Mercenary's Reward (9 page)

However, there was no trace of the man, and Mieli was afraid again. She did not think he would leave her, not after he'd put so much effort into keeping her. The last time he'd left her had been to hunt game. She felt sure that was what kept him away now.

The position of the suns told her it was early afternoon. Never had she slept so late, but she wryly acknowledged she'd never needed it so badly either. Careful of her sore muscles, Mieli rose from the ground and was brought up short. She had no clothes on. Not even the shift in which she usually slept. A quick search of the nearby pack yielded what looked to be the last of the jerked meat, but none of her clothes or even another blanket.

She hungrily munched on the smoky strips and let her mind drift. Why would he take her clothes? To be sure that she didn't try to leave? Then why leave the blanket?

A sudden thought occurred to her then, and it seemed perfectly logical. He had no way to communicate except through his actions. He'd taken her clothes as a message.

Stay put.

For the thousandth time, Jai wondered how Mieli was handling his absence. He'd awoken that morning and realized they camped only a few hundred yards from the edge of the forest. Aside from his relief to be one step closer to leaving the planet, he'd been glad to let Mieli rest. Her fatigue had increased every day, and he'd worried at her listlessness.

Now, with his back pressed to the side of a War Tribe temporary depot—tempo as the soldiers called them—he was equally eager to make contact with Tarin and to get back to Mieli. He shifted restlessly, suddenly fighting the hard bulge that rose in his pants. It had been nearly impossible to resist taking her every night. Only his fear of damaging her had held him back. Besides, it was her aggressive sexuality that delighted him so, and she had been too exhausted to give him full measure.

After their intimacy the day he'd saved her life, she had followed him without complaint, and when she lagged, he'd been happy to carry her. He'd seen the toll their journey was taking on her and regretted the necessity but was unable to stop. The need for escape was too strong, and as she became more and more dependent upon him physically, he'd actually begun to crave her reliance.

Her physical weakness had only reinforced his desire for her. Not only for her passion but for the feeling that he was the center of her world. Most powerful men had lovely, empty-headed wives. He imagined this must be why. She didn't just belong to him; she had chosen him, wanted him.

The sound of footsteps around the side of the building caught Jai's attention. He stood straight, ready to take action. But the face was a familiar one, and he said a quick thanks to Hai for seeing that his messenger had done as promised.

Tarin was even bigger than when he'd last seen him. The brute was a native of Ranth V, an unremarkable planet in a cluster of unremarkable planets spinning around a very small sun. When Tarin's people were conquered by the War Tribe over two hundred years ago, there was little to recommend them apart from their size. Hardly more than cave dwellers, for many years they had served as muscle without gray matter. Disposable really as front-line warriors.

Over time, the technological advances available to them had only made them bigger. Eventually they had successfully crossbred into the Tribe, and their offspring had luckily achieved higher intelligence while they kept their daunting stature. His friend was a good example.

"Tarin.” Jai had a sudden thought. A terrible one. “I guess you weren't expecting me."

There was a tense silence while Jai wondered if Tarin had been part of his betrayal and watched the big man carefully for any signs.

"Jai.” There was a lot in that one word, and it immediately put his mind to rest. As always, there was the bond between them. Tarin seemed to realize he was just staring at him. “Why are you here? I thought the commander's ship was putting down in the city?"

Jai didn't know why he was surprised. Of course his crash wasn't common knowledge. Wasn't that how a cover-up worked?

"It's a long story, Tarin. And one that could get me killed if I hang around here too long."

"You haven't jumped?” Tarin was clearly disbelieving. A soldier who jumped was a deserter but also forever branded the worst sort of coward. It wasn't an option for a man like him. They were career men, and Tarin knew full well what Jai's ambitions had been.

"No. But we have to talk privately. Can you meet me after your shift?” Even this brief conversation was dangerous, and Jai kept his eyes moving, looking for any undue attention to their exchange.

Tarin appeared confused and a little concerned, but he agreed easily enough, and Jai breathed a silent sigh of relief. “All right. I'm off in about four hours. Where?"

"The edge of the forest. Sixteen north, twelve west.” Without another word, Jai slipped out of sight.

TARIN WAS NOBODY'S fool. Oh, he played that role often enough when it suited his purposes, but in reality he had a sharp intellect and a keen sense of politics. Jai's arrival was a surprise, not only because it had been at least two years, but because he'd supposedly died several weeks ago in a crash over the forest.

That wasn't common knowledge, but Tarin wasn't a common sort. He had his fingers in a lot of pies, so he'd heard of the crash the day after it occurred. One of his contacts on the ship had told him simply because the commander was working so hard to keep it a secret.

Now, to see Jai alive, though a little worse for wear, it was as if he were back in training. All of the longing and desire returned in full force. Tarin had wanted Jai since they'd first met, even if he'd carefully hidden those feelings and had never given up the hope there would be more between them someday. Old soldiers often lived together, whether for companionship or other reasons. He'd sometimes imagined he and Jai growing old together.

In the War Tribe, it was commonplace to see pairing of all kinds. With so many species it was sometimes impossible to tell. While most fell into the easily recognizable male/female distinctions, so many more were neither or both or something else entirely. Furthermore, there was no policing of relationships. It was perfectly acceptable to desire anyone, for any reason, no questions asked.

From the very beginning, though, Tarin had known an intimate relationship would probably never happen between them. Jai had shown a predilection for women, and his occasional challenges with men were usually of a species that had the soft features and resembled the more slight bodies typical of women. Based on those observations, Tarin knew there was little chance that Jai did or ever would have any desire for his own hulking shape.

It wasn't that Tarin didn't also desire women, but he'd learned from painful experience that women as a whole were no match for his size and strength. The energy and rigorous nature of sex would never allow him to have a woman without hurting her beyond acceptable limits. Only very strong men were available to him.

Tarin checked the time. He had given Jai a head start, and now he set out to follow him. It wasn't that he didn't trust Jai or that he wanted to deceive him, but he was too careful to walk into an unknown situation. Especially with a man whose enemies included one of the most powerful commanders in the Tribe. One who would be promoted to emissary of this planet in just a few days.

Jai almost certainly needed help, and Tarin was more than willing to provide it. What he feared was this might be the last time they ever saw each other. Once Jai left the service of the War Tribe, he would likely disappear. The half-formed fantasies Tarin had nursed over the years would at last be put to rest unless something happened very soon.

Mieli didn't hear him return, but suddenly he was there. She had rested most of the afternoon, content to simply be. She sat up, careful to keep the blanket around her. Now that she had recovered some from their grueling trek, her worries and doubts had returned full force.

In the bright light of day without the haze of exhaustion to blur her vision, he was more intimidating than ever. Not because he had become bigger overnight, but because in his absence she had realized how totally dependent she was. He was her only safety in a new and unimaginable world. She was unwilling to give in to uncertainty again, but she was cognizant of her reliance and more grateful than ever for his careful treatment of her.

Mieli only wished they had more words between them. While she believed that they had reached an unspoken understanding six days ago, without communication she could not be certain. She desperately wanted to be able to ask him questions. Where they were going would be a nice start.

He looked happy to see her, relieved even, and bent over to place a firm kiss on her lips. When he started to pull away, she reached out and caught hold of his sleeve. Mieli tried to think of something to say, or some way to ask what she was thinking.

"Jai...” Whatever she would have said was lost because he leaned in and kissed her softly. When he pulled away, she was flustered by how quickly she responded to him. Her stomach fluttered with desire, and her heart pounded with anticipation. The pale blue of his eyes was like glass, clear and cold, but his expression was tender, and she felt some of her tension ease away.

He could not look at her that way unless she meant something to him. She was glad because she had begun to develop a definite liking for the big man. Admittedly, her enjoyment of his company was less vital than his for hers. Mindful of the importance of his feelings for her, Mieli rose and let the blanket fall. Aside from her own desire to lie with him, she remembered how well he had treated her during their journey and wanted to reward him for his sacrifice.

Jai understood her intention immediately and leaned in for a purposeful kiss. Mieli had known other lovers who spared little time for kissing, but Jai never seemed to tire of the intimacy of it.

Tarin wasn't surprised when Jai's path led back to the forest north of where they were supposed to meet later. Once beyond the tree line, he moved carefully, calling on his skills in stealth to follow the faint path Jai had left behind. Not a path really, just a scent, but that was what made Tarin so good on the ground.

After he was well into the forest, sounds alerted him to Jai's location. Short movements took him from shadow to shadow until he could see the other man. Jai was crouched down, and the angle of his body made Tarin think there was someone in front of him. Cautiously, he edged south for a view around Jai. What he saw didn't surprise him because he knew many soldiers who took advantage of a newly conquered race to satisfy their base natures.

He was only surprised when the woman rose from the ground and then stood, nude. Jai bent down to her. With his hands at her waist and her arms around his neck, they started kissing. After several moments, she pulled at the fastenings on Jai's uniform, and together they stripped it from his body. Finally, she turned to face Tarin's position with her back against Jai's chest and his hands moving over her front. As her body was revealed, Tarin was shocked and a lot envious.

She was beautiful. Blonde hair curled around her face, just long enough to graze her collarbone. High on her chest were round, lush breasts with tiny pink nipples.

Below those alluring mounds her waist nipped in deeply before it flared out to womanly hips. Her stomach quivered lightly, and Tarin saw Jai move his hands over her. The stark contrast of her pale, creamy skin and the hard, dark hand that covered her entire right breast was shocking. Tarin involuntarily looked down at his own massive paw and realized he would be able to span her entire chest with one hand.

Without warning, old memories flooded his mind, and Tarin turned his face away from Jai and his woman. He could remove himself from the emotions, but the events were burned into his psyche. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Training in the War Tribe wasn't supposed to be fun and games, but he and Jai had been big, bold, and fearless. The war simulations and psychological tests had been a breeze for them. It wasn't until their last year that things had become difficult for Tarin, but he'd hidden it well.

The first combat-challenge opportunities were either feared or anticipated, depending upon who you asked. Everyone, Jai included, had assumed that the two of them would fall into the second group. And his friend had, but Tarin was nervous. He'd waited, and finally Jai had challenged Yasbeth. She was someone they had both lusted over, and he was a little jealous when the challenge began.

In the stands he'd been forced to watch as Jai subdued her struggles and then fucked her roughly on the mat. The raw sexuality had been nearly overpowering, and he'd been both envious and turned on. It was only later that his doubts returned. If he had learned anything in training, it was that very few could match him in hand-to-hand combat, and those were men of uncommon size. As the years passed, it had become increasingly difficult to pull his punches. Eventually his sparring partners had become the battle-hardened trainers themselves.

The worry that he would be too rough was one no one else seemed to feel. After Jai left for his first assignment and Tarin was lonely for company, he succumbed to the pressure and challenged the biggest girl in their group, Polla. A cross between two of the least attractive species in the Tribe, he could tell she'd never expected to be challenged. But it wasn't her face that attracted him. It was her square frame and solid build.

Under the bright light of the small arena, he'd watched her move toward him. The nudity that was required of both of them left nothing to the imagination. Her body was wide; her breasts nearly nonexistent. The dark thatch at the top of her thighs matched her short, cropped hair and the dusting on her arms and legs.

Yasbeth she was not. But the need was no less strong despite her lack of beauty. After a relatively short tussle that lasted longer than it should have due to Tarin's careful handling of her, Polla was pinned beneath him. One of his hands easily held both of hers high over her head, and her short neck wouldn't allow her to bite or butt heads with him. After a moment he realized that she had given up on getting away, and he lifted himself to free his cock from being pressed between his body and the mat.