Conri (10 page)

It only took Lilly and Conri an hour to mobilize the
group. The two guards and Conri were dressed in the animal armor, or at least
that’s what Lilly called it; whether she was joking or not was lost to Sarai.
Cai
, the Omega female came to Sarai’s room to help her get
dressed. She had brought several layers of clothing foo Sarai to put on.

“How many layers do they think I will need?”

“It is precaution
Mi
’ Lady.”
Cai
responded without looking up. She held the first
layer out, the others draped over her shoulder like a shawl. “It is cold out.”

“Yes, but the rest of the group doesn’t have to wear
this much clothing.” Sarai knew she was whining… but she didn’t want to be
bogged down.

“
Mi
’ Lady, I mean no
offense, but you are human. Leopards do not catch a chill like humans. We could
go outside in sub-freezing temperatures with just our plain clothes and a
jacket and only feel a little chill. Humans would freeze.”
Cai
flinched and hung her head lower.

Sarai sighed, “You did not speak out of turn. It makes
sense but…. Damn it! Give those to me.” Sarai snatched the first layer and
Cai
dropped to her knees.
“Stand.”
Sarai said gently, realizing she had frightened the girl. Which to her seemed obtuse;
sense the girl could kill Sarai with just a flick of her wrist.

Cai
rose and waited as Sarai
changed into the first layer. It was underarmor. At least it was comfortable
and breathable. The second layer was thick socks to go over her underarmor, a
pair of leggings and a long sleeved shirt. The third layer was another pair of
socks to go over the leggings, a long sleeved
sweater
 
and
form fitting jeans that fit
comfortably over the leggings – loose enough to move but tight enough for one
more layer.

The last layer was a water-resistant, fleece lined
jacket and pants combo. It wasn’t bulky and Sarai wondered absently how they had
managed to make snow gear be so efficient while looking stylish.

“They are ready for you
Mi’Lady
.”
Cai
said as she stepped back.

Sarai nodded and walked from the room.
Cai
stayed inside. She didn’t know what responsibilities the
Omega female had left to do but Sarai knew her room would be just as she left
it; just cleaner.

*

Sarai found herself riding on the back of Conri’s ATV.
Apparently his had been modified to hold two or more people but still travel
like a one-seater. She had been given heavy gloves and a hood that tucked into
her water resistant jacket. Sitting behind Conri, who blocked the wind, she
actually felt quite comfortable.

The guards flanked
Conri,
Lilly was in front with Mina. The other huntress Orah weaved on her ATV toward
and away from the group; constantly scanning and sniffing. Sarai tightened her
arms around Conri’s waist and she leaned toward his ear. “We’ve been traveling
for an hour, how much longer?”

“Maybe ten minutes.”

Well, at least she held out for most of the ride
before being an impatient passenger. Ten minutes later- give or take- they
pulled up to a collapsing wooden fence. What was left of it was covered in snow
and many of the logs had either deteriorated into sagging pulp or had come
unhitched. Logs laid at obtuse angles, as it had come back from a night of
binge drinking and decided this was a good place to rest. The group angled the
ATV’s through the gaps in the fence and when they were all inside they cut the
engines.

Conri slid off before Sarai could and as she stood on
the foot brace to swing a leg over he grabbed her around the waist and lifted
as if she weighed nothing. The gesture was chivalrous, very alpha man like and
also unnecessary. “You could have warned me.” Sarai huffed quietly.
 
She didn’t mind it, it kind of made her giddy
inside- when’s the last time a girl got LIFTED
 
off of an ATV?- but she didn’t want Conri thinking he could just man-handle
her whenever he wanted.

“Sorry,” he grumbled and took a step back before she
got her feet under her. Sarai stumbled and with nothing more than a glance her
way, Conri started walking.

As Conri barked orders Sarai took in the little town.
There were multiple log cabins that littered the land.
 
Houses were set quite a bit apart, enough
that it would take a fifteen minute walk from one to the next. And probably an
hours walk from one end of the town to the other. It was a nice little town, or
at least it probably had been in its heyday. Each house looked like a normal
small house- probably had two bedrooms in each. At this latitude it would be a
dry settlement with no electricity. And Sarai could see the skeletal remains of
outhouses. She hated outhouses. That is why she chose the comfort of city life,
even if it was a little more expensive. Lucky for her the compound with Conri
had indoor plumbing.

“This house is clear!” Lilly hollered as she came out
of a log cabin at the end of the town.

“Empty!” Luke called and Sarai jumped. Sarai hadn’t
really heard him talk much, and hearing him yell like that- his voice carried.

A whistle broke through the wind and Conri looked at
Sarai. “I didn’t whistle.” He glared at her but it was more of a playful-
duh.
 
He reached his hand out to her and
she took it quickly. She already emasculated him once; she wasn’t going to do
it again- today.

When they made it to the cabin Dahne was standing just
inside the door. Conri led Sarai inside.

“When I walked in it looked pretty barren. These
cabins have been picked apart by looters and animals. But when I was leaving
I
tripped over some…” he cleared his throat and glanced at
Sarai. “Some remains. When my foot inadvertently moved the remains and I fell
to my knee I busted out a board. My guess, it had been a false board the entire
time, covered by the….remains- and it just rotted away.”

“What’s in the hole?” Conri asked and slightly moved
Sarai behind him…. He was still holding her hand.

“A journal.”

Sara surged forward, catching Conri off guard and
spinning him slightly. He growled but Sarai ignored him. She snatched the
journal and turned it over in her hands. The outside leather seemed remarkably
intact. She tried to open it but it creaked and Sarai smashed it between her
hands. She pressed the journal to her chest and crossed her arms over it.

“It’s too cold, but it seems intact.”

Conri looked around the room. “No one else has found
anything. Maybe this was a waste of time?” He looked at Dahne.

“I think she begs to differ.”

Sarai’s mind was racing. What had been written here? Whose
life had been captured- immortalized forever by pen and paper?

Sarai looked up at Conri and smiled, really genuinely
smiled. She had no idea why she was so happy. For all she knew the journal
could be a child’s ramblings. Or maybe, whoever the remains had belonged to had
died protecting it.

A cat-like screeching howl broke through the night.
“Company.”
Dahne said. Conri went from cold calculated fury
to outright panic back to cold calculated fury.

“I need you to stay here.” Conri said it with such
tenderness Sarai didn’t argue. In a flash he was a giant Snow leopard, his coat
the most brilliant white- the black spots a startling contrast. She wanted to
run her fingers through his fur. Conri stepped toward her, lowering his head.

Hesitantly at first Sarai reached forward, she didn’t
hide and couldn’t if she wanted to the shaking in her fingers. The moment her
fingers touched the tips of his fur she sunk her fingers in; all the way to the
undercoat. His undercoat was a little course but the fur on top was soft. She
ran her fingers down his spine, letting her nails dig in deeper. She yanked her
hand back when he purred so loud she felt it in her chest.

She smiled down at him sheepishly, man she wished she knew
more about large cats. She stared into aquamarine eyes for a second and then he
was off, through the door in a flash of white. The sounds outside the open door
were horrible. It was cat on cat violence. But who from the compound would come
all the way out here?

Sarai stepped to the door and peered out. The white
snow had been disturbed by a war. Red blood looked so stark against the
pearlescent white. The white figures were engaged and it was too difficult to
tell who was who. But her eyes kept drawing back to one cat- his fighting was
unmatched; it did not matter which cat came at him, or if many cats came at
him, her cat would dispatch them with ease. It was Conri- it had to be.

“The King is here, get the girl and let’s go!”

Sarai didn’t see who screamed it, but he sounded very
close. A huge figure shadowed the doorway and Sarai screamed. She stepped back,
“Hello.” He said
,
his voice was smooth, not all greasy
like Sarai had expected it to be. He sniffed the air and Sarai took another
step back. The very large male turned his head to the side, “Have we met
before?”

A huge roar, a roar like Sarai had never heard
reverberated through the house. The man before her shivered and Sarai’s
heartbeat skyrocketed.
“Out of time girl.”
He said his
voice still nondescript. He reached for her and Sarai just reacted. She dropped
the journal spun her leg out and connected.

“Fuck.”

Attack Sarai and
keep attacking. Remember they are stronger than you and they will not hesitate
to hurt you
. Lilly’s voice popped into her head- so she did. She let her
body go with the momentum and spun around again, she knew he would expect
another kick to the face so she went for the knee. He went to block his face
and her foot connected hard with his knee. The impact resonated through her but
she knew it hurt him too. He reached forward and slightly down but she stepped
forward throwing a hook to his already bruised jaw. He stumbled and looked at
her with….
Respect?
Her hand was screaming and she
knew she wouldn’t be able to sustain the abuse to her own body much longer.

Sarai spun and the male jumped back but she was only
dipping low to grab a bone from the remains. She came up with what could only
be an arm and wagged it at him.
“Here kitty
kitty
.”
Fury burst in his eyes and he stepped
forward, moving to Sarai’s left- the hand that wasn’t holding the bone. But
Lilly’s training came with ease. She switched hands effortlessly and jabbed
forward as he came for her. The bone met the fleshy skin of his stomach just
under his clothing; animal armor- a weak spot.

He roared and swung. The backhand caught her across
the temple. She spun across the room and slammed into the wall. “Shit!” The
male screamed and moved to come toward her. But he howled as someone from
behind dragged him out the house. Sarai didn’t know who but it had to be Conri.
No one else would be able to handle a male of that stature but him.

Lilly come rushing through the vacated door.
“Sarai.”
She whispered. But the pounding in her head was too
much and Sarai welcomed the darkness.

Sarai woke with one mother of a headache. “What
happened?” The figure next to hear jumped.

“
Mi’Lady
, you awaken.”

“Cai?”

“Yes. I am here but…”

“Am I
back
at the compound?”

“Yes
Mi’Lady
, but…”

“How did I get here?”

“King Conri brought you here.
Mi’Lady
I must go get him. He told me…”

“It’s ok, go.”
Cai
was gone
and Sarai must have fallen asleep again because when she opened her eyes Conri
was berating Cai.

“You claimed she awakened.”

“She did
Mi
’ Lord. I swear
it.”

“Conri?”
The room fell quiet
and after just a breath he was standing over her, his hand caressing her hair
line.”

“You are awake- thank God.”

“Is he dead?” Conri was quiet a moment but then shook
his head slowly. No, we fought and he was strong. He was strong enough to get
away. But he is wounded, thanks to you.” There it was
,
a real smile and Sarai was in too much pain to enjoy.

“
Cai
, leave us.”

“Yes,
Mi’Lady
.”

Conri raised a brow, “Giving orders like a real queen?”

Sarai couldn’t even ask what the hell he as talking
about. Her head hurt so much.

“You fought him like a true warrior.
Held him off until I could get there.”

“Why were they after me?”

“I don’t know. I think they were after all the
females. They specifically targeted Mina and Orah in this attack. But Mina was
a guard before she requested a transfer to huntress- so she gave them a run for
their money. And Orah, she’s fast as lightening. They couldn’t keep up with
her. She’s a pretty decent fighter too.”

“And Lilly?”
Sarai asked
breathlessly.

“Remember how you fought today and remember who
trained you. Most of the casualties the reprobates suffered today were by her
hand or mine. “

“So they came after me.” It was a statement and Conri
knew it. She felt, rather than saw, his mood change. She reached for him, her
eyes still closed and she was granted his warm hand. “I’m ok Conri.”

He didn’t answer. Instead her bed gave to his weight
and she relaxed as she felt his body stretch next to her. “If you were one of
us you would have done some serious damage. Not to mention that hit you took
wouldn’t have hurt.”

“It only hurts because I’m human.”
Again,
not a question.

“Your journal is warming by the fire. I will have
someone come by with medicine for you head.”

Sarai felt Conri move and she protested. A beat later
and his arm snaked around her waist.

“Why can I not refuse you?” Sarai was quiet for a long
time; sleep was pulling at her again. She tried to open her eyes but they
refused.

She gave up the fight and let sleep slip into her
aching head.
“Because I am your true-mate.”
She
whispered as insentience took hold.

*

Sarai was propped against the headboard when Lilly
came in. She had awakened hours ago, the headache gone. She didn’t know how
long she had been asleep. But when she woke the journal was fully thawed. Her
head had only swum a little when she stood but after that initial bout of
nausea she was fine. Ever since then she had been reading.

When Lilly breezed in she stopped at her bedside and
whistled. “That’s one nasty bruise you have there.”

Sarai smiled, “Occupational hazard.”

“That so?”
The teasing smile
from Lilly had Sarai smiling wider.

“So what does it say?”

Sarai set the journal down and looked up. There was so
much information in the journal. More than Sarai could have hoped for, more
than even King Conri was prepared for. Instead of setting everyone on their
head she simply said, “I’m adopted.”

“Say what?” Lilly plopped down on the bed, her jaw mimicking
a Venus flytrap.

“Well, I’m not adopted, but my great-grandmother was.”

“Ok, ok- I’m gonna need you to start from the
beginning.”

Sarai held up the journal, she was almost done with
it. It had been years of
chrono
- logging. And the
entire journal had been written by her great-aunt. Her great-great-aunt had
been the one to adopt her great-grandma, but Sarai had to assume she was the
one guarding the journal. So her great-great-grandmother had taken charge of
her great-grandma. But what happened after the last page of the journal, one
could only speculate.

“Long story short?”

“OK, I could use the abbreviated version.”

“The colony was plagued by large cats, livestock was
always missing or only bits of it could be found. One day a girl showed up, a
girl maybe sixteen. She claimed she had run away from an abusive father. The
town took her in and she was raised by my relatives. It soon became apparent
that she was pregnant but she wouldn’t speak of it.”

“Did
her
...?”

“No. But no one really knows. In the edges of one of
the pages, after the baby was born, there is a males name with the word father
and a question mark; it wasn’t her father’s name. But no one was really
positive on that.”

“What was the name?”

Sarai shook her head and shook the book, “Story first.”
Lilly rolled her eyes but nodded. “A year after the baby was born the girl
disappeared, but not before asking my G.G.A if...”

“
GGA
?”

“Great-great-aunt, it’s such a mouthful.”

“Fair enough- go on.”

“So the girl disappeared but asked my G.G.A if she would
watch over her daughter. She couldn’t risk her daughter ever being found. My
G.G.A agreed. A year later...dot.
dot
.
dot
.”

“Dot, dot, dot?”

“I haven’t finished the journal. But I am guessing
that tragedy the papers were talking about.... that was not an animal attack,
or at least not just any animal attack.”

Lilly gasped. “It was us, coming to look for the
infant girl...but why?”

“I don’t know.”

“That would have been about the time The Great King
was king.”

“It was.” Sarai said tight-lipped.

“What are you not telling me?” Lilly eyed her
skeptically.

“The name.”

“Who, the father of the girl or the
father of the baby girl?”

“The father of the girl
..”
Sarai looked down at the book, “Was Caleb Gobrina.”

Lilly popped off the bed so fast Sarai had to hold her
head. “You have to be shitting me!!
No way Sarai, no way.
I mean I knew the man was a bastard, but...but...”

”But he was your grandfather. And he lived a very long
time, and he spawned three daughters.”

“Two, he had two daughters!” Lilly took a step back, “He
had my mother and her older sister. My Aunt died in childbirth years ago.”

“You had another Aunt, my great-grandmother.”

Lilly shook her head but sat down, “What happened to
her?” She asked no one in particular, but Sarai answered.

“I bet she was killed for going against her father’s
wishes.”

“He really was a bastard. And I believe it, my mother
used to tell stories about how he would beat her mother, my grandmother,
blaming her for spawning only females.” Lilly shrugged. “Our clan needed
females but he wanted a son to go for kinship, it’s in our blood too.” Lilly
looked up at Sarai. “Who was your
G.G.F
?”
 
Sarai wanted to chuckle but she couldn’t find
it in her.

Sarai leaned her head back, “All I have is a first
name.”

“Well we can work with a first name.”

“All you will need is a first name.” Sarai looked at
Lilly, “His name was William.”

“
William,
is that... I mean,
it’s such a common name.”

“Guan,” The voice from the door startled them both.

“Say what?” Lilly said again, but her face had lost
color. “But he was passing through; he could not have stayed long enough to, to
defile a young girl.”

Conri looked at Sarai and Sarai touched Lilly’s arm.
“His son, also William Guan, was her age. They were both around fifteen or
sixteen and it would have been young forbidden love; a girl who had the blood
to be a princess and a boy who was born to lead our race.”

Lilly speared Sarai with a look, “You have been
talking a lot like us lately, males, females- king, our race and giving toasts
like you’re our queen. Is there something you’re not telling me? That both of
you aren’t telling me?”

“Finish your story Sarai,” Conri said without
acknowledging Lilly’s questions.

“I think my great grandma and my great grandfather are
from the most royal blood mixings. The child could not become- because my
great...”

Raichel, her name was Raichel- I looked her up.”

Sarai smiled, “Because Raichel knew her father would
use the child to overthrow the current King.”

“And he would have used her to rule with an iron
fist.” Lily finished, finally plopping down for good.
 

No one said anything for a moment. Then Lilly took a
deep breath, “You’re bloodline Sarai, it’s very
very
rich.”

“But I am still human.”

Lilly shook her head but it was Conri who spoke, “If
you ever became one of us- you would be...” His voice trailed off.

“Lilly can I have a moment with Conri please?”

“Absolutely!”
She was up and
at the door before Sarai could blink. “Have fun.” Her laugh hung in the room.

“What would you have of me?” Conri said and took a
knee.