The Return (21 page)

I dropped back, and took the lead rope of the pack horse, with the tent on his flank. Then I started slowing down. It took me two minutes to set up the tent and put the horse in. Then I dropped the tent and rolled it up sloppily. I then unrolled it and set the poles in place again. The horse was fine. I rolled the tent up rather sloppily again leaving the horse inside, I would double check when I got to set it up again.

I rode out only about two minutes ahead of the guards. I let Reaper lay on the horsepower as we rode, the forest around me became a blur as he started to stride. One of these days I will have to explain exactly what Reaper is, but this is not the time for it. Less than five minutes later, I was passing the girls, and giving them the thumbs up signal. I hollered out at the top of my lungs “No time for questions, just do what is said, and we can explain later.”

I rode on establishing about a five minute lead on them. Then Reaper and I stopped. I dropped off, unrolled the tent, and set the poles in place. I stepped in, the pack horse was fine, and he still had the same mouthful of hay in his mouth. I stepped out and sat down to wait for the girls.

I didn’t have to wait long. As soon as they came around the bend I yelled “Lead your horses into the tent. We don’t have time to explain.” Taina, Laina, Mieko, Tia, Myka and Beth dropped off, and led their horses in without even a hesitation, of course. The others stopped and stared. “No time to stare either, get your horses in there.” I grabbed Penny by the arm and led her to the entrance.

The others followed without resistance. I heard many exclamations of surprise before I dropped the tent, and rolled it up. This time doing it neatly and stowing it proper. Then I waited on Reapers back for the guards to catch up a bit.

Likka asked.

that is exactly what I did. When the guards came around the hillside two hundred feet back, I extended my right arm, and pointed my middle finger at the sky. Then Reaper, Likka, and I bolted as fast as our feet could carry us.

As we got ahead of them Likka ran up a hillside next to the road and got a little ahead of us. I watched her jump off the hilltop overlooking the road. She changed in mid air only to land in the saddle behind me. As soon as she hit, Reaper poured it on. By the time we reached the cliffs I was a full half hour ahead of the guards.

The trip down the cliff road would take an average rider a half a day. A good rider on a good horse could do it in two hours. Reaper, Likka, and I were at the bottom twelve minutes after hitting the top. Reaper cornered like he was on rails, and skipped whole sections when the road did a switchback below us. To an observer it looked like we fell down the cliff face.

At the bottom of the cliff I stopped and turned to face back at the guards. Likka asked from behind me.

This time Likka made the gesture too. For some reason, this seemed to enrage the guards. As we turned and rode off to the west and towards the second cliff, Likka thought from behind me.

By the time we crossed the bridge, I figured we were at least a half a day ahead of the guards. I could stop them completely, by blowing the bridge behind us, but that would just be being destructive for no cause now. I figured we could ride for a few more hours and be a full day ahead of the guards, then we could take our time and ride normally again.

Likka was just riding and I could feel her smiling in my mind. I had to admit to myself letting Reaper ride full out was fun. He was the fastest animal I had ever known. In terms from the other earth he could run at over one hundred miles per hour for short bursts and make sustained runs of seventy miles per hour for hours on end.

The ride was also smooth. Most horses when they run have an up and down gait that can pound bruises on your backside. His gait was a smooth, rise and fall, like riding a wave through the air.

We rode, until I saw the sun headed for the horizon. By then we were couple of day’s normal ride from the city. We had covered a lot of ground with Reaper being allowed to run free. I was sure the city guard couldn’t catch us now if we sat still for a couple of days. We stopped in a clearing area, and moved off the road to set up camp. I unrolled and set up the tent. As I walked in I was in for a bit of a surprise.

The girls were all sitting around on the couches and I could smell dinner cooking. Laina jumped up and ran to me. “It didn’t stasis us, while we were in here not even the animals were in stasis. We could even see out the windows and, for some reason, that gesture you made with your finger made Beth laugh.”

I looked over at Beth rather sheepishly. “It is a very rude gesture.” I said to Laina, “On the other world it is a way of telling people that you despise them, and they should go have impossible sex with themselves.”

Laina laughed, “Dinner should be ready in a bit. Penny says you owe her something.”

“She wants me to take her to bed tonight, because she has tasted blood. Blood affects her the way magic does Beth and I. It would be a good idea if you did not get too nosey tonight. It is liable to be loud and bloody in there.”

Laina’s eyes got as big as dinner plates as she looked at Penny. “Now I think it is time I be introduced around to those that don’t know me, and get reacquainted with the rest of the Life Wards. Shall we join them in the sitting area?”

Liana took my hand, and walked me over to the couches. Before she sat down I kissed her passionately. I then walked over to Penny. “Lady Penelophene, may I ask who your charming companion is?” I was looking towards a small woman dressed in black leather pants and corset style top with a short half cloak. She had black hair and dark gray eyes, with very pale skin. Her features looked as if she had been carved from marble, to be the statue of a beautiful woman.

Penny stood and kissed me biting my lip slightly to taste my blood again. When she pulled back, “This is my companion and friend Nyanya.”

“I am pleased to meet you, and call you friend.” I said to Nyanya.

“Thank you, Rhys, is what Penny says about you true?”

“Depends on what she says.”

“She says, you are the only man she has ever taken to her bed that she could not bring herself to eat afterwards.”

“I am still here aren’t I?”

She blushed and sat back down as I moved over to the next introduction. There was a pair of ladies both of them of the Saidhee race like Morgana. They were tall just less than six feet tall with blond hair and pale blue eyes. Both of them also had a small green emerald embedded in the backs of each of their hands. “Lady Mayleha if I may ask for an introduction to your gentle companion?”

“Rhys, this is my friend and a Wizardress, as am I, her name is Faylani.”

“Welcome to our family, Faylani.”

Faylani stood up and threw her arms around my neck and kissed me as if we were old lost lovers. “I am so pleased to finally meet you, Rhys, Mayleha has told me so much about you over the years, that I feel we are family.”

“Do you usually kiss your family like that?” I asked with a smirk on my face.

“Only the ones I am trying to seduce.”

“You will find me an easy target, I am afraid.” I smiled as she sat back down.

I walked to the next group they were a set of four people. I approached the set of twins I knew. They were both human with long black hair and tanned skin, their eyes were a deep brown and they were lithe in body shape, best being described as American Indian princesses. “Lady Myaki and Lady Deva, it is wonderful to see you again. May I ask for an introduction to your charming companions?”

Both ladies stood smoothly and wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into one of their rather infamous two women kisses. When they pulled away they turned to face their companion and Myaki spoke. “These are Zithia and Parma; they have been our friends, and lovers, for a long time now.”

“Lady Zithia, I am pleased to accept you into our family.” I said as I took her hand and kissed the back of it gently. Then I turned to the other girl that was obviously her twin sister. “Lady Parma, I am equally pleased to welcome you.” I said kissing the back of her hand as well.” They both giggled lightly, as they sat back down, and I moved to the next couple.

The next was a dark skinned Saidhee with black eyes and hair, her skin was the shade of storm clouds and her eyes roiled with hidden violence. “Lady Angelica, I see time has not dulled the storm in your eyes. May I be presented to your charming companion?”

“Rhys, I will gladly introduce you, but I must speak frankly here, I have not fully forgiven you for abandoning us.”

“Angelica, I am sorrier than you will ever know, this time I win, or I die trying. You will have your charge back soon and I will prove the Life Ward did what they were asked.”

She nodded and turned to the Dark Saidhee on the couch below us. “This is Monique, she has been my constant companion, and I owe a life debt to her.”

“Lady Monique, please accept that any debt Angelica owes you is a debt to me as well, ask and if it is in my power to give, I will give it.”

“M’Lord Rhys, give me what we both want and I will hold her debt fulfilled.”

“But name it.”

“We want children.”

“When my task is over, they are yours for the asking but know that a child of mine will forever be a part of my life. I will be a father to the child. We can talk about it more in a bit.”

“From what Angelica has told me about you, I am sure you will.” With that she leaned forward and kissed me gently on the cheek.”

I moved to the next group. Before me stood a fiery little Ariet she looked like a smaller version of a Saidhee but had platinum blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She also had a large set of white feathered wings on her back; her companion could have been her twin. “Lady Feonia, I am so pleased to see you. I have missed your sparkling laughter, and sweet smile. How are the rest of the Ariet doing in their mountain home?”

“My people have done well; the wars of the Empire do not make it close to us. But due to my closeness to you and the hunt by the Empire for me, I have been asked to stay away.”

“I am so sorry; when we are done I will personally travel to the Spine Ridge Mountains and beg for your re-entrance. May I meet your companion?”

“Always looking for your next conquest, Rhys? I have missed you my old friend and lover. My companion is Aziel, she is a trained scout and fighter. I have found her company to be extremely helpful in my life.”

“Lady Aziel, thank you for helping my family, I owe you a debt as well.”

“You owe me nothing, M’Lord Rhys, I am glad to help Feonia, as she has helped me.” She hugged me and I felt her wanting more but she was a bit shy. Late in the night I had met them all and they had all met me. They started to get more comfortable with me. We ate and, by the end of dinner and a bit of wine, all the girls were laughing and having fun.

As dinner started winding down and all the girls found themselves getting tired, Faylani asked me, “How did you manage to get this wonderful tent, Rhys?”

“Beth and I made it to help with traveling. It makes the day's ride better, when you know you have a comfortable bed at the end.”

“I bet it does, but you made this? I thought the art of enchantment had been lost long ago?”

I reached out and tapped the nearly empty bottle of wine, unknown to the others I had been gathering power for about an hour now. I let a small burst out as I said “Full” to the bottle. Then a massive pulse rang out, making Beth’s eyes widen in wonder. This pulse had no word with it and the results were perfect.

Likka asked in my mind.

I picked up the now full bottle of wine and poured Faylani a glass from it, then I proceeded to walk around the table and pour each person a glass. When I set the bottle down in front of Faylani again, it was still full.

The light gasp from Faylani was echoed by several of the others as they noticed the level of wine in the bottle. As the others were picking up the bottle to look at it, Beth walked over to me and whispered. “Rhys, I can look at you and tell you are in need, do you need me to join you tonight?”

“I think Penny has plans for me tonight, and you don’t want to be there for it.”

“How bad can she be, Rhys, and she is going to need help satisfying you tonight.”

“Don’t say I did not warn you. You might want to hold back until her edge has worn off. She will be less likely to injure you then.”

“I heal like you do, Rhys, remember?”

I nodded and stepped over to Myka’s chair. “Myka, I have to ask you to do something tonight, and I hope you understand. I need you to sleep with one of the other ladies tonight. My room is liable to be a very scary place tonight.”

“Can I come in tomorrow night after you and your wives are through?”

“Yes Hun, I like waking up with you there.”

She smiled at me and went back to playing with her dessert. I walked over to Penny and held out my hand for her. “M’Lady, if you would care to join me, I think it is time for me to retire for the evening?”

I led Penny to my room, as I opened the door I realized that Nyanya, Beth and Likka had all followed. “Nyanya are you sure you wish to see this, Beth has been warned and Likka has seen it before, last time it took a couple of days to get the blood out of her fur?”

“Rhys, I think tonight you will learn a few things. But to answer the question, I am aware of how she will act with a man in her bed.”

We entered the room, and I led Penny to stand in front of the bed. I turned my back on her as I removed my shirt and pants. When I was naked I suddenly spun and backhanded Penny hard enough to knock her back onto the bed.