by L. E. Horn
He stood in the shade of an enormous tree. The bent and winding branches close to the ground provided convenient seats for the solemn group of humans emerging from the Great Hall. Despite the chaos within his eyes and body, Michael looked healthier. Her seat beside Hannah provided a good view of him, although he avoided her gaze. His face had lost a lot of its gauntness but under his threadbare shirt, the line of his collarbone and the faint curve of ribs remained visible.
It will take him time to get the muscle back, she thought.
“Michael, you are just not strong enough,” Hannah said. “You could suffer a complete relapse if you push it.”
Michael’s eyes darkened even more.
Why haven’t I ever noticed that gold color when he’s angry? Lianndra wondered. Mind you, I guess I haven’t seen him angry often. Frustration and rage radiated from him, raising her awareness of his height and breadth, the tense whipcord muscles over bones still too close to the skin. I wouldn’t want to cross him when he’s angry, Lianndra swallowed.
Drake appeared unimpressed by the display. “Look, mate, you will risk all of us if you try this on willpower alone and your body gives out. You know it. I admire your dedication”—Drake’s dark eyes flicked over Lianndra—“but we’ll need you when you are at full strength. Spend your energy recovering.”
Michael seethed but Lianndra could tell Drake’s words had their intended effect. Smart of him to come at it from that angle. Nothing else would have worked.
The rebel leader stood and called to Sean, who sat at a nearby campfire. He joined Drake, bringing a few men along with him. The group of rebels moved off and Hannah followed. Only Michael and Lianndra remained under the trees.
Still staring after Drake, Michael lowered himself onto a horizontal branch as big around as his body. “I hate this,” he said through clenched teeth. He refused to look at Lianndra.
Lianndra attempted reassurance, although she appreciated the risks they were about to embark upon. “We will have the best of backup, Michael. You know what the Gryphon are like in action. They can run like the wind, and those big males are apparently terrifying in battle.”
He grimaced. “Believe me, I know.” His eyes flashed in her direction. He rubbed a big hand through his hair and seemed to make a deliberate attempt to lighten his expression. “I would have loved to see the scouts descending on the Fang camp. Those Bernaf must have soiled themselves.” The corners of his mouth quirked, and he finally looked at her. “I heard you did an amazing job on the damned Fang commander. I would have given an arm to see him shredded.”
“I think I surprised him.” Acting quickly, Lianndra shifted to sit beside him. He flinched at her proximity, and for a moment, she thought he would move away, but he remained seated.
“I’ve missed you. How are you doing?” She looked at him, but he again avoided her direct gaze.
“I’m doing okay.” He seemed agitated. “It’s taking longer than I’d like to recover.”
Lianndra regarded the planes of his face. When she shifted closer to him, he glanced at her and she could finally capture his gaze. The silver is shot through with gold. It wasn’t my imagination. Lianndra suddenly fought for air and looked away from the intensity of his eyes.
Lianndra grasped at conversational straws and found one. “I had no idea they were after the Darkon.” She swallowed. “They can’t be allowed to get them, Michael. This is bigger than just freeing slaves.”
He remained silent. What is he thinking? He’s been so elusive since we arrived at the valley. At least now we’re talking face to face. “Michael? Did you hear me?”
It became clear his thoughts were not immersed in the implications of the war when he pulled her closer to him. His breath on her neck stirred the fine hairs as he cradled her jaw with his fingers. “You had better come back in one piece.” He emphasized each word with a white flash of bared teeth. “Or there will be hell to pay.”
His lips touched her hair and then drifted over her closed eyes, sliding across her cheek to home in on her lips. He hadn’t shaved, and the stubble rasped against her skin and sent shivers down her spine.
As the kiss deepened, Lianndra melted. When did he get so good at this? It didn’t mesh with the awkward young man she’d met on Earth. She surprised herself with a purring sound low in her throat and he answered with a deep, chest-vibrating growl that sent a jolt like lightning through her. His heart pounded under her hand and she drank in his warm male aroma as he pulled her close to his chest. In an instant, his lips moved lower, trailing along her throat.
The thump of many Gryphon feet heralded the arrival of warriors to the valley, pulling hovercarts loaded with weapons. They heard Drake call, rounding up the men to get them armed for the mission.
Michael made a desperate sound low in his throat and broke off kissing her neck. Lianndra noticed his irises were now pale-silver disks with vibrant golden centers. Mesmerizing. It’s as if they change color with his moods. He started to speak but Lianndra pressed shaking fingers to his lips. “You sure know how to leave a girl wanting more.” Even her voice trembled. She smiled and trailed her fingers along his cheek, and gave him one last soft, brief kiss.
Then she stood and walked away. She wouldn’t even think about not making it back. About what would happen if and when this war ended. About her heart breaking if Michael went home and she could not.
Live in the now, she admonished herself. Hannah was right. One never knows what tomorrow might bring. She almost lost Michael once, and she promised herself when she returned from this battle she would make up for lost time. For as long as it will last.
MICHAEL WATCHED LIANNDRA WALK AWAY, and it took everything he had to not leap to his feet, grab her and not let her go. His eyes trailed down her back, following the line of braided golden hair to the fullness of her hips and the curve of her thighs. The slow, sinuous movement of her tail emphasized the sway of her stride as she moved. To him, even with a tail and all the hair, Lianndra wasn’t an animal, but a very human woman. At the moment, he couldn’t look at her without thinking of her naked, even with her intertwined hair covering her breasts and hips. The mere possibility of her being unclothed tormented him.
He considered the many possible advantages of utilizing hair as clothing when he noticed a man approach Lianndra and touch her on the arm. A surge of rage blindsided Michael. The hair on the back of his neck rose and his lips drew back in a silent snarl.
What the hell? He struggled for control and wasn’t successful. The muscles in his arms, neck and along his jaw went rigid as his brain fought with his body. Fought—and won. As the rage drained away, it left him a shaking wreck. He leaned back against the tree trunk and closed his eyes. What the hell was that all about? The man was from Michael’s old fighting unit, and he knew the soldier regarded Lianndra as a friend, yet his reaction was instant—almost instinct—no thought required.
Guess I’m still not one hundred percent. Just worried about her and feeling overprotective. Breathe. Be cool.
He refused to consider his reaction as another sign of change within him. So far, he hadn’t sprouted claws or teeth and he wasn’t any hairier than usual. I’m just not in the best of moods, which is understandable considering what I’ve been through. It doesn’t mean I will turn into a beast.
Michael removed his gaze from Lianndra and looked to where Drake supervised the distribution of weapons. The group got organized quickly. They soon mounted on broad Gryphon backs and headed out of the valley.
Returning to his hut, he collapsed on the bed, staring at the intertwined vines above his head. The table held a tray of fruit and bread. Michael eyed it without interest. It seemed all he did was eat. The only way I can become at all useful, is to get well. He forced himself to select a large orange fruit and bit into it, letting the juice run down his chin. It wasn’t what he craved at the moment, but it would have to suffice. For now.
Chapter Twenty-One
THEY GALLOPED INTO THE DARKNESS. Swif
t moving clouds obscured the twin moons of Tarin. Lianndra rode Kaye, rocking to her friend’s familiar rhythm. Her body had adapted to the differences between the Grypha’s movement and that of a horse. Gryphon possessed a flexible spine, so they moved more like a lion, bunching and stretching with each stride. Their torso, which dipped and rose in rhythm, emphasized the movement. The faster they moved the lower their torso dropped to the ground.
Gripping with legs was exhausting and couldn’t be maintained for a long period. Instead, Lianndra balanced above the Gryphon’s body, absorbing the motion with her hips rocking back and forth as the spine coiled and extended beneath her. When the Grypha accelerated to a full gallop, Lianndra rose above the movement and absorbed more of it with her knees.
The Grypha used the long arm feathers to help steer and absorb changes in direction, running with her arms outstretched and the stiff feathers catching the air much like wings. Swift decisions about direction and pace offered a unique riding challenge. Lianndra almost fell off a few times before she and Kaye fine-tuned their communication. The Healer became sensitive to the slight muscular changes beneath the pale-yellow fur indicating a change in speed, direction, or gait. Kaye improved at giving the human subtle signals when those changes were imminent. All in all, it was a satisfactory mutual arrangement.
The Grypha had a small and rather beat-up laser gun strapped to her upper torso, where Lianndra could reach it if needed. Our role in the operation isn’t supposed to involve active conflict. We have a vital and more difficult purpose.
The Gryphon navigated at speed in the darkness. As Lianndra sat the rocking gait, her fingers trailed along the cloth edges of her new cape, a Vloxx skin that covered her completely. It’d been so long since she’d last worn any kind of clothing, the sensuous touch of the soft lining distracted her. Hannah clung to her Gryphon mount alongside Lianndra. Like most other human riders, the redheaded Healer fastened ropes around her mount’s torso and barrel to help her hang on. Her small form shimmered as her Vloxx cape reflected the surroundings.
Off to one side ran the mature Gryph warriors of Kesar’s army. The big males possessed a more rolling gait than the smaller, lighter females. They can’t move as fast, but the big guys have plenty of stamina, especially when you consider their size. They’re impressive.
One look at their body armor and Lianndra was glad she’d never met the creature that once lived in it. The shields they carried appeared made from a single scale, so the animal must have been huge. The armor covered their upper torsos, their sides, and backs. Rectangular plates of it hung from their necks. Their long heads featured triangular pieces down the center and their powerful tails contained not only the usual spikes but ones made of metal strapped along the sides.
I wouldn’t want to meet them in battle, Lianndra thought. I can’t imagine anything standing against them. Michael hovered in her mind. As a slave, he’d fought against Gryphon like these. Terrifying. It’s a miracle he survived.
After a few hours of steady travel, the Gryph warriors peeled off and disappeared into the darkness. They would rendezvous with the rest of Kesar’s troops before commencing the diversion for the Fang fighting units. The lighter, swifter scouts and their riders carried on. Drake’s mount moved alongside Hannah. Just over twenty human rebels accompanied the Healers to the jungle’s edge.
Lianndra startled when their group flushed a small herd of animals from the tall grass tufts. Her enhanced night vision noticed four curled horns on elongated heads and graceful necks on stout bodies. The creatures used six long legs to bound away.
“Sarkee,” Kaye said with a snort and a shake of her head. “Tasty.”
Lianndra watched the herd until they disappeared. A short time later, the entire Gryphon group wheeled into a small valley, thick with lush vegetation. Massive trees sat against the deep purple night sky, and she smelled the distinctive mix of jungle life. Kaye stopped and Lianndra slid off her back. “We wait,” Kaye said, her yellow crest lowered and her voice hushed. The Grypha seemed proud of her progress with English. She’s doing better at it than I am at learning Gryphonese, Lianndra thought.
The sky paled to a turquoise that heralded the dawn. Kesar’s forces attacked at first light, so Lianndra climbed a sturdy tree. The tree provided her with a sense of security, and from this height she could offer support to the guards. Around her the Gryphon settled in their resting positions, almost disappearing into the bushes. It would take more than a casual glance to spot the troop, even with this many Gryphon. The Fang units can’t be far away, she thought.
Lianndra noticed Hannah and Drake heading off together, hand in hand. It will kill Drake to send her off into danger like this, she thought. He’s used to being in the thick of things right with her. It can’t be easy being the one left behind.
Lianndra sat on her branch and thought about Michael, who had occupied her throughout the entire trip astride Kaye. Her fingers trailed across her face, feeling where the stubble of his unshaven face had abraded her skin. Remembering the intensity of his gaze made her shiver. She closed her eyes. A distinctly Michael aroma lingered on her lips and cheeks. She remembered his skin under her hands, the deep rumble of his voice . . .
Lost in her thoughts, the first burst of laser cannon in the near distance startled her. The old Gryph warrior had started his distraction attack on the Fang front line, and Lianndra looked up as the first rays of dawn pierced the gloom. Drake rose from where he and Hannah sat. As he guided Hannah to her feet, Lianndra could see every line of the man’s body rigid with tension. Lianndra descended to join them as the Grypha scout leader, Zar, stepped out of the bushes.
“It is time,” the Grypha said in her raspy voice. “Kesar distract. You go. We wait.” She gestured to the communication device Lianndra wore woven into her hair. Zar wore a similar one attached to her ear.
Lianndra nodded to the old Grypha and turned to Hannah. Drake locked his gaze on the blonde Healer. “You two keep each other safe,” he said, his voice hoarse.
Lianndra touched Drake’s arm. Then she followed Hannah into the foliage. It’s show time.
THEY MOVED LIKE GHOSTS THROUGH the upper canopy. Lianndra engrossed herself in the simple joys of swinging through the lush, green jungle. All around her, the natural flora and fauna of Tarin were going about their business. To be any of these creatures, concerned only with filling my belly or finding a suitable mate. She sighed. Sometimes it’s a curse to have a higher IQ.
Their camouflage of mottled hair made Hannah and Lianndra difficult to spot. With the additional Vloxx capes, they were almost invisible, but sound could still betray them. They concentrated on moving in silence, keeping enough distance between them to scout a wide swath through the jungle while still maintaining contact. Even though they had Gryphon communicators, they used hand signals to avoid the risk of either the electrical signal or their voices being picked up by a Fang unit.
The guns of war thundered in the near distance. Kesar’s fighters did a good job of keeping the Fang occupied while the Healers skirted the frantic frontline activity. Their target FHR unit would be behind the fighting but not too far away, waiting to heal the wounded.
The jungle itself seemed to shudder with each explosion of the laser cannon. Closer to the action, the native wildlife fled the area in a continuous stream. Both women stayed on full alert as they deciphered each sound as either a threat or fleeing creature.
If the captain of this FHR unit was anything like Drake, he would have his Healers airborne in the canopy, scouting for trouble or looking for incoming units needing their help. Lianndra hoped this would be the case since it would give them a chance to contact the Healers, who should assume Lianndra and Hannah part of another nearby FHR unit. The communications confusion inherent in most hand-to-hand conflicts should let the fantasy carry for a short time at least.
Lianndra wondered if the FHR unit had moved closer to the front lines when a shrill whistle indicated movement in the canopy ahead of Hannah. She s
wung in time to make out a dark form in the trees, motionless and staring straight at them. The figure was an FHR’s Healer; she sensed their movement and tried to determine its cause.
Lianndra pushed back her Vloxx cape and stepped into full view. After a moment, the other Healer appeared out of the foliage and her partner materialized in a neighboring tree. The Healers stared at each other before one swung toward Lianndra.
She was tall, lithe, and covered in black hair. Even with all the changes to the woman’s form, Lianndra experienced a jolt of recognition. Andrea!
“Lianndra! I can’t believe it!” The African-American woman embraced her. Then she stepped back and assessed her old friend from head to toe before twitching her long black-haired tail into view. “Well, we’re a little changed from when we last parted, but damn, it’s good to see you!”
The rebel program within Lianndra’s collar spoke deep within her ear: a hissed “Yes” confirmed Andrea as part of the rebellion.
Grinning, Lianndra waved Hannah over. “Meet Andrea!”
Hannah’s eyes widened. “Your Andrea?”
The tall Healer laughed and cut in, “Yes, her Andrea. And you are?”
“Hannah.” The redheaded Healer smiled and grabbed Andrea’s forearm rather than shaking her hand. “Healer hello,” she explained while smiling at her.
When Andrea’s partner swung to them, the Healer introduced her as Carla. An attractive woman in her thirties, Carla possessed an athletic build and cropped brown hair. She wore real clothing and possessed a shorter tail.
An older model? Lianndra wondered. Most importantly, when Lianndra faced her, the program in her collar remained silent. She exchanged a warning glance with Hannah. This Healer was not a known friend to the rebels. Not necessarily an enemy either. I wonder if Andrea has converted her? Is her collar still active?
Lianndra noticed Carla seemed uneasy with their association. She kept scanning the surrounding jungle as they talked.
