Wild Things (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance): Shifter Lovers Romance (15 page)

Talok
joined them. “There are less than a dozen. They have seen us, obviously. Shift
now, and box the compass, yes?” Talok held a sword as well, and for a moment
she was confused. Behind her, she heard a growl and turning found the other two
men had shifted. Huge desert wolves growled and paced. Two huge swords lay on
the ground at their feet.

“Yes.”
Gabriel threw his sword on the ground at her feet, then shrugged. “I do not
like to be without a weapon. Fight with the dagger, but know where these swords
lie on the ground.”

Before
Senna had the chance to even nod, the Talok and Gabriel threw off their robes.
The shift happened so quickly, so smoothly, that it seemed she only blinked once,
and Gabriel had gone through the body-bending process, arms and legs
contorting, thick fur growing over his body. Then he was on the ground, his
jaws thrust forward, white fangs erupting with a spurt of blood. He wore no
body armor and it was strangely beautiful to see his body completely covered
with dense black fur.

Talok
was nearby, and shook his big head, throwing it back with a howl toward the
sky. He was gray and black, fur grizzled, his body wide and powerful, just as
he was as a man. Gabriel joined him, and the transformation complete.

She
learned in seconds what box the compass meant. Gabriel nudged her until she
stood in the center of the four wolves. The machines were close now, and there
was a moment of terror as she watched them ride toward them. They could,
easily, circle them and cut them down with the weapons they held.

The
first rider circled them in a wide arc, screaming at the men a language she
didn’t understand but sounded familiar. Then it struck her, like a blow to her
chest. These men, these shifters, would have been boys, like Gabriel, living in
the desert with their tribe. They might have been neighboring villages to his.
And now they were fighting, all because humans had decided to divide the land
according to their own desires.

For
a forlorn moment, she wanted to make them all stop, to make them listen. She
understood, she thought, what they all must feel, how Gabriel felt when he
found his village gone.

But
then the world was a swirling mass of sand, and machines, and screams and growls.
She tugged the veil over her robe over her nose, and held the dagger as Gabriel
had shown her, and prepared to fight for her life.

The
rider had a long spear, held it out horizontally, the sound of it cutting the
air like the sound of a whip before it cracked against its target. The wolves
ducked, crouching beneath the blade. As the rider tightened his circle, the
wolf behind her jumped, hitting the rider, knocking him to the sand. There was
a scream, and then the sand was stained red with blood.

That
seemed absurdly easy. But then she realized the Ottway’s men had sent a
sacrifice. The man had distracted them while the others had abandoned their
machines and shifted.

From
her left, she heard a deep growl, and she spun around. A yellow wolf, one that
looked as wide as a camel, came at her. It held her gaze with yellow eyes,
mesmerizing as it stared at her. Then it lunged, straight for her throat.

A
flash of black cut in front of her, Gabriel hitting the wolf in the ribs,
knocking it to the sand. She watched as he bit down on the wolf, she thought
going for the throat, but biting the wolf in the shoulder instead. Every
instinct in her told her to run, to jump on the yellow wolf and kill it. But
Gabriel’s words rang in her head.
Defend herself only.
So she crouched
in the center of the three wolves, and waited.

The
Ottway’s wolves attacked, charging in, teeth snapping at the other wolves. But
they held their places, backed in so close to Senna she felt their tails brush
against her legs.

With
a deep growl, Talok charged forward at one of the yellow wolves, knocking it to
the ground. Surprised, Senna jerked around, looking for Gabriel. He had the
yellow wolf on its back, tearing at the neck. Blood spurted out, splashing on
his black fur. She thought Talok must have known, and waited until Gabriel was
free to watch her.

The
yellow wolf beneath Gabriel, gave out one last whimper, and then Gabriel jumped
aside, circling it on stiff legs, backing away from it, moving toward Senna.

But
there were too many wolves charging to keep her in the center. The other two
black wolves charged an enemy wolf, pinning it between them. There was a
violent struggle, sand and fur flying. Then one of the black wolves yelped, and
fell to the ground. Senna saw blood on the yellow wolf’s fur, but it still
fought, circling the other wolf. The Ottway’s wolf grinnged, blood dripping
from its jaws. It looked like it was grinning. It circled slowly, making feints
and false starts, until the black wolf jumped onto its back. In a heartbeat,
the black wolf bit down, and Senna’s stomach did a slow roll as she heard the
sound of bones crunching. The yellow wolf fell to the ground, legs kicking
feebly. Then it stopped moving.

She’d
lost track of Gabriel, and she turned in a frantic circle, looking for him. He
was behind her, on the ground on his back, a yellow wolf dripping saliva and
blood on his chest. Gabriel had all four legs braced against the belly of the
other wolf, barely holding it at bay. Any second Gabriel’s strength might give
out, or the wolf might over power him. She had to do something.

The
dagger in her hand looked too small, so she dropped it, and reached down and
scooped up one of the swords. It weighed more than she thought it would, but it
was bigger. She brought it back, then ran forward toward Gabriel and the yellow
wolf. Swinging it like a club, she hit the wolf with the flat of the blade. The
force of the blow made the sword vibrate in her hand, and she almost dropped
it. It did nothing to damage the wolf, except surprise it. The wolf turned its
head to her, jaws snapping. She took a stumbling step backward, tripping over
her feet, landing on her butt.

The
wolf jumped at her, and behind she saw Gabriel struggling in the sand to get to
his feet. But from where she sat, he seemed too far away. And the yellow wolf
was right there, almost on top of her.

She
started to bring her hands up to protect herself, and realized she still held
the sword. Gripping the handle, she held it up straight in front of her. For a
moment the wolf looked confused, and then it tried to backpedal, to get away
from her. But its momentum carried it forward and it hit the end of the sword.
The weight of the wolf drove the sword into its belly, blood spilling over her.
The wolf’s snarl turned to a howl of pain and it sank forward, jaws snapping at
her even as the sword sunk deeper into it.

Then
a blur of black shot from the side, and the sword was pulled from her hands as
the yellow wolf was pushed away. Gabriel knocked the wolf down, but it didn’t
get back up. He turned to her, growling as she slowly got to her feet.

“My
Gods woman, you are either the bravest thing I’ve seen, or the most foolish.”

She
turned to find him behind her, pulling on his robes. The other member of the
tribe was dressed, bending down to the other fallen man. He lay naked on the
ground. For a moment she looked on in confusion.

“Sometimes
we shift back when we are dead. He did...”

She
looked up at him, tears gathering in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for
bringing all this with me.”

Talok
put a big hand on her shoulder. “It was not you. This pain has been with our
people longer than you have. But now, maybe you can do something to change
that.”

She
watched as Talok and Gabriel wrapped the dead man in his robes. Then he
returned to her.

“We
must travel now. There is no time to waste.”

“Can
we take one of the machines? Wouldn’t that be faster?”

“Yes.
But it would be certain death. We would be heard too soon, with no element of
surprise. And those machines are not as reliable as they seem. The only thing
that can cross the desert without a breakdown is a camel. If one of those
machines ran out of fuel, or there was a sandstorm, we would die a slow death
from thirst.”

* * *

The
camels did come back. Talok held the reins of three, and Gabriel walked toward
their camel. He spoke softly, and the beast dropped to the ground. She was
anxious now to go home, to get started on the last part of this journey so she
could begin the next: getting rid of the Prime Minister.

“Senna,
come. We must find shelter and rest. And start tonight.”

“I
want to go now. How far are we from the Oasis?”

Talok
made a sound, not unlike the camel’s snorts. “You will die in the desert before
you arrive. It is too far. You must rest now, and travel at night.”

She
ignored him, focused on Gabriel. “How far?”

He
looked at her for a long moment, and then nodded. She saw in his eyes that he
understood her urgency to return home. “It is far. But we have water. And we
have the will.”

“Gabriel,
that’s not a wise move.” Talok blew out an exasperated breath. “But I have
known since you were a child that when you have your mind set on something,
nothing will deter you. Here...” He reached up, and unhooked the leather water
bag from one of the camels. “Take this. It is still not enough, but with it,
you might die closer to home.”

Senna
was stung by his sharp words, but Gabriel only smiled. “We’ll make it through.
Don’t worry.”

The
remaining man mounted his camel, and reached down to take the reins of the
camel that held the body of the dead man. They’d wrapped him in his robes, but
the camels still snorted and danced away, but the one holding the bundle stood stoically,
as if it knew what it carried.

“Then
may the universe, and all the Gods smile on you, and your journey.”

Talok
reached out, and wrapped an arm around Gabriel, pulling him close. He said
something in Gabriel’s ear, but Senna couldn’t hear the words. Then Talok’s
other arm came out, and she found herself crushed between the two men.

Senna
mounted the camel behind Gabriel. The camel rose, tipping her forward, then
back. Gabriel clicked his tongue, turned the animal’s head, and they began the
last part of the journey, back to the Oasis.

Senna
was hot, the sun beating down on them with relentless brutality. Gabriel had
told her to drink water, but she was afraid of drinking it all. She knew
Gabriel was pushing the camel to its limits. He’d told her that camels could
travel over a hundred miles in a day, but it was very hard for them. Now she
wondered if they were going to kill the camel before they reached their
destination. She didn’t think Gabriel would let that happen, but she thought
maybe Talok was right, that they should have waited.

She
had lost track of time, riding with her face completely covered, her head
tucked behind Gabriel’s back. A long time after they had started riding, the
wind kicked up, sand stinging against her face. She’d pulled herself into her
robes like a turtle and hidden.

With
a sudden jerk, the camel came to a stop. The wind was still blowing, and she
decided he was going to tell her they had to stop. But they seemed to be in the
middle of nowhere, of nothing. There was nowhere she could see to hide.

“We
are closer than I thought. But there are guards out here.”

How
he knew that, she had no idea, but if he said there were guards, she had to
believe him. She got ready to dismount the camel.

“And
with this wind, they can’t ride the machines, either the aliens or the
shifters. We can, with luck, slip past them. I know a place on the Oasis wall
where we can hide.”

“Hide
a camel?

By
degrees the camel had turned its back to the storm, and when Gabriel turned to
talk to her most of his words were swallowed by sand and the wind. He leaned
down, his lips beside her ear.

“We
walk. At least for a short distance. The camel can take care of itself here.”

A
thrill ran through her. They were close, close enough to walk. But in the
swirling sand and screaming wind, she wondered how he planned to get them from
where they were to where they needed to be.

“How?”
They would be swallowed up in the sand in moments. “How do we walk through
this?”

“I
know a way. But it will be dangerous. Can you do it?”

He
dropped off the camel, and helped her down. With a swat on its backside, he
sent the camel to wherever camels go in sandstorms. Wherever that was, it
disappeared in seconds.

“How
can you know where we are?”

Slinging
a water bag over his shoulder, he put a length of rope in her hand. “Tie this
around your waist. If we get separated, you won’t get lost.”

She
did as she was told, tying a knot. The rope went taut, and she felt for a
moment like it was the only thing keeping her from flying into the sky.

“This
is madness, Gabriel.”

Over
the wind, she heard what sounded like his laugh. “Possibly. But I have been in
storms like this before. It seems worse to you than it really is.”

Her
laugh joined his, but hers was tinged with panic. “I can’t imagine how it could
be worse.” But she had to trust him. There was nothing else she could do.

“It
has been lessening, over the last hour. The wind has shifted, blowing at our
back now. Think of it as blowing you home.” For a brief instant, he lowered his
face covering, and she saw his smile. He kissed the only part of her visible,
her forehead, before pulling the cloth back over his face.

“It
will blow itself out before night. We will be at the Oasis by then.”

This
all seemed unreal, but she followed him, blindly, hands wrapped around the
rope, letting the feel of it guide her. And maybe he was right, maybe the storm
was lessening. She’d spent hours with her head down and eyes closed, hiding
behind Gabriel. The day could have turned into night and she might not have
noticed.

She
could tell by the way the ground shifted that they were walking downhill. The
wind had been pushing her robes against her back, but now they swirled around
her, the wind tearing at the scarf on her head, the cloth covering her face.
Gabriel turned again, the rope pulling her to the right. Her feet went out from
under her, and she fell, her knee hitting a rock.

“Are
you alright?”

His
hands were under her arms, pulling her to her feet. “Yes. Just tripped...” Pain
shot up her leg, but it didn’t buckle. “On a rock. Oh...a rock. This is the
ravine behind the Oasis, near where the supply carts came and went. Or had,
before the aliens kept traders from coming by cart. The gate where they entered
had been closed and locked a long time ago. Now she knew exactly where he was
taking her.

“Come.
It’s almost dark. I can find my way in the light, even in a sandstorm. But in
the dark, I would be lost.”

Adrenaline
flooded through her, and she followed Gabriel with renewed energy. They were
close, closer than she’d thought. Soon, very soon, she would find Ana, and this
would all be over.

With
unerring accuracy, or so she thought, Gabriel led them to the gate set in the
outer wall. And as he’d said, the wind had died down, leaving the sky an angry
color, like a bruise, a distorted blood-red sun setting behind them.

The
door was inset in the thick walls, and they hid in the shadows. Gabriel tore
his face covering away, breathing out a sigh. Above where the cloth had covered
his face his skin was red and irritated. “Glad to be rid of that.”

She
pulled the covering away from her face, glad to be able to take a breath
without breathing through the cloth. “What do we do now?” She had images of
them confronting the Prime Minister, a bloody battle with knives and swords.
Her heart beat faster, anticipating making her body shake.

“Nothing.”
Gabriel sat down, his back against the wall. “We wait until dark. And then we
wait longer.”

She
stared down at him. “Wait? Why did we risk life, and limb to wait?”

“Because,
there is no way we can move around inside the palace during the day without
being seen instantly. At night, it is still dangerous, but we have the cover of
darkness to help. And at night, there is only one place the Prime Minister
would be, correct? I’m hoping I can find one of the guards, one who does not
believe am a deserter, who can help us do what we need to do.”

Gabriel
untied the rope that connected him, coiling it around his hands. Then it
disappeared beneath his robes. It would be impossible to wait, to sit here, and
do nothing while the Prime Minister was doing more harm. While Anacelia, where
ever she was, might be in danger.

“Sit,
Senna. Have patience. Just a little longer.”

She
slid down the wall, resting beside Gabriel. The minute she hit the ground, she
yawned. Exhaustion, deep and overwhelming, didn’t creep up on her. It just took
her. She yawned once and then closed her eyes, leaning against Gabriel.

“Alright.
Wake me.”

“I
would not think to leave you behind, Senna. Never.”

* * *

She
snapped awake with a shiver. It was cold, very cold. Outside the arch where she
sat dark sand stretched in all directions, each grain seeming to cast a shadow
in the brilliant moonlight. The sky overhead was deep indigo, not black. The
moon was somewhere behind the wall, but she could see the yellow glow overhead.

But
she was alone.

Scrambling
to her feet, she bit back calling out Gabriel’s name. He would not leave her.
And if they’d found them, he would have taken her as well. She stepped back
into the shadows, and did the only thing she could do. She waited.

There
was a sound behind her, on the other side of the door. A scratching, metal
against metal. Fumbling in her robes, she found the dagger Gabriel had given
her, and then slipped around the edge of the archway. Instantly she felt
exposed, like a brightly lit bug against the outer wall. But there was
something there, and she would rather be exposed than discovered in the small
alcove with whoever was coming for her.

Gripping
the dagger, she listened. There was a
metallic ping and a scraping sound. It could only be the door opening. From
here, she could see nothing.

She
crept forward, trying to see. The door blocked her view, but it blocked her
from whoever had opened it. Indecision tore at her. She wanted to see, but she
didn’t want to be seen. Gabriel would know what to do; he was a fighter. He’d
tell her, but he was gone.

“Senna...”
Her name was a whisper on the breeze. “Senna. It’s me.”

Slowly,
she looked around the edge of the door. Gabriel was there, in his guard’s
uniform. Behind him she saw something more and drew back the dagger, ready to
kill whoever was sneaking up on him.

“No.”
he reached out, his hand on hers, on the hilt of the dagger. “This is my man,
one of the guards. They have agreed, those that I have found, to help us.”

Relief
washed over her, and for a giddy moment, she wanted to laugh. But Gabriel was
pulling her through the doorway. Behind him were several men, all dressed in
the familiar guard’s uniforms. When they saw her, they bowed. She was touched,
and for a moment remembered who she was. She was Princess Senna, and this was
her kingdom.

“Princess.
We are at your service. We followed your father, and now we shall follow you.”

“Thank
you. But for now, I think you should follow Gabriel. I have no idea how to
dethrone the Prime Minister.”

Gabriel
turned to the men. “Go, find those who will fight with us. Meet me in the guard
room.” The men bowed, and disappeared into the darkness, the dim glow of a
light box going with them.

“Why
did you leave me?”

To
her surprise, Gabriel laughed. “I wanted to see if I could find a way in,
besides this door. And I got caught by one of my own men. I must have trained
them well. At any rate, he had me on the ground, at knifepoint, but he
recognized me. And then, thankfully, he decided not to kill me.”

The
guard had told Gabriel that the Prime Minster had yet to make changes to the
guards or their routines, although it was rumored he was going to kill them all,
and replace them with the Ottway’s men. The guards believed that the next time
the Ottway’s train returned, they would all die. So when Gabriel told the man
he had the Princess hidden, the guard had rallied those he could find, that he
knew were loyal to the Princess.

“So
we have a small force that is at my command. But this time, Senna, and I mean
this. You will
not
fight with us. You will not.”

She
opened her mouth to speak, but he covered it with a kiss, shutting off her
protests. When he let her go, she was breathless. “If necessary, I will have you
put in the cells in the basement.”

She
stared at him with wide eyes. “You wouldn’t.”

“I
would. You have risked your life too many times. But now, here, this is my
place to fight for you. Do not argue with me, Senna. Do not.”

His
words were hard and insistent, but tinged with love. She nodded, but she was
not happy.

“Then
go to Anacelia. I know where she is. And don’t worry, she is safe.”

He
led her down halls she had never even known existed, through passages and
doors. And then into a hall with doors on either side. One was open, and in the
soft light a woman stood. Senna knew before seeing her face, that it was Anacelia.
She let go of Gabriel and ran to her friend.

“Senna.
I never thought I would see you again.” The woman reached up, winding her arms
around Senna in a grip that threatened to leave bruises. “But you are home. You
are home.”

“Yes.
I am. And with Gabriel’s help...” She pried herself away from Anacelia, looking
behind her for Gabriel, afraid he’d already left her. But he stood in the
hallway. “With his help, we are going to take back my kingdom.”

Anacelia
looked at her with wide eyes, but Senna could see the smile growing on her
face. “It is time. And you are the rightful ruler of this land.” Anacelia
looked past Senna. “And you are the man to do this. Now...” Anacelia thrust her
chin at Gabriel. “Go. Quickly.”

Senna
watched as Gabriel disappeared down the hall. Then she turned back to Anacelia,
pushing her through the open door. The woman staggered back in surprise,
clutching Senna’s arm.

“Listen.
I am not staying. I am going to fight with Gabriel, or at least watch. I cannot
just let him go...”

“Senna.
You can, and you must.” She tugged at Senna with surprising strength. “You have
to stay here. You are to be the next ruler.”

It
hurt Senna to wrench her arm away from the woman. She only had the best
intentions and Senna’s well-being at heart.

“I
have to see this through, Anacelia. I am sorry.”

To
the sound of Anacelia’s surprised gasp, Senna stepped into the hall, slamming
the door on her startled expression. Then she turned, tripping over her robes
as she ran down the hall. She undid the ties at her neck, and shrugged out of
it, leaving it in a pile in the hall. It was far easier to run in her dress,
her leather boots tapping on the stone floor.