Earth Moves

by Lacey Thorn

  She managed to get her knees under her beside Galen’s hips and pushed back against Arik’s fingers.

  “I see that you’re back with us, little one. Are you up to this?” Galen gently stroked her hair behind her ear and out of her face.

  “Oh, yes, please don’t stop now.” Erika pushed her hips forward just enough to shove his cock deeper and gave him a squeeze with her inner muscles. Galen groaned and reached around to take her ass in his hands. He pulled her cheeks apart for his brother and Erika moaned when she felt the solid pressure of Arik’s cock against her anus. She pushed back into him and with a groan of his own he drove into her.

  They all three held still for a moment, enjoying the feel of being together again. It was a wonderful moment in Erika’s life. They started moving in and out of her in an easy rhythm that had first Galen filling her pussy with his engorged cock and then Arik impaling her ass with his curved sword. It was slow and gentle, filled with lots of hands stroking over her body and mouths kissing and sucking at her willing flesh.

  Her first orgasm was like a gentle wave washing over her and through her. She could feel it all the way to her toes. The second one lifted her a little higher, tossing her so that she could feel tingles all over her body. She cried out with ecstasy and tensed her muscles squeezing tightly. With a gasp Arik and Galen began to fill her together. Each pulsing cock thrusting into her soaking flesh at the same time. She could feel them rubbing against each other inside her and wondered if it felt as good to them as it did to her.

  They came at the same time, filling her pussy and ass with hot, pulsing jets of cum. She felt another orgasm spiraling through her, taking her so high that she could feel lights exploding inside her and within her womb she felt a tiny tingle and wondered if she had just conceived a baby. She fell to Galen’s chest with a contented sigh, dropping almost instantly asleep. She was just awake enough to know that Galen had turned to his side so that she could stay between him and Arik without anyone being uncomfortable and neither of her warriors seemed willing to pull out of her flesh.

  Erika awoke with a delicious stretch that made her all too aware of what had led to her going back to sleep. She could tell that it was late in the day. Arik and Galen were both gone and she had no idea where they were. With that on her mind she jumped from the bed and hurried to get dressed. She had just bent over to pick her skirt up off the floor when she heard a comment from the door that made her shriek and turn around.

  “Now that is a sight to make a man want to crawl back in bed and never get out,” Galen stated as he took in Erika bent over in all her naked glory. She was exquisite.

  “By the goddess, Galen, you scared me to death. I was afraid that you and Arik were gone again. I want to know where you have been. Did you bring Tamya back with you? I bet that your mother is just as happy as can be. I’m so glad that you’re back.”

  “Whoa, whoa, little one. I missed you too. But I’m afraid that we’ll be gone again in another day.”

  “Why? What’s going on, Galen?”

  “Tamya wasn’t there.”

  “But I saw her there. Livya went to see her there.”

  “Livya denies that she was ever there. She says that you must have known where Tamya was because you kept her there. She’s doing her best now to convince anyone who will listen that you must have held Tamya against her will.”

  “And I’m sure that there are plenty who will choose to listen to her lies.” Erika didn’t even try to hide the disgust in her voice.

  “It is even worse than that. When the Donans and I made it to the cavern there were signs that she had been there. There were also signs that she had been taken.”

  “Oh, goddess, no! Please tell me that you don’t think that she was taken by other warriors.” She cried out at his affirmative nod. She ran to his side and clung to him. “Please tell me that you don’t believe the lies that Livya is saying! Please tell me that you don’t think that of me!”

  Galen lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the bed. “I could never think such a thing about the woman that I love.” He pushed her back so that he could look into her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us what you have been going through here? Why didn’t you come to one of us with what Livya has been saying about you? I know that you don’t always confide in me, but you’ve always been able to talk to Arik. Why keep this from us?” Erika was startled by the pain in his eyes, pain for her.

  “Oh, Galen, it wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. I love you both so much. It’s just that you both have so much going on with your search for Tamya that I didn’t want to burden you more with Livya’s little games. I’m a big girl. I can handle it. I know that you and Arik love me and that is enough for me. Besides, your mother stands beside me and that limits what is said, at least in my presence.”

  “We could have been beside you as well.” Arik spoke from the doorway. “With us away it was easier for people to believe Livya’s spew of lies. We could have been here with you if we had only known.”

  “I know that, Arik.” She held her hand out to him so that he would move to the bed next to her. “I knew that if I told you then you would make an effort to stay with me instead of looking for Tamya. You needed to look for Tamya and not worry about me. I knew that, Arik, Galen. I knew you would put me first and that and only that is why I didn’t tell you anything.”

  “You are more than we deserve, my heart.” Arik stroked her cheek with his finger before moving it down to her naked breasts and rubbing her nipples.

  “Ummm…” Erika moaned. “I think that we definitely deserve each other. To be honest, the lies don’t bother me because you both make me so happy that it is hard to care what others think. As long as I have your trust and love, I can handle anything else that comes my way.”

  “You will always have that. You make us happy as well, little one.” Galen pushed her to her back on the bed. Arik immediately bent down and started sucking on one of her nipples while he used his fingers to manipulate the other one. “Let us show you just how happy we can make you.” With that Galen moved between her thighs and used his mouth and hands to make her very happy indeed.

  Chapter Twelve

  There were whispered conversations everywhere that Erika went with Katya. People would stop talking and watch until they thought she was out of hearing. That was only the more considerate ones though. Some just waited until her back was to them before they would make a comment about her. It seemed that most of the members of her new caste were eager to believe the lies spread by Livya. Erika was the one held responsible for the assumed capture of Tamya. The Donans were still looking for her but most had given up hope.

  They glanced in pity at Katya for the loss of her daughter. Some were angry even with Arik and Galen, seeing them as failures in protecting their family though none were brave enough to say it to their faces. Arik and Galen continued to help look for their sister but still made sure that at least one of them was home with Erika every night. They wouldn’t come out and say it but she knew that they were worried for her.

  Erika kept working with Katya every morning and then they both went to her mother’s for the afternoon sessions. Erika had mastered most of her skills by this point and could do just about everything that her mother asked of her. She was fairly certain that she was pregnant but wouldn’t know for sure for another week when her cycle was due.

  She still hadn’t shared with her warriors that she was a Guardian. She felt that they had too much on their minds right now to be burdened with her secrets as well. Her mother understood her desire to protect them from the inevitable stress of being married to a Guardian but Katya continued to encourage Erika to tell her sons. Erika struggled with whether to tell them or not every day.

  She also continued to keep an eye on Livya. Livya had developed a new friendship with the young daughter of one of Katya’s friends. The girl was just eighteen years old but was beautiful with long golden blonde hair and big blue eyes. There were already m
any warrior brothers looking to her and waiting anxiously for her to reach the age of claiming. Erika thought that her name was Reanna. It worried her to see the young girl with Livya.

  As the weeks continued to pass, Erika knew for sure that she was indeed carrying a child in her womb. She wanted to tell both of her warriors together but they never seemed to both be around at the same time. She also wanted to tell them about her growing concern for Reanna. It was another week before she got her wish, another week before everything came crashing down around her.

  Erika and Katya were in the barn working with the shebana when there was a loud commotion from outside. Katya went to see what the noise was all about, leaving Erika in the cool interior of the barn. When Erika heard Katya yell she bolted to her feet and went running. It took all her strength not to pass out at the sight that greeted her eyes. Arik was being held between Galen and one of the Donan brothers. He was covered in blood, so much that she couldn’t tell where he was injured.

  Everyone was just standing and staring at them and Erika grew angry as she watched more of Arik’s blood drip to the earth. She rushed forward and spoke with fire in her voice. “Get him into the house quickly. Mama Katya, go and get the elder medicine woman. Tell her that Arik has been injured and that I need a poultice from her.” When Katya just stood there as if in a daze Erika stepped to her and shook her. “Go now, Katya, Arik’s life could depend on this.” She turned to the nearest youth and dispatched him to go and fetch her mother.

  Katya took off without another word. Erika let her gaze encompass the crowd. “If any of you can help, then follow me. If not then get out of the way.” With that she led the way into the bedroom she shared with her warriors and watched as they gingerly placed Arik on the bed. She took the bowl of water and cloths from the woman who had followed her, noticing vaguely that it was Reanna’s mother. Erika sat beside Arik on the bed and gently ran a wet cloth over his chest, cleaning the blood away, looking for the source of all that red. She finally found it. There was a deep gouge in his side where it appeared that a sword had tried to skewer him. She cleaned it as best she could and then held a cloth tightly to it, trying to staunch the flow of blood.

  She could feel Galen pacing behind her and felt his pain too. She glanced up at him and asked gently, “What happened to him, Galen?”

  Galen took a deep breath and ran his fingers over his face. They were covered with Arik’s dried blood as were his chest and pants. “We were continuing our search for Tamya when we came upon their camp unexpectedly. There were only seven of us and at least twenty or more of them. We fought as best we could but Arik was hurt. He was trying to get to Tamya when he was struck from the side. He would have been killed if she hadn’t stepped forward as well. She pushed Arik down and the blade slipped from him. The warrior’s momentum sent him falling forward into Tamya.” He shook his head and looked at her with sad eyes. “She was killed before we could do anything to help her.”

  There was a keening cry from behind them and they turned to see that Katya had entered the room with Erin. Katya collapsed on the floor and began moaning and crying her anguish over the death of her daughter. Erin hurried over to the bed to help Erika take care of Arik. Marcus Donan entered the room next. He and his brothers Alexi and Bannen had all been willing to take Tamya as their mate and there was fire in Marcus’ eyes when he entered the room.

  “I was able to speak with Tamya before she passed. She spoke to me of what happened. I would wish to deal with this Livya. Tamya was able to tell me what happened before she died.” He cut a soft look to Erika. “She asked me to tell you how sorry she was. She believed the lies of that deceitful she-bitch. She believed them right up until the moment that Livya betrayed her.”

  Galen stepped forward. “I would like to know exactly what she told you, Marcus. As her family, we deserve to know the truth.”

  “I would ask that one of my brothers be sent to bring Livya here. I do not wish her to escape without punishment.”

  At Galen’s nod of consent, Alexi left the room. Bannen had moved to Katya and lifted her gently to a chair that sat in the corner of the room. Finally with a weary nod, Marcus told them what Tamya had been able to share with him before she died. It was exactly as Erika had said. Livya had led Tamya away, filling her with lies that neither her brothers nor her mother cared that she was gone. She had been taken only mere hours before Galen and the Donans had arrived at the cavern. Livya had entered with a group of strange men and let them take Tamya away. Tamya hadn’t said but they all had a very good idea of what she must have endured at the hands of the men who took her. And to know that Livya had instigated the entire thing was more than any of them could bear. It was enough to make Erika angrier than she had ever been.

  She could feel it building inside her with every breath she took. She and Erin had managed to clean up Arik as best they could. They had packed a poultice onto the flesh that had been neatly sewn by Reanna’s mother and wrapped it with cloths dipped in the cooling gel of one of the plants that were grown in her mother’s garden. They both knew that the next few days would decide the life or death of Arik. It was pretty certain that fever would set in while his body tried to heal.

  Erika walked from the bed and knelt at Katya’s feet. Bannen was just there to the side of the chair trying as best he could to offer comfort to the grieving woman. Erika took Katya’s hands in her own and squeezed them tightly. “Mama Katya, I am very sorry for your loss. I cannot even fathom what it would be like to lose a child but I need your help now. I need you to help me and my mother care for Arik or you will soon be grieving for the loss of another child.” Katya’s eyes cleared and she looked to the bed where Arik lay so still and quiet. “He is getting a fever even as I speak to you. We will need to keep him sponged down with cool water. I need you to pull yourself together and help me, Mama Katya. Can you do that for me?”

  Katya squeezed Erika’s hands tightly and nodded. “We will make sure that he is all right.” With that she let Erika help her to her feet and she moved over to sit beside her son on the bed. “I will not lose my son.”

  Erika stood and walked through the door of the bedroom into the outer room. Galen and the remaining Donan brothers followed her. She turned and looked at Galen before going to him and wrapping her arms around him. “I am so glad that you are fine, Galen. I don’t know what I would do if you were hurt as well.” With no concern for the other men in the room she pulled his head down to her and kissed him with all the passion that she possessed. She couldn’t keep her hands from running all over his chest to reassure herself that he was indeed unhurt.

  Finally she stepped back and looked deeply into his eyes. “I love you with all I am, Galen. I would die if something happened to you.”

  Galen pulled her back into his arms. “I love you as well, little one. I will love you always.”

  Marcus and Bannen watched the two and couldn’t help but wish that they had such a woman to come home to. They would have willingly taken Tamya and were sure that they would have grown to love her in time. Now that was not to be. It made them angry all over again.

  Erika finally stepped away from Galen although his arm remained firmly around her shoulders. “I wish to express my sorrow for you as well. I know that you planned to make Tamya your own and I am sorry for your loss.”

  Marcus nodded at the beauty that stood before him, but before he could respond Alexi burst through the door, panting for breath.

  “She is gone. She must have heard of our return and fled before we could get to her.”

  “Then we will go after her.” Marcus looked Galen in the eye. “I will not stop until she is found and made to pay for what she has done.”

  Galen nodded his agreement. “I will go with you. We will see to it that justice is found for Tamya.”

  Erika looked up at Galen and knew that her world was falling down around her. Arik was gravely wounded and might not survive and Galen was ready to leave again. Then Erika wondered if Livya would
be foolish enough to head back to the cavern, thinking that no one would look for her there now. She thought that Livya just might.

  “I have an idea of where she might have gone. If we hurry maybe we can catch her there.”

  Galen grabbed her and pulled her to him. “There is no we in this, little one. You will tell us and we will go. You will stay here and see to Arik. He has great need of you.”

  “I wish to go with you, Galen,” Erika pleaded. “I will not be in the way. My mother and Katya will see to Arik for now. Then we will be back before he wakes.”

  “No, Erika. You will stay here and that is the end of it. Now tell me where you think that she might have gone.”

  Erika bit her lip to keep from losing her temper with Galen. He was only trying to protect her. She would just have to wait until he left and then head out on her own. Perhaps it was better that way.

  “I’m not really sure. There was a place in the trees that she seemed to be searching when I followed her to the cavern. I was just thinking that there might be something in the trees that I missed.”

  “We will look in the woods by the cavern then.” Galen pulled her to him and kissed her brow. “I love you, little one. Take care of Arik while I am gone.”

  Erika clung to Galen. “Please be careful, Galen. I couldn’t handle it if you were hurt as well. Promise me that you will be careful.” She pleaded before turning to Marcus. “Promise me that you will watch out for him.”

  Marcus nodded to her. “We will watch out for each other. This is the word of the Donan brothers.”

  Galen pulled her to him and kissed her passionately before setting her aside and walking out with the Donan warriors.

  It wasn’t until she was almost ready to leave an hour later that it was discovered that Reanna was missing.

  Erika checked on Arik one more time before she left. She rubbed his brow with her fingers and kissed his fevered cheek. She loved him and she would personally see that Livya paid dearly for all that she had set in motion. Livya had betrayed someone who trusted her and saw her as a friend. Tamya had paid for that trust in blood. Now Arik lay so pale and still on their bed his body already ravaged with a fever that would either be the beginning of healing or the beginning of his end. How would she and Galen ever be able to go on without him?