Songs of the Earth (6 page)

"And you know about Lycans?" I asked, searching his face for some clue. He smiled at me, his close-cropped beard and mustache neat. He reminded me of some of the people in the paintings that hung in my father's, now my brother's, library.
Randy crossed his arms. "I've always known about Lycans."
Excuse me?
"Have you always known I was Lycan?"
"You and Ushna are Lycans and so is your new ‘family', who are now living here."
I'd known and trusted Randy for years and I was struggling with this revelation. He had always known about us? "When were you going to tell us you knew?"
"When were you going to tell me what you were?"
I scowled which made Randy's smile wider. "Besides, I've dropped a hint or two and you've been too dense to get them."
"So everything that happened at the river isn't going to flip you out or anything?"
Randy chuckled. "No, I'm fine." His laughter died off and he looked at me with sad, serious eyes. "You, on the other hand. Have you fully recovered?"
"Yeah." I sniffed in Randy's direction again. He still smelled human. "Can I ask what else you are, besides human, I mean?" I wished Ushna was here to smell Randy. Ushna would be able to tell if Randy was using a spell to disguise his scent.
"That, my friend, is a story for another time. Right now, we have a ranch to run." He studied my double helix snakes and a momentary softness came over his face. "I wanted to let you know the remaining hands are
my
men. If one of the Shirdal wanders too close to the house, they aren't going to shoot it. I've already given them a heads-up. Talking about shooting, do you still want the shoot to kill order on any wolves on the property?"
"Yes. There may be outside threats. The warriors with me will remain human while on the property."
"Good to know. I've got to get going. Everyone should be getting up and anxious for breakfast." With a firm clap on my shoulder, Randy left me. It wasn't until he'd gone that I realized he'd called the gryphons by their Sumerian name.
I'd swear he smelled human.
I made my way back to the house, washing my bare feet with the hose at the side of the house before I stepped into the kitchen. It was a good place to eat when it was only Ushna and me, but now there where more than the two of us. We did have a formal dining room we kept closed off. I poked my head in. It was dusted and set up already. It looked as if it had been used recently and I wondered how much I'd missed. The six-person kitchen table had been added to the one in the dining room.
I returned to the kitchen and got out the spare carafes we sometimes used to take coffee out to the cowboys and started brewing some heavenly java. I hadn't a clue how much food I needed to make, but I think I fixed everything in the kitchen. French toast, bacon, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, sausages, and gravy. The men came in and helped set up tables and carry the food. I was seriously thinking about hiring a cook or two. There was no way I was going to fix three meals a day for this many people.
Ushna and Gregori arrived, freshly showered, and dressed. Ushna lavished on me a great good morning kiss before handing me a shirt. I gave him a cheeky smile before I pulled it on and sat at the head of the table. The warriors automatically left the spot to my left and right free for Gregori and Ushna.
I observed the activity around the table. Dishes were passed and plates filled between light banter. This felt natural. I ate with good appetite.
As the meal wound down, I listened to Corey as he gave me an update on additional housing for the new tribe members. Between the two bunkhouses he said we were able to accommodate all fourteen men and the ranch hands.
I looked around the table at each of the men. While there was a part of me that balked at having my life disrupted, there was an equal portion that slipped easily into the leadership role as if it was a familiar skin. "Those of you who have families or dependents, please get with your captain and give him names, ages, and occupations. I'll do my best to get them moved here. I don't want to keep you separated from your loved ones. We may have to use temporary housing until your salaries are established." I saw several looks of relief. The Blood Oaths were meant to guarantee their loyalty, nothing else. "You and your families are a part of my tribe now. I'll give a list of positions I'll need filled to Corey. He'll help to match the occupations of your spouses and families to any jobs I have."
Corey gave out the day's orders and met Ushna, Gregori, and me in my office to make plans for our growing numbers. The room felt a little small with all four of us there. Gregori took the love seat by the door, lounging comfortably. I sat behind the desk, with Ushna and Corey in the only other chairs in the room. It felt as if we were outgrowing everything quickly.
"Where are we going to get the money for the temporary housing and salaries?" Ushna asked, and I knew he wasn't going to like my solution.
"My inheritance." I waited for the fallout.
"No." Ushna scowled, shaking his head. "You will not use your inheritance for this."
I raised my brows at him. "That would be my choice. We certainly cannot support a tribe on our salaries."
"Why can't you use the king's treasury?" I think Corey was trying to divert the argument everyone could feel brewing.
"There are several reasons. One, I'm not a king. Two, I don't know if there is a treasury any more or how to access it. Three, my brother is in line to the throne which means this tribe is my responsibility alone. Besides, am I the only one who remembers that I told the council to stick it? I can't imagine them rushing in to help me any time soon."
Ushna crossed his arms and stared at me. I knew he wanted to contradict me, but he knew my points were valid. "I don't like it," he groused. "You're of royal blood and look at how you've been treated."
There was something more here with Ushna I was missing. This wasn't about money. "Ushna, speak your mind. I may be of the royal line, but it doesn't mean the council has to kowtow to my wishes after I've threatened to kill anyone they send here without my express permission. They have ruled the Lycans for a very long time, and I don't see them giving up their power because of who I am. You know I'm right. Please tell me what is wrong. I can't read your mind."
Ushna flicked a look at Corey, weighing whether or not he'd reveal what was bothering him in front of the captain of the guard. "All my life I've watched while you've been disregarded, ignored. You were invisible to them. I watched as you made suggestions to Nathan and Theodore. They took the acclaim for it, and not once did they or anyone else recognize your contributions. Half the ideas that came from Theo were yours. Nathan doubled your family's estates after consulting with you and none of it went to your inheritance. You made the Enkidu Tribe what it is today and you got nothing out of it."
I watched Ushna struggle with the anger he felt on my behalf. He hadn't said anything when I was with Theo. Not until now, when he felt I was again being taken advantage of. I glanced over at Corey and he briefly bowed his head before stepping out of the office, Gregori on his heels.
I got up and rounded the desk to straddle the lap of my lover. Goddess, I loved being able to call him that. "Ushna." He looked at me with those bi-colored emeraldbrown eyes with such fierce emotion, and I drank the look in, a responding heat swirling through my blood and pooling low in my groin. "As a part of the Janick household, it's my duty to help my brother keep it strong. As the partner of an alpha, my duty was to the welfare of the tribe." I ran my fingers through his blue-black hair, relishing the feel of it. "Those of us who truly serve don't do it for accolades, but out of the desire, the need to be of use. I didn't do it to be noticed."
Ushna brushed my cheek with his knuckles. "You did great things, Tristan. You should've been recognized."
I turned my head slightly and kissed the palm of his hand. "I was given the choice to be acknowledged, remember? But I turned down the position of alpha for Enkidu Tribe because I didn't want it." Ushna's eyes narrowed, a growl escaping him. My jeans became tight and uncomfortable and I resisted the urge to readjust myself. "Ki believes there was an enchantment on me that concealed me from the Gods. Maybe the enchantment hid me from others, as well." Slowly I leaned down until my mouth was hovering over Ushna's lips, my eyes on his. "You saw me, Ushna, when no one else did. That's all that matters to me."
I brushed my lips gently across his. I wanted to devour him but I held back. I'd never cared about recognition. I'd always done what needed doing and been content. But he had known. Ushna had seen me for who and what I was when everyone else had looked through me and it was a fucking turn-on knowing he had watched me. He knew me like no one else.
Ushna licked the seam between my lips, groaning, and it set something off in me. I wanted to bite him, claim him, and bind him to me, making him fully, completely mine. I caught Ushna's tongue and sucked it into my mouth, absorbing, tasting. My hands tightened in his hair, holding him in place while I plundered his mouth, taking everything he gave me, everything he offered. I wanted it all. I wanted all of him.
The unraveling of the binding had affected the predator within me, and he was no longer easy or docile. His true dominant nature had been freed, his Lupe side wasn't tied down, and his awareness was amplified. Over the last few days, I'd felt him becoming more active, looking out of my eyes at others. Being near Ushna, his touch, his scent had called to something deep within both of us. The predator wanted to mark and bond with Ushna, make him completely ours, and I had known that was something we could never have. Ushna belonged to Brian, but the beast didn't care, he wanted what he wanted, and it was so hard to fight him when bonding to Ushna was what I wanted as well.
The smell of Ushna's arousal had drawn the predator forward and he pressed against me. My fingers grew sharp claws, my vision became shades of gray, and my mouth ached as teeth reshaped themselves. I knew I hadn't completely changed into my Lupe form because I still had skin and other than my teeth, my face felt the same. I had tried to push the predator back but I could feel Ushna's hardness under me, pushing against me, inflaming me with uncontrollable desire. I was unraveling in this need to wrap myself around him for all eternity, and I fought it.
I wanted to mark him. Bite him. Drink him. Make him my own. And I fought it because he wasn't mine to take. I couldn't divide his soul, so I fought to do what was best for him. I'd love him for this life time. That's all I'd have with him. I'd make it the best life possible and if the Gods were merciful, when I died this time, they'd put me truly to rest, because I didn't think I could live an eternity of reincarnations without him. Without his touch. My lover. My Ushna.
I pulled back from the kiss, my breathing ragged, eyes closed as I struggled to retreat from the primal force within me that screamed for control. Uttu had explained my royal ancestors had had exceptional control over their form, able to change just pieces of themselves at will when needed. I wanted to give a morbid laugh because I was having no such luck as I wrestled for control; want and desire against logic and reason.
"Look at me." Ushna's voice was hoarse and husky. I didn't want him to see my white-less eyes with their pure black irises. I didn't want him to see the weakness in me as I was barely balanced between man and beast. "I said, look at me!" he snapped.
My eyes popped open and I looked down into his lust-filled gaze, his lips curled into a snarl, his chest rumbling in a protracted low growl. My blood raced at the sound. My skin stretched and tingled. I was perched on the edge. If I took him now, I'd lose control, so I did the only thing I could. I gave control to him with two rasped words. "Fuck me!"
Ushna's hands slid down to my ass, cupping me painfully tight as he stood and carried me over to the desk. He dropped me roughly on the surface, scattering everything on top as his fingers fumbled at my fly. I gripped the edge of the desk, my claw-tipped fingers digging in, scoring the mahogany wood. Ushna released a nasty snarl of frustration as he tore off my jeans, flinging them across the room. He hooked his arms under my knees and I rose up on my elbows, our mouths smashing together in a consuming, ravaging kiss, filling the room with ferocious, deep-chested rumbles. Ushna pressed his hardness against my ass, my perineum, grinding his denimcovered shaft against me. It was electrifying, the magical static rolling across my skin, raising the hair on my body. I needed him in me now and I tried to lift my hips to grind back, needing pressure. He released a leg to grab me by the throat and slam me back onto the desk. The word, "Yes," escaped my lips. Goddess, I loved this roughness, the brutal way he touched me. I relished every fucking bruising grip, pressing into it, needing to feel it.
Ushna flipped my legs over his shoulders. I gripped the desk, claws gouging the surface, as he released himself from his jeans. He rubbed spit onto his flared head before he started to push into me. Ah, shit, my back involuntarily bowed and Ushna leaned harder into the hand at my throat as I fought the burn of his entry.
Ushna started to pull back.
"No!" I panicked and tightened my legs over his shoulders to keep him from pulling away. "No, don't stop!" I ground out, voice rough.
"I'm going to hurt you, babe. I need some lube." He was barely holding it together. In the shades of gray, I watched him look around. He was outlined in the purest white; it pulsed, matching my heart beat. Something about that stirred the beast in me, beckoned to me, commanded me to answer its call, and I couldn't. I couldn't let myself give up what little control I had.
Ushna grabbed the bottle of unscented lotion by the computer monitor, flicked the lid with a thumb, tipped the bottle, and squirted it on us. Air hissed through a mouth filled with too many teeth as the cool lotion spread over my hot skin. Throwing the bottle down, Ushna smeared the lotion over me and down the cleft of my butt cheeks before spreading it on himself. I couldn't wait and tried to impale myself on him. Ushna snarled at me in warning before he moved into me slowly. My head thrashed from side to side. I didn't need slow, I needed…
Ushna slammed into me and I released a howling moan of pleasure as he set a hard and fast rhythm. My hands ached as they gripped the desk, claw-tipped fingers notching the dark wood. I arched, rising into the fingers wrapped around my throat. Ushna shoved me down, his hand reflexively squeezing. Ah, hell, the pressure felt so fucking good on my neck as Ushna drilled into me, making me feel every glorious inch of him as he took me. The pure white outline around Ushna pulsed faster and faster as he spread a cheek of my ass, stretching my hole a little more, making me feel the pinch of the pull as his cock pounded into me.