Authors: Corinne Davies
“Would you like to repeat that, please?” Destiny stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her lovely breasts. He’d started to learn that particular look on her face when she thought she was fooling them into believing that she was calm. Really she looked like a volcano about to erupt. “I’m forbidden to go where?”
“Outside the stone walls,” Jag responded. “It’s for your own safety.”
“Or the baths when the other warriors are around.” Rock added, “We’ll arrange a time when you can bathe and be alone.”
“Really?” Color rode high on Destiny’s cheeks. She looked so damn beautiful when she was angry, but Jag figured now wasn’t the time to tell her this. Destiny marched over to one of the windows and pointed down to the grounds. “See that child down there? She’s what? Six, and she has more freedom than you will permit me. I’m nearly twenty years older than her and you think it’s fair to keep me locked up like a prisoner?”
“You’re not a prisoner,
Atan
.”
Why can’t she understand how important it is for her to stay safe?
He’d had a nightmare last night about finding her lifeless husk of a body in the middle of the market. Surrounded by a hundred people and the Kimil had managed to kill her.
“There are many things in our world that we haven’t shown you yet. Dangers that child understands, but you don’t. I swear we will teach it all to you, but I ask for your understanding and patience.” Rock wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor. “I promise that we will show you everything when we get back.”
“I’d like to see the portal. I missed it when you brought me through.”
Fear crept into Jag’s thoughts and he saw Rock’s jaw tighten. There was no way they were going to let her anywhere near that portal. They trusted their men to guard the entrance, but they wouldn’t risk her near it. If she stepped through it and they lost her forever it would kill them.
“Of course we’ll show you,” Jag answered. He had every intention of burying his cock in her pussy as soon as they got back and keeping her thoughts distracted and off Earth.
“We’ll go to the market and you can pick out whatever you would like.” Rock claimed her lips in a kiss that left them both panting. He set her on her unsteady feet and Jag was there to scoop her up and nuzzle his face against her neck, inhaling her unique scent. “Please understand we want to keep you safe and not a prisoner.”
“I understand what you want.” Destiny blinked and he saw tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. He kissed away the salty drops and felt his skin absorb her sadness. “We’ll miss you, too, and will count every moment until we’re returned to you.”
She nodded and pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders. They’d spent most of the last forty-eight hours in bed or the baths. He and Rock had explored her pristine skin and knew every intimate inch. This was the first time he’d ever seen her so sad. “We’ll be back before you know it,
Atan
.” Rock pressed a kiss to her cheeks and then headed for the door.
Jag repeatedly turned back to look at Destiny. She’d turned and was looking out the window. The sun shone on her, lighting up the fantastic array of color in her hair that wasn’t usually noticeable. He knew she would be here when he got back, but there was a part of him that worried she’d be stolen from him like his sister.
“Maybe we should bring her with us?” Jag commented as they headed to the weapons room. “It would be a perfect way to show her more of our world.”
Rock looked at him as if he’d gone light in the head. “Taking her to the outland would put her in more danger. What if we come across a Kimil raiding party? How would we protect her then?”
“What if they’re waiting until we leave and then raid the village? What will happen to our people then?”
Rock stopped and turned. “What are you saying, Jag? Should we turn our backs on our duty and have a
Cha’an
? Are you ready to take over as a ruler and step away from our lives as protectors?”
The answer was clearer than streams that ran though their forests. “Yes.”
“Good.” Rock held out his arm and Jag clasped it. The markings on their arms lined up and glowed brighter than he’d ever seen them before. “We will perform this rotation and when we come back we claim our Destiny as our
Noonsa Atan
, our beloved wife.”
Loud cheers echoed throughout the warrior’s hall. Jag was surprised at the number of men who’d overheard their conversation and cheered their decision. He was proud of their warriors and knew that they, too, awaited their own women. “When we return we’ll have a
Cha’an
to celebrate Destiny being chosen,” Rock announced.
“Don’t think you have a chance to draw her attention.” Jag grinned as he bragged, “She only has eyes for us.”
“Will you allow Thunder, Blade, Falcon, and Wolfe to join in the
ook’ot
?” Fire asked. “I heard that your
Atan
has caught Falcon’s attention.”
“Of course they will be there, but I hope she gives Falcon the greeting she first gave me.” Rock smiled, but Jag remembered that Destiny greeted his friend with a knee to the balls.
“The sooner we start on the tour, the sooner we’re home and celebrating.” Storm cheered and everyone joined in. warriors clasped the arms of their warrior brothers and the energy in the room quivered with intensity.
This is what it means to be a warrior, to celebrate life and protect it.
He and Rock would be assuming a different position in their hierarchy, but they would remain warrior brothers and linked to their men by the very magic that created them. Brothers were born by luck, but the gods chose warrior brothers to protect their creatures.
* * * *
Destiny stood at the window of her room and pressed on a number of panes of glass, making them disappear so she had a clearer view of the narrow gateway Rock and Jag had passed through, days ago. Twelve men had headed single file for the narrow entrance. Two of them had turned at the last minute and lifted their open palms in her direction. She’d already known which ones Rock and Jag were despite the intricate coverings they wore.
She’d been reminded a few times that the warriors often went out to patrol the outer edges of their lands to make certain their people were safe and there weren’t any Kimil raiding parties headed to the city. She watched the little girl pick flowers and weave them together. She placed the flower crown on her head and danced around before running through one of the narrow openings. A simple thing that Destiny was forbidden.
Men patrolled the thick wall at regular intervals. She hadn’t seen that before now. They must only guard like that when most of the warriors were gone. For a civilization with such advanced technology they must have advanced defense systems, but she didn’t understand what or how they worked. So much of this world she didn’t understand, and if what IxChel told her yesterday was true, she was going to be expected to help rule it. Well, she was going to be a pretty image hanging off the arms of the men who ruled it.
She wished Rock and Jag had said something before they left. Perhaps, let her know their plans or intentions. But they hadn’t said anything. Jag had thought she was crying because they were leaving, but it was because they obviously didn’t think much more of her than the bath girls.
Maybe I should draw on my arms and legs and hop into the baths with the other warriors and see what they think then.
It was a petty thought because she’d no intention of doing any such thing.
They’d taken her away from a life and a future for what? To be their arm candy? “I don’t think so,” she muttered as she threw the shawl across the bed. IxChel had given her Earth clothes back to her this morning. They’d been thoroughly cleaned and someone had taken the time to stitch together where there’d been a couple rips in the material. She’d gotten so used to the fabric of Lu’um clothing, her tank top and jeans felt stiff.
A part of her wanted to stay and pretend that she could be nothing more than a trophy wife. But she knew she could never do that. Her soul would die a little bit every day she did nothing and felt useless. She’d no idea where her shoes went, so she pulled on the soft-soled ones she’d been wearing. The turquoise dress they’d first given to her lay across a chair on the other side of the room, much like Rock’s promise to take her to the market and buy her something when they got back. Pretty presents for their toy they expected to sit there and wait for their return.
Not in this lifetime.
Anger fueled her decisions, but she knew this was the right thing to do. She didn’t belong here and she couldn’t be what they wanted no matter how much she tried. She’d had dreams and plans before they’d brought her here and she wasn’t going to blow them off. A sharp pain settled in her chest and radiated out from her heart. The idea of leaving them made her want to curl up in that bed and cry. They had to know she’d find out about the
Cha’an
, and the idea of the ook’ot fascinated her, but she would never have eyes for any men but Rock and Jag.
Damn them
. She knew she’d never find two men on Earth to compete with their memory.
She noticed over the past couple days the staff kept to a strict schedule. Since she’d been confined to the inner courtyard, no one really bothered with her. She received a couple respectful nods from the warriors who’d remained behind, but they hadn’t really spoken to her other than to ask if she needed anything. She needed to feel useful and they couldn’t help her with that. She’d asked if there was anything in the market she could help with, but that met with a reminder she was to stay inside the main walls.
She tried to help out the staff, but she immediately felt their nervousness at her presence. The
Raxkas
didn’t want to have anything to do with her. They laughed as they passed and whispered to each other. The one who’d pressed herself up against Jag eyed Destiny with open hostility. The mental image of her rubbing her body against Jag’s tempted Destiny to rearrange her face. See how many men would want her with her nose on the other side of her face.
Her jealously was misplaced. Just because she was monogamous didn’t mean a thing in this world with its open sexuality. But leaving that Raxka, or bathslut as she preferred to think of them, to Jag left a bitter taste in the back of her throat.
The sun began to crest the horizon. It was now or never. The guards changed shift now and the servants weren’t awake yet. Not that anyone would check on her for a few hours, as she tended to sleep later, when she hadn’t been up all night.
Destiny slipped out of her rooms and down the hallway. As she suspected there wasn’t a single person in the hallways. She kept away from the warriors’ baths, no point in running into one of them. They’d only feel honor bound to stop her. It didn’t take long to make it outside and then run across the lawns to where the temple rose up behind the house. No one stopped her or called out her name. Her heart ached and her eyes filled with tears.
They’ll get on with their lives in no time.
She took a deep breath and started climbing the monstrous staircase up the side of the structure. The stairs were small and closer together than she was used to. The higher she climbed she found she had to brace herself against the steps with her hands as she moved. The sun rose higher in the sky and Destiny felt a trickle of sweat trace a path down her spine.
She refused to look down. That would only terrify her. But, looking out over the landscape, she could see over the stone walls and for miles. Lush forests surrounded the warriors’ home, and she could see the marketplace starting to come to life. People moved around, lifting up colorful tarps, setting up stalls, getting ready for the new day. This was a magical place. She didn’t belong, but she would never forget a single thing. Maybe one day she could come back?
You’re an idiot, Destiny. This is a one-way ticket you’re punching here.
There would be no returning no matter how badly she was tempted to.
Fresh tears escaped the corners of her eyes and she brushed them away with the back of her hand as she continued to climb. She was only about fifteen steps from the top when she heard a low horn being sounded. It was like an alarm going off somewhere below her. The steps had grown so steep at this point she felt as though she was climbing a ladder and not stairs. Taking a deep breath, she glanced down and almost lost her footing.
Eight warriors were running across the field, pointing up at her.
Shit, this thing must have an alarm and I triggered it.
She only had one choice left now. She’d no idea what they would do to her, but didn’t imagine she would like it. Up was her only choice. She moved as quickly as she could to clear the final steps, but as she crawled up over the top and looked back down she noticed that the men were moving much faster than she had. They were almost halfway up the stairs and seemed to be gaining speed if that was possible.