by Brit Blaise
In return, Fucian wanted a portion of the Cradon's winnings. Cradon hadn't cared for this greedy colonist from the moment they'd met, but the Cadites needed food. And if Cradon won fair and square, he was more than willing to give up a portion to guarantee getting the tanco for his people. It worried him that he hadn't had confirmation from the Hajans of Fucian's right to broker such a deal. Tye Hajan had distracted him from asking ... goddess, had she.
How often in the past had Fucian made shady deals with the protectors? Or perhaps even the workers themselves? What other schemes might he have concocted to get his hands on ill-gotten gains?
"I haven't seen the bitch.” It was difficult for Cradon to get the contemptible words out of his mouth.
"If I live through this, she'll be sorry she forced me to compete. Too bad she's not here to see this.” Fucian motioned to the alpana blood on his clothes.
Cradon wanted to bust the coward's nose. “As overseer, isn't it your ultimate responsibility to make certain protectors are provided for the harvester's safety? It's common to see an overseer protecting the workers."
"Fuck common. I work hard enough for the Hajans. I shouldn't have to put my life on the line, too."
What kind of overseer would send another in his place? “Someone has to do it or the entire planet would be without food."
"Fuck this goddess forsaken planet. When I get my hands on—” Fucian snapped his mouth shut. “That fat, ugly bitch wants a husband. It ain't going to be me."
"Not even to be in control of all of this? For this, I'd gladly marry her."
"I'd kill myself before I'd come near either one of you."
At the sound of Tye's strangled voice, Cradon jerked around. She stood within a foot of the two of them. How long had she been there? He tried to remember exactly what he'd said because the look on her beautiful face left no doubt ... he'd hurt her.
"Take your places, protectors. If I'm lucky an alpana will eat you both!"
* * * *
Tye did want to die. The moment she'd heard Cradon say he'd marry her would be to get Hajan farm, the love taking root in her heart had been obliterated. She should've known! Yet, even as she told Cradon she hoped an alpana would eat him, she wanted to take the words back.
What if it really happens?
Through the long day, the screams and casualties Tye encountered coming from behind the stone fence were worse than they'd been the previous two days.
When the sun hung low and it was time for the workers to come out of the field, she went to her father's room and walked out onto the porch overlooking the gate. Fucian's men were the first to come out. Fucian first of all ... and then his men. She'd been given a tally of the day's casualties ... five in all. Those who followed Fucian out were covered in blood, whether their own or their fallen comrades, Tye didn't know.
Cradon's men came out last, with Cradon emerging the final man from the fields. He turned his face, covered with blood, to the right and the left as he searched the area. Was he looking for her? On closer inspection, she could see he had blood stains everywhere. But she'd already heard of his heroics. Three days and he'd yet to lose a single man.
When he raised his chin toward the porch, she ducked behind a potted zyncka. Its broad leaves made perfect cover.
Tye wanted to go to him. She wanted to make certain he wasn't seriously hurt. The urge to run through the colony to see him made her realize she'd never look at anything the same way again because of this unfortunate man who'd cared so little for her heart.
* * * *
Two tortured and sleepless nights later, Tye's nerves had developed twitches and all manner of other very visible signs for anyone who might notice. She couldn't eat, not a single bite in days. Not even the tanco she craved most of the time sounded appetizing.
Each night she lay awake in the hopes he'd come to her, and each morning she grew more morose when he didn't. The waiting while word came about the casualties became unbearable. And each evening, as the men came out the fields, she employed her time hiding behind the potted zyncka and watching for him.
"Tomorrow is the last day. Don't you think you should talk to him when he comes out of the fields this evening?” Wyn asked in a quiet voice from behind her.
Tye pretended to dust the zyncka leaves. “Forget it ... him. I know I certainly have."
"Like hell you have. Is that why you jump out of your skin if someone whispers around you? You're afraid he's going to be killed out there before you get the chance to kill him yourself. And come away from that plant ... you know it's poisonous. I think it's making you turn green from spending so much time with it."
Tye stepped from behind the plant and almost into a pile of ashes she wouldn't have noticed if not for her sister's interference. “He's not interested in me ... he wants this farm and nothing more. What have you been burning out here?"
Wyn sighed and looked down at the ashes. “I don't pretend to know anything about men, since none have ever interested me for even a second, but I think perhaps he wants more. You can't fake some things. And that looks like burned zyncka leaves. I certainly didn't do that. I told you they're poisonous."
Tye wanted to argue, not about the zyncka, but about how well Cradon had faked it.
"Here they come,” Wyn said, and Tye had to fight the urge to flee behind the plant again.
Tye refused to turn toward the gate. “And why would I care?"
"There has to be a better way than this barbaric ritual.” All of a sudden, Wyn sounded close to tears. “You better get down there. They're bringing your lover out on a stretcher."
Tye flew off the porch, past her father's sick bed, and down the stairs faster than she'd ever gone in all her twenty-six years. She suddenly realized she shouldn't be rushing to a protector's side like a madwoman, but she didn't think of that until half the colony saw her running toward the gates.
She stopped so fast, she pitched forward and almost fell on her face. The remaining steps to Cradon's side were like a mile. “Is he dying?” The sound of her words betrayed her panic.
"He's unconscious. We're taking him to the physician."
"Bring him to the house. It's much closer."
She could see from the curious faces that she'd erred. But then again, these men depended on this man. They trusted him like she used to, so perhaps they wouldn't judge her harshly.
"She's right,” one said.
"We can't do this without him,” another spoke. “We all owe him our lives."
Tye wanted her life to go back to the way it was before she met him ... no, she didn't ... yes, she did. But most of all she wanted Cradon to live, even if it wasn't with her.
Cradon moaned and opened his amber eyes to glance up at Tye. “Silda."
"What did the protector call you?"
Tye removed his sword from the litter beside him and then motioned for them to follow her. When they did, she breathed a sigh of relief and struggled under the weight of the long broadsword. “I don't think he knows what he's saying. He's hurt."
"Here comes the doctor,” one of the workers said.
"She said to bring him to the Hajan House,” one of the men told the doctor.
"Good thing ... my space is full. Thank the goddesses there's only one day left."
A second rush of relief overtook her. She wasn't certain why, but she needed to keep the protector close. She wanted to take care of him, even if she hated him.
"Trust your heart,” Cradon said.
His eyes were closed. If she hadn't seen his lips move with the words, she wouldn't have believed the harsh sound came from him.
What did he mean?
"What did he say?” the doctor asked as he drew nearer.
"Trust ‘er hearth,” one of the men said.
"When would he have seen your fireplace?” the doctor asked.
"My what?"
The doctor made a sound of impatience. “He wants us to put him by the warmth of your extraordinary hearth. Has he been in your ho
use before?"
"Fucian brought him before the harvest. I'm not sure why. Maybe to speak with Father."
"That must be it. Are you certain it will be okay with your father if we bring him inside?"
The Metran people weren't social. None of the colonists on Metra made close friends with one another. Most had never seen the insides of each other's homes, so she understood why the doctor questioned her unusual request. The blood on Cradon's shirt spread down toward his waist.
"Hurry,” she said. “His bleeding has worsened."
The front door led to a great room with the fireplace to the left and the stairs to the second floor on the right. She leaned his sword against the door frame and gave the men a pointed look before proceeding toward the hearth.
"We'll leave,” one said after they placed the litter near the warmth of the fire. Everyone except the doctor left the house at once.
If anything happened to him and it wasn't by her hand ... She needed to resolve the emotions warring inside her. She needed understand how he could make love to her and then say what he did to Fucian.
"There are many scratches, but none too deep. It almost appears the alpana toyed with him, playing with her food so to speak. I'll give him this to counteract the poison in the alpana's claws and he should be fine when he awakens. The poison's always the first thing to think of in these cases. We've had more than our fair share of poisonings in this colony."
When Cradon regained consciousness only seconds after the doc blasted a dose of on anti-alpana into his veins, tears wet her eyes.
The physician snapped his case shut. “I need to see to the others. Send for me if his condition worsens, but I think he'll be ready to lead his men to the harvest in the morning."
Tye didn't bother to see the doctor to the door. Once they were alone, Cradon pushed up to lean on his elbow. “Could you get me some powdered tanco?"
Now? He wanted powdered tanco when he'd just very nearly lost his life?
"And water. And a bowl to mix it into a paste."
She did as he said, mixed it according to his directions, and spread it on the wounds scratched across his chest once he explained its purpose. “If this concoction helps alpana bites, wouldn't we know that?"
"Evidently not, but these aren't bites. It's Silda's claws marking me, and it's not the first time she's used them on me, but the first time she did it so enthusiastically. See—it's helping already."
When Tye took a closer look, she could see the bleeding had stopped.
"I need to bathe.” He pushed himself up to a sitting position. “I need to go and tend to this filth. But I have something to say."
"Not now. We can finish this when you're better. Tomorrow after the harvest is finished and you're declared the champion."
"I could've been killed today or could die tomorrow for that matter. I need you to know when I made love to you, it wasn't to get this.” He waved his hand in an arc she took to mean her father's property and possessions.
"I heard what you said to Fucian."
"You heard me telling Fucian what he wanted to hear. Do you think I'd learn anything from him if he thought I'd fallen in love with you?"
CHAPTER 8
Tye waited anxiously in her bedroom, staring out at the colony stretching along both sides of the immense stone wall along the tanco fields. Hajan House was situated directly in the center, across from the massive iron gates, and had the distinction of being the only building with more than a single level.
She didn't know if Cradon would return, but she stayed awake and hoped. He didn't disappoint her. A muted knock on her door sounded as the lights began to go off all over the colony.
He'd said he loved her. Did she dare believe him?
His words from days earlier came to her, words having nothing to do with declarations of love, so to speak. Where I come from, when a woman gets on her knees in front of a man, it's to take him into her mouth.
She didn't question why she thought of those particular words. That could come later, if acting on them proved ill-fated.
"I prayed you'd come."
"I passed your sister on the way up. She said you'd reserved the right to kill me by your own hand, and I'd be remiss to allow myself to get eaten by an alpana."
She pulled his sleeve to urge him inside before they disturbed her father. She put her finger to her lips. “Shh."
He gave her a nod and stepped inside the door, allowing her to lock it behind him. “I—” She put her hand over his mouth to stop him from speaking.
"Please, before you speak—let me.” She began to help him out of his clean shirt. She'd seen the stitching before, done by one of the colonists who made very distinctive patterns as her signature. The woman's husband was one of Cradon's harvesters, under his protection. “I see you have the village women looking after you."
Cradon seemed surprised she'd noticed, but Tye didn't intend to speak of gifts from the colonists as she tossed his shirt to the floor. She began to tug at the drawstring on his bagdas. When they fell to Cradon's ankles, freeing his hard-on, he stepped out of them.
Tye fell to her knees on top of Cradon's soft bagdas. She had no clue how to go about it, but didn't want to give him time to object. As she lowered her head, a drop of creamy substance appeared on the head of his engorged cock, just as before. This time she licked it off. Once again the flavor of tanco surprised her.
Very pleasant.
When she continued to lick him and he moaned, she decided she must be doing it right. Except for his words—Where I come from, when a woman gets on her knees in front of a man, it's to take him into her mouth. Licking didn't seem to qualify.
She attempted to put him inside her mouth and he seemed appreciative if the sounds he made were an indication, but it was harder than she'd anticipated.
"Maybe suck gently and rub one of your hands up and down,” he suggested.
She obliged, drawing as much of him into her mouth as she could, and sliding her hand up and down the rest of him, bumping against his balls with each stroke.
"Oh, goddesses!” he groaned a short while later.
She sucked harder and he tried to push her aside. She resisted, and, in another moment she understood as the creamy substance shot into her mouth. It excited her. Her own sex reacted with a flood of moisture. She sucked until he finally stopped squirting and his member softened in her hand and mouth.
She gave it a loving pat and a kiss before looking up at him.
Cradon started to speak when a commotion sounded from below. He reached for his bagdas as she jumped to her feet.
"Tye! Send Cradon down at once!"
What was wrong with Wyn's brain? She'd just announced to their father that Tye had a man in her bedroom. However, as Tye descended the stairs, it was much worse.
Several men stood at the doorway. Cradon's men.
"Someone didn't secure the gate and alpana have come into the colony. Two of them. And they appear to be fighting. Once they finish with each other, we fear they'll hunt among our homes. And no one can get near enough to close the door and keep more from getting free to attack."
Cradon bolted past her and out the door, grabbing his sword, which still rested by the frame. He paused but for a moment and met her gaze. “Stay in the house. I don't want you in danger."
* * * *
The sound of fierce growling blasted an overdose of adrenalin to Cradon's weakened state and gave him what he knew he would need to fight two alpanas at once. Fully expecting to be alone in his endeavor, it shocked him to see his men, all with swords in their hands, forming a circle around the battling alpana.
It took only a glimpse to see one of the alpana was Silda. The other, much bigger, had Silda by the throat. Cradon needed to do something fast before the beast killed her or his beast came out to protect her.
He began his chant with a bloodcurdling shout. The alpana chewing on Silda's neck stopped shaking her and froze. Its angry eyes blazed at Cradon as he began to wield his swor
d, making it clear to the animal, he could kill it in an instant.
"Learn or you will die. Learn or you will die,” Cradon chanted in the language of the ancients. “Learn or you will die.” He swiped the sword through the air with such force the hair on the beast moved with the wind. He came within a fraction of slicing its throat.
The beast didn't flinch, but its eyes were now wary instead of arrogant in its power.
"Learn or you will die."
Another thrust and this time Cradon took with it a good deal of alpana fur. Golden tufts flew in the air. The alpana let go of Silda, and, for a second, appeared ready to leave before it turned and leaped toward Cradon.
Instantly, Cradon's beast began to emerge. His clothes were shredded while he wrestled with the alpana and shifted out of human form. With each passing second he became less a man and more of an alpana. Normally the intense pain of shifting had all his attention. This time his mind was on Tye and how she must be disgusted by the sight of him. Screams and shouts from the colonists’ alarm competed with savage growls.
Instinct for survival outweighed any worry about the colonists, or even Tye, during the fight. The man inside the beast chanted. The beast fought for his pride. He'd never lost a battle.
When his sank his massive fangs into the throat of his foe, the results were immediate. The offending alpana went limp to show capitulation and subjection. Cradon's furry beast released his grip and, at the same time, allowed Cradon to shift back into human form.
The process of changing back to a man was not only painful, it was humiliating. He didn't have the least chance of winning Tye's heart now. A hush came over the colonists as he performed contortions he could only imagine were disgusting. When, seconds later, he stood naked, he expected all eyes to be on him.
Instead, most looked at Fucian, who had chosen that particular time to show the colonists he didn't fear confronting the already injured alpana as it made its way back toward the gate. The man had no understanding of the nature of the beast. He thrust his sword putting all his weight on the forward movement. When the battle-wise alpana anticipated the poorly executed plunge and stepped out of range, it left Fucian off balance. In the time he needed to right himself, the alpana went for Fucian's throat. It shook Fucian like a cada-doll, then went on its way.
