Tani scooted back carefully, the tension on her nipples increasing, though it never occurred to her to ask him to release them any more than it occurred to her to question her own pleasure. She kept her eyes on his as she reached down for the thick shaft that lay between them and lifted it carefully. He was so big, and she so inexperienced, that it wasn’t easy to maneuver the broad head of his cock into her body, but Steel showed no signs of impatience. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying her struggle to do as he’d commanded while he kept a firm grip on her nipples. It heated her blood, too.
After a few moments she managed to get the hot, spongy head of his cock pressed against her opening and she relaxed a little before pushing herself down on it. “Slowly,” he commanded, his voice so deep it raised chills on her skin. She pushed more slowly, gasping as her body slowly gave way for his until she honestly didn’t think she could take any more.
She stopped, panting as she tried to relax around him, but it was no use. She was getting more and more tense by the moment, afraid that she was going to disappoint him. He released her nipples, then stroked them gently, soothing the slight ache.
“Come here, Khalute,” he said softly. She raised her eyes to his, relieved that he didn’t look disappointed.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. He smiled and raised himself up enough to put his arms around her and pull her down so that she was lying on top of him.
“You’ve nothing to be sorry for,” he said, stroking her back lightly in a soothing motion. “I’m not even sure where that came from. I’m the one who’s sorry. Now, just relax, all right?”
Tani nodded and took a deep breath, her body relaxing against him. After a few moments he carefully rolled over so that she was beneath him. “Raise your legs around me,” he said. She did as he asked, surprised when he suddenly slipped further into her without effort. He smiled, then began fucking her in a long, slow rhythm that she matched without thought. Steel bent his head and kissed her, matching the rhythm of his cock as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. What had started as a slow kiss quickly became something more. His tongue went hard and deep into her mouth, deliberately preventing her from kissing him back. When he felt her relax, silently submitting to him as he fucked her mouth with his tongue as he fucked her body with his cock, his excitement rose to a level he’d never imagined and certainly never experienced.
He broke the kiss and slowed down, afraid of scaring Tani with these strange and unexpected desires. She arched her head back, baring her throat, and he heard himself growl softly as something buried deep within him clamored to accept her submission whether she knew that’s what she was offering or not. He clenched his jaw and slipped one hand beneath her back, tilting her hips slightly so that he could bury his cock even more deeply. Then he began fucking her hard and fast, ignoring everything but the heat of her embrace, the feel of her soft skin against his, the mingled scent of their pleasure.
“Come for me, Tani,” he commanded as he thrust hard and deep one last time and released his seed in hot, pulsing jets. She opened her mouth as her orgasm took her and he quickly covered it with his own, taking her scream of pleasure into his body as she took his pleasure into hers. Their bodies shook and strained together and, for a moment, Steel allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to be connected with her like this, and in all other ways, for the remainder of his life. Then reality crashed in, and he sighed softly, holding her to him as he rolled to his side.
When she’d explained to him why she was different from other Clan Jasani women he’d allowed himself to think, for a short time, that there was nothing to hold them back. She was free to choose as she pleased, and therefore no longer out of his reach.
But, in the long hours that he’d sat and watched over her, hoping and praying that she’d wake up again, he’d realized how very little he had to offer her. She was intelligent, educated, wealthy, and beautiful, and she had a galaxy of possibilities before her. He was king of a dying people on a dead world, with a future nearly as dismal as their past.
The Nomen would return. Of that he had no doubt. The Khun would be forced to choose between death and slavery, or escape from Garza as refugees. Tani deserved so much more than that.
“What’s the matter?” she asked softly.
“Nothing,” he said, squeezing her gently. “I was just thinking that, while Garza is not a beautiful world, she does have her moments, and I’d like to share one of them with you.”
“Sunset?” she guessed, smiling.
“Yes,” he replied. “What do you say? Would you like to see one?”
“Yes, I would,” she replied. She leaned up to kiss him, then climbed off the bed and reached for her clothes. He tried not to watch, but couldn’t help himself. She fascinated him in so many ways.
A few minutes later he knelt down to help her with her shoes, then got up and walked over to the dresser. He returned with the black sweater she’d worn on the night of the raid.
“I borrowed that from Astra for one night, Steel, that doesn’t make it mine.”
“I know,” Steel said, holding it out to her. “Astra washed the blood out of it and put it here in case you needed it again. She even put Wily’s pouch back on it for you. It’s a bit cool out this evening.”
“Thanks,” she said, taking the sweater and pulling it on. She closed the zipper and smiled as Wily jumped from the bed onto her arm, then climbed up to his pouch. Tani slipped the long thong over her head, then reached for the shuriken pouches on the table beside the bed.
“You need to be armed?”
“Yes, I need to be armed,” she said, tying the pouches to her belt loops. “You shift into a big strong alter form with tough skin and the ability to fly. I don’t.”
“When you put it like that, do you want a couple more pouches of those things? How about your swords?”
Tani laughed softly. “Nah, I’ve got you to protect me. The shuriken are just for backup.”
Steel smiled as he bent his head down to kiss her lightly on the lips. “Have I thanked you yet for bringing laughter into my life?” he whispered.
“No, you haven’t,” she replied. “But don’t worry. I’ll add it to the list.”
“What list?” he asked.
“The list of things you owe me for,” she said. “Shall we go?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “Will I owe you for it?”
“Of course,” she said. “Come on.”
Steel rolled his eyes, fighting not to grin as he led her out of the bed chamber. He paused and held out one hand toward her. Tani smiled as she slowly placed her hand in his. It was a small intimacy, but one that was new to her and gave her a surprisingly warm feeling of closeness. As soon as they left the cave, Astra called out, startling them both. They watched as she ran toward them, both frowning at the worried note in her voice.
“What’s wrong, Astra?” Steel asked as soon as she reached them.
“Dirk’s missing,” she said.
“Dirk?” Tani asked, then remembered. “You mean that little boy with the curly hair and the lisp?”
“Yes, that’s the one,” Astra said. “He’s just turned four, and he’s really precocious, but he’s never disappeared before.”
“How long has he been missing?” Tani asked.
“Not very long, an hour maybe. But Drya is very worried. He’s never been out of her sight for so long before.”
“All right, Astra,” Steel said. “We won’t be gone very long, and we’ll keep our eyes open for Dirk.”
“Thanks,” Astra said. “It’s probably nothing. He mostly likely just wandered off and got sidetracked.”
“Probably,” Steel agreed, then stepped back and shifted.
“What was he wearing?” Tani asked.
“Brown shorts and a white t-shirt,” Astra said.
“We’ll watch for him,” Tani promised. Steel picked her up, and stepped off the ledge, his wings straining to pull them up and away from the cliff face. They both loo
ked down to see Astra turn back toward Drya’s cave, then Steel headed north, as though he intended to go deeper into the mountains. As soon as they were out of sight of the caves, he turned in a wide circle, climbing higher and higher. Before long they were nearly at the peak of the mountain that rose behind the mesa directly above the caves. Just before he landed, Wily began clicking and mewling excitedly, gaining both Steel’s and Tani’s attention.
“What is it?” Tani asked him. The wyvern stared at her for a moment, then climbed out of the pouch, spread his little wings, and leapt into the air. “Wily?” Tani called in surprise. They watched as Wily flew in a clumsy, wobbly circle, then headed away from them down the back side of the mountain.
Steel followed him, knowing that Tani would be very upset if anything happened to the little wyvern. He wouldn’t be too happy himself.
They were a third of the way down the mountain when Wily landed on top of a large boulder, clicking and mewling anxiously before he leapt down on something at the foot of the boulder.
“Comet crap,” Tani whispered hoarsely. “Steel, it’s Dirk.”
She couldn’t actually see Dirk in the fading light. All she saw was the small, dark mass that Wily was standing on top of. But she knew in her heart and mind that it was the cute little boy with the curly hair that Astra was looking for. Steel’s arms tightened around her as he landed a few yards uphill from the boulder and set Tani on her feet. She hurried down the steep grade, wincing when she set off a small avalanche of gravel that rolled down to the child. She slowed down after that and moved so that she wasn’t directly above Dirk before climbing the rest of the way down.
“You’re such a good boy, Wily,” she said as she knelt down beside Dirk who lay with his back against the boulder. It appeared as though he’d fallen from the top of the mountain and rolled down, unable to stop himself until he hit the boulder. Fearing the worst, Tani reached out and placed her hands on Dirk’s blood and dirt caked face. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that he was still alive. The question was, could she move him without making things worse?
She closed her eyes and tried to focus her energies on Dirk, clearing her mind of all other distractions. She was about to give up when suddenly information poured into her mind, and all of a sudden, she knew everything that was wrong with the boy. She opened her eyes and thought for a moment before looking across at Steel who knelt near Dirk’s feet in his human form.
“He has a very badly broken leg, a couple of minor breaks in each arm, a broken shoulder, and bruises and minor cuts and scratches everywhere, which is why he’s so bloody. The most serious injuries are internal. I’m going to try to heal those before we attempt moving him.”
“Are you sure?” Steel asked.
“If we move him as he is, he’ll die, Steel.”
“All right, do it,” Steel said. “Just heal what you have to though, all right? Then we can get off this mountain and take him home.”
“Yes, all right,” Tani agreed. She gently lifted the once white t-shirt so that she could place her hands directly on Dirk’s poor, bruised abdomen. She had small hands, but couldn’t help but notice that they covered Dirk’s little stomach completely. She closed her eyes, all doubts about her ability to heal gone in the face of her determination to heal this child no matter what the cost to herself.
A few very long minutes later, Tani opened her eyes and smiled tiredly. “I’ve healed his internal injuries, cleaned up the bruising and blood.”
“I adore you, Tani Dracon,” Steel said hoarsely, tears in his eyes. “You’re the most amazing, most beautiful woman in the Thousand Worlds, and you’ve got the biggest, purest heart in all of Creation.”
Tani was so startled that for a long moment she couldn’t speak. “Thank you, Steel,” she said. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“Then I’m doubly glad that I’m the one who said it,” Steel said, smiling. Then his eyes fell on Dirk, and he sobered. “Let’s get this little guy to the clinic, Khalute.”
“Yes, let’s,” Tani agreed. “My concern now is his left leg. See here, where this big lump is?” she asked, pointing at a large knot in the middle of Dirk’s shin. “That’s the bone pressing against the skin. I don’t want it to be moved at all, but without something to make a splint from, I don’t know how to avoid it.”
“What’s a splint?”
“Something hard and straight that we can tie to his leg above and below the break. That will prevent the leg from moving.”
“Will this work?” Steel asked, removing the large knife he always wore.
“Yes, I think it will,” she said, taking the knife from him and measuring it against Dirk’s leg. It was long enough, barely. “I need something to tie it on with,” she said, then smiled as she slipped the thong attached to Wily’s pouch off of her neck and untied it. She cut it in half using Steel’s knife, then paused. “Can we put the knife in the sheath first, please?” she asked. “This blade is very sharp, and I’d rather not add to his injuries if I can help it.”
“Of course,” Steel said, reaching for his belt. A few minutes later they had Dirk’s leg splinted and were ready to move him. Tani stood up and waited while Steel carefully lifted Dirk up, then placed him in her arms. Wily leapt up, flapping his wings until he landed on Tani’s shoulder. Then he jumped down on top of Dirk and laid his head on his front feet, watching the child with sad eyes.
“If you’re going to ride there, Wily, hang on tightly, all right?” Tani said. Wily nodded and she watched as his tiny claws gripped the fabric of Dirk’s shirt.
Steel shifted, then picked Tani up, for the first time in his life truly grateful for his mahrac’s strength and power because it allowed him to carry the precious burden in his arms. He took off, flying straight up the side of the mountain, over the peak, and down toward the mesa on the other side. A short time later, he landed on the ledge outside the clinic and set Tani down. Then he shifted, called loudly for Astra and Drya, then took Dirk from Tani’s arms and followed her into the clinic. He placed Dirk’s limp body on the medi-cot, then stepped back, not knowing what else he could do.
Tani went straight to the scanner control panel and began tapping in commands, so he watched and waited quietly. When he heard Drya and Astra enter the connecting cave he went to meet them, stopping them both just before they entered the clinic.
“Tani and I found Dirk,” he said using his calmest voice. “She healed the worst injuries before we moved him, but he’s still badly hurt, and there’s a lot more she needs to do, so let’s not distract her, all right?”
“Of course, Steel,” Astra said. “We just want to help.”
“Where was he?” Drya asked.
Steel turned to go back into the room with the women behind him, explaining how and where they’d found him. Drya’s eyes were tear filled, but she didn’t break down when she saw her barely recognizable grandson lying on the medi-cot, covered with dirt and blood, with a knife tied to one leg. She went to the sink and wet a sponge with warm water, then began trying to clean Dirk’s face. Astra looked at the rest of Dirk’s body and knew they’d need more than a sponge or two. She found a small basin, filled it with soapy water, carried it to the bed and began helping Drya give Dirk a sponge bath.
“Astra, if you can find a pair of scissors to cut that shirt off of him that would help,” Tani said, turning to watch them for a moment.
“What about the shorts?” Astra asked.
“Yes, those too,” Tani said, already studying the view screen again. Something was troubling her about Dirk’s injuries, but she didn’t want to say anything until she was sure. Or at least, more sure than she was. Finally she turned away from the scanner and looked at Steel, then Astra and Drya, considering.
“Whatever it is you’re thinking, Tani, you can trust all three of us to keep it to ourselves,” Steel said quietly.
“Can you put a guard on the entrance so that no one else can come close enough to overhear us?�
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“Yes, of course,” Steel said. He turned to leave and Tani went back to studying the scans. By the time Steel returned she was certain she was right.
“For Dirk’s sake, this has to stay between us, for now at least,” she said, then waited for all three of them to agree.
“Before I say what’s on my mind, I’d like to ask you a question, Drya.”
“Of course.”
“What was your first thought when Steel said that Dirk had climbed that mountain and fallen down the far side of it?”
“I don’t believe it,” Drya said without hesitation. “He’s only four. How could he have climbed to the peak of that mountain, alone, in less than an hour? Besides, he’s not allowed to go up to the mesa by himself, and he knows that. Dirk is a bright and inquisitive boy, but he does not break Grandma’s rules.”
“Children break rules all the time, Drya,” Steel said gently. “But I agree that the mountain is too high, too steep, and too rugged for a four year old to climb to the peak at all, let alone in less than an hour. Is that your concern, Tani?”
“No, not precisely, but it does tend to corroborate my suspicions,” she said.
“Which are?” Steel asked.
Tani took a deep breath. She didn’t want to say this, but it had to be done. “I think someone hit Dirk on the back of the head, twice, knocking him unconscious, and then took him to the top of the mountain and tossed him down the other side.”
“Bless the Creators,” Drya said in a shocked whisper. “But, why would anyone do such a thing?”
“That, I don’t know,” Tani said.
“Why do you think this?” Steel asked, his brows lowered over his black eyes.
“Firstly, he has two nearly identical injuries on the back of his head, the second right over the top of the first. I don’t see how that could have happened while he was sliding uncontrollably down the mountain. I won’t declare it impossible, but it is questionable.”
Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) Page 21
