Encala : Book 3 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  “May I cut in, please?” the soft and tender voice said.

  Jeff huffed and let Emily go. She turned and saw the tall, dark haired stranger that had been watching her earlier.

  Emily tried not to panic when she felt his hand against her back, and she took his other hand in hers. He spun her, and then pressed her body close to his.

  “I didn’t catch your name,” he said, looking down at her.

  “Emily, and yours?”

  “I’m Exavior,” he said, smiling. Emily froze when she saw the elongated canines.

  He bent down and whispered into her ear, “I’m not here to hurt you.”

  He spun her around and brought her back close to his body.

  “Who are you?” she asked, anxiously.

  “I’m just here for the wedding, the same as you,” he said to her, calmly.

  “What faction?” she asked, and he dipped her and looked into her eyes.

  “No factions tonight,” he said, and lifted her back up.

  “I’m warning you…”

  “Relax.” He spun her again and pressed her against him using his hand on her back, “I’m just surprised you are here unprotected is all.”

  “I can handle myself,” she whispered.

  He laughed, “I’ve heard that.”

  “It’s not fair that you know who I am, and I don’t know anything about you,” she said, looking around her for an easy out.

  “Haven’t you heard? Life isn’t fair,” he chuckled.

  Emily’s body tensed when she felt his nose close to her neck.

  “You’re a jumpy little thing aren’t you? I’m not going to hurt you,” he said again. Both of them turned and clapped when the band ended the song, and Emily made a break for the door.

  She stepped out quickly into the night air and took a deep breath.

  “So how long are you here for?” she heard him ask from beside her.

  She jumped, “If you aren’t going to hurt me, then why are you following me?”

  “You’re an attractive woman and seems to me, you’re here alone,” he said, matter-of-factly.

  “I’m married,” she said.

  “Oh, I know,” he said, then grinned.

  Emily tried to go back inside, but he grabbed her wrist.

  “Don’t go,” he said.

  “What faction are you?” Emily asked, crossing her arms.

  “Why do we have to play the faction game tonight?” he asked her.

  “Because if you’re Equites, then you have some explaining to do. If you’re Valle or Encala, then I’ll be on my way,” she told him.

  “That’s why I won’t say. Why can’t we suffer through this nightmare together?” he asked, motioning in to the reception.

  “One wrong move…” she warned him.

  He raised an eyebrow, “Understood.”

  They went back into the reception and Exavior got Emily some punch. He saw Jeff heading toward them and pulled Emily back out onto the dance floor.

  “I think Cowboy likes you,” he said, pulling her close to him.

  Emily looked to the side and saw Jeff watching them.

  “I guess.” She turned back to Exavior.

  “Hmm,” Exavior said, glancing at Jeff. He dipped Emily again, and pressed his lips lightly to hers. She gasped and tried to push him away, but he held her tightly. When he let her back up, she glared at him.

  “What was that?” she growled.

  “Showing Cowpoke who’s in charge here,” Exavior chuckled.

  “No one’s in charge of me,” she said, trying to push away. Exavior used her momentum to spin her and then brought her back against his chest.

  “It’s instinctual, we heku like to mark our territory. Tell your husband he owes me one,” Exavior said, smiling.

  “I’m sure he’d be glad to hear it,” she mumbled.

  “Oh cheer up. It was just a little kiss and it worked,” he told her, amused.

  Emily glanced at Jeff and saw him at the bar, drinking.

  As Emily and Exavior walked off the dance floor, Jess ran up to them.

  “Oh I’m so glad you’ve met!” Jess said, smiling at them. “Emily, this is Exavior, he’s a friend of the family and he’s staying in the bunkhouse by yours.”

  Emily faked a smile and nodded, “Great.”

  She could feel Exavior chuckle and she stepped away from him further.

  “I’m going to be here all night, so Exavior offered to take you home when you’re ready,” Jess said, and ran off to talk to someone.

  “Nice of you,” she said to him.

  “Just the gentlemanly thing to do. I could let Jeff take you home,” he said, watching Jeff take a shot of whiskey.

  “I’m ready to go,” she said, grabbing the bag with her clothes.

  “After you.”

  Emily stepped out into the cold air and wrapped her hands around to cover her arms.

  “Why is it that mortals never wear weather appropriate clothing?” he asked, handing her his jacket.

  Emily ripped it out of his hand and tossed it over her shoulder, “I didn’t exactly pick this dress.”

  He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, “You should wear it more often.”

  “Yes, it would look great in Council City,” she said, stopping at the jacked-up Ford F450.

  Exavior opened the truck door for her, put his hands on her waist, and lifted her into the truck.

  “I could have gotten in,” she said, indignantly.

  “Sure you could have.”

  Emily suddenly thought how furious Chevalier would be with her right now. She was getting into a truck with a strange, factionless heku.

  Exavior easily jumped into the truck, “I should call Chevalier and tell him.”

  “Tell him what?” she asked, frowning.

  “That you are in a truck with a strange heku.” He laughed.

  Her eyes narrowed, “You wouldn’t.”

  “You’re right, I wouldn’t,” he said, then turned on the heater and pulled out into traffic. “You really should be more careful though.”

  Emily was relieved when they arrived at the ranch and he turned off the engine. She hopped out of the truck, almost twisting her ankle when she landed. She steadied herself and went into the house to get Allen.

  “Good night, Emily,” Exavior called as he walked into his bunkhouse.

  Emily took Allen, who was sleeping on the couch, and went to her bunkhouse. She locked the door, changed into a nightshirt, and laid down. She thought she would be up all night worrying about Exavior, but soon fell asleep.

  Emily woke up later than usual and panicked when she didn’t see Allen. She ran out into the light rain still wearing just a t-shirt and looked around quickly.

  “Alec took him inside,” Exavior said, watching her from his doorway.

  Emily nodded and ran back into the dry cabin. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she could hear Exavior laughing. She came out a short time later and ran into the house.

  “Good morning, Em,” Jess said from the table. Emily poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down.

  “So you survived,” Emily said.

  “Yeah barely. Her parents are a disaster, all love PETA and ban guns,” she said with disgusted.

  “But he loves her,” Emily said, stating the obvious.

  “Yeah he does.”

  After a few minutes of silence, Jess tapped her forehead, “I almost forgot. I hope you don’t mind, but I promised Exavior you would take him out horseback later. He’s never been on a horse.”

  Emily felt panicked, “You sure? Jeff could take him, and I can help around the house.”

  “Oh I wouldn’t think of it! If you’re both going to be here for the next ten days, you might as well keep entertained,” Jess said, watching the morning news.

  Emily finished her coffee and looked out the window at the sun coming through the clouds.

  “Rain stopped, you should go before it starts again,” Jess said.

&
nbsp; Allen ran to Emily, “Mommy? Are you going out with the heku?”

  Emily pressed her lips to his ear and hushed him, “Shhhhh baby, we don’t talk about heku here remember?”

  He nodded, “Sorry.”

  Emily put him down and he ran to Alec, they had become inseparable.

  Emily walked out of the house and saw Exavior leaning up against the barn door, “Half expected you to bail on me.”

  “Hey, Fun Size, you going riding?” Jeff asked from behind her. She saw Exavior tense.

  “Yes, I’m taking Exavior out for a bit,” she said, not turning around. Emily jumped when she felt Jeff pat her butt softly.

  “Keep your hands off,” she scowled at him.

  “Sure thing, Tiny,” he said, laughing, and walked off toward the cattle.

  Exavior raised an eyebrow, “Does an Elder for the Equites allow that?”

  “He doesn’t know,” she said, tossing a bridle to Exavior. “I can handle myself.”

  “Sure, you handled that well.” He laughed.

  She pointed to a saddle, “Bring that.”

  Exavior lifted the saddle one-handed and followed her. She found a calm mare and slipped a bridle on it.

  Emily took the saddle from Exavior even though he protested, “I can do that.”

  “So can I,” she said, hoisting the saddle onto the mare. She finished with the mare and went out to find her a horse. She found a beautiful buckskin stallion and slipped a bridle on him, and then jumped up onto his back.

  When she led the stallion out, Exavior was waiting for her on the mare, “Why do I have to have a saddle?”

  “Because I don’t feel like scraping you off the ground,” she said, clicking her tongue and leading both horses out of the barn.

  When they were clear of the fences, Emily turned to Exavior.

  “You better hold on,” she said, grinning, and slapped his mare on the rump, which sent her into a gallop. Emily kicked her stallion into a gallop and easily caught up. She smiled at the way Exavior struggled to stay on the horse.

  The day passed quickly, and Emily found that she was becoming more and more comfortable with the strange heku. They rode back to the ranch just as the sun was setting.

  Emily jumped off the stallion and visited with Exavior while she unsaddled his mare and got both horses food and water. They walked back into the house together.

  “Bout time you two show up, you must be starving,” Jess said, as she shoveled piles of shepherd’s pie onto two plates.

  Emily took her plate from Jess and watched as Exavior accepted his plate. They sat at the table together and Emily took a bite, watching the heku. He smiled at her and took a bite of the shepherd’s pie.

  Emily frowned as he laughed and ate another bite.

  She ate quietly until Allen crawled up onto the table. He looked at Exavior oddly.

  “Mommy he’s eating,” Allen said.

  Emily put her hand over his mouth, “Another shhhh.”

  Allen nodded, but watched Exavior eat.

  They both finished their plates and Emily took them to the sink, and started to wash them. Exavior sat Allen on his lap and watched her. Her heart jumped when she saw Allen on the heku’s lap.

  “Get down,” she told him, and he crawled down sadly, and then went into the living room.

  “Be nice, Emily. I wasn’t hurting him,” he said.

  The next week was spent out on horseback every day. Sometimes with Allen, and sometimes without, but always with Exavior. Emily was becoming more and more comfortable with him, and they were now talking more in-depth about the heku life.

  “I don’t know how you do it, they must watch you like a hawk,” he said, smiling.

  “Sometimes, yes.”

  “Sometimes?”

  “Ok, so most of the time, yes,” she admitted.

  “Ever tell them to take a hike?” he asked.

  “How do you think I’m away from them for two weeks? Well away from my heku, seems I can’t get away all together,” she laughed.

  “Sorry to ruin your vacation,” he said, kicking his mare into a gallop. Emily did the same and soon they were racing across the north pasture.

  “You aren’t, I’m having fun,” she said.

  “Tomorrow you’re on your own. I need to… well… go out,” he said, shrugging.

  “Time to feed, eh?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” he said, amazed at how casually she talked about it.

  They pulled their horses into the barn just after dark, and each got their own horse settled down for the night.

  “Heading in?” Emily asked him.

  “Nope, I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon,” he said, chuckling, and climbed into the Ford.

  Emily waved to him and went into the house.

  The next morning, the sun was shining and Emily dressed her and Allen quickly, and they went into the main house. Jess was just finishing pancakes when Emily sat the eggs down.

  “Seems like you’re on your own today,” Jess told Emily as she gave her some pancakes.

  “Seems so,” she said, and started to eat.

  “We wondered if we could take Allen into town and buy him a late birthday present,” Alec asked.

  Emily smiled, “Sure, just not too much.”

  She watched as they left and then looked out the window of the kitchen toward the barn. Smiling, Emily walked out to the barn and pulled a bridle onto the buckskin stallion. She kicked him immediately into a gallop and jumped the first gate, heading deeper into the north pasture. She shut her eyes and listened to the sounds of the wind through the threes and the little stream that ran along the property line.

  Emily heard the rattle moments before she felt the stallion jerk. She gripped tighter with her legs and held on as the stallion broke into a panicked run from the snake. Emily fought to regain control by pulling on the reins, but the horse overcorrected and reared back. She fell off and landed hard against the ground, hitting her head on a rock.

  Emily could feel the world spin as she rolled over onto her knees. She felt the blood dripping down the back of her neck and looked over at the horse.

  “You ok?” she heard Jeff yell as he jumped off of his horse.

  “I’m fine,” she lied, and tried to stand up. Her legs gave out and she ended up in Jeff’s arms, so he put her back onto the ground.

  “Damn rattler, I couldn’t catch up with your horse,” he said, irritated. Jeff felt along the back of her head and cringed when he felt the gash.

  “I’m ok, really,” she said, sitting up.

  “Well,” Jeff said, adjusting his cowboy hat. “I guess if you say so, Tiny.”

  Emily felt a panic when he dropped his caring attitude and picked up his usual patronizing tone.

  “You know we have the entire ranch to ourselves,” Jeff said, leaning closer to her.

  Emily turned onto her hands and knees and tried to get away, but he caught her ankle and pulled her back to him.

  “Where you going, Half-Pint?” he asked, taking her wrists in his hands.

  “Get away from me,” she said to him, sternly.

  “I love a gal with fire,” he said, and kissed her roughly. Emily turned her head to the side to get away from him, but he just started kissing her neck.

  “Get away,” she said again, and tried to kick him.

  He trapped her legs under his and lay down against her, his body weight crushing her, “Been waiting for this, haven’t you?”

  She tried to yell, but found his mouth pressed against hers again. She struggled to get out from under him, but couldn’t move against his body weight. He had her hands trapped above her head with one of his.

  “Stop fighting me. You might enjoy it,” he said, pulling her shirt up and over her head.

  “Get off!” she screamed, but felt his hands at her waist undoing her jeans.

  With one quick movement, Jeff managed to slide off of her and pull off her jeans as she fought against him.

  “Damn, you’re hot
,” he said, crawling back on top of her. He used his knees to separate her legs.