A SOFT KNOCK sounded at our door and Melanite poked her head in. 'Hello?' She had a pair of boots hanging from one arm and some garments in the other. 'Here are the boots and I also brought the clothing I used to use when I was a messenger. They're clean, of course. The shorts have a drawstring so they should fit. The laces on the top pull it in so it can fit a variety of sizes.' She walked to the bed and laid a pair of shorts and a short tunic top down.
'Are you a messenger?' She looked at me curiously.
'No. Why do you ask?'
'Well, why would you run otherwise?' she asked in surprise.
The four of us stared at her for a moment then Loi smiled brightly. 'Oh, Cat hasn’t run any messages for ages. She just runs for fun.'
Melanite nodded then pulled out another garment that she’d concealed under her top. It was a long length of cloth with darts placed along it. I stared at it in confusion and the others gathered to peer at it. 'What is that?'
She winked. 'It’s to stop you from bouncing.' And gestured at my chest.
'Ohhhh,' we chorused in unison.
I looked at it closer now. 'How do you put it on?'
She quickly explained how to strap it then excused herself, needing to sort out the other rooms.
'Alek is going to meet you out the front?' asked Sian.
'That’s what Melanite said.' I replied while Loi and Kassie, each with one end of the "bra", walked around me.
'Not too tight,' I half gasped. 'I need to be able to breathe.'
Five minutes later and I sat on the bed, all bandaged up in the bra, while Sian quickly braided my hair.
'Do you think it’ll work?' Kassie studied the bra.
'I hope so,' I grunted, when Sian yanked on my hair, making the braid nice and tight. 'Bouncing isn’t fun.'
Now ready to go, I did some quick stretches, getting a feel for my "new" jogging gear. The boots fit well, though the thin soles felt strange compared to my running sneakers. Audi whined at me; she knew all the moves. She raced over to the others and then to the door, back to me, and back around again. I laughed and opened the door, waving to the girls and moved out the way when the dog shot past.
Chapter Thirteen
ALEK PACED AT the front of the lodge while he waited for Catherine. About to go in search of her, he stopped when Audrey appeared at his feet, whining and crying with excitement. He laughed and bent to pat her.
'She’s super excited,' Catherine called out as she walked in.
Alek looked up to greet her then stopped. She wore shorts that revealed shapely legs and a fitted tunic. He gaped at her for a moment. 'Run?! Err, I mean go for a run?' He flushed when she gave him a funny look, suddenly aware of his abrupt tone.
'Yep, are you feeling alright?' Her green eyes stared up at him in concern.
Shake it off Alek, he thought to himself. It’s not like you haven’t spent the last two days together. 'I’m fine. It’s just warm in here. What did you do to your hair?' he changed the subject quickly and studied the intricate braid that ran down the back of her head.
I TURNED TO show the plait off. 'Sian did it for me. It’ll keep my hair out of the way.'
'Clever,' he commented and gestured with his head. 'This way.'
We wandered through the village until we reached the north end, meeting a dozen dogs along the way. It made me very relieved that in dog world Audi was submissive, so she only said a brief hello before zooming back to us. Alek had already confirmed with the locals as to which track to take, but on our way out of the village we were stopped and warned to be careful by a variety of people. Way to install confidence, I thought and asked, 'What are we to be careful of?'
ALEK LOOKED DOWN at Catherine. Her eyes seemed troubled so he decided to deflect the question a little. 'Do you always go by Catherine? Can I call you Cat?'
She looked surprised. 'Um. Well, my friends and family call me Cat.' Then she grinned at him, 'So you can certainly call me Cat.'
The bubbly response amused him and he flashed her a smile while explaining. 'There have been tehnear sightings lately, that’s why they’re warning us.' Seeing her confusion he continued, 'It’s a large carnivore, but I don’t think we’ll have any issues. The griffons should scare anything like that off.'
HE SAID IT nonchalantly so I wasn't bothered. Even after our encounter with the gragnolls and elgrids, not to mention the griffons we rode each day, it still seemed bizarre that this land had things that would eat us. Such a vast difference to back home. If Alek isn’t concerned I guess there's no reason for me to be, I thought. I followed him past the village entrance.
We turned and began to jog along a track, just wide enough for us to run side by side. Audrey ducked from my side to his and back again, prancing as she did when happy. All my stress and tension began to dissolve while we ran along. I hadn’t realized how off I’d felt. Going for a run felt like such a normal and pleasant thing, just what I’d needed. We started racing each other down the track, darting through the trees. Okay so I raced and he just ran but we had fun, laughing at Audi darting between us. I didn’t notice her disappear at first, the easy track made it effortless to dash along. When I realized she’d vanished, I stopped and twisted to look back.
Alek halted abruptly. 'What?' He looked around in confusion.
'Audrey must have scented something, she’s disappeared. I want to make sure she catches up.' I looked around and listened carefully. I couldn’t hear anything yet, but didn’t panic, knowing how much Audrey loved to explore.
Alek looked up and down the track too, a lock of black hair brushing his eyebrow. My stomach did flip-flops at the sight, especially when he turned that blue gaze on me. 'Should we call for her?'
Too busy mentally swooning, I took a moment to register his words. 'What? Oh right.' I turned. 'AUDDRREEYYY!'
ALEK WINCED. CAT certainly has a good set of lungs, he thought. The contrast between the attractive woman beside him and the voice that sounded like a bull roaring…The edges of his lips twitched with repressed laughter and naturally, that was the moment Cat glanced up. She gave him a wide grin. 'I know, I know. Not exactly what you’d expect from me.'
He laughed. 'I’m learning to expect the unexpected with you.'
I STOPPED LAUGHING when I heard the snap of twigs behind us and spun back. 'Audrey! Where have you been?' I scolded, peering for her. I couldn’t quite spot her so I walked a couple of paces into the bush, off the track. Please don’t let her have caught something; I wasn’t worried that she would have killed it, but most of the creatures Audi’s caught before die of shock rather quickly and it always devastated her. I think she has it in mind to mother them. Peering shortsightedly into the woods (okay so there's more than one reason Sian’s a better archer than me) I spotted the light glinting of her eyes and would have stepped forward when Alek seized my arm.
'Cat, Audi’s over there.' He pointed down the track ahead of us.
Sure enough, there she stood waiting for us. I stared at her for a moment. 'But if Audi’s there, then what’s that?'
ALEK LOOKED WHERE Cat pointed, not seeing anything at first. Then he spotted it, its dark brown fur and darker stripes nearly rendering it invisible in the undergrowth. 'Shit.'
Cat’s eyes widened in surprise. Alek backed slowly out, grabbed Cat’s arm and began to walk along the track at a brisk pace. 'What is it?' She hissed, her eyes wide with alarm.
'A tehnear. Can you get Audrey to walk behind us?'
I LOOKED UP at him, really worried now. 'But,' I began.
Alek interrupted me. 'She’ll be fine. Dogs are quicker than tehnears. She’ll distract it.'
I could feel the fear coil around my stomach and my knees suddenly felt wobbly. 'Is it going to attack us?'
He gave me a grim look. 'Almost certainly.'
ALEK WATCHED WHILE Cat called Audrey and pointed out the tehnear. 'Will she understand?'
Cat glanced at him. 'Yes. Audrey’s very smart.'
They watched the dog stalk back down the tra
ck then stiffen when she sighted the tehnear. Audi lowered, belly almost to the ground, crouched and ready.
'Come on,' he snapped. 'Now we run. Fast.' Gripping Cat’s hand, he took off.
WE SPRINTED FLAT out along the track and this time I had no problem keeping up with Alek. A roar of fury ripped through the trees followed by Audrey, snarling and barking.
ALEK RISKED A glance back. 'She’s okay,' he gasped out. 'It’s working.'
‘LOUSHKA.’ Alek screamed in his mind. ‘HURRY! WE NEED YOU!’
BACK AT THE lodge everyone relaxed and the griffons stretched out in the sun. Sian, Kassie and Loi lounged around a large table with the men and Brece and his family. An enormous cry shook the lodge and everyone leaped to their feet.
'What was that?' yelled Loi, but the men ignored her, all focused on their griffons.
KASSIE FELT THE ground shudder and looked out the window in time to see Loushka spring into the air. Her mouth dropped at the sight of the griffon in full battle mode. Mane standing stiff, eyes narrowed in fury and her tail lashing the air as the griffon took off at a phenomenal speed.
SIAN REALIZED THAT something must have gone wrong with Cat and Alek and lunged at Daron, gripping his shoulders. 'What’s happening?' she shrieked.
MY FEET POUNDED the dirt and my heart beat frantically as I heard the snarls and barks behind us. Audi’s snarls sounded further away than the vicious growls that drew closer. I pumped my arms hard and felt the breath burn in my throat.
ALEK KNEW THE tehnear gained on them. It’d ignored Audrey but she’d distracted it enough for them to get a little head start. He could feel Loushka getting closer but she hadn’t called out yet. His heart raced and he kept a firm hold on Cat’s hand, willing her not to stumble. He knew Loushka would spot them easily enough. All he had to do was keep them out of reach until she arrived. Risking another glance back, Alek’s body went cold with horror; the tehnear was within pouncing distance.
Shit, shit, shit!
‘ALEK!’ Loushka’s voice roared in his mind, ‘DUCK!’
I HEARD A rush of heavy wings and half turned to look when Alek tackled me. We tumbled off the track in a mass of flailing limbs. Something heavy with dense fur smacked across my side, winding me. I heard Alek snarl a curse under his breath and struggled to sit up but couldn’t; he had me pinned to the ground.
'Alek,' I wheezed, trying to get my breath back.
'Hush,' he growled, while looking frantically around. I closed my eyes for a moment, calming myself enough to get a breath. When I opened my eyes Alek still looked around and anxiety made my head throb as I tried not to panic. I could hear Loushka moving through the low undergrowth—branches groaning when she shoved past and twigs snapping. The griffon kept making a strange, angry growl that broke off on a high note, like a screeching eagle defending its nest. Please let Audi be okay!
CAT CEASED TO struggle and lay beneath him, eyes wide while he searched the area for it, twisting his head to look up and down the track. Where was the damn beast? Loushka had sent it flying, but now she couldn’t spot it and tehnears weren’t that easy to kill. Alek felt Cat shift and glanced at her; she stretched to look down the track. Following her line of sight, he saw Audrey there, unscathed on the path. The sense of relief released some tension; it would have devastated Cat if anything had happened to her dog.
He looked down at Cat. 'She’s safe.'
ABOUT TO ANSWER I let out a shriek when Audrey crouched and snarled.
'Tehnear!
Hidden in the shadows of the tree where it’d been flung, the tehnear growled and staggered to its feet. Audrey barked angrily, daring to draw closer and I felt my heart seize tight in fear.
Alek jerked his head up and hollered for Loushka. The tehnear roared at Audrey who cowered but held her ground. The creature barreled over her and raced toward us. I dimly heard Loushka’s furious roar and Alek’s cry of shock before a strange sensation flooded my senses and everything went red.
LOUSHKA SWOOPED IN as Alek lunged over Cat. The griffon snatched the creature just before it reached them and in the same instant an energy pulse burst out from Cat. The force of it flung Alek away and he slammed into the dirt, the breath snatched from his lungs. He lay there stunned, his head ringing. Struggling to roll over, he crawled to where Cat lay unconscious, her eyes rolled back and face ashen. His head thumped with pain, but he sat up and gathered her in his arms, alarmed at the lack of response from the woman.
'Cat, Catherine, can you hear me?' his voice cracked while he stroked her hair back, willing her to respond. Audrey appeared at his side, crying, and gave Cat little licks then nudged Alek, who continued to shake the woman and call her name. Hearing a tearing noise, he looked up to see Loushka determinedly shredding the remains of the tehnear, the griffon's angry thoughts loud through their link.
‘Horrible, cretanous, mangratl creature!’
Then Cat moaned and Alek cradled her close, calling to her again.
I COULD HEAR someone saying my name, but it sounded like it came from far away, a distant, tinny sound in my ringing ears. I tried to speak but wasn’t able to form the words so I lay still, allowing my senses to come back.
CATHERINE HAD SEEMED to register his voice and then went limp again. Alek started to panic. ‘Loushka, we need to get back to the village. Now!’
‘Why?’ Loushka loped over, ‘What’s happened?’
‘She won’t wake up!’ Alek could hear the fear in his mind.
Then Cat opened those beautiful green eyes and looked up at him. The fear dissolved and he beamed down at her.
'Cat! You’re awake.'
She groaned and tried to sit up. He quickly shifted her so she sat between his legs. She seemed very groggy and slumped against one of his knees, clutching it.
'What happened?' Cat asked in confusion.
'The tehnear lunged at us and you,' Alek’s mind warned him against mentioning the energy pulse. 'You clipped your head when I pushed you out the way, I’m so sorry.'
I SLOWLY TURNED to face him, my hands griping his knees to keep steady and looked into his eyes. His dark brows drew close and he studied me, eyes concerned, but curiously enough, almost speculative too. I pushed away the nausea I felt from the hammering in my head, determined not to be a girl about it all.
'Don’t apologize,' I said. 'You saved me.'
The frown vanished and those blue eyes stared into mine with another expression, making my heart pound, distracting me from my aching head. Alek lifted a hand, gently cupping my face, his thumb stroking my cheek. Before I had a chance to react, he pulled me close and pressed his lips to mine.
HE FELT CAT jolt in shock, then relax and sink into his embrace. The warm sweet taste of her lips triggered a sudden rush of lust. Alek wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in and slid his other hand under her braid. He’d never found himself so aroused from such a simple kiss. She sighed against his lips and he deepened the kiss, wanting more.
‘Errrr… Do you think you could do that somewhere private?’ Loushka’s amused voice came into his mind.
ALEK JERKED BACK, then flushed red, turning to stare at Loushka for a moment. I got the idea and bit my lip to keep from laughing. Actually, my head now spun in a rather impressive manner. The awful thumping had vanished and my veins felt like they hummed with desire. I could feel a very silly look develop on my face and glanced down to hide it.
‘SORRY.’ ALEK THOUGHT sheepishly.
‘Oh I don’t mind,’ Loushka thought, ‘And Cat certainly seems better for it. But next time shield your mind. I really don’t need all those unsolicited thoughts flooding in.’
Alek looked down at the woman snuggled in his arms. Appearing to sense his gaze, she looked up, green eyes slanted in pleasure looking very cat like.
‘Arrrgghh!’ Loushka shrieked verbally and mentally, startling Alek and Cat. ‘That’s it! I’m taking you back to the lodge and you are in separate rooms dammit! And keep your mind on something non-sexual or you are wal
king back to the village!’
Oops, Alek winced. Need to work on that mind shield technique.
BACK AT THE village everyone anxiously waited for Loushka, Alek, Cat and Audrey to return. They knew a tehnear had attacked them and Loushka had killed it but they hadn’t had any news since then. Kassie stood outside when she heard the loud noise of Loushka’s wings. The griffon burst into view then dropped from the sky and landed amongst them. Everyone rushed forward.
Alek slid down Loushka’s forearm his face flushed from battle and turned, arms outstretched to catch Cat as she slid down. Gredel called Audrey to him and the dog made a confident leap to the burly man’s arms, almost knocking him over, which caused titters of laughter from those who stood close.
ALEK SET ME to my feet, but didn’t let go straight away, his hands lingering on my waist. I tingled from his touch and looked knowingly at him from under my lashes. Before we could say anything Kassie and the others appeared, hugging us and exclaiming, demanding to know all the details.
When I tried to explain, I realized how knackered I felt and then noticed how covered in dirt and muck I was. Loi took a close look at me then turned and called for Melanite, asking her to run a bath. They dragged me away to be cleaned and fed.
Chapter Fourteen
THE NEXT MORNING I lay in bed thinking over the previous day’s events, funnily enough I kept coming back to that kiss. It wasn't like I hadn’t kissed a guy before. I had, plenty of times, but it had never felt like that. It had been… I floundered for an adequate description, flushing at the memory of Alek’s arms cradling me, the scent of his breath and, oh god, that mouth. I fanned my face with a hand, the memory deliciously real in that moment.
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