by Hope Hart
I blow out a breath and then make a stupid comment about the weather. I’m wearing my cloak, and whoever is watching us will discount me, not expecting me to be armed.
We also have the mishua, who can apparently be vicious in battle.
“Do you think they know who you are?” I murmur to Rakiz and then throw my head back, laughing as if he’s told a particularly funny joke.
He shrugs. “It’s hard to know. I was a well-known warrior at one time.” A cloud comes over his face, and then it clears. “But I haven’t hunted for years.”
He grins at me again, and I roll my eyes.
“Your acting could sure use some work, buddy.”
We stick to a walk for a while and then pick up the pace slightly. For whatever reason, whoever is watching us is choosing not to attack now. Instead, they’re lying in wait—likely preparing a trap.
I grind my teeth. This planet gives a whole new meaning to the word inhospitable. Sure, there’s food, water, and oxygen, but the locals have a major obsession with killing each other.
They wait until we’re almost at the tree line, not far from where Rakiz told me we’ll be sleeping tonight. A cold sweat forms on the back of my neck when they surround us.
This pack of Voildi is larger than the one that pretended to rescue us. It took three warriors to fight them off, and we just have the two of us.
Shit.
Voildi have skin the color of urine and sharp, pointed teeth designed for tearing meat from the bone.
One of them steps forward. He’s larger than the others, and his hair is cut close to his scalp, revealing a long scar that twists along the side of his head.
I glance at Rakiz, and he looks cool and unconcerned. He raises his eyebrow as he stares down his nose at the leader.
“You made a mistake coming here,” Scar says. “This is our territory.”
I can picture Jack, up in heaven or wherever he is, laughing at this guy’s bad lines.
Rakiz snorts. “You have no territory. You are a pest just waiting to be eradicated.”
This pisses them off. There must be twelve Voildi here, and they step forward, murder in their eyes.
One of them gets too close to Racia, and she strikes out. Rakiz sits on her back with a placid expression as she rears, striking out with her feet, and I gape as she runs the Voildi down, then gouges him with her horns until he’s lying twitching on the ground, choking on blood.
Wow.
The other Voildi attack as one. I stay on the mishua for now, although that may not be for long, since she pays no attention to my attempts to steer her and instead charges at one of the Voildi like a bull.
A Voildi head goes flying, and Rakiz roars in triumph, a savage grin on his face. I take a moment to stare. He looks more alive in this moment than any time I’ve seen him so far.
The Voildi manages to dodge my mishua, so I run him through with my sword.
The mishua chooses not to wait around for me to pull my sword out and instead keeps moving.
“You bitch,” I growl as I jump off. It’s either that or lose my sword. I pull it free and turn, immediately dodging a horizontal stab. I punch the attacker in the face and slide my sword into his gut.
Then Rakiz is there, beheading him for me. I scowl at the easy movement. I’m only so strong, and my sword is only so big. With Rakiz’s huge arms and heavy, flat sword, he can smoothly decapitate the Voildi as they approach.
We turn as one, fighting back to back. Rakiz has been busy while I was occupied, and there are only eight of them left.
The next few seconds stretch into minutes as we’re attacked from both sides. I thank whatever god is listening that Asroz gave up so much of his time to train me, but I’m barely dodging their blows. One of them lunges forward, striking at my stomach, and I step back, turning. I swipe my blade along his arm, and his sword falls to the ground.
Along with his hand.
He screams, and I whirl away, parrying another strike. The force vibrates up my arm, and I grit my teeth as I kick out at knee level. These aliens may look different, but most of their parts seem to be where mine are, and I grin as his knee buckles and he stumbles into my fist.
“Nevada!” Rakiz’s roar is guttural, and I jolt back, barely saving my head. He’s fighting his way back toward me, and I can’t pinpoint the moment we got separated. He’s not having fun anymore. His eyes are full of fury and terror. For me.
We may actually die here.
I grit my teeth, striking out at the Voildi as he gets too close. I’m slowing down though, and he easily bats my sword away, grinning through sharp teeth.
“You dare fight with a sword, female? We will put your head on a pike as a warning to any who would think to do the same.”
“Yeah, yeah. Bring it.”
He looks confused for a moment but then scowls, moving faster than I anticipated. He grins, his gaze flicking over my shoulder, and I duck as Rakiz’s hard body slams into me.
I hit the ground hard, attempting to roll to my feet, but there’s nowhere to go. Rakiz is on his knees, sheltering me, teeth bared, sword in his hand.
“Give us the female, and we will let you fight another day.”
Rakiz laughs, and the Voildi attack.
This is it. I get to my knees as well, hand wrapped tightly around my sword.
Rakiz parries the first strike, and the Voildi stumbles, coming close enough for me to slice my sword along the backs of his knees. He crumples, and Rakiz takes his head.
“Rakiz!” I scream, lunging forward, but I’m too far, and the Voildi is too fast.
A high-pitched shriek sounds, and the Voildi turns as Racia gores him with her horns, picking him up and shaking her head. He dies instantly, one of her horns through his chest.
“No,” Rakiz snarls, but it’s too late. Racia can’t see past the body hanging from her head, and one of the Voildi lunges forward, slicing her open. His sword gets stuck in her scales, but he managed to hit her vulnerable underbelly, and she goes down.
The remaining Voildi laugh, and I choke out a sob even as I lift my sword. Even with Rakiz fighting like he’s possessed, we’re hopelessly outnumbered. Of all the ways I’ve imagined dying, this never made the list.
The air fills with the sound of roaring, and I glance at Rakiz, but he’s silent, his sword in his hand as he jumps from his knees to his feet.
Within seconds, the remaining Voildi are dispatched, and I stare, mouth open as their heads hit the ground.
We’re surrounded by mishua, and I manage to make it to my feet, teeth bared.
“Stand down, Nevada.” Rakiz’s voice is tired. “They’re my men.”
Rakiz
I kneel next to Racia as the light slowly goes out of her eyes. “Thank you, old friend.”
She snuffles my hand as I pat her snout and closes her eyes for the last time. Beside me, Nevada chokes back a sob.
“I’m sorry,” she says, and I turn, wrapping my arm around her. I scan her body, relief running through me. She’s bruised, but none of her injuries seem to be anything that won’t heal within a few days.
“Sorry for what?”
She runs her hand over one of the mishua’s horns. “If I hadn’t stolen her, she wouldn’t have died.”
I place my hand over hers. “She died the way a mishua would want to—in battle. I was the one who was slowly killing her, leaving her to wither in her pen.”
I feel Nevada’s eyes on me, and I swallow around a lump in my throat. Warriors do not cry. And yet I will mourn Racia, who fought with me through so many battles before I became king.
Part of me wonders if she chose this death. If she knew that once we returned to camp, she would once again be back in her pen. Guilt stabs through me, and Nevada leans her head against my chest, a silent show of support.
We’re surrounded by death, and I need to take Nevada away from this place. I get to my feet, pulling her with me, and nod at my warriors, who have waited silently while I say my goodbyes.
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“Tagiz and Hewex, this is Nevada.”
They nod at each other, and I turn to find my other mishua snuffling at her fallen friend. She is covered in blood, and I lean forward, examining her head, but none of the blood seems to be hers.
“You look like you enjoyed yourself,” I murmur, and she snorts, moving close so I can give her a stroke.
“You’re bleeding,” Nevada says, her hands quick as she pushes my torn shirt aside.
“It’s nothing to be concerned about,” I say. The wound is shallow, and while it burns, the bleeding will stop soon.
I turn back to Hewex. “How did you find us?”
The warrior is old and grizzled. He never found a mate and so spends all his time away from camp. He once told me his love of females could never match his love of a good fight.
Not long ago, I believed the same. I glance at Nevada, who is examining both of the warriors with cool eyes. I smile and then glance back at Hewex, who stands straighter at my regard.
“We were on our way back to camp after our travels to Nexia,” he says. “We heard sounds of a battle.”
“Like catnip, right?” Nevada mutters, and we all glance at her. “Never mind.”
“What did you find in Nexia?”
Tagiz frowns. “The slave market is still dismantled, but according to the rumors, it has merely been driven underground.”
As expected. I grit my teeth. “I know you have probably been hoping to get back to camp and rest, but I need you to come back to Nexia with us.”
“Of course.” They both nod.
I stare down at Racia for one last moment. I would like to bury her, but we have no shovels with us, and we need to get to shelter as soon as possible. It’s likely that these Voildi are part of a larger pack, who will send out a search party when they don’t return.
Nevada slides her hand into mine as I stroke Racia’s snout one last time.
“My father allowed me to choose from a litter of mishua when I was a child. Racia was the only one who didn’t immediately beg for my attention. She seemed unimpressed by me.”
Nevada laughs and wipes away a tear. “Yeah, I can imagine she made you work for her respect.”
“She died a warrior’s death,” Hewex says softly, and I nod.
I turn and lift Nevada onto the other mishua, who is solemn and placid. I mount behind her, and we leave the death behind us.
Nevada is quiet as we make our way to the cave, and Tagiz and Hewex fill me in on what they found in Nexia. The area has long been a cesspool. It was first a trading post for goods before it drew the attention of too many criminals. Eventually the Voildi took a corner of the territory for themselves, and numerous other creatures joined the fray, bargaining for things that they had no business bargaining for.
No matter what you want on this planet, you can find it in Nexia. Dexar may have shut down one slave market, but I have no doubt that there are still many more operating underground.
The center of Nexia is called Sebe, and it’s the closest to anything passing for neutral territory in this region of Agron. I feel my lips curl as I glance at Nevada. She will enjoy the market. I can picture her glancing around with curious eyes.
She’s still pale, and I don’t miss the concern in her gaze as she glances back at the cut on my arm. My shoulders straighten. The hardheaded female cares. She cares more than she would like to admit.
I suppress a satisfied grin, tuning back into Hewex and Tagix’s conversation. Their voices are a low murmur, and we walk through the edge of the forest quietly. This is a small forest bordering Nexia, where it would be suicide to go after dark without more warriors, especially when already bleeding. I feel my shoulders relax when we finally reach the cave.
“We stayed here on the way to Nexia,” Tagix says. “And we refilled the supplies after our visit to the market.”
I nod in approval. We have many similar shelters scattered across our territory and even a few hidden deep within the Voildi territories. Some we even share with other Braxian tribes. The rules are simple. Leave more than you found in the shelter.
If there were four furs, bring an extra one back. Always ensure there are enough supplies for a warrior who could be hurt, and never eat more than you need.
We tether the mishua at the entrance to the cave. We stopped for water on the way here, and there are several large buckets already filled in the cave.
Nevada looks at one longingly, and I feel the corner of my mouth turn up. I nod to the back corner of the cave. “I will hold up a pelt to provide cover if you’d like to bathe.”
She tilts her head, and Tagiz shifts. “We will go back to the river to bathe. You can use the water. Hewex and I will take turns on sentry duty.”
“I can do a shift,” Nevada offers, and Tagiz glances at me.
“They’re familiar with this area,” I say. “They’ll immediately know if a particular sound is an animal commonly found here or someone sneaking up on us. You should rest.”
Nevada opens her mouth but surprisingly shrugs. From the circles beneath her eyes, I’m guessing she realizes just how badly she needs to sleep.
We share rations and build a fire, which quickly warms the cave. Then Tagiz and Hewex nod at us and depart for the night. They will likely make their own camp close by but in an area better suited to see and hear anyone attempting to sneak up on us.
I pull the buckets away from our sleeping area and move them close to the back of the cave, where the water will run away from the entrance. Then I pull off my shirt while Nevada sharpens her sword, no doubt carefully ignoring me while I wash.
“Are you ready?” I ask, and she nods, placing her sword down and reaching for the small ball of soap. I hold the thick pelt above my head, mulling over the fact that I’m once again listening to the sound of Nevada’s splashes and sighs.
When she’s finished, she dries herself with a fur and then pulls on the shirt she sleeps in. My shirt. The one she took with her even when she thought she might never see me again.
I grit my teeth and try to ignore the outline of her nipples, hard beneath the material. She stares up at me for a long moment, and we’re both silent.
The words come out before I’m even aware of them.
“One night.” My voice is hoarse. “And if you wish, we will never speak of it again.”
Nevada
I stare at Rakiz. His hands are clenched into fists as if he’s barely holding himself back from touching me. His face is hard, and he’s looking at me like I’m the answer to every question he’s ever had.
We both almost died today. Suddenly the thought of one or both of us no longer breathing without acting on the incredible chemistry that sparks between us…it’s incomprehensible.
No regrets. If I leave and I don’t know how it feels when Rakiz is inside me, I’ll think about it for the rest of my life.
“Fine,” I say. “One night. But that’s it.”
He nods slowly, and then he whips out his hand, burying it in my hair as he pulls me close, kissing me deeply. He steals my breath, and I gasp against him as he lifts me up and strides back into his sleeping area.
His hands are everywhere, sliding over my body, under my shirt, his skin warm against mine.
I want more. So much more.
“You’ll want me for more than one night, my stubborn female. And if you’re very good, I’ll let you have me.”
I laugh as he places me down on his furs. “You arrogant ass.”
He grins down at me, and my breath hitches. I feel so fortunate to see this side of him. The relaxed, playful side that no one else gets to see.
It feels like a gift.
Rakiz nibbles at my lower lip gently, asking permission this time. He’s like a lion pretending to be a kitten, and I’m not fooled. But I open anyway, and he strokes my tongue with his, a low growl escaping.
I shiver at the sound, desperate for him to make it again. I want to make this man lose his mind.
I’m suddenly
impatient, ready for him to be inside me. I grasp at him, pulling him close as I wrestle with his shirt. He lets out a choked laugh, ripping it off, and then he moves back, staring down at me intently.
“I like you in my shirt,” he says, and then he reaches down and rips it from my body.
I scowl at him. “That was my nightgown.”
“I’ll give you a new one,” he promises, leaning down to nuzzle my breasts.
I inhale sharply as he takes my nipple into his mouth, shuddering as I bury my hands in his hair. Rakiz leans up, catching my arms and trapping them above my head, my wrists prisoners in one of his huge hands.
His other hand slides down, pushing my thighs apart, and then he bends his head, stroking me with his tongue.
“God…”
He licks and sucks, and everything fades away except for the pressure building in my pussy. I unravel, crying out as I writhe, and Rakiz continues licking, drawing out my pleasure until I’m a puddle beneath him.
“Look at me, Nevada.”
I crack open my eyes and blink up at him, and then I’m gasping as he slides inside me, filling me up the way I’ve been fantasizing about since the moment I met him.
He’s hot and hard, rolling his hips as he thrusts against me. I shudder as he moves one hand underneath my butt, angling me so he can get deeper, hitting the spot that makes me moan. I clutch at his back, the huge muscles bulging as he moves within me, and the thought of his giant, magnificent body bringing me so much pleasure tips me over.
I tremble, opening my mouth on a choked cry as my orgasm hits, and Rakiz continues rocking against me as another orgasm makes me moan, my nails raking down his back.
Rakiz thrusts deep, an almost pained groan leaving him as he empties within me.
“Wow,” I gasp when I can speak again. “There’s sex, and then there’s sex. Go team.”
He lets out a choked laugh and then rolls, pulling me close until I’m sprawling over his chest.
We relax in contented silence for a few minutes, and I almost fall asleep as Rakiz trails his fingers up and down my back. I feel lethargic and energized, exhausted and invigorated all at once. Tomorrow I’ll examine the repercussions of what we’ve just done. But tonight I’m just going to enjoy the fact that some of the tension that I carry each day has straight up disappeared.
