“Can I really stay with you?” Syra looked from one twin to the other but her smile didn’t waver.
“You can work for me.” Tara caught the girl’s eye. “You’ll be in charge of the babies, and you’ll go to school. It won’t be fun and games.”
Tara knew the teenager had had exposure to young children. But Tara was concerned because Syra would be one of the few girls in her class. She knew Syra could handle herself and would not be bullied by anyone. Still, she was breaking the mold by attending school while Gothman girls were discouraged from going. The Gothman believed their girls could learn what they needed to know staying home and helping with housework. Tara had done her best to encourage the girls to attend, but it was a slow process.
The Runners had been allowed to enroll their children in the Gothman school by a new law Darius had passed. That was a slow process too, encouraging Runners to take advantage of the Gothman schools instead of home-schooling their children, as had been the custom.
“I won’t let you down.” Syra seemed excited as she ran to get her things.
* * * * *
Syra couldn’t believe her luck. She would be staying with Tara and could see Torgo every day. This sure beat spending the next several cycles cooped up with her papa. Torgo would be a lot more fun to be with. He was so cute and so tall. Ever since they’d finished the project of clearing rubble for the Gothman, she hadn’t seen much of him. This change of events was too good to be true.
“I’m ready.” Syra ran back to Tara who was still talking to Patha and Balbo. She took Ana from Tara to show she could handle the work.
* * * * *
“The River people at the southern edge of Trueland are trying to form a new government, and I thought we would start by going there,” Patha said. “I want to make sure they know the Gothman and Runners have united. We’ll show our respects to their new government and see if they’ll welcome our union by letting Runners enjoy their community.”
Tara knew there was oil in the land down there and realized Patha and Darius had probably discussed this. Natural resources in Gothman land were limited, and the people would need to augment their supplies soon. She vowed to keep in touch with Patha and couldn’t wait to hear the stories from his journey.
Syra had loaded the babies and her bags into the back of the jeep and was sitting in the passenger seat waiting for Tara. Hugs were exchanged one last time, then Tara and Syra headed back to town.
“I can’t believe it. The house is so big.” Syra watched in awe as Tara drove along the gravel driveway toward the Bryton home.
“Let’s get you settled first.” Tara parked behind the house. Tara gave Syra a quick tour of the home and showed her where her bedroom would be. She gave her old room to the girl, knowing Hilda wouldn’t mind. After Syra seemed somewhat familiar with her surroundings, Tara decided to put her to the test and announced she was going to take a short ride and would be back in a few hours.
Her bike felt so good underneath her. She leaned forward and took off with enthusiasm. She had decided she would go look for Darius. It had entered her mind, while she was showing Syra around, that she would now be able to spend more time with him. She wasn’t sure where he was at the moment and hadn’t taken time before leaving the house to track him on her landlink. After driving through the town looking for him, she wondered if he was out joyriding, too.
Tara drove through some of the hills surrounding the town, slowly taking in the aroma of blooming flowers. It was fun driving through the trees, weaving in and out of the brush. Once she hit the open meadow, she pushed her bike and flew at speeds she’d only dreamed about over the past winter.
Instinctively she headed for the back hills, to the cliff where Darius had taken her on their first motorcycle ride, where the twins had been conceived. Now, it was her favorite spot, as well. She imagined her Darius sitting on the edge of the cliff overlooking his reign, lost in thought. She would sneak up on him, giving her Runner skills some much-needed practice.
Tara smiled, deciding she would take him right there and passionately make love to him. Their lovemaking was often interrupted or hurried since their children had been born. They were way past due for some incredible foreplay and heated sex. She drove faster, skillfully dodging the ruts in the earth, dwelling on her thoughts.
She bypassed the rugged rocky road leading up the hill, knowing the motorcycle would make too much noise going over the rocks. It was a slow climb driving through the jagged rocks and tall grass alongside the road, but she enjoyed it. Her heart leapt as she saw Darius’ bike in the grassy meadow. She parked a fair distance before the trees ended and quietly dismounted.
Tara crept through the trees, but the excited pounding of her heart soon changed as she heard voices.
“Why must you always bring me here, my lord?” a female voice said. “Just once it would be nice if you would have me in a bed.”
Tara almost tripped over a loose branch before she dropped to the ground and crawled through the grass. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. Images of Darius’ face, so full of love and concern throughout her labor, appeared in her mind. She could feel his tender caresses when another memory came to her—he was holding her, telling her she was beautiful even though she was pregnant with the twins.
The man had told her that he loved her.
The pain she felt as she watched her claim through the trees shadowed all pain she had ever experienced in her life.
“Shouldn’t a lord’s mistress enjoy some of the fruits of his success?”
Tara could see the woman now. Darius’ profile faced her, and she could tell he was looking toward the cliff.
Her heart seemed to stop beating. She couldn’t breathe. The air had turned to poison.
Tara sucked in breaths trying to gain control of herself so she could make sense of what she saw in front of her.
He was with another woman.
How could this be? He’d given no indication he was having an affair. The blood boiled inside Tara as she listened to the conversation.
“Don’t presume you’re anything that merits a title,” Darius said.
Tara could see the woman’s face, or better yet, the girl’s face, no…the
whore’s
face! She was young…too young…more than likely not even twenty winters. Her long reddish-blonde hair fell in a mass of curls down her back. Tara was sure she would vomit at the beauty of the little tramp.
Tara watched in disbelief as the girl slowly undressed in front of Darius. She was experienced; Tara guessed she’d undressed in front of men before, seducing them with a toss of her long hair. And the way she played with each button before releasing it! She let her dress fall to the ground, then reached for Darius’ shirt.
Tara was horrified. Her body began to shake. She couldn’t seem to stop it.
The whore placed her hand on Darius, and he didn’t stop her. The man showed no apparent emotion, but he let the whore touch him and didn’t make a move to prevent her. His gaze appeared to rest somewhere other than the whore’s face.
Tara squeezed her eyes closed, momentarily refusing to accept the fact that Darius, her man, her claim, allowed the whore to playfully pull at his shirt until it released from his pants.
He placed his hands on her breasts.
Tara grew livid.
“You’ll have me, my Lord, won’t you?” The whore ran her hands up Darius’ chest underneath his loosened shirt.
“No, he will not.” Tara walked into the open.
Every muscle in her body spasmed; she feared she might collapse in front of Darius and the female who still had her wicked hand on his chest. Tara’s legs felt mechanical, but they didn’t fail her. She pulled her small laser out and aimed it at the woman. The woman screamed and tried to cover her naked body with her arms.
Completely taken off guard, Darius dropped his hands from the woman’s breasts and stepped back.
“Get dressed and get out of here,” Tara ordered, her laser still aimed at the girl.
Darius put his hands out in front of him, his palms facing Tara. “Tara, don’t do anything you’ll regret.”
“Why not? You have.”
The blood boiling in her veins showed right through her eyes. Tara could see red dots popping in her vision. There was more anger in her than she’d ever experienced before. She shot a venomous look at the whore who was frantically trying to get her dress back on. Tara felt a warped satisfaction that her body shook so violently she could hardly step into her clothes.
“Don’t bother with the dress, bitch.” The snarl coming out of Tara was absolutely evil. “Just run. Run naked, and let the whole world see you for the fucking whore you are.”
The woman froze and stared at Tara in absolute horror.
Darius started moving slowly to Tara.
“Run!” Tara screamed and raised her gun to the woman’s head.
Now the woman screamed and with dress in hand took off toward the trees.
Tara’s body didn’t move when she fired the laser, sending the whore’s naked body flying into the trees.
Darius lunged at Tara.
She dodged away from his attack and then turned the gun on him, forcing him to a dead stop.
“Tara! Put it down.”
“Don’t speak to me. I don’t need words to add to the scene I just witnessed.” She pointed the gun at his head.
“Put down the gun. It’s done.”
“You won’t get out of this that easily.” Tara breathed in gulps of air, as if she’d just run up the side of the hill.
He looked at her, not saying a word.
She stood there thinking for a minute. The silver weapon didn’t budge from its target.
“Please then, my lady, put down the gun.”
Tara noticed something she hadn’t seen in Darius before: fear. The recognition of the emotion seemed to also bear witness to every other fault the man possessed. She cocked her head and studied Darius, as if truly seeing him for the first time. She lowered the gun.
Darius exhaled noticeably.
Tara watched him. She saw Darius with painful clarity at that moment—as if every trait, character defect, every emotion that made the man who he was, had been labeled clearly on him for her appraisal. Tara didn’t see good looks, she didn’t see sex appeal, and there was no hint of the magnificent warrior. What she saw was a man, impure and tainted, and she wasn’t impressed.
Intentionally and with premeditation, Tara raised her laser again and felt a calming satisfaction as his eyes widened, and his lips parted. Then without hesitating, she shot him in the foot.
He went down on one knee and grabbed the bleeding foot with both hands.
“I am no longer your lady.” She turned and walked away. Bile churned within her, and the spasms made her muscles quiver, but she managed composure. Darius wouldn’t see her break from his deed. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing how he had affected her.
“Tara, where are you going? Come back here.”
She could feel the pain in his voice, but wasn’t sure if it was from being shot, having been caught, or having heard her last words. There was so much anger and pain racking her entire body that she could no longer speak. She passed his bike and headed to the forest. On impulse, she turned and shot the gas tank out of his bike.
“Tara, you can’t leave.”
That was the last she heard him say. She ran. Reaching her bike, she climbed on and destroyed the ground and most of the foliage surrounding it as she spun around and tore out of the forest.
Her fury surpassed the pain she was feeling at that moment. She could not get out of her head what she’d seen in the clearing. How he had betrayed her! Shit, the woman was no more than a girl. How could he have done something like this to her, to them, to the twins, their new family? He’d brought that tramp to their magical spot. How could he be so callous?
As she drove back toward the house, she began to wonder how long he’d been unfaithful. She remembered the words Mikel had spoken before Darius had killed him. They haunted her.
Anger so intense she could barely stand it coursed through her. She couldn’t go back to the house in this condition.
She drove to the Blood Circle Clan, intent upon talking to Patha. She would leave with him. There was no way she could stay here. Darius had been unfaithful, and he had destroyed trust in their relationship.
Tears burned her eyes as she drove. No, he was no longer a lord, not in her eyes. He did not deserve any title of respect. He was Darius, a Gothman, and she’d been fooled into believing he actually thought more of her than he would a Gothman woman.
Her bike slid to a stop in front of Patha’s trailer. She jumped off and pulled open the trailer door with a force fueled by the fury reeking havoc inside her body.
Patha was sitting at the table talking to Reena and stood with a start as the door to his trailer flew open.
Tara noticed his surprised expression and knew no one entered his trailer without knocking. She stood in front of the two of them and quickly shut the door behind her. She was shaking and knew her face was stained from splattering dirt and tears.
“Child, what’s wrong?” Reena spoke first as she too jumped up and quickly moved around the table.