“I don’t know if I can watch this part,” June said, her chin trembling.
Ismat and his assistants gathered brands from the bonfire. Riley knew what was coming. It was going to be hard enough for her to watch. She could only imagine how her squeamish friend was handling it.
“I told him this wasn’t necessary,” Sundara choked out, as one of the Toufik shaved a spot of hair from Metcor’s chest.
Cyprian’s dark eyes pinned Riley’s as the first brand was placed against his chest. He didn’t flinch when the white-hot metal seared his flesh. Not even his eyes held a hint of pain, only love. Riley knew he would sacrifice everything for her. In return, she would do the same, and share all her joy, pain and love, till their final days. There was no more holding back, or letting foolish nonsense get in the way.
June gripped Riley and Sundara’s hands as the designs took shape on the chests of the men they loved. When it was complete, Riley could read her name in English and see the scrolling script that said the same.
“Kali has seen your devotion,” Ismat started to say as he turned to the crowd.
“Wait,” Sabin jumped up.
“Sabin,” Giselle called to the boy.
“No,” Sabin said, evading Kagan when the Daimio reached out for him. “I belong up here.”
“Sweetheart.” Giselle slowly walked toward Sabin. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Sabin lunged forward and snatched baby Graca from Giselle’s arms, then retreated. Kagan and Giselle stood very still, so they didn’t startle the boy, making him drop the baby. Graca didn’t cry in distress. She just looked happily from Sabin to her parents.
“I hear them talking about me and Graca,” Sabin growled as he pointed into the crowd. “They call my female a hybrid. They say they’d rather see their former enemy as Daimio. They are wrong,” Sabin snarled. His face contorted in pain at the cruel things prejudiced people said. “What is on the outside doesn’t matter, because we are rich of spirit,” Sabin told Graca, his voice breaking as he spoke the sincere words to the baby in his arms. “It’s true. You told me that.” The boy looked to Giselle.
“It is,” Giselle replied with a nod, her eyes filled with tears. “Our friends are getting mated, because even though they are different they love each other.”
“And I love Graca.” Sabin shifted the baby and pulled open his cape, to show the design he’d carved into his chest.
Everyone present gasped seeing the bloody welts in his tender skin. Sabin was Graca’s brother in name, but it was clear he didn’t feel brotherly love for her.
“Sabin,” Giselle cried, her hand reaching out to the boy.
“Graca is mine, and anyone who wants to say or do anything to hurt her, will have to go through me,” Sabin snarled.
A lump formed in Riley’s throat at the way Sabin revered Graca. Graca’s tiny hand reached up to him, her little eyes returning his affection. It was hard to imagine ones so young could recognize the illusive spark some searched a lifetime for. But there it was, honest and true, untainted by the insecurities of life which often got in the way. Riley hugged Cyprian close as she stared at the two children.
“And they will have to go through me.” Kagan stepped behind Sabin, and Giselle joined him. Sabin looked appreciatively up at his adopted parents. “Now, my young warrior, we all recognize your claim; however, I must insist that you wait till Graca is of age.”
“Okay. I bet Graca will want to pick out her own pretty dress for our mating ceremony. I don’t think she likes this one,” Sabin commented sounding more like the child he was, as he relinquished Graca to Giselle.
It was almost frightening how children could be more enlightened than the wisest adult one moment, then go back to being their carefree selves the next.
“And you’re going to let Jorg look at your chest, so it doesn’t get infected,” Giselle insisted, her brows drawn in concern.
“Yes, Ma,” Sabin replied, allowing Giselle and Kagan to lead him back to the front row.
“Sorry,” Giselle mouthed as she passed.
Riley shook her head. The apology was unnecessary. She didn’t mind Sabin’s interruption. Riley was going to remember this day always. Now the memory had an added flourish.
“Kali has seen your devotion,” Ismat repeated, with a subtle nod toward Sabin. “And she extends her blessing. Let us celebrate your bond.”
Riley stared at her name branded on Cyprian’s chest as the courtyard filled with stomps and cheers.
“So, it’s official, huh?” Riley asked in between congratulations.
“Yes. I have a gift for you, Wild Manx,” Cyprian husked, then nodded to the guys.
“Oh,” Riley replied curiously.
Kagan, Tytus, Dagaa, and Metcor led their ladies to a circle that formed in the crowd.
“Instead of a traditional perambulo, we have something from the human tradition. I hope we don’t screw it up too badly,” Kagan announced to everyone, though the leader’s eyes never strayed from Giselle.
Cyprian took Riley’s left hand, then wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her in close.
“I listened to this song as I held you on Aculus’ ship, praying that you’d come back to me.”
Riley’s brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what he was talking about. Her eyes shot up to his, as the first strains of Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers began to play.
“Cyprian, how?” Riley asked, as her eyes filled, and Cyprian began to sway to the music.
How had he salvaged her music, much less found the sweet song she’d set to a series of wedding photos?
But Cyprian didn’t answer. Instead he dipped his head, nestled his lips in her hair, near her ear, and husked the words of the song, as if he’d listened to it over and over.
“I… need your love,” he whispered, his deep voice thick with emotion.
Tears streamed down Riley’s cheeks as she leaned into Cyprian, soaking up every heartfelt sentiment. Everything in her life fell into place as Cyprian clutched her in his sheltering arms, and turned in slow rhythmic circles. Life had been a lonely struggle up till now. Her path had been paved with heartache and pain. But all of it had been worth it, now that she had her warrior.
Epilogue
Ashtoret de Origa
“I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Vintor said as they waded neck deep in water.
“I agree. I feel eyes on me,” Ashtoret replied, as he pushed reedy grass out of his face.
If infiltrating a foreign and hostile planet under the cover of darkness wasn’t daunting enough, then landing in water and disembarking in its murky depths, clinched it. Unfortunately, they couldn’t land any closer to their target, without being discovered. The occupants of the planet lived in a vast community that extended for hundreds of hectares up and down the coast. It left them few options.
“You are certain the nearby military stronghold didn’t spot us entering their atmosphere?” Vintor asked.
“I can’t make any promises. I’m still learning my way around Osivoire technology.”
Vintor grunted and continued wading through the muck, toward the location programmed into his handheld. Ashtoret kept watch for any indication they’d been discovered. As he panned the dim bank, several yards away, he spotted a pair of glowing, yellow eyes. The wet hair on the back of his neck stood up.
I knew it.
“There,” Ashtoret whispered as he paused his watery trek.
Swift movement followed by a splash sounded, and Ashtoret braced himself. He snarled in anger, when a large set of jaws clamped on his arm. Ashtoret was aggravated with himself more than anything. He’d known the attack was coming. The warrior resisted the tug on his forearm, instead yanking his assailant out of the water. His first instinct, from years of training, was to pull one of the blades strapped to his chest. But he didn’t want to fatally injure any of the planet’s inhabitants if he didn’t have to.
“Son of a metcor,” Vintor cursed low. �
��That thing is ugly. And it looks like it has a nasty bite.”
Ashtoret looked at the creature attempting to wrench his arm out of the socket. It had a row of sharp teeth, currently embedded in his flesh, yellow beady eyes, a long snout, and scales from head to tail.
“Let go,” Ashtoret growled a feral sound, letting the beast know who the bigger predator was.
He smiled when the creature released his arm, then wisely swam off, with a parting defiant lash of its scaly tail.
“I think you found the mother of all Jurou Biljana,” Vintor chuckled.
“You might be right,” Ashtoret agreed with a grin.
“How’s the arm?”
“Eh, it’ll heal.”
“We’re close enough to get out of this stream. It probably wouldn’t be wise to attract more of those things with you bleeding in the water,” Vintor suggested as he waded ashore.
The two warriors paused when they reached dry land. Ashtoret pulled a watertight pack off his back and removed the clothes that would help them blend in.
“I’m not fond of these breeches,” Ashtoret groused, holding up the pants and eyeing them critically.
“They’re constricting,” Vintor complained, after removing his vestment and stepping into the breeches.
Ashtoret tugged a hooded long sleeve top over his head, then dealt with the dreaded pants. He had to coil his tail around his waist, like a belt, for them to fit properly.
“I think they’re strangling my shaft,” Ashtoret groaned as he shifted in discomfort.
“I hope to Kali we don’t have to run in these things.”
Ashtoret and Vintor moved toward a series of artificial lights lining a black road, illuminating the dwellings. He studied the two-story homes decorated in a range of vibrant colors. The warriors kept to the shadows as they wove between the clustered buildings. The lights inside showed that many of the inhabitants were still awake.
“The dwelling we’re looking for is over there. We need to cross this picket barrier.” Vintor pointed to the third house.
Ashtoret nodded and vaulted over the knee-high wooden wall. He almost stumbled when his breeches cut him up the middle.
Damn restrictive clothing.
They were nearly to the other side of the grassy enclosure, when a small, four-legged, furry creature came charging up. A light flicked on in the nearby residence, and Ashtoret knew the yapping beastie had betrayed their presence.
“I guess we’re going to test how well we can run,” Ashtoret hissed as they both took off, leaving the annoying creature behind.
“Great,” Vintor huffed.
The warriors slowed when they reached the rear of their destination. Vintor looked around, gauging if they’d been sighted.
“It appears our contact isn’t here yet.”
“We’ll enter and wait. That will be safer than standing out in the open. I just hope the male doesn’t have one of those beasties,” Vintor smirked.
“We’re supposed to look for a tiny metal key beneath a potted plant. If it’s not there we’ll have to find another way in.”
Ashtoret quickly reviewed what he knew about the male they would soon encounter. He hoped their liaison wasn’t too shocked or put up a fight, before they could deliver their message.
Abby
“I know an unknown vessel was sighted the same time Providence went down. I want answers. And don’t give me any of that bullshit about foreign training exercises in international waters, Frank. You and I both know it wasn’t the Russians or Chinese,” her father barked into the cell phone.
Abby’s heart ached as she stared out the car window, watching as they crossed the causeway, heading toward her parent’s home.
Maybe I should’ve stayed in my apartment on campus.
It was going to be rough spending the next few weeks at home. Providence had been missing for almost a year, and her father still searched tirelessly for what happened. He refused to believe Providence went down with the plane, or got tangled in her parachute. At first Abby had also been hopeful. If anyone could find her sister, it was their dad. Nothing occupied the skies around Cocoa Beach without him knowing about it. But as the months passed, Abby’s hope had waned, leaving behind a dull ache.
Her father hung up the phone with an exacerbated growl as they pulled onto Sunset Drive. Streetlights illuminated the neighborhood occupied mainly by Air Force personnel. It looked the same as when she’d left for school. It wasn’t as dull as some of the cookie-cutter ranch homes, but it still lacked the character of the neighborhoods around Gainesville.
I don’t know why they paint the stucco in such lurid colors. The closer she got to the beach, the more fluorescent the homes became.
“I’m glad you’re going to be home, but you could’ve visited your nana with mom, if you wanted to,” her father said.
“I might, but I wanted to see you too.”
“I know you girls are worried about me, but I promise I’m not wallowing in misery.”
Uh huh, Abby thought as her dad parked in the driveway.
“Providence knew the risks.”
“It doesn’t add up, Peanut,” Brennan replied with a shake of his head.
Abby wanted to groan at the nickname her family insisted on calling her.
“Alright,” she replied with a resigned sigh. There was no point arguing with the man.
“I’m going to gather the trash and haul it to the curb. Do you still have your key?”
“Yep.”
Abby grabbed her backpack, which was stuffed full of clothes instead of books, for once, then headed inside. She passed through the dim foyer into the living room, and flipped on a lamp by the couch.
“Do not be frightened.”
Abby paused as she was about to dump her backpack on the floor. Her eyes flew to the giant lurking in the shadows of her living room.
“We’re not here to harm you.”
Abby spun to see another behemoth blocking her exit from the room.
Abby’s heart rate sped up, and her breath came out in gasping pants, as she looked from one giant intruder to the other. They both wore hooded sweatshirts obscuring their faces. She opened her mouth.
“Please do not scream, little female,” one of the intruders said.
She wouldn’t have been nearly as frightened if it weren’t for the growling sounds they made.
“Easy female. I would never harm you,” the one by the door said.
The growling sound came from his mouth, but the words he spoke came from somewhere near his wrist. The man’s hands were hidden in the pocket of the sweatshirt, and Abby wondered if he had a gun. The man wouldn’t need it. He could subdue his victims with his size alone.
“This is not who we came here to see,” the man by the television said.
“No, but she looks strikingly familiar to Providence. Look at her flame colored hair,” the one by the door replied.
Abby’s eyes widened at the mention of her missing sister.
“What do you know about my sister?” Abby demanded, forgetting her fear.
She took a step toward the guy by the door, attempting to get a better look at his face.
“Peanut, you want me to make some popcorn? We can watch a movie,” her father called out as he entered the kitchen from the side door.
“Um, Dad,” Abby said hesitantly.
The man by the door moved toward her, forcing Abby to back up. She almost bumped into the other giant.
“Please don’t hurt him,” she begged the men.
“Peanut?” Her father paused as he entered the living room. “What are you doing in my home?” Brennan demanded, using the military voice that made men quake.
“Brennan Murray,” the man who’d been by the door addressed her father. “We need your assistance.”
“This isn’t how to get it.”
“We mean you no harm. We bring a message from your daughter, Providence. She said you’d need some convincing. She wanted you to know that your angel f
ound her way to the stars, and is happy.”
Abby gasped. Not only did the men know her sister’s name, but they knew her nickname. Abby’s jaw dropped further when the men lowered their hoods.
Author’s Note
Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed Warrior’s Pain (Cadi Warriors Book 4). Follow Ashtoret and Abby in Warrior’s Purpose (Cadi Warriors Book 5), coming Spring 2018.
If you like my stories, please find me on Amazon.
http://amazon.com/author/stephaniewest
Or follow me on my blog.
http://stephaniewest.freeblog.site/
In my books, I feature heroines who are strong, despite the things they have experienced in life. The truth is, we all experience rough times and sometimes need help. If you, or someone you know, needs assistance, please look toward resources like al-anon.org, or your local police department webpage, which will list reputable local domestic violence shelters.
Please know that you are not alone. You have immeasurable value, and we all deserve every bit of happiness we can wring from this life.
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