Chapter Five #3
Never laughed and shrugged. “If you don’t want to go for the weapons, fine.” She lifted her hand, and the first spike went into the ribs.
There was an agonized shriek, and the medics tensed. The second bolt hit her waist. The third her thigh, and the final bolt hit her forearm, breaking the bone. More screaming.
Never tutted and walked up to the whimpering and bleeding would-be assassin. “You will lose the use of the hand used to shoot an unarmed, unaware woman. She went with your chief for a night, and that would have been it, but now, you have tied them together. Good job.”
She took the right hand and held it, feeling it curl up at her touch.
There was more screaming and sobbing.
“Now, she was on her own for twelve minutes, slowly bleeding, but we have medical assistance for you as soon as I let them in. Now, you may regain the use of your hand, but you will have to serve your time and beg your victim for forgiveness, and this time, she had better see you coming.”
Never stood straight in her ritual clothing and the swirls in her skin, and she let the medics and the others in.
She stood over the woman as she screamed and whimpered.
“Cora didn’t make a sound, you know. She just calmly told emergency services where to find her and stayed alert to show the XIA your face.
Then, she passed out. No whining, crying, or bitching.
That is a woman of power, strength, and the kind of woman clan leaders of all races try to lure into bed. ”
The younger woman looked at her with wild eyes. “You’re a shaman.”
“Well, I could have been. Now, I am just a hunter, and you were my prey. Pathetic prey, really. I am going to leave that tattoo on your father’s head. For encouraging you this long, he deserves it.”
She stretched and resumed her hunter leathers. She looked around and found Abel-ur. “I am heading back to the hospital.”
Tam-or nodded. “I will walk you back to your bike.”
“Thank you. Some folks are unsettled by my appearance.”
He barked a laugh. “You think?”
“It’s a wild guess.” The sea of green faces, some with tusks and some without, all were looking at her in fascinated horror. “It’s the eyes, right?”
He laughed. “Perhaps. I think they are stunning. Quicksilver with no interruptions.”
“Oh, they expanded a bit then. I must have been irritated. How did you come to work for the chief?”
“Ah, I am the speaker for our clan. I do all the negotiations.”
“But you are a housekeeper?”
He laughed. “I am a cook by hobby, and Abel-ur doesn’t make a lot of mess. He cleans up after himself.”
“I thought all speakers were bossy and demanding favours for access to the clan.”
“We can be. Access to clans is highly guarded. It is on us to determine who genuinely will benefit our clan, aligns with our interests and focuses.”
“Yeah, but sometimes, you get sex in return, so it isn’t all bad.”
He laughed. “I am not pure blooded, so there is an additional issue. They need me, but I repulse them, so it makes for an interesting dynamic. Not one to brag about but interesting.”
“Aw, I bet they ache for days.”
He snorted. “Yes, and not always in a good way. I slip, and I lose focus, and I can’t afford to.”
“Your normal height is around ten feet, right?”
“Nine six. How did you know?”
“Something about the way you move. You are careful, as if you are bigger.”
He paused and then asked, “I don’t suppose you would ever be willing to go out for an evening while you were in town?”
She stopped in place and stared at him. “Like, a date?”
“Exactly like a date.”
“I hate to sound trite, but I have nothing to wear.”
“I believe I would like you wearing nothing.”
She smiled. “Flirting? You must have a thing for quicksilver.”
“More the way you handled today. You were precise, brutal, and direct. It was lovely to see. You can also ignore crying and begging. That I have difficulty doing.”
“It takes practice.”
“Well, if I have you begging, you can coach me through ignoring you.”
“So, the age thing isn’t a problem?”
“You are made of magic. Magic doesn’t age. It gives. Where were you found?”
“Oh, the asshats found an old wave site, and they held the ritual there. When the smoke cleared, there were two little girls huddled together and crying. A very nice lady with black hair and strange eyes came to us and told us she would bring us somewhere safe. So, we ended up with Matthias, and the mayor’s mansion had two toddlers in it.
He swiftly found us a foster placement nearby, but we spent time with Uncle Matthias every week. ”
“But you have never had a clan take you in?”
“Nope. I always thought it was my foul mouth, but I think it could be the eyes.”
“You do have a blunt grasp of cursing.”
“I studied. Most male orcs do not like female-centric type insults, so that was easy and fun to put on his scalp. His hair won’t grow back either. That’s funny to me.”
“To me as well. He has just lost a lifetime of authority with this one stunt.”
“What’s funnier is if he makes a move against me or mine again, all of his limbs break at the same time.” She snickered.
Her bike came into view, and Tam-or sighed.
“What is the sigh for, Speaker?”
“Our time is coming to an end.”
“Is it?” She smiled and got taller with every step until she was eight feet tall.
He grinned, and his other aspect took over; energy patterns glowed through his clothing. They stopped next to her bike, and she looked at him. “Thank you for the talk.”
He nodded. “Can you think of something you want from my people so that I can negotiate for it?”
She touched his cheek and smiled. “What about a farewell kiss? What is the price of that? I rarely just get to talk shop.”
He thought about it. “The cost for a kiss from the speaker is the promise of a second kiss if our paths cross again.”
She looked at his banded tusks, the grey and green skin, and he bent to kiss her as soon as she said, “Deal.”
Never felt his lips against hers, tasted his breath, which was sweet and lemony, and then his mouth was firmly against hers.
The kiss reached into her soul and stroked all of her senses. She sighed and shifted closer. His arms wrapped around her, and he held her carefully. When his tongue stroked hers, she groaned softly. They continued to kiss standing there until he lifted his head.
It took her a few attempts to get control of her tongue. But she said, “You paid attention.”
He chuckled. “You said your sister looks sweet, likes it rough, so I guessed that you look like a warrior but rarely get sweet.”
She nodded. “Well-spotted. Well, I am heading back to the hospital. My sister has very specific snack requirements. I want to make sure they are met.”
“Thanks for honouring our traditions and doing things the right way.”
“As fun as going to holding and pulling her out by her nose was to imagine, I can be circumspect. I am surprised your shaman hasn’t bolted out here to try banishing me.”
“We don’t have one. Our shaman just passed at the age of one hundred eighty.”
“Ah. So, now you have to wait for another to be born. Rough.”
“Yes. With every pregnancy we watch. Nothing so far.”
“Wow. That must be unnerving for the pregnant women. An entire clan watching them.”
“It has been observed that creepy is a good descriptor.” He chuckled.
They were now back at normal size. He stroked her arms.
She saw her helmet and brought it to her with the flick of her fingers. “If I see you again, I will pay the price.”
He grinned. “Good, I like a woman who keeps her agreements.”
“I like a man who melts my knees when I’m eight feet tall.”
His eyes glowed. “Don’t tease.”
She put the helmet on and straddled her bike. “No teasing. That just frustrates me and irritates the person I am with.”
He chuckled. “I will see you soon, Hunter Navendar Kibra. Drive safe.”
She inclined her head, drove forward, and looped around before blasting back toward the hospital. There was laughter coming through the link, and Never grinned. She was going to have to learn how to block pleasure if she stayed in Redbird any longer.