Warrior

by Holly S. Roberts

  Marinah

  KING HAS BEEN in the meeting for an hour while Axel tries keeping me entertained. Our game of cards is not helping.

  “Trump,” Axel says with a grin he can’t hide after laying down a three of spades.

  I throw my entire hand across the room and jump from my chair. I need to hit something. Someone. Anything.

  “Shadow Warriors run to work off the rage and that’s what you need to do.”

  I turn to him feeling the temperature rising around me, the deep ache in my bones, and the burn of change in my blood. I need a few deep breaths before I can answer him. “I’ll do anything.”

  Before Axel can put his suggestion into action, King enters the room.

  “You agitated her?” he accuses Axel.

  “I won a trick while playing cards. She was kicking my ass.”

  “I’m standing right here.” I wave like a lunatic. “If you keep talking like I’m not in the room I may eat one of you.” I add a growl to make my point.

  King walks over, grabs me, and smashes his lips into mine. Rage is instantly replaced by desire. The thing inside me slithers beneath my skin in a strange way I haven’t felt before. King pulls back and I’m anything but ready to end the kiss. I lock my arms around his neck trying to bring his lips closer.

  “We don’t have time. I need you in the meeting,” he groans against my mouth.

  His eyes are so blue I want to go swimming. And really, doesn’t that sound corny? “You want me in your meeting?” I ask huskily.

  He blinks down at me, his lips so close. “Yes. I’m sorry I took so long. We had to iron out a few things. Axel is needed too.”

  “Just don’t kiss me first,” Axel says before leaving the room and heading to the meeting.

  “He’s gone,” I say and move just a touch closer to King’s amazing lips.

  He grins and I want to bite his lower lip and suck. “Then we’ll take a few extra minutes. The council can wait.”

  Our lips meld and tongues spar. We breathe each other’s air and drink like we’re dying of thirst. Maybe we are. The thing inside me goes completely quiet for the first time in three days. King hasn’t kissed me like this since I shifted and maybe it’s what I’ve needed all along. To feel loved, and this kiss makes me think it could happen. We don’t really know each other well enough to talk love and my brain shouldn’t associate the “L” word with King at all, but this kiss says differently. It says he needs me and wants me as much as I need and want him.

  When he pulls back, I stumble slightly. His large hands steady me and his lips form a cocky grin. “You want me,” he whispers. It isn’t a question, but in a way it is. Did he think I didn’t want him? “But we need to get to that meeting,” he groans against my lips.

  I need to wrap my head around what he’s just said. How can he doubt I want him? Maybe sitting in the meeting will give me time to think it through. “I’m not dressed appropriately,” I say simply.

  King’s fingers feather across my jaw, his callused thumb touching my lower lip and his eyes darken. “You’re perfect,” he whispers.

  Warning bells should be going off in my head. My beast should be struggling to get out. The world should stop tilting. None of those things happen. Our gazes stay locked and I want King more than I want anything on earth.

  “We need to leave,” he says, but he doesn’t budge.

  His words break the spell and I’m the first to look away. That’s when my beast decides to wake up and grumble. She doesn’t cower. She does not look away first and I feel every one of her thoughts like they’re kept in a separate brain compartment.

  Maybe this once, I tell her.

  King takes my hand, wrapping his large fingers around mine, and leads me to the meeting. It’s a small room by citadel standards with an oblong table in the center, and four Shadow Warriors, two sitting on each side, glance at the door when we enter. King introduced me last night, so I don’t know why I feel suddenly apprehensive. Maybe it’s because they aren’t smiling or acting excited to see me at all for that matter. Pain runs along my nerve endings in a steady way that hasn’t happened before. Strange.

  King pulls a chair out for me and takes the empty one beside it after I’m seated. He gives my fingers the smallest squeeze. I would usually stare at the walls and admire the brightly colored artwork in an uncomfortable situation. Instead, every hair on my body feels like it’s standing at attention. The rumbling that usually means I’m shifting is there, it’s just not overpowering. Even my eyesight goes on high alert and I see the room in high definition.

  Danger.

  I glance at King just as he begins talking to his men. “I’ve brought Marinah to the meeting to speak with you and answer your questions. She’s unaware of our earlier conversation and I caution you to remember she’s newly shifted. Labyrinth, proceed.”

  He’s the Warrior who looks like he swallows a horse for breakfast each day. His muscles bulge, fighting his shirt for room, the veins in his forearms making a statement that he’s not someone you want to mess with. His expression is not unfriendly and I relax slightly. It’s also the first time I notice his eyes. They’re spectacular with one green and one blue. He looks away when he realizes I’m staring. I should have asked King more questions about this meeting. “Marinah,” Labyrinth says with a slight nod. “Would you tell us about your mother?”

  It’s a hit in the gut. I try so hard not to think about her. She was my friend, confidante, and mother rolled into one. She wasn’t the type of parent who gave me everything my heart desired, she was the kind of parent that I hated at times, called names in my mind, and loved like only a daughter can love her mom even when angry. “Her name was Dinah,” I say softly. “She died saving my life.” The thought of her death is painful and always will be. She saved me from a pack of hellhounds after I returned from college at the beginning of the war. We were traveling to reach my father. Our car ran out of gas and we had to walk. The hellhounds attacked and she was bit. She yelled at me to run. No, I tell myself. Do not think about her bravery and your cowardice. Heat fills me and I slam that door shut. If I’d stayed, I would be dead too. A military patrol found me and took me to my father. He always said she died so I could live. I look at King and then back to Labyrinth, who must be searching the table for defects because he isn’t chancing even a glance at me.

  King leans over and whispers, “They are trying to figure out where you come from and who your mother was.”

  “She was Dinah.”

  “Your non-human family? Who were they?” Beck snaps.

  Intense pain in my gut makes me gasp. King’s death stare at Beck is also telling. Through the pain, I manage to glance at Axel. His usually compassionate eyes stare daggers at Beck.

  “We’re done here,” King snarls at the man causing all the trouble.

  I place a hand on King’s arm and stop him before he rises. I fight against the pain, pushing it away, and somehow speak somewhat normally. “I’m in control and can handle the question.” I turn to Labyrinth and ignore Beck. “My mother’s family was from California. I only saw my relatives a few times before I began high school. We lived in Washington, DC where my father worked. Mom disliked traveling. Her parents came to visit us the few times I saw them. Nothing stands out in my memory other than a conversation I overheard between my mother and grandmother about my parents becoming vegetarian when I was born. I remember my grandmother wasn’t happy about it. At the time it seemed very strange because, to me, it was how we always ate. I had friends in school who ate meat and I tried it once, but never really cared for the taste or texture.” My eyes travel the room as I say the next part. “If you’re trying to figure out who I am, it’s easy. I’m an American, the secretary of defense for the New Federation, and a liaison between humans and Shadow Warriors. Shifting into one of you does not change that. My mother and her mother do not define me, though they were strong and if I’m half the woman they were, I’ve done better than I expected. I also carry my f
ather inside me. He was honest and loyal and brave.” Now I rest my gaze on Beck and seer him with the stare of the beast residing within me. “I am Marinah.”

  A growl leaves Beck’s throat and King is on his feet with his own loud growl rumbling from his throat. I’m only seeing half of this because the red haze takes over and there’s no fighting it this time. The table separates King from Beck, but not from me. With powerful legs, more animal than human, I launch onto the thick wood and land inches from Beck, who is still in human form. There’s nothing human left in me, I’m all Warrior. In a slow, delicate move, I slide my gigantic tongue from between huge jaws and slide it up along Beck’s cheek.

  “Tag, you’re it,” I say and bring up my arm in a classic uppercut connecting solidly with his jaw. Beck flies out of his chair and I follow with a five-foot jump from the table to floor landing between his splayed thighs. I lift my now-bare foot, which is more than double the size of my human foot, hairy, and sporting claws that I’m unaccustomed to. I lift the top of my foot and lower it onto Beck’s crotch adding just enough pressure to make his eyes grow larger. “Do you have more questions?” I ask. The drool that slides out with the words is gross, but if I try to wipe it away, I’ll probably slice my own throat.

  “Marinah,” King’s calm voice sounds from behind me.

  “Yes.” I don’t take my eyes off Beck.

  “You’re in control.”

  “Of course,” I answer somewhat peevishly.

  “You’re controlling your beast.”

  I lift an arm and see the misshapen hand with claws and hair. I glance down and see that my shirt is hanging on by only a few threads. I already know my shoes are gone. The pants King gave me this morning have stretched to keep me covered.

  “I need shirts made from this same material,” I say, easing my foot from Beck’s junk, and stepping back. The look in his eyes is the one from the previous evening.

  “You’re Warrior,” he says in awe.

  I straighten my stance and throw back my shoulders. “I’m my mother’s daughter. My father’s daughter. My grandmother’s granddaughter. A Shadow Warrior. And most of all, Marinah. Can we be finished with this conversation?”

  King walks around me and offers Beck a hand up. His rise from the floor isn’t gentle.

  “She’s remarkable, gentleman,” Axel says with a proud smile. “Marinah, you shouldn’t have this much control of your beast this early. What you’re displaying should take a year.”

  I shrug my massive shoulders. “I wasn’t a teen when this happened. I also wanted to bite Beck’s throat out and swallow it.”

  Beck smiles. “But you didn’t.”

  I glance at him. “But I could have,” I say with an evil smile for his benefit. “Now gentlemen, I prefer not to continue in my current state of undress. I obviously need to find clothes that will stretch with me. I see lots of elastic and Velcro in my future. When you have a chance, I want one of those neat leather chest straps all of you wear.”

  Labyrinth starts laughing first and Axel joins in as one by one the men lose themselves in hilarity. I’m not exactly sure what everyone finds so funny, but I know one thing… my beast doesn’t seem to mind and the threat of danger is no longer coursing through me.

  “My apologies, Marinah,” Beck says even before King stops laughing. I reach my clawed fingers out to shake his hand on reflex. King’s growl stops me. I take my gaze from Beck and notice the color of King’s eyes. Dark. I pull my hand away and receive somewhat of a smile from Beck. “Welcome to the Shadow Warriors, Marinah.”

  Each man stands from the table and goes to one knee, placing their fists over their hearts. I’m not sure what’s expected of me and look to King for guidance. “It’s time to go,” he says with his smile firmly in place regardless of the growl. “We’re keeping your Warrior abilities under wraps for now and you’ll be staying at my home with me.”

  “I need to return to Washington,” I say stubbornly. The “Washington” part comes out a little garbled, but the majority of my speech has been perfect, my enlarged vocal cords only making my voice deeper.

  “That needs planning. We still don’t know who wants you dead.”

  “It can’t be the Federation,” I reply firmly.

  I can see by their expressions that the men around me aren’t buying it. It’s also uncomfortable that they aren’t rising to their feet. “Please stand. I’m not a queen or anything.” This starts another round of laughter.

  “That’s debatable,” says Labyrinth, his huge, meaty face rounded with a grin. He looks away when I glance at him. “King’s met his match.”

  “I can’t handle them on their knees,” I say and wave my enlarged arms with claws extended toward them like an idiot. Without looking at King, I head for the door.

  He stops me a few feet away. “If you go out there as Beast, you’ll ruin the surprise.”

  The red haze increases. “If I stay here, I’m laughed at.”

  “Join the meeting and no one will laugh,” Beck says. If it were anyone else besides King, I wouldn’t believe them, but Beck is glowering at the men and they slowly rise and take their seats.

  I march back to my chair and sit down thankful it’s large enough to fit my new supersized body. The facial hair and muscle mass should bother me. Should, but doesn’t. I cross my arms and cut my arm while doing it. I ignore the blood and hope I don’t bleed out. Nokita, who has remained quiet until now, offers me a tissue by wading it up and tossing it at me. I catch it in the air with reflexes I didn’t know I had. The red has faded again and I can actually see the hair follicles on each man’s human face with my new incredible eyesight.

  “Do you ever attend the meeting in your beast forms?” I ask the room at large.

  “We never start a meeting that way, but we tend to end up in our beast forms after Beck starts talking.” Nokita grins at me and winks.

  It’s my turn to spread my colossal jaws and grin. “That makes perfect sense.”

  Now they’re laughing with me and not at me.

  Chapter Four

  King

  THE EARLIER MEETING was a nightmare before I brought Marinah into the room. Beck didn’t trust her, but the thing about Beck is he respects honesty. Marinah didn’t suddenly change who she was and she didn’t fall at his feet in thanks because she’s a Warrior either. Marinah put Beck in his place using the best means possible. She challenged him.

  It took everything I had to allow her to settle it herself. If she’d killed him, we’d have bigger problems than lack of trust. I didn’t really think she would be able to control her beast at this early stage. It’s like a button clicked inside her and Marinah out-beasted her beast. She’s not the wimpy woman she thought of herself a short time ago. She’s a Warrior for our history books.

  I lead us outside to the bikes instead of taking her to the infirmary when the meeting’s over.

  “I can’t ride like this, King,” she says. She’s returned to her human form and is using both hands to keep her shirt together. I lift my arms, pull my shirt over my head, and hand it to her in one move. The once-over she gives my chest leaves Beast purring in contentment, the traitor. I discovered in the meeting that Beast hasn’t just accepted her as mate, he’s ready to kill anyone who stands in his way. I need to refrain from thoughts of Marinah as mate until her beast is ready and Beast won’t be helping. Neither did the kiss, which is something else I choose not to think of for the time being.

  “It smells like you,” she says, breathing in the material before pulling it over her head. She squirms around with a hand under the shirt and pulls her torn one out from the bottom. I take the tattered material and stuff it in a saddlebag. “I want to learn to ride my own bike,” she adds before hiking her leg over the seat behind me.

  This side of Marinah is daring and fearless, as a queen should be.

  I rev the engine just as Beck, Axel, Nokita, and Labyrinth walk through the outside door. All but Axel grab their bikes. “I’m staying here
to oversee Maylin.”

  “Will you please tell Che I will visit him soon?” Marinah asks.

  “Yes,” Axel says with a quick nod. “I hope you’ll visit me too,” he adds.

  Beast grumbles and Marinah locks her arms around me tightly and pushes her cheek into my shoulder. “Yes, I’ll visit.”

  We roar away before the conversation is finished. Beast gives a relieved sigh inside me, happy he doesn’t need to kill Axel. Marinah will be a challenge like no other mate. I just need to wait until her beast figures out that we’re meant to be together.

  The men surround us as we travel the road home. My real home. The rumble of the bike and Marinah’s arms around me make it a sweet ride.

  ***

  After a break so Marinah can eat and soothe her beast’s hunger for raw meat, we’re on the road again. Two hours later, we arrive at the mid-sized village near my home. Marinah asked no questions as we drove through miles and miles of farmland. I knew she was looking around and storing the information she wanted inside her Federation head. I haven’t fooled myself into thinking she’ll give up her country. At this point she doesn’t have all the information needed to make a calculated decision. She’s been a Shadow Warrior for days, not years and she needs to understand everything it entails. Once she has all the information, I have no doubt she’ll change her mind and do what’s best for her people. Her new people.

  My disagreement with Beck this morning before Marinah joined us was over how much to disclose to her. Beck demanded caution wanting our secrets kept from her until we’re sure she can be trusted. Labyrinth, as our unlikely mediator, abstained from voting to hear what Marinah had to say. I wasn’t happy about what I consider minor squabbling. Marinah is one of us and deserves to be treated as such. When she put Beck in his place, she showed dominance, something the men respect. The most surprising thing is that Beck’s beast accepted it. I need Marinah to dig into our history texts and see if she can find anything about the female Warriors that would help us manage her behavior.

  As we ride through the inlet town once known as Cienfuegos, a few people stop and wave. We’ve renamed the area Homestead One. Approximately five hundred people live here, including one hundred Shadow Warriors. Among the humans we have a little over one hundred children, several of them Warriors, though it will be years before their beasts emerge.