Part 8 (1/2)
Chapter Seventeen.
Shadow handed Talon a fresh cup of tea before joining him on the steps. It took them just over nine hours to strip the meat from the eldorak and load it into the smoke house. She was grateful Talon was able to repair the small 'building' behind the house next door. Without refrigeration or even a cool room, any meat they didn't eat in a few days would spoil. This way they wouldn't need to hunt for food for months-if it took that long for Talon to complete his training.
She couldn't stop stealing glances at him. Gone was the lean body of a man who didn't eat on a regular basis and got very little exercise. His arms strained against the sleeves of his s.h.i.+rt and no amount of pulling would close that s.h.i.+rt above his pecs. Every s.h.i.+ft of muscle had her mouth watering-and places south of her belly b.u.t.ton clenching in need. Last night was wonderful. Amazing. Unbelievable.
Stop! Just because it was the best s.e.x you ever had doesn't mean you have to sing his praises constantly. She NEVER slept with a client. It was totally against all of her self-imposed rules of conduct. The only solution was to put their relations.h.i.+p back on the trainer/trainee footing. She didn't even want to think about the possible consequences if she didn't. How to convince Talon that her decision was their best course of action was the biggest problem.
”Why so quiet, Blue?” Talon asked softly, frowning when she s.h.i.+fted away from his touch. His gut churned in denial. ”Something you need to get off your chest?”
Pus.h.i.+ng herself off the dusty porch, she focused on the sun rapidly disappearing behind the trees; the birds flitting from branch to branch in the bushes by the fence getting ready for the night; and the pair of kava hopping through the gra.s.s, their long ears twitching. Drawing a deep breath for courage, she turned to face him.
”Last night shouldn't have happened. It goes against every rule in the book.”
His expression morphed from curious to hurt to anger.
Yes! Get angry. Get so f.u.c.kin' p.i.s.sed that you hate me. G.o.ds help me if you discover how my heart is breaking.
”Bulls.h.i.+t.” He tossed the mug of tea into the yard, scattering the birds in a flurry of indignant chirping. ”And don't even think about making me do pushups for saying that. I gave you more than fifty last night and again this morning.”
She fought the rush of desire his reminder created even as her heart wanted to scream I have no choice! The tears would come later, when she was alone in her cold bed.
”Where are you going?” She asked when he lurched up and jumped off the porch.
”Wherever the h.e.l.l I want.”
Talon stormed into the gathering darkness. His new vision gave him the freedom to escape before her little speech made him any angrier. Her rejection was eating a hole in his chest.
Like h.e.l.l it shouldn't have happened. If she thinks she can hide behind some unwritten rules she is sadly mistaken. He didn't know where their relations.h.i.+p was going or if it would go anywhere beyond this island. Men don't think about s.h.i.+t like future and commitment. He didn't know what he was supposed to feel.
What I do know is that I'm not ready to give her up. What kind of future does she think I'm planning? A husband and wife con game? Me waiting at home while she jumps around the galaxy looking for a fight? She's polis.h.i.+ng my skills so I can track and kill Draagon. I probably won't live to brag about what I do to that b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
”Well, d.a.m.n. I just justified her decision.”
With a disgusted huff, Talon plopped down under a tree. Leaning back against the rough bark, he stared across the wide expanse of the park. He could make out her silhouette moving between the window and the fire pit. She was either finis.h.i.+ng up their dinner preparations or pacing the floor. When she stopped in front of the window for the second time in as many minutes, it hit him.
”Son of a...she's worried about me.” He could finally draw a deep breath. Her brain may be telling her to throw him out of her bed but her body wasn't listening. He needed a strategy-a plan-but it had to be subtle. If she caught on to what he was doing...well, he didn't even want to think about what would happen.
The strident voice of conscience screaming warnings of expectations and heartache fell on deaf ears. As long as it was just s.e.x between consenting adults neither of them would count on a happy-ever-after nor suffer a broken heart. Talon shook away the eerie sensation of laughter. It was just the breeze rustling the leaves, not the G.o.ds setting him up for disaster.
”Face it, man.” He groaned aloud. ”You don't have a clue about how to stage a seduction.”
Choices. It all came down to choices and the consequences they brought with them. He chose to dedicate his life to destroying Draagon and his evil empire. The consequences of that decision robbed him of any right to a normal life. There would be no loving wife, no children to carry on his name.
You made your choice and now you're complaining about the results? Get past it. Focus on that depraved piece of s.h.i.+t and quit dreaming. You gave up the right to be anything more than you are right now-a half-blind con man who'd rather crawl into a bottle of strong alcohol than between the legs of a good woman.
Talon pushed to his feet, dusted the gra.s.s and leaves from the seat of his pants and started back. Back to the warmth of the fire pit. Back to the hot meal she had waiting for him. Back to Shadow. He slammed the door on his brain before it could put the next thought into words. Self-preservation demanded he not even think the phrase back home.
”Anything I can do to help?” He asked quietly from the doorway. She knew he was back because she watched him cross the central square.
”You can set the table. The roast will be done in about ten minutes.”
”Smells really good in here.” He wanted to slide his arms around her waist and pull her back against his chest. Instead, he gathered the dishes and silverware and arranged them on the small table. The pattern of small flowers on one of the plates caught his attention. Shadow's fascination with the remnants of his village was a treasured glimpse into a side of her he knew no one else ever saw. She wasn't as hard and ill-mannered as she claimed.
You deserve a man who could give you a complete set of dishes, Blue. Too bad for both of us but I can't be that man.
”Firewood looks a little low. Think I'll have time to bring in more before you're ready to serve dinner?” It wasn't much but he wanted-needed-to feel important to her even if it was for nothing more than filling a wood box.
”Take all the time you need. It won't hurt for the meat to stand for a few minutes. I'll get everything else on the table.”
Shadow held her breath until she heard the door close behind Talon. ”G.o.ds! I am in so much trouble!” Taking several deep, cleansing breaths, she willed her heart rate to slow. From the moment he started back toward the house, she'd fought to keep a lid on her emotions. She wanted...what exactly did she want? For things to go back to what they were yesterday? To finish this job and get back to her real life? The thoughts and emotions ricocheting around and around her brain were driving her crazy. Before she could sort through the jumble or to make sense of what was happening to her, she heard the door.
”Kill the lights and douse the fire. Hurry!”
”What? Why?” She instinctively followed his instructions. Talon didn't play games. If he felt there was danger, she believed him. After dumping the pot of hot water over the fire, the room plunged into darkness.
”A hover-boat just pulled into the harbor. This is a private island but it's well doc.u.mented that it's abandoned and no one comes here. Get the weapons and we'll see what they've got in mind.”
”You actually sound happy about all this.” She quickly gathered all the weapons she'd stored away since shortly after arriving on the island. When Talon pulled the bow from above the fire pit, she shook her head.
”That won't be very effective. I've got something better.” With a quick look at Talon, she shrugged and pushed a b.u.t.ton on her belt buckle. A soft, golden ball of light formed about waist level and quickly spread up and out until it was about the size of a door. A small flash of white light temporarily blinded her. When she opened her eyes, the 'doorway' was open.
”What in the name of all the G.o.ds of the universe is that?” Talon demanded.
”Just a little something I brought back from a security job about five years back. There's a princess whose name I promised never to reveal who was very appreciative of my skills. I saved her from a forced marriage and she rewarded me with a dimensional storage locker.”
”A what?”
”Think of it as an invisible closet. It's just in another dimension. Here.” She handed him a wicked looking crossbow and a quiver of arrows before pulling out a rifle and small metal box.
”d.a.m.n. The scientists on that planet are beyond genius. What kind of weapon is that?”
Shadow knew exactly which weapon he was talking about. ”It's a U.S. Marine sniper rifle and an ammo box. Another little souvenir from Earth.”
She pushed the b.u.t.ton again and the closet disappeared. Flas.h.i.+ng a grin at Talon, she picked up the rifle and began checking the moving parts. ”The locker wasn't discovered in some laboratory. This little miracle is pure magic.”
Shoving a double handful of bullets into her pocket she was ready to go. ”Time to find out just who our uninvited guests are.”
Talon was impressed-again-with the level of trust Shadow had in him. She never asked him how he knew there was a new craft in the harbor. She accepted his word and went, immediately, into action.
It took them about fifteen minutes to jog through the village. The rise that separated the village from the marina was just ahead and the voices he'd heard earlier were loud and distinct.
”This place ain't got nothin' worth stealin'.” Voice one whined.