Dark Warriors: A Dark Lands Anthology (Darklands) (25 page)

She couldn’t tell if he was joking, but he must be. “Be serious.”

“I am.” He nodded toward the visitors. “Beast women are scarce and growing more so. That’s why they fought so hard to reclaim the edge of the swamps. It’s the only place a certain plant grows that allows for the birth of daughters.”

Stunned, she stared at him. She’d never heard of such a thing. “How do you know?”

He simply raised a brow. Remember who I am.

Dey blinked and looked away. “If that’s so, why didn’t they just offer to trade for the plant and benefit everyone? Why start a war?”

“They tried to trade. The Symbionts wouldn’t let them have it; too paranoid. It was either take the land by force or watch their people die out.”

Uneasy with this new information, Dey kept silent.

As if she’d expressed interest, he went on, “The Beasts will go to any lengths to rebuild their race. Since they can’t force a woman to have their children—the chemistry must be extremely balanced and receptive or the male seed won’t survive—they’ve come here hoping to find wives.”

She gaped at him. “Why would any man let his daughter marry a Beast? They’re not even human.”

Tiny lines appeared at the corners of his mouth. “Were they to remove their armor you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart from a human.” He leaned closer and whispered provocatively in her ear, “And they’re better in bed. Taught lovemaking theory as soon as they come of age, and how best to please a woman so her body won’t reject their seed. Very important to continue the line, you know.”

Shoulders hunched, she looked around to make sure no one had overheard his outrageous remark. She just knew her face was flushed pink; it was so hot. “Will you hush?”

He grinned. “Want to meet one?”

“No!” But he was already on his feet, dragging her by the hand behind him. Forced to pretend nonchalance, Dey matched his pace and tried discreetly to free her hand. In response he twined his fingers with hers. Her face blushing furiously, Dey followed him right up to three Beasts who were gathered around a basket weaver’s stall. She couldn’t help notice a pretty young woman manned it.

“Hello!” Keg wrapped an arm around her shoulders and beamed at the Beasts. “My small friend here wished to meet a real Beast. Do you mind?”

Dey gulped. She was surprised when the tallest of the three glanced at his companions and said carefully in her language, “Well met. I am Drostra. Your honor is mine.”

One of his comrades elbowed him. “It is, ‘the honor is mine,’ Drostra-Ra.”

Drostra cleared his throat. “Honored.” He glanced at Keg’s arm. “You are…promised, then?”

Since the arm served more to keep her in place than as a sign of affection, Dey answered truthfully, “No.”

It caused some muttering among the Beasts. “Would you walk over me, then, pretty one?” Drostra cajoled. “I have many properties.”

Baffled, Dey glanced at Keg.

“He’s rich. Able to provide well for you,” Keg translated. “He wants you to walk with him and consider him for a husband.”

Shocked, Dey stared at the Beast. Keg hadn’t been kidding. “I-I…”

“I will undress for you,” the man offered shyly.

She goggled.

“Bare his head,” Keg told her, barely able to hide his smile. “Beasts don’t usually move so fast, but as I said, they’re desperate. Normally it takes several dates before a woman ever sees a man’s head.”

Desperate to get out of this situation, Dey gulped and lied outright. “Um, I promised Keg here a walk. Didn’t I, Keg?” She smiled forcefully up at him.

“You did?” He grunted as she stepped on the edge of his boot. “Oh, yes. Now I remember. Sorry, gentlemen. Thanks for your patience. Fair luck to you.” He tucked Dey’s arm in his and sauntered away.

Dey waited until they were out of sight and rounded on him. “What do you think you were doing?”

“I wanted you to see they are nothing to fear.” He shrugged. “You were trembling with terror, so naturally…”

“I was not trembling!”

“What about now?” Without warning he pulled her to him, bent her over his arm and…kissed her the side of her mouth.

Amazingly, his cheeks were bronze when he let her up. Even more astounding, Dey’s lips tingled, begging for a closer hit. Speechless, she stared at him. It was long seconds before she could manage, “I…” And that was it. Too many surprises in too short a space.

“That’s moving at the speed of light for a Beast,” he explained. “But I bet your new friend would have tried it had you taken that walk with him.”

She shook herself and walked off. This morning was too weird. He was too weird.

“Whatcha doing?”

Luna looked up from her inspection of one of the Beast’s cycles, practically drooling. “Thinking.”

It didn’t take a great mind to guess about what. There was just one problem. “You can hardly trade them contraband for it,” she whispered, one eye on the Beasts. “And it’s not like a symbiont. It’ll need maintenance.”

“I know.” Luna looked at the Beast called Drostra. “I would like a ride. I will trade for your time.”

For a moment he said nothing. No doubt this Beast had heard tales of the half-blood in the human settlement. Maybe he had even been warned away. But why would he care? After all, he was willing to marry a full blood human.

Maybe he decided the same thing. “No price,” he said, and gestured for her to mount up.

Without hesitation, she did so.

Dey backed up and shook her head sharply at the other Beast, who offered with a gesture to give her a ride, too.

“Luna.”

Luna caught her eye. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

The sleek hover-sled took off with a roar. Dey clenched her fists and wished her great symbiont had chosen another time to divide. She desperately wanted to keep Luna in sight.

As if he’d read her mind, Keg pulled up beside her. “Want to race them?”

Grateful and unwilling to analyze his generosity, she leaped on back and held on. Silver tendrils wound up her leg, webbing her to the bike as they sped after the disappearing sleds. Keg deliberately stayed behind them, out of sight. When Drostra broke away from the other two, Keg veered after him. They heard the sound of his motor cutting in a clearing just ahead. Instead of following him in, Keg pulled to a stop.

“What are you doing?” Dey hissed. She bounced a little, as if her momentum would get them going.

“He wants privacy. Don’t worry, you can hear if Luna screams from here.” He didn’t seem a bit worried.

Jaw tight, she hopped off and started through the trees.

It was his turn to hiss, “Dey! Woman, wait!” as he followed her. She was quiet, but he was even better. She gave a little start as he crouched beside her behind some bushes.

“What are we doing here?” he groused.

She ignored him and focused on the drama in front of them. Drostra was saying something to Luna. Suddenly his helmet swished down into his armor collar. Dey gasped. The blond stud before Luna was one of the handsomest men she’d ever laid eyes on. Even though his hair was cut in the same way as Keg’s, it didn’t matter. With that sculpted face, he could be bald and no one would care. “Whoa.”

Keg glanced at her in annoyance. “You had your chance.”

“Yeah,” she said wistfully, then shook her head. “What am I saying? He’s an alien.”

“It didn’t stop you a minute ago,” he said perversely. “Let’s go.” He took her arm and tugged her away.

“But…” What if Luna needed her?

“He didn’t expose himself for you,” he added irritably.

“Exposed? You make it sound like he stripped naked. Ouch!”

He slowed down and relaxed his grip so she wouldn’t trip again. “To him it amounts to the same thing. Beasts don’t run around showing just anyone their faces. It’s nerve wracking.” He spoke as if he knew.

They reached his bike and he set her on the seat. “Now behave.”

Dey rolled her eyes. “Yes, O Great One.” At least now she was less worried. If Luna did need help, Keg would come in handy, but at the moment it didn’t look as if she would. Frankly, Dey was slightly envious. To counter that thought, she drummed her pink nails on her knee. “How long do you think this will take?”

“As long as they want.” The bike dipped as he straddled it facing her.

Just a little fidgety, she scooted back. There was only so far she could go.

A wry smile curved his mouth. “Now I’m a fearsome Beast?”

“Of course not.” He was just really, really sexual; sensual and a little hungry looking.

Hot eyes dipped to her lips. The grin grew mischievous. “I bet he kisses her.”

“She won’t let him.” Why did that have to come out breathless?

“Maybe not on the lips, but I bet she lets him do this.” He slid his warm hand under hers and kissed her inner wrist.

“No she wouldn’t,” she whispered.

“And this.”

Warm lips brushed her palm. Was it her imagination or was that an electrifying touch of tongue? Definitely tongue, she thought as he dragged it up to her pinky finger and drew it into his hot mouth. Sleepy eyes met hers as he sucked it deep. Every thought in her brain evaporated as she stared in rapt fascination. No one had ever done anything like this to her before. She hadn’t realized it was possible.

Suddenly she was scared. “Stop,” she whispered, unable to make her arm move.

“All right.” He released her and leaned back. The symbiont cycle obligingly shifted to support his head and back. Reclined like that, he looked lazy, predatory. Definitely a man to watch.

She swallowed and looked away. Small talk was beyond her.

“So would you marry an alien if he were appealing?”

“No!”

“You hate them that much?” he asked seriously.

“No, I just…they’re alien. I don’t understand them; know nothing of their culture. For all I know they’re not even built the same as us.”

Keg grinned. “I promise they’re built the same. Maybe bigger.”

She flushed. “Hey! Behave.” She did not need references to that kind of thing right now.

“All right. Let’s say you were attracted and cared for him. Could you do it then?” Although his pose was still relaxed, his eyes seemed unusually intent.

“Hypothetically speaking, maybe. But we’d have to live here. No way could I transplant to some odd culture. They’d probably make me wear an animal helmet.”

“Women don’t, and men only do when they’re in uniform, hunting or around aliens.”

She flipped a hand. The whole idea was ludicrous, anyway. And it made her wonder. “Why do you ask? Do you think the only man I’m likely to attract is an alien one?” The idea hurt. She knew she wasn’t the most appealing woman in the settlement; didn’t her lack of suitors prove it? Even worse, she’d never been kissed; on the lips, anyway. Maybe he thought she was desperate.

He leaned forward, cupped the back of her head in his hand, and rubbed noses. “Never fear that. I’m the curious sort.”

Magnetic attraction arced between them. Without thinking, Dey angled her mouth, but he withdrew. Hot sparks flashed in his eyes.

A frown and the beginnings of a pout drew her brows together and plumped her bottom lip. What was he, a tease?

As if he read her mind, Keg traced the ridge between her brows and then her full bottom lip. “Temper.”

She nipped the end of his finger.

He took her back to town after their quarry drove by. Dey found Luna minutes later. Those long legs of hers were on a determined course toward their house.

“You liked the sled?” Dey asked, nearly trotting to keep up.

Luna’s eyes sparkled. “I want one.”

“How will you pay?”

“Snake hunt.”

Alarm brought Dey to a halt. “Snakes? You know I hate snakes, Luna!” Sure, a snake hunt was the thing to raise cash, because the large ones were deep in the swamp and involved a very uncomfortable journey. Thus they commanded a high price, especially for the prized and deadly white ones. Their bounty was the reason they’d been hunted to extinction near the settlement.

One foot on their stairs, Luna glanced over her shoulder. “You don’t have to come.”

“You know I do.” Only fools went on a snake hunt alone. The huge beasts had to be harpooned through the head. They thrashed in their death throes for endless minutes. A coil of their body could smash bones and equipment, and the unconfined body could escape into the swamp, making retrieval difficult if not impossible. On top of this, there were the other dangers, both animal and vegetable, in the deep swamps. A partner was essential. More than one partner was even better. “Maybe we should invite your sister and Scy.”

“I don’t want to split the bounty. As it is, it will take at least two snakes to pay for what I want.”

“I don’t have my symbiont. We’d have to trek in and out, maybe boat it.” Which made it much more dangerous. It would be hard work, and no bones about it. Just the thought of handling the weight of the snake hide made her silently groan.

“I know. We’ll need a boom on the barge and a winch. Don’t worry about the harpoons. I’ll round them up. With any luck, we can be out of here day after tomorrow.”