Library

Chapter 12

Kyler

My pace quickens as I hurry to the healer’s tent to check on the wounded. Lit torches stand outside the entrance, and I push aside the flap guarding it. When I had left, seven warriors and humans occupied beds within. A quick glance confirms that two beds are now empty.

Sage and Jodah stand near the supply table speaking quietly with each other, but they look over at my arrival. My apprentice approaches with a smile and clasps my hands.

“I knew you guys would find Zara,” she says after a reassuring squeeze and releases her hold on me. “Although you coming back as her mate is something of a shock.”

“It was a surprise to me as well.”

Jodah joins us and fists his chest. “Blessings on your mating.”

“Thank you.” I return the gesture and shift my gaze to the vacant furs. “Did our tribe brothers travel to the lands of Deeka?”

Sage’s expression falls and sorrow crosses her face. “I— we —did everything we could.”

I lay my hand on her shoulder. “Of that I have no doubt. You are a wonderful healer.”

She smiles sadly and nods. “Thank you. The rest are still hanging on. They’ve all woken up and spoken at least once but are still in pain. London and Jodah have been out in the forest replenishing our supplies daily. Unless something drastic happens, I suspect the remaining wounded will make a full recovery.”

It would appear she and her mate have things well in hand. “I will return first thing in the morning. In the meantime, I must get back to Zara’s tent.”

“Go,” she urges. “Everyone is stable. If I need you for something, I’ll send Jodah.”

With a final glance at the sleeping warriors, I exit and quickly make my way back to my mate. Now that we have returned, the village has quieted. People have entered their tents while several warriors and human males appear to be maintaining guard and patrolling. It is clear Zander is taking extra precautions. The Njeri attack had blindsided us. I assume the Krijese traveled back to their village within the hills. My sole attention had been on getting Zara safely to her dwelling to rest.

I reach her tent and slap the door flap. In only a few beats of my heart, it swings open, as though my mate had been standing close by in anticipation of my arrival. She shifts to the side and I step past her and into her dwelling. I sweep my gaze around and take it fully in. When I brought her here earlier, my focus had only been on her, but looking around, I am able to learn a few things about my mate. The primary thing is that she is messy. I turn back toward her. She remains by the entrance, her eyes darting everywhere but on me.

“If you have changed your mind about wanting me to stay, you only have to let me know,” I rush to reassure her. “I will not be upset.”

Zara rattles her head. “No, it’s not that. Sage has told me how meticulous and orderly you are with your medical supplies. I’m going to bet that means your tent is the same. I’m just realizing how chaotic mine probably feels to you and that I should have picked up a little before you came back. I’m sure you think I’m a slob.”

Carefully, I close the distance between us, making sure to step over her pallet of furs and not on it. I cradle her cheek and a rumble of satisfaction nearly bursts from my chest when Zara leans into my touch. “Perhaps a little chaos is not such a bad thing. Maybe this is why Deeka chose us as mates. She knew that we would bring out the best in each other and encourage us to be more accepting of our differences. I believe we are the perfect complement to one another.”

Wetness gleams in my keeshla’s eyes. “If you’re trying to get me to fall in love with you, I’d say you’re doing a damn good job of it so far.”

My heart nearly bursts with joy. Everything I have dreamed of since I was a kit is coming to me. I lean in and pause just before my lips touch Zara’s. “Then I must keep trying until you have completely fallen.”

With that, I claim her mouth with mine. I thread my hand through her hair and tilt her head to deepen our connection. A flicker of something against my lips has me drawing away and staring down at her. Is this a new form of kissing?

“Sorry, did that gross you out or something?” she asks.

“Not at all. I was only unsure of what it was. Is this a different style of kissing?”

Zara swallows and nods. “It’s considered more intimate when partners kiss with their tongues.”

Kissing with tongues ? “I would like to try this more intimate kiss with you again. Please.”

This time it is she who initiates. She rises up on her toes and presses her lips to mine. It starts out as the few other kisses we have shared, but then there is that flick of a touch again. I part my mouth, and she sweeps fully inside, engaging my tongue with tentative swipes as though testing out my flavor. It is the most divine sensation I have ever experienced. Wanting more, I move closer and pull Zara against me.

She cries out and breaks the kiss. I release her in an instant and curse myself for causing her pain. She cradles her arm more tightly to her chest.

“Apologies, keeshla . I never meant to hurt you. Please forgive me.”

“It’s okay,” she says in a soothing tone. “We both got a little carried away.”

I jerk my chin in her direction. “May I?”

Zara nods.

Taking great care, I examine her arm. “I need to adjust the splint. It has come loose.”

She grimaces, but braces herself. “Can you do it standing or would it be easier if we’re sitting?”

Sitting would be best, but I will let her decide. “Whichever you are most comfortable with.”

“Then my answer is neither.” Zara chuckles but releases a sigh. “Let’s just get it over with. I’ll try not to whine too much.”

She moves to her pallet and settles onto it with her legs crossed. I take my place directly in front of her and mimic her pose. She slips her arm out of the support and I gently take it in my hands. Working as swiftly as I can and doing my best to make the process as painless as possible, I adjust the sticks that comprise the splint and tighten their bindings.

Zara flinches a few times, but otherwise doesn’t move until I finish and replace the length of cloth cradling her injured limb. She raises it up and down before setting it back in her lap. “It actually does feel better now. Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.” It is my honor to serve her. “Do you need anything more for the pain?”

She shakes her head. “I’m good. I don’t want to rely too heavily on it. Besides, it’s not going to kill me to have an ache or two here and there.”

“Or perhaps, I suspect, it is because you are tired of drinking shit.”

Laughter explodes from Zara. “I think I’m a bad influence on you. I’m not sure I have ever heard a Tavikhi curse.”

“We do, but it most likely does not translate into your Earth language. Although, I understand the shefir has adopted one of the human’s curses. Fuck, I believe it is?” It is not a word I have ever spoken until now, but hearing it come from my tongue, I can understand why Zander might like it.

“Oh man,” Zara says with evident amusement. “You can’t go wrong with fuck as a curse. It’s one of my favorites. Teach me one of your curse words, will you?”

I pause for a moment while I consider one she might like. “There is budalla. Or what about dhise?”

She smiles and it is so bright it is as though the light of an entire sky full of suns shines down. “I really like budalla. What does it mean?”

“In your language it would closely translate to the cock of a dhibani.”

“Oh my God, that is absolutely perfect. I’m going to start using that.” Zara cackles like a burracak. “Man, Clifton and Priscilla would shit over that one. I can see Priscilla’s lips pinched in disdain already. And Clifton looking down his stuck-up nose.”

I tilt my head. These are not names I know. She glances at me and must read the confusion on my face.

“Sorry. Clifton and Priscilla are my parents. A couple of tight-asses. Which, by the way”—she holds up a finger—“is not a good thing. They’re both snobs of the highest order. Thinking they’re better than everyone, including me.”

The memory of her speaking of her baba having many credits returns to me. What else did she say about him? Or her nene? “You did not have a good relationship with your baba and nene, then?”

Zara makes a harsh noise. “They were some of the worst parents a person could have. To be perfectly honest,” she pauses and takes a deep breath. Her eyes meet mine. “I hated them. Which to some people might make me a terrible daughter, but I don’t care.”

I reach for her hand and hold it gently between mine, caressing it with a finger. “I think you must have a very good reason to feel as you do. If you are in any way worried I am one of those people who believes you to be terrible, then you should not be. I do not think there is anything you could do that would make me think you are terrible.”

Wetness gleams in Zara’s eyes. “You really need to stop being so damn nice.”

There is no harshness in her words so I do not truly believe she means them. I reach up and swipe away a stray tear that glides down her cheek. A smile creeps onto my face. “I will do my best to be less nice.”

“No you won’t,” she says.

No, I will not. A voice tells me that not many people have been kind to my mate, which means I will need to shower Zara with every bit of kindness that I can. She deserves it. “We should get some rest.”

She nods. “You’re probably right. Although I better take care of my personal business first.”

I help her up, and together, we leave for the area where we take care of our needs. In no time, we are back at her tent and cleaned up. I watch as she uses a special paste and cleanses her teeth with a bristled device of some kind.

“I’ve never been so glad to be able to brush my teeth as I am now,” Zara says when finished. “I don’t know how you can stand talking to or kissing me with my breath smelling as awful as it did.”

“Nothing about you smells bad.” Beneath the dirt, there is only the scent of female.

She shudders and carefully lowers herself onto her furs. “Then your nose doesn’t work. As soon as I get up tomorrow, I’m taking a bath in the river. You may not be able to smell my stench, but I can. After that, I’m burning these clothes.”

I hesitate, because although Zara has asked me to stay, I do not want to presume that also means she wants me to sleep beside her as we did out in the forest. Once she has laid down and made herself comfortable, she glances up.

“You’re not going to just stand there all night are you?”

“If you ask me to I will.” There is nothing I would not do for her.

She pats the ground next to her. “I’m not asking you to.”

I slip my sheathed sword over my head and lay it on the ground beside the fire pit. Next, I remove the satchels from around my waist and place them beside the weapon, until I am clad in only my leg coverings. They are not something I normally wear during sleep, but I do not believe Zara is ready for me to remove them. She remains wearing the same leg and chest coverings she had on when she was taken.

At last, I lay down at her side. She moves close, curls up against me, and rests her injured arm over my chest. I have never been more content in all of my life. Emotion swells within my heart. At long last, Deeka has blessed me with a mate. There is no more joyous moment than this one.

“Thank you for staying.” Her breath caresses my flesh and my mating marks tingle where it blows across them. I can sense them darkening in the pale light.

“It is my pleasure.” One of these turns, my keeshla will understand there is nothing that I would not do for her. I kiss the top of her head. “Rest, Zara.”

She mumbles and nods. I lie there long after her breathing evens out, listening to the soft sounds and noises she makes, until finally I let myself relax enough that I join her in sleep.

Comments

0 Comments
Best Newest

Contents
Settings
  • T
  • T
  • T
  • T
Font

Welcome to FullEpub

Create or log into your account to access terrific novels and protect your data

Don’t Have an account?
Click above to create an account.

lf you continue, you are agreeing to the
Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy.