Tani's Destiny (Hearts of ICARUS Book 2) (25 page)

The cave was filled with bed pallets so all of them could be together in one place, making it much easier on the women who were trying to take care of them.  Caves had been set aside for each family, along with whatever belongings Steel and his men had been able to rescue before the Nomen destroyed the village and every home they could find.  But for now, everyone was more comfortable in a group.

Tani wasn’t too surprised to discover that everyone knew who she was, and why she was there, as well as her role in their rescue.  As Astra took her through the cave, from group to group of women and children who were far too quiet, Tani saw that they’d done the right thing in rescuing them when they did.  If they’d waited even a couple more days, she thought the number still living would have been much smaller than it already was.  When Astra took her into a small connecting cave where seven women laid motionless on narrow cots, Tani nearly broke down in tears. 

They were so thin, so wasted away that they looked like skeletons.  Their eyes were dark and dull, their cheeks sunken, their bodies so weak that they could barely whisper their thanks to her.  Tani knelt beside the worst of the seven, a woman named Ruya.  It was clear that Ruya had not been a very big woman to start with, so it was somewhat surprising that she still lived at all.  From what Astra had told her, Ruya had given her meager share of gruel to the children a bit more often than she should have.  And yet, in spite of her weakness, she managed to summon the strength to whisper her thanks to Tani.

Tani pressed her palms together and bowed solemnly, honoring Ruya for her courage and sacrifice.  “I wish only that we could have come sooner, Ruya,” she said after she straightened.  On an impulse, she reached out to lay her palm gently on Ruya’s forehead.  Her skin felt cool and dry, but Tani held her hand there for a full minute, wishing with all her might that Ruya was strong enough to take the sustenance that Astra, Drya and the other women carefully spooned into the mouths of those unable to do it for themselves.  Then she took Ruya’s skeletal hands in hers and smiled.  “Rest, Ruya,” she said.  “You’ll regain your strength very soon.”

Ruya’s eyes closed, but Tani thought perhaps there was a little bit of color in her cheeks.  She didn’t know what she’d done, or even if she’d done anything at all, but following an instinct she didn’t really recognize or understand, she moved to the woman in the next bed and repeated her actions, doing for her whatever it was she’d done for Ruya.  Then the next, and the next, until she’d spent a minute touching each of them. 

“What did you do?” Astra asked when Tani joined her at the entrance to the cave.

“I don’t know,” Tani said.  “Starvation isn’t something that can be healed.  I just tried to make them strong enough to make use of the food given to them.  Is it my own wishful thinking, or do they look a little better now?”

“They look better,” Astra said.  “Whatever you did, it was good for them, but not so good for you.” 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you look terrible,” Astra said.  “Come on, let’s get you home and in bed before Steel sees you or he’ll roar the mountain down around us.”

“He really needs to learn to control that temper of his,” Tani said, smiling as she followed Astra out of the cave.  She waved good bye to the other women and children as they passed through the main part of the cave, knowing that Astra was right.  She needed rest.  But she had to check on Naran first.

“Astra, would you do me a favor please and ask Steel to find Naran and bring him to the clinic?”

“Now?” Astra asked.  “Are you sure you shouldn’t rest first?”

“No, I need to see to him first,” Tani said.  “He’s healing so quickly that I intended to check his stitches yesterday.  There’s a danger of the skin healing over them, and I don’t want that to happen.”

“All right,” Astra agreed reluctantly.  “You go on down to the clinic, and I’ll bring them.”

“Thanks, Astra.”

Astra nodded and turned away, a worried frown on her face as she started climbing toward Steel’s cave.

Tani was about to give up waiting for Steel and Naran when they entered the waiting area of the clinic.  Naran was moving very slowly, limping heavily, and slightly hunched over.  His face was pale and his eyes were bloodshot. 

“What happened to you?” she asked in surprise, then gave her head a shake.  “Forget that for the moment.  Come on in and get on the medi-cot so I can get a look at you.”

Steel helped Naran into the clinic and onto the medi-cot, casting frowns at Tani the entire time.  “I’m fine, Steel,” she said.  “Just a little tired after helping some of the women.”

“Then maybe you should get some rest before doing this,” he suggested, but Tani was shaking her head before he finished speaking.

“I can’t do that, Steel, and you know it,” she said.  Steel nodded.  He understood.  He just didn’t like it.  Tani moved to the other side of the bed and started the scanner.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” she asked Naran.

“I went looking for Roark,” he said. 

“How long have you been like this?”

“Since yesterday,” Naran said. 

“And you didn’t tell anyone?” Tani asked in surprise while entering commands into the scanner control panel.  It obediently lowered from the ceiling and began scanning Naran’s body.

“You were unconscious, and there isn’t anyone else to tell,” Naran said. 

“Did you find Roark?” Steel asked.

“No, I didn’t.  I’m starting to wonder if the Nomen have him.”

“You said he was dead,” Steel said. 

“He is,” Naran said.  “But it’s the only explanation I can think of for his body to be gone.”

“Unless you know something the rest of us don’t, the Nomen have no need of dead bodies,” Steel said, his eyes boring into Naran’s.

“No, I don’t,” Naran said with a tired sigh.  “I’m just trying to make sense of something that makes no sense.  That’s all, Steel.”

Steel nodded and shifted his gaze to Tani who was now studying images on the view screen.  When she was finished she turned back to Naran and shook her head.  “You didn’t break anything, that’s the good news,” she said.  “You stressed the muscles and tendons in both legs though and it looks like you ripped the stitches open on your leg.  Since you’re wearing shorts I assume you already know that.”

“Yes, I saw that,” Naran said.  “Is that it?”

“Yes,” she said, crossing the room to the supply cabinets.  “The cut on your forehead is fully healed, and all of your scrapes and bruises are gone, too.  You hurt because you did too much without waiting for your body to fully heal and regain some strength.”

She rummaged around a bit, found the items she needed, placed them on a tray along with a pair of sterile gloves and carried it back to the table beside the medi-cot. 

“That’s good news,” Naran said.  “Just heal me up and we’ll be out of here.”

“Heal you up?” Steel growled.

“Yeah,” Naran said.  “All she has to do is touch me, I heal, and we’re done.”

“Not exactly,” Steel said, glaring down at Naran.  “It requires a lot of energy for her to heal and she just finished healing some of the women we rescued.  She doesn’t have enough energy to spare healing someone who deliberately disregarded her advice and reinjured himself.”

“Fine, fine,” Naran said with a dismissive shrug.  “It doesn’t matter to me either way.”

Tani ignored both men as she removed the stitches in Naran’s thigh.  A couple of them had pulled out, but the wound itself was healed.  As she worked she tried to figure out what it was about Naran that was bothering her, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.   

She removed the final stitch and placed it and the scissors on the tray.  Suddenly she felt so dizzy and light headed that she had to grasp the edge of the medi-cot to keep herself from falling. 

“
Demii
!” Steel hissed as he hurried around the bed.  He picked Tani up and held her in his arms, then turned to look at Naran.  “Looks like she healed you after all.  I hope you appreciate it this time.”

“I appreciated it the first time, Steel,” Naran said mildly. 

“Please ask Drya to come in and clean this up,” Steel said, then turned and left with Tani in his arms.  He paused outside the clinic, looking up toward his cave.  He really wanted to take her to his home and put her in his bed where he could watch over her.  But, if he did that, it would signal intentions to his people that he and Tani had not discussed.  While he wouldn’t have minded, he didn’t think Tani would appreciate having that decision made for her.  A couple of minutes later he laid her gently on her own bed in the guest chamber of Astra’s cave with a regretful sigh.  He removed her shoes and the sterile gloves she still wore, then pulled a blanket over her. 

“She’s fine, Wily,” he assured the wyvern who still clung to her shoulder.  “She just tired herself out healing everyone after nearly being killed herself.  She was awake for what?  Five hours?  You and I need to convince her to pace herself better or she’s going to hurt herself.”  Wily nodded in agreement, then laid his head down and closed his eyes. 

Chapter
7

Tani’s eyes flew open and she sat straight up with a gasp.

“Tani?” Steel asked, looking up from the hand laser he was cleaning on the floor beside her bed.  “What’s wrong?”

“A strange dream,” she said, frowning.  “I can’t remember it, but I have a feeling it’s important.”  She arched a brow at him.  “What are you doing here so early?”

“Early?” he asked, putting the weapon down and moving to sit on the edge of the bed.  “It’s late afternoon, Tani.”

Tani looked down, surprised to find that she was still dressed.  “I did some healing,” she said, remembering.  Steel nodded.  “Thanks for catching me.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, grinning at her. 

“What’s the grin for?”

“It’s just nice to know you need me for something, even if it’s just to keep you from breaking your cute little nose.”

“The least you could have done is remove my jeans so I could sleep more comfortably,” she said, feigning a pout. 

His grin widened.  “If I’d done that, you wouldn’t have gotten any sleep at all.”

“Promises promises.”

Steel arched a brow at the challenge.  He considered her for a moment before, without warning, pushing her down on the bed and holding her in place with one arm while using the other to unfasten her pants and drag them down her legs along with her panties.  If she’d struggled, he wouldn’t have managed it so quickly, but she didn’t.  Once he had her bare from the waist down, he took off his own pants, then picked her up, pulled her against his body so that her legs straddled his abdomen, then he laid down on his back with her on top of him.

She sat there in surprise for a moment, uncertain what to do.  His eyes caught and held hers for a long moment.  “Take off your top,” he said, his voice deeper than usual.

She reached up and tore the t-shirt off, then unclasped her bra and set it aside as well.  He reached up and cupped her breasts in his palms, squeezing gently before releasing them.  He brushed his fingers over her nipples, smiling as they immediately hardened into twin points.  He pinched them lightly between his fingers and her breath caught in her throat.  He tightened his grip and tugged. 

“Fuck me,” he growled softly.  Her eyes widened and he felt her vulva pulse against his stomach.  She’d liked that.  His nostrils flared and his cock jerked.  “Put my cock inside of you and fuck me.”  His fingers tightened on her nipples in a warning, and a promise.  “Now.”

Tani scooted back carefully, the tension on her nipples increasing, though it never occurred to her to ask him to release them any more than it occurred to her to question her own pleasure.  She kept her eyes on his as she reached down for the thick shaft that lay between them and lifted it carefully.  He was so big, and she so inexperienced, that it wasn’t easy to maneuver the broad head of his cock into her body, but Steel showed no signs of impatience.  In fact, he seemed to be enjoying her struggle to do as he’d commanded while he kept a firm grip on her nipples.  It heated her blood, too.

After a few moments she managed to get the hot, spongy head of his cock pressed against her opening and she relaxed a little before pushing herself down on it.  “Slowly,” he commanded, his voice so deep it raised chills on her skin.  She pushed more slowly, gasping as her body slowly gave way for his until she honestly didn’t think she could take any more.

She stopped, panting as she tried to relax around him, but it was no use.  She was getting more and more tense by the moment, afraid that she was going to disappoint him.  He released her nipples, then stroked them gently, soothing the slight ache.

“Come here,
Khalute
,” he said softly.  She raised her eyes to his, relieved that he didn’t look disappointed. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.  He smiled and raised himself up enough to put his arms around her and pull her down so that she was lying on top of him. 

“You’ve nothing to be sorry for,” he said, stroking her back lightly in a soothing motion.  “I’m not even sure where that came from.  I’m the one who’s sorry.  Now, just relax, all right?”

Tani nodded and took a deep breath, her body relaxing against him.  After a few moments he carefully rolled over so that she was beneath him.  “Raise your legs around me,” he said.  She did as he asked, surprised when he suddenly slipped further into her without effort.  He smiled, then began fucking her in a long, slow rhythm that she matched without thought.  Steel bent his head and kissed her, matching the rhythm of his cock as he thrust his tongue into her mouth.  What had started as a slow kiss quickly became something more.  His tongue went hard and deep into her mouth, deliberately preventing her from kissing him back.  When he felt her relax, silently submitting to him as he fucked her mouth with his tongue as he fucked her body with his cock, his excitement rose to a level he’d never imagined and certainly never experienced. 

He broke the kiss and slowed down, afraid of scaring Tani with these strange and unexpected desires.  She arched her head back, baring her throat, and he heard himself growl softly as something buried deep within him clamored to accept her submission whether she knew that’s what she was offering or not.  He clenched his jaw and slipped one hand beneath her back, tilting her hips slightly so that he could bury his cock even more deeply.  Then he began fucking her hard and fast, ignoring everything but the heat of her embrace, the feel of her soft skin against his, the mingled scent of their pleasure. 

“Come for me, Tani,” he commanded as he thrust hard and deep one last time and released his seed in hot, pulsing jets.  She opened her mouth as her orgasm took her and he quickly covered it with his own, taking her scream of pleasure into his body as she took his pleasure into hers.  Their bodies shook and strained together and, for a moment, Steel allowed himself to imagine what it would be like to be connected with her like this, and in all other ways, for the remainder of his life.  Then reality crashed in, and he sighed softly, holding her to him as he rolled to his side. 

When she’d explained to him why she was different from other Clan Jasani women he’d allowed himself to think, for a short time, that there was nothing to hold them back.  She was free to choose as she pleased, and therefore no longer out of his reach. 

But, in the long hours that he’d sat and watched over her, hoping and praying that she’d wake up again, he’d realized how very little he had to offer her.  She was intelligent, educated, wealthy, and beautiful, and she had a galaxy of possibilities before her.  He was king of a dying people on a dead world, with a future nearly as dismal as their past. 

The Nomen would return.  Of that he had no doubt.  The Khun would be forced to choose between death and slavery, or escape from Garza as refugees.  Tani deserved so much more than that. 

“What’s the matter?” she asked softly.

“Nothing,” he said, squeezing her gently.  “I was just thinking that, while Garza is not a beautiful world, she does have her moments, and I’d like to share one of them with you.”

“Sunset?” she guessed, smiling.

“Yes,” he replied.  “What do you say?  Would you like to see one?”

“Yes, I would,” she replied.  She leaned up to kiss him, then climbed off the bed and reached for her clothes.  He tried not to watch, but couldn’t help himself.  She fascinated him in so many ways. 

A few minutes later he knelt down to help her with her shoes, then got up and walked over to the dresser.  He returned with the black sweater she’d worn on the night of the raid.

“I borrowed that from Astra for one night, Steel, that doesn’t make it mine.”

“I know,” Steel said, holding it out to her.  “Astra washed the blood out of it and put it here in case you needed it again.  She even put Wily’s pouch back on it for you.  It’s a bit cool out this evening.”

“Thanks,” she said, taking the sweater and pulling it on.  She closed the zipper and smiled as Wily jumped from the bed onto her arm, then climbed up to his pouch.  Tani slipped the long thong over her head, then reached for the
shuriken
pouches on the table beside the bed. 

“You need to be armed?”

“Yes, I need to be armed,” she said, tying the pouches to her belt loops.  “You shift into a big strong alter form with tough skin and the ability to fly.  I don’t.”

“When you put it like that, do you want a couple more pouches of those things?  How about your swords?”

Tani laughed softly.  “Nah, I’ve got you to protect me.  The
shuriken
are just for backup.”

Steel smiled as he bent his head down to kiss her lightly on the lips.  “Have I thanked you yet for bringing laughter into my life?” he whispered.

“No, you haven’t,” she replied.  “But don’t worry.  I’ll add it to the list.”

“What list?” he asked.

“The list of things you owe me for,” she said.  “Shall we go?”

“I don’t know,” he said.  “Will I owe you for it?”

“Of course,” she said.  “Come on.”

Steel rolled his eyes, fighting not to grin as he led her out of the bed chamber.  He paused and held out one hand toward her.  Tani smiled as she slowly placed her hand in his.  It was a small intimacy, but one that was new to her and gave her a surprisingly warm feeling of closeness.  As soon as they left the cave, Astra called out, startling them both.  They watched as she ran toward them, both frowning at the worried note in her voice.

“What’s wrong, Astra?” Steel asked as soon as she reached them.

“Dirk’s missing,” she said.

“Dirk?” Tani asked, then remembered.  “You mean that little boy with the curly hair and the lisp?”

“Yes, that’s the one,” Astra said.  “He’s just turned four, and he’s really precocious, but he’s never disappeared before.”

“How long has he been missing?” Tani asked.

“Not very long, an hour maybe.  But Drya is very worried.  He’s never been out of her sight for so long before.”

“All right, Astra,” Steel said.  “We won’t be gone very long, and we’ll keep our eyes open for Dirk.”

“Thanks,” Astra said.  “It’s probably nothing.  He mostly likely just wandered off and got sidetracked.”

“Probably,” Steel agreed, then stepped back and shifted. 

“What was he wearing?” Tani asked.

“Brown shorts and a white t-shirt,” Astra said. 

“We’ll watch for him,” Tani promised.  Steel picked her up, and stepped off the ledge, his wings straining to pull them up and away from the cliff face.  They both looked down to see Astra turn back toward Drya’s cave, then Steel headed north, as though he intended to go deeper into the mountains.  As soon as they were out of sight of the caves, he turned in a wide circle, climbing higher and higher.  Before long they were nearly at the peak of the mountain that rose behind the mesa directly above the caves.  Just before he landed, Wily began clicking and mewling excitedly, gaining both Steel’s and Tani’s attention.

“What is it?” Tani asked him.  The wyvern stared at her for a moment, then climbed out of the pouch, spread his little wings, and leapt into the air.  “Wily?” Tani called in surprise.  They watched as Wily flew in a clumsy, wobbly circle, then headed away from them down the back side of the mountain.

Steel followed him, knowing that Tani would be very upset if anything happened to the little wyvern.  He wouldn’t be too happy himself. 

They were a third of the way down the mountain when Wily landed on top of a large boulder, clicking and mewling anxiously before he leapt down on something at the foot of the boulder.

“Comet crap,” Tani whispered hoarsely.  “Steel, it’s Dirk.”

She couldn’t actually see Dirk in the fading light.  All she saw was the small, dark mass that Wily was standing on top of.  But she knew in her heart and mind that it was the cute little boy with the curly hair that Astra was looking for.  Steel’s arms tightened around her as he landed a few yards uphill from the boulder and set Tani on her feet.  She hurried down the steep grade, wincing when she set off a small avalanche of gravel that rolled down to the child.  She slowed down after that and moved so that she wasn’t directly above Dirk before climbing the rest of the way down.

“You’re such a good boy, Wily,” she said as she knelt down beside Dirk who lay with his back against the boulder.  It appeared as though he’d fallen from the top of the mountain and rolled down, unable to stop himself until he hit the boulder.  Fearing the worst, Tani reached out and placed her hands on Dirk’s blood and dirt caked face.  Her heart skipped a beat when she realized that he was still alive.  The question was, could she move him without making things worse?

She closed her eyes and tried to focus her energies on Dirk, clearing her mind of all other distractions.  She was about to give up when suddenly information poured into her mind, and all of a sudden, she knew everything that was wrong with the boy.  She opened her eyes and thought for a moment before looking across at Steel who knelt near Dirk’s feet in his human form.

“He has a very badly broken leg, a couple of minor breaks in each arm, a broken shoulder, and bruises and minor cuts and scratches everywhere, which is why he’s so bloody.  The most serious injuries are internal.  I’m going to try to heal those before we attempt moving him.”