Achan Logan’s face hardened and his muscles tensed. For a moment, Dari felt a distinct urge to take a step back but stood her ground. His silver eyes glittered with tightly leashed anger. She realized at least part of her comment had hit a very raw spot.
“You won’t be left vulnerable and you won’t get a chance to run away.” A growl rumbled in Logan’s deep voice.
Dari frowned and she slammed her hands onto her hips. None of them listened. “There is nothing vulnerable about picking berries within the sight of camp. And right now, I’m not thinking about leaving but much more of this behavior and it’ll start looking very attractive.”
“And what if a wild animal happens to burst out of the bushes?” Rygar came to stand next to his brother and apparently had heard enough to know what they were talking about.
She smiled and extended her hand, letting a bit of the change roll over her. Long golden hair sprouted along her arm as it grew and changed. The claws may have been concealed beneath the shaggy fur but they were sharp and lethal.
“I’ve got a nice set of claws here and I know how to use them. And to further shock your male-centered world, I know how to hunt and am more than capable of catching my own meal if need be. In either form.” She glared at the two arrogant males in front of her.
Rygar raised a brow. She could see amusement and doubt in his eyes. “And you expect me to believe you have males in your pack.”
“Did I say we’ve always had males?” She enjoyed his frown of confusion. “I know my life wasn’t normal but I’ve seen enough Zarain and ShadataiZarain packs now to know that this certainly isn’t normal. Women aren’t treated virtually as prisoners by their mates and pack. Not when there is no real threat.”
They stood there just looking at her. She didn’t know if they were angry, stunned or just bored. She decided to get everything out now while they were both so conveniently close.
“And as soon as possible, I’m going to send a message to my Achan and Acine and if you try to stop me, I’ll deliver it myself.” Dari narrowed her eyes, noticed the tension in Rygar’s jaw and spun on her heel. She stalked toward the bush.
She’d almost reached the bushes when Rygar caught up to her. He didn’t try to stop her, just strolled easily at her side. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, she tried to gauge his mood. He didn’t seem absolutely furious. She’d expected anything from a shouted denial to his hands on her shoulders forcibly stopping her. She’d just threatened to leave him if her demands weren’t met. His calm expression made her wonder if he’d heard what she said or somehow misinterpreted it. Not that she’d left much room for that.
A gentle hand on her shoulder turned her to face him. “They are your former Achan and Acine. As soon as you recognized me as your mate, you became part of this pack. You can send a message to them as soon as we get to a safe area.”
She smiled at the confident assertion. “I’m supposed to put all my trust in you and follow orders?”
“You will. You know you can trust me.” He moved closer and his body brushed against hers.
She knew she could trust him to keep his word. That wasn’t what held her back. These males seemed to embody every bad thing she’d ever imagined a male-run pack could be. She was willing to give him time but she didn’t know how much she could take.
“Trust, yes, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to accept the way you treat females. I know you have a reason for it but I don’t know if I can live in a cage.” She swallowed loudly and looked at him. It hurt to think of leaving him but she knew she couldn’t take the limited life he seemed to be offering.
“You won’t be living in a cage!” Rygar grated from between clenched teeth. “We aren’t that cautious with our women. We just want to make sure they’re safe. How can you object to that?”
“Your attitude about me picking a few berries tells me differently. You have sentries posted. They’d know if an enemy was near.” Dari met his eyes.
“You’re overreacting.” He tugged her close and tipped up her chin so that he was looking into her eyes. “You aren’t leaving me so get that idea out of your head.”
* * * * *
Rygar walked beside Dari as they went to find a messenger. After traveling through four gates, he was certain they were safe, finally. She’d been patient about the time it had taken to get here. She hadn’t whined or complained which had surprised him a little. Her easy acceptance had him wondering about a few of the things she’d told him. Especially the part about once not having males as part of her pack. Maybe that was more than just talk. He expected lies and half-truths right now. Until she accepted that she belonged with him she’d try to leave, tell him anything. He wasn’t about to let her succeed in slipping away from him but maybe she’d been telling the truth part of the time.
The market around them bustled busily. The scent of perfumes and spices swirled and mixed with that of roasted meat. A shout drew his attention to the far end of the market. One man swung his fist at a man just in front of him. The second man stumbled but didn’t fall. He went at the first man. Rygar put an arm out, pushing Dari behind him. She tensed and stumbled but didn’t try to return to his side. He thought he heard her mumble something about stubborn males but couldn’t be sure.
The fight escalated as two more men rushed to join the fray. He wouldn’t take her near that battle until the fighting had stopped. He heard a faint coughing sound behind him. He turned his head, expecting Dari to be standing there. He couldn’t see her. He spun and saw her struggling. Her hands clutched at a cord around her throat, trying to pull it away. She gasped, trying to draw in a breath but he could tell she wasn’t getting much air. Behind her, a man clutched the ends of the cord in one hand and punched her with his free hand. Rygar lunged forward, a growl rolling through his chest. He’d rip the man apart. The man’s eyes widened as he saw Rygar start forward, he shoved Dari, turned and fled.
Rygar caught Dari as she fell into his arms. Her knees buckled and her hands pulled at the cord but she wasn’t making any progress. He reached behind her neck and worked at the twisted cinch. Finally, he managed to release it and the cord loosened. Dari drew in gulping breaths of air.
He looked down the street, trying to find the man who’d done it. Her attacker had disappeared. He could track him by scent. And he wanted to. He wanted to chase after the man and beat him senseless but he couldn’t leave Dari. He knelt down beside her and pulled the thin cord of the garrote off her, flinging it over his shoulder. An angry red line marked her throat where the cord had tightened.
Anger boiled inside him without any outlet. Protectiveness and a sense of failure warred within him. Instinct pulled him in two directions. He needed to keep her safe and find out who’d attacked her and why. If he left her alone, he couldn’t be sure she’d be safe but letting the man go meant she’d still be in danger.
He picked her up carefully and turned back toward the travel-gate where he knew he’d find other members of his pack. The first thing he had to do was get her looked over by a physic. He’d seen her body jerk forward with those quick hard blows.
She moaned and he saw a tear slip down her cheek. He knew every step was hurting her. Her arms came up, hooking around his neck as she tried to relieve a little of the ache by taking some of her weight off her back. He knew he was causing her pain but he had to get her somewhere safe.
“Let me walk. It hurts too much to be carried.” She grimaced, holding her body as still as possible as he walked. “Every step…” She groaned and her arms tightened.
He stopped and slowly lowered her to her feet. A small cry escaped her and her hands clutched at his shoulders. She drew in gulping breaths. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“You tell me if it hurts too badly. I’ll pick you up again,” he ordered.
She nodded and hobbled slowly beside him as they moved down the street. It seemed like an eternity before they finally reached the gatehouse. Rygar saw Sian first. Sian had been standing near
one of the booths that lined the street. He straightened as he noticed the way Dari was walking. He nodded to Rygar and ran into the gatehouse. Rygar wasn’t surprised when Logan came rushing out of the building followed a moment later by Boras. Boras wasn’t their healer but he had enough skill and knowledge that he sometimes did the duty when the healer wasn’t available.
“What happened?” Logan asked.
“There was a fight in the market. While my attention was on it and making sure she didn’t get caught in a brawl, she was attacked from behind,” Rygar just stated the facts. He couldn’t feel any more guilty about her getting hurt than he already did.
Boras walked over to her. One of his large hands cupped her chin and lifted, revealing the angry red line on her neck. He looked her over and then looked into Dari’s eyes. “So what did he do to you other than strangle you?”
Her eyes narrowed on Boras and she straightened but groaned as the movement caused her to wince with pain. “He hit me in the back. It hurts to walk and even breathe. I think he might have cracked a rib or something back there.”
“Stand still. I’m going to press a little and have a look at your back.” Boras moved behind her.
Dari’s eyes widened and she looked around the area. He saw her look at all of the people and he could tell she wasn’t comfortable doing this here. She tensed and stepped away as Boras tried to prod at her back.
“I think we should go somewhere a little more private.” Her eyes followed a man who was staring at them as he walked down the street. He walked straight into a table.
“He’s only going to look at your back. If he had to look at your front, I’d get you into a private area.” Rygar smiled at her. He stepped close and pulled her against him. She leaned into him, her arms holding on to him.
“I still don’t like it. There are too many people around. It makes me feel a little vulnerable.” She looked up at him, her hands gripping his green shirt.
Rygar combed his fingers through her soft hair. “How can you feel vulnerable with me? Didn’t we get you out of that prison? On your very first night too.”
She smiled shakily. “I really wasn’t too worried about it. I knew I’d get out of there one way or another.”
Rygar watched as Boras pressed gently on her back. She groaned but when he touched her ribs, she tensed. Her body pushed against his, trying to move away from the probing fingers. She cried out and her fingers clutched at him.
He put a hand on her hip and stroked his hand up and down in a slow rhythm. He wanted to pull her against him but knew that would probably hurt her even more. Looking over her shoulder at Boras, he just managed to hold back the warning growl. The Zarain inside him wanted to rip the man into tiny pieces for hurting his mate.
Boras must have seen the intent in his eyes. He backed away and made no move to touch her again. Rygar held Dari until the tenseness left her body and her breathing returned to normal.
Are you feeling better, taneen? Ready to hear what’s wrong? Rygar asked using the link he’d begun to establish. It still took a little effort to make the contact. She hadn’t begun to reach for him yet.
She looked up and he could see the wet trails of tears marking her cheeks. He brushed the wetness away with his thumb. Her lips lifted in a small smile and he was relieved to see that small sign.
“I doubt that I look very good right now. My throat’s probably already bruising and I’ve been crying so my nose and my eyes are red. But on the bright side, the pain’s going away slowly.” She brushed at the hair hanging over her shoulder.
“You always look beautiful and sexy to me. Whenever you’re close, I always want to pick you up and hold you.” He helped her turn around to face Boras and Logan.
Her nose might be a little red but all he saw were beautiful, big brown eyes and her pink lips. All he felt was an urge to get closer, skin to skin if possible.
“She’s going to be bruised and there may be some cracked ribs. She’ll have to take things more slowly,” Boras advised.
“Will she be able to take going through the gate and walking a little?” Logan asked.
As much as Rygar wanted to keep Dari free of pain, he fully understood why Logan asked the question. She’d been attacked here. As long as they stayed here, it could happen again. Rygar wanted her safe and protected. The more he thought about today’s attack the more it seemed like she was the actual target, not just a random victim. The man hadn’t even tried to take anything. He hadn’t even tried to drag her into a more private area.
“Yes, she should be able to leave the planet if need be but she’s going to be very sore. The only remedy I can give her would put her to sleep so unless the pain is unmanageable that will have to wait until we stop to rest.” Boras looked at Dari and then to Logan. “The pace will have to be slow, Achan.”
“Can you travel?” Logan looked at Dari.
Rygar felt her straighten away from him. She drew in an audible breath and her fists clenched at her side. Her chin lifted and he knew that she’d taken the question as a challenge.
“I can travel. I still need to get that message to my pack,” Dari said in a low, strained voice. She reached back and grabbed one of his hands, squeezing it. “And I need another change of clothing.”
“Former pack,” he corrected easily. He knew that that hadn’t been deliberate slight. She still thought of the pack that way.
She sighed and nodded.
“We’ll leave as soon as the others return.” Logan nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. “And the clothing for you and the other women will have to wait until the market on the next planet.”
Rygar held on to her hand. He noticed several men leave and knew they’d gone to help get the others so that they could leave as soon as possible.
“Do you have any enemies you should tell us about?” Logan asked.
The quiet tone nearly hid the serious intent but Rygar knew his brother well.
“No, I don’t have any enemies. There’s no one who’d want to hurt me.” Dari shook her head. “I have no idea why that man tried to kill me.”
“Could it be something connected to your pack?” Rygar looked down at her.
“No. My pack’s not having any trouble. If there was any conflict, they would have kept all the females away from it if possible. This can’t be about me.” Only her tone became strident but he could tell by the look in her eyes that if she hadn’t been hurt she’d have been acting just as forceful as her tone.
“Former pack. Maybe whoever attacked you, had you taken and thrown into that cell with Rygar had something against your pack that you don’t know about.” Logan frowned.
Dari sighed and rolled her eyes skyward. “How would they know where I am, much less caught up and passed us without us knowing? If they were after me and knew me, they’d probably look for me along the path toward my—Oroyai—pack’s Taivain. It doesn’t make sense that I’m their target.”
Rygar shook his head. “If they were after coin or your belongings, they could have attacked at any point. They waited for a clear opportunity at you.”
She huffed and shook her head but didn’t argue with him anymore. He could sense her frustration. She leaned back against him. He held her until all the men finally returned. When everyone had gathered, they went into the gatehouse. Logan told the gatekeeper where to send them and returned to the group. The gate formed in front of them, a hazy gray mist filling the oval. Rygar guided her through the gate, moving as slowly as she needed.
They traveled to two more worlds before stopping for the night. The pain and stress of moving when she was hurt was beginning to show on her face. When they made camp, Rygar urged her to sit and drink the herbal concoction Boras handed to her. She became very drowsy after finishing the green liquid and fell asleep almost as soon as he had a pallet ready for her. He helped finish setting up the camp and settled down beside her. For a while, he stayed awake. His eyes roved over her peaceful features. He thought about the attack and how close he
came to losing her. It wouldn’t happen again. He wouldn’t be so careless of her safety in the future. He knew she wouldn’t like it. She’d already complained about the lack of freedom. The additional restrictions wouldn’t help but until he was certain she was safe, he couldn’t take any chances.
Chapter Four
Dari glared at the two men standing nearby. Guards. Arguing with Rygar didn’t get her anywhere. Even logical statements to Rygar and Achan Logan had no effect. They were convinced she’d been attacked by some enemy from her past. She couldn’t convince them that she had no enemies. There was no reason for someone she’d once met to come after her. She still wasn’t sure how that person was supposed to have found her. While the pack did have people angry over some slight, those enemies would go after the Achan or Acine if they attacked anyone. As far as she was concerned, that attempt made absolutely no sense at all unless she’d been mistaken for someone else. There was also a small chance that the attack had nothing to do with her or them. It could have been someone who just wanted to hurt another person, anyone. It could have been just bad luck that she’d gotten in his way.
It had been a week since she’d been attacked. She was almost back to normal, physically. She had some fading bruising along her neck and some definite tenderness in her ribs. At least she’d gotten to the point where walking wasn’t an exercise in excruciating pain. She pushed a hand through her hair. Life was far from what she considered good but not everything about it was bad. She liked waking up with someone beside her. She hadn’t realized how alone she’d felt until she’d noticed just how good it felt to be with him. The sex was great. That was something she was missing right now. Rygar seemed to be afraid he’d hurt her. He’d kiss her but didn’t take it much further than that. He’d always laughingly say that he didn’t want to torment them both. If he’d hoped to prevent suffering, he’d failed. Just being near him reminded her of what she was missing. His weight as he moved over her. The feel of his thick cock sliding into her.
Primal Encounter Page 5