FOUR

Shira must have fallen asleep, because when she became conscious of herself again, the room was pitch dark. Her stomach rumbled, and she remembered sadly that she had not eaten anything apart from a slice of white bread and water that day. The Shark had not had dinner with her like he said he would. He most have been to distracted by...

   She tried to stifle her thoughts, as memories of a she had done with the Shark tormented her. She remembered how she had pressed her body wantonly against him -- and had she returned his kisses? 

   He had once called her lips experienced, and she had used her love instructor as an excuse. Had she grown more experienced? What was she going to tell her mate Farok!

    Her body still remembered the imprint of his on her, remembered the trail of his fingers down her flesh, her lips still felt tender from his kisses.

   Shira got up and began to pace the room in agitation.

   She was going to leave, she had to leave, to find a way to escape. The rogue was doing something strange to her to be sure. How could she who had trained her whole life to be faithful to her mate find herself ... enraptured by a common rogue.

   She had shamed herself, and she had shamed her mate with her body's wanton reaction to the rogues touch, and his kisses, but she had not lost it a yet. She had not lost her virtue.

   Shira vowed to herself to gaurd that with everything she had. Her mate was going to know when he bedded her, that he was the first man to do that.

   In the past, she had had a favorite pass time in which she closed her eyes and tried to piece together the image of her mate from all the snippets of gossip that reached her.

   His pale gray eyes, his jet black hair, generous lower lip and firm upper lip, his -- to her horror, Shira realized that the only image that formed in her head now was that of the rogue who had kidnapped her. With a desperate cry, she flung herself against the wall and beat desperately at it till her hand was raw with pain, but she did not cry.

   She stood as she was then, when she had tired of hurting herself, drawing in ragged breaths, when the door opened, and light from the doorway shone, brightening up the room. Shira stilled herself, waiting for whatever assault he had come with, but it was not the Shark.

   ''I have been sent to bring a lamp for you my lady, and to ask whether you would rather take your dinner here or at the dinner room with the rest of the ..'' He cleared his throat. ''With the rest of the crew.''

   Shira almost laughed. Was that what the rogues called themselves? A crew! Like they were shipmates at sea. And why was the rogue being polite now, sending this man up to call her lady, and ask to know her wishes, as though her wishes counted!

   She opened her mouth to say something nasty, but then she stopped. She knew werewolves handled age far better than humans, but even though, the male in front of her did not look anything over fifteen. What was wrong with the Shark ensnaring such young males into his dirty game!

    The male in front of her was staring at her expectantly, as though it was truly his pleasure to carry out her wishes. Shira got an idea.

    ''What is your name Sir?''

   The youth looked surprised that she would even ask that. A faint blush rose up his cheeks, then he stammered clumsily. ''L -- Liam, my lady.''

   ''Well Liam, where are you from? Are you from here in Renaki?''

   The young male started shuffling from foot to foot, reluctant to answer. ''The Shark would not like me to give out information my lady.'' He finally replied.

   Fair enough, Shira thought. It was strange that they had all allowed her see their faces, but if they started telling her their names and where they were from, it would be easy to track them down, they wouldn't want that, they were rogues after all.

    ''What do they do to rogues when they are caught -- I mean, what happens to rogues where your come from?'' She asked innocently.

    The youth blushed hotly. ''My lady I --''

  ''I do not ask to embarrass you.'' Shira interrupted, starring at the youth with her deep blue eyes. She walk over and placed a soft hand on his fore arm. ''I know you did not want a life like this, you must have been forced --''

   ''The Shark did not force me!'' The youth exclaimed nervously,, stepping away from her, at the same time Shira said

   ''By circumstances. Liam of cause I know the shark did not force you into this his -- crew or else you would not have been so loyal. What I am saying is that you could not have planned this kind of life for yourself ...'' 

   Liam shook his head. He was thinking about the time the Shark paid a doctor to take care of his grand mother .... and the Shark had provided a house for his elder sister that just went to be with her mate. ''The Shark has been good to me my lady.''

    ''Of cause. I'm sure he has.'' Shira changed tactic. ''It's just ...'' She allowed her voice to trail off, and tried her best to look pathetic. ''I am frightened my mate may not want me anymore -- if I remain with the ro-- the Shark any longer.''

   Liam look sorry. ''My lady I am sure the Shark would have a good explanation for his actions.''

   ''It's not an explanation I want Liam .... it's just..'' A werewolf would understand the need to meet her mate. ''It's just that I feel the need to meet my mate so strongly ... it's like his very being is calling out to me I...''

   Liam was looking at her oddly. ''My lady should I inform the Shrak that you would rather eat in your room.'' He turned to go.

   Shira caught his arm, and staring up at him with her blue eyes, she tried again. ''Would you at least act as an escort for me. I would like to step outside a bit for fresh air.''

   Liam hesitated. ''I would let the Shark know, I'm sure he would be very willing to --''

   ''No!'' Shira interrupted frantically. ''You know he would not! Look I've been locked in here all day ... all I need is a breath of fresh air, I promise I would be --'' She suffered a stab of conscience, but continued anyway. ''I promise I would be back before the Shark even notices I left my room.''

   Liam started to refuse, but then he stared I to those enchantingly beautiful blue eyes that stared up at him pleadingly, as though he had the power over her life and death in his hands. The lady raised a soft hand and placed it on his forearm again.

   ''Please?'' She asked softly.

   His resolve broken, Liam nodded. ''Okay My lady. But I want you to know the Shark would have me whipped if he ever finds out about this.''

   Shira suffered another stab from her conscience. She did not want to be the reason why the youth was whipped, but she had to think of her freedom, her mate. She had a virtue to protect. Besides, the youth claimed to have chosen this life, so he should also be ready to face what came with it.

 At the corner of her mind, she wondered how the Shark could in all clea conscience whip such a young lad.

  Liam left her, telling her he was going to get a cloak. She could not go out that way without being spotted.

  She closed the door after he was gone, and spent the time pacing the room, trying to still her over active conscience. Of cause, she was not doing anything wrong, she had to escape.

   Liam returned few minutes later with a cloak that was so heavy, she wondered why werewolves would even have it, they claimed after all, that their own bodies could keep them warm in times of cold.

   She tried to act normal under the coarse woollen cloak, as her young companion led her out into the open.