line, and piercing blue eyes. He casually straightened his long dark gray coat as he proceeded forward. He was an attractive man, tall and lean, but austere in appearance. He was calm and collected. Even in foreign territory, he appeared unflappable.

  Kita exhaled, realizing that she had been holding her breath ever since she had seen her father. She brought her eyes back to Sasha. A slender trail of blood was slipping from the wound in his neck. Anger and hatred burned within her suddenly, renewing her resentment.

  "What in the hell is wrong with you?” she snapped at her father. “Why did you do that?” She demanded, despite a hard glower of warning that was now written on his face.

  He snapped his fingers at a young man to his side, “Markus, grab your sister."

  The man smiled affectionately at Kita, shaking his head in silent reprimand. He was tall with lean muscle, blue eyes and thick blonde hair, clearly a younger version of his father.

  He stepped towards her and she moved back, closer to Sasha. It was enough to make him stop, throwing his eyes at Sasha before he made another move.

  Sasha stared at him, frozen against the tree, daring him to grab Kita while he was there.

  "Just grab her already, Markus!” Her father snapped impatiently.

  The young man glanced back at his father, flicking his eyes to Sasha suggestively.

  Kita's father inhaled slowly and a knowing look crossed his features, “You can get your sister, Markus. I'm sure that Mr. Lucien will allow that..."

  Sasha didn't move. He couldn't because the poison in the dart had numbed his body. From the neck down he was paralyzed. He was helpless although he never let on. He looked at Kita's father. The headman was aware of his numbed condition, he never voiced it, but the perceptive look in his eyes confirmed it.

  Kita looked over. Sasha still hadn't moved. He was still inclined against the tree, watching her brother now with silent interest.

  "I swear to god, Markus, touch me and your head is gonna roll.” Kita threatened when her brother stepped towards her.

  "Kita, don't embarrass me.” Her father growled.

  She frowned in confusion, and for the first time she stopped to look at the two men who were with him. She had assumed that they were just two more of her fathers Beta's, but she had been wrong. A lump formed in her throat, and she swallowed hard.

  She saw Ramsey, and immediate hatred began to churn in her abdomen. She looked to the man beside him. He was dark skinned and dark eyed, much like Ramsey, and of average height, but with a broad barrel shaped chest. He had a look of power and authority that was only matched by the Alpha werewolf to his side. It was Ramsey's father, the Puman King, Dashadow.

  She swallowed her hatred and her pride, stepping beside her brother as she yielded to her fathers command. It wasn't her fathers silent threat that made her move, it was the simple fact that Marcus happened to be the farthest from the were-cats at this moment, and she wanted to keep as much distance between herself and Ramsey as was physically possible.

  Her father nodded his approval and stepped in front of Sasha.

  "Forgive me for not introducing myself,” he apologized. “My name is Sergey Yurikov. I'm Kita's father."

  Sasha looked coolly at him, “I know who you are. If you had wanted to speak with me you could have just asked. There's no need to drug me."

  Sergey frowned unhappily, “Yes, I'm sorry about that, but I'm afraid you're reputation precedes you, eye-commander. I wasn't sure how I would be received when I came to retrieve my daughter, though. As an Alpha, I'm sure you understand my caution when on another mans territory."

  Sasha's gaze grazed Kita. She was throwing knives at Ramsey with her eyes. The were-cat smirked back at her arrogantly, his dark eyes held sinister shadows with promise of things to come.

  "It's actually a good thing that you've drugged me.” Sasha said in afterthought, “if I could move right now one of your companions would be dead. I'd have ripped his throat from his flesh."

  Sergey nodded, “ah yes, Ramsey. He told me what happened. You're a very bold man, Sasha, attacking a were-cat off of your territory.” He blinked casually, “I understand your anger towards him. He has something that you want, and when he came to take her back you fought for her. That's admirable ... inconsequential, but admirable nonetheless."

  Sasha narrowed his eyes, “I assume then that he told you he shot your daughter?"

  The head man bowed his head slightly, “I know my daughter, and unfortunately she doesn't always make the right choices. I wish it hadn't been necessary for him to shoot her with a poison dart, but it was the only way that she would even allow him to get close to her."

  "I'm not talking about the poison dart, Sergey,” Sasha bristled internally, “I'm talking about the silver bullet that he put in her left shoulder, the one that nearly killed her."

  There was a sudden silence, and Kita's father went stony. He looked shocked and enraged at the same time. His fist clenched and unclenched indecisively.

  Ramsey shifted nervously behind him. His eyes darted between Sasha and Kita.

  Finally he blurted defensively, “I was aiming for Sasha and she got in the way. It was an accident, Sergey."

  Kita's eyes widened in disbelief, “Bullshit!” she screamed, trying to escape her brother's hold so that she could attack him, rip his head off, anything to cause him pain, “You used me as bait to get Sasha near you, you lying bastard!"

  "Kita,” her father said, quieting her with his stern voice. “There is nothing to be gained by your being excitable."

  She glared at him but was hushed, reluctantly backing down.

  "To be perfectly honest, Sergey, I have reasons other than your daughter to kill that man,” Sasha said calmly, interrupting the chaos that was threatening to explode around him. “He killed four of my pack mates for no reason, and injured another ... on my territory."

  Again there was a silence on the head man's part, and something flashed in his eyes that Sasha thought might be anger. He looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with the were-cat. Ramsey shrugged indifferently, not even bothering to deny what he had done.

  Sergey whispered under his breath, “is that why you have held my daughter captive here—to spite your rival?"

  "Your daughter has been free the whole time, she was never a captive.” Sasha narrowed his eyes pensively. That wasn't exactly true. S he hadn't been a captive, no, but he hadn't exactly allowed her to just leave either. His conscience nipped at him and he added, “There were times when I suggested that she stay for her own safety, but I never held her against her will."

  There was a momentary silence as Kita's father blinked and shifted uneasily. He suddenly turned, walking over to her. He opened her coat slightly, shifting her shirt to look at her left shoulder. The place where she had been shot was still red, and finely made stitches crossed her delicate skin.

  A tear ran down Kita's cheek as she whispered, “Sasha saved my life."

  He sighed, refusing to acknowledge her words. He turned away and walked back to Sasha.

  "Are you willing to fight for my daughter, Sasha?"

  "I'd die for her, Sergey,” he replied softly.

  Kita's father looked back through the falling snow at Ramsey, and then he looked at the Puman King. There was a long silence.

  Finally he addressed the were-cat ruler, “Dashadow, Sasha wishes to keep my daughter."

  "Too bad,” The man growled, “If Ramsey does not mate with her then we have no deal. The agreement is off."

  Sergey shifted his shoulders tensely, “Dashadow, your son has killed four innocent werewolves. That cannot be disregarded."

  "How are you to be so certain that they were innocent, Sergey?” The broad man disputed.

  "Your son's silence provides me with all the certainty that I need. He doesn't deny what he has done."

  Dashadow looked at his son. Ramsey gazed back at him with his coaly eyes, cocking his jaw without a single word. He smirked, as if proud of the blood that he had
coldly made spill. There was no remorse in his actions.

  Chagrined, the were-cat ruler turned his attention back to the werewolf leader, “Fine,” he snapped tersely, “let him try to avenge the death of his pack mates by fighting my son. If he succeeds Ramsey will be dead, and he can keep your daughter as well ... but he will not succeed. He will die in vain."

  Again there was tenseness on Sergey's part, and his eyes narrowed with hidden resentment towards the other man's words, “Death is not necessary. Submission will suffice, when one man acknowledges the other as the superior fighter the battle is done."

  "Submission may suit you, werewolf, but not me. My son will die before he loses to a wolf."

  Sergey seemed surprised by the other mans words, but he regained his composure quickly to glance at Sasha, “for your sake I hope that your reputation as a fighter is all that it is said to be.” He lowered his deep voice to a haunting whisper, “he'll claw your eyes out. He'll shred you to ribbons, and he'll leave you bleeding and dying long before he kills you...” Offhandedly he looked back at the two were-cats, raising his voice to an audible level, “Ramsey, are you willing to fight Sasha, to the death if necessary?"

  The were-cat scoffed initially, but a harsh look from his father sobered him, and he nodded, “Of course..."

  Sergey sighed deeply, holding his hand out to catch the falling snow in his palm, “It's settled then, in the spring we will return. Ramsey and Sasha will fight to the death, and Kita will mate with the winner."

  "What?” Kita cried as she pulled against her brother's grip, frantically trying to get free from his hold, “that's not fair! Why don't I have a choice in this?"

  Her father exhaled, “I've made my decision, Kita."

  "Exactly,” She protested, “your decision! It should be my decision!” She slipped from Markus’ grasp, rushing to Sasha.

  He was still leaning against the tree, and even when she shoved her palms against his chest he didn't move.

  Tears stained her cheeks, and his heart was breaking to see her cry. He would have given anything to make his arms move at this moment, to hold her and comfort her, make her feel secured. He tried, but his whole body was numb and useless.