But before it had time to react, she swung the spear in a whistling arc, like a scythe cutting through the air. The spear hit the wolf in the back legs, crumpling them. It sat down hard, and she brought the spear down across its back. There was a terrific crack and the wolf went flat on its stomach, six legs splayed out to the sides. She took a breath, lifted the spear over her head, ready to land the killing blow.
Then she was on the ground on her back, the wind knocked out of her, dirt in her eyes and mouth. Something heavy had her pinned, the arm with the spear under her body. Hot breath washed over her, and she gagged. She struggled to open her eyes and found herself staring into the face of a green-eyed gray wolf. It drooled hot spit onto her skin, teeth snapping over her.
Time went still, and she knew she was dead. Knew it in her heart and in her very bones. She was pinned and she’d never get off this planet. She’d die here in this strange land, and she wouldn’t even be able to tell Taso good-bye.
The wolf pulled its lips back in a sick grin, shifting forward, three legs coming down on each side of her body. As it did, her arm moved and she slid the spear out from under her. The wolf lowered its head as she brought the shaft up and around. It was far too long to impale the beast, but she managed to bang the thing with her fist, her hand wrapped around the shaft. It hurt, the pain in her hand shooting up her arm, yet she held onto the spear. The wolf snapped behind its head, missing her hand by inches. As it turned, its ear brushed against her face and automatically she bit down, hard.
Something terrible filled her mouth, and she wanted to gag, to spit out the taste and feel of fur and blood, to get the sticky stuff out of her mouth. She could hear the high-pitched whine of the wolf, spiraling higher as she bit down. Then her teeth clicked together and the wolf jerked away, howling in pain. She rolled on her side, spitting out the end of the wolf’s ear.
She was on her feet then, the spear raised. The wolf jumped as she rammed the spear up and out. The wolf’s body went limp, the weight pushing her back and down, landing her on her ass, the dead wolf landing on top of her. For a brief crazy second, she thought if she just stayed there, under the body of the dead wolf, she’d be safe.
Then she pushed the wolf away, set her foot on the carcass and pulled out the spear. It was covered with brilliant crimson blood, so bright in the gray light she could only stare at it. Everything else faded away, everything except the bright red blood on the end of her spear. She leaned over and threw up.
Noise rushed up to her, the sounds of bears and wolves coming together, bodies colliding, growls and shrieks, roars and howls. She whirled around, spear flashing in what light there was. An unholy noise came from her throat, and she charged at the next wolf she saw, the spear hitting it behind its middle legs, coming out the other side, adding its blood to the blood already on the end of her spear.
Taso was right about her…she really was a warrior.
Chapter Twelve
Finally, the wolves had retreated. A few bears chased after them, then stood on their hind legs, roaring to the sky, swiping the air with their massive paws. She thought that was the laughter Taso had told her about, laughing as your enemies ran away.
She stood and watched, breathing hard, arms hanging limply at her side, until the wolves had vanished. Blood covered every inch of her, and she spat again, unable to get the taste of wolf blood and fur out of her mouth.
The bears turned away from the retreating wolves, shuffling and lumbering toward the gate. The men on top pulled the chains and with a welcoming metal Clank, the gates opened. They went through in ones and twos, slipping through the narrow gap, as men ran out with stretchers and carts, probably to bring back the dead and wounded. But there was only one person she wanted to find.
Every bear still looked like every other bear to her. Somehow that bothered her, to the point that tears came to her eyes. The man she’d slept with...she should be able to pick him out of the crowd. She turned in circles, looking at every bear, trying to remember the pattern of spikes and horns, unable to tell one from another.
The big gates slammed shut and the courtyard was filled with the roars and growls of bears, then gradually overlaid with the shouts and cries of men and women. The cries turned from those of pain to shouts of triumph. Someone slapped her on the back, someone else ran by yelling. But she didn’t see him. Was he still out there? On the ground with the wounded? Or was he dead?
“Come.”
She whirled around, and there was Taso, face dirty, streaked with blood, his armor torn. He took her hand, pulling her through the crowd. She expected to end up in the barracks, but he took her on another long journey through the palace. When he finally pushed open a door, it was a room she recognized. It was his room.
And then Taso had her in his arms, pressed against his chest. She fell into him, buried her face against his chest and cried. Sobs came out of her, from some deep part of her she never knew existed. He held her, rubbed her back, let her cry.
When it seemed like she had no more tears, he put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her away to look into her face. She saw bemused concern in his eyes.
“I threw up.” It seemed the perfect encapsulation of the whole experience. He looked at her for a moment longer and then smiled.
“It happens with your first kill. To all of us, only bears usually don’t do that.” He reached up, stroked her hair. “You were magnificent, even if you did throw up.” He tried to pull her back, but she shook her head and stepped away.
“I’m dirty, and I smell bad.”
But Taso already had his shirt off, throwing it behind him. “I do not care. You smell powerful.”
She started to laugh, but he covered her mouth with his. He pushed her against the door, hands tearing at her shredded armor. She wanted him, badly, but the rank smell of wolf blood, sweat and dirt was overpowering. With more than a little struggle she broke the kiss and held him at arm’s length.
“Really. I stink, and so do you. And I’m covered with blood. Wolf blood. It smells bad. And it tastes worse”
He eyed her for a minute. “Then we should have a bath.”
Before she could think to say no, he was in the bathroom. She could hear water running. The thought of bath she’d had, the silky smooth feel of the water, the...whatever it was that Iria had added to the water...all came back to her. She kicked off her boots and padded after him.
It surprised her that he was naked, but only for a moment. She shrugged, then pulled off her own shirt and pants. Being naked for Taso seemed to be normal and from the way he looked at her, her being naked was something he approved of. It was strange, so foreign, to be looked at, and not have them frown at her, or point out her shortcomings. It was...a relief, actually, to enjoy the freedom of being naked. To find someone who embraced her curves, and loved every inch of her, just as she was.
“The water is very hot.”
“That’s okay. I like it hot.” She trailed a hand through the pale green water. Taso grinned, then held out a tray holding several small containers, like Iria had held yesterday. These were different colors; she recognized the carmine. There was deep green; blue, light and dark; and one that glimmered like gold-dust.
“What are those?”
“Each has a different healing property. For us...I think this.” He plucked the dark blue, and held it out to her. “Here. Pour this into the water.”
She undid the little stopper and watched the stream of blue as it fell into the water. Instead of turning the water any color, it made the water shimmer with the iridescent colors of the rainbow. A scent like flowers mixed with honey and rain rose up to her. Eyes closed she breathed deeply.
“This is amazing.”
“It suits you.”
She heard a splash, opening her eyes to see Taso stepping into the tub. He held out his hand and she accepted, letting him steady her as she stepped in beside her. The water was hot enough to make her gasp, but the heat seemed to soak into her, mix with her blood, maki
ng her want to submerge herself, to feel the warmth soothe her aching bones.
“Oh...Taso.” She sank down, letting the water rise up to her neck. “I could stay here forever.”
He sat down in the big tub, turning her easily so her back rested against his chest. In the shimmering water, she watched the watery movement of her legs nestled between his, pale against his darker skin.
Behind her, she felt him tugging at her hair. “Sit up.” She did as he asked and he snaked the long braid out of the water, taking off the fabric tie and patiently undoing the wet hair, until it hung over her shoulders in long wet strands.
“You have beautiful hair.” His fingers worked into the hair on her scalp, tensing and relaxing, kneading her gently. Tipping her head back, she felt warmth as he cupped water, and poured it over her scalp. He passed his wet hand over her face, patiently rinsing away the dirt and blood. She felt clean, cleaner than she could ever have imagined.
“This stuff would really sell on Earth. You could make a fortune from this.”
He laughed, a soft sound that set ripples moving through the water. “I think I’ll just keep this for myself. For you, for us. I have no need for fortunes.”
She relaxed against him, closing her eyes, letting the water, and the blue stuff work its magic. She was aware of Taso behind her, aware of the hard muscles of his chest, the feel of his skin against her back. Lowering her arms into the water, she let her hands rest on his thighs. They were hard, strong legs, the skin covered with a layer of hair that prickled just a little beneath her fingers.
He stirred behind her, and she felt the hardness of his erection moving against her back. It was hard to tell where the heat of the water ended, and the heat inside her body started. Everything inside of her felt just as fluid as the water surrounding her. She pushed up, turning so she was facing Taso. She slipped her legs over his, letting them move around his waist, until she was sitting in his lap.
His hair was damp, making the curls and waves unruly. It was impossible to resist running her fingers through his hair, feeling the thick strands tangle in her fingers. Eyes closed, he tipped his head back, almost purring in contentment. In this moment, he reminded her more of a cat, and less like a bear. Like he’d done with her, she scooped up water, letting it run over his face. The blood and dirt seemed to melt away under her touch. Deemed clean, she leaned down, her lips brushing against his.
His hands slid up her torso, moving to squeeze the fullness of her breasts, thumbs moving in lazy circles over her nipples. The sensation was a sharp counterpoint to the warmth swirling through her, little spikes of electricity making her shiver in the water.
She arched into Taso’s hands, pressing herself wantonly against his touch, water swirling around them as she rocked her hips against him.
Reaching between them, she found his cock, wrapping her fingers around the thick shaft. Guiding him to her, she settled down onto him, gasping in pleasure as he filled her with a different type of heat. With another gasp, she broke the kiss, resting her forehead against Taso’s.
He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her against him as he slid down in the water. Fingers kneading her breast, he bent his head, licking one hard nipple before pulling it into his mouth. Something like a small explosion went off deep inside her, low between her hips, and she rolled her hips forward, as the tremors ran down her legs, making her toes curl. Taso grunted something against her heated skin.
“No... keep going. That wasn’t it...by a long shot.”
He responded by sucking more of her into his mouth. She felt the edge of his teeth against her sensitive skin, a sliver of pain making her whimper.
Taso rocked his hips up, pushing himself into her, and she met him fully, circling her hips as she held his head to her breast. She caught his rhythm then, rocking back and forth, moaning as the heat rose inside of her, hotter than the water surrounding them.
Inside her, she could feel movement, the throb and pulse of him, the shift in his hips as his movements grew faster, erratic. With a rough gasp, he pulled away from her breast, looking up at her with hooded eyes. She leaned down, kissing him hard, sucking his tongue into her mouth.
He came suddenly, with a harsh cry, his body tensing beneath hers. She held on, breaking the kiss, head buried in his shoulder, as he filled her with his seed.
It was his low moan that triggered something, a long cry of pleasure coming from some place deep inside of her. Her hips seemed to have a life of their own, jerking back and forth, her swollen clit rubbing against Taso’s body. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her, seemingly unstoppable, but nothing she wanted to stop.
The water sloshed around them as she held onto Taso, as she let her body follow its course. When it was over, when the crashing waves inside her subsided to ripples and eddies, she collapsed against him, sinking into the warm water, and her bear’s arms.
* * *
She lay in the soft light, her head on Taso’s shoulder. He had the end of her hair in his hand, winding the long strands through his fingers.
“You were magnificent today. And not only against the wolves.”
“Thank you.” His words made her blush, and they sent a little ripple of pleasure coursing through her. She ran her hand down his broad chest, tracing a slow line around his navel, then lower, to the flat space below. Her fingers played along the thatch of dark hair, but he reached down, covering his hand with hers.
“Later. Rest. There is time, there is always time.”
She let her hand drift back up to his chest. “I didn’t think men ever refused an offer of sex.”
“I am not like men on your planet, remember? I can control myself. And...” He chuckled, and placed his hand over hers. “You were insatiable in the bath.”
That made her laugh. “Not really. You’re insatiable when you want something...”
“When I want you, yes. After battle, the urge is strong. Now...” He tugged on her hair. “Now I am satisfied, for the moment. I want to lie here like this, until it is time again.”
She thought about that for a minute, decided she could wait as well.
“Was it hard for you today? You fought like one of us.”
“It was...not what I expected. I never thought I could kill someone...even if that someone was a wolf.”
“But that someone was trying to kill you. To kill us.”
“Right, I know that.” She settled herself against him, her hand flat on his chest. “This isn’t exactly a conversation I ever thought I’d have, trying to explain what it was like to kill a wolf, who was an alien, that looks like a human. Or did look like a human...” For a moment she wondered if he’d had a family, a mate. And for a moment she could taste the blood, and fur and dirt.
You found out you are a very strong woman. You were tested. You not only survived, you triumphed.”
She heard his words, let them play over in her mind. But there was more to it than just that. More to just knowing her limits, and pushing past them. Pushing against him she sat up. It was just light enough for her to see his face, a pale oval against the pillow.
“It’s more than just that. I know I’m strong. I’ve known that for a long time. It’s...I think I found my purpose.”
He looked up at her, his eyebrow cocked, but he didn’t say anything. His silence gave her the confidence to go on.
“As crazy as this all is...I think this place feels more like home to me than Earth ever did.” It sounded so dramatic in the dark, in bed with Taso. She laughed, and put her head back on his shoulder.
“I feel at home here. And that surprises me. Very much.”
Chapter Thirteen
The fighting continued, more on than off, over the next weeks. Veronica lost count of the number of battles, the number of times she fought a wolf. She ached in places she’d never known could even hurt, but through it all, she’d learned how to fight for her life, and for the life Taso imagined for his Clan. For this strange planet. A world that had quickly beco
me home to her.
The barracks were full of men, pulling off torn armor, dropping it in heaps on the floor. She looked around; there were fewer losses this time, more Clan members left after this battle. The Moonbay Clan—vicious wolves—were still attacking just as often, with just as furiously as the first battle she’d fought in.
The tiger Clan—Byakko—had stopped attacking, except for a few isolated scrimmages. They had sent an emissary with a message: they, and the Santina lions wished to discuss terms of a truce. In private, Taso had been elated, although in public he had been cautiously optimistic.
He came to her one day in their rooms, not long after the messengers had left. They’d been smuggled out; Taso fearful they’d be ambushed by wolves on the way home.
“Max, I have a request to make of you.”
She’d been sitting by the window, looking out over the broad plain between the city walls and the distant huge pine trees. Taso had told her what the names of the trees were, but she’d forgotten. There was no word in English that translated from his language. So she called them pine trees.
“What is it?”
They had had a quiet few days, and she’d found Taso growing restless. She thought he’d been missing the action of the fight, but he’d been working late into the night, going over the messages the Moonbay, Byakko, and Santina Clans had sent. And he felt it was time to do something, to take the lead. To take action, rather than just talking about peace.
“I would like you to be my emissary, for you to take the terms of peace treaty to the other Clans.”
She stared at him, open-mouthed. “You’re kidding. You want me to be a messenger for you?” It was more than a little ironic that she’d been a messenger on Earth, and now she was being asked to do the same job on a foreign planet.
He pulled out a chair and sat down. She saw the lines in his face, saw how the silver in his hair had advanced, in just that last few months. “It’s more than that. I want you to be more than the messenger. I want you to act in my place, on my behalf. To represent me and the interests of our Clan. To help broker this deal between the Clans.”
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