by Dara Joy
He turned his riveting gaze directly on her.
Up until that moment, Deana would have had to say that Lorgin was the most handsome man she had ever seen. She reluctantly admitted that this strange man before her was equally devastating, his sleek presence undeniably magnetic. She was captivated by his assessing stare, mesmerized by the fact that he had one blue eye and one amber eye.
One blue eye and one amber eye…
She blinked. It couldn’t be! It just couldn’t be! Her mouth dropped open, aghast at the incredible notion which had seized her.
As if he knew her thoughts, the man’s face curved into a slow, sensual grin, his perfect white teeth gleaming wickedly in the low light. It was a totally sexual smile, the feral potency of which nearly robbed her of her senses. Until his thoughts penetrated her mind.
{Good morrow, my brother’s wife.}
“Oh, my gawd!”
Her hands flew to her head as if she could physically prevent his words from reaching her. She began to back away from him, scared half out of her wits, and ran right into Lorgin. His strong hands grabbed her shoulders, steadying her.
“What is it? Has Rejar been bothering you?” Lorgin looked over her shoulder with a thunderous expression.
Deana gazed up at Lorgin, realizing that her incredible notion was quite credible after all; she started laughing hysterically.
Lorgin gently shook her. When that had no effect, he gathered her in his arms, rubbing her back to calm her. “Shhh…it is really all right. We have brought clothes for him.”
Deana stopped laughing and looked up at Lorgin dumbfounded. What? “Clothes for him?”
“Yes. When he embodies himself into his corporeal form, he is always nude. I apologize if his nakedness offended you.”
“His nakedness? What are you talking about?”
“The transformation leaves him in this state. Is this not why you are distressed? I only go by how you have reacted to my nakedness.”
She blinked at the ridiculousness of his words. A cat had changed himself into a man, and Lorgin thought it was the guy’s naked chest that was upsetting her! Now that was maddening. Her eyebrows lowered as her patience snapped.
She looked Lorgin straight in the eye and firmly said, “This is a stupid world and I want to go home!”
Lorgin grinned while tenderly removing a lock of her hair that had fallen forward into her eyes.
“Do not be silly, zira.” He looked engagingly at her. “You would leave me lonely here by myself?”
Deana’s expression was distinctly suspicious. As if a man like Lorgin would be lonely for a minute! Why, there’d be women queuing up for the privilege of that steamy lavender gaze.
Suddenly she felt very irritated with that particular notion.
It wasn’t as if he belonged to her or anything. But just the same, the thought that he would call another woman by one of the many nicknames he had for her made her feel…bad. Real bad. Especially the way he called her zira sometimes—his voice sultry and low as he let his tongue roll the r in the word. That special way he looked at her, as if he really enjoyed her…
Not that any of this mattered. She swallowed. She couldn’t allow it to matter. Resolutely she refocused on Lorgin and ignored his last question to her.
Pointing to Rejar, she said, “What is that?”
Lorgin had observed the emotions flicker across her face as his seemingly careless words impacted her. He knew with every extrasensory perception he possessed, with every fiber of his being, with every breath he took, she wanted him. He felt a responding surge of powerful emotion.
Tonight, he would be only too happy to show her just how much she wanted him. His eyes briefly sparked before he answered her question.
“That is my brother. I believe you have met.”
“Your brother?” Deana swung her gaze around to the incredible man lying on the pallet. His intriguing eyes twinkled with mirth as he watched her confusion. “What do you mean your brother? That man is a cat!”
Lorgin sighed. “Only sometimes.”
“Only…This is bizarre, Lorgin! I mean really bizarre. Why do you have a cat for a brother?”
Lorgin took a deep breath. “He is not a cat!” She raised her eyebrow at him. “Well, he is not really a cat. He is a Familiar.”
Deana did a double take. “What? You don’t mean like…no, no—”
“I will try to explain. Rejar is a what we call a shapechanger. He inherited his ability from his mother, who is also a Familiar.”
Cripes, a Familiar! What next?
Deana tapped her chin. “We have legends of this in my world.” She thought of her earlier conversation with Yaniff regarding the legends in her world. “Does he—” She looked at Rejar and lowered her voice. “Does he work with a witch?”
Lorgin laughed. “No. Obviously your legends are different from our reality. Rejar has the ability to shape-change into the catlike form you have witnessed. This allows him a certain freedom that is unattainable to those not of the Familiar. Familiars walk this plane in two forms, thereby learning and experiencing things that others can not. They have other traits that are different as well. Because of their special abilities they will often align themselves to wizards of the Guild, forming a partnership that is mutually beneficial.”
“So Rejar works with Yaniff?”
“No. Rejar walks alone. He is somewhat different from other Familiars.”
Deana looked at Lorgin squarely. “Do you have this ability also?”
Lorgin shook his head. “I do not have Familiar blood. My father met Rejar’s mother, Suleila, many years after my own mother passed from this plane. My mother was young, and her untimely death a tragic event most uncommon among Aviarans.
“My father grieved deeply and would have no other until he met Suleila. She did not reveal to him her true nature for fear of losing his love. It was not until much later that he discovered she was a Familiar. He was very angry at her deception, but he forgave her, for he loved her deeply. Besides, she presented him with Rejar, who, despite his”—he looked at his brother—“peculiarities, we are all quite fond of.”
“Where are your parents now?”
“They live on Aviara. My father is one of the Coven, a council of thirteen which governs the planet. My nextmother, Suleila, has all of us wrapped around her finger. I was young when she came to my father’s home. In truth, she has become my mother.”
Deana tried to digest what Lorgin had told her. She cautiously told him, “Before you came in here, I thought I heard Rejar speaking in my mind.”
Lorgin flicked a glance at Rejar. “He can send his thoughts, when he chooses, to an individual, or he may send thoughts to many individuals at once, at his discretion. However, he cannot receive thoughts in this manner, unless of course, it is another Familiar sending him thoughts. Familiars can converse with each other through their minds, but they cannot read each other’s minds.
“When Rejar was a boy, he used to anger me by sending thoughts to Suleila about mischief that I had supposedly gotten into. Of course I had no idea what he was telling her and could not defend myself. Suleila caught on very quickly to his game, though.”
Deana chuckled at the thought of what growing up in that household must have been like. “So Rejar can’t speak?”
A sizzling, sensuously low voice purred from the pallet on the floor. “Yes, he can speak.”
And what a voice! Dare I drool? Deana looked at the dark-haired man and flushed. They had been talking about him as if he weren’t there.
“He does not favor conversing in that manner.” Lorgin threw his brother a smirk. “I think it is because he is lazy.”
{Smart, dear brother, smart.}
Deana jumped as she heard Rejar’s sultry voice in her mind.
Lorgin walked over to Rejar’s pallet. “Yaniff has left these clothes for you. We will meet you in the tavern below.”
As he was leading Deana down to the eating area, she asked him why he was
willing to eat in the common room now when he wouldn’t last night.
“Since the tavern is fairly empty at this early hour, it would be best to save our supplies as there are no other sacri where we are going.”
They joined Yaniff, already sitting at a table. The first thing the old man said was, “Has the rogue woken up yet?”
Lorgin grinned at Yaniff, sharing the private joke as he nodded.
They ate a breakfast consisting of various fruits and a thick, pasty liquid that was poured freely by a young serving woman every time she passed their table. Deana didn’t like the taste of the drink, and politely declined the refill.
“Not nearly as good as your coffee, but very nourishing. You should try to drink some more.” Lorgin picked up his cup and swallowed another glassful.
“No, thank you.” The stuff was bland and gluey.
Yaniff raised his head from his bowl. “What is this coffee you speak of?”
Lorgin leaned forward, excitement shining in his eyes. “A marvelous elixir, Yaniff. It has an aroma unlike anything I have experienced, and it fills one with strength. It is very popular in Adeeann’s world.”
“Yeah, what I wouldn’t do for a cup right now,” Deana sighed.
Yaniff stroked his chin. “Perhaps I will look into this elixir. I may be able to reproduce the brew from your memories of it.”
Deana’s face lit up. “That would be great!”
Yaniff rose from the table. “I will store the pallets for you, Lorgin.” He headed off to the room, muttering to himself, “I wonder what spell would work best in recapturing such an essence.”
Lorgin fondly watched the old man leave and smiled regretfully at Deana. “Do not get your hopes up regarding that coffee, Little Fire. Yaniff is notoriously absentminded in regards to spells involving recipes. In short, as a wizard, he is a terrible cook.”
Deana giggled. “So that’s why he made the soup the old-fashioned way.”
“At least we did not find a boot in it!” Lorgin and Deana both started laughing.
{Now this is an improvement, Lorgin. Perhaps you have not lost your skills after all.}
Rejar had approached the table, and from the look of Lorgin’s lowered brows, had obviously sent a thought to him. Rejar gave his brother a gamin grin, and sat at the table.
While Rejar ate, Deana discreetly observed him. Now that the shock of his existence was wearing off, she was able to note a strong family resemblance between the two men.
They were of a size for one thing—both large men. She thought that Rejar’s sultry features bore a strong likeness to Lorgin’s. Although, where Lorgin had a cool, regally handsome appearance, Rejar possessed a very sensuous, earthy quality.
He was dressed similarly in style to his brother. His shirt and boots were black, his leather pants dark green. His cape was of a simpler design than Lorgin’s, being maroon in color, but with none of the elaborate gold appliqués on it. Rejar must have noticed her perusal of his cape for he gazed over at her.
{I am not a Knight of the Charl, and do not wear their raiment.}
Lorgin had heard his words and put down his cup. “You could be of the Charl if you would only focus yourself. Yaniff has been hoping for years that you would change your mind and join us.”
The serving woman came over to fill Rejar’s bowl. His beautiful eyes flicked to the young woman momentarily before he answered Lorgin.
{Then Yaniff hopes in vain.}
Deana sat back, listening to the exchange between the two brothers. It was a new experience, overhearing a two-sided conversation where only one person was actually speaking out loud.
“You can deny your true being to yourself, but you cannot deny it to Yaniff. He has sensed something in you.”
{As he has in you, brother. Interesting are the sons of Krue, are we not?}
The serving maid refilled his cup and Rejar fastened his feral gaze on her. She was young and pretty, and more than interested in him. He could sense the difference in her surface temperature as she looked on him.
He casually let his arm stroke her backside as he sent her an enticing thought. The maid, overcome by anticipation, agreed with the incredibly handsome man before her. She would very much like to try that with him. Standing, Rejar put his arm around the girl and began leading her off to a chamber. Lorgin called after him.
“Rejar, we must leave shortly!”
Rejar turned back to his brother, grinning. {Ten moments, Lorgin, just ten moments.}
They passed Yaniff as the old man made his way back to the table. As he sat down, his ancient eyes followed the dark-haired man.
Yaniff sighed deeply. “He squanders himself.” He turned back to the table. “Your brother is a great trial to me, Lorgin. It is a pity I am so fond of the lad.”
Lorgin grinned ruefully. “He has a certain way about him. Hopefully he will not be too long.”
Deana was mortified. “Your brother just went off with the waitress to…to…”
Lorgin raised his eyebrows. “Quite. Familiars have a sensuous nature. It is best to let them express it.”
“But your, what did you call her, your nextmother, surely she doesn’t…?”
“Of course not. She is mated. A state Rejar claims will never happen to him.”
Deana did not understand these people at all, and doubted she would in the time of her visit. The best she could do was nod at their strange behavior while observing it.
Rejar returned not very much later, still smoldering as he adjusted his cape. {Shall we depart, then?}
Lorgin took Rejar aside, whispering to him, “And where is that pretty maid you went off with?”
Rejar grinned like the satyr he was, carefully sending his thoughts only to his brother. {I imagine it will take her some time to compose herself. Indeed, when I left her, I do not think she could speak her own name.}
Lorgin laughed out loud. “You are incorrigible, brother.”
{And not the only Krue who has been called such. Shall I tell your new wife about the time you visited the sirens of Mayra? They still remember you fondly to this day. All twelve of them.}
“Yaniff is right, you are a scamp!”
Lorgin discreetly looked over at Adeeann, who was engaged in conversation with the old mystic. He pointed a warning finger at his brother. “Not one word, or you will live to regret it.”
Rejar only smiled.
They continued on their journey, once again entering the seemingly never-ending tunnels.
Deana noted that they passed fewer and fewer travelers on the ‘road’, and assumed that they were now in the Wilderness Reaches that Lorgin had mentioned. The few scruffy travelers they came across gave them a wide berth. She suspected that the intimidating sight of Lorgin and Rejar was enough to dissuade any would-be attacker.
As they plodded along, she had plenty of opportunity to let her mind drift. Unfortunately, she had time now to recall when she had confessed to the “cat” that she thought Lorgin so sexy he could make her melt. Her faced flushed as she remembered her careless words.
But then, how could she have known she was talking to Lorgin’s brother!
Would he reveal to Lorgin what she had confided? That was an appalling thought. She turned and looked at Rejar, her face mirroring the embarrassment she felt. He winked at her, obviously realizing what had just occurred to her.
{I will say nothing, Adeeann. You need not worry.}
She threw him a grateful look as she continued along the path, thinking back to the first time she had seen him in the cave. What a shock! The way he had sat up and stared at her, telepathically saying, “Good morrow…my brother’s wife?”
Yes, that was what he had said.
With all the excitement, she had forgotten his initial words to her. Deana stumbled over her feet. Lorgin quickly turned to help her. She viewed him with horror.
“Are you all right, Adeeann?”
“Y-yes. Yes, of course.” He looked inquiringly at her, then shrugged, and continued
leading them through the tunnel.
Why had Rejar called her Lorgin’s wife? It was obvious that he had mistaken their relationship. Should she correct him? That might be rather embarrassing. Suppose they were doing something against their strange customs? It could put Lorgin in a difficult position. Should she mention it to Lorgin? Absolutely not. Let the two of them work it out. She wasn’t about to stick her foot in her mouth.
The morning passed slowly as they continued to trudge along. Once, the tunnel widened, leading them into a magnificent cavern which had a massive, frozen waterfall. The temperature dropped significantly in this area. Lorgin motioned for Deana to come walk beside him so he could enfold her in the warmth of his cloak. He then used his power to form a slightly warmer current around them as they walked. Rejar disappeared around a column, reappearing in cat form, wisely deciding to let his thick fur protect him. Yaniff obviously could take care of himself.
Soon the temperature began to rise again, and they resumed their normal rank in file along the path, with Rejar once again walking on two legs. In the distance, Deana thought she heard the sound of rushing water intermingled with the sounds of people.
The tunnel eventually opened up onto a larger cavern, and sure enough there were several beings milling about the area. They looked like a seedy lot. Most appeared to be drinking something out of large animal horns. In the distance, Deana noted an underground river passing by the main body of the cave.
Lorgin led them to the bar, requesting food from the none-too-clean-looking alien behind the counter. He had a snoutlike nose and beady eyes. He rather reminded Deana of her ex-boss. The alien snorted at Lorgin, then spit a huge wad of slime onto the floor. Yep. Her ex-boss.
Lorgin reached into his cape, then turned his hand over onto the counter, spilling out several gemstones. The alien snorted again, quickly snatching up the gems. He shoved a platter at Lorgin, along with four horns of liquid.
It didn’t seem to Deana that Lorgin had really gotten his money’s worth, considering the fortune of gems he had thrown down. But since she had no idea what anything was worth here, who was she to judge? She had no trouble judging the quality of food before her, even though she was no gourmet, especially in this cuisine. She gave the platter a wary eye.
