Rangers of the Dark

by Michelle Hart

  Chapter Twelve

  The Rangers of the Dark Forest made their way through the trees until they came to the village of Icebor.

  The place was completely deserted. Dead bodies were frozen in the streets waiting for a proper burial. Jennifer wanted so much to dig a grave for each and every one of them.

  But that would have to wait. Her parents were in danger and needed her help.

  “Demorac, see if you can salvage anything from the village before we go across the river,” Arkan said.

  Demorac nodded before slipping into the shadows.

  “Belim, use your nose to find us some more food.”

  “Already on it, Arkan,” he replied, smacking his belly.

  Jennifer stepped in front of Arkan with her fists clenched. “You're stealing from my village.”

  “I know how you feel but there's no one left here. They're dead now and they won't be coming back. We need everything we can get our hands on if we're going to rescue your parents.”

  Jennifer didn't have anything to say. She knew Arkan was right.

  But it still didn't make it right.

  The Rangers collected any spare weapons and provisions until they couldn't carry anymore. Belim found some packed dry meats that would save them time from hunting during the mission.

  Jennifer and Arkan stood at the river and looked across at the rolling green hills. The sun was almost at the height of the sky.

  “What lies beyond the hills?” Jennifer asked.

  “The barbarians,” Arkan replied.

  Jennifer put her hands on her hips. “You don't think I already know that? I meant what exactly is beyond?”

  Arkan turned to Jennifer and held her hand. She felt a surge of adrenaline flow through her. She couldn't help but blush. “Honestly, I don't know.”

  Jennifer was swimming in the thought of kissing Arkan again. His closely shaved face against hers. She shivered with excitement and then remembered that she was in a conversation.

  “But I thought you were a Ranger? Don't you guys go out scouting?”

  “Only within the kingdom boundaries. We're expressly forbidden to pass beyond the hills. King Uzmar didn't want to start a war with the barbarians.”

  “Well it looks like he's going to have one now.”

  Arkan laughed. “I think you're right about that.”

  The rest of the Rangers joined them at the river. “We're ready, Arkan,” Farondil said.

  Arkan stepped first into the cold water of the river. Jennifer thought back to when Hugo saved her from going all the way across. She had no idea what pulled her into the river that day but now she was finally going to cross it.

  Jennifer followed Arkan while the Rangers joined the ranks behind her. The Junti River wasn't particularly big or powerful. It only took a few minutes to make their way to the other side.

  Jennifer laughed. “I can't believe the whole village was so scared of this tiny river.”

  “They weren't scared of the river but of what lies beyond it,” Garel reminded her, pointing into the direction of the hills.

  Jennifer sobered up and looked at the green hills. The bright blue cloudless sky made the place look peaceful. How could anything bad come from here?

  The Rangers moved to the grasses of the hills and began their ascent. Jennifer marveled at the view behind her of Icebor. She wasn't very high up but she could see everything: her home, the market square, and even the castle further away.

  “A beautiful sight, isn't it?” Arkan asked.

  Jennifer nodded. “I never appreciated it before. But from up here, it looks like a magical land.”

  They continued up to the top of the hill and the anticipation of what was beyond grew to a peak. The wind blew faster up there as the grasses flowed beneath their feet. They had no idea what to expect. The barbarians tribes could be right over the ridge.

  Arkan was the first to reach the top. Jennifer watched from below as Arkan dropped his bow and sat right down on the grass. That wasn't the response she expected.

  She crested the top of the hill and saw for herself. Miles and miles of green hills stretched as far as the eye could see. Not a barbarian was in sight. All those years of living in fear were for nothing.

  Jennifer sat down next to Arkan and their shoulders touched. “It's beautiful on this side too.”

  Arkan nodded. “The barbarians tribes are not as close as we thought. This trek might take a lot longer than I thought.”

  Jennifer stood up, smiled, and offered her hand. “Then what are we waiting for?”

  Arkan gladly accepted her help and she heaved him up. He looked at his Rangers. “It looks like the barbarian tribes are not as close as we thought. But keep your eyes peeled. They could be close by...watching us.”

  Belim nodded and tightened his grip on his warhammer.

  Garel slapped his hand on Arkan's back. “Looks like were going to have a real adventure.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jennifer was the first down the hill, running and letting gravity do its work. Even though she'd never stepped foot here before, the place seemed familiar. Like she was destined to come here.

  It just felt right.

  Farondil joined her and examined the ground.

  “What is it?” Jennifer asked.

  Farondil ran his fingers through the dirt and smelled it. “The barbarians definitely came through this way.”

  “Will you be able to track them?”

  Farondil laughed. “Tracking loud and sloppy barbarians will be easy work. Defeating them will be hard.”

  Jennifer nodded and they continued on.

  The group of adventurers conquered hill after hill with no end in sight. Farondil followed the tracks with no difficulty. The green seemed to go on for eternity. The sun set over the land and night fast approached.

  Arkan sat his pack down at the base of a hill. “This should be a good place to make camp for the night.”

  Jennifer was exhausted from the day's travel. Her feet ached, her back ached, her entire body ached. She brushed her sweaty hair out of her face and sat down on the soft grass. She looked at each of the Rangers and they looked no more tired than when they first started the journey.

  “We're not stopping because of me, are we? Because I can go on,” she asked Arkan.

  “Of course not. It's not safe to travel in the dark. It wouldn't be good to be ambushed by a tribe of barbarians or whatever else lies in these lands.”

  Jennifer saw his logic but thought he was still lying. There was no use arguing when she was so exhausted.

  Demorac approached Arkan. “Sir, I'd like permission to scout on ahead. I can follow their tracks and maybe find their camp.”

  Arkan looked out at the expanse of hills. “It's too dangerous, Demorac. We're not familiar with these lands. I'm going to need everyone of you when we go up against the barbarians. But you can take first watch tonight.”

  “It would be my honor, Arkan.” Demorac slammed his chest with his fist.

  “Anyone hungry?” Belim bellowed.

  Jennifer felt the empty pang in her stomach. “I could use a little food.”

  Belim smiled. “Wonderful!” He unwrapped some of the dry meats from Icebor.

  “Remember Belim, we don't know how long this journey will be so ration the food,” Garel said.

  “Of course. Of course. But we need our sustenance to get through the next day of endless hill climbing.”

  Farondil began gathering sticks and brush from the surrounding area to make a fire. Jennifer sat down on a flat rock as the fire was started with the strike of a stone.

  Belim handed out the pieces of beef jerky to each member. Jennifer chewed the tough meat, the strands of fat getting stuck between her teeth.

  “Not bad,” Belim said.

  Demorac stretched a piece of meat with his teeth as hard as he could until it finally snapped. “Could be a little better.”

  “Tomorrow we can hunt for some game if we don't come across the
barbarians,” Arkan said.

  The thought of eating rabbit or even deer made Belim's mouth water. Jennifer yawned and warmed her hands near the fire.

  “We should all get some rest because we set out again at dawn. Demorac will take the first watch and I will the second,” Arkan said.

  Jennifer took out a bedroll from her pack. She placed it close to the fire and lay down, staring up at the stars in the sky.

  Arkan set up next to her, laying so close they could almost be mistaken for man and wife. Jennifer felt the heat emanating off Arkan's muscular body. Her fingertips tingled as she remembered the kiss from before.

  “Legends say that each glowing orb in the sky is a god watching over us,” Arkan said.

  “Seems a little chaotic with so many different gods watching over us all at once.”

  Arkan chuckled. “You're probably right.”

  Jennifer turned her head to face Arkan. “Do you think we're going to find my parents tomorrow.”

  “I don't know. I thought the barbarians bordered our kingdom but now it seems that intelligence was wrong. I promise, I won't rest until we find them.”

  Jennifer smiled and fell blissfully asleep.

  Arkan looked back at the stars. He never expected to meet anyone such as Jennifer. He watched her mouth slightly open as she exhaled. She was fascinating. The sky of light was beautiful but nowhere near as bright as this woman before him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Jennifer woke up with a fright. Her hand reached out and touched the empty bedroll next to her. She jumped up to find Arkan sitting at the top of the hill before her. She looked around at the other sleeping rangers. It was still night and only red embers remained in the fire.

  She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around herself. She trudged up the hill until she joined Arkan. “Couldn't sleep?”

  Arkan watched as she sat down next to him. “Actually it was my turn to watch.”

  Jennifer tried to blow warm air into her cold hands. “See anything out here?”

  He looked out at all the green hills. The giant glowing sun began to crest over the horizon. “It was a very quiet night.”

  Jennifer shivered and Arkan put his arm around her. She instantly felt warm and safe. Jennifer leaned her head onto Arkan and could hear his heart beating faster than normal.

  Arkan lifted her head by the chin and looked her in the eyes. “You take my breath away, Jennifer.”

  She couldn't hold herself back any longer. Her lips reached up and kissed Arkan. His arms enveloped her immediately and pulled her further in. Their tongues touched and Jennifer inhaled sharply at the injection of pleasure.

  “I can't stop thinking about you,” he whispered between kisses. Arkan kissed her neck and nibbled gently.

  Jennifer closed her eyes. The fire between her legs was impossible to ignore. “Become one with me, Arkan. I need you.”

  The two didn't bother taking their clothes off. The cold was too much. Arkan laid Jennifer into the grass of the hill and brushed the hair out of her face. They locked eyes and communicated that it was time without saying a single word.

  Arkan fumbled with his dark brown pants until they were brought down around his knees. Her eyes grew big at the sight of Arkan's manliness.

  Arkan looked down at himself and smiled. “Never seen a man naked before?”

  Jennifer blushed. “I imagined what it looked like before. But this is so much bigger than I thought.

  Arkan grinned. “I'm not an average specimen.”

  “Apparently not.”

  Jennifer was soaking wet as she spread her legs and wrapped them around Arkan's back.

  Her body was finally ready. Arkan kissed her deeply as he entered her. Jennifer gasped as he filled her completely.

  “Oh my gods,” she said.

  Arkan pumped in and out, his every muscle straining. “You feel so good, Jennifer.”

  Jennifer ran her fingers along his bulging biceps and dug her fingernails into his skin from the sudden burst of pleasure. She wanted to live in that moment forever with Arkan.

  Arkan slid his slick cock deeper and deeper. Jennifer was about to moan when Arkan covered her mouth with his hand.

  “Don't want to wake the others,” he said.

  Jennifer nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on every sensation. Arkan grabbed her breasts over her shirt and Jennifer had to bite her bottom lip to keep from screaming.

  The pleasure was building within Jennifer. She'd never felt anything like it before. She didn't know what was happening to her body but the ecstasy finally reached its peak.

  Arkan sensed what was about to happen and shoved his fingers into Jennifer's mouth as she detonated around him. Her body bucked and quaked beneath him as she orgasmed.

  It was all too much for Arkan to handle. He pounded into her as he released his seed, his orgasm so intense that he couldn't keep from screaming.

  For a moment, they were one.

  The fiery pleasure finally died down and Arkan collapsed next to Jennifer. Both were sweaty, exhausted, and out of breath.

  Jennifer stared at the stars with her chest heaving up and down. She could feel Arkan's stickiness spilling out of her.

  “Is it always that good?” she asked.

  “That was something else,” Arkan replied.

  Jennifer curled up next to him for warmth as her body began to cool down. “My body is still tingling. I thought I was going to explode at one point.”

  Arkan held her head against his chest and brushed her hair. “Me too.”

  Jennifer reached down and felt his shaft harden within her grip. “Oh my gods.”

  Arkan lifted her chin and kissed her. “Want to go again?”

  Jennifer didn't even know that was an option. She didn't know if her body could take anymore. The one time was crazy enough.

  But she couldn't resist.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Arkan and Jennifer were able to get a couple hours more sleep after their passionate night together.

  Jennifer lay in his strong arms fast asleep until a voice woke them up.

  “Looks like you two had an interesting night.”

  Jennifer opened her eyes to see a figure standing before them, blocking out the sun. Her eyes focused and realized it was Garel. She immediately blushed and thought she needed to cover herself up but she wasn't even naked.

  “What time is it?” Arkan asked, ignoring Garel's remark.

  Garel looked up at the sun. “About two hours.”

  “We should get going.”

  “That was my thought exactly,” Garel replied. He walked back down the hill to join the rest of the Rangers.

  “Well that was embarrassing,” Jennifer said. “I guess all the Rangers know about us now.”

  “Don't worry about them.” Arkan kissed her and Jennifer forgot all about it.

  “How do you do that? Make me only think about you.”

  Arkan shrugged. “Did you get enough sleep?” He stood up and offered his hand to Jennifer.

  “Not nearly enough,” she replied, taking his hand and getting up. She brushed off grass from her shirt and realized her hair was all in knots. “You don't happen to have a brush do you?”

  Arkan laughed. “Definitely not. But you sure look beautiful.”

  Jennifer tried to rake her fingers through her hair but it was a poor substitute. “I guess I'll have to make do.”

  Arkan and Jennifer walked down the hill to find Belim cooking some eggs on a pan.

  “Good morning,” Arkan said. “After breakfast we'll get going.”

  Jennifer expected the boys to make a joke about the two of them but they all acted normal. Belim handed a plate of eggs to Jennifer and she devoured them in seconds.

  The food was eaten, the fire was put out, and the Rangers geared up.

  “Farondil, do you have their tracks?” Arkan asked.

  Farondil looked to ground and then pointed to the hills beyond. “They were still moving in the same direction. If
we move fast, we'll either catch up to them or find their village.”

  “I would prefer to face them out in the open,” Garel said.

  Arkan nodded. “If they get back to their village, who knows how many additional barbarians we'll have to face.”