Riki placed her hand on Tanya’s face, stroking her thumb along the line of cheekbone. The gesture was partly tender and partly to give herself a few more seconds. She was still nervous, but need overwhelmed any fears. More than this, staring into Tanya’s eyes, Riki felt safe. She trusted Tanya. She ran her fingers into Tanya’s hair and drew her into another kiss.
For a while, they lay on the grass, until Tanya pulled away. Her hand moved to Riki’s shirt. One by one, Riki watched the buttons loosened. Her shirt fell open, exposing her breasts to the moonlight and Tanya’s gaze. The eyes on her felt like a physical caress.
Slowly, very slowly, Tanya lowered her head. Her lips brushed Riki’s skin and then opened, taking in Riki’s nipple, sucking hard with a faint touch of teeth. Riki’s stomach kicked. Spikes of desire shot through her. Arousal surged over her skin.
Tanya’s hand was at her waist, fumbling with her belt. Soon Riki would be naked. Anticipation battled with apprehension. Her body yearned for the contact, but she would feel so vulnerable as the only one unclothed.
Riki picked at Tanya’s shirt. “You too.”
Tanya sat up, smiling. Not bothering to unbutton her shirt, she pulled it over her head, and then undid her belt. Within seconds, Tanya was naked. Riki’s eyes took control of her soul, paralyzing her. The breath stopped in her lungs. She scarcely noticed when Tanya completed the task of stripping her.
Carefully, Tanya stretched out over Riki, straddling her thighs and pinning her to the ground, covering her, holding her, protecting her. Tanya’s elbows planted on either side of Riki’s shoulders. Her mouth traveled over eyes, ears, and throat, before returning to Riki’s lips.
Riki was lost in passion. Tanya’s body filled her arms and overloaded her senses. Her breath was ragged with desire. The weight of Tanya, the touch of skin on skin, inflamed the ache between her legs. Uncontrollable tremors run through her.
“Tanya, please.”
“I’m not going too quickly, am I?”
“No.” Riki struggled to find the words. Her body was drowning out all else, making thought impossible. “I need...”
Tanya’s expression changed to a knowing smile. “Ah.”
Riki was not certain what she was asking for, and was disappointed when Tanya shifted off her. She wanted their bodies in hard contact, but then Tanya’s hand slid down, over ribs, stomach, and into the junction of her legs.
“Like this?”
Riki could not have answered. She did not need to. Tanya gently eased her thighs apart. A touch, a finger sliding slowly, and then returning more deliberately. Riki cried out. Her body arched, out of control. Tanya’s fingers continued their advance, opening and entering her. The movement of Tanya’s hand was the central pivot of Riki’s existence. Her whole body contracted around the fingers filling her. She was helpless with the need for release.
Riki’s orgasm exploded, erupting from each muscle, each bone, with every throb of her pulse. And then she fell back to earth, gasping.
“Okay?”
Riki opened her eyes. Tanya’s face was centimeters away, staring into her, affection and desire manifest. Riki’s heart melted in the heat. “Yes.”
Riki expected Tanya to remove her hand, but she kept it in place, comforting, filling Riki beyond the merely physical. Tanya’s thumb still stroked her, matched to the ebbing pulse of pleasure as they lay, held by each other’s eyes. Then Riki felt the tension rebuild. Needing no word, Tanya caught the rhythm, molded the surge, and again took Riki over the edge.
The last ripples faded away. Tanya wrapped her in an embrace, holding Riki close as she sucked air into her lungs. Tanya’s lips brushed across her cheek.
Riki’s breathing stilled. The world was back in place and yet different. Riki pulled back slightly so she could see Tanya’s face—her lover’s face.
“How do you feel?” Tanya asked.
No words could answer the question. Riki just smiled and pushed Tanya’s shoulder, rolling her onto her back. Now, for the first time, Riki was the one looking down.
Tanya was beautiful. Every square centimeter of her was beautiful. Riki placed her hand over Tanya’s right breast. The weight, the warmth, and the softness filled her fingers. And Tanya gasped. Riki hesitated, surprised at herself for being surprised. Of course the things she did would draw a response. Inexperienced did not mean ineffectual.
Tanya was waiting. Carefully, Riki began to experiment, all the while keeping her eyes on Tanya’s face, watching her actions mirrored there, seeing what worked and learning what was needed. Riki’s hand slid between Tanya’s legs, into the warmth and wetness. Tanya bucked, a convulsive, whole-body contraction.
She gripped Riki’s shoulder, fingers digging in. Her face contorted. Her body shook. Tanya had surrendered all self-control. The knowledge was daunting yet exciting, and Riki felt both commanding and controlled. She was guiding Tanya’s arousal, but her actions were dictated by the rhythm of Tanya’s breath. Riki could not stop.
Tanya hit climax. Watching her body arch, her face twist in ecstasy, Riki was consumed by a wild array of emotions. She felt triumphant, loving, smug, humble, powerful, and awed. She brought Tanya to another climax, and then again. She could have carried on forever.
Eventually Tanya caught Riki’s wrist and tugged weakly, laughing with her eyes closed. “Enough. Stop. I just want to hold you.”
Tanya flung her arm around Riki’s shoulders and pulled her close. They lay side by side, wrapped in each other’s arms as their lips again joined in a series of soft kisses. Riki felt happy and sated. Eventually, she rolled away and looked at the sky. Her body was heavy, her muscles pliant and relaxed.
Tanya kissed her ear and then raised herself on an elbow. “You didn’t want to say stop, then?”
“Would you really have stopped?”
“Of course.”
The blankets were lying beside the red embers of the fire. Tanya slipped onto one, pulling Riki after her, and lay on her back. Riki snuggled close into the curve of Tanya’s arm. With her free hand, Tanya pulled a single blanket to cover them.
Riki laid her head on Tanya’s shoulder. It felt a very safe place to rest, but she was unsure what to do with her hand. At first she draped it across Tanya’s stomach, and then in the center of her chest. Neither felt right. Hesitantly, she slid it across, so her palm cupped Tanya’s breast. A sigh sounded between Tanya’s lips, and over Riki’s hand she fastened her own, holding it in place.
Tiredness washed over Riki. For the first time since she was twelve years old, she drifted off to sleep feeling completely at peace with the world.
Chapter Eighteen—The Ranger Post
It was going to be another hot day. Above the hills, the sky was pale yellow, turning to deepest blue overhead, without a wisp of cloud. A heat haze shimmered in the distance. The breeze blew warm and dry.
Riki knelt by the saddlebags, nominally packing the supplies for another day of travel. However, she was aware that she was being very uneconomical in her actions. The big problem was her cheeks. She was grinning so much her face ached.
Admittedly, the ache was not severe enough to directly hamper her folding the blankets or sealing the tinderbox in its waterproof wrapper, but every time Riki thought about her face, she was reminded of why she was grinning. This was what distracted her. She would drift away in a daze and eventually the blanket, bag, or wrapping would slip from her hand, putting her back at step one. She was also finding even the simplest decisions difficult—decisions such as, should she fold the blanket top to bottom first, or side to side?
Riki glanced up, estimating the time from the sun’s position. Sunrise was long past. She and Tanya had overslept. Remembering why they had overslept made the grin on Riki’s face stretch still wider. She gazed happily at the blanket in her hand until she remembered she was supposed to be folding it. Riki sighed and shook the blanket out flat. Yet already her attention was wandering.
A few meters away, Tanya was standing with her back
to Riki, looking down at the saddles by her feet—the saddles that she was supposed to be putting on the ponies. Riki studied her thoughtfully. She suspected that Tanya’s productivity was no better than her own.
Riki’s appraisal started at Tanya’s head and then slid lower. Riki felt her stomach flip a somersault. The cloth of Tanya’s trousers was pulled tight enough to reveal her outline and loose enough to hint at more. Riki’s pulse accelerated. Her hands thrummed with the tactile memory of running down Tanya’s back and over those hips, touching warm, naked skin.
While Riki watched, Tanya twisted slightly to one side, pulling the cloth tighter. Riki’s eyes were riveted to the sight. She then realized that the movement had been because Tanya was now looking back over her shoulder. Riki glanced up guiltily and met Tanya’s eyes. She felt a blush darken her face. However, Tanya only smiled before walking over and crouching behind Riki. Her arms slid around Riki’s waist for support.
“Enjoying the view?”
“Um...yes. I was.” Denying it was pointless.
Tanya’s breath was warm on Riki’s neck, followed by her lips, kissing behind Riki’s ear and nibbling on the lobe. Her tongue teased and inflamed.
Riki closed her eyes. The soft touch of Tanya’s mouth was sending electric flares down her spine. It was all Riki could do to continue breathing. Eventually, Tanya ceased nuzzling but kept her lips close to Riki’s ear.
“So, you enjoyed last night?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think you might want to do it again sometime?”
“Maybe.” Riki tried to match the light, playful tone.
Tanya’s hands released their grip on Riki’s waist and moved to the buttons of her shirt. The first one slipped free.
“How about now?”
*
The upland area was etched with eroded canyons and buttes. The ground was hard and rocky. Most topsoil had been washed away by wind and rain. Stunted firs sprouted wherever they could attach their roots, while elsewhere, low alpine perennials clung to the bare rocks. Only in sheltered valleys was significant vegetation found.
The weather was still good for the start of October, although the heat had gone from the sun. The nights were drawing in. As they rode along the bottom of a sheer-sided canyon, Tanya considered the lengthening shadows. She estimated that two hours of decent daylight remained.
At the end of the canyon, they reached a deeper basin, a couple of kilometers wide, where a moderate covering of trees and bushes was interspersed with swaths of knee-high grass. Tanya urged her pony down the incline before noticing that Riki had stopped and was looking around.
“What is it?”
“I recognize this. I know where we are.”
“So where are we?”
Riki grinned. “Two days south of Ginasberg.”
“You’ve patrolled out here?”
“A few times.” Riki pointed to the cliff rising on the opposite side of the basin. “There’s a Ranger post over there.”
Tanya smiled at her affectionately. Riki had done well at finding a route through the wilderness. Tanya had never doubted that she would. “Nearly home.”
Riki smiled back and geed her pony on.
A ring of Ranger posts existed around both Westernfort and Ginasberg. Tanya knew the location of the posts around Westernfort, but she had never been assigned to Ginasberg and had rarely traveled out this way. Riki was far more familiar with the terrain.
Ranger posts were concealed bases used for overnight stops. All the posts were well hidden and easily defendable. Should the Guards ever mount an expedition against the heretics’ strongholds, the posts were intended to offer a safe retreat between skirmishes. They were also invaluable to anyone caught out by harsh weather, and were kept stocked with emergency supplies.
Riki led the way to the other side of the basin. The trees, mainly hagwood firs, grew denser here. Between them were thickets of rock holly and sugarleaf, shrouding the base of the cliff. Not until they were right on top of it did Tanya spot the dark crack splitting the rock face. Riki slipped from her pony’s saddle and walked toward it. Tanya did likewise.
The crack turned out to be the entrance to a winding cave, wide enough to admit a pony. Like all the posts, if you did not know where it was, you could have passed within a dozen meters and not spotted it.
Leaving the ponies to graze, Tanya and Riki entered the cave. After a few turns, the sides fell away and the roof opened to the sky. They were at the bottom of a wide sinkhole in the rocks. A small cabin leaned against one side, and a shallow pool provided fresh water. There was enough space for the ponies to come in, although for the moment, they were better off outside.
Tanya pushed open the cabin door and peered in. The floor of the single room was hard-packed earth; the walls were rough timber on three sides and natural rock on the other. The only contents were a couple of straw-stuffed mattresses and a wooden chest for supplies. A stone hearth with a chimney was built against the rock face. Tanya had already spotted the stack of cut logs outside. She grinned. The nights had been getting cold. The thought of an evening snuggled up in front of a fire with Riki was definitely pleasant.
*
The Ranger urged her horse on at a sharp pace. She had not made as much progress as she had hoped that day. Lack of familiarity with the terrain was partly the cause. It was several years since she had last patrolled the region. The light was now fading and she wanted to reach the Ranger post before nightfall to give herself a chance to feed her horse, settle in, and get the fire going.
The summer had been chaotic. Captain Coppelli had thrown all her resources into recapturing Private Sadiq. Not surprising, yet the captain’s judgment had surely been compromised by her personal involvement. Every available Ranger had been sent after Sadiq, including many who had more important things to do. They had also been kept on the hunt long after any hope of success remained, while vital jobs had been postponed.
Thinking about it, the Ranger grimaced. The year was not one she would like to repeat. Life was finally quieting down and getting back to normal, although people were still being shunted out of their routine, filling in where needed. Her current mission was an example, making an inventory of emergency supplies in the Ranger posts before winter arrived.
The sun had set and darkness was thickening under the hagwood firs. The Ranger hunched her shoulders against the chill wind. Fortunately, her destination was at hand. She had just a few hundred meters to go when she heard a horse snort.
Startled, the Ranger pulled her own mount to a halt. Who could be here at this time of year? She glanced around apprehensively. Surely a detachment of Guards could not have gotten so close to Ginasberg without being noticed. And yet, with all the turmoil, maybe the watch had slipped.
The Ranger pursed her lips and then slipped from her saddle. The most likely explanation was that the horse belonged to another Ranger—someone like herself, frantically making up for lost time with an unscheduled journey, but it never hurt to be too careful.
She tied her horse’s reins to a hagwood, pulled her bow from the pack, strung it, and then stuck three arrows in her belt. Fortunately, the undergrowth here provided better cover than for most of the region. She crept between the trees, keeping her movements as silent as possible. From the shelter of a bushy rock holly, she peered at the grassy area in front of the Ranger post.
Three ponies were grazing. Only two had saddles; the other was clearly a pack animal. Although there was no sign of who they belonged to, the Ranger relaxed. A party of two was very unlikely for the Guards—they preferred to travel in number. Almost, the Ranger left her hiding place, but a niggling doubt, a seventh sense, made her wait.
She heard footsteps. Someone was leaving the cave. The Ranger ducked further behind the rock holly and peered between the leaves, trusting to the encroaching darkness to aid her concealment.
A figure strolled into view. Although the day was nearly done, the light was still sufficient for the watc
hing Ranger to identify Rikako Sadiq, sauntering into the open. Sadiq was wearing civilian clothes, and her hair was longer than the last time the Ranger had seen her, but she was unmistakable, from her brazen swagger to the arrogant smirk on her face.
Sadiq had been tried in her absence. Captain Coppelli’s orders were clear. The renegade was to be shot on sight. The Ranger pulled an arrow from her belt and nocked it on her bowstring. She placed her fingers at either side of the shaft. But before she could draw, she heard someone else.
The presence of Rikako Sadiq, so close to Ginasberg, had been a huge surprise, but this was nothing compared to seeing Tanya Coppelli also emerge from the cave mouth.
The Ranger lowered her bow, her head reeling. What was going on? How had Tanya escaped from the Guards? And what was she doing here, in the company of Rikako? Stunned, the Ranger remained frozen as the two women claimed the ponies and led them into the cave.
Only once the scene was deserted did she retreat. She had no idea how the two women had come to be at the post together, and she was not about to ask. Apart from easing her curiosity, the information was unnecessary. The obvious conclusion was that Rikako Sadiq and Tanya Coppelli were on their way back to Westernfort, and they had to be stopped.
Leading Ranger Loke Stevenson slipped away through the darkening woodland, back to her horse. She had plans to make.
*
Midnight was close. Loke pressed herself against the rocks of the cave entrance and peered in. Laurel was rising behind her, but the weak moonbeams could not pierce the blackness. Loke concentrated on her ears. Faintly she could hear hefty breathing from the ponies, and nothing else. She slipped into the cave and inched her way forward, testing each footfall.
At the point where the cave opened into the sinkhole she paused, studying the scene. She did not need to rush. Moreover, she must not rush. She would have just one chance and could not afford a mistake. Weak moonlight fell on the rock face on the far side. The three ponies were standing motionless around the pool. Their tails twitched intermittently from side to side, but they were clearly sleeping.
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