The Traveler (Bloods Divide Universe Book 1)

by Stacy McCarty

  “We should…” He starts to say through kisses but then he stops as he continues gliding his tongue down my collarbone. I part my legs allowing his hips to decent deeper into my hips and now I feel his hardness. I can hear his blood pounding faster as it races to his groin and the last thing I want to do is stop.

  Chapter 8

  Cade

  Her skin tastes like honey and sweat cream gliding across my tongue. I can’t help myself. I feel her body shaking underneath mine as she response to my touches. She’s primed and willing I know it but I’m not going to be the one to take it from her.

  “Aria, I don’t know what’s come over me,” I say while continuing to kiss her.

  “It’s not your fault that you are being drawn to me without a choice. My bite earlier makes it next to impossible to resist me.” She says. “That’s my best explanation. Truthfully, I have never experienced this before so I have no idea what is happening to me or you. (Dahlia had told me that all breeders can control there mates’ desire for them).” She says. I pull back away from her.

  “What do you mean by control my desires?” I stop her on that word because right now I feel under some kind of control beyond my own.

  “But she never taught me how to do this so I can’t be controlling you. I want to tell you so much more about the things that I have been taught but it is forbidden to tell an outsider anything about the personal life of a breeder. Nor can I tell you about the details about the royal council even know I have already slipped up and told you that you look and dress like them. Maybe that’s why you are so attracted to me. I wish Dahlia was here so I could ask her about what is happening to the both of us.” I say before he starts to kiss me again.

  “I don’t wish that at all because if she was here she’d probably have me executed or something for even touching your soft but cold skin.” He says as he caresses my arms no longer kissing me. “I have a strange question for you, Aria. What do you normally eat? I only ask because I noticed that earlier you seemed to have been drinking the waters of the Yukon Sea. Which by the way the water looks and smells like blood? Is it blood?” I say.

  “I don’t think your questions are strange at all. I eat only the water from the Yukon Sea. All though I have never had to go to the actual sea to drink it, it was always just brought to me for consumption. This is the first time that I have ever drunk from someone before. I am sorry if I hurt you in anyway. I was so overwhelmed I had not thought about whether or not I was hurting you.” She says.

  “It didn’t hurt, no. I just feel better than I have ever felt before. Like you shot me full of some super powerful drugs that make me faster and my head is clearer.” I say. She smiles the brightest smile. “You have a very beautiful smile, Aria.”

  “Smile, is that what I’m doing with my face?” She says as she continues smiling.

  “Yes you are smiling and it is beautiful.” I say holding back from saying too much.

  “I’m starting to feel funny about this now and the way you are looking at me makes me think that you’ve never seen anything beautiful before. Cadence, are you going to be mated to a female back where you are from?”

  “No way! I’m never getting married or anything close to it, Aria. Hell, I feel bad for you because it sounds like you have no choice but to get married. Not me, I have a choice and I say no way.” I say before starting to laugh.

  “I don’t understand why this question is funny to you? Nor do I understand why you never want to have a mate. Why would anyone knowing not choose a mate?” She asks. I’m dumbfounded and pause briefly thinking how best to answer her without coming off as crazy or as a jerk.

  “Because back where I come from marriage and mating as you call it isn’t the highest on my to do list. Not all men want to get married because we enjoy our freedom. Plus, don’t get me started on having kids subject either. I’m really not trying to have any kids anytime soon, if ever.”

  “Children?” She asks.

  “Yes children. I don’t think I can handle them at all. I’m much of a kid myself. It wouldn’t be fair to have some little person relying on me for anything. I’ll only disappoint them I think.” I look away from her no longer laughing now that I’m thinking about all my mistakes. “Stop with all these questions. I must stop kissing you too!” I say in protest pulling myself up off of her bringing my body into a standing position. I avoid looking at her as I quickly put my shirt back on. I fear if I look at her while I’m still so weak that I will throw myself back down on top of her and I won’t stop until I’ve had her.

  “Have I offended you, Cade?” She groans.

  “No, not at all, Aria I’m afraid I’m the one who is out of line here.” I turn to her noticing she’s up now on her feet. “I should not have kissed you to begin with. I don’t know why I did that. I shouldn’t take advantage of your innocents.” I add. I move towards her to offer her some comfort but she backs up suddenly with her eyes wider.

  “Quiet! I hear something!” She commands with her eyes fixed on the darkness behind me like she can actually see into its vastness.

  “What is it? Do you see what it is that is making those noises?” I turn around just as she passes me. She stands in front of me with her arms raised up as if preparing for a fight. I hear echoed howls off in the distance. “I heard that! What are they?” I try not to sound scared but I’m terrified.

  “Get back, stay behind me Cade no matter what happens stay where I can get to you.” She says. I nod unable to speak. I see them. Several darken furry beings making their way towards us at an alarming speed. “Get back up against those rocks. There is at least five or more of them from what I can see.” She adds.

  Seconds pass and from the shadows emerges four large dog-sized animals in front of us. They are growling and snapping their teeth. Two of them lunge at Aria at once as she darts effortlessly to the side missing their attack. They spin wildly around dodging back at her again but she spins to face them grabbing one by the neck with her hands, as she snaps its neck with ease. I notice that she’s different looking. Her eyes are no longer sweet and innocent but instead blackened with all the whites gone. She grabs the two animals picking them up and tossing them off into the distance. One lands, rolling and stunned while the other one jumps up racing back at her. Before it reaches her it cries out in pain and drops dead at her feet. Another one drops as well behind it and the last one drops in its tracks as well. She moves towards it noticing arrows in its body. She yells out to me.

  “They are all dead!” I race towards her but I’m stopped by a piercing pain in my back. I feel sharp claws on my back and shoulders as I feel my flesh split open. The pain is unbearable. I turn to see but I’m met with claws on my face. The teeth bite down into my skin and I hear my bones crack. I can hear muffled sounds around me. My heart pounds in my chest but my eyes go dark and I can’t see anything.

  “Help!” I stammer with blood in my mouth. I put my hand out and feel teeth on them, bending them and cracking them into what feels like thousands of pieces. “Stop! Stop!” I gag. I feel the animal’s teeth on my shoulder and I know that if I don’t get lose now that this will be it for me. I take up what little strength that’s left in me to turn onto my side and without explanation a power surges through me and I’m freed by my own unexplainable strength. I look down and watch as my hands turn into fierce claws which shred the next animals throat clear through in seconds. My voice changes and I roar out like a wild cat. My spine is arched and fur has replaced my skin. I see Aria but she looks taller than me as she stands by my side covered in the blood of those creatures. We are both soaked in blood. We prepare for another attack from the last of the fierce pack. Two figures appear from behind us, shooting arrows into the remaining animals killing them before they can reach us. I can smell them and hear them better than ever before. I am aware that I’m no longer a human as the darkness circles in my head while I grow dizzy.

  “Cade, are you hurt? What’s happening?” Aria gasps. The darkness take
s me in and I lose consciousness.

  Chapters 9

  Aria

  I stand in a field of bloody bodies confused and ready to fight. I notice that my nails have grown longer and are now covered in blood and fur. I can feel that my fangs are extended in my mouth. I have never had this happen before.

  I look down at Cadence who is unconscious. He has transformed into a white cat-like creature with light blue eyes.

  I watch as his body slowly changes back to his man form. I pay no mind to the two others which are standing by me.

  “You must come with us. There will be more of them soon. They’ll smell the blood and more will come. We must go and seek shelter.” One of the male says to me. I nod.

  “Yes. Please help me get him out of here and I will go with you.” I agree feeling I have no other choice but to get off of the darken tundra and away from the endless danger it offers.

  Ω

  I cautiously follow the two cloaked strangers as they lead me through an openly in a grass covered hill I hadn’t noticed before. A large boulder concealed a hidden underground cavern. Once inside a torch is lit by one of the males. As the light from the torch grows the small cave is filled with light revealing our rescuer’s faces to me for the first time. I have Cade over my shoulder and his weight is getting to me so I lay him down on the cave floor. One of them assembles together a small fire and the heat from it begins to cause Cade to stir.

  “Cade, are you hurt?” I ask into his ear while I bent over him. He shifts back and forth but his eyes remain closed. “Just rest now. Don’t try to move, Cade.” I assure. The two males remove their cloaks finally revealing their faces. One of them sits beside Cade. He is a ferlin I notice. I have never seen one in person. He is covered in green scales with diamond shaped pupils in the middle of a green eye. He pulls something out from underneath his clothing before applying what appears to be a liquid.

  “Niche matten tu?” He asks me in his native tongue.

  “I don’t understand your language I’m afraid.” I shake my head. “But if that is something that will heal him please do so immediately!” I plea. I know that he probably doesn’t understand me but I must try.

  “He doesn’t speak Kyscon but I can understand all the languages of the Kysco Nation.” The second male says to me. He joins us on the cave floor before pulling out a flame and setting it on the burn. The flame heat increases filling the cave with its white glow and the warmth from it starts to warm Cade’s flesh. I place my hands on his bare back noticing he is warming to the right temperature. His clothes are torn and what little cloth that remains is covered in blood from those night creatures.

  “He needs to be covered in wraps or he’ll freeze to death.”

  “I’m so cold!” His blue lips moan.

  “We have turned the flame on you it will warm you up soon.” I slump my head down towards his ear. “The flame heat will make you better.” I lie. I have not ever had to use a flame before my skin doesn’t require artificial heat. Cade’s skin seems to be fragile like the flesh of the royal council. The ferlin turns the flame up and the heat immediately increases.

  “Tarcon ush…” He speaks in his native tongue.

  I nod even though I don’t understand him. He seems to be trying to help Cade and I’m grateful. Dahlia only spoke of the ferlin a few times. She told me how ferlin are great hunters even though they are plant eaters.

  “Tarcon ush tu wei.” He replies before pulling something from his robe before placing it on the ground next to Cade.

  I think I can decipher what he’s saying a little that he wants to help. The other male looks at me.

  “Tarcon will help your friend heal. He has been bitten by the sphinx. Their venom is deadly if we don’t treat those bites he will parish before the rise of the yellow hue.”

  He reaches down placing his fingertips into the small pouch before removing a clear ointment. He looks at me for approval first, I nod giving it. He massages it onto Cade leaving no wound untreated.

  Ω

  After several hours Cade starts to open his eyes.

  “Where are we? What is this place, Aria?” He pulls his body up off the ground and fixes his glare on me. His wounds appear to be gone and he seems physically fit again.

  “We are safe for now, Cade. These males helped us with those creatures.”

  “Sphinx.” The white skinned male says.

  “These males helped kill those sphinx but you were bitten by one and the venom made you pass out.” I point at his arm. He looks over his body.

  “I have no wounds…and I think that I was probably just having one hell of a hallucination that I was a tiger.” He chuckles as my eyes widen knowing the name of the animal that Cade changed in to.

  “Yes, Cade that happened it was no hallucination, you changed into a tiger and you killed a bunch of those sphinx all by yourself.”

  “You are a two-skin.” The white skinned male adds.

  I have heard that name before but I don’t know when, possibly a story that Dahlia told me.

  Suddenly, the loose dirt underneath the boulder blocking the cave entry starts moving. The two males jump to their feet.

  “Man boose oui!” Neei wush!” The ferlin shouts.

  “We must go further into the cave! Your mates been marked with the sphinx scent and they have tracked him here. They will be able to dig their way in here soon. We must hide deeper in the cave.”

  “Mai mai!”

  “Sean, says there’s water deeper inside this cave.” The white skinned male says as they both head into the dark entry heading deeper into the cave,

  Cade stands pursuing the two others.

  I look at the cave entry as more loose dirt spills into the cave and I can hear the snarling and growling of several sphinx just outside. I can sense their eager paws digging together wanting nothing more than to make us their meal. I do not think I could fight all them off this time.

  “Are you coming, Aria?” Cade shouts from inside the tunnel.

  “Yes…Yes I’m coming.”

  Chapter 10

  Cade

  The bursting curiosity of knowing that I transformed that I in fact changed into a tiger has me eagerly following these two strangers. Aria is walking alongside me through this narrowing tunnel.

  I notice the further we go the more I have to duck down finally I have to push Aria ahead of me because I have no more space on the sides of us to go two by two. I can hear echoes of the sphinx hollowing just beyond us and it seems they are nearing behind us.

  “They must have dug their way into the cave.” I say aloud.

  “Hurry there’s an opening up ahead here!” I hear one of them yell from ahead.

  “I can hear the water, Cade we must be close.” Aria says as I squat down while increasing my speed another few hundred feet with little to no light to see around me. I can only feel the sides of the tunnel as it opens up and I can see Aria standing in a huge cave corridor. Sean pulls out something that lights up and I can see the entire corridor perfectly.

  There’s a pool of water at the other end of the corridor.

  “We must get into the water and stay in the water it’s the only thing that will keep them from killing us. They won’t go into the water.” The normal skinned man says as he and his lizard-like skinned friend get into the water submerging themselves neck high. I love swimming so I have no issues going for a swim in this underground cavern. The light from their lamp glows under the water showing the vast beautiful blue color.

  Both Aria and I follow them into the water joining them on the other side of the cavern just as ten or more sphinx burst into the cavern entrance racing over to the waters’ edge growling and snarling and just like they said they are halted only by the water.

  “We will need to figure out another way out of this cavern.” I say before I dive under the water swimming over to the deeper part looking for some sort of exit. After a few seconds with no luck I come up for air. Aria is there looking at me.
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  “I will find a way out, Cade.” She says before disappearing under the water. I lose sight of her for several minutes.

  “Who can hold their breath that long?” I yell aloud.

  “Breeders can.” The man says like he knows everything about Aria’s race and he probably does.

  Before I can get out another question Aria pops her head up out of the water.

  “Over here, there’s a way out over here. There’s just enough space at the top of this small tunnel for you all to breathe but in another few hundred meters the tunnel opens up again into another cavern. We should be able to get out that way.” Aria says before we all follow her, me going last.

  Ω

  All of us are clinging to the tunnel roof accessing those few inches of breathing space while we fiercely make our way towards the unknown. I try not to swallow too much water as I paddle my arms forward quickly following Aria as closely as possible. The water goes up my nose causing me to choke a bit as I unintentionally take in water.

  “Shit!” I gag and cough.