by Meg Xuemei X
The brute murmured that he knew plenty about women.
“Not all women are alike,” Ventus said, “particularly a special one.”
“You can talk?” I accused the beast.
“Of course I can talk,” Ventus said. “I told you I’m a genetically advanced being, didn’t I?”
I thought our mind-talk was special, I said.
Yes, but I have a voice as well, Ventus said. I like to use it now and then.
What now? I bit my bottom lip, panic spreading in my mind.
Business as usual, Ventus said.
Why did you tell him my name? I demanded, reevaluating the situation.
Your name is hardly a secret, Witchling, Ventus said. I don’t like him keeping calling you Wolf Girl.
Don’t call me that, I almost screamed in his head, very much afraid that his master would get a whiff of it.
Don’t call you what, witch or wolf? the guardian asked, feigning innocence as he glided out of layers of clouds.
“Freyja?” the ringleader asked. The way he said my name made me flushing. It held a certain intimacy. Other than my mother, my wolves, and the perished villagers who had also called me the abomination, no one knew my real name. But now this Dragonian knew it as well.
“So, Freyja,” he said in a voice like rich molasses, “did you grow up with the wolves? How did you end up being their alpha? Did you have to kill their former alpha?”
Ventus shook his head. “Very smooth, Ares.”
“I was praising her,” Ares protested. “I can see how she became a wolf alpha. She’s talented with a dagger.” He then turned to address me. “You would have gotten me if I were any slower, like anyone else. I’ve forgiven you for throwing those vicious angelic daggers at me. How did you acquire them in the first place?” He sighed at my unrelenting silence. “Well, I see, you won’t share your secrets. Never mind then. I just want you to know I’m not one who holds grudge. I move forward, as should you. You’re better off with us than with the wolves. You might not be able to see it now, but you will, and I’ll accept your gratitude in the end.”
I controlled my urge to take off my gloves to touch and shut him up forever.
His hardness was still jabbed into my lower back.
At this point, we were both pretending that it didn’t exist. His arousal seemed even more pronounced after our unpleasant exchange.
My contemptuous silence had no effect on him, for he opened his mouth again. “Who are your parents, Freyja? Do you even know? Einarr said you’re a half-advanced human. What’s the other half?”
“Ares,” I purred, and felt his erection grow harder. Perhaps he found my voice bewitching. He’d been aroused because of my roaring. “What do you want with the First Witch,” I asked in a low, husky voice, “supposing you find her?”
“We’ll find her,” he said. “But what I want with her has nothing to do with you. Your job is to take me to her.”
Hmm, this one could keep a tight lip even when aroused.
“I told you I had no idea who she is and where she is,” I said.
“We’ll stop at the next northern city and then the next,” he said. “We’ll sweep over each land, collect intel, and give you something to work on. You’ll figure it out.”
I arched an eyebrow. “You’ll put such faith in me?”
“No, I put my faith in the Oracle,” he said.
A jerk.
“Are we going to charge into the cities?” I asked. I hoped he would do just that and meet a hostile army. And in the chaos, I’d slip away.
“Of course not,” he said. “Who do you think we are? A band of untrained bandits without good strategies?”
“So you’re actually a band of trained bandits and professional criminals,” I said.
“We’ll disguise ourselves when entering any city controlled by other species,” he said, disregarding my snide comments. “And you’ll behave yourself. I can tolerate your sarcasm and rudeness to a degree, but not your betrayal. If you put us in jeopardy, you’ll either fall under my sword or I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”
Threats after insults. What was new?
“I’d prefer bare hands then,” I said.
Ventus laughed and Ares shook his head. He’d had enough of me, as I had of him.
I suddenly had an idea. “Since the Oracle told you to rely on my inner compass to find you the witch, my instinct says we should find a lake now.”
“What does a lake have to do with my witch?” he asked.
His witch? He probably thought the whole universe was his.
“I was about to bathe before you interrupted me,” I said. “I need a bath before we continue on your journey.”
“You stink a little, but I can take it,” he said. “We don’t have time for you to bathe.”
“Then make time,” I hissed. “It’s hot and I’m sweaty. In this state, neither my mind nor my instinct works.”
“Hot? That’s your excuse?” he asked incredulously. “The air is so chilly. If you’re so warm, you should lose some of your clothes instead of wrapping yourself like sticky rice inside layers of banana leaves.”
“Even with my clothes wrapped around me like banana leaves,” I wiggled my body so my back rubbed his cock hard, “I still got this pricking into me. You think I would be safer wearing less?”
The Dragonian drew a sharp breath.
Unexpected pleasure slithered up my spine even with the thick clothing between us. If only his cock could rub on my bare skin.
Warmth instantly pooled between my thighs and my mound was slick with desire.
This was outrageous!
“Don’t move like that, wolf girl!” he warned in a rough voice. His hands slid up and down my waist as if he couldn’t decide whether he should move them up to cup my breasts, or down to palm the flesh between my legs.
They balled into fists, then dropped from my body.
“Fine, you win!” he grated. “You’ll get your bath. I need a break from you anyway.”
“Ventus,” Ares shouted. “Find a lake, or a river, or a stream for the wolf girl.”
“I have a name,” I purred. “Ventus said it’s not polite to call me something else.”
Ventus chuckled in a huff, “I also said it’d be an interesting journey. So it begins.”
CHAPTER 5
The Bath
Ventus found a reclusive lake by the woods. Uninterested in bathing or babysitting us, the guardians took off to hunt.
I surveyed the surroundings. If I escaped into the woods, Lucas would find me. The shifter’s nose had to be as good as my wolves’. That was why Ares had brought him along. I wondered what his animal was. Judging from his size, he could be a white lion or a bear.
If I escaped to the plains, the guardians would spot me. They weren’t in league with me yet. If Ares caught me running away, he would chain me for the rest of the trip.
“Why are we stopping here, Ares?” the horned Dragonian asked.
“Freyja needs a bath,” Ares said with irritation.
“The wolf girl?” the horned one asked. “And you let her have her way? We need to be on our way. We’ve wasted enough time just tracking her.”
Ares snarled. “I’ll decide what we need or don’t need.”
The others gathered around in the clearing, sitting on the rocks. Some of them took off their boots with satisfied groans.
That was exactly what I’d planned for them to do—to get in the water with me. Over four months on the road, rushing from one place to another to look for me, they had to be desperate for the feel of a warm woman. When they saw me naked, their needs would be raging. And when they came for me, they’d get what they deserved.
I would soon be reunited with my pack.
I removed my gloves, kicked off my boots, and dropped my cloak. I breathed in the fresh, damp air. The lake smelled different from the hot spring in my forest, but its earthy scent blending with the sweet honeysuckle was equally pleasant.
/> What would come next might not be as pleasant, but I had to gain back my freedom.
Within seconds, I was clad in only my undergarments. My skin prickled with exhilaration as it met the clean air.
Ares cleared his throat to remind me of my modesty. If he was so concerned about my decency, why wasn’t he turning around as well?
His men stopped what they were doing and stared at me.
I slowly pulled the last of my garments over my head and lazily stretched my limbs. My bountiful breasts and perky, red nipples were generous for every eye to see and appreciate.
As I twisted my torso for another long stretch and bent down, I saw the men’s jaws drop in shock. Yet none of them moved their heated gaze from me.
I straightened and turned away from them, my fingers on the top lines of my panties, ready to pull it off my long, toned legs.
“Freyja!” Ares shouted.
I wheeled toward him. “What?” I asked innocently.
“Turn around!” he roared at his men. “Don’t fucking look at her if you want your fucking eyes stay in their sockets!”
Of course, they wanted their eyes staying in their sockets. The men obeyed, though slowly.
Wonderful! Ares—the prude—had just sabotaged my perfect plan.
But he wasn’t that prudent since he himself hadn’t turned around. His gaze, heated, dark, and furious, locked with mine. I tilted my head in challenge. What’s the harm in having a look? You’re looking.
His gaze dipped lower to my breasts, then lower—I’d pulled my panties half an inch down. When he tore his eyes from my body and stayed on my face by sheer will, a sudden fire of possessiveness leapt in them, turning his irises deeply molten gold.
“Stop what you’re doing,” he said, his voice hoarse as if he hadn’t spoken for a while.
“Why?” I asked.
“Shouldn’t you cover yourself?” He seemed incredulous at my innocent question.
“But I’m going to have a bath,” I said. “Who bathes with their clothes on?”
“There are men around!” he said. “You can’t go traipsing around naked in the wilderness.”
“Why do you think I even consider any of them, or you,” I asked, “a man? Haven’t you seen a naked woman before? I’m sure your men need to wash themselves, too. Their smell, yours included, nearly choked me half to death from a mile away.”
Actually he smelled really good.
I heard someone chuckle. Ares growled nastily and the chuckles died off immediately.
“It’s a big lake,” I said with a small shrug. “There’s plenty of room for all of us.”
“Like hell I’ll let them share the lake with you naked,” he said. “There’re social rules.”
“But you just said we’re in the wilderness,” I said, putting confusion into my voice. “Who’s going to govern the rules?”
“I am,” he said. Then he yelled at the men. “Go patrol the perimeter and don’t look this way.”
The men picked up their weapons and slowly scattered.
“Are you sending them away so you can get into the lake with me alone?” I asked.
“No, I’m not getting in the lake with you,” he said. “But I’ll watch you. If you think you’re clever enough to pull this stunt and slip away, think twice. So far, I’ve been courteous. But if you keep causing trouble, you’ll force my hand. Then I’ll have to get rough with you and tie you up and drag you behind me. I don’t care that Ventus has taken a liking to you. Just remember, his fealty is always to me.”
I pulled my panties off and tossed it on top of the pile of my clothes. Dark fire leapt in his eyes and his gaze drifted down toward the valley between my thighs. He wanted me. He wanted me badly. He looked like he was ready to stalk toward me.
Did I really want him to die? My body tensed at the thought.
Ares inhaled sharply, his knuckles turning white on his sides, but he didn’t move toward me.
“Earth,” I said, walking toward the lake. “All this drama over a bath.”
“By undressing yourself like that in front of my men,” he spat, “you put yourself in danger and them in a tough spot. If any of them loses control and touches you, I would have to punish them severely.”
“What about you?” I asked over my shoulder, my bare feet hitting the cool water.
“I have enough self-control,” he snarled.
“Right, I’ve learned it the hard way,” I said, intentionally dipping my gaze down at the bulge at his groin covered by his sculpted armor.
His eyes glittered with amber fire. “You’re now my responsibility, Freyja,” he said. “I have to guarantee that you’re well treated and unharmed until the day you’re allowed to go your way.”
“I’m so touched,” I said.
Obviously, he didn’t like my tone since he was probably expecting my gratitude. His next words were full of acid. “You have no problem getting completely naked but flustered at my hard-on,” he asked. “Why is that?”
“You go figure it out.” I brushed him off, knowing that would irk him more.
When I sent him one last glance filled with disdain, I caught such ravenous hunger in his eyes that the heat pooled within my belly again.
I treaded deeper into the water. The coolness caressed my skin, and I gave a blissful sigh. The cobblestones under my feet were round and smooth. When the water reached my neckline, the Dragonian leader shouted his instructions. “Don’t go any further. Clean yourself quickly. We don’t have the whole day.”
Well, he didn’t know me then. Once I was in the water, nothing and no one could get me out of it without me agreeing to it.
He stood at the edge of the bank, ready to lunge into the water and grab me at a second’s notice.
“Could you fetch me soap?” I asked.
“We didn’t bring soap,” he said. “We aren’t pusses.”
“Then I’m going for a swim.”
“No, you’re not,” he said. “I promised a bath, not a swim. This isn’t a getaway. You’ll get a vacation once you find my witch.”
Watch me. I stretched my arms and propelled my legs backwards as I shot toward the center of the lake. In order to irritate him more, my feet hit the water with force, and the water splashed in white waves behind me. I heard a string of Dragonian cusses.
As if I gave a fuck.
I giggled and my strokes became more languid against the water.
Nature and I were one.
I was wild and free.
Something dropped overhead. Before I could dodge, a loop came down and wrapped around my waist. With a curse, I tried to pull it up then down, but the leather loop tightened on my body. If I kept struggling, it would only hurt.
Damn the Dragonian’s device! He had no soap, yet he had this.
I darted a furious look toward the end of the rope, and Ares pulled me toward the shore.
“What are you doing, you savage?” I shouted.
“Did I not tell you not to swim away?” he yelled back. “Stay near the bank and finish your bath.”
I squatted down, but he pulled me up with the rope. I picked up a rock and hurled it at him. He ducked and the rock flew past his head.
“Wild, completely untamed, with no concept of rules and discipline!” he hissed.
Discipline, my ass!
I didn’t need him to drag me. I stalked toward him in rage. He could dodge rocks, but he wouldn’t be able to avoid what I had in mind.
I pushed waves of water, and a huge splash slammed into his face. He shook the water off his hair and promised, “You’ll pay for that!” He didn’t loosen the rope. He would never let me go before I took him to the First Witch.
An alarmed roar rose through the air and our surroundings.
The next second, an army of mixed species materialized and charged toward us from the slope. There were approximately fifty of them: a few blue-skinned Dragonians, Aryanian, and mostly average humans.
After the war, humans increased greatly
in numbers. They were the most power-hungry, violent species. They’d slaughtered and conquered nearly all of the smaller species on half of the continent. But they allied with the Dragonians, for now, knowing the engineering race was still too powerful for them to defeat. The Dragonians lusted after the humans’ vast genetic pool and didn’t interfere with humans wiping out weaker species.
The raiders on the horses led the charge and I could see they carried a variety of weapons. I recognized the most potent ones as ray guns, an energy weapon Angels had brought to our world. The High Prince’s Fallen Angels had confiscated most of them from the earthling armies.
My pulsed spiked and my mouth dried at the sight, but when I realized that the horde hadn’t come for me, my heartbeat slowed a fraction.
Ares was at my side in a flash, untying the rope around my waist. “Get dressed, quickly!” he ordered, his eyes burning with fury. “Hide amid the bushes. I’ll make sure they won’t come near you.” He pulled one of my daggers out of his boot and handed it to me
I grabbed the handle of the dagger without thanking him and dashed toward the pile of my clothes just as a laser beam fell on the honeysuckle bushes beside me, obliterating it. My eyes widened, but I made no sound.
Ares raised his beam weapon and aimed toward the slope. A ray of red light shot out from it. A rider tumbled from his horse, a smoking hole in his chest.
Ares whistled urgently and fiercely, calling for the guardians to return.
The rest of Ares’ men charged toward the raiders, roaring their battle cries, but the raiders had spread out too fast.
We were surrounded.
CHAPTER 6
Bounty Hunters
I pulled on my clothing with trembling hands and threw on my cloak in a rush.
With my dagger clenched tight in my hand, my eyes followed Ares on the battlefield as he charged the raiders. I hated to admit it, but he was a sight to watch. He leapt like a flying tiger, his two long swords sweeping, and two human heads dropped on the grass with a thud. Their horses squealed and loped off before the headless bodies tumbled down.
Ares swirled like the wind, burying a dagger into the head of a large Aryanian and cracking his skull like a watermelon. He plunged his sword into another opponent and tore through the rest of the raiders. He slashed and hacked like an unstoppable, destructive force, leaving a pile of broken bodies behind and around.
