The Warrior's Pet (Cadi Warriors Book 1)

by Stephanie West

  All was now quiet. It was like the Toufik had never even been there, just some vengeful woodland spirits that disappeared into the mist. That seemed to unsettle the group more than the surprise attack.

  Light was starting to peak over the horizon just barely penetrating the dense forest. That meant there would be no more individual sneak attacks on the Scelus who had been herded to the road. It was time for phase two.

  Madhava looked around attempting to assess the situation and reorganize the men while Vigdis stood bitching. Giselle took the opportunity to look up into the hills. She was in a bad spot here. The section of road they were on was not safe. As she looked back Madhava was studying her.

  "Do you think they're coming back?" Giselle asked with concern she didn't have to feign, though it wasn't the Toufik she was afraid of.

  Madhava was eyeing her too intently.

  "Daimio you should take one of the few manx that is left." Madhava suggested as he pushed Giselle towards one of the striped beasts.

  Madhava leaned into her as he gripped her arm. "I noticed you were the only one who didn't seem surprised when the Toufik attacked."

  Giselle did her best to not stiffen up or look surprised.

  "I'm was stolen from my planet by aliens that I didn't know existed, stripped naked and sold as a pet on a foreign world. I'm over it." Giselle deflected.

  Madhava raised one brow as he shoved her up on the back of the manx behind Vigdis. Giselle sighed in relief hoping she'd covered her mistake well enough. Unless she said something Madhava would never come to the conclusion that she knew more than perhaps the barest details of what was going on. The Cadi's innate prejudice wouldn't allow them to think a female let alone a pet would be privy to such things. Though Madhava seemed to have building suspicions.

  Giselle hated gripping Vigdis' cloak to hold on, she didn't want to touch him at all but she held on for dear life anyway. This was the best possible place she could be at the moment, atop the swift moving beast, though she hated that it also provided an advantage to Vigdis.

  On cue a thunderous crash sounded behind them. Giselle jumped in her seat even though she knew what was coming, knowing Madhava was already suspicious. The horrific tumult and the sound of dozens of warriors' dismayed cries filled the air, as behind her dozens off massive trees rolled crashing down the hillside. The logs careened into the low-lying road crushing a swath of Vigdis' army sending hundreds of warriors fleeing forward in desperation to escape.

  The warriors rushed forward not caring how many of their brothers they crushed as they fled down the road towards the battlefield. The melee sent the manx into a terrified bolt as confusion reigned all around.

  "It's a trap!" Madhava yelled to Vigdis as they closed in on the clearing.

  Madhava was right but there was no stopping the desperate warriors as they fled the woods. Every so often trees came crashing into the road thinning out the scrambling Scelus Cadi army. There was no reasoning with the mob of men. The warriors were taken completely off guard by the unexpected Toufik assault and now the avalanche of logs. All they could do was what their animal nature demanded, and that was to get away from the forest. It didn't help them that they were lulled into a sense of security by the empty field ahead.

  Giselle almost smiled at how well the plan was coming together. She watched Madhava while sitting behind Vigdis. He was the one to worry about. He seemed to be the real commander at least when it came to rational tactics. Madhava and maybe a handful of others knew this was a trap but as long as they couldn't get the other warriors under control it didn't matter.

  Madhava looked up into the trees as they approached the clearing. The front half of the army had poured into the meadow already while what was left of the rear came rushing out. Giselle saw the branches rustle as did the commander. This would be the biggest barrage yet. This would be what cut the Scelus Cadi off from any possible retreat back into the forest.

  They were too close to the kill zone. Giselle's heart pounded in her chest. They needed to move, or it was lights out, game over. That was the goal, to take out as many opponents before they reached the field, but Giselle wasn't supposed to be on the wrong side of enemy lines when it happened.

  Giselle's expression must have betrayed her because Madhava's eyes widened. He spurred his manx on faster ignoring the other warriors.

  "Fucking hell." Vigdis snarled and goaded the beast they were on into a wild run.

  They burst free of the tree line as the deafening crash and screams of agony rose up. Giselle gasped in earnest as she felt debris fly and hit her. Madhava wheeled to the left and Vigdis followed to a small rise.

  "This ends now." Vigdis bellowed to his men. "Fall in you fucking cowards."

  The men had no clue which way to face. Were they waiting to attack whoever would come from the woods or did they lay siege to the walled city? Their numbers were seriously decreased and their morale decimated. The tyrant Vigdis was too ignorant to see that, nor did he care, not about the living or the men that were killed and injured in the forest.

  Giselle looked from the confused ranks that were trying to form to the angry look on Madhava's face. She stared at him passively refusing to look to the forest or the field.

  He glared at her then his eyes turned towards the meadow and his expression took on a look not of shock but of respect.

  The roar coming from the field behind her as Kagan's men poured out of the burrows in the ground and started slaughtering the enemy, drew her attention.

  Giselle looked out to see Kagan central among his men. Unlike Vigdis, Kagan was the kind of Daimio who didn't let his men fight for him. He didn't ask them to do anything he wouldn't. As frightened as Giselle was for Kagan she couldn't help but admire him.

  The man was glorious as he engaged his foes. His dark hair whipped in the breeze, his expression feral, fangs bared. Kagan's biceps bulged as he swung his blade, his steps a lethal dance. The armor on his arms and legs glinted in the early light as he twisted throwing a warrior with a Judo move. Giselle realized she was quite possibly turned on as inappropriate as it was at the moment. Too late she realized she was smiling.

  "You knew about this." Vigdis snarled as he looked over his shoulder to see her proud look.

  The moment had come for her to act if she was going to do something. Giselle grabbed one of Vigdis' knives, a move the Cadi men never expected from a female, then slid down the back and tail of the manx, a dismount move Sabin had taught her. She then took off towards the mass of fighters like her ass was on fire.

  The Scelus Cadi army was practically decimated. They were too busy fighting for their lives to worry about her. If she could make it into the middle of the fighting she could duck into one of the burrows.

  Kagan quo Rordan

  Kagan listened from inside the cavern his men had dug into the ground waiting for the enemy. A leather flap and grass covered the top, making it impossible to see till one was on top of the pit. Outside the sound of the enemy rampaging out of the forest like a horde of metcors were on their tails was music to his ears. Things couldn't have been going any better till Kagan looked down at the message flashing on his comm from Dagaa.

  "Phase 1 and 2 success, but Giselle captured in forest by Vigdis."

  Kagan repressed a snarl. How the hell? What was she doing in the forest?

  As the sound of the enemy approached Kagan was the first out of the burrow sending the signal for his men to emerge in mass. Rage overcame him as he fought through the Scelus warriors in red. Their numbers had been seriously cut down in the woods and now the enemy was erratic. It took little effort to take down the enemy who were still shocked by an entire army emerging from underground.

  Kagan spared a glance to the edge of the field and saw Giselle running into the mob. As she neared the first group of combatants Vigdis snagged her hair and tugged her violently back.

  Kagan swung his sword and took down his opponent with a growl. He worked his way towards his little bonded. The Scelu
s warriors were falling all around him or fleeing. Kagan glanced back towards where Vigdis gripped his little mate.

  Giselle twirled and struck out with the knife she held. Her blade sliced across Vigdis' outer thigh making him release her hair. Giselle squatted low staring the cruel leader down. She was a ferocious little thing but she wouldn't be able to hold Vigdis off forever.

  Kagan ran faster towards them striking down a warrior with swift and deadly accuracy as the foolish male dared to counter him. He held his breath as Vigdis moved to grab Giselle, then sighed in relief when she flipped the bastard on his ass.

  Vigdis was up fast though and knocked Giselle to the ground with a well placed swipe of his leg. She wasn't able to back up fast enough not with Madhava closing in. Instead his little mate kicked out at her attacker. Her foot landed between Vigdis' legs. The male's knees buckled, but he lunged forward more enraged by the blow than injured.

  Kagan roared as Vigdis gripped Giselle by the neck, yanked the knife out of her struggling grasp and pressed it between her breasts.

  Kagan watched in horror. Time stood still though his legs still carried him toward the female he loved. Her bright blue eyes found him across the field. The look of frustration and fear dropped from her face as she gazed at him, love and sorrow taking its place. Kagan couldn't get there fast enough to stop this. This couldn't be happening.

  "NO!" Kagan bellowed.

  Vigdis looked up at Kagan a cruel sneer on his face as his grip tightened on the knife. But suddenly Vigdis' expression changed to one of shock. The knife fell from Vigdis' hand as the male staggered. Giselle twisted from Vigdis' grip and ran towards Kagan. That was when Kagan saw Madhava pull a long crimson blade from Vigdis' back. Madhava brought the blade up in an arc and swung it down severing Vigdis' head from his body before the bastard even hit the ground.

  Giselle was at his side in an instant and Kagan paused to look her over. Besides the abrasion on her pale thigh and the dirt on her chin she was unscathed. Kagan pulled her in close holding her where he could protect her as he approached Madhava. The warrior's mutiny was mind boggling.

  Kagan then realized the sound of fighting all around had ceased entirely. The part of the Scelus Cadi enemy that remained standing had surrendered. Seeing their Daimio taken down by his own commander had been the final straw that broke them. Kagan's warriors were holding their adversaries at blade point waiting for Kagan to make a decree. But Kagan wanted to know what Madhava was up to. What happened here was staggering and unprecedented.

  Kagan approached the warrior cautiously. Madhava held his ground, bravely holding his blade aloft, staring back at Kagan. Then the warrior glanced down at Giselle with a look of admiration.

  "Why?" Kagan said maintaining a comfortable distance since Giselle was at his side.

  Madhava glanced across the field at the funeral pyre.

  "There are some things I couldn't let continue." Madhava replied as he shook his head. "He slaughtered women and children and then led his own men to be slaughtered." The male admitted more to Giselle than to Kagan. "It would've been a shame to lose such an unusual little female."

  Kagan nodded as he held Giselle. It was shocking to see the male he'd battled on more than one occasion so openly show disgust for Vigdis' actions. Yet again Giselle was right. Vigdis' own men didn't like him and were just waiting for a chance to overthrow the tyrant.

  "This was most impressive." Madhava gestured to the battlefield complimenting Kagan. "Your pet didn't betray you even while surrounded by the enemy." Madhava looked Kagan in the eye showing him just how impressed he was that Giselle hadn't broken down. Kagan hugged Giselle close.

  "And how did you toss a male twice your size?" Madhava asked Giselle in awe.

  "It's called Judo." Giselle replied.

  "It's a fighting art from her planet. You know Madhava Giselle here may be a little female." Kagan smiled down at Giselle. "But her people have been at war even longer than we have." Kagan nodded to field and forest indicating who had planned all this.

  Light dawned in Madhava's eyes as they flew to Giselle. Kagan couldn't help but smile. Woe to the male that underestimated his little mate.

  "Hey that's nothing to be proud of." Giselle elbowed Kagan. "Lots of people died here today."

  Kagan sobered up. Giselle was right. He was gloating over their victory and the fact that his mate was a little fighting menace while others had given their life. It was just too amazing to conceive. Not only had they beat an army that started out twice their size but Vigdis had fallen.

  "You are right beautiful." Kagan admitted humbling himself in respect for the dead.

  "My people bickered and slaughtered each other by the hundreds of thousands over one thing or another. And let me tell you, if you want a reason to come to blows you will always, ALWAYS find one, land, resources, religion, race, revenge you name it." Giselle railed. "Don't do that to each other. End this foolishness. Figure out a way."

  The warriors stared at Giselle in stunned silence as she begged them to make peace. She was quite a sight. Kagan could never quite believe how someone so delicate and stunning had such fight and forgiveness in her at the same time.

  "I had no clue what Vigdis had done here. I don't expect you to spare me but know that I had no involvement in the atrocity that happened here." Madhava insisted and Kagan believed the male.

  "My little mate is right we must find peace before it's too late. It was the Jurou Biljana that sold Vigdis the weapon that killed the entire city. Make no mistake, they will wait for us to weaken ourselves and then swoop in. If not the Jurou Biljana then some other opportunistic species."

  "United we stand, divided we fall." Giselle said with a funny smile.

  "So what do we do about them my little warrior?" Kagan asked Giselle referring to the surrendering enemy.

  "A great leader wields mercy and forgiveness just as adeptly as steel." Giselle offered.

  Kagan turned to Madhava who stood expecting to be executed at any moment.

  "Can you bring yourself to offer up your allegiance to me." Kagan demanded resting the point of his sword in the dirt.

  Madhava looked at him in surprise. The warrior bowed his head then placed one fist to his chest as he dropped to one knee.

  The rest of the Scelus Cadi warriors followed suit much to Kagan's surprise. They were then joined by Kagan's men. Kagan looked around to see hundreds of men kneeling. He then turned to Giselle.

  Without her none of this would have come to pass. Giselle had opened his eyes to so many things. Not only had she shown him a way to defeat his enemy but had also reminded him of the reason they fought to begin with, the safety and security of Cadi as a whole. Giselle saw past his foolishness and forgave him for the way he treated her. In the process she proved that not only was she his equal but she may well be the better warrior. Giselle was most definitely one of Kali's own, sent from afar to bring love into his life and change his world. For all those reasons and many more he would worship at her feet till the end of his days.

  Kagan placed his fist on his chest and knelt at his pet's feet bowing his head to Giselle, his beautiful bonded, his love.

  12 Epilogue - Attacking with Fire

  Giselle

  Giselle looked out over the market place as she stood by the entrance of the giant tent. There were so many Cadi warrior gathered in the auction tent and outside casually milling about. It was shocking to think that all these men both Vidya Cadi and Scelus Cadi alike were gathered here for one purpose.

  News of Vigdis quo Carnager's death had spread fast. And despite concerns the Scelus Cadi had taken the news relatively well. She and Kagan traveled with Madhava and the remaining Scelus Army through the Scelus Cadi provinces reassuring the people that Kagan, their new Daimio was not the same kind of tyrant they were accustomed to under Vigdis' rule. In fact Madhava had turned into Kagan's biggest champion much to their surprise. It seemed the male had been waiting to serve a Daimio worthy of his respect. Kagan did not disa
ppoint.

  Giselle and Kagan watched as the Jurou Biljana unloaded the last of the Toufik from their ships.

  "You don't think this will start a new war do you?" Giselle asked Kagan, gnawing on her lip in concern.

  Kagan looked down at her then back at the trio of ships on the landing field.

  "I hope not little warrior, but we can't let them continue as they were. The Jurou Biljana must know we are not an easy mark."

  "That is true. I was just thinking though that you're going to be a little too tired and busy from midnight diaper changes to be planning a new war." Giselle rubbed her belly.

  Kagan's eyes flew to her stomach then back up to her smiling face. He pulled Giselle in close.

  "You are... There's a..." Kagan was at a loss for words as his hand moved to her stomach.

  Giselle nodded. She hadn't even known if getting pregnant was possible but apparently it was.

  "Sabin is hoping for a little brother."

  Giselle grinned as she recalled the exuberant child's reaction. It reminded her of how excited he'd gotten when Kagan asked the boy if he wanted to be part of their family. The adoption ceremony was beautiful and touching. Now Kagan had a new name inscribed on his back, potentially one of many to come.

  "How did that little tail find out before I did?" Kagan smirked like a petulant child.

  Giselle reached up and tweaked his pouty lip. "Well your son was playing Hunt with Fera and was hiding under the bed when I took the test Jolana gave me."

  Giselle smiled at the memory of Sabin popping out from under the bed and running around the room like his tail was on fire, whooping so loud she was sure the entire citadel heard the news.

  "And both you and Sabin kept this from me?"

  "For a few days. You would've never let me come if you found out before we made this trip." Giselle smiled demurely.

  "I should turn you both over my knee." Kagan shook his head even though he had a broad grin plastered to his face.