Shades Of Green

by Tianna Xander

“Ye know, I dinnae take note that your passing awakens the ground where ye walk. Did it do so when all of ye were riding, or only when you walk?”

  “It’s only when we walk.” She reached out and placed her hand against his face. “You’re still warm.”

  “Not as warm as we were,” Kiran added before he shifted back into a bear and rested on the ground for them to climb aboard his back again.

  “It’s good that the green only comes when ye walk upon the ground. The ogres should have a difficult time following us as long as ye stay on our backs.” Gaige glanced around the glade. The nymphs had used the time wisely. They had taken the opportunity to awaken the glade and bring the plants to life. “Will these plants stay alive, or will you need tae return and reaffirm the energy you’ve infused within them?”

  “Unfortunately, someone will have to return within the next three days to rejuvenate the soil, or the plants and trees will again grow dormant.” Thal sighed. “With the ogres looking for us it’s impossible to do. All they have to do is wait in an area we’ve rejuvenated. They know we must return.”

  “Then we’ll have tae cover more area than you can normally cover in a day.” Gaige frowned, then glanced over at Kiran. “Gather up a pack of nymphs and carry them back tae the castle. Get a few of our kin tae carry two nymphs each out into the countryside. Have them spread the green as far and as fast as they can.” He turned to Thal. “Is there a way tae have the green fade faster in parts? Can ye choose tae not give it your all? We might be able tae mislead the ogres into thinking ye can cover more area than ye really can. In three days time, we can take ye back tae the areas where ye laid down the full strength of your magic and then ye can rejuvenate those areas. The more area we can cover, the thinner our ogre friends will spread themselves. It will make them easier to convince that they must live their lives without you or die.”

  Gaige grinned. “I think they would rather leave ye alone than die trying tae possess ye.” He glanced at Kiran who stood with thirteen nymphs and two little people on his back. “What are ye still doing here, ye nit? Get moving.”

  Turning, Kiran jumped into the river and headed upstream. If there was one thing Gaige could say about his cousin, it was that the man had brains. “Good move, cousin.” The castle was north of their position. The longer he stayed in the water, the farther he would be able to go before having to stop and cool off again.

  “Now, after I shift, I want ye all tae climb back up on me. I’ll carry ye several miles south and we’ll stop in another glade and ye can work a wee bit of your magic there. Just enough for the green tae fade in a few hours. The third stop, you’ll give it your all.”

  “At the second stop we’ll have to rest. I’m afraid we used up what little we had left of today’s magic here. Our energy comes from the sun. The longer it’s dark out, the weaker we get.”

  “Well, hell. I’ll have tae find ye a place tae rest, then. Make sure the females dinnae fall, Liam.” Gaige shifted to his bear and rested his belly on the ground until his passengers climbed up onto his back and settled in.

  He wasn’t sure why, but none of the other nymphs had said a word since their rescue. He’d think they couldn’t talk if it weren’t for the fact that he’d seen one of the others talking to Thal.

  Perhaps it comes down to a matter of trust.

  Gaige frowned. Yet, if that were so, why did Thal talk to them? The thought gave him hope. Maybe she trusted them after all. Still, there was that little matter about her size.

  Chapter Seven

  Thal almost fell asleep on the large, lumbering bear that claimed to be her mate. After managing to escape her cell and freeing the others, she was exhausted. Though she hadn’t been in captivity and starved as long as the others, just the sheer magnitude of her efforts had drained her of almost all of her energy.

  Tired, Thal felt wrinkled and gray. Her energy spent, she leaned forward and rested against the warmth of the bear’s neck, relying on the others to catch her before she fell. Worried about her kin, she hadn’t slept much the night before. It was the first time in as long as she could remember that she’d done without sleep.

  Generally nymphs didn’t worry about much. They woke, they worked and played, ate then slept, waking again the next day to restart the entire cycle of their lives. The others dozed behind her, the two little men doing their best to keep everyone from toppling off the bear as he swam down the river to wherever he decided would make a good camp for the rest of the night.

  When Gaige finally swam to the riverbank and pulled himself from the river, he knelt on the ground waiting patiently for them all to disembark his person. Once they all had their feet on the ground, he shifted his shape back into that of a man. His kilt, while around his waist as a man, usually settled somewhere around his neck as the bear, appearing as though he wore a small scarf.

  While the kilt looked large on the man, it seemed small on the bear, who was much, much larger and heavier. He was so warm, even in his human form, he actually steamed as he walked the perimeter of the glade searching for something.

  “What are you looking for?” Thul asked as she tilted her head and followed his motions.

  Thal snorted. It would be her cousin that finally decided to trust him and speak up first. Thul was most likely under the impression that Gaige would take a shine to her and give up his ideas of taking Thal for a mate.

  “She can have him, for all I care.”

  “He won’t see her, you know.” Her mother stood just to her left and behind her.

  “Why do you say that?” Thal acted as though she didn’t care, but something deep inside her did. She wasn’t sure why.

  “Because you are his mate. The shifters who mate in such a manner don’t see a female who isn’t their mate once their match has stepped into their lives.”

  “I’m searching for traps our enemies might have set.” Gaige continued to move around the outer edges of the area. He gathered pine needles up in his kilt and, carrying them to the center of the glade, dropped the pile onto the ground.

  “It’s not much of a bed for the night, but it’s better than sleeping on the cold, wet ground.”

  “I thought you said he wouldn’t see her?” Resting her hands on her hips, she glared at her mother as though it were somehow her fault that men were so fickle.

  “I meant that he wouldn’t see her as a woman. Of course he sees her. He’s not blind, silly.”

  “Oh.” Thal felt silly. She didn’t even know why she should be jealous. She didn’t know him. She shouldn’t feel anything for the man. They’d just met, for goodness sakes. Besides all that, she didn’t want a man. Really she didn’t. Life as a nymph was good. Her mother and her sisters lived their lives in a wonderful little home in the big tree with her where they would all grow old together.

  A day ago that had seemed like a wonderful life. Why did it seem cold and empty now?

  Thal glanced at Gaige. He was a beautiful man, really. He was very tall, nearly a giant. His black hair touched his shoulders and his sky-blue eyes shone brightly with the remnants of laughter. Broad shoulders tapered down to a well-defined waistline and narrow hips. Bending, he gathered more pine needles up in his kilt. Lifting the material well above his knees, he showed off his powerful-looking thighs and large calves. He was a nicely put together man, with his flexing biceps and almost too-handsome face.

  Something within her stirred at the sight of him. Thal wasn’t sure what it was she felt, but something told her that the man could walk out of her life that moment and she would still never be the same again.

  “You feel it, don’t you?” Thul moved up beside her.

  “Feel what?” Thal almost hit her cousin. She wanted to, and that was a fact. What was it about Thul that made Thal want to resort to violence when she found her staring at Gaige?

  “That strange pull the shifters have to those they would call mate.” Thul grabbed an armload of pine needles and spread them out over the grou
nd. “Your sister told me about it before she left. She said it was unlike anything she ever felt before. Suddenly, our world wasn’t enough for her. Orpia claimed that once they made her theirs, she no longer wanted to stay in the woods alone. That having a child and raising it alone no longer appealed to her.” She shrugged. “I don’t know what she meant by that. I still don’t.” Thun canted her head toward Gaige. “I’ve followed him around the glade hoping to feel something special. I want to feel something special. Yet, when he looks at me, he doesn’t see me, he sees a diminutive woman who he must protect.” She sighed. “He sees you, though.”

  “Of course he does. She’s his mate.” Thal’s mother wrapped her arm around Thul. “It’s time for bed, dear.”

  “Yes, Aunt Kalysis.” Thul let the older woman lead her away.

  A cool breeze came off the river, sending a chill through Thal. She shivered and jumped when two large hands gingerly picked her up off the ground.

  “Ye might be too small tae claim, little lass, but you’re still the woman the fates declared my mate. I’ll protect ye the best that I can. I’ll also do my best tae keep ye warm, if you’ll allow it.”

  “Set me down, Gaige.” Thal wriggled in his hands.

  “As ye wish, lass.”

  Thal had no idea why the man sounded so disappointed. She would have thought he’d have been disappointed in having someone so small for a mate. Though Thal was certain he was disheartened over finding that the top of his mate’s head didn’t even come to his knee when she stood in front of him, he seemed genuinely upset when he thought she didn’t want him to touch her.

  “I swear, if you make me regret this, I’ll take my knife to you.” Closing her eyes, Thal concentrated on making herself larger. She would never be as big as he was. However, she was certain that she could grow large enough to be mate to Gaige and his cousin.

  The air whooshed out of her lungs as two strong arms wrapped around her, picked her up and twirled her in a circle.

  “Bless the bloody stars! Ye are big enough tae be our mate after all.”

  Chapter Eight

  Kiran swam upstream, heading north to the castle where the nymphs he carried would be warm and safe for the night. He tried not to think about how chilly it would get as the night grew older.

  The thought of his mate cold and frightened nearly sent him back to join Gaige. The only thing that kept him heading toward the castle was knowing that if he didn’t, the world would die and his mate with it.

  “How long before we reach your kin, bear?” Larin asked as they continued up the river.

  Does the daft leprechaun expect the bear tae talk? Kiran answered with a low growl and the little man grunted.

  “I didn’t think about ya being a bear and unable ta talk.” Larin shifted on Kiran’s back. “Come on, little miss, ya won’t be fallin’ on your head on my watch.”

  It had become obvious that the nymphs needed rest over an hour ago. However, Kiran was loath to stop, knowing that the Ogres were about looking for them. Since he’d never seen an ogre before, he had no idea how fast the beasts could travel. He’d just as soon keep as much distance between them and him as possible.

  If his calculations were correct, they only had another thirty minutes in the water and thirty more on land at a hurried pace before they reached home—if he could keep up that pace without overheating. Kiran hoped they would be lucky and run into one of his kin making rounds before he killed himself.

  While he didn’t mind the thought of dying to protect his mate and her people, he would rather not.

  “Ian, grab that one before she falls and hurts herself.” Liam grunted again as Kiran felt him pull another up from sliding down his side. “I swear on the king’s crown, if ye let one o’ these little girls fall, I’ll kick your sorry ass from here ta the white cliffs and back, ya sorry nit.”

  “I’m doing the best I can. I’m tired, too,” Ian complained.

  “If we manage ta pull this off, you’ll live ta be thousands of years older. Do ya know what that means, ya daft bastard?”

  “Yeah, I know what it means,” Ian answered with the resignation of one who must have heard the argument repeatedly. “It means I’ll have plenty of time ta sleep when this is done.” He sighed and shifted position, his feet tapping Kiran’s side.

  I’m not a bloody horse, ye infuriating pain in my ass.

  What felt like hours, but was likely only thirty or so minutes later, Kiran climbed from the river. Exhausted after swimming upstream for the last several hours, he lowered himself to his belly for a moment. When he felt the others stirring, he stood again. The last thing he wanted was for them to slow him down more.

  “Um...excuse me, Mr. Bear.” It was one of the nymphs. He wasn’t sure, but he thought it was the older one who had been talking to Thal in the glade.

  Kiran kept walking. They had to reach the castle before he could rest, and he feared that if he stopped, he might collapse on the spot. The best thing was to just keep moving forward.

  Concentrating on setting one foot in front of the other, he almost missed it when the woman screamed, “If you don’t set us down, we’ll pee on your back, you stubborn bear!”

  Stopping immediately, Kiran lowered himself to the ground and waited for his passengers to climb down. He didn’t watch where they went. Frankly, he didn’t care where they went. Too damned tired to care, Kiran shifted into his human form and lay on the ground, panting.

  “What in the world are ye doing transporting nymphs and leprechauns over the countryside, cousin?”

  Opening his eyes, Kiran looked up into Tavis Gregor’s stupid grinning face and smiled with relief.

  “I’m bringing my mate’s kin in tae the safety of the castle.”

  “Your what?” Tavis’s baffled expression was almost worth the long trek with no rest.

  “Ye heard me right. My mate.” He added in a lower tone. “Though, I dinnae have any idea how in the hell we’re going tae claim her.”

  “And here I thought I had all of the bad luck. You and Gaige hae a nymph as a mate. I cannae wait tae hear what the other have tae say about that!”

  Kiran wanted little more than to close his eyes and sleep. However, at the moment, he would give his fortune to punch his cousin square in the nose.

  “They won’t say a bloody thing about it, if they know what’s good for them. I might be too tired tae kick your sorry ass tonight, Tavis, but I’ll be rested and ready in the morning. Now help me get them tae the castle. I hae a story tae tell everyone.”

  Chapter Nine

  “God, you’re beautiful.” Gaige stared at Thal, barely able to keep his mouth from hanging open. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides as he stared at her full breasts, barely covered by the low-cut top she wore. Thal had been right to get irate when he’d suggested her breasts were anything less than perfect.

  Swallowing thickly, he licked his lips, imagining how it would feel to take one of the rosy tips in his mouth and suckle it like a babe. Would the tip even be rosy?

  “Thank you.” She blushed, the deep shade of pink making her more beautiful than he ever thought possible.

  He wanted to strip her and find out if she was that same shade of pink all over, or if it was just limited to her chest and cheeks. The air grew warm and thick around him. His body began to overheat all over again.

  “I have tae go for another swim, lass.” Reaching out, he grasped her shoulders, bent and pressed a quick kiss to her smooth forehead. “Dinnae wander from the campsite. I dinnae want tae lose ye now that I’ve found ye.” He turned and headed toward the river, then stopping, he turned back. “I am glad we found ye, lass. Even before ye showed me this size, I was glad. It’s always good tae know the fates haven’t forsaken ye.”

  With a smile, he turned, ran to the river and dove in. The cold water brought his temperature down. His hopes rose with every degree his inner temperature dropped. He had a mate, and her name was Thal.
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  After about ten minutes, he ended his swim and headed for the bank. After letting his body air dry, Gaige sought out Thal. She lay on a large pile of pine needles, asleep. The goose bumps on her arms proved she was cold. Unlike the other nymphs, she slept alone. Was it because she’d shifted her size and grown larger to show him she could be his mate in all ways?

  Like the other nymphs, she was exhausted. Though the dark circles beneath her eyes didn’t detract from her beauty, they were there, just the same. She needed her rest. They all did. Unfortunately, there was no rest for the weary. Tomorrow would be the first long, hard day of many.

  Taking off his kilt, he covered her with it, hoping to give her at least some small comfort. Glancing around the glade, he listened with his exceptional hearing. There was no one close to their little glade, and he needed sleep as much as the rest of them.

  Lowering himself to the pile of pine needles, he scooted up behind Thal, pulled the kilt over them both and pulled his mate’s chilled body against him with a smile. If she complained in the morning, he would remind her of how cold she had been. With no small amount of luck, that would keep her from using her knife on him.

  “What are you doing in my bed?” Thal frowned at him.

  “This isn’t your bed.”

  “I beg your pardon. I claimed this while you were swimming.” She stubbornly lifted her chin.

  “Perhaps.” Gaige nodded. “However, I’m sure ye noticed that I made this pile of leaves while ye were still eighteen inches tall.” He pointed to a small rectangle of needles near the others. “That was yours.” He patted the pile of leaves under him. “This is my bed, and since ye made yourself at home on it while ye had a perfectly good resting place of your own, I thought ye might be wanting to share my warmth, so I obliged.”

  “Why you, you—”

  “What? Heathen, usurper...beast?” He grinned when she sputtered. Apparently, she’d been about to use one of those descriptors.