Land of the Brave: Forbidden Spice (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Jools Louise

  He distantly heard howls in the distance, and knew backup was on its way. The cries of his pack had his enemies pausing, yelping. He battled on, ignoring them. If he had to kill to survive, then he would, but Chatan hoped that he wouldn’t have to. It was more customary to test an enemy’s strength than kill. Once the man understood that Chatan was alpha here, then perhaps they would leave.

  The brave shifted again, grabbing his dagger. Wielding it skillfully, he plunged it into Chatan’s side, whooping in triumph, only to scream in rage when Chatan lunged for his throat, clamping down with his strong jaws.

  Chatan shifted, too, gripping the man’s throat in his fist and shaking him as though he were a rag doll, crushing his windpipe. The bastard was sly and cunning. He would not leave easily. Perhaps he would understand a hard lesson.

  * * * *

  Mary whimpered, trying not to breathe too hard, the arrow in her shoulder painful as hell. She watched the short, but vicious battle, her wolf’s senses picking up the invaders’ fear when Etu howled for assistance, and received and answering cry in return.

  She watched as the one fighting Chatan shifted one way and then back, stabbing Chatan in the side before Chatan managed to take back control, and went for the savage’s throat. She hoped the bastard coward died. Her lover released his limp foe, backing off and clutching his side, breathing hard.

  “Leave here,” he snarled at the defeated pack, growling angrily. The female glared at him, and looked reluctant to go, but then nodded to her companions. They gathered their fallen leader and dragged him with them as they fled, remaining in human form. Before they disappeared from sight, Mary saw the female look back, straight at her, and shivered at the pure venom in that dark gaze. The female was a nasty piece of work. Who knew what had turned her that way, but she was not someone who would stay away for long. Mary felt a sense of foreboding. Their peaceful idyll had been disturbed. She felt sure they would need to watch their backs now. Those Arapahoe would be back.

  “Mary,” Chatan cried, coming back to her, falling to his knees.

  She whimpered and licked his hand. She nudged his hand away from his wound, and licked at the nasty injury gently, cleansing it with her saliva. He winced, but let her tend to him, stroking her between the ears.

  Etu returned, having chased after the escaping Arapahoe to make sure they’d actually left. He looked concerned as he saw Chatan’s wound.

  “That needs stitching,” he said, kneeling.

  They heard soft footsteps thudding over the icy ground, and a few moments later Chatan’s brothers, Bly and her two mates, plus Etu’s family all arrived in a hurry, all in wolf form.

  “Mary!” Dustu cried out as he shifted, looking distraught. “What happened?”

  “Thanks, I’m fine, too,” Chatan said drily, smiling slightly when his brother flushed.

  “Sorry,” Dustu said, ducking his head. “But what happened?”

  “Arapahoe,” Etu replied gruffly, when the others had shifted, as well. “They came following the buffalo. They told us this was their valley and that we had to leave. We discussed the matter and they left…for now.”

  Chatan grinned at the short explanation, which left out a whole volume of stuff.

  “The female wore a belt full of scalps,” Mary said softly, shifting to human form. She winced as she moved her shoulder. The shift had popped the arrow from her shoulder, but the wound looked deep and nasty. “She won’t be gone for long. This is prime territory, and her little pack looked desperate for food. Now they know we’re here, they’ll return until they get what they want.”

  Chatan nodded, moving less painfully as he felt his wound beginning to heal. Had the dagger entered a few inches farther up, his heart would have been in trouble. Even a shifter would have a problem healing from a direct hit to the heart.

  “They would probably have killed that entire herd,” he said, frowning. “There would be no need, since we have plenty of food to sustain us, from the elk, moose, and caribou. The buffalo are growing scarcer and that makes them sacred. We must protect them.”

  His brothers looked at him, askance. “You don’t want to hunt buffalo?” Kata asked in surprise.

  “The buffalo are nearly extinct,” Mary told him, nodding at his look of alarm. “The hunters have killed indiscriminately, and decimated them. There may be only small family groups left now. If we have enough food here, why would we risk killing them for nothing? Why not let them grow strong again?”

  Maska stared at the small herd, who had stopped to watch the battle. “There are only a few here,” he said quietly, frowning thoughtfully. “You are right, brother, we have no need to kill for food. The elk and trout and caribou sustain us. We gathered many fruit and nuts and berries in the late summer, and have plenty for everyone. If we destroy all the buffalo, then we are no better than the white eyes.”

  “We’ll go after the Arapahoe,” Etu said. “We need to know where they came from.”

  Flo came running up in furred form, and shifted mid-stride as she drew nearer. “Etu, the valley on the other side was empty when I went there with Iye and Wakiza.” His brothers nodded in agreement.

  “She’s right,” Iye added, staring in that direction. “It’s small and narrow, with nothing like what we have here. I don’t know where they came from, since we haven’t seen any other way into it. It looked like a dead end.”

  “I think the tunnel that connects the valleys may hold some answers,” Flo said, flushing when all eyes turned to her. Etu shot a hard look her way, demanding an explanation.

  “I may have done a little exploring on my own,” she confessed, flinching a little when all three brothers let out growls of annoyance. Flo took too many risks.

  “Flo,” Chatan said softly, tilting his head and studying her carefully. “What did you find?”

  She looked at him diffidently, tucking a lock of black hair behind one ear and then staring at her feet. “There were signs of a fire in there,” she replied. “And some bones. They were wrapped in skins. The skeleton of one was that of an infant.”

  Mary gave a cry of distress. “Do you think…?” she began.

  Chatan nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps the female lost her child?” he suggested, and Mary nodded sadly.

  “Best we follow them,” Etu said again, more firmly. “It would not do to underestimate our enemy. We have wounded one, perhaps fatally, and from the look that bitch gave Mary, your mate will be first in line should they come back here. They will want vengeance.”

  Chatan nodded. “Tread carefully,” he said. “They may be a scouting party.”

  Etu nodded, shifted and led his brothers off toward the caves.

  Flo stared after them, looking worried. “I need to go with them,” she said. She looked at Chatan pleadingly.

  “What do you see?” he asked gently, knowing she sensed something. She had the sight, and often saw things happen before anyone else.

  “Danger,” she said, as though speaking to herself. “We are all in great danger.” She looked at him, gripping his hands in hers. “Prepare for war,” she said. “That way leads to death.”

  Chatan was alarmed at her sincerity, not doubting for an instant that she was right. She was the one who had warned about Bimisi’s treachery, and Taima’s. She had predicted the soldiers coming to take their people away, had also told him of this valley, indirectly, telling him to look for a valley where buffalo roamed and bald eagles soared, hidden from the world.

  “Do we leave or do we stay?” he asked her softly, and she paused, as though thinking hard.

  “That I cannot see,” she replied, her eyes looking haunted. “I just sense that the war will change this place forever. Danger is on all sides, closing in, and surrounding us. It wants to destroy us, to imprison us, to stop us from living free.”

  Chatan looked to the pass to the east, the waterfalls to the west, and the caves to the northwest. “The entrance to the southeast is impassable right now,” he said reflectively. “The wat
erfalls, we have not navigated yet, and it would be dangerous to explore when winter is upon us. The only other way into this valley is through the caves.” He looked at Flo, one brow arched. “Unless there’s anything else you’ve failed to tell me?”

  She flushed, and shook her head, kicking at the snow with her thick boots. “No, that’s it.”

  Chatan smiled slightly. “Perhaps there is a way of ensuring that danger does not get in, until we are ready to defend ourselves properly,” he said. “If the caves are a weak point, we could block them off.”

  Maska grinned at him. “The dynamite we took from the buffalo hunters’ camp,” he said, and Chatan nodded.

  “Yes,” the alpha replied. “We could cause a landslide and prevent anyone else from coming here. We can survive here indefinitely, can’t we? When we’re ready to leave, if that time comes, then we can head west again. But perhaps this is the place we’re meant to stay.”

  Harmony interjected, having been silent, listening intently to the conversation. “This can be our home,” he said. “If we are all agreed that this can be our home, then why not stay forever? Our enemies surround us? Fine, then let us be safe in this place, where they can’t get to us.”

  “They will come,” Flo said, the haunted look still in her eyes.

  “If they come, we will fight,” Raven said fiercely, the light of battle in his dark gaze. “Harmony and I have been slaves all our lives. We will kill to retain our freedom.”

  Chatan nodded, trying to make the right decision.

  “Do you know what the danger will be?” Mary asked Flo, choosing her words carefully. “Will it be soldiers, or another tribe?”

  Flo looked at her, frowning. “I’m not sure. I couldn’t see clearly. It was more of a feeling than a vision. I sensed many threads, leading in all directions, with us in the center.”

  “There is gold in the mountains,” Mary said, snuggling into Chatan’s arms as she crawled over to sit on his lap, curling into him for comfort. “Miners will come for their precious metals and minerals. Soldiers will send out search parties, rounding up the last stragglers from the Native American tribes. If this place appears on a map, perhaps they will come here, thinking to find more people for their reservations. Trappers will come to collect fur. Other tribes may find their way here, searching for their own freedom. There are many dangers that our people will face.”

  Chatan kissed her blonde head gently, stroking her back. He knew what encroached, knew that technology would advance the white eyes’ settlements all over these lands. This was prime territory, and if they had found it, so could others. The land belonged to everyone, but the white eyes protected it fiercely, putting up their fences and running their vast herds of cattle all over sacred lands. Mary was right. He thought that perhaps they should make their way out of here when the first suggestion of spring arrived. But they would not leave in the expected way. They would use his gift to evade their enemies. They would hide in plain sight, traveling by night as they had done before, and head straight over the highest passes. They would trek north-northwest to the ocean and then north, following the coast until they reached new lands, untouched by the ravages of humanity. Perhaps it was time to discard their human forms altogether and live wild and free. He knew there were great forests to the northwest, filled with elk and moose. Rivers filled with salmon and trout and beaver. Plenty to keep their bellies full.

  “We will have a pow-wow,” he said solemnly. “We must be in agreement about what we do next. I can offer my suggestions, but I am merely guessing. I could be completely wrong. I would welcome everyone’s opinion.”

  Flo nodded. She howled mournfully after her mates, who were distant dots on the horizon by now. An answering howl came back. Minutes later they trotted back, looking curiously at Chatan.

  “It is too dangerous to follow them now,” he told the brothers, who shifted to their human form. “Flo is a seer, and has a premonition about our future.”

  “Flo?” Iye said, enfolding her in his arms tightly. She whimpered softly, burying her face in the soft leather of his tunic.

  “What have you seen, my love?” Etu asked, stroking her hair.

  She explained to them, and heard their low growls of concern. “Why did you not tell us before?” Wakiza asked, sounding puzzled.

  “I thought you might not want me anymore,” she replied, sounding fearful. “Bimisi treated me like a pariah when he found I had the sight.”

  “Our people have never shunned those with the sight,” Etu said firmly, scowling. “Bimisi and his cousin were fools, scared of their own shadows it seems. We would never not want you, my little love.”

  Flo sobbed into Iye’s chest as her mates gathered around her, comforting her anguish as best they could.

  “Bimisi was a bastard,” Mary said fiercely, earning her a grin from her lovers and the rest of the group. “Well, he was.”

  “Yes, he was,” Kata said, kissing her forehead. “Now let’s return to camp, and pow-wow. We have a lot to discuss.”

  Chatan nodded, explaining to Etu and his brothers what he thought, and about what he had heard about the lands to the far northwest.

  They all shifted to wolf form, and headed swiftly home.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Hannah was drenched, her clothes sticking to her like a second skin, courtesy of the spray from the waterfall she was negotiating. It was the fifth such obstacle the pack had climbed in as many days. The going was tough, the rocks slippery, and her heart was in her mouth as she clambered carefully onto the safety of the rock below.

  “Well done,” Paco said approvingly, hugging her close as he leapt nimbly down beside her. “That was a tough one.” She nodded, accepting his embrace and inhaled his earthy scent.

  The day was warm, spring showing its face finally after months of cold weather.

  “We’ll camp here,” Chatan called, grabbing their attention. “That’s everyone down now. Let’s eat now. The little ones are hungry.”

  Hannah sighed in relief, hearing a low chuckle from Onawa as he came over, having been relieving himself against a tree. “Is our little one hungry, too?” he teased, kissing her hungrily. She laughed at him, enjoying his moist tongue swirling around hers.

  “I love you,” she murmured, and felt his arms wrap around her, as well, sandwiching her between her two lovers.

  “I love you, too,” Onawa answered, his hard cock pushing insistently against her ass. “When we get time, I’ll show you just how much.”

  She laughed at him, grabbing a handful of crotch and squeezing firmly. “Too many people around, Onawa,” she retorted, giggling when he cupped her breasts and tweaked her nipples in retaliation. “Onawa!” she shrieked, trying to pull away, and flushing in embarrassment when all eyes turned their way, along with knowing smiles.

  “Our little temptress is challenging us to pleasure her without anyone hearing,” Paco said against her neck, nipping her lightly. “You are so loud in your passion, my love, it might be an impossible feat.”

  She squealed at that, squealing louder when he hefted her into his arms, and slapped her ass sharply as he carried her to where the rest of the pack was busy getting supplies. She cursed her lovers roundly, causing much laughter from the large group, who sent teasing suggestions their way about how to deal with noisy females. Hannah laughed along with them, offering her own solution to coping with embarrassing mates.

  They had been traveling for weeks, following the river after leaving the sanctuary of their secret valley behind. The horses had been sacrificed, and left to roam wild. They could not negotiate rapids and waterfalls towing horses. They had journeyed on four legs and two, choosing to follow narrow animal trails, through forests and thickly wooded slopes covered with snow. As wolves, they covered many miles, their stamina increasing with each day that passed. They were close to the mouth of the river now, and could smell the ocean a few miles ahead.

  This last cataract had been steep and treacherous, and they were lucky to
have all got down in one piece. There was a happy atmosphere, a sense of cautious relief. They had not seen the Arapahoe, and hoped that by giving up the horses and leaving the valley behind, their enemy would not risk following. The horses were valuable, as was the land…but not valuable enough to risk their lives. Not with the addition of new life burgeoning within the pack. Hannah held her belly, stroking the mound that grew daily, evidence of the child within.

  She felt Paco’s hand move over hers, and they shared a smile. Onawa kissed her tenderly once Paco put her down, then pressed his lips to her belly.

  “He grows strong,” Onawa said, rubbing his cheek against her.

  “Or she,” she chided, smiling at his snort.

  “I care not,” Onawa retorted, pinching her butt cheekily. “I just can’t wait to see our child and hold him—or her—in my arms.”

  “Nor can I,” Paco agreed, kissing her.

  “Put her down, boys,” Mary said, laughing as she passed by, her own belly bulging beneath her dress. “We know what all that kissing and cuddling leads to.”

  Paco smirked, waggling his brows. “Which is exactly why we enjoy it so much,” he retorted. She swatted his arm, laughing still, and ambled to grab a log that lay on the pebbly beach. Before she took another step, a bullet hit the rocks at her feet, coming from the trees. Shot after shot rained down, and people scattered in terror. Jacy, one of Chatan’s original tribe, fell to the ground, groaning as he was hit, the bullet going into his thigh.

  “Stay down,” Chatan screamed at them. The pack hunkered down, and immediately the barrage stopped.

  “Halt!” a harsh voice said from the cover of the trees that lined the river on both sides.

  Hannah rolled her eyes, lying beneath Paco’s hard body. She spied Mary, a few feet away, still as death, her face turned away. Hannah let out a cry, and went to go to her. There was blood on Mary’s skirt, and Hannah was terrified that she had been killed.