A Love For Lera (Haikon) (23 page)

‘Sure.’

Her suspicion never faded. Still, when he chuffed
behind her and she turned, a smile filled her face at the sight. Three tiny
snow leopard cubs lay there mewling, curled close to one another for heat. She
dropped to her knees and put her bag beside her, digging into it.

“They’re so tiny. What, a few weeks? Their eyes
are barely open.” She watched him lower himself around them, adding his heat to
them.

‘Yes. No more than a few weeks.’

She withdrew the bag of food and a few other
things got shoved to the bottom. Then, she laid the folded blanket over it to
make a floor. The wind picked up in its ferocity, and she shook her head. This
wouldn’t be easy.

“I can carry them in here, they’ll be warm and I
can cover them with some fur.”

Perun stood, and immediately, faint cries reached
her. He carried them over, one by one, and she tucked them into her backpack,
now serving as a cub carrier. She laid a small piece of fur over them and
zipped the bag near closed, leaving a small opening on the side, so they’d have
air but were protected from the wind.

“Let’s find some better shelter. Then, we’ll
tackle how the heck to feed them.”

‘Another cave is off this way. Stay close,
vaj.’

It eased her own personal pain a bit to be called
vaj. No one could replace Adric, and she longed for him to be near, but it was
really nice to have Perun with. She walked carefully, doing her best not to
jostle the cubs too much. Night had fallen when they reached the edge of the
cave.

“Is it clear?”

‘All clear.’

She moved in until the wind no longer ripped at
her exposed skin. “You stay with the bag and the cubs. I’ll open it so you can
take them out if you want. I’ll go gather up some wood for a fire.”

‘Are you sure?’

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

She slipped back out into the increasing
darkness. Automatically counting her steps, she moved toward the small trees
she’d managed to make out as they approached their shelter. It didn’t take her
long and she had an armful of smaller stuff. Enough to warm the area for the
cubs so she could go get more.

Once the fire burned, she moved the cubs closer.
They slept, and she tucked them in the fur. “I’ll go out and get some more
wood; this was just a first run to get a fire going.”

Her answer was a low growl, and Perun positioning
himself before her, his body poised to defend her and the cubs. Weapon in hand,
she waited. It didn’t take long for an answering rumble to fill the air. A
mangy wolf moved closer toward them and the entrance. He crouched low in
preparation to attack.

He sprang and was knocked out of the air by a
much larger wolf, silver gray with a charcoal black mask. Kori. Seconds later,
the smaller one lay dead at the mouth of the cave.

Perun stayed low, his tail flicking angrily from
side to side, and continued to emit a warning growl.

“Perun, it’s okay. Kori, shift.”

Silence fell, and she ran toward the wolf and
collapsed against the man who replaced him. Kori. Hard. Warm. Here.

“
Mo anam.
” He kissed her thoroughly,
holding her tight. “Who’s that?”

“Kori,” she said, turning back to the leopard
who’d repositioned himself by the now crying cubs, “meet Perun. Perun, this is
my mate, Kori. He won’t hurt you or the cubs.”

Perun yawned, showing off his impressive teeth,
and lowered his head to the cubs and nudged them. Kori spun Lera back so they
were chest to chest. Her body responded to being back in his embrace, nipples
tightening and her pussy grew slick with desire. Her heart pounded faster, and
she longed to be joined with him on the most intimate of levels. But the
mewling grew louder and she gave him a tired smile, running her hands up his
impressive torso.

“I have to take care of the cubs. I don’t know
what to feed them, Kori. And I need more wood to make it warmer.”

Another kiss. “I’ll get wood. Then, we’ll talk.”

A few hours later, she sat between Kori and
Perun. The fire blazed high, spreading it’s warmth over her and the babies.
They lay on her lap, two out of the three sleeping, the third suckling hungrily
from the makeshift nipple she held for it. Kori had returned with milk; how
he’d gotten it, she hadn’t a clue. But he had. Wood, milk, and meat for them
all, Perun included.

“So he just showed up?” Kori asked, leaning close
and tracing light kisses along her exposed neck.

“Yes. I invited him to come with. If Vilfi is
successful at getting others to join, Perun’s vaj may be there.” She stroked
the small body on her lap.

“You’re good at that,
mo anam
.”

She smiled at him before ducking her head. “What
about Sven?”

“He has plans to eradicate the Haikon. There are
parties moving to converge on the remaining ones. Apparently, he figures if he
wipes them out before they can find this one from the prophecy, they can’t
become strong again.”

She shuddered, and Kori tucked some of her hair
behind her ear. “I’ll not let anything happen to you, Lera.”

“How is he tracking them?”

Kori sighed. “Dark magic. So, now, it’s basically
a race to see who gets there first. Us. Or them.”

“And I’ll be even slower with these babies.” She
stared at him and tilted her head when he covered her mouth with his hand.

“You can’t leave them to die, Lera. They come
with us.”

‘Thank you, Kori.’

‘I’d move the heavens to have that look on
your face, Lera.’

‘Well, I don’t need that to happen. But, if
you could see fit to hold me tonight, that would be nice.’

‘You belong in my arms.’

“I happen to think so, too,” she murmured against
his palm.

He did just that. Perun shared his heat with the
babies, and she lay content and wrapped up in Kori’s arms.

Two days later, as they moved across the
landscape, Kori observed Lera as she walked. The backpack with the cubs in it
slung on her back, Perun keeping pace beside her. He knew she hurt. At night
when she slept, her guard let down, and he could feel part of the pain she felt
from being separated from Adric. Kori didn’t mention it for he knew she tried
to keep it from him. It seemed Perun helped her a bit.

The days passed as they continued to walk. The
corners of her eyes were pinched with pain, but when she interacted with the
trio of cubs, Kori could see the love in her eyes when she. The nights he spent
made love to her and it became their time. Except for the fact they were
fighting time, he loved being outdoors with her. Lera understood the outdoors.
Although, like she laughingly said, she preferred the warmth of her home to the
cold they experienced now.

A sound reached him, and he stopped, seeing that
Perun did the same. Casting out, he searched for the source of the unknown
sound. Only it wasn’t that foreign. He was well acquainted with the sounds of
battle.

“What is it?”

“A battle,” he answered, seeking shelter. The
evening had fallen, and he had no desire to be caught outside between angry
groups with Lera and some helpless cubs.

“Kori?” she asked as the cubs began to make
noise.

“Keep them quiet,
mo anam
. I’m looking for
a place to go.”

“What if it’s Haikon?” He looked between the two,
his woman and the vaj who traveled with them. Lera nodded and said, “Be
careful.”

The feline stared at her before streaking away
and blending in with the shadows and trees. Kori didn’t say anything, just
placed his hand along the small of her back and encouraged her to go in the
opposite direction.

He stopped when they reached a large tree which
missed part of its trunk, making for a nice den. “You stay here,” he whispered.

“You’re going with Perun?”

“I need to see how many and what we’re up
against. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Staring down at her in the waning light, he
watched the cubs quiet when she gathered them close. Already they were used to
her and comforted by her scent.
They weren’t the only ones.

“Be careful, Kori.”

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

He brushed their lips together while he trailed a
hand over each of the cubs, smiling when they nuzzled into his touch. The
little buggers were worming their way further and further into his heart.
Lera’s gaze was soft and warm. There was this glow about her, and it made him
hesitate for a moment.

She lifted a brow. “What?”

“Nothing. Just thinking how beautiful you are.”

“Humph, stop trying to butter me up. I’ll be
good. I’ll stay here and not move until you return.”

He backed up and shifted. All senses tuned to
what may lay ahead, he streaked away and wove in and out of the trees, using
them as cover. The strong odor which surrounded Perun reached him, and Kori
turned toward him. His approach was cautious, not entirely sure the cat would
remember him in this shape.

Pale eyes met his before returning attention to
what lay in the valley before them. Grateful for his superior vision in the
rapidly darkening night, Kori stared at the fight. Nothing much that made him
think it wasn’t just a territorial fight. Those fighting were raggedly dressed,
and it didn’t look like their weapons were all that impressive.

Kori decided he and his party would skirt the
edge and continue on. Kori backed up, pausing to nudge the snow leopard, who
remained focused on the bloodshed. The cat glared at him but dutifully fell
into step with him. Not much later, they came on the tree where he’d left Lera.
She’d done as promised and remained.

He shifted and crouched beside her. With those
big brown eyes, she searched his, only to drop her gaze and focus on the cubs.

“Ready?” she asked in a low tone.

“Yes. We’ll simply avoid the fighting. I think
it’s nothing more than an argument over land.”

He watched in silence as she secured her charges
and got to her feet. They set out. He led with Perun bringing up the rear. No
words were spoken. He pressed on, wishing to get Lera to safety.

‘You okay?’

‘Kind of tired.’
Her admission fell.

‘Tired like you want me to carry the cubs or
tired like you want to stop?’

Nothing then,
‘I need to stop.’

He searched for shelter, only to come up empty.
It lingered on the tip of his tongue to push her farther. Then, her words sank
in. Need. Not want. He felt pain rolling from her. When she sobbed, he knew
they couldn’t continue.

In a short time, he had a fire going and food
cooking. Lera lay on one side. Perun behind her, offering warmth, and the
babies she had along her front. She used her own body and the fire to give them
the required heat. Kori set up wards around them as extra protection. Crouching
by her head, he reached out to touch her hair.

Her dreams weren’t pleasant. Her face drew tight
with strain, and she whimpered.

‘
Mo anam,
how do I make your pain go
away?’

She stirred with another moan. When a small,
protesting cry—from the tiny male—filled the air, Lera stilled immediately. One
hand touched each of the cubs in a soft, soothing motion. Her eyes never opened
but the tension seemed to fade slightly.

When the food was ready, he dragged a knuckle
down the side of her face. “Wake up, Lera. You need to eat something.”

Her eyes opened but she didn’t move. In their
depths, he could read the exhaustion. Still, she gave him a gentle smile.
“Thanks for stopping. I know we’re in a rush.”

“You should have said something sooner. I didn’t
realize you were that exhausted.”

She sat up, careful of the ones against her. “I
guess it hit me all at once. I’m used to being on a motorcycle. Not walking and
running all day.” Lera touched his nose with the tip of her index finger. “I’ll
be fine.”

He kept his uncertainty to himself. Lera picked
at the meal, and he noticed her attempting to make it seem like she’d eaten more
than she did. The only time all the stress melted away from her face was when
she stretched back out by the cubs and they curved into her. Soon, she slept,
and the two females and one male slept right along with their surrogate mother.
Perun lay watching over them all.

Eventually, Kori drifted off to sleep as well,
and when he woke, he realized two things. One, Lera was gone, and two, the
babies were tucked securely into him. That fact alone kept him from jumping up.
He sighed and realized he’d never hear the end of it if it got out. Him, a
wolf-shifter, acting like a mom to three snow leopards.

‘Lera?’

‘Morning, Kori.’

‘You have this horrible habit of leaving while
I’m sleeping.’

‘I went to find some food. Perun is with me.
Plus, you looked so adorable with the cubs up against you, I didn’t have the
heart to wake you.’

He growled along the link, and she answered with
a laugh. A laugh which lightened his heart.

‘How are you doing?’

‘I’m okay. Ready to get back home. We’re on
our way back; see you soon.’

Home. He sobered. Where did she consider home to
be? South Africa? Savoy? Moving slowly, as not to disturb the still slumbering
trio, he stoked the fire and dug out the last piece of bread and began tearing
it up to mash for the babies.

Once everyone was fed and ready, they set off
again. This time, he kept a better eye on Lera. She seemed much brighter today,
no dark circles under her eyes. He set a good pace, and she kept up without
trouble.
Perhaps she truly was just exhausted.

Hours of the early afternoon brought with it a
lull in the winds and blowing snow. He’d just about decided on stopping for a
short rest and some food when his sharp hearing picked up something he didn’t
want to hear. Another battle.