Dreams of a Wild Heart

by Danube Adele

  Kraggon shook his head. “Tabron, this thinking is short-sighted.”

  “Tell me it’s short-sighted when it’s your woman they want to murder,” Tabron stated darkly.

  “Morten nearly did kill my mate. There is a line building for those of us wishing to make him and his father suffer, but we want the change to be for the good, and not stemming from revenge.”

  Tabron took a deep breath. “What is your plan?”

  “Do you believe that I am the next rightful king?”

  Tabron stared into Kraggon’s eyes with a silent intensity, likely figuring where this was going. “You’ve always behaved with honor, Kraggon. I’ve found you to be a fair man of integrity, someone to be trusted. I do believe that you are the rightful king.”

  “Then it would please me to have you come to my camp and join in the efforts to revolt against the injustices that have been wrought on the people of Brausa. It was once a great nation when my father was alive, and it will be again.”

  “You have a plan to defeat the king and Morten?” Tabron asked.

  “The plan is in motion and building with each day. We can talk more back at camp.”

  “I want to see my blade sever Morten’s neck from his shoulders.”

  Kraggon’s expression turned grim. “Only if you get to him before I do.”

  Bruner stepped forward. With all seriousness, he tilted his head down and touched his fingers to his forehead in a sign of respect. “I give you my loyalty, Kraggon, and it is not something I give lightly.”

  Kraggon took his hand. “Thank you, Bruner. If we’re surrounded by good, solid men, how can we fail?”

  “I think it would be best if I remained here. It would allow me to survey the field, keep you updated as to what’s happening.”

  “All right. We’ll have to set up how and when we’re going to meet.”

  “I also think Tarra should go back with you. She’s becoming too visible. She’s drawing attention to herself, and it’s going to get her killed.” Bruner cast her a quick glance. He was obviously worried about her.

  “No.” Tarra didn’t hesitate. She threw a look Bruner’s way that was both angry and hurt before turning back to say, “Kraggon, I’ve been working hard to locate and transfer those unhappy with our circumstances here who would be happy joining your cause. I am making a difference here.”

  Bruner’s voice rose. “But it’s getting dangerous, Tarra. I won’t have you putting yourself at risk any longer.”

  “You won’t have me...? What do you have to do with it? Why would you think, in any way, that you have a say in anything I do. You don’t respect me anyway.”

  “I have the duty of keeping everyone safe within the territory of Brausa.”

  “Then you’ll just have to keep an eye on me. Sorry if that inconveniences you. I’d hate to be such a bother.” Tarra turned away, refused to look at Bruner.

  “Bruner,” Kraggon interrupted the glaring match that was taking place. “If you can convince her to come, I would take her, but I won’t force her. She’s earned the right to decide her fate. I do recommend the rest of us get back to camp. There’s plenty of room, and we’ll be able to get you settled comfortably for the night.”

  Chapter Twenty

  For never having been much of a camping girl, I was certainly handling it well. There was something to be said for waking up to bright sunlight, clear blue skies and a craggy mountain top that still had snow. If the view were on a postcard, I would have wanted to visit, and here I was, though a little worse for wear. It had taken some doing, maneuvering myself to a standing position and walking out to the entrance of the tent, but here I was.

  “How are you feeling, Cecilia?”

  “Please, call me Ceci.” I smiled at Shandria Dragmor, the new queen of the Brausa. She’d called to me from the central campfire where she’d been talking with one of the other women. Her long red hair shone in the sunlight, her pale blue eyes smiling with welcome.

  “Ceci,” she repeated. “And I hope you’ll call me Shandry.”

  “Of course.” Doing a quick internal engine check let me know that while there was still a mild stingy burn associated with my wound, it was definitely mending. I replied to her initial question, “I’m feeling better.”

  “Should you be up so soon?” Then she flushed a becoming pink color. “How silly of me. Of course, you’re a doctor. You would know.”

  “It’s not silly. I always appreciate someone who cares. Honestly, doctors aren’t saints, just people. Sometimes we don’t handle things so well.” I eased out from under the shade of the tent’s overhang to feel the sunlight on my face. I wondered where Tabron had got off to.

  She nodded, empathy in her eyes. “I would imagine that a doctor might take on more sense of responsibility for someone’s life than is reasonable, but not everyone who comes to you is going to live.”

  “That’s true.” I nodded. “The hardest cases tend to be the kids. A little one gets hit by a car while chasing a runaway ball into the street, and you see this precious little being on your operating table and hope that what you do makes a difference.”

  “I can’t even think of that.” She gave a delicate shudder, her hand automatically protecting the mound of her belly. Deliberately changing the subject, she asked brightly, “Would you like a tour? Our little village is growing, and I’m quite proud of it. If you’re up for it.” She added the last part with concern.

  “I would love a tour. I’ve been laid up for too long.” I looked down at the soft pants and sweatshirt Jory was able to provide me and figured they were good cover. A pair of flip-flops were on my feet, and since the climate felt like a southern California spring, it was temperate.

  She laced my arm through her own. “This way we can lean on each other,” she explained. “Tell me about yourself.”

  “Well, I was a trauma ward doctor on Earth until...” I didn’t want her to think badly of Tabron because I’d totally forgiven him, but I didn’t know how else to put this. The man had kidnapped me. But it was almost like she knew because she got a little twinkle in her eye.

  “You know, I think we share something in common. I did not come to this camp willingly, either.”

  “You didn’t?” I asked with surprise.

  “The gods work in mysterious ways. How much do you know about the Sunan and the Brausa?”

  “Not much. Just that the two peoples have been enemies forever.”

  “I am Sunan.” She paused to see if I had a reaction, but I wasn’t really surprised. She seemed far more polished than the Brausa I’d met in Dragmor. “One night, the spirits asked me to release Kraggon from prison. He was scheduled for execution for acts of terrorism.”

  “You broke him out of prison?” Now that was surprising. She seemed so fragile and delicate. It was hard to believe that she would be capable of doing something so dangerous. “I’m assuming he was innocent?”

  “No, he wasn’t.” She kept us walking as she looked out over the valley. “He was quite guilty. He’d walked into one of our marketplaces with a bomb that would have wiped out hundreds of innocent people.”

  I had a hard time seeing that. Kraggon seemed so solid. “And you thought it was a good idea to let him free after that?”

  Shandry chuckled. “Trust me. I had my moments of doubt. I know it sounds impossible, but to my mind, it was the only way the spirits knew how to bring to light an injustice.”

  “What was that?”

  “An attack aimed at the women and children of Dragmor. The bombs were sophisticated, not something the Brausa would have access to.”

  “By the Sunan?”

  “This would not have been something the Sunan sanctioned. There is corruption from both sides. Our goal is to get to the bottom of this and rebuild the nation with an aim toward peace.
”

  “I’m glad to know you guys haven’t forgotten the people in Dragmor.” I thought of Raseen and Cyral. “There are people suffering, and they need help now or they won’t survive. They don’t have food and the king isn’t doing anything to help. Morten seems to be taking over the king’s position, and he’s a—”

  “I know exactly what he is. He’s pure evil,” she interjected. There was a dark memory in her eyes that cast a shadow over her face. “He needs to be gotten rid of. He nearly killed both Kraggon and me.”

  “I’m sure if Tabron hadn’t found me, I would have been toast.”

  “In that attack, Kraggon lost his mate and his son. They were both in the building meant for protection of those unable to protect themselves. Of course, the Brausa and Kraggon held the Sunan responsible.”

  So that was why he’d have so much anger, he’d want some revenge of his own on the Sunan. “He was captured before he could set off the bomb?”

  “He was captured, but he’d also realized he couldn’t do such a horrible thing. He wasn’t going to follow through. He was just in deep mourning for his son.”

  “Not his wife?”

  “That is a whole other story.” She faced the valley and stopped walking, showing all the beauty of the land. “We have beautiful fruit trees planted, a field of wheat, corn, squash, carrots... I can’t even remember everything we planted. We have plans to expand the crops for next year. Being self-sustaining is one of our top priorities.”

  “This is a beautiful sight.”

  “We’ve got pastures to the north of camp that house some sheep, cows, chickens and pigs. We’re doing our best to grow more, and Ede, one of the lovely women here, is trying to teach the young children their letters. I’ve donated a number of books, and we’re hoping to collect more.”

  “The children are being educated? That’s wonderful. Really wonderful.”

  “This is about the future, Ceci. I’m responsible for doing my best to see that the future is one that we can hand down to our children, our grandchildren. Education is the way to ensure the children learn to nurture their land and their culture. We need to make sure we put an end to the violence.”

  “Everything looks so healthy.” I admired the fields and respected the work it had to have taken to get such a large project not only structured, but thriving.

  Her gaze was on mine, and there was purpose in her look. “We’ve worked hard to tend the plants. Now, we need to make sure we tend the people.”

  I felt like she was trying to tell me something, but instead she steered us up the path once again, upon which Tabron and Kraggon appeared, neither looking particularly happy. Tabron was the first to speak.

  “Ceci! Why aren’t you resting?”

  I couldn’t stop the scowl. Why the hell was he yelling across the camp, drawing everyone’s attention like I was a child or something? “Back off, Viking.”

  “I’ll back off when you no longer have thread keeping your wound closed.”

  “Viking?” Shandry grinned. “I like that.”

  Kraggon’s look was grim. “You know I don’t like seeing you stray from the camp without sufficient protection.”

  “Back off, Brausa,” Shandry retorted.

  Kraggon’s look grew darker. “That won’t work with me. We both know that Morten knows our camp, and he can transfer here at any point and take you from me again. Only now, it’s not just you.”

  Shandry’s smile faded and her hand slid over her baby bump. “You’re right. Until he is dead, he is a very real threat. I should have asked one of the men to walk with us.”

  “It’s easy to forget about all this transfer stuff.” We were putting ourselves at risk, particularly since I was injured and couldn’t defend myself, though I had to say, I was feeling pretty confident in my skills. I’d taken down Draxton all by myself.

  “Come eat breakfast,” the woman, Deland, called from the central fire.

  “Let’s eat. Then we can talk,” Kraggon said.

  With eggs, butter and fresh warm bread waiting for us, Tabron and I were invited to sit at Kraggon’s table, with his personal band of warriors, to eat.

  “What is your plan, Kraggon?” Tabron asked.

  “We’re gathering warriors and their families when they are in dire need and bringing them here. There is great discontent, and many want a return of the true king. We are sewing allies within the surrounding villages, and when the time comes, we will gather and attack Dragmor.”

  “Is it true Ral’e killed your father?” Tabron asked.

  “As well as my mother. He’s been living a farce.”

  “And now Morten is trying to take charge. You won’t have to worry about the king, because Morten will probably get him before you do. Either Morten or his disease.”

  “What disease does Ral’e have?” Shandria asked.

  “He appears to be diabetic with a necrotic foot.” Seeing confused looks, I waved it off. “I could explain, but it might take some time. I’ll just say that without a medical intervention, he’s likely going to get real sick and die.”

  “How soon do you propose we attack?” Tabron asked.

  “We need to finish gathering our forces, notifying our allies, inserting our own men in key locations, but it will be soon. I am anticipating weeks as opposed to months. I’ll need a good man to help train newcomers to our forces. I would like to offer you this.”

  Shandria sat up and looked at me carefully. “I would like to have you remain as our doctor, perhaps help train others to provide simple medical care.”

  I was speechless for a few moments.

  “A wrong was committed.” Tabron shook his head. “We need to make it right. She needs to go back home to her family.”

  “You need to let me speak for myself.”

  “It’s dangerous here.”

  “It’s dangerous anywhere.”

  Kraggon held up his hand. “I know she needs to return to Earth, ensure that everyone is aware that she’s fine, but the question then becomes, would she want to return?”

  “I could travel back and forth?” That was something I hadn’t considered.

  “I don’t see why not,” Shandry nodded. “Having you here would be wonderful, Ceci. We’re only going to need more and more of your assistance as our villages grow and prosper.”

  I checked my mental wall for privacy. Cement in place.

  Wouldn’t that be something to think about? Just playing with it, maybe I could spend part of my week on Earth, maybe cutting my hours back at the hospital, and the rest of my week here. Access to my family and access to Tabron. I looked to him, only to find him staring at me with the intense look I was used to seeing on his face. I know we said all those things when we thought I was dying, but where did that leave us? Here he was, trying to send me back. Did that mean he didn’t want to be with me? We didn’t know each other so well, yet, it almost felt like we’d known each other forever.

  Kraggon observed the silence. “It looks like you might need time to talk. Nothing needs to be decided now.”

  “Your offer is generous, Kraggon. Shandria. We do need to talk,” Tabron confirmed.

  It wasn’t long before we were finished with the meal, and I was leaning on Tabron to go back to our tent. I was on my way to full recovery, but I did get tired easily, which was strange for me. He helped me ease down to the surprisingly comfortable bed, which had a lot of cushioning.

  “You overexerted yourself,” he said gruffly and sat beside me.

  “Maybe a little, but it wasn’t bad for me. Movement is good. Maybe in another few days, you can help me get the stitches out. It’s pretty simple.”

  “Maybe in a few days you’ll be home. You could go to a doctor at home.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  “I w
ant you to be safe.”

  “What’s to keep Frank from coming back to get me there? I’m almost safer here.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  That was a surprise. It silenced my protests immediately. “You would come with me?”

  Tabron’s smile was warm when he softly pushed hair off my forehead. “You belong to me, Beauty. Where you go, I go.”

  “Then I do want to spend time here. We could build a small clinic and, over time, I could bring supplies.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay on Earth?”

  “You would give up your home to come with me?”

  “Ceci, you are my home.”

  “Oh, Tabron,” I felt my heart tug with tenderness and reached up to grab the material of his tunic, tugging at him to come down.

  His eyes darkened at the same time that he said, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “So don’t.”

  With a small groan of need, he rubbed his lips softly against mine, nibbling gently at my lips, but once the blood started flowing, it wasn’t enough. I’d come to crave his taste, his feel, his smell, and I hadn’t had a fix in too many days. Unable to help myself, I let my tongue lap at the seam of his lips. He paused on an intake of breath, looking into my eyes with only inches separating us.

  “We can’t,” he rasped.

  “We can.”

  “How?” His hands were unzipping my hoodie as he spoke.

  “We’ll just be careful.”

  Then my hands were in his hair, firmly grasping him to me as I attacked his lips. They were mine, and I wanted them. I was nipping at his lips, twining my tongue with his and desperate to feel the hot length of him sliding into my wet sex.

  With careful movements and soft laughter at our own frustration with having to go slow, our clothing eventually came off and we met our goal. Stretching me, filling me, the whole time he gently pumped his hips, our eyes were connected. Our sighs of pleasure fed each other as the buildup of heat grew. I was shaking and gasping, needing to fall over the edge into oblivion when his rough finger found the swollen, sensitized flesh of my sex. His thrusts increased at the same time three of his fingers massaged and manipulated my clit.