“Yeah, well, guns are in short supply here, remember?”
I sighed and stopped looking around. There were reasons I pushed memories away. The past was too painful. It reminded me of what was and teased me about what could have been but never would.
“Laz, you okay?” Ryoko asked as she approached.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
She looked at me skeptically but didn’t voice an argument. Instead she grabbed onto my arm and dragged me away.
I chuckled. “Ryoko, where are you taking me?”
She smiled. “I found a smaller river up this way that has a low current. It’d be a great place to bathe and just hang out.”
“Didn’t Raikidan say something last night about finding a better river?” I asked. “And didn’t they say something earlier about going to bathe?”
Ryoko shrugged. “I dunno. I wasn’t really pay attention.” I looked at her warily and she laughed. “Don’t worry, Laz. Even if it is the same river, what’s the chance of us running into them? I found the river myself and the boys weren’t there so I doubt we’ll run into them.”
“If you say so,” I replied.
She laughed. “Speaking of boys…”
“No!” I threw out my arms. “We’re not discussing that.”
“Please, Laz?” she begged.
“No.”
“I want to be able to talk to you about normal things like normal women do,” she explained. “Please?”
“Ryoko, if you really haven’t noticed, I’m anything but normal. Talking about normal things isn’t something I can do. And not all women talk about men, especially not as much as you’d like to.”
She tugged on my arm. “Please!”
I sighed with defeat. “All right, all right, I’ll talk to you about something normal people talk about.” Ryoko squealed with delight but it was cut short when I continued. “But I’m not talking about men.”
She pouted. “Why not?”
“You know why not…”
“Laz, you need to let go. You need to let him go.”
I sighed and looked away. “Easier said than done…”
“You need to let go of the past. You can’t have a future if you linger where you no longer are.”
“Ryoko…”
“And don’t let Zarda control you anymore either.”
I sighed again. “You weren’t there, Ryoko. You didn’t see what he tried to do.”
She held my hand. “Rylan told me.” I looked at her. “He told me what happened, Laz. I know what he tried to do but you can’t keep living in fear. You can’t let him keep his hold on you.”
“I don’t fear.”
She snorted. “And pigs fly. Everyone is afraid of something, Laz, and that means you are too. Jasmine told me she purposely didn’t make your DNA right, and you know that as well. You know you’re not exactly what Zarda wanted, because Jasmine cared enough not to make you that way. Now, talk about this with me. Just once.”
I sighed. “Only once.” She squealed with delight. “But you also have to participate in this.” She laughed and latched onto my arm. When she didn’t speak I became confused. “Well?”
She laughed. “Give me a minute. I’m trying to figure out how to word it so you’ll be willing to answer.” I blinked. I didn’t like the sound of that. Ryoko grinned wickedly. “’Kay, we’re going to figure out the perfect guy for you.”
“We’re not doing you’re stupid male ordering menu activity, are we?” I hesitantly asked.
Her grin widened. “Yep!”
“Shoot me,” I muttered.
She laughed. “It’s not that bad. Now, body type.”
“You first.”
“Hey, none of that!”
“I said you had to participate in this too so you answer first or I’m not answering at all.”
“Fine,” she muttered. “Muscular or athletic. Now you.”
“You answered for me, next question.”
“Laz, you can’t do that!”
I laughed. “There’s no rule saying I can’t, now deal with it and ask another question.”
She grumbled to herself and I laughed some more. “Skin tone?”
“No preference. You?”
“Tanned,” she replied. “Long or short hair?”
“Definitely short,” I said.
Ryoko laughed. “But long enough to style it with gel from time to time?”
“Sure?”
“Yes or no.”
“I see it as still being short hair.”
“All right, all right, and to make you happy my answer is the same. Now, hair color?”
I shrugged. “Dark.”
Ryoko raised her eyebrow. “Really?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“I would have thought you’d dislike anything close to Zarda’s hair color.”
I shrugged. “He has dark hair. A lot of people have dark hair. Not something that reminds me of him anyway.”
“Is that why you don’t have a preference on skin type?”
I nodded. “That’s also not something that reminds me of him.”
“So your like of dark hair, is it why you didn’t have feelings for Rylan?”
I shrugged. “Not really. I just didn’t find myself attracted to him.”
“And what about Zo?”
I rolled my eyes. “Let’s not talk about him.”
“I’m surprised you deal with him so well. I half expected you to scare him off by now.”
I sighed. “I put up with him for the team. Otherwise I’d avoid him at all costs. Now, your turn. Hair color preference?”
She smiled. “Light hair.”
I grinned. “Not white?”
Her face reddened. “Don’t start.”
I chuckled. “All right, eye color, missy.”
She blinked with surprise, not that I blamed her. I hadn’t planned on asking any questions, but I was actually getting into this and somewhat enjoying it. Of course, I’d never admit that to her.
“That’s a tough one,” she mused.
“Just say two toned and I’ll understand,” I teased.
Her face flushed more. “Laz, stop it!” I laughed. It was fun getting her all flustered. “You know what, for that I’m not answering that question.”
“Oh, no you don’t!” I warned. “You’re going to answer this question.”
She folded her arms. “No, you answer it.”
I stayed quiet. I shouldn’t have asked this question. I really didn’t want to answer it.
“Laz, you have to answer,” Ryoko told me.
“You didn’t,” I defended.
“Because you were being mean!” she argued. “Now answer the question.”
I sighed. “Blue.”
“Blue?” I nodded and she grinned. “That choice wouldn’t be influenced by a certain someone, now would it?”
I glared at her. “Don’t even start.”
She laughed. “All right, all right. Facial hair?”
I scratched my head. “That’s a weird one, but okay. Let’s see…”
Ryoko giggled. “I didn’t think it’d be that hard.”
“Choosing isn’t hard,” I defended. “Wording it right is.”
“Say what you don’t like then.”
“No beards and no mustaches.”
Ryoko laughed. “Too old looking for you?”
I nodded. “Full beards at least. Mustaches just… they’re creepy.”
“What about chinstraps?”
I shook my head. “Not many look good with those. Argus has to be one of those few exceptions.”
She chuckled. “Point taken.”
&
nbsp; “Your turn to answer.”
Ryoko shrugged. “Goatee or chin strap on the right guy. Not really in favor of the clean-shaven look. Most full beards I see on guys are out of laziness so it’s a double turnoff for me. And mustaches creep me the hell out.”
I laughed when she shuddered at the word mustache. “Any more questions, or are we finally done with this?”
Ryoko placed her hand on her cheek. “Well I figure it’s safe to throw back hair out.”
I shuttered and retched. “That’s disgusting. Why would that even cross your mind?”
Ryoko shrugged. “I don’t know. Hmm…”
I blinked when her lips upturned into a grin. I had a bad feeling about this.
“How about shaven or lo—”
“Above the belt!” I shrieked. “Above the belt.”
“Oh, c’mon, Laz. Where’s your sense of fun?” she teased. “Or in this case, adventure?”
“I said above the belt! Please?”
She snickered. “Your face is getting red.”
I hid my face in my hand. “Ryoko, stop.”
“Just answer it. It’s not that bad. Stop being such a prude.”
My face grew warmer by the second. “I don’t want to talk about this…”
Ryoko chuckled. “Just answer the question. It’s not that hard. Shaven or not?”
I shook my head.
“C’mon, say it,” she urged.
The warmth in my face migrated to my ears. “Trimmed.”
Ryoko laughed raucously and I wanted to hide. My face and ears both burned with embarrassment and her laughter wasn’t making me feel any better.
“Ryoko, please stop laughing at me…”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. I can’t believe I got you to say it. You’re the most prude person I know and here I got you to say it. Your face is so red right now!”
I hid my face in my hand. I never thought I’d ever feel this embarrassed. “Ryoko, please…”
She quieted her laughter. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’m just glad you’re being a good sport about this.”
“Define, good sport,” I grumbled. “Now it’s your turn. Answer your own question.”
Ryoko’s face flushed and she didn’t speak.
I snickered. “Now look who’s too embarrassed to say anything. Not so fun when you’re on the receiving end, is it?”
“Leave me alone.”
I chuckled. “So that answer is not?”
Her face reddened more and she slowly nodded. “Not.”
I laughed some more and she hid her face. “Okay, okay, you got me back. Can you please stop laughing at me?”
I quieted myself down and smiled. “As long as you don’t ask another question like that.”
“I won’t, I promise. But I am going to ask one more question before I’m satisfied. What about chest hair?” I looked at her funny and she held up her hands. “I know, I know, sounds weird to ask about but… yeah…”
I shrugged. “Men are men and most have chest hair so it’s not something I’ve ever thought about.”
“Unless they’re the boys or a certain dragon,” Ryoko corrected.
“True, but they’re not exactly normal,” I reminded her. “The boys are tank born. A large percentage of tank born men don’t have chest hair for some reason or another. As for Raikidan… well he doesn’t count.”
“Oh, c’mon, why not?”
“He’s a dragon?”
“So?”
“So he’s not human, meaning he doesn’t count. He can’t be classified with everyone else.”
She grinned. “Sure he can.”
I held up a finger. “Don’t even go there. I already told you it doesn’t work like that.”
“And how do you know? I mean, how do you really know?”
“How? Because inter species relationships don’t work! You should know that better than anyone, Ryoko,” I reminded her. “It just doesn’t work.”
“But it can. You two get along super well. How can it not work?”
I sighed. “I get along with you but that doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t work and it’s not going to happen. Now drop it, Ryoko. I don’t want you to bring this up again!”
“Okay, okay, sorry. I just want you to be happy…”
“Pushing something on me isn’t going to make me happy.”
“You mean someone?” I shoved her and she laughed. “C’mon, I can hear the river. It sounds like it’s just beyond these tr—”
She stopped dead when she pushed passed the line of shrubs and trees. I looked at her as I pushed into the open. Her eyes were wide with shock her face was red with embarrassment. Confused, I chose to look. Bad idea.
Standing in the shallows of the river were Raikidan and Rylan, the shallow water barely coving her lower halves. The two boys looked at each other and then back at us with a grin.
“Ladies,” Rylan greeted.
“Sorry to inform you but this part of the river is taken,” Raikidan teased. “Unless you feel the need to join us.”
My face burned with embarrassment. This couldn’t be happening. I grabbed Ryoko by the arm and pulled her back into the safety of the woods. The boys howled with laughter, making the situation more embarrassing.
“I can’t believe that happened,” Ryoko muttered. “That was—” She gasped.
“What?” I asked.
“What if they heard what we were talking about?” she asked worriedly.
I gulped. “Don’t even think that.”
She whimpered. “But what if they did? We being so loud because I didn’t think they’d be over here. I thought we were going in the same direction I had gone the first time. I only wanted that talk to be between the two of us.”
I sighed and kept walking. “Pray to the gods they didn’t.”
We stepped into the clearing of the campsite and were greeted by Shva’sika cooking like crazy.
My brow rose. “Shva’sika, don’t you think it’s a little early to start dinner? It’s maybe a few hours past mid-day.”
She smiled. “It’s never too early. Besides, I thought I’d make a big meal tonight.”
“Do you need any help?” Ryoko asked.
Shva’sika smiled. “I could always use help. I have a lot of herbs and vegetables that need to be prepped if you two want to do that.”
The two of us agreed to help hoping it would distract us from the mishap earlier. Ryoko dashed off to collect some supplies to work with while I sitting down in a soft patch of grass and reached for my favorite dagger only to remember I gave it to Ryder. I sighed. I guess I’m not cutting these with a proper knife.
Ryoko dashed over to me and handed me a few pouches that smelled like herbs, a small wooden cutting board, and a bowl to put the herbs in once prepped. I handed her the dagger that was left on my other arm and reach down to grab another one from my leg for myself. Ryoko accepted it and retreated to her own spot she had set up near the oak tree by the edge of the campsite. Looking down at what I had to work with, I went at it.
I stopped working when someone knelt down behind me. My face flushed when Raikidan chuckled.
“Go away, Raikidan,” I ordered.
“Why would I do that when I enjoy watching you do weird things?” he asked.
“Because I don’t want you near me. Now git.”
He snickered low in my ear. “Your face is red.” I shoved him and he fell backward. “Now that wasn’t very nice.”
I went back to cutting my herbs instead of responding, and glanced over at Ryoko, who was having worse luck than me. Her face was redder than mine, and I didn’t see any reason for it not to be. Rylan was completely pressed up against her, pretending to be helpful.
He whispered something low in her ear and she turned around and slapped him. He yelped in pain but it didn’t deter him from bouncing back and trying to help her again. Shva’sika shot me a questioning glace and I shook my head once. She got the hint and went back to working on her meal prep.
Raikidan moved back to his spot behind me and I tried not to sigh. He reached around to grab a hold of my dagger but I swatted him away.
“I was just going to help,” he defended with fake innocence.
I grunted. “Yeah, I’m sure you were. Now go away.”
“Maybe I’ll stay so you can look at my blue eyes since you like them so much,” he teased.
My face burned. They had heard us. When Raikidan chuckled in my ear I lost it. I punched him in the face and quickly jumped to my feet. My freshly cut herbs spilled everywhere but I didn’t care. I stormed into my tent. I could hear Raikidan moaning in pain and Rylan laughing at him. Even Shva’sika couldn’t control the giggles that escaped her lips.
“If I wasn’t so nice, Raikidan, I’d let you suffer with that broken jaw,” she told him. “Especially since you were asking for it.”
Finding my bow and quiver filled with arrows I was searching for, I left my tent. Ryoko pushed Rylan away from her and dashed over to me. “I’m coming with you.”
I didn’t argue. The more space we put between the boys and us the better. “You can carry back whatever I kill, okay?”
She nodded. “Just make it something worth carrying.”
I laughed and nodded.
“Bring back something that will work with the rest of the meat I have if you can,” Shva’sika called after us. “And don’t worry. I’ll put the boys through their paces for you for being jerks.”
I waved my thanks and the two of us disappeared into the underbrush.
Chapter 31
It was hot. Too hot for me to be cooled by sitting in the shade of the large maple tree I sat under, but I didn’t want to swim with the others. Instead, I chose to wear a cropped tank top and shorts and sucked it up. Raikidan lay under the trees near me in his dragon form and watched the others.
As I watched him from the corner of my eye I wondered if he was warm or cold blooded. A strange thing to wonder, I know, since he was a serpent and all, but because he could shift into a warm blood creature it made me wonder. He also didn’t seem to be affected by temperature change like either a warm or cold-blooded creature would be, and at present he didn’t appear hot in the least, nor did he when he was in his nu-human shape. Normally this would indicate he was cold blooded, but because I’d never seen him need to use the sun or anything else warm to warm himself, I wondered if he was able to create his own body heat like a warm-blooded creature and had a high heat tolerance. Or maybe he’s a hybrid of both… I resisted the urge to rub my temples. I was giving myself a headache for no reason.
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