Finding Her Heart (Orki War Bride #2)
Page 22
He knew that she saw him now.
And she knew he saw her.
And Anna liked that very much.
Before she left Doku-ni’s side, Lurann and two of the Orki with her approached. The other males lifted their hands, motioning to Doku-ni, and when he answered them with words, a conversation in their language erupted so fast that Anna lost the thread of it quickly.
Not that it mattered. Standing in front of her, wearing shiny aquamarine cloth cut as simply as a nightshirt, slits up the sides to her waist and a distinctive pendant and chain, Lurann smiled. “I am so glad you are okay. You were right. I didn’t need to be afraid of the Orki.”
Taking Anna by the shoulders, she did something she had never done, pulled her close into a warm, friendly hug. Between them, the pendant with a red eye center grew strangely warm. Anna a tingle stung her chest. She jerked away.
“Oh, sorry,” Lurann’s smile faded in disappointment and a shadow dropped over her eyes like a veil. That was the face that she often showed everyone. That was the woman Anna was most familiar with.
She hastened with an explanation, not wanting this woman to be hurt anymore. “Oh no, it's your necklace. It was warm and I think it shocked me.” Silver with delicate, engraved designs, the necklace the centerpiece of the necklace glowed red, like the red face of the Father Moon. Big enough to fill Anna's palm, it was only mildly warm from the heat of Lurann’s body, as if Anna imagined the entire thing.
Lurann laughed. “Oh, you feel it too? Eid gave it to me. She said it would honor her if I wore it. Something about collecting information and stories from the Orki that were not connected to wargs. It is strange. But I do feel honored to wear it. It’s not half as heavy as it looks.”
“Eid gave it to you? Where was she hiding it? In that chair?”
Lurann laughed lightly, not a giggle but a low, feminine sound. “She said she was taking care of you when I asked. That machine is so smart compared to the one in the schoolroom. Almost real. I kept waiting for someone to appear.”
“There must be more than one room? I was in that blue room for weeks.”
“This place is amazing. I never imagined anything like this could exist. There is another of these community fires. Huge. Although the other one is longer. It once had a different purpose. I couldn't believe it when Eid told me that she was the remains of a satellite spaceship. You know I didn't study much in school. I had to have her look it up and explain to me what a satellite spaceship was. I felt like such a fool. This kind of technology is why our family left the steel cities. My father felt like he was always being watched. He would have hated Eid.”
Lurann continued, answering a question Anna hadn’t asked, “And, oh moons, yes! I thought the Orki Originals lived in caves, just like everyone did. Everyone but you and your father. Your father was my temporary teacher for a while—between teachers. One was going back to the steel cities and one was coming down through the mountains, and your father filled the gap. He was one of the kindest men I knew. I remember you as a girl, you loved school. I bet you will learn so much from Eid.”
The words came out of her as if she were nervous. And Anna could not understand why the beautiful woman would be nervous. As if one of the Orki heard it in her voice, without missing a beat of his conversation Doku-ni and the other, he took her hand.
Noticing Anna follow the action, Lurann said again, “You’re right about the Orki. I was so silly. They saved us. They saved me.”
Anna watched her calm visibly. “They did. And Eid healed me, in that chair of hers. Did you use that chair? I haven’t seen much. I am afraid I will get lost.”
“You’re a redress bride now. Your Orki’s duty is to you and the nest you build together. He won’t leave you alone to get lost.”
“How do you know that?”
“I had a long talk with Eid. But you haven’t met the other women. There are not very many… but some of them, when they told me who they are and how long they have lived here. I couldn’t believe it.”
“I'm sorry about the raiders. I don't know what happened to you, but it must have been terrible. Other women died, but you survived. You protected me and were able to keep a couple of the younger women out of their hands. How did you do it?”
“I couldn't do more. They wouldn't listen to me. They fought until the raiders knocked them out or killed them. I still hear Bess screaming.” She evaded the question, eyes growing dark with unshed tears.
“You are the only one who did anything. I was helpless. No ideas. Run and be cut down, stay and be raped. So much cruelty. I didn’t know people like this existed.” Anna flinched still to think how she did nothing, frozen, caught up in the malicious currents of the strangers, drowning it in indecision.
Lurann said, “Your family is gentle, compared to some. We didn't come to the Peace River Valley until I was a little older, you remember? My father and mother liked this place because nobody cared about our business. As long as ugly things happened behind closed doors, nobody cared. I always felt sorry for you. Nobody knew about my life. It only mattered how many men talked to me and not to them. But they gave you a curse you hadn't earned. I would have left that place if not for your brother.”
“You must have cared for him more than I ever knew or gave you credit for,” Anna said.
“He was my everything.” Holding an Orki’s hand, the conviction in this statement left no room for argument. “And I think you found your love.”
“He found me. He is my heart. I thought I lost him.” Anna smiled.
“That’s right. He came back for you.”
“You are not a redress?” Anna couldn’t help but ask.
Lurann blushed before straightening her shoulders and meeting Anna’s eye. “They call me succor and tell me it's a great honor. Moons. Can you imagine what they would say in the village? All the old biddies? All the gossiping mama’s and perfect daughters waiting for their husband to make them happy? But this suits me, it suits us, and I won't be ashamed.”
It was the Lurann Anna remembered, sure of herself, stubborn, and not caring what anybody thought. “I don't know how you manage. Honestly, one Orki is enough for me. How you…”
They both blushed scarlet. The lessons of their upbringing making it hard to ask obvious questions. Anna reached out and touched Lurann’s arm, giggling. “As long as you enjoy it, and I seem to remember that you do, we're in a new world here, another new adventure. I don't regret you yours.”
Lurann had cared, a little, because some of the tension left her. “Yes. It is an adventure. There will never be another like your brother. But there will never be another adventure like this. Come with me.” She looped her arm through Anna’s. Together they turned to look at several wargs, who were off to the side, acting as climbing rocks for children. Orki children.
“You were sick and haven't had a chance to meet everybody. There are others who were on the journey who will want to know that you are well, and I think there is a woman here from your family and she's lived here a long time. She will have much to tell you.”
“From my family? The only other brides are from generations ago. I think there were two.”
“Yes, that sounds about right,” Lurann said, grinning in the face of Anna’s astonishment.
“I can’t believe it. I never imagined this is where my adventure would take me. Or that is where my heart and dreams would land. A place like this. Eid.”
“Don’t you think it is all just beginning for you? I have never seen your face like this, your smile. Kejere used to complain about it. He thought Benjere controlled you too much, he didn’t know how to help.”
“He asked me to live with him, but I misunderstood. I thought he just wanted a servant. Or a helper. Or-” Anna felt awful. She had missed out on knowing and understanding Kejere because she had judged he and Lurann too harshly and trusted Benjer.
How much of that judgement came from her brother? From herself. It didn’t matter. With the judgment of a curse t
hat didn’t exist over her life. She should have done better.
She would do better.
She was still here. She was alive. She had all the possibilities of a new life.
She had found her heart.
Isoellen
Isoellen is just your average, aging child-care worker who drinks too much coffee. Her first romance story was written in 1977 at 8 years old after seeing the movie Star Wars. She knew even then that a rogue on the wrong side of the law was a better mate than the boy on the hero’s journey.
The worlds she creates are violent and sensual, but her characters always find beauty in the decay and romance with intimacy. True-love and happily-ever-after’s are guaranteed.
She lives in the Northwest and can be found looking for the piece of paper she wrote her last Facebook password on.
Keep up with her →
Isoellen.com
The Orki War Bride Tales
Finding Her Luck
Finding Her Heart
Finding Her Freedom (coming soon)
Like this book? There’s more to read in Isoellen’s Omegaverse world.
Choosing Her Alpha
Her Broken Alpha