Once Upon a Caveman

by Cassandra Gannon

  He pieced to together about three words of that statement, but it was enough. “I am the most reviled man in the Clan.” He admitted. “They call me Rhawn the Accursed.”

  “Catchy.” She didn’t seem overly terrified of his shameful admission.

  Rhawn took a deep breath. “They hate me because I am stupid.”

  “Oh, obviously.” She glanced back to the measurements for the han-d gly-der that he’d worked out on the wall. “So many cavemen understand how to calculate fractions.”

  Rhawn kept talking, not wanting to dwell on his lack of intelligence. “Also, I dream of your world and its magical creations. No one but the gods should ever look upon Newyork’s perfection.”

  “Perfection? You’ve clearly never dreamed about a Brooklyn cab, have you?”

  He ignored that. “And then there are my eyes.”

  Lucy frowned. “Your eyes?” She repeated blankly.

  Rhawn nodded, confused by her confusion. “They are brown.”

  “Yeaaaahhhh.” She drew out the word, clearly still at a loss.

  “No one else has ever been born with brown eyes.” Everybody knew this. “Eyes should be blue, gray, or green. Brown eyes are surely a mark of disfavor.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Lots of people have brown eyes where I come from.”

  That drew him up short. “They… do?”

  “Yes.” Lucy gave him a slight smile, polishing off the rest of the shanee. “Trust me. Your eyes are beautiful.” She looked him up and down. “In fact, everything about you is very, very not disfavored.”

  Rhawn stared at her. Nothing in his life prepared him to answer such a bizarre statement.

  Another quake occurred before he could think of a response, the ground beneath them trembling. It was just a small rattle and it passed quickly. Rhawn barely noticed. Everyone in the Clan had grown used to the minor shakings.

  Lucy hadn’t.

  She leapt up, nearly falling over as the island moved. Rhawn quickly stood, catching hold of her. Her body fell into his arms and her hands grabbed onto his shoulders. She pressed against him, small and soft and… perfect. She felt perfect. Like she was meant to fit against him. Like he was meant to hold her.

  His mate.

  For one heartbeat, it seemed that Lucy felt it, too. Her eyes flashed up to his and then quickly away. She gave her head a shake and shifted back from him. Balancing against the wall, she turned towards the cave entrance. In the distance, black smoke poured from the top of Uooloa.

  “My God. It’s really going to erupt, isn’t it?” She breathed.

  For a deity, she asked many questions that seemed obvious.

  “Of course.” Rhawn moved closer in case he needed to steady her through any aftershocks. …And because he loved the scent of her skin. Even if he hadn’t known she was the Destroyer, he’d know she was magical from the way she smelled. It was divine. “Very soon, Uooloa will sink this island. Your arrival will set it aflame.”

  She met his eyes again and his chest tightened in longing. He would never get used to the way she looked right at him. The Destroyer was no doubt accustomed to gazing at horrible things, but, for Rhawn, it was nothing short of a miracle to have someone gaze into his hideous eyes and not cringe.

  Rhawn began to think thoughts he shouldn’t think. Which wasn’t unusual, but rarely had they been this stupid.

  When he began to ponder an important puzzle, it consumed his mind until he solved it. …And nothing was more important than Lucy. She was meant to be his mate. He knew that she would not have Chosen him herself, but the law still gave him the right to Choose her. If she were a normal female, he could just challenge the man she belonged to and win her for himself.

  But, who did you have to challenge to claim a goddess?

  War-ren, the Savior perhaps?

  “Alright, let’s focus on the real problem here.” Lucy seemed to be trying to calm her panic. “I’m a pragmatic person. I’m pretty sure all of this crazy shit is really happening, so I’ll deal with it. I will. I don’t have a choice, so I’m going to deal. It will be dealt. Alright?”

  She was only trying to convince herself, but Rhawn nodded anyway. She clearly wanted an answer.

  “Good. So, I’m just going to stay calm and be practical and take it one crisis at a time.” She continued in a carefully steadied voice. “Okay. Now, of all my present dilemmas, that volcano seems like the most pressing. Actually, it’s both our dilemmas. I’m never getting home to my tiny apartment and the cute little dog I’ll someday adopt, if I’m a charcoal briquette. Meanwhile, you’ve got a scenic view of Mordor out your front door.” She pointed to the mountain. “Oceanfront or not, it’s just some really lousy real estate, Rhawn. We both need to get away from here. You with me so far?”

  Rhawn wasn’t sure what answer she sought. “The Savior must lead us to safety.” He reminded her. “Only he can find the way.”

  “If you knew Warren you’d know that isn’t real likely.” She scoffed. “Even with a GPS, a map, and guide dog, I wouldn’t trust that doofus to lead me down the street. You, on the other hand, I trust.”

  His heart flipped over.

  “I can’t explain dreams and I don’t even want to. Maybe they’re real and maybe it’s all a hallucination. Right now, it doesn’t matter to me.” Brilliant green eyes met his. “You --real you, right here-- protected me earlier, you speak English, you know this place, and you’re the only one here sharp enough to skip the chanting. All major points for you.”

  That made him happy. “Points are good?” Rhawn liked rewards and he rarely received them. “And you’re just giving them to me?”

  “What?” She shook her head. “Whatever. Pay attention, alright? You’re a smart guy. That’s what I care about. It makes you my best hope for survival. We need to work together.”

  He shook his head, caught off guard by the idea. Rhawn had never been called smart. Never been anyone’s “best hope.” Never had anybody trust him. Not ever. No one ever wanted his protection or to “work with” him. Even if Lucy only planned to fool him into committing vile acts of heresy, he was a little intrigued by her flattery. She could recruit far worthier men. Still…

  “I can’t help you win the Ardin.” No matter how perfect she seemed or what “points” she offered, Rhawn wouldn’t assist with her malevolent plans. He did his best to live with honor. While he wished for it to be a fair fight, he couldn’t help her achieve victory and doom the world. He couldn’t do that. Wouldn’t do it. Absolutely not.

  …Probably.

  Lucy’s jaw tightened. “Oh, you are helping me.” She warned. “You’ve seen me naked, caveman. You owe me.”

  Rhawn stifled a wince. Dwelling on the perfect curves of her body didn’t exactly inspire him to resist her evil influence. “I won’t be a party to your schemes.” He muttered. “I wish for you to forsake them and to…”

  She cut him off. “Fuck that, Rhawn! You’re helping. You saved my life earlier, so it would be pretty dumb of you to just waste all that effort.”

  “I told you I am dumb and I did nothing to save your life.”

  Rhawn tried to turn away from the impossible color of her eyes, but she wouldn’t let him. Just like in the dream, she moved her head to the side, keeping her gaze locked on his. It was as if she’d caught him in a snare. Rhawn helplessly stared back at her, his heart hammering.

  “You did save my life.” She insisted. “You’re the reason I got off the ship in time. You told me the Arden would sink.”

  “The sinking is the Ardin. It is the end of the world.”

  She looked baffled. “Come again?”

  How could she not know a prophesy that she was a part of? Rhawn was beginning to feel as confounded as she seemed. Perhaps he was not smart enough to converse with a god. Once again, he decided to go back to basics.

  “During the Ardin, the Savior will bring all the worthy to a new homeland. The Destroyer will sink the island with the eruption of Uooloa.” He gestured towards
the volcano.

  “I don’t think an island can sink outside of a Hollywood effects studio.” She seemed uncertain, though. “It could get blown apart, I guess. Or maybe geology just works differently in Ice Age dimensions.” She shook her head. “I mean, how could we possibly know what kind of plate tectonics you guys have going on around here?”

  Rhawn had no idea what she was talking about. “This island will vanish into the waves.” He repeated firmly. “This is all foretold in the myths.”

  She held up both palms. “So, however it happens, this Ardin thing is your doomsday and Warren is the Savior of it? That’s what you’re saying?”

  “Yes.”

  “Which makes me…?”

  “The Destroyer.” Rhawn needed to remember that. “You will bring about our end.” He forced himself to move back from her. “And I will not help you, not matter how much I wish that…” He trailed off and finally turned away, unable to look at her beautiful face. He couldn’t aid her in sinking the island, but Rhawn could also never see this woman harmed. Not for any reason.

  So what was he going to do?

  Lucy seemed more mystified than ever. “I’m not going to destroy anything.” She said in a voice that sounded almost vulnerable. “I just want to go home and I think you can help me get there. You and I are… connected somehow. I can sense it and so can you, Rhawn. You told me so.”

  He shut his eyes. She was right. He did sense it.

  Rhawn still shook his head, his heart breaking. “No matter what I feel, I cannot help you win this battle.” He whispered. “If you succeed the world will end.” It might kill her too for all he knew. He could never allow that. “Warr-en is our only hope. You must join his cause.”

  “Did you meet Warren?! You can’t possibly think that’s true.”

  He tried to believe in the legends, but the incredulity in her tone cut down to all his secret doubts. Rhawn always questioned when he should surrender to faith. It was why Notan was forever telling him he was stupid. Smart men understood without having explanations. You didn’t need proof to know. The truth was evident to all worthy of seeing it.

  “Everything else the prophesy predicted has come to pass.” Rhawn pointed out, refusing to admit his failings. “Why would the end be any different?”

  “So you want me to die?”

  “No.” He roared and then quickly lowered his voice. “You twist my words.” The last thing he wanted was this woman dead. The thought of existing without her was unimaginable. Rhawn scraped a hand through his hair and tried to think of a way out of this mess. What he knew was right warred with his instincts to protect her.

  Lucy was his mate.

  Never before had he been so sure of anything. When he looked at her, everything felt right. What did that mean? Was this some sort of test that he was failing?

  …Or was he supposed to keep her safe?

  Maybe this was why she’d been brought to him. Maybe he could get her to see reason and not doom the world. Maybe he could tap into the good he saw inside of her and dissuade her from this terrible plan. He latched onto that desperate idea like a drowning man with a nutyh.

  “I’m not twisting anything.” Lucy retorted. “And I’m not going to doom the world, Rhawn.” Every time she said his name, he felt a jolt in his stomach. “Your prophesy is wrong. I’m not the Destroyer. I’m not evil.” She sounded so convincing and so sure, as she leaned closer to him. “This is very simple. Who do you want to back in this apocalypse: Me or the guy who flunked so many classes, he could drive to eighth grade?”

  Rhawn had no idea what “drive” meant, but he understood the gist of that comment. Did he honestly believe that Warren could ever defeat this woman? Against his will, Rhawn’s gaze met hers again and he saw the resolve burning in her eyes. Vulnerability was replaced with boundless determination. She would fight until the end and she would triumph. The Clan couldn’t stop her. Warren couldn’t either.

  The woman was so damn bright she could defeat all who opposed her.

  Lucy would win this battle. For good or bad, she would change the world. Nothing could stop that. It seemed Rhawn had to either kill her or work with her. …And nothing in this world or any other could ever make him kill his mate.

  The best he could do was try to mitigate the Destroyer’s destruction.

  Chapter Five

  He can scent her arousal.

  It’s a heady fragrance and his body responds instantly. Rhawn’s hand slips between her legs, wanting to feel the moisture he knows is there. His fingers press open the folds of her body, learning her texture and shape. Slipping deep, amazed at the heat. Rubbing at a spot that seems to be straining for his attention.

  She gasps, her hips thrusting against his hand.

  He’s never seen another woman react as she does and Rhawn has seen many couplings. Clan members often mate within view of each other. The men like to show their dominance over the woman and the women vie for the strongest men.

  He would remember if any of them responded like this one does, though. She is an equal partner in their passion. Her body is flushed and wet and moving over his fingers like ripples of water. If any other man had ever accomplished something like this with a woman, he would still be bragging of it. Usually the female silently endures for a few moments as the male finishes. Until this woman, Rhawn thought that was the best anyone could hope for from a mating.

  He’s never been so glad to be soooo wrong.

  Lucy and Rhawn’s Dream Eleven Years Ago

  Warren loved being a god.

  Half-naked women fed him a bounty of food, while some strong smelling fermented drink flowed freely. He lounged back on a pile of skins, grinning like an ass, as he was fawned over. His hands fondled and his smug laughter boomed. He’d taken over the community’s largest cave, indolently basking in all the attention. Obviously, it beat the car lot all to hell.

  Just when Lucy thought she’d hit rock bottom on her frustration with the guy, he somehow managed to dig the hole even deeper.

  “Warren.” She loomed over him, ignoring the terrified looks the Clan members were shooting her. “We need to talk.”

  “‘Bout what?” He asked with his mouth full. No smelly mammoth for him. He was chewing on what looked like a supersized chicken leg.

  Lucy had a brief flash of curiosity about the kind of animal it had come from. Some kind of teratorn, probably. The fearsome birds had wingspans of a dozen feet and looked like a combination of a California condor and a gigantic vulture. They’d been prevalent during the Ice Age, which made sense since everything around here seemed to be circa the Pleistocene epoch.

  Actually, no. None of this made any sense, at all.

  “About what?” She echoed. “What do you think I want to talk about, Warren? We need to get out of here, unless you want to spend the rest of your life on the set of One Million Years B.C.”

  “Hey, it could be worse, ya know? I mean Raquel Welsh was majorly…” He trailed off, his expression darkening as he spotted Rhawn by the cave’s entrance.

  The caveman had followed her to the party. Lucy wasn’t sure if it was to protect her or protect the others from her. Everyone else on this island seemed poised to run the second she murmured “boo!” in their direction. His expression remained frustratingly unreadable, so she wasn’t entirely clear which team he was backing.

  She had the feeling Rhawn was going to be the deciding game piece, though. He was the only one here with the brains to screw her over. If he joined up with Warren, she was doomed.

  “You know, that Bigfoot stalker of yours is the one we should be worried about.” Warren muttered. “You see how he’s the only one here not treating me like royalty?”

  “That’s because he’s the only one here with an IQ in the positive digits.” Still, Lucy glanced over her shoulder and caught Rhawn staring at her.

  She had no idea how anyone could think his eyes were a curse. They were a deep, pure, chocolate brown surrounded by incredibly thick lashes
. He had the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. Obviously, he did. Every single part of the man was insanely gorgeous, from the shiny length of his blond hair, to the stunning angles of his masculine face, to the massive expanse of his bare chest. Looking at him, though, she felt more than just the punch-in-the-gut physical attraction. She felt… a connection.

  Like they somehow belonged together.

  Those dreams weren’t a fluke or a hallucination. This man’s fate was linked to hers. Lucy believed that and she didn’t even believe in fate. For better or worse, the two of them were in this together.

  …And Rhawn clearly thought it was for worse.

  He watched her with wary confusion, braced for the evilness to start. Lucy arched a brow at him and he quickly dropped his gaze. Because, of course, the big, hot, caveman she’d been having sexual fantasies about for fifteen years would be socially introverted. And be certain that she was the antichrist. And be planning her losing showdown against Warren. Because, that was just how things worked when you were Lucy Meadowcroft: Unluckiest Girl in the Universe.

  Un-frigging-believable.

  Anger worked better than fear and Lucy embraced it. Luckily, being infuriated was second nature to anyone who worked in retail sales. Maybe she was stuck in the past or in another dimension or on a distant planet, but that didn’t mean she was just going to accept it. Hell no. She was going home or she’d end the world trying.

  “I just don’t like that guy.” Warren muttered, his beady eyes still fixed on Rhawn. No doubt he was thinking of all the football recruiters who would’ve killed to have a six and a half foot caveman on their team.

  People like Rhawn didn’t sell cars. They collected them. They didn’t work in bookshops. They posed on the covers. He was like a golden statue come to life.

  That annoyed her, too.

  Lucy turned back to Warren and made a face as some topless girl fed him pink grapes. “I don’t care what you think of Rhawn, he can help us.” The same instinct that told her to get off the boat told her that Rhawn was her ticket out of this mess. “In case you didn’t notice, Rhawn is helping me.”