Forest Whispers

by Kaitlyn O'Connor

  Chapter Three

  His lips tightened. “You do not know what I think. Do not make assumptions based on your own prejudice. I did not become captain of the royal guard only for my abilities as warrior.”

  Lana was taken aback. Finally, she shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m too touchy about it, but Rex Pimetrius certainly gave me the impression that women here are nothing but chattel and considered of no worth.”

  “That is not true. Our women are of great worth to us. That is why we protect and care for them. But you are nothing like the women of Ata Prime. Beyond the fact that you neither dress nor behave as the women here, I had not known what to expect of a woman of Earth—but I learn quickly.”

  Lana felt a faint flush rise in her cheeks. Obviously, he wasn’t unaware of the fact that she’d dismissed the Ata Prime male as big, brawny, and stupid, besides being control freaks. “Touché.” Uncomfortable under his gaze, she surveyed the field, wondering which direction Sadin would have taken from here. “Someone needs to inform the authorities about what’s occurred here. And since I can’t picture them paying me a lot of attention, I’m thinking it should be you.”

  Corin nodded. Lifting his head, he scanned the area.

  Curious, Lana followed his gaze. Above them, a small speck circled overhead. As she watched, it dropped lower and lower and finally settled on Corin’s outstretched arm. The bird-like animal turned its head, staring Corin in the eyes for several moments. Finally, it took flight once more, behaving for all the world as if it had somewhere to go and something to accomplish.

  “That was weird.”

  Corin glanced at her. “It is done.”

  “What’s done?” Lana asked blankly.

  Corin nodded toward the speck in the sky. “She will tell them.”

  “The bird?”

  He glanced at her. “She is gehuwk.”

  Lana was silent for several moments. When Corin turned and stepped into the forest that edged the field, she followed him. “The bird … the gehuwk, it’s telepathic? Or something like that?”

  Corin frowned. “I do not know this word.”

  “Speaks with its mind.”

  His frown deepened in thought. “It is something like that.”

  Lana’s brows rose. “I hadn’t realized the people of Ata Prime were telepathic. It isn’t in the reports.”

  “They are not.”

  She would’ve questioned him further, but he motioned her to silence and lifted his head as she’d seen him do several times, as if he could hear something she couldn’t. “He headed north from here … before the sun had set yesterday.”

  He seemed so positive Lana had no doubt that he believed he knew what he was talking about. Unfortunately, she wasn’t exactly sure of how he’d gotten the information, or that, if it was as she suspected, it was something she really wanted to base her decision on. She glanced around but couldn’t see any sign of another gehuwk. “And you know this, how?”

  He glanced at her. His expression was impassive, as was typical of him if not the Ata warrior in general, but there was a faint gleam of amusement in his eyes. “The forest whispers of a strange one with pale hair and skin much like yours.”

  Lana surveyed him doubtfully, wondering if he was amused because he’d expected the reaction he got, or if he had a warped sense of humor. She might’ve leaned toward the latter, except that, despite his habit of remaining stone faced whatever occurred, there had been fury and revulsion in his eyes as he had studied the dead woman. It seemed unlikely, unless she’d read him wrong, that he would feel inclined to joke now.

  Still, it was hard to swallow. She figured she’d seen just about everything since she’d been working for the rangers, but this was the first time she’d run up on anyone who claimed to be able to communicate with animals—at least to the degree he claimed. “The forest?” she echoed. “I doubt there’s an animal within a mile of us.”

  “There are not.”

  She watched him as he strode away. Animals were a stretch, but she could get her mind around that. Animals had brains and intelligence of a sort. If he was talking to the trees now, though, she didn’t think she could swallow that.

  Shrugging, she pulled her map from her pack. “Computer. We’ve missed him. I need a wider range. He’ll be traveling fast now that he’s made a kill. Give me a fifty mile radius of this position.”

  Shoving the map back into the pack, she pulled the locator out and scanned the area. As she’d suspected, his signature was so strong in this location, the locator was virtually useless. When she’d stowed it once more, she looked around.

  Corin had stopped at a little distance from her and turned to study her curiously.

  “You are not coming?”

  She waved him on. “I’m waiting for the computer to survey the area and download a map for me. You go ahead.”

  He frowned. His lips tightened with anger. For several moments, he seemed undecided. Finally, he settled to wait with her.

  Lana sighed irritably. She’d hoped he would go on about his business. Obviously, he knew she would, too, and he wasn’t planning on letting her out of his sight. Mentally, she shrugged. She’d expected to have a local tagging along when she’d spoken to Rex Pimetrius. She didn’t like it, but there wasn’t a lot she could do about it.

  The wait made her tense—it took an effort to resist the urge to pace—but she knew the value of resting while she could.

  Surreptitiously, she studied Corin Thantos, remembering the passion that had blossomed between them the night before. She’d put it down to prolonged abstinence when she’d felt desire stir inside of her, but she wasn’t prone to lying to herself. Sex was something she could enjoy thoroughly, but she could leave it as soon as take it. Her libido never got in the way of her work—not that she’d allowed it to this time, either, but she didn’t habitually take time out in the middle of a chase for sex. Ordinarily, she was far too focused on the job even to think about her sexuality, and certainly too focused to look at a man as an object of lust.

  She wasn’t entirely certain of just why Corin Thantos had had the effect he’d had on her. Granted, he was a gorgeous specimen—he would’ve been with that body even if she’d felt like she had to close her eyes—or put a bag over his head, but even the fierce war paint failed to hide the fact that his face was as pleasing to the eye as the rest of him.

  There were other aspects, however, that should’ve been a complete turn off for her—first and foremost being the attitude typical of the Ata Prime male of being supremely superior only because they’d been born with a dick and a set of balls.

  Her computer beeped, dragging her from her speculation about Corin and back to the task at hand. Pulling it from her pack, she studied the map the computer had downloaded to her. As much as she hated to admit it, she could see at a glance that Corin was probably right.

  The terrain east and west of their location didn’t look promising … which was probably why Corin had decided Sadin must have gone north, whatever he said about talking to the trees.

  Shrugging mentally, she stowed the map and stood up, shouldering the pack. “North it is.”

  Corin gave her a look, which she ignored.

  Crossing the farm, they caught the cart track north of it. The track meandered but basically led northward. When they stopped briefly to eat, Lana pulled her map out and studied it, wondering if they could cut some time off their walk by taking to the forest at any point, but, considering the rougher terrain would slow them, it seemed the trail was the best bet.

  “What is that you eat?”

  Lana looked up at Corin in surprise. “Food.”

  He frowned. “It looks the same.”

  “Same as what?”

  “That you ate this morning.”

  Lana looked down at the bar. “I guess it does.” She thought it over for a moment. “I guess it is the same. I hadn’t really thought about it. It’s field rations—perfectly balanced to meet nutritional require
ments … for humans.” She broke off a piece and handed it to him.

  He looked it over skeptically, sniffed it, and finally popped it into his mouth and chewed.

  His expression was priceless.

  Lana chuckled.

  He shuddered as he swallowed. “Dirt has more taste.”

  Lana looked him over with amusement. “I don’t eat it for taste. I eat it to keep strong and stay physically fit.”

  A faint smile curled his lips in response, but his gaze was assessing. “You live much like a warrior. Did you choose this?”

  Lana wasn’t really surprised by the question, all things considered, but she was far less amused. “Not only did I choose it, I worked damned hard to get where I am. Even where I’m from it isn’t enough for a woman to be as good as a man at her job. A woman has to prove she’s better than most.” She shook her head in disgust. “Women have been trying to reach a point where they’re treated as equals for hundreds of years now—I’m thinking it’s never going to happen.”

  He frowned. “You do not value men.”

  It wasn’t a question. The statement irritated her, but she stopped and considered before she answered. “It would be more accurate to say that, in a general way, I don’t trust them … especially not if they’re in a position of power over me. Mostly, I just don’t give men much thought at all, or feel one way or another about them, but there are some, at least, who have great value to me … some I admire, respect … love. So, if you’re suggesting I hate men—I don’t.”

  It occurred to her that he’d been acting just a tad miffed all day and she wondered if whatever it was that was eating him was behind the remark. It might have been nothing more than an observation based on her verbal irritation about the way she’d been treated since her arrival on Ata Prime, but she had a feeling it went a little deeper.

  Thinking back to the night before, there were only two possibilities that came to mind that might be responsible. The fact that she’d caught him by surprise, which she didn’t doubt had wounded his ego, and the possibility that he hadn’t particularly liked the fact that she’d initiated the sex and pretty much controlled it thereafter despite his earnest attempts to wrest control of the situation from her.

  When she looked up, she saw that he was giving her a steady look.

  “No one likes being used.”

  She flushed guiltily but managed an off handed shrug as she got to her feet. “Sorry. You seemed willing enough. I was under the impression men liked hot, raunchy, meaningless sex.”

  “As long as both parties understand that that is all that it is, and agree to it, it has value and a meaning of its own.”

  The comment pissed her off, mostly because she knew he was right. If it was true that she tended to lump men together as if they weren’t individuals and despised them in general because of certain traits that were widely shared—which they were—that still didn’t make it right to assume everyone was the same and treat them accordingly. And the worst of it was that she realized she was no better than those who had, in the distant past, treated her that way.

  She sighed gustily. “I apologize.”

  He glanced at her in surprise.

  She smiled wryly, shouldering her pack. “You’re right. I made an assumption and I shouldn’t have. From now on when I want hot, meaningless sex, I’ll make sure the guy knows that’s what I’m looking for.”

  He looked first taken aback and then angry.

  Lana sighed. So much for a truce. Apparently he just had one of those even dispositions—he was evenly mad most of the time.

  Maybe her ‘people’ skills were getting a little rusty?

  She hadn’t had a partner since Sadin had killed Patrick a year ago and she spent most of her time alone—or with people who only tolerated her presence because she was a ranger—or with criminals.

  Dismissing it, she dragged her locator from her pack and scanned the area as they walked, relieved when she saw it was picking up a clear signal again. They were on the right track. Sadin would be looking for a place to lay low now, she knew. Unless an opportunity he just couldn’t resist fell into his lap, he wouldn’t be looking for another victim so soon—she didn’t think.

  He didn’t ‘play’ well with others and tended to avoid heavily populated areas because he was always noticed as being ‘different’. Moreover, despite his ability to assume most any form he wished, he could only adopt those he saw. And a double always stood out within a very short length of time, particularly since it was only visual characteristics he was able to mimic, not personality traits.

  He’d tried that when he’d first launched his killing spree, or at least when they’d first become aware of it.

  That was how he’d gotten her partner. He’d imitated her. It hadn’t taken Patrick more than a handful of minutes to figure it out, but that was more minutes than he’d had.

  That was also one of the reasons she preferred to work alone. As long as she was alone, she didn’t have to worry about losing another partner or getting killed herself because she didn’t trust anyone else enough to get that close to her.

  She would’ve felt better if she could’ve shaken Corin. Since she couldn’t, there seemed nothing for it but to keep a close watch on him.

  She glanced at him speculatively with that thought, realizing belatedly that she shouldn’t have given in to her physical needs. It would’ve been all right if she’d just felt indifferent about him otherwise or if she’d disliked him. The problem was, she didn’t, and, now that she’d been intimate with him, there was a better than even chance that she might hesitate when she couldn’t afford to.

  It was probably just as well that she managed to piss him off every time she opened her mouth. She really couldn’t afford to get too friendly with him. The obvious danger aside, she wouldn’t be on Ata Prime long and it wasn’t likely she’d be heading this way again.

  They came upon an abandoned cabin near dusk. Lana stopped, studying it in surprise for several moments before she dragged her map out. She saw she hadn’t missed it. It wasn’t on the map, probably because the forest had grown up around it until it was completely concealed from the air.

  Pulling her pistol, Lana approached the dilapidated building warily. Corin merely watched, his arms folded across his chest.

  Obviously, the trees had told him it wasn’t occupied, Lana thought wryly, but she’d just as soon take no chances.

  She saw that the building was only one room and it wasn’t occupied, unless one counted the critters that scattered when she pushed the door open. Holstering her pistol, Lana checked the building out in the dim light of dusk and decided to use it for the night.

  Corin appeared in the door after a few minutes, apparently overcome by curiosity.

  “You will stay here tonight?”

  His voice was carefully neutral, but she sensed disapproval in his tone. She shrugged. “It’s no dirtier than sleeping on the ground. At least it’s shelter if it rains.”

  He said nothing for several moments. “I thought you were anxious to catch the killer.”

  “I’m not anxious to catch my death. I don’t hunt at night. It’s too easy to walk into a trap. We may not gain ground, but we’re not going to lose any by stumbling around in the dark and getting lost. Anyway, Sadin won’t be traveling at night.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “I know Sadin Quyz. He never travels at night. Either his night vision is poor, or … he’s afraid of the dark.”

  Chapter Four

  Corin gave Lana a look of skepticism.

  Lana ignored it. She had no intention of trying to explain further. If he wanted to keep going, he was welcome to, but she’d learned from hard experience that impatience and a disregard for safety procedures generally only led to failure and/or death for the ranger too gung ho to use common sense. She was in unfamiliar territory. Corin might know it like the back of his hand. Corin might, or might not, have some special gift that allowed him to commune with nature—b
ut she didn’t and she wasn’t about to be led around blindly by a man she didn’t know well enough to trust when she was stalking a killer she knew far too well.

  If he was wrong and they got off track, they’d lose even more time.

  Dismissing it, she surveyed the one room cabin critically, realizing it was actually in fairly good shape. It couldn’t have been abandoned long. Moving to the bunk that had been built against one wall, she tested the mattress, cautiously at first. When nothing crawled out, she dragged the mattress from the frame and took it outside to beat the dust from it.

  Corin was building a fire on the small hearth when she returned. The light from it chased the deepening shadows from the room, reminding Lana that there was very little natural light left to take advantage of.

  Tossing the mattress back on the bunk, she set her pack on top and dug through it for her toiletries then went outside to look for a well. A cylindrical stone wall defined the top of the well. Setting her bathing supplies aside, she leaned over the well and looked down. A crude crank and pulley mechanism had been devised to lift the water. She caught hold of the handle and began turning it and was rewarded a few minutes later by the arrival of a bucket filled with water. Letting out a little slack, she pulled the bucket to the side of the well and set it on the lip of the wall.

  She’d dabbed at her grime the night before in the little creek she’d camped beside, but it had been barely a trickle of water, not enough to do much more than dabble in it. Stripping, she set her clothes aside, grasped the bucket, and upended it over her head. The douche of chilly water took her breath. Gasping, she dropped the bucket down the shaft once more and filled it before she began lathering her hair. When she’d finished scrubbing her scalp, she squeezed as much soap and water out of her hair as she could. She was about to reach for the bucket to rinse her hair when a sound close by sent a rush of adrenaline through her.

  She grabbed her knife even as she whirled to face the possible threat.

  Corin, she saw, was standing only a few yards away, either drawn by the sound of splashing water, or merely curious to know why she’d been gone so long. Relaxing, she dropped the knife atop her belongings once more and reached for the bucket again. Corin forestalled her. Striding toward her, he took the pail of water from her hands and held it up, tipping it so that the water poured over her slowly.