by Autumn Dawn
Caught off guard, he repeated, “Men?”
Her thumb traced over the bowl of her wineglass. “When you found Luna and I that time.” It was the only other time he’d visited his cousin, and she’d forgotten about it until Luna had remarked on it. She met his gaze. “What happened to the men I disarmed?”
He looked away. “It was a long time ago, Dey.”
“Not for Luna.” Her voice softened a notch. “Not for me.” The attempted rape was not something they’d ever talked about, then or now, but suddenly she felt the need.
She’d wanted to kill that day. She had maimed. Fourteen was too young to play the defender with a castoff blade, and too old to stand by and watch her friend be harmed. “Did you and Armetris kill them, Keg?” Her tone dropped. “I want to make sure it won’t happen again. Tell me they’re dead.” They must be. After Armetris and the rest had shown up to help, she’d never seen the would-be rapists again. And the fury on Armetris’s and his friend’s faces when they saw what had almost happened…the men must be dead.
Instead of answering, he leaned forward. “I know why you follow her on her raids, Dey. I understand, but you need to understand this; another raid and the matter will no longer be under our control. A higher authority will step in.” He let his words sink deep. “You can’t protect her now. You’ve got to stop trying.”
“I did then.”
He looked away in exasperation. “They were boys, and you caught them by surprise. It’s different now.”
“Yeah.” She bumped her side where her gun normally hung with her elbow. “Now I’m armed.”
His expression was less than impressed. “I don’t think you know what a man can do.”
That one hit too close to the mark. She looked away toward the darkness, her face hot. “It’s none of your concern.”
Frustrated that he couldn’t get through to her, he caught her wrist and pulled her to her feet. “Pick me up, Dey.” When she frowned, he said impatiently, “Go ahead. Can you even lift me an inch? Could you stop me now if I were to toss you over my shoulder and walk off with you? If I wanted to hold you down and hurt you?”
“That’s enough!” Every word exposed raw doubts. She had to be strong enough. Because what was the alternative to protecting herself? She had no one else to rely on. “I think you should leave.”
He searched her face for a moment before his expression hardened. “So do I.” He turned to go, and hesitated. His hand disappeared into his pants pocket. “I forgot. Here.” He placed something on the table, kept his hand over it. “Thank you for dinner. You looked nice,” he added curtly, and was gone.
Bewildered by his abrupt mood swing, she stared after him, then looked at the table. On it was a pretty pink shell.
Dey stared at the shell a long time that night, played with it as she tried to figure out why he’d left it. Angry as he’d been, he’d stopped and left it for her. Complimented her, even. What did it mean when a man did that?
Luna wouldn’t be any help. Her experience left her skittish of men. It hadn’t helped when Armetris had forbidden her to spend time in their company. Dey could see now that he’d been protecting her, but it hadn’t seemed that way to Luna. She still felt betrayed. Now everything about men was seen through that darkly colored glass.
Mildly surprised when she lifted the wine bottle and found it empty, Dey set it down and went to bed. Maybe the morning would bring clarity.
CHAPTER 4
Armetris took one look at Keg’s face and sighed. “It didn’t go well.”
“You could say that.”
Keg sat down in his favorite chair and immediately got up again. “She has no idea of the danger.”
Armetris’s brows rose. “And you told her what it was?”
Keg glared. “You know better than that.” He raised his hands, imagining Dey’s slender neck between them. “She’ll just continue blindly following Luna, thinking she’s enough to keep her out of danger, and she’ll walk right into the same trap. I want to just tie her up and…” Beating her wasn’t what came to mind. He tried again. “Someone needs to wake her up.”
“Or separate her from Luna,” Armetris suggested grimly. “Though who knows what that will trigger. Luna is balancing on a thin wire now. I think Dey keeps her from expressing the worst of her anger.”
“Anger you helped put there,” Keg snapped, in no mood to spare anyone’s feelings. “I still say you could solve half our problems,” Keg began.
“What? Seducing Luna and then tossing her aside?” Armetris shook his head. “No. I won’t lead her on, Keg. Twice hurt will not make for a happy ending. I don’t now, nor will I ever love her.” Unflinching in face of Keg’s temper, he added, “But maybe you can save Dey.”
“I’m not in love with her, either.” But he could be. She was a sweet girl, and sassy enough to give a man challenge. Already he’d caught himself staring at her full red lips. Not pink for his girl; no, she had lips the color of passion and flame.
Passion and flame, he thought with disgust. What was happening to him? “You seduce her,” he growled and headed for his room. “I’m not in the mood to devour innocents.” Immediately he regretted the words. He didn’t want anyone seducing Dey.
“Did you know they’re going on a snake hunt tomorrow?”
Keg slowly spun around. “Snake hunt?
“By themselves.”
His eyes narrowed. “You think it’s a tomb raiding?”
“I don’t know. Drostra told me how determined Luna is to buy a sled. Someone heard Dey groaning about how heavy snakeskin is. They laid in supplies and got a boat.”
Great. Keg didn’t even want to think about Dey on a snake hunt. Two young women alone were just asking for trouble. “Have they even been on a hunt before? Drostra would just give Luna a sled if she asked.”
“You know she would never accept that kind of gift. And yes, Dey knows how to hunt. Her father was a snake hunter; used to take her and her mother with him. It’s how he died.”
Appalled, Keg stared at him. “He took a child on a hunt?”
“I know. Everyone thought he was a fool, but Dey’s mother loved him and did whatever he wanted. She died shortly after he did.”
He winced. “Poor Dey.” No wonder she was so protective of Luna. Still, she needed help this time, and since Armetris had duties here…. Well, it was why he’d come. Besides, he knew just the man to accompany him.
And if it was a tomb raiding? His jaw locked. That too, would be dealt with.
Dey’s light tank and shorts were already sticking to her when she heard the soft whine of an engine. A glance at Luna said she’d heard it, too. One hand on her gun and the other on her steering pole, Dey squinted against the sun and waited. Surprise made her stiffen. It was Keg and…Drostra?
“What do you want?” Luna demanded as they pulled up beside the boat.
Drostra’s black sled hovered above the surface, but Keg’s symbiont had become a water speeder. It gleamed silver in the sun and kept easy pace beside their barge. “Morning.”
“If Armetris sent you…” Luna warned. Her hand didn’t leave her gun.
“Thought you could use a hand. I heard you were out on a snake hunt. Lots of heavy work.”
“And you thought you’d just invite yourself? We’re not sharing the bounty.”
Dey closed her eyes. “Luna.”
“I mean it, Dey. I won’t let them ruin this.”
“Luna!” It was plain the men weren’t leaving, and Luna was snarling at what might be a chance to learn something. “Didn’t you say you wanted help learning Beast script?” She gestured to Drostra.
“I pleased with teaches,” he said gravely.
Luna grunted.
Dey couldn’t blame her. The man could barely manage to communicate, and she wondered how long he’d known the language. Still, this was a time to give in gracefully. What was Luna going to do otherwise? Shoot them from the water? The blast would never penetrate Drostra’s armor, and
Keg would be fighting mad when his symbiont finished healing him. Besides, the idea made her a little sick.
There was silence for a while. Luna was probably trying to think of a way to get rid of them. Dey preferred to find a way to make use of a recurring nuisance. “Trade you,” she said to Keg, with a wistful glance at his self-propelled transportation.
Relief made him grin. “I have a better idea.” He hopped into the barge, took her pole and directed his symbiont to the front of the boat. It attached tendrils to the rings in the boat and took over guidance and propulsion.
“See?” he said. “Already we’ve come in handy.”
Luna gave him a black look, stowed her pole and went to sit in the back of the boat.
“Well, that went better than expected,” he muttered. He appraised Dey, who’d taken the opportunity to sit on a crate under the shade tent. “Why didn’t you fight harder to get rid of us?”
She took a sweet stick from her belt pouch and sucked it. “Would you have left if I’d threatened to shoot you?”
“No.” He joined her under the shade, but on another box.
A shrug was a good enough answer, but she added, “I hate poling a boat. You were convenient.”
Keg looked at her closely. His black hair was in its usual topknot, so nothing hid his intense expression. “I think you’re glad for the company.”
A bug dared to land on her, and she squished it. “Maybe. Snake hunting is rough work. There’s a reason the bounty’s so high. Luna’s done a lot of hunting, but never big snake, and I…don’t care for it.”
“Because of your father?” he asked sympathetically.
Well, yes. Watching a giant snake swallow your father has that effect. “Um.”
Though she didn’t bother saying it, Dey was mad at him. She showed it by ignoring him in favor of fishing. Whenever he tried to talk she answered with a single word, maybe a nod. It was the politest cold shoulder he’d ever been given, and Dey was a master.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t thought of a contingency plan for sweetening her up after they invited themselves along. He’d expected more of a fight, so had concentrated on that.
In lieu of an apology, he offered to cook.
“Nope. Got it.” Dey gutted and cut up her fish with quiet efficiency, then tossed it in a soup pot on a tripod with a dried soup mixture. If she was set on showing how unnecessary they were, she was doing great.
“I’ll be happy to stand watch tonight so you can get more sleep.”
“Good idea.” She stirred her soup and ignored him.
Okay, so that didn’t work. Frustration made him desperate. “Are your shoulders sore from poling?”
“Didn’t do much of it.”
And that was that.
“Your women are very difficult,” Drostra said in his language. He’d been an unhappy observer of Keg’s softening attempts and wasn’t encouraged. “They do not care for protecting?”
Keg grunted. “No. These ones would rather rush into danger. They think they’re strong enough alone.” He glared at Dey’s back.
Drostra contemplated the stream banks. “I could pick flowers.”
“Good idea. I’m going to try another tactic while you’re gone.” He watched Drostra’s hover cycle veer to the side and took a deep breath. Time to abase himself. Sitting as close to Dey as he could without prompting her to move, he said earnestly, “You know, you have the most gorgeous eyes. Part of the reason I chased you down was because I couldn’t stand not seeing them, even for a week.”
Said gorgeous eyes threw him a skeptical look.
Encouraged, he went on, “And your skin. It’s really…smooth.”
She snorted and looked away.
Keg winced. All right, that had been lame. “I like the way you do your hair. Those ribbons in your braid look great.”
A huge sigh broadcast her impatience. “If your goal is make me pity you your ineptness, you’re getting close.”
Annoyance made him say, “Funny. You didn’t think I was so inept when you let me suck on your fingers.”
A blush betrayed her. Dey shot a look over her shoulder, checking to see if Luna was about and had overheard. Of course she must have. It was a small boat. “Hush!”
“That’s not what you said then,” he teased. Finally! Progress.
“I didn’t…it wasn’t my idea,” she hissed.
“But you liked it.” That’s it, sweet thing. Forget you’re mad and remember what we felt. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “Your fingers weren’t everything I wanted to taste. Too bad you weren’t ready.”
She gaped at him. “I was—” she coughed to cover her lapse. “Wasn’t and won’t ever be ready for your kisses.” Her heightened color said otherwise. “Besides,” she ground out without looking at him. “I think you’re a tease, and I don’t like it.”
Confident now, he leaned back on one hand and looked her over, pointedly staring at her breasts. “You haven’t gone through the change yet.”
She gaped, mortified he would mention such a thing. “It’s none of your business!”
“It is if I don’t want to get lynched. Legally you’re not over the age of consent until your body matures.”
“I know,” she ground out in a tone designed to shut him up.
Satisfied that he’d made his point and was no longer being ignored, he subsided. Most men felt awkward bringing up such a subject, and he was no exception. But it was undeniable. Her breasts were still small, not yet fully developed. Her voice had not changed, and she did not have the scent of readiness about her. It was late in her life to be awaiting maturity, as most Symbiont woman achieved it in their late teens, but not unheard of. He’d bet his bike the minute this one went through the change, she’d be trailing suitors like the tail of a comet. They were fools to wait. He’d be there when it happened, and bad luck to anyone who waited to catch the boat.
She couldn’t believe he’d mentioned the change. Nobody brought up such things, at least not in mixed company. That he’d actually had the gall…
At least it explained why he hadn’t kissed her. If he was playing by the law then he was ignoring the letter, for surely what he’d done so far could be frowned on. But she hadn’t thought it really mattered to this generation. Things were looser now, and besides, she was past the age when most girls became fertile. To her mind it was good enough.
Apparently he disagreed.
She could feel a pout coming on. Sure, she was mad at him, but she hadn’t been the other day. Would it have killed him to give her one little kiss? She was dying of curiosity. Even Luna had been kissed once. Of course Luna had changed…Argh!
Well before dawn, Dey’s eyes popped open. A sudden, voracious craving for pucker nuts seized her. I hate pucker nuts; she told herself, and rolled over, plumping her pillow. It was no use. The craving grew in volume until she gave up and flung off her cover. The hammock tilted as she swung her bare feet to the deck. Beyond the bug netting lay Drostra and Keg, who was on watch. She could hear the soft snick of a knife on a whetstone.
Something large and blunt tripped her in the dark, and she swore. At least she’d found the supply crate.
The rustling must have roused Luna, for she muttered, “What are you doing?”
Blind fingers encountered something sharp. Dey gingerly removed a knife. Touch was a lousy way to hunt for snacks. “I’m hungry.” Her fingers closed around the neck of a bottle.
“Are you drinking vinegar?” Luna asked in shock. She could see much better in the dark.
“No,” Dey said self-consciously as she corked the vinegar bottle and wiped her mouth.
“Are you feeling all right?”
“Fine.” Dey shut the supply box and hopped back into bed.
There was a moment of heavy silence from Luna’s hammock, but perhaps she put it down to sleep munching, and said nothing more.
“We need to stop the boat,” Dey said urgently, her eyes glued to the opposite shore. All day long she�
��d been craving pucker nuts, and hadn’t found any. But she had spied a sour maygog tree loaded with the orange, astringent fruits. It would have to do.
“What? Why?” Luna demanded.
“Over there,” Dey said without explaining.
The men exchanged looks, but Keg directed his symbiont to tow them to the base of an overhanging tree growing on a raised bit of swampland.
“Thanks.” Dey jumped out of the boat with a sack and climbed the twisting trunk. The moment she was in reach she straddled a thick branch and plucked a fruit.
“Oh, Dey! Don’t…ew,” Luna groaned. “How can you eat that?”
The inside of Dey’s mouth felt wrinkled as day old clothes and the moisture had been zapped away, but at least the craving was partially satisfied. She wiped the juices running down her chin with the back of one hand. “Actually, it’s not bad.” She loaded her sack.
Luna stared at her as if she’d gone mad. Keg and Drostra exchanged looks again, but Dey ignored them all and filled the sack to bursting. “Easy with that,” she cautioned Keg as she handed him her prize. He raised his brows and slanted his eyes to the side, but didn’t say a word.
In the back of her mind Dey knew she was being odd, but she didn’t care. She wanted something sour. Maygogs were sour.
“Now what are you doing?” Luna demanded not an hour later as Dey dug through Luna’s clothes.
“I’m tired of pinks and peaches and stuff. I want something black. Something that doesn’t chafe.” She plucked irritably at her shirt.
Stark astonishment made Luna’s jaw drop. She plucked a shirt from Dey’s hand and snatched away her bag. “All right! Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?”
“Will you be serious?” Dey reclaimed the silky top. Not once had she thought of wearing the stuff, but she was desperate. The tenderness in her breasts was making her a little crazy. “I need it.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed as she saw Dey scratch the slope of one breast. It wasn’t the first time that morning, either. Comprehension dawned, and her stance relaxed. “Oh.”
