Eating had made Shira feel a little stronger, and she sat later talking with some of the rogues. She got to know them by name. Tiger, who looked as impressive as a tiger with his tall height and powerful arms. His face was also scary, but when he talked, he talked with a gentleness that most smaller males could not imitate. Rhega, The Shark’s second lieutenant, tall and lean with shaggy blond hair and manners that even her instructors could learn from, then there was Liam who had finally stopped looking at her as though she was a sexual predator. She noticed one thing about all the Shark’s rogues, they were nothing like what she had expected rogues to be. They were polite, kind, and very gallant. Picking flowers for her, and writing bad poetry in praise of her beauty. Each time she asked them why they had chosen to be rogues, they changed the topic so subtly, that it was only after they were gone that Shira realized they had not answered her question. She felt a pang as she rea
Shira felt herself being lifted, and carried, away from the smoke, towards a noisey hallway, filled with the sound of clashing swordsxand claws…. And the stench of blood. Shira buried her face against Rhega’s powerful chest, trying to block out the nightmare that was becoming a reality. She opened her eyes to see two werewolves that were not part of the Shark’s crew, blocking their part. ‘’You give us the pretty missy, and we’ll let you live.’’ One of them said, baring his teeth in a grin that was so out of place in the battle scene. Shira pressed herself harder against Rhega. ‘’Do you think you can bare to stand?’’ He asked softly. ‘’I need my sword arm to send this villain to his grave.’’ Shira nodded, and he put her down. In a flash, his sword was in his right hand, his left claws bared as he fought the two villains. It was obvious he was the better fighter, but when one of the two Villains shouted for help, three others came to join them. They were everywhere, outn
Shira understood defeat, she was alone, surrounded, and very weary, yet she fought. The sword had become too heavy for her weary arm, and her heart ached with sorrow for her new found friends who were probably dead. With one swift blow from one of the werewolves, her sword fell out of her hand, and she watched it dejectedly as it clattered to the floor, then when the werewolf in front of her raised his hand, his paws exposed, Shira closed her eyes and waited for death. ‘’Stop it!’’ Someone called from behind, and Shira opened her eyes to see who her savior was, but she found herself staring at another enemy werewolf as he walked up to meet them. ‘’The Shark’s men have fled, but I don’t think Lord Baristan would be very angry with us if we bring her alive.’’ The Shark abandoned her! Shira tried not to choke on her own tears. The male who had wanted to kill her looked at her rescuer in anger. ‘’This little witch here az bin fighting like a tiger, and now aye have her in
Shira lifted her chin. ‘’Well if you are going to keep acting barbarically then –‘’ The Shark laughed harshly. ‘’Between you and I who is more the barbarian? You once told me I would not understand an order of it was spoken to me in the five languages of Valkyr, but you your highness, future Luna of the Diek tribe. What about ‘stay in the room and lock the door couldn’t you understand!’ Shira felt her own temper rise. How dare he give her an order and expect her to obey. He Was right. She was the future Luna of one of the most powerful tribe in all of Valkyr, and he was . . . he was a rogue, slime, a fugitive. ‘’You should learn to speak with more respect to me. I am the future Luna of a very powerful tribe after all.’’ ‘’And a silly Luna you would make who does not understand what a direct order is.’’ ‘’How dare you!’’ Shira did not know why she did it, but the event of the whole day was too much for her. Only a few minutes ago, she thought he had abandoned her, that sh
Later on, it was neither from the Shark nor Leywin, that Shira finally learned all that was going on – or at least some of it, it was from Liam. Apparently, being mated to the Alpha of Deik tribe was a little more complex than she had thought it was. It made her a target for attacks, from the Renaki who sought any means to hurt Farok, including attacking his mate, some tribes in the Walik who were either envious, or had one score or another to settle with Farok, and – according to what the Shark and Leywin thought, she was also in danger from her own people. She learnt that the Shark was on an undercover mission for Walik, to gather certain information, and the reason her presence with them jeopardized their mission was because now, they had to face off both attacks that had been directed at her, and the ones that were directed at the Shark and his men. Word had spread that the mate of the Alpha Farok had been kidnapped, and that she was sick – that explained why Leywin had
The Shark was aware that he was hurting her, but he could not stop. It was not in his touch, his touch was fierce, yet gentle, and perfectly skilled in love making. It was in what he said, promising her that he would never – could never love her, and yet taking from her the only thing she had to give her mate, her virtue. She was so beautiful, so innocent in her arousal. She did not deserve a male who would make love to her one minute, and treat her like a prisoner the next, a male who didn’t love her. She deserved to be loved, cherished. She deserved a male who would stay awake for hours just to watch her sleep, a male who would love to wake up every morning to see her warm blue eyes open, in their naïve bravery and trusting love . . . . a male who wouldn’t hurt her heart as he brought pleasure to her body. She was wanton this evening, arching her hips against his throbbing need. He pulled her to his bed, gently, and lowered her lush body against his sheets. He propped himself
He kissed her again, and there was a cruelty and determination in the way his tongue stroke the tender insides of her mouth, it reminded her of when he had killed the werewolves who had attacked her in cold brutality, only now, the coldness was not directed towards them, it was against her. With a sob, she wrenched her lips away from his, but he only pulled her back to his bed, pinning her under him. The sheets she had used to cover herself slipped away, exposing her to his hungry and cold eyes. ‘’Look at me Shira.’’ He commanded hoarsely, but she could not bring herself to look into his eyes, to see the mockery that would obviously be there, to let him see her pain. Her shame. A finger roughly turned her head to face him, but she stubbornly shut her eyes, afraid to look at him, afraid of what she was going to see. To punish her for that, his lips descended on hers again, cruelly, making her whimper. His hands had started trailing over her wayward body again, starting a fir
Shira turned immediately to hide her tear streaked face, but Leywin’s hands was on her shoulder, turning her around. His blue eyes scanned her face once, then he swore and his hands dropped from her shoulders. ‘’Shira . . . I’ve had enough of the Shark messing with you. I’m taking you to your mate today.’’ Shira shook her head as fresh tears streaked her face. She was no longer enthusiastic about meeting her mate, thanks to the Shark. She did not even know what punishment her mate would like to inflict on her because of her wantonness with a criminal, a rogue. ‘’What so the Shark is just going to let me go?’’ Leywin stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘’He will if I ask him to. He should never have brought you here, and he has no right to – to cause you so much pain.’’ He turned around and headed for the door, but Shira caught his arm before he could step out. ‘’Leywin don’t!’’ He turned around and was staring into her deep blue eyes. They were filled
Shira stepped outside to help the rest of the maids draw water from the well. Sir Baristan had said she was to earn her keep, and she was only too happy to do that. All around, the people stared at her strangely. She did not know why. Perhaps, they had sensed how empty she was, how unworthy. She was going to prove herself to them, to please them, all of them. As long as Sir Baristan wanted her to. The female who was drawing water from the well hurried off immediately she spotted her, but Shira was not detected. Very soon, they would all like her. She was going to die trying. She bent by the well, drew up the bucket that had been tied to a rope, and threw it back down again, with hopes that it would fill with water, but it didn’t. She remained like that, bent over the well, trying to get the bucket within to fill with water so that she could pull it up, but she must have been doing something very wrong, for the bucket never filled up. Perhaps even the bucket knew how worthl
“Come. Come sit by me Shira lady of the night.” Shira stared at the mind Physician that had come. She could not bring herself to get up and go join him on the floor where he sat. They were both in Sir Baristan’s spacious library, and the mind Physician was sitting on the floor, angles crossed in front of him, and both elbows on both knees. He was cleanly shaven of every single hair on his head – his entire head. His scalp was a shiny bald, his eyebrows and eyelashes non existent, and he did not spot a single beard or mustache. Something about his looks terrified her, and Shira knew instinctively that if she did not take caution, his face was one that would plague her dreams for many nights. But Sir Baristan had said he was the only one capable of restoring her memory, as well as teaching her to harness her gift so that she did not harm herself and those she loved with her powers. Shira stepped forward to join him. Who were those she loved? Perhaps, the mind physician might
Farok leaned against the bar table, as the inn keeper watched attentively, contemplating whether to pour him another goublet of wine even before asked. Farok ignored him. If he was poured more wine, he would drink it. If he was not, he would not ask. He had just led his tribe Warriors on a successful fight against a rival tribe, and as was customary, they deserved to celebrate. Their drinking and whoring would be paid from the spoils of war, the rest of which would be given to him, but Farok did not want it. The tribe he had fought with had suffered severe loss of their soldiers, and armory – and they were Walikan. He was simply weakening his own people from within, so that if they ever needed to face the Renaki in true warfare, the Renaki would battle a force that was no doubt less than it should have been. Farok thrived on violence. He loved it. His biggest, most cherished moments with Elana had been on the battle field. However, even though Farok cherished battles, he ha
Sir Baristan had not shut the door after him, but Shira did not feel the inclination to go out. There was something very scary about stepping outside – She remembered it now, what she had dreamed about. She had dreed that she was lost, and when she stepped into the house that looked like hers, the faces were unfamiliar. Shira did not understand how she could even have managed such a dream as she could not remember how her house looked like anymore. What would she see when she stepped out? She felt so much distress that she felt her eyes water. Her tears reminded her of something. She had been very sad recently. Why had she been sad? Had her family treated her unkindly? Why had she been kidnapped? Bracing herself, she pushed the door open, and stepped out, expecting to find anything, from an earth with two moons, to human wolves and werehumans. The plain outside was simply an encampment – or it appeared like an encampment, but the bunkers were built with stones and brick
The birds were chirping out in some distant tree, but their melody still got to Shira, tingling her memory, reminding her of something, something she ought to know, something she ought not to have forgotten – but she had. Her memory teased her. Taunting her with what it was she wanted to remember, but just when it was within reach of her consciousness, it slipped again, far into the recesses of her brain. She could feel the cramps in her joints, and she got up, trying to stretch. It was only then that she noticed she was confined. Her hands were bound in front of her, but her feet were left free. She got up to her feet, it was a little awkward, but she was able to manage it. She turned around to survey her surrounding for the first time. She was in a stone walled room, and it was not very pretty. It would need flowers, and perhaps light curtains to shade the bright light that was coming in through the window, but not to dim it totally. She walked up to the slightly
The Shark sat alone by the night fire that did not serve to take the chill from his flesh. His flesh felt cold, but the blood that pounded through his veins was warm, it called for revenge, for destruction. Zadick, his physician, and the team he had come with had done what they could for his crew, but they were going to heal slowly. His physician had been able to come up with the patent for the poison serum, but he had not come up with an antidote yet. He was stuck now, with fifty of his men injured, seven dead, and his best friend unconscious. And his mate – There was still a tiny possibility that Shira was innocent, that it was Liam who had lied against her, and only Leywin could clear that up. The Shark had made sure Leywin was never left alone with Liam, but he did not believe the lad was capable of that. And Liam had worked tirelessly to ensure as many of the crew as could be saved were saved. He could not fault the lad’s obedience. Shira on the other hand had been
Liam hit Shira a quick blow over the head, and waited until he felt her weight deaden, before he lifted her out of the room. He was itching to join Sir Baristan’s soldiers in their defeat of the Shark’s males, but he still needed to keep his cover. Togu, his father’s lieutenant of ambush quickly took Shira from him, and he went once again to fight along side his enemies. “Need some help!” Stark called out to him, and Liam snatched his dagger, still soaked in Leywin’s blood, and went up to assist him. Stark was surrounded by Sir Baristan’s males, and for a savage moment, Liam did not care if he killed any one of his father’s males. They were expendable, his father could replace them any time, they were not Sir Baristan’s blood. And it would serve his father right for forcing him into such exile, to fight along side his enemies. He rushed into the fray, stabbing down one of his father’s males who had put Stark in a precarious angle. “Thanks male!” Stark acknowledg
Liam was running out of time. Sweat trickled down his back as he paced the length of his tiny room, wondering what to do. Six years. Six years of bowing to the enemy, six years of using Walikan scent, and speaking Walikan language. Six years of hiding who he truly was, the son of the most important Alpha in Renaki. And now, his hard work was about to pay off. His father would soon celebrate him as his heir, the way he truly deserved. He only needed to come up with a way to take Leywin out of the picture once and for all. His father needed the girl. Liam chuckled softly to himself. It was funny how the Walkans thought. His father could have tried abducting Farok himself – as impossible a feat as that was obviously going to be, but then after that, no one would be able to force the Alpha to do anything he did not want to do – on the other hand, all they needed to do was kidnap Farok’s mate, and then the Walikan Alpha would be forced to by his silly honor code to do everything wit
The Shark got on the nearest horse that belonged to him, once outside the inn, and against his better judgement, he pressed in his heels and set the animal off on top speed. Shira had been the one locked in, but he was the one feeling caged. Honor had never restrained him in the past, the way the sight of Shira’s tears restrained him. She seemed a gentle flower, innocent, pure, one he was tainting with his crude methods and devices. She was also a warrior – a human and female no doubt, but she had been trained in the art of war. He could not fault her swordplay, and he could not also deny that if her battle instructor had made her that good, then he might also be given credit for her beguiling mind. Did she have a beguiling mind, was the chief question. We’re her earnest declarations of love, and her ever ready tears simply an out pouring of her child -like heart, or were they the cunning workings of a mind forever trained to battle. He remembered his former mate, but for s