In his experience females had many tricks they used to catch a warrior’s attention. Some behaved helpless. Others gave a warrior a cold shoulder hoping to draw his attention. Many were bold while others were timid.
He glanced back and saw Belle jerk her gown away from a thorn bush, tearing the cloth. The gown was beautiful yet she didn’t value it because she was arrogant and spoiled.
True, she was beautiful, but he figured she used it as a weapon. He wondered how many men she’d lured to their deaths. She caught him watching her and raised a silky brow.
Pursing her lips, she asked, her voice sharp, “What?”
“Keep up.”
“I’m trying to give you enough room to fight. Would you rather I stepped on your heels? Because I could do that.”
She approached him, crowding him until he either had to step back or let her lean against him. He’d be damned if he’d give in to her so he stood his ground. Her breasts pressed into his chest and her scent rose to his nose. He took a deep breath then cursed himself when his fever blazed.
She taunted him with a smile. “Happy now?”
Frustrated with her behavior, he lifted her, carried her two meters away and dropped her to her feet. The move jarred her and he heard her teeth snap together. While she glared at him, he backed away from her and pointed to the area between them. “Keep this much distance between us. No more. No less.”
“Fine.”
He sent her an expression that made the young cadets on the Venturer run, then nodded and took off again.
Belle glanced around, chose a boulder and sat down.
A couple of micro-units later he rejoined her. A vein on his temple throbbed with anger. “What are you doing?”
“Taking a break. I’m tired and my feet hurt.” She held out her feet, showing him the dainty shoes she wore. “These aren’t really made for walking.”
“Conjure some boots.”
“You told me not to use my powers.”
“I’m giving you permission.”
“I have a blister and I want you to carry me.”
“Heal yourself.”
“It will use up my energy and you told me not to use my powers.”
“I’m telling you to use them now so do it.”
“No.” She stood up, her chin in the air. “Carry me.”
He grinned then rushed her, shoved his shoulder into her belly and lifted her. She screeched with surprise and he chuckled. “Hold on or I’ll drop you.”
Holding herself stiffly, she gathered her hair and held it away from her face. The ground passed in a dizzying blur and she bounced with every step he took. When she began to slip from his shoulder she grabbed a handful of his cloak and steadied herself.
“Put me down.”
“You demanded I carry you. I’m carrying you.”
“I can walk now.”
He ran his hand over her soft, rounded bottom then patted it. “No. I’ve decided this is good. This way I know you’re keeping up and not taking another unexpected break.”
He thought he’d get one of her spoiled reactions with his words. Instead she relaxed her body and hung over his shoulder as if she’d been made to be a part of him. Disgruntled, he walked until his belly growled with hunger. Stepping off the trail he found a secluded spot then slid her from his shoulder.
She blinked, her eyes soft and dreamy. “Do we need a shelter?”
“No, we’re stopping only long enough to eat.”
“Oh.” Belle shook herself from the stupor and the rather disturbing fantasy she’d been having about him. She cleared a spot on the ground then sat down and took the food he handed her. After arranging it on her lap she uncapped a water bottle and took a sip. He put his back to her and watched the trail.
Razz came through a clump of bushes, circled Ronin, then ran to her and settled next to her. She fed the food to him. After he took the last bite, she stood and waited for Ronin to order her to follow him. He brushed his hands off then before she could move back he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder again.
She hit his back. “Put me down.”
“No. You demanded to be carried so I’m carrying you.”
“You can’t carry me and fight at the same time.”
“If we’re attacked I’ll give you to the enemy. The nano-unit you open your mouth they’ll kill themselves.” He patted her bottom. “You’re the best weapon I have right now.”
She pinched his waist, or at least tried to but he was so firm she couldn’t get ahold of his skin. “That’s not funny.”
“I wasn’t joking.” He traced circles on her bottom as he walked. “Have you always been this difficult to get along with?”
“Apparently,” she said, then added when he turned and glanced behind them. “You don’t need to watch our back trail. Razz will warn us if anyone is following us.”
“It takes both of us to keep you in line.”
“You know you really can be a bastard sometimes.” When he lifted his hand from her bottom she added, “Don’t you dare swat me for telling the truth.”
“Let’s make a deal—every time you lie to me I get to swat you five times.”
“Here’s a better deal. You stop asking me questions I can’t answer,” she said, then groaned. “Ronin, you really need to put me down.”
“Another storm is building. We’ll stop as soon as I find a clearing.”
Chapter Four
Ten micro-units later Ronin stepped off the trail and moved around a large grouping of boulders before setting her down. Her hood fell back and he adjusted it around her face then ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “Conjure a shelter here.”
She took a step back, waved her hands and called on the elements. A two room shelter appeared around them. Before he could stop her she backed into the second room and closed the opening.
Ronin rolled out his mat, sat down and waited for Belle to join him. Thirty micro-units later the wall that stood between them disappeared. She’d bathed and braided her hair. She glanced at him then rolled out her mat, sat down and sipped some water.
“Would you like me to prepare a bath for you?” she asked.
“I’ll wash in the river we passed when I patrol the area later.” He nodded toward the food. “Eat.”
She grimaced and rubbed her belly. “If I eat right now I’ll be sick.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
“I always do.” She smiled, took another sip of water then lay down with her back to him.
He watched her while he ate. She was a powerful Krystali enchantress, capable of conjuring a shelter and anything else she might need. He’d learned that on Krystali there were three types of females. Healers couldn’t conjure krystal but they could heal illnesses or wounds as long as they weren’t made by white krystal. Conjurers could create white krystal and heal white krystal wounds. Only enchantresses, like Belle, could conjure dark krystal and heal the wounds it made.
He’d expected her to be arrogant about her powers but so far she’d barely acknowledged them. In fact, she used them sparingly. Her threats of harm were empty and he somehow knew she’d never harm him. At least not with krystal. He wasn’t sure how to treat her. Was she a female who needed his protection? Or, a female who’d betrayed her own people? Usually he fought to protect females but Belle was capable of taking care of herself.
She was the mate he’d longed for and would’ve described if he’d been asked to do so. He knew she’d been attracted to him when they’d first seen each other. Her soft brown eyes had glowed with happiness but then they’d hardened and she’d dismissed him. What he couldn’t figure out was why she’d changed so abruptly. Had it only been a moment of weakness on her part before she’d regained control and shut him out of her life?
Her beauty was astounding and he couldn’t help but watch her. Tall and voluptuous with hair so dark it turned blue in the sunlight, and a full, perfectly shaped mouth that made him long to spend units kissing her. H
er eyes should have been a hard, empty black. Instead they were soft brown, almond shaped and tipped up at the corners.
When a rare genuine smile curved her lips she was stunningly beautiful, but those smiles were reserved for Razz.
She puzzled him. She was well-groomed but she didn’t spend time primping. She bathed, tied her hair back and dressed in the same gown and cloak every cycle. Her only vanity seemed to be the shoes she wore. They were colorful and discreetly decorated with jewels.
He knew that eventually she’d confess her crimes and receive the punishment she deserved. Exile that would lead to her death.
He could bond with her and they’d both live or let her go and they’d both die. Neither choice appealed to him.
# # #
Belle waited until Ronin had done his last patrol with Razz and fallen asleep before she conjured a wall between them. She tried to sleep but her belly ached from hunger and being over his shoulder.
The sound of her mother’s laughter and taunting was constant. It filled her mind off and on throughout the day and she couldn’t shut it out.
She burrowed deeper into the blankets and let her tears fall. Tears wouldn’t save her but they’d make her feel better, at least for a while. Soon nothing but leaving this plain of existence would help. She intended to be far away and on her own when that happened.
Before she left she’d leave a note for Taryq with Ronin. In it she’d explain what had happened and that Arlyn couldn’t use anyone else to spy on them. She’d only been able to use her because she was her daughter and an enchantress. Those two factors had made her vulnerable to Arlyn’s powers.
The tears soothed her as she’d known they would. She dismantled the wall then fell into a restless sleep. She’d jerk awake every unit but finally settled into a deep sleep toward sun rising.
A unit later, Ronin nudged her awake. She rubbed her eyes before opening them. “Is it sun rising already?”
“It will be soon. We’re getting an early start. Get dressed while I patrol the area.”
Nodding, she conjured an opening then stood up. He grabbed his pack and left her alone.
She washed her face, healed the wounds on her feet and conjured a comfortable pair of walking boots. She’d just dismantled the shelter when Ronin reappeared with Razz.
He walked toward her and she backed up until she bumped into the bushes behind her. She dodged his hands while fighting to free herself from the thorny branches. Pulling free, she asked, “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to carry you.”
She shook her head, lifted the hem of her cloak and stuck out her boot covered foot. “No need. I can walk.”
“Good, you’ve learned the lesson I intended to teach you.”
“That was a lesson?” she asked, her voice ringing with indignation.
“Yes.” He narrowed his eyes and stared at her for a moment. “Show me how far back you’re supposed to stay.”
“Why don’t you show me how far ahead of me you’re supposed to be?”
“I asked first,” he said.
Rolling her eyes, she moved two meters away and stopped next to Razz.
He nodded. “We rest when I say we rest. No stopping on your own. Understand?”
“I never agreed to that.”
“Agree now.”
“Very well, but I’m counting this as only one victory for you. You’re being penalized three points for your bad attitude.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” he asked.
“War,” she said, then waved him along with an arrogant flutter of her fingers. “Didn’t you want to get going?”
He tossed her a bottle of water and a cloth covered package. “You can eat on the trail.”
She unwrapped the cloth, and her mouth watered when she saw the bread, cheese and meat he’d piled inside. She lifted it to her nose, closed her eyes and inhaled the wonderful scent of roasted meat and yeasty bread.
Giving into temptation, she tore off a very small piece of the crust and put it on her tongue. Maybe if she ate small amounts, very slowly, she’d be able to keep them down. Looking up, she caught Ronin watching her before he glanced at the food she held.
“Sorry, it’s not up to your standards, princess,” he said then turned and walked away.
She swallowed. “I didn’t say that. It’s—.” The clenching of her belly forced her to her knees. She wrapped her arms around her belly and bent forward while the crust of bread came up. Coughing, she cleared her throat then scrambled for the water bottle. Uncapping it she took a drink, swished it around her mouth then spit it out and took another sip. Two dark boots entered her view. Without looking up she said, “I choked.”
He reached down, grasped her arm and lifted her to her feet. “Try to keep up this time.”
Nodding, she tugged her arm out of his grasp and stepped back. “I won’t hold you up again.”
“See that you don’t,” he said over his shoulder as he walked away.
She let him get ahead of her then followed him while she fed the rest of her food to Razz. When it was gone she slipped the cloth into her pocket and stared daggers at Ronin’s back. The longer she thought about how he ordered her around the angrier she became.
She hadn’t asked him to protect her. In fact, she’d told him repeatedly she didn’t want him around. She’d fought her mother for ten annuals, the least she deserved was to die in peace and not being harassed by an arrogant barbarian. Deciding to let him know how she felt she caught up to him. “I want to talk to you.”
Ronin ignored her. “We’ll talk when we stop at moon rising.”
“No, I want to talk now. I want to see my brother this cycle.”
He stopped, brushed the hood from his head and planted his hands on the wide belt cinched around his waist. The move exposed the intricate tattoos on the sides of his head. Tattoos she knew told the story of the dangers he’d faced. Tattoos she wanted to trace with her fingertips while he told her about his life. Distracted by her thoughts it took her a moment to realize he was talking.
“What?”
Sighing, he said, “I’ve already made arrangements for you to see him in another cycle. You’ll have to wait.”
She pushed the hood from her head, copying his stance and stepping closer to him. “No. You don’t get to decide what I do or when I do it. You’re the one who insisted on coming with me so you can follow my rules or you can leave.”
“I gave your brother my vow I’d protect you,” he said, his voice a deep, impatient growl.
“Good, then you can keep your vow and follow my orders at the same time.” She turned and walked ten paces before she glanced back at him. “Coming?”
Ronin smiled. “Sure, why not?” He pulled his hood into place then waved his hand toward the trail. “Lead away.”
She looked where he pointed then cursed beneath her breath. Ahead of them the trail split. One branch went to the left and the other straight ahead. She studied the ground, looking for prints or any hint that would indicate which direction to take. Razz bumped against her and she placed her hand on his neck. “What do you think, Razz? Go left or continue going straight ahead?”
He looked up at her then looked at the trail in front of her and growled.
“Left it is then,” she said.
“You’re going the wrong way,” Ronin said.
“We’re going this way because Razz doesn’t want to go the other way,” she said.
“I wasn’t aware your pet knew where we were going?”
“I trust Razz. If he doesn’t want to go that way there’s a good reason for it.”
Ronin pointed to the trail they’d been following. “Your brother is in that direction. Now what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to take the left trail then eventually cross back over to this one. You can go that way if you’re dying to know what’s down there.” She smiled then entered the new trail. “If you need rescuing just whistle. Razz will hear it and we’ll c
ome running.”
“It’s no wonder everyone who knows you wants to kill you.”
“Why? Because I have a mind of my own and I don’t like being bossed around?”
“No, because I’ve heard how you talk to people. I’ve seen how you boss them around, including me. I’m telling you straight ahead is the right way but you’re so arrogant you won’t listen.”
“That isn’t true,” she hissed. “I took into account what you said but Razz refuses to go that way. I trust him more than I trust you.”
“Your incapable of admitting when you’re wrong,” Ronin said. “Your brother has left you to run wild and do as you please for too long.”
“I can admit when I’m wrong, but this time I’m not, and you leave my brother out of this.”
He gave her a searching look. “It’s time you learned some self-discipline. From now on you move when I move and you stop when I stop. If you break any of my rules, I’ll treat you like the spoiled brat you are and I’ll spank your ass until you can’t sit down.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
He grabbed her, leaned back against a boulder and pulled her over his lap. A nano-unit later he had her cloak up over her head and his hand was swatting her through the thin material of her gown.
“You bastard. I’m going to kill you,” she screamed as she kicked her feet.
He laughed, swatted her several more times then pushed her off his lap. She hit the ground, rolled onto her knees, jumped up and began to call on the elements. He grabbed her hands and held them still. “Don’t you dare, Belle.” His voice held a heavy warning.
She jerked her hands free and jumped out of his reach. “Bastard!”
He stood up, crowding her until her sore bottom hit the rock wall on the other side of the trail. “Rule number three—every word out of your mouth better be polite and tactful or you’ll be over my lap again.”
“When I tell my brother you hit me, he’ll kill you.”
Ronin laughed. “He’s more likely to buy me a tankard. In fact, every man in camp will buy me one. They’ve all wanted to spank you at one time or another.”
Ronin's Bondmate: Zarronian Warriors 4 Page 3
