by Tana Stone
Lowering my head to pass under the top of the arched doorframe, I unhooked my battle kilt and let the heavy leather fall to the floor, slapping the stone sharply. Light from the moons shone into the small room from an open skylight, giving enough of a glow that I could see to flick on the water for the shower. I didn’t wait for the water to heat, instead plunging myself under the cool cascade and sucking in a breath.
I flattened both palms against the stone wall and let the water flow across my back. Even the slightly salty scent of the water didn’t bother me. At least the village had freely running water in all the homes as well as lights and power. Not completely primitive after all. But not a place I wished to live out the rest of my days.
I closed my eyes, forcing myself not to think about my exile and how long I would be stuck on Kimithion III. The last thing I needed was to rehash the impulsive actions that had landed me on the planet. No, that was wrong. The absolute last thing I needed was a secret pact to teach one of the females to fight.
I growled and tipped my head up so the water—now tepid—could beat on my face. What had I gotten myself into?
Thoughts of the human female made me growl again and my cock swell. I turned away from the water and dragged both hands through my wet hair. I had no interest in a female, especially not a human one who used strange phrases and climbed through windows.
My lip curled at the thought of my fellow Vandar warriors and the human women they’d claimed. Females made you weak and distracted you from what was important—battle. It was why none were allowed on a Vandar horde. That is, until Raas Kratos had taken one as a spoil of war. I’d been against it when he’d taken his future mate, and I’d been against it when Raas Bron had taken a female onboard. The female he’d taken was why I was exiled.
“And why I have no desire for a human,” I said, my words echoing in the circular stone shower.
Then why did Sienna’s image keep popping into my brain? Why was my cock aching as I remembered the feel of her body pressed against mine, her eyes wide as she looked up at me? When she’d thought that my price for teaching her was fucking, those hazel eyes had grown dark. But it hadn’t been fear I’d seen. Not entirely. There had also been heat there—and desire. She would have paid that price.
I shook my head and droplets of water scattered across the walls. Not that I would ever force a female. The thought was repellent. I was a Vandar. We did not force females. We did not have to. If we needed release, we paid handsomely for the services of pleasurers, and I did not know of a single raider who didn’t ensure that the females had as good a time as they did. Just like there was no such thing as a solo victory, there was no true pleasure if it was not shared.
Well, almost none. I let my gaze fall to my cock jutting out from my body, the dark lines that matched the ones on my chest swirling boldly down the shaft. Fisting the base, I closed my eyes again. I wanted to think about the winged Haralli pleasurers or the Felaris twins who worked in tandem, but as much as I tried to recall four hands eagerly moving across my bare flesh, it was Sienna’s face that filled my mind.
Tvek. What was it about the female that drew me in like a carvoth to a flame? She certainly wasn’t practiced at the art of seduction. Actually, she didn’t make any attempts to be feminine or alluring at all. Yet she was beautiful without trying, and she had a spirit and love for battle that I shared.
I stroked my hand up and down as I remembered the way she’d moved in the amphitheater, graceful and swift. Then I remembered the curve of her hips when I’d held her, and the jolt of awareness that she was not male. I almost laughed. No, Sienna was definitely not a male. I’d felt that when I braced my body against hers, the swell of her high breasts heaving as she’d breathed. And her scent.
My body shuddered as I recalled the warmth of her skin as I’d inhaled the smell of her neck. Even though she’d been battling under the suns, her skin had held the faint aroma of sugar, making it almost impossible not to want to lick her.
Stroking my hand faster up and down my rigid length, I imagined tasting her, running my tongue across her soft skin and hearing her moan in response. Sienna would not be a shy girl afraid to make a sound. She was bold and fearless in life, and she would be the same way in bed. Thinking of Sienna in my bed, her arms and legs wrapped around me, and my hands fisted in her honeyed hair while she moaned and writhed was too much. Then I imagined pleasuring her with my tail. My cock jerked as my entire body convulsed from the sudden rush of release. Black spots danced in front of my eyes from the onslaught of pleasure, wave after wave hitting me. I threw back my head and roared, the stone reverberating as my cock pulsed hot onto the floor of the shower.
When I was spent, I stood shaking under the warm water, cursing my weakness. I could not afford to think of the human female that way. Not if I wanted to get off the planet and back to raiding. Sienna might stir my desire, but she was nothing but a dangerous distraction, as were all females—especially human ones.
As the buzz from my release faded, I flipped off the water and snatched a towel off a nearby hook. I could not afford to fall into the trap my Vandar brethren had. Obsessing over a female could lead to nothing but more pain for me; and being stuck on Kimithion III for even longer than I needed to be, that was unacceptable.
I toweled myself roughly, gritting my teeth. I couldn’t go back on my deal. I’d agreed to it, and Vandar did not go back on their word. Besides, I needed her help to escape. But I could not allow myself any more weakness. Not when it came to Sienna. Not only would it be bad for me, but any contact between us was also strictly forbidden by her planetary customs. As backward as they were, I did not want to buck them when I was living as a guest in their community. Being exiled twice was not appealing.
I glanced back at the stone shower. My fantasies about the human would have to remain just that. Nothing could ever happen between me and the female.
I stomped off to bed, praying to the gods of old that Sienna did not haunt my dreams.
Chapter Ten
Ch 10
Sienna
As soon as I stepped inside our dwelling, I knew. My insides turned the consistency of jellied algae when I heard his voice.
“Where have you been?”
I pulled the door closed behind me and squared my shoulders as I turned. Just my luck that my father would be home when I returned. I could usually count on him staggering in long after I’d gone to sleep, but today I wasn’t so fortunate.
“Out,” I said, knowing that my reply would only stoke his anger, but not caring.
My father sat on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in front of him. His sandy brown hair was still unkempt, and the pervading scent of fish told me he’d been to work. Although his eyes were bloodshot, he looked more sober than usual. More bad luck for me.
“I heard what you did.” Even though his voice was quiet, it trembled with anger.
I bit back a smart-ass response about me being shocked he knew anything about me. It wouldn’t do me any good to enrage him more. Instead, I met his gaze and remained silent.
He held my eyes for a few moments, then looked away. “Did you really think you’d get away with it? Trying to be like one of the males?”
“I wasn’t trying to be like a male. I just wanted to learn to fight.”
“Like a male,” my father said. “You know females on Kimithion III don’t do such things. It’s never been done.”
“Which is a stupid reason. I was the best fighter out there, male or female.”
Now my father stood. “I also heard that Donal had to step in.”
My face heated as I thought about Donal and how he’d treated me like I was his property. “He didn’t have to do anything. I was handling myself just fine.”
My father rubbed a hand over his face. “Your actions shame him, Sienna. Don’t you see that? No husband wants his wife running around acting like a man.”
“I’m not his wife.”
He threw his ar
ms open wide. “You will be. Unless you ruin everything.”
“I’ve told you before, but maybe you were too hungover to remember.” I folded my arms tightly in front of me. “I’m not marrying Donal.”
His face reddened and he advanced on me. “You will marry Donal.”
When I was younger, I would have shrunk from him barreling toward me. But now, I was just as tall as him. Now, I could take him in a fight. I drew myself up to my full height and dropped my arms to my sides, balling them into fists.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Juliette enter the living area from the hallway, her face pinched as she wrung her hands. She hated when we argued, which was why I usually went to great lengths to avoid him.
He stopped, glancing at Juliette then back at me and taking in my stance. “You would hit your own father?”
I clenched my fists tighter. “You would force your daughter to marry someone she hates?”
He hesitated for a moment, clearly sizing me up, then he turned and waved a hand dismissively at me. “You don’t know what you want. You’re still a child.”
“I’m past the age of maturity, and I know that I will never marry Donal. I don’t care what you do to me. I won’t spend hundreds of years with that man.”
My father turned back to me, his face twisted. “You’d rather spend hundreds of years alone? Like me?”
I knew he meant that he would spend the rest of his life without my mother. Juliette choked back a sob, and I glared at him. “At least you picked each other.”
He sank back down on the couch, putting his head in his hands. “And I still lost her. Making a choice doesn’t mean anything. It’s all a game of chance.” He peered up at me through bleary eyes. “You have just as much of a chance of being happy with Donal as you do with anyone. And this way you’ll be secure and taken care of. You’ll never have to worry about anything being married to a minister’s son. None of us will.”
And there it was. For the briefest moment, I’d thought he might actually be thinking about my future, but it all came down to him. If I married Donal, he’d be better off. The father-in-law of a minister’s son would never be allowed to work at the shore. He’d probably be given a cushy job he wouldn’t even have to do. Or maybe Donal would support him entirely. Bile rose in the back of my throat.
“Sorry I’m ruining all your grand plans,” I spat.
His eyes narrowed. “Your mother would be ashamed of you.”
Juliette sucked in a breath and then held it as no one spoke. We never mentioned my mother—he didn’t allow it—so the shock left us all speechless. When I allowed myself to breathe again, my chest ached, the physical pain almost making me double over.
I thought of the picture of my mother tucked away in my drawer, her eyes kind and her smile bright. I didn’t remember much about her, but I did know that she’d loved me. Snatches of memories floated through my mind of her singing to me and kissing my stomach as I giggled. I would not let him stain what memories I had left.
“You think she would be ashamed of me?” I asked, my words cold and cutting as I leveled a hard, unforgiving gaze at him.
The fury on his face morphed into shock and then fear, as if he was seeing me for the first time and realizing that I wasn’t afraid of him. Standing quickly, he snatched a bottle of fermented algae from the side table. “At least they stopped you.” He pushed past me toward the door, pausing and glaring at me over his shoulder. “I might not be able to control you, but at least that barbarian raider put you in your place and sent you away. I can thank the brute for that.”
Then he staggered from the dwelling, no doubt to get drunk enough to forget the horrible things he’d said.
“Sienna.” Juliette still stood with her eyes brimming with tears. “You know he didn’t mean it.”
I waved a hand at her. As much as I loved my little sister, I couldn’t deal with her sad apologies on behalf of our father. Part of me hated her for making excuses for him almost as much as I hated him. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going to bed.”
I strode past her toward my bedroom.
“I’m sorry about what happened today—in the arena,” she called after me. “Everyone says you were kicking ass until they discovered you were a woman.”
I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at this as I paused in my doorway without turning around. Mostly because she’d used the phrase “kicking ass,” which she knew was a personal favorite. “Yeah, I was.”
“Are you okay, Sienna?”
All my anger at her melted away, like it always did when I remembered that Juliette was so forgiving of our father because she was the kindest one of us and was so much like our mother. Even though I missed her terribly, I was nothing like our mother. Juliette had gotten all the softness, while my father and I were all rage and sharp edges.
Then I thought about Corvak and the deal he’d made with me. “I will be.” I twisted my head to peer at her down the dark hall. “Can you leave me some extra pastries tomorrow?”
“Sure.” She sounded happier, like she always did when she talked about her baking or even thought about it. “I know you like the ones with extra sugar.”
My heart squeezed, both with affection for my sweet sister and guilt for keeping secrets from her. “Thanks, Juls.”
I left her standing in the hall and closed my bedroom door behind me, grateful to finally be alone and flop down on my bed. I’d barely had time to digest the deal I’d made with the Vandar before I was facing off against my father. My heart still hadn’t stopped pounding, although thinking of Corvak wasn’t helping slow it down.
Had he really agreed to teach me? My gambit of sneaking into his dwelling had been a long shot. I hadn’t thought it would actually work but threatening to hound him day and night had done the trick. Actually, it had been the fact that he needed something from me that had been the deciding factor.
My cheeks warmed at the thought of the payment I’d thought he was demanding and how I’d been more than willing to give it to him.
“Jeez, Sienna,” I whispered as I stared up at the darkened ceiling. “Way to play hard to get.”
But he hadn’t wanted to bed me. He’d wanted my help in escaping from the planet. My stomach tightened into a hard ball at the idea of him leaving. Even though he said it wouldn’t be soon, the thought of him leaving at all made the pit in my stomach churn.
I’d never reacted to anyone the way I reacted to him. His touch seared my skin and sent shivers racing down my spine. I wanted nothing more than to run my fingers down the hard planes of his chest and the bumpy ridges of his stomach, and then dip my fingers beneath the waistband of his leather skirt and see what other surprises the Vandar was hiding.
Heat throbbed between my legs, and I rolled over toward the wall.
“You’re being an idiot, Sienna,” I told myself. “He sees you as a means to an end. Nothing more. So get your head on straight and focus on him teaching you to fight.”
I closed my eyes, but as much as I tried to think about anything else, the image of the bare-chested, scarred Vandar warrior looming over me—his tail swishing behind him and his dark eyes flashing—was burned into my brain as I fell asleep.
Chapter Eleven
Ch 11
Corvak
I brushed dust off my chest as I strode up the winding path toward my quarters, but the beading sweat only smeared the dirt across my muscles, making streaks on top of my markings. I didn’t mind. It was right for a warrior to carry evidence of his battles, and today had been a battle.
I grunted, as I thought back to the fighters I’d drilled in the amphitheater, taking a turn facing off against each one of them so I could assess their skills. It had been a long, hot day, but by the end I could confidently say that the planet was in serious trouble. At least, if they were counting on the males I’d been given to teach.
Donal, the human I disked most of all, had enough bulk to be a decent grappler, but he had no talent and less grace. But what he did
n’t have in those, he made up for in brazen confidence. The Kimitherians, on the other hand, suffered from a lack of courage and a general distaste for offending anyone, even their opponent. It had made teaching them a challenge.
For the hundredth time that day, I longed to be surrounded by Vandar warriors who lived and breathed battle, and the cool darkness of our warbirds. I swept the back of my hand across my slick forehead. There was nothing cool or dark about Kimithion III—not with two suns and three moons. Even their nights were illuminated brighter than the command deck on our horde ships.
I entered my quarters, grateful for the break from the chatter of conversation that rose up from the village square. The space was furnished sparsely, but that was something I was used to from my quarters on the Vandar warbird. Actually, on the warbird I hadn’t enjoyed a private kitchen or bathing chamber. Not that I’d minded eating and bathing with my fellow raiders. It was something I’d done since I was an apprentice. It was the solitude on this planet that I was unused to—taking my meals alone and not in a crowded mess, with my Vandar brothers chugging ale and laughing loudly. Yet another punishment of my exile was that I hadn’t grown used to the native food, although I had visited the shops Sienna had recommended and found more familiar offerings. Still, nothing was as tasty as the bread she’d offered me.
My nose pricked as I closed the door behind me, my gaze instantly drawn to the windowsill. A wrapped bundle perched on the ledge, and the scent of yeast and sugar told me what it was before I’d even unfolded the pale fabric from around the contents.
I almost moaned out loud when I saw the collection of crusty rolls and sweet breads that Sienna had left for me. She was as good as her word, not that I was surprised. I lifted one of the twisted knots dusted with brown sugar and found something else that didn’t surprise me—a folded piece of paper with a hand-drawn map and a time written in the top corner.
