by Rosalie Redd
Butterflies in her stomach fluttered around as if trying to escape. Don’t show fear. She raised her chin. “Well?”
The skin around his eyes crinkled, and an odd chortle emerged from his lips. “You’re a hard female to please. What will you give me if I am successful?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Besides a pat on the back?”
He smirked, then his gaze travelled down her body. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
A laugh bubbled up inside and she let it out. The sound echoed around the small room. “I didn’t think Gossum could…perform. Keep trying, Jakar, but that is one thing you’ll never get from me.”
With an eerie grin, he grabbed his cap and glasses from the counter and headed for the door. “I’ll be back with some new recruits…and a few of your requests.”
She crossed her arms. “You do that.”
CHAPTER 11
Tanen’s cheek rested against a soft pillow, his arms wrapped around the cushion as if it were a buoy. He opened his eyes. The outline of a dresser came into focus, a multitude of clothes strewn on top. He inhaled and her scent—the female who’d helped him, filtered into his senses stirring something deep inside. His body responded as it had before, blood rushing to his groin. In his grogginess he reached for her, but all he encountered was a cool sheet.
His thoughts cleared. He quickly rolled out of bed. A tightness pulled at the skin on his back. He glanced in the mirror. Pieces of white cloths attached with tape stretched over his back. The adhesive caused an irritating itch.
He reached behind and ripped one off, then another. Pink skin puckered around what would become a nasty scar. His pulse quickened, a rush of blood fueling his anger. He ran his hand over the one on his chest. Great, another reminder of his entanglement with his enemy. You don’t have what it takes to be a warrior. His father’s words tumbled through his mind, sending him back to the past.
* * *
Tanen ripped his shirt over his head and threw it against the wall. The cloth plopped on the stone floor in a small heap next to his dresser. The dirty shirt lying on the ground was out of place, and a sense of unease rippled under his skin. Before he could stop himself, he plucked the shirt off the floor and placed it in the hamper. The tension in his shoulders eased.
He clasped his hands together and raised them in the air, stretching out the muscles in his back. His shoulders screamed in protest, a firm reminder of his humiliation in today’s training session. Heat raced up his neck and into his cheeks. He ran his hand over his face. Father—the great Altaire—wouldn’t be pleased.
“Tanen!” Altaire’s voice boomed from their main quarters.
Tanen grabbed a fresh shirt from the drawer and put it on. He smoothed the material over his chest and straightened the collar. Stalling was one of his few methods of protest and he used it often.
“Tanen!” His father’s shrill call came again, scraping along Tanen’s nerves like a sharp knife that knew right where to prick to cause the most pain.
Eager to bury himself in a book as soon as he could get away, he picked up one of the tomes he’d discovered in the Hall of Scriptures and emerged from his room.
His father sat at the small unused dining table. His large frame dwarfed the chair, his warrior’s shirt stained with blood from a recent Gossum kill. With a rough grunt, he took off a combat boot and placed it next to his sword. The old male’s gaze raked over the ancient text in Tanen’s arms. A sneer formed on his lips.
“You called, Father?” Tanen couldn’t quite keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
“Why you bother with those books is beyond me.” His focused attention narrowed. “Did you practice today? That’s a much better use of your time.”
Tanen’s gut twisted, sending a bout of heartburn up his throat. His recent run-ins with his father had inflamed the nasty ailment. “I attended training class.”
“Did you win a match? Any match?”
No. Tanen fisted his hand, holding back the retort that would only inflame his father’s irritation. He shook his head.
Altaire moved faster than Tanen thought possible. He gripped Tanen by the shirt, hefting him off the ground. The old text hit the stone floor with a loud bang.
“Newb, you are ever a disappointment to me.” Spittle landed on Tanen’s cheek.
He held his father’s stare, refusing to give in to the elder male’s tirade. Altaire was a formidable warrior and expected—no demanded—that Tanen follow in his footsteps.
“You don’t have what it takes to be a warrior.” With a rough push, his father released him.
Tanen’s shirt ripped down to his breastbone, the sound mimicking the tear in his heart.
Altaire’s attention narrowed on Tanen’s chest, and he slowly shook his head. His piercing gaze burned into Tanen. “How a son of mine ended up with a marking like that I’ll never know. Warriors have values like honor, duty, and conviction…not honesty, tenacity, and, and…prudence.”
Fire burned inside Tanen, but he held his bitterness in check. Carefully, Tanen smoothed his collar, but the frayed ends remained rumpled, sticking out at an odd angle.
Altaire growled. “At least I can be proud of Remi. Why can’t you be more like your brother?”
Tanen was more like his older brother than his father realized. Remi had introduced Tanen to the fine art of stealing. What started as a challenge soon became an obsession, one that eased the bitter ache of disappointment. Tanen met his father’s hard stare. “I’ll make you proud father, just like Remi. You’ll see.”
“I won’t hold my breath. Now, off with you.” Altaire waved his hand in the air.
Tanen grabbed his book and ran down the hall, toward his favorite room—the Hall of Scriptures. His only solace, the knowledge he acquired from the books…and his pilfered trinkets.
* * *
Tanen ran his hand over his face, wiping away the last of the memory. Over the years he’d learned to curb his compulsion through order and simplicity, but with all the stress lately, his obsession had flared to life. He cracked his knuckles. The sound reverberated around the room.
Strings of neck chains hung over the edge of the mirror. Light from the hallway glinted off one, blinding him with its glare. He flinched and closed his eyes, but his fingers…oh, they tingled. Curling them against his palm, he willed himself to look away. He wouldn’t give in to his urge, not again. Yet, he took a step forward.
Soft footfalls from down the hall broke his concentration.
The female, his savior, strode into the room.
Their gazes met. She gave him a half-smile, a dimple forming in her cheek. “You’re awake.”
A swath of hair had escaped her bun and caressed her face. The ends moved as she breathed, and a part of him longed to brush them away from her eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes—they bore into him, capturing him. Her mouth parted, and his attention riveted there. Craya! While in his fevered state, he’d kissed those delectable lips.
A niggle of worry grew in his chest. Although rare, Lemurians could transform a human into a Dren. The most recent turning—Melissa, the new Stiyaha queen. Transformed by the Panthera leader Demir’s bite, saliva had filtered into her bloodstream through an open wound. Although Dren couldn’t shape shift, each received a unique talent. Melissa had acquired an energy shield. As with all Dren, she needed to feed on the blood of the opposite sex regularly to keep her talent powered.
Tanen had kissed this female before him, nothing more. As long as his saliva didn’t get into her bloodstream, there was no cause for concern. The tension in his shoulders relaxed.
Silence filled the air for far too long. The beautiful female had spoken, but he was so mesmerized by her, he hadn’t responded. He held out his palms. “I…I don’t know what to say…except thank you.”
CHAPTER 12
The man standing next to her bed was so much larger than Sheri remembered. His bare chest, from his sculpted pecs to his six-pack abs burned themselves into her memor
y. Smoldering blue eyes pierced her heart, weaseling their way in and setting up house. Her pulse increased along with her breathing.
She hadn’t reacted to a man like this since…well, not since Ram. Life with her ex-husband had more than filled her need for excitement, but he’d always had a lurid side. The vibe from this man was intense, exciting, without the dark edge.
His brow furrowed, and she remembered he’d thanked her.
“You’re welcome, but I couldn’t very well kick you out given your condition. Is your fever gone?” As she approached, his unique scent of musk and pepper cascaded over her. A shiver of desire warmed her skin, and she bit her cheek. Ow. Ugh. That’s number two. The slight taste of blood filled her mouth.
Wanting to let in a little air to cool her skin, she leaned toward the windowsill. “Let me open the window—”
“No!”
As she reached for the blind’s cord, he grabbed her wrist in his firm grasp, pulling her to him.
Her hands landed on his broad chest, her fingertips grazing the raised skin around one of his tear-shaped tattoos. His heat seeped under her palms, warm, but not too hot. He no longer had a fever, but a whole new kind of delirium blazed between them. The sudden urge to run her fingers down his smooth chest and over his rock-hard abdomen prickled over her sensitive skin.
He inhaled through clenched teeth. As if on cue, his erection grew and pressed against her mound. Between his thin trousers and her sheer pants, desire burned the chemistry between them into a raging flame. She wanted to press against him, drive him crazy, fuel the fire even brighter. Nibbling her bottom lip, she looked at him.
“Please, tell me…how long have I been here? Is it still night outside?” His gravelly tone and the crisp scent of his breath sent a tingle of excitement along her nerves.
“It’s just after midnight. You’ve been here several hours.” Not that she’d counted the minutes, but she’d slept fitfully in the chair at his side.
With an intensity that caused her throat to constrict, his gaze roamed from her face to her lips and back again. His irises were pools of blue flecked with small bits of gold and seemed to deepen in color. Memories of their kiss flashed through her mind, and a desire to taste his lips once again sent a rush of blood through her body. Did he remember as well? He may not, given his fevered state at the time.
What am I doing? I don’t even know him.
She broke from his embrace. Cold air replaced his warmth, and goosebumps formed along her arms. Turning away, she tried to catch her breath. Confusion fluttered in her stomach. Absently, she licked at the sore spot in her mouth. With a quick turn, she peered at him. “Tell me. Who are you and why were you in my shed?”
Somehow, the female had snuck under Tanen’s skin and into his system. The sensual way she ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms had driven him nearly insane with the need to take her, right here, right now. As much as he’d wanted Tamara and Mauree, they both paled in comparison to this fine female. That she was human mattered not to his beast. The need to claim her still ran through his veins despite she’d pushed him away. Her question pounded against his skull, trying to move through the haze of lust that consumed him.
“What is your name?”
She’d spoken again. He dare not ignore her further.
He gritted his teeth. “Tanen. My name is Tanen.”
“Tanen? I’ve never known anyone with that name.” She enunciated the last part like the English word “in.” He rather liked the slight variation.
Her focus narrowed on him as she evaluated his ripped pants. She lingered for a moment on his groin, the material still tented from his erection. Her cheeks turned a perfect shade of pink. He wanted to stroke her smooth skin with his finger, but instead, he adjusted himself, covering his manhood as best he could.
She pulled her gaze up. Her dilated eyes spoke of her desire. His inner beast roared in response, but he clamped down on his animal, forcing it into submission.
She pursed her lips. “What happened to you?”
He exhaled, buying himself some time. What could he tell her? Certainly not the truth. Yeah, I’m an alien from Lemuria here to fight over your planet’s water. Just pretend you didn’t see me. There was no way he’d say those words. He closed his eyelids and rubbed the bridge of his nose. The first signs of a tension headache built behind his eyes.
“Yes, I’m fine. Why was I in your shed?” He peered at her. “It’s…complicated.”
Her attention focused behind him, on the mirror. She audibly inhaled and her eyes widened. “Your back, it’s healed. How is that possible?”
It’s not, in your world. He’d never seen the human realm before, always remaining in the Keep or the surrounding forests. The only details he’d learned about humans came from the Jixies. With their fast speech and animated gestures, some of their descriptions made sense, while others were vague. One thing was clear, although similar in appearance, humans were a different species. He swallowed, giving himself a moment before responding. “I have a fast metabolism.” Wasn’t that an understatement.
“That…can’t be. Something’s not right here.” Her brow furrowed, and her gaze bore into him. “Okay, Tanen. Tell me what’s going on or I’m calling the police.” Her voice was terse.
The fire in her tone caused his beast to stand up and take notice. A strong pull to wrap her in his arms tugged at his chest. He fisted his hand and focused on her request. “I was caught in a bad situation, and…ended up in the losing end of a fight. Your small structure was a convenient place to hide.”
She focused on him, eyes narrowed. He swallowed, hating himself for holding back the truth. His marking for honesty burned hot on his chest. Glancing around the room, he searched for his coat.
“That’s not all, is it?” Her eyebrow rose slowly. He couldn’t help but notice how her arched brow accentuated the spark in her eyes. “Did you steal something? Are you running from the law?”
A hard ball formed in his gut. Yes and no. “I’m not wanted by your law enforcement, if that’s your concern.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that.” She let out an exasperated breath. “All right, then, tell me about your back. Even a fast metabolism wouldn’t have healed those wounds that quickly.”
He clenched his jaw and looked into her eyes. Green flecks melded with the brown and he wanted to study them, learn more about the woman behind the lens, but the longer he stayed, the more risk he brought into her life. “I can’t explain how it works, but my medicine was very potent.”
She bit her lip, her gaze never leaving his. Would she trust him? Why did that matter? Still, he couldn’t deny his desire to earn her confidence. He straightened his shoulders.
“I’m a nurse. I’ve seen a lot of people recover from some pretty heinous wounds, but never anything as bad as your back. Not so quickly anyway. So, Tanen, you’re hiding something from me.”
He clamped his teeth together so hard, a shooting pain lanced through his jaw.
She stepped back, assessing him with those beautiful hazel eyes. “But when I look at you, I can tell you have a sense of honor and integrity. So, I’m going to let your miracle medicine mystery slide, for now, but soon, I’ll want an explanation.”
He let loose a slow exhale.
After several long moments, the tension lines around her eyes visibly relaxed. “You are so not what I expected to find in my shed. I’m glad you are all right.”
“I wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for you. You know, I don’t even know your name.” He approached, and the heat between them sparked anew.
“I’m Sheri, and I did what anyone would do.” She licked her lips.
He focused on her delectable mouth. “Not everyone.”
She took a step back, and he glanced at the curtain. There were several more hours before sunrise. His stomach tightened. He needed to leave, see if he could pick up Mauree’s trail. With one long glance, he committed her features to memory. “I must go.”
&nbs
p; She visibly stiffened. “Oh, you’re leaving?”
He placed his finger under the collar of his coat and tossed it over his shoulder. A loud rumble emitted from his stomach.
Her attention tracked from his jacket to his ripped pants. With a quick exhale, she crossed her arms. “Geez, I can’t do this. It would be wrong to let you leave looking like that and hungry to boot.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You know… My ex-husband left a few things. I may have something that fits. Let me check.”
The thought of an ex-lover touching her, making love to her, having her cry out his name on her lips, made him tremble with an unknown rage. Why did he react this way? She was human. The sooner he got away from her the better.
As she pulled on her closet door, the metal hinge squeaked in its track. She crouched and set a box lid against the wall. Her hair cascaded around her shoulders, and his fingers tingled with the urge to touch the fine strands. She rose, holding a white sweatshirt and a pair of grey pants in her arms. With his luck, they’d be two sizes too small.
She handed him the stack of clothes. “The bathroom is on your right. There’s a clean towel on the rack and a spare toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. I’ll make us a sandwich while you clean up.”
He could use a shower and a good meal. Before he could change his mind, he took the clothes she offered. Her hand trailed over his fingers, leaving a tingle of energy in its wake. Fighting the urge to pull her close yet again, he gave her a nod.
Their gazes locked for several long seconds.
“I’ll be in the kitchen.” She peered at him one more time and left him alone in the bedroom.
He shook his head and glanced at the window. Even through the edge of the blinds, the night called to him. Why had he accepted her gracious offer? He should be out there, searching for Mauree. Deep inside, his inner beast growled. Staying here is what he’d wanted. With a quick head shake, Tanen stepped into her bathroom and closed the door.
