LW Browning - Krystile Warriors 01 - Warlord's Honor (19 page)

Anna looked at Claire with one eyebrow raised. "You cannot be serious."

Claire met Anna's gaze, "Oh, but I am. In this society one is mated and claimed and there is a binding ceremony done."

"MX do not mate." Anna's voice trailed off. "By all the fates, you have mated with him?"

"Yes," Claire smiled.

Anna took some moments to absorb this information. "What was it – I mean – what is that like?"

Claire mused, "It is – different. At first it was very strange and it hurt. The emotions, his emotions are raw, very strong. That was difficult. However, I have come to enjoy it."

"Claire, perhaps you should trust Koda. My sight says that he is trustworthy," Anna said.

"Perhaps you are right," Claire said, thoughtfully.

"Meanwhile, I will decide which one of them I want," Anna laughed.

Claire smiled, "I am not sure what they expect, but choose whichever one you want. They are warlords and aggressive, you might not even have to ask."

Anna smiled. "I want that one, with the tattoos on his right arm. He's been following us all day."

"That is Dren. He is a holy man for these people. I give him to you," Claire laughed.

"Men are always the same," Anna said soberly.

"They call themselves male and female here. They are not human and are proud of that fact," Claire said.

"Considering how the humans behave, I cannot blame them," Anna smiled ruefully.

Changing the subject to give Anna time to digest the mating information, Claire asked, "Did you know they drugged us at the Facility?"

Anna's golden eyes flashed and there was tension in her stance. "Yes, my handler told me. I thought I had lost my mind at first. Hard to believe the normals deal with these emotions all the time. Maybe that is what makes them so mean and unstable." Anna considered for a moment. "Have you – mated with anyone else or just Koda?"

"Only with Koda." Claire looked into the distance.

Anna nodded. "So, he did not go insane from your touch?"

Claire smiled. "No, we have developed some sort of immunity to each other. I cannot always read him. He can read what I read when he touches me."

"This is interesting," Anna said.

"We always end up playing by someone else's rules." Claire shrugged her shoulders.

"Yes, we can rely on that constant," Anna agreed.

"I open myself up to receive every few minutes. These are a warrior people after all and violence is a way of life for them. For your own safety, you will want to do that. Not everybody is happy that we are here. Oh, and they have excellent hearing and their sense of smell seems to be more like an animal's than a human. I think they can even smell fear."

"I will keep that in mind," Anna said.

Anna and Claire talked until the pleasant aromas drifting from the campfires told them it was time to eat.

Claire led Anna to the cook fires where Osiria greeted them. She felt Osiria's curiosity when she saw Anna's citron yellow eyes. 

"Osiria, this is Anna, a sister MX. Anna, this is Osiria. She has been a good friend to me here."

"I am pleased to meet a friend to Claire," Anna said.

After they ate, Claire said, "Shall we walk around and enjoy the fair?"

"We can do that? Just walk around?" Anna was amazed.

"Sure, Dren and Revi or some of the others will guard us."

Anna smiled. "I would love to look around. I have never seen anything like this, never even dreamed it. I could learn to like this place."

Claire smiled at Anna's enthusiasm. Considering the situation Anna had been in, being here would look like a very good deal to her. They walked through the campgrounds with Anna sampling several of the foods offered. There were candied apples, and something called cotton candy that had both Anna and Claire laughing as they ate it for the first time.

The two women watched some of the competitive events. Claire enjoyed the knife throwing while Anna was enthralled by some of the practice sword fights they witnessed. They got two mugs of hot chocolate and sat on a wooden bench under a tree. The breeze was comfortable as they feasted their eyes on the color and activity of the gathering.

"Why did Benson have you?"

Anna sighed, "He had my handler tortured and killed. He planned to make a profit by selling me to the highest bidder. Koda was the highest bidder. The normals are a greedy and bloodthirsty group." Anna thought a few minutes. "Since these are warriors, I guess they are violent."

Claire bit her bottom lip before answering. "They are, very much so, but other than mistrust and caution from some of them, I have not received any hostile intent from Koda's warlords. I think we are as safe as we can be."

"Yet Koda does business with males like Benson, a murderer and a profiteer," Anna said.

"That is why Koda and his warlords are called mercenary barbarians. And part of the reason it was difficult for me to trust Koda," Claire said. "I am so glad you are here."

Anna smiled at Claire. "I think we can trust Koda to help us," she said.

With the cooling breeze flowing over their skin, Claire contemplated their future and the events that had led them to this place. Anna yawned.

"I know you must be tired," Claire said, "we can go back to our camp now and you can rest a few minutes before last meal."

"What exactly do you do for them here?" Anna wondered aloud as they started back for the campsite.

"Not much so far. Koda is shrewd. He has had me read a few people for him."

Anna's eyes were compassionate. "How have you been able to stand it, to be alone here and to be with him? To touch him while mating, that must have overloaded you."

"It seems we adapt well to changing environments and situations." Claire used a phrase they knew well from their MX training. 

Anna laughed as she looked over her shoulder. "Two of them are still following us," she said.

Claire nodded, "Yes, Dren and Revi."

"What a horrible job for a warlord," Anna said.

They returned to the camp to be met with the sights and sounds and smells of food cooking over campfires. Claire led Anna to a blanket where they sat to eat. Mardalane walked over with her plate of food and sat with them.

"I need to learn your customs and laws," Anna said to Mardalane.

"Koda is a great leader and females are prized in our society. Those are two of the main things you need to know." Mardalane smiled.

When Anna looked up at her, she added. "You will be safe and I think you will like it here. We all want you to be content with us."

After last meal, Claire and Anna moved under the tree Claire used for meditation. As they walked back toward the tents, they knew that Koda and Dren waited for them.

"Dren has offered to let Anna stay with him in his tent tonight," Koda said.

They were not smiling. Anna found Claire's hand.

"Anna might not be comfortable sleeping in a tent with a male," Claire spoke up.

Koda looked from one to the other of them. "It is not right for a female to sleep alone." His attitude brooked no argument.

"Can Anna sleep with the unmated females?"

"She will not be harmed," Koda directed at Claire. "Dren has offered to protect her."

Claire gave Koda a cool look. "And what will that entail, Warlord Leader? Sleeping in the same tent with Dren and accepting his protection. Will Anna then be required to mate with him?"

Anna looked at Dren. He was easy to look at. She passed that information to Claire's mind.

Dren spoke, "I will not harm her. I offer my protection and my tent."

Anna hugged Claire. She wanted to spend the night in Dren's tent. Claire sighed.

Anna smiled.

"Alright," Claire said.

"My tent is this way, female." Dren led the way. Anna gave Claire a quick hug before following after Dren.

When they were gone, Claire asked. "Is this your plan? Do you intend to give the MX to your warlords as mates in your breeding program?" She saw no change at all in Koda's expression.

"What happened? You were against this and yet you agreed to let her go with Dren?" Koda asked.

"Anna said it was okay."

"I did not hear her speak," Koda said.

"Nevertheless, she told me." Claire said.

Koda gave her a hard look.

"You changed the subject," Claire accused.

"The girl needs someone to protect her. Whether they mate or not is not up to me. Have you always been able to speak to each other without words?" Koda asked.

"Yes," Claire said.

"And no one ever figured that out?" Koda's disbelief irritated Claire.

"We were very cautious," she said.

"Did you think I did not need to know that?" Koda bit out.

"I – Well, now you know," Claire shrugged.

Koda walked away with Claire following. After three of his steps, she was running to keep up with him. She was so angry with that she could not find words to express her outrage.

He stopped and turned to face her.

"We are not cattle to be bred to your prize bulls." Her green eyes sparked with anger. 

Koda lifted an eyebrow and stepped closer so that he towered over her. "This is the way of things, pita. The MX are female and in need of protection. We offer protection and safety. If some of the MX want to accept other than protection from my warlords, that is the way of nature."

Claire blinked and looked away. “I know,” she said quietly.

"Do you wish it to be different?” Koda leaned down and spoke softly to her. When she did not answer, he said. “It is the way of things. We do not force and we take with the promise to care for and honor our mates."

Claire deflated. Unshed tears filled her eyes and she could not say why.

Koda knew it had been difficult for her. "We offer sanctuary – life," he said.

"And we appreciate it, Warlord Leader," Claire said.

"I know this is hard for you, pita. We will care for all the MX whether they mate with us or not." Koda's voice was softer.

Claire wanted to tell him everything then. She did not want to keep her secrets a moment longer, but she had to be discreet. This was not the time.

Instead, she said, "Thank you for saving Anna."

K
oda followed Claire into their tent. In bringing the MX for his warlords hoping  they would mate, he was acting according to the prophecy and his own knowledge that his race needed an injection from another gene pool. He was taking a risk, but he thought they were the mates. By bringing them here, he could save them and his race. She was sad and he did not understand why. He was responsible for her happiness as well as her safety.

"Pita." He reached for her, touched her skin and waited for the emotions to flow. None came. Had she learned to control that? He longed to experience it once more, to feel what she felt as he took her body, to know her emotions as he filled her and moved inside her. To know how much she enjoyed mating with him was greater than winning a battle. He needed her to crave his touch as much as he craved touching her. 

He took her down to the pallet on the tent floor. Took her down and kissed her with gentleness. He stroked her body, while he hoped to feel her emotions, to know some part of her wanted him, needed him like he needed her. He fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her lips to his. He took her mouth, wanted her response, her very soul. By all the fates, he had never needed a female like he needed this one. His chest ached with desire for her, but she did not yield her soft response to him.

He rolled off of her and lay panting beside her. He ached for this female, but he needed her to want him.

"Sex is not payment, little one, nor is it part of your job. I want you to ease my own desires, but I want to ease yours as well. When we join, it is for our mutual pleasure."

"When – Ramil... and..."

Koda pulled her close to his chest. "Forget him, pita. I wish I knew how to make you forget him. Mating is caring, intimacy and loving, by both the male and the female. I want you to freely give yourself to me and know that I care for you."

Koda remembered his time spent with Veck. His uncle had no respect for females and taught him that he should take what he wanted because it was his right. He had engaged in debauchery for a time. Older and wiser, he turned from Veck's philosophy, but he had used females. He had used them with no thought of their feelings. There were always willing females eager to give him what he wanted.

Claire gave him so much more. He was prepared to do anything for this female. He was even going to forgive her artifice. She was keeping something from him.

***

E
xhaustion seeped into her bones and dragged her down. Sleep came over her like soft cotton.

"Sleep. You need rest," Koda said. “+I will protect you, pita. You are mine," he whispered in her hair.

She slept in his arms and smiled. He was so sweet in her dreams. He loved her. In her dreams, she was with Koda and there was no danger and no secrets. In her dream they shared perfect love and she could tell him everything.

Claire snuggled close to Koda for warmth and clung to her fantasy like a warm blanket. Koda moved until his lips met hers. His kiss was soft. He drew on her essence with that kiss and she responded. Her hands went to his shoulders and she traced her fingers over the steel cords of muscle beneath his smooth skin. She refused to open her eyes and leave the soft world of dreams.

She ran her fingers through his hair, enjoying the feel of it as it glided over her hand... she could lose herself in his hair. Claire touched his neck, his muscled shoulders. She wanted to touch him everywhere. Her shields came down when he rolled on his back, pulling her on top of him. He felt the flow of her emotions and his own reflected back at him.

"Look at me," he commanded.

No response.

"Look at me. You will know who is making love to you," he said.

She obeyed. The want in his eyes made her body burn. He made love to her then, drawing out her response and her need.

She was soft, ready... his. She smelled good, her hair was silk in his hands. The movement of her lush breasts fascinated him. Her narrow waist reminded him to be careful with her, but the flare of her hips was a promise he would die for. Claire rested her hands on his shoulders. She was his and he would make her know that.

Koda sheathed himself inside her and she whimpered. When she tried to look away, he brought her face back to his. He pulled her down and whispered again, "Look at me, pita. I am inside you."

His mouth was hot on her cool throat as he kissed her there, her pulse quickened. He nuzzled her neck, kissed the mate mark that bound him to her, pushed her back, and looked into her eyes again.

"This is mating, pita."

He pulled out almost completely and laughed when she became frantic. She needed him, wanted him. "Say it."

She whispered his name in the warm, dark cocoon of their tent as he moved inside her.

"Good," he said. "I will teach you the difference between payment and mating. Say it again."

"This is mating," Claire whispered.

"Who is inside you, pita?"

"You are," she panted.

He moved faster – stroking harder and deeper as she clung to him and made sounds in her throat that almost put him over the edge of his control.

"Scream for me, pita. Scream for what I give you, scream for what you need. Say. My. Name."

His name tore from her throat. Claire was in a frenzy by the time Koda began pushing for the orgasm they both had to have. Her hands clawed his shoulders, spurring him on. Her orgasm shattered her to pieces, roaring through her body like a great wave slamming her soul against the rocks. Helpless against that tide, her only hope was to survive it. His body reacted with a tremendous shudder. She read his thoughts – his pleasure was more intense than any he had experienced before, everything with her was more.

Her back arched and she jerked as waves of pleasure crashed into her, through her, again and again. Claire felt something primal in him, her screams of pleasure the cause. Koda roared as his orgasm reached its zenith and she smiled.

He kissed the tears from her eyes. In the throes of her climax, she  said his name over and over. He had yearned for that.

Koda smiled when he received that thought from her. He rolled to his side, pulled her close and held her. She was dealing with a lot of new feelings. He hoped some of those feelings were for him.

"Are you alright, pita?" It was as if they were the only two people alive. It was intimate, safe.

Claire nodded her head, "Yes," still catching her breath, "I do not know why I cry."

"It is an emotional release, pita."

"I have my emotions as well as yours," she whispered.

"I know," he said as he kissed her forehead. He stroked her hair and ran his hand down her side. Her skin was so soft. He lay with her until their breathing returned to normal. He smoothed her hair and brought her hands up to his mouth to kiss her palms.

They had a shared peace, a sense of togetherness. In his arms, she was complete.

Koda whispered to her, "This was mating, making love between us. I will hear no more talk of jobs or payment. You are my cherished mate."

Claire closed her eyes and drifted as she he stroked her hair. They lay together in a gauzy world of their own.

"Now, you can tell me what you have been keeping from me," Koda said.

Claire's bottom lip trembled.

"It cannot be that bad," he said.

"It is us. Our abilities. You have asked me, but we are not supposed to talk about it."

Koda nodded.

"Some of our abilities could be dangerous, to – other people," Claire said.

"How did Anna kill Benson's men?"

"She – when we – link to someone's mind, if our emotions are strong enough, we can just make them shut down." 

"That is a unique gift," Koda said. "And I have no doubt Benson's men deserved what they got." He held her close in the cage of his arms. He was finally breaking through all that was done to her at the Facility. She finally forgave him for his deceit when he bought her. Claire wanted to be here and she wanted to be with him. 

He held her while she whispered her thoughts to him. At last the walls between them were coming down. He lay awake and held her while she slept.

The camp woke up. People moved around to start the day. Koda got up and dressed. As always when they broke contact, he experienced the painful loss of her. He left her with a last soft kiss.

***

S
he saw Anna almost as soon as she stepped from the tent. Anna's smile put Claire at ease. Anna laughed. "I am fine. I was not killed or ravaged during the night."

Claire smiled. "I feel responsible for you. Koda wants me to help him acquire the other MX." 

"We both must help him. Koda is the only chance we may have. My odds for survival improved when I came here." Anna was also wearing button up blue jeans and a yellow wrap-around top. "These folks do not believe in buttons, do they? It took me forever to get this thing tied on," she quipped. "The jeans are imported. They have zippers and everything. Do they really trade on the black market?"

Claire gave a wry smile. "They have a curious mixture of primitive and advanced technology. Yes, they trade on the black market. How was your night with Dren?"

Anna smiled. "It was fine. He does not talk very much and although he looks fierce, he made no effort to scare me on purpose."

Claire smiled. "Dren has a kind heart."

"They are big ones, these warrior warlords, whatever they call themselves. They are huge. Even the females are giant-sized," Anna said.

"I was concerned if you had a bad dream or ..." Claire began.

"I have the dreams. I think we all have them. Last night, I was too exhausted to dream." Anna looked around the camp. "You must not worry about me. I also sense that Dren has a kind heart in spite of his fierce countenance. Yesterday, I was waiting to be executed. Today, and for the first time in my life, I can walk free around a camp that is like a fairground." Anna tilted her head, "I would say my situation is greatly improved by Koda's interference, whatever his plans for us may be. He keeps much to himself, but I feel we are safe here."

"Even though he wants us to mate with his warlords?" Claire asked.

Anna laughed. "I am sure there are worse fates than mating with these males." Her sense of laissez-faire lightened Claire's mood.

"Look at them, Claire. They look like gods. They are barbarian warriors. They could take us by force, but they have not done that. They respect women. They will keep us safe. In this primitive society, a woman must have a man to look after her.
You remember that from our training."

Claire tacitly agreed. Anna was right. She had wanted – more – from Koda, and that had made her petulant. After last night, she was unable to stop smiling. She felt a connection to him that made her heart sing. Last night, everything had changed for her. Koda did care for her. What a bliss she felt now.

When they finished eating, Claire and Anna went to the tree and sat down on the ground to meditate. Holding hands, they opened up to each other and then to their surroundings. The early morning fog burned off leaving a crystal clear morning.

Claire and Anna began to sing. They sang in the language known only to the MX and for the first time ever, they sang aloud, together.

Claire felt Koda's presence. He watched them. She felt his reluctance to interrupt. 

When the song was finished, Claire opened her eyes and turned her attention to Koda.

"Good morning," Koda said. "Something has come up. I must leave the Gathering. Claire, I would have you come with me."

"Of course, Warlord Leader," Claire answered.

As she stood to go, Anna stood with her. Anna's eyes glowed as yellow as the sunrise, "Remember the first rule of chess, sister."

Claire tilted her head and held Anna's hand just a moment longer. "I will remember," Claire said.

She felt Koda's curiosity. Something about seeing her with Anna made him uneasy.