by Lisa Daneils
The realization that he did not see her as a possible bedfellow began to get under her skin. Since she had seen him, the thought of what he would feel like had constantly been in the back of her mind. It was almost depressing how little he considered her a viable option.
“Third,” Aiden spoke after a lengthy pause, almost as if he wanted her to take time to ponder the thoughts she had just been having, “you should be proud of being compared to that dog. He’s incredibly intelligent for his species, and if I didn’t have responsibilities to return to in the near future, I would very much have liked to keep him.”
“Which part of that is supposed to make me proud of the comparison?” Her voice almost managed to work in some sarcasm despite how relaxed and sleepy she was getting, “The part where I’m supposed to be smart for a simple species? Or the part where I might be good enough for you to want to keep me if the circumstances were different?”
“You can be proud or offended in any way you like. I’m not telling you how to feel. Just letting you know that I had not meant it as an insult.”
Alannah nearly opened her mouth to protest all of what he was saying, but then her mind stuck on the last words. That was when it dawned on her what he was really doing. It had been an ill-conceived thought that had led to her kissing him, and his response had been altogether one of offense. Based on the way he had behaved up to that point, she would have expected him to mercilessly make her feel embarrassed, or even ashamed. Instead, he was offering an explanation that seemed insulting, but he was trying to make sure she understood that it wasn’t an insult. That seemed very out of character. “Are you trying to make me feel better?”
He stroked her hair for a moment, “I certainly don’t want you to feel bad. Not beyond embarrassed anyway. I quite enjoy you being yourself, even if that does sometimes put me in a place of some discomfort.”
“That’s… very…” She was trying to cynically say that it was noble of him, but she found herself drifting off before she could finish. Even if it was difficult to see any positive in the events, there was a gentleness in his words. That was new.
After her breathing had calmed, Aiden stroked her head a few more times, and a smile played on those beautiful lips. “My little monkey is very full of surprises. I can see why Grayson did what he did so long ago. All the more irksome that I seem on a path to make him the last holdout. Perhaps it is best that I end my trip early before I make the same mistake as Ethan. This was supposed to be a nice break from reality, not a permanent trip into the illogical.”
He watched her for a few moments. As if making up his mind, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head before stroking her hair one more time.
Without looking back, he silently left the room.
Chapter 5
When the Past Catches Up
The sounds of someone banging on the door woke Alannah up. Groggy, she mumbled something under her breath and pulled the covers over her head.
To her annoyance, the banging did not stop. But it was the sound of a scared voice that caused her to bolt upright.
“Ally?” It was Lilith, and she sounded like she was afraid.
Hurrying to the door, Alannah realized at the last minute that she was very clearly a woman. Pulling a blanket off one of the nearby chairs, she wrapped it around herself and stood so that most of her body would be hidden by the door. Opening it carefully, she looked out. Standing there was Lilith and a most unwelcome sight.
About half a dozen men stood together, and a couple of them had weapons drawn. The one in front pushed the poor girl out of the way, and she slammed against the wall.
Alannah narrowed her eyes as the same man pushed against the door, forcing it wide open. “Did you really think you could run forever? Your husband wants you back, and he is not going to take no for an answer.”
Alannah looked at Lilith with a smile, “Lilith, please be a dear and go find Aiden. He will want to hear of this.”
The poor girl looked terrified, but asked nothing about what the man had said. Giving a little nod, she began to walk away when one of the other men grabbed her. “I don’t think that we want to see whoever this Aiden is. Best to kill the girl and—”
Alannah’s voice became hard and cold. “Let go of her or gods help me, you will die more miserably than my younger brother did. There won’t be anything left of you to mourn.”
The man let go of the girl and stepped forward. Lilith hurried away as he spoke, “It’s funny you think you have any room to negotiate.”
“And yet you still did what I said after all these years, you half-wit.”
When the man stepped forward, the one at the front held out his hand. “Remember what she did to Ollie. Don’t let the bitch make you lose your temper.” Soon all of them had entered the room and shut the door.
“Very nice,” one of them said menacingly. “I see that you are still enjoying the high life after being on the run for all these years.”
Flopping down on the bed, Alannah yawned, “Not at all. Aiden was the one who insisted on me being in here. He takes care of me in a way that none of you would understand.”
There were a few who growled at this, but the man in front snarled at her, “Does he know you are already married, this lover of yours?”
“Brent, every time you open your mouth, that relentless stupidity of yours just oozes forth.” Alannah held up a finger as she looked at the nails on her other hand. “Ahahaha, if you harm a hair on my head…” she smiled up at him.
“I think that it might be worth it.” He glowered at her.
As if to ignore what he said, Alannah continued, “Aiden is not my lover. And he has no need to know of Riley because that sleazy, loathsome half-man is not my husband.”
There were more growls around the room. “How dare you insult our master?”
“All too easily, I’m afraid.” She gave them a fake pout, “You poor, little lost things, chasing after the approval of a usurping noble who has committed many crimes against my father’s kingdom. Oh, how you will be executed when he is finally taken down, I can only half imagine. I’m sure they will come up with a special punishment for you.”
Brent picked up a lamp and threw it at the wall behind Alannah. She didn’t even wince. Instead, she shook her head. “Still as childish and inarticulate as ever. I’m just telling you what will happen.”
Brent stepped toward her, “Riley is your husband and you will listen to him.”
“I’m sorry that no one has explained to you how marriage works, but you see, both parties have to agree to it. The kingdom has to approve it. And in the case of marrying a princess, you have to have the king and queen’s consent. Considering Riley had pretty much imprisoned them, nothing they agree to will count. Not against a man who has committed treason.” She yawned again, actually feeling a bit tired. “Anyway, the ceremony wasn’t even properly done, so no, he is not my husband, and no matter how far you chase me, he will never be my husband.”
A voice from outside caught all of their attention. “Ally, could I convince you to join me for a walk?”
The men looked at each other as a smile began to spread across Alannah’s face. Going to the window, she opened it. “There you are, Aiden. I’m afraid I’m entertaining at the moment.”
He cocked his head to the side, “Invite them along too. I would love to meet some of your… friends.” Aiden laughed at the word.
“Oh, aren’t you a clever boy,” she snarked back. “Hold on and let me see if they will let me get dressed a little more appropriately.”
“Tell them that this is urgent business that will facilitate the final outcome a little faster.”
“I can’t. They will only understand about every third word.”
“Ah, those kinds of friends. It’s a good thing you had some practice with the dog, then.”
Alannah laughed, “You are giving them far too much credit.”
“Oh dear. Well,” he smiled up at her, “let me know if you need help
convincing them. If you use smaller words, I’m sure they will get the general idea.”
“Is that a comment on their intelligence? Or are you actually giving me a little bit of credit for my own ability to persuade?”
“A little bit of both, if I’m being honest. Good luck!” he shouted up to her, then turned to head to the barn.
Shaking her head, Alannah was struck by how little Aiden seemed to take seriously. As cool as she seemed, there were many emotions roiling just under the surface as she turned back to face the men. “I don’t know how much of that you heard, but he says if you will let me get dressed, he is willing to talk to you about my future.”
“What makes you think he has a say?” Brent glared at her.
“Think of it this way. If we go out, you don’t have to talk to him at all if you don’t want to. All I ask is that you let me get dressed before heading out.” It was clear before she finished that none of the men was inclined to allow her to change. “I will leave this inn willingly if you just let me change on my own in the bathroom.”
“And we are supposed to just let you do that without anyone watching, I take it? How stupid do you think we are?”
“I will not answer that because it will just further agitate you.” She knew that speaking fast enough with bigger words would be too much for them to follow. “I swear to you that I will not use this as a way to escape you. If you don’t feel that the oath of a princess is enough, there is a window in the bathroom. Go take a look before I use the room to change. You can send someone to stand under it while I change to make sure I don’t try to escape.”
Brent narrowed his eyes than directed one of the men to check the bathroom and another to go outside. When he was confident that it was alright, he let her change. Aiden had gotten her some very nice clothing, and it hid her figure very well while feeling amazing against her skin. The material was not one she recognized, and for a few seconds, Alannah just enjoyed the feel of it. When she felt that her emotions were in check, she left the bathroom.
When they got outside, she hadn’t brought anything with her besides a small dagger hidden in each boot. Aiden strolled toward them, his smile enigmatic.
“My dear little Ally, what interesting friends you keep.”
“These?” She motioned to the men behind her. “They are more like the type you can’t get rid of.”
Aiden laughed heartily as his eyes slid over the men. “I wish I could say it is nice to meet you all, but I actively avoid lying, even as a nicety. Let’s take a quick stroll so that I can get a better feel for just what it is you want with my little Ally.”
“How about this?” Brent stepped forward. “We will just take what belongs to our master and be on our way.”
“Belongs to your master?” Aiden tilted his head to the side. “Interesting turn of phrase. I didn’t realize that humans kept other humans. Hm, you learn something every day.” His smile was very sweet as he watched them, and Alannah knew that the men would not understand much of what he said. They would look at the smile and think that Aiden was being nice.
Only because they don’t know him, she thought drily. If not for her predicament, she would be laughing.
Brent looked at her as if to understand what Aiden said. Looking back at him, the large man said, “We’ll just get going with our girl here, and—”
“Hm,” Aiden looked at them, “you seem to be one short.”
The men looked at each other, the confusion clear on their faces.
Alannah nodded, “Yes, one of them was sent to make sure I didn’t jump out the window.”
Aiden put his hand on his chest, “My goodness! Would you do such a thing, my little Ally? Surely you are not so foolish.”
“I assure you I am not, but they didn’t trust me.”
“Let us go get this final compatriot, then.” Aiden smiled. Turning, he placed his hands in his pockets and strolled nonchalantly around the inn.
It was obvious Brent just wanted to leave. He called out to his man a couple of times, but there was no response. Frowning, he motioned for the rest of them to follow. Pushing Alannah, he moved the group forward. Aiden was so far in front of them that he turned well before they reached the side of the inn. When they turned the corner, he was standing there alone, looking at the footprints in the dirt, one finger tapping his chin.
“Sorry, fellows, but it looks like he isn’t here anymore.” Aiden then snapped his fingers. “That’s right! I saw someone running away from here not that long ago. He looked really frightened. Something tells me you won’t be seeing him again. Ah well, you are bound to lose some friends along the way. Am I right?” His grin was friendly, but Alannah recognized the glint in his eyes.
Brent scowled at him, then started to call out after his missing companion. Finally, he stepped up to Aiden, nearly a head taller than the handsome interloper. “I swear, if you killed him, I will have you—”
Again, Aiden placed a hand on his chest. “Killed him? Me? Why would I do such a thing?”
“Brent, you are being paranoid,” Alannah broke into the conversation. “Aiden doesn’t even carry weapons. He doesn’t need them.”
Brent looked between the pair, confused. Then something dawned on him. “Ah, you are a spoiled brat who has other people take care of his problems, huh? Well, pally, you appear to be out of luck because—”
Aiden wasn’t listening. “He couldn’t have gotten too far. Come! We can find him, we just need to follow his footprints!” With that, he ran off into the forest.
Brent looked at Alannah, clearly at a loss to understand exactly what was happening. “What is wrong with him? Does he not understand what is going on?”
Alannah shrugged, “I honestly could not tell you how his mind works. He saved me after I was stabbed. I’ve spent most of our time together trying to figure him out. If you prove amusing to him, he’ll give you his undivided attention. If not, good luck trying to keep his attention long enough to string together two sentences.”
“I don’t think I want to be around a nutter like that.”
Her eyes had followed Aiden into the woods until he was no longer visible. He must be planning something. But what? How will running into the woods with no weapons help? There was a sinking sensation in her stomach that reminded her that he had been a little less attentive recently. Perhaps he is bored of you and this is his idea of releasing you into the wild. The thought was depressing, but it was something she had to anticipate. There was no chance she was going anywhere with these men, least of all back to the man who claimed to be her husband.
If nothing else, Aiden was providing her with the perfect opportunity to escape. She had no idea what had made the other man leave, but it was obvious that they were going to have to split up. Even if the men required her to stay behind at the inn with a couple of them, it would be much easier to escape from two or three of them than all of them at once.
Alannah began to formulate a plan as Brent seemed torn on how to continue. He couldn’t just leave without knowing why his man had run off. His anger was obvious as he picked up a hoe and broke it in half. Throwing the pieces aside, Brent snarled, “I’m taking her with me. The rest of you split up in twos and find him.”
Grabbing her arm, Brent marched Alannah off into the woods, leaving his men behind to figure out how to split up.
It was better than anything she could have hoped for, and yet as it would turn out, she wouldn’t have to do a thing.
Chapter 6
Decidedly Not Human
At first, it looked like Aiden had gotten too far ahead of them, and Brent became increasingly more agitated. His grip on the young woman let her know that he was getting to a breaking point. Knowing that she had to keep emotions out of her voice, Alannah spoke up, “I can call for him if you think it will help.”
“Shut up, you. This is all your fault, and right now you don’t want to remind me that I’ve got you in my grasp. So help me, you’ll keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good
for you.”
“Oh, there you are!” Aiden appeared a ways ahead of them. He looked between the pair. Cocking his head to the side, he asked, “Where are the others?”
Brent glared at him, “I told them to split up and look for Guy. It’s not like we are familiar with the woods here.”
Aiden gave an exaggerated clap, “Well done! That was very good. Come on, let’s go!”
Alannah was beginning to understand just what he was doing. The tone and wording were exactly the way a person talked to a dog who was just learning to do new tricks. She remembered him saying that he was very good at talking to lesser animals, but this was not what she had expected. Given the way he had acted with her, it was clear that he had an even lower estimate of the man’s intelligence.
“What is that fool doing?” Brent muttered, dragging Alannah behind him. Keeping his recent warning in mind, the young woman said nothing. Following Aiden was difficult, and Brent continued to mutter under his breath as they struggled to keep him in view.
Finally, Aiden stopped, his hands on his hips. He was looking around as if he was enjoying the beautiful day and not looking for a missing man. Brent was breathing heavily by the time they reached him. Growling, he addressed Aiden, “This isn’t a wander through the forest. We are supposed to find Guy so we can get this bitch back to her husband.”
Aiden’s eyebrow raised, something Alannah had never seen before, and she began to watch intently for what that meant. A prickle of fear began to run up her spine. They had never talked about her life before leaving home. What if he believed that she was married? Would that change how he treated her?
