The second day went by with only a few moments of sleep for Cherin. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving Leika without his protection. Fortunately, shifters were built for long, hard treks, and he was able to partially shift to harness some of the excess energy available to him in Dragon form. It was hard on his body, but it was worth it to make sure that his friend was safe. There was no telling what might happen on the road, especially to a young, beautiful Loni woman like Leika stranded by herself with two older men. Whether Lopu trusted them or not, there was always a possibility that one or both of them might stray the course of honorability.
Cherin was able to speak with Leika a couple of times throughout the day, and was warmed when she brought him some food. It helped to peak his energy levels and keep him on his guard. By the end of the night, he was exhausted, but had only one day left to go. He would do anything to keep her safe.
“Are you all right?” Leika asked him the third and final night that the drivers had set up their camp.
“Of course,” Cherin said quickly, straightening his slumping shoulders. “Aren’t you?”
“I’ve had nothing to do but sleep. You look like you haven’t rested in days.”
“I’m perfectly fine, thank you very much.”
Leika’s purple eyes grew dark and she looked down at the ground. “I wish you would take a break. Please just sleep tonight.”
“I said I’m fine!” Cherin barked. Leika flinched and he immediately felt terrible. They almost never spoke to each other in harsh tones, and he was crestfallen to see the pain in her eyes when his words reached her.
“I’m sorry,” he said, moving close to her and taking her delicate hands in his own. He brought one to his lips and she inhaled sharply. “You’re right, I haven’t been sleeping well since the journey began. I just want to see to it that you’re safe. Nothing is more important to me than that.”
Leika raised her eyes to meet his, and he was taken aback by their beauty. Before he knew what he was doing, he was pressing his lips against hers and closing his eyes. It felt so much better than he had ever anticipated, and her lips tugged at his as she pressed her hand against his chin, leaving a tingling feeling on his face when it dropped back to her side. Suddenly, she pulled away.
“Cherin, what are you thinking?” Leika asked, her purple eyes wide with horror. “You’re my best friend. That’s not what we do. Get some sleep. I’m begging you.”
Leika stared meaningfully at him as she backed out of the woods. He stood awkwardly, feeling like a child who had just been scolded. Of course he would feel that way. She had just rejected his advances. And he knew exactly why. Their relationship wasn’t like that. His sleep deprivation had simply gotten the better of him.
He sighed loudly and climbed high into a tree. Maybe Leika was right. Maybe it was best if he got some rest. The journey into the capital city was almost complete and nothing had happened. The drivers had proved to be competent enough. Still, that was partly what worried him. What if they were competent so that nobody would be able to rescue Leika from their grasp? There was really no way of knowing.
Before he could think too much about it, his body’s need for rest overpowered him. Cherin’s heavy eyelids closed warmly and soon he was tugged into the comforting abyss of sleep. He knew there would be no dreams; there never were.
Surprisingly halfway through the night, Leika’s face appeared before him. He knew it wasn’t really her, since the way she was looking at him was with pure adoration. Cherin was used to her staring at him in disdain or mild tolerance. Definitely not adoration. And yet this look softened her already beautiful features and made her purple eyes glisten with what could only be perceived as love. He liked the look on her, whether he would ever admit it to himself or not.
Soon, her voice was ringing through the air, loud and sweet. But urgent. Terrified. Cherin awoke with a start and realized that the voice was real. Leika was in trouble, and she was calling for help. Calling for him.
***
Why had she told Cherin to sleep after he had kissed her? The feeling of his lips against hers had felt too perfect for words. As if it was what she had been waiting for all along. But how could she truly believe that? Cherin had always been her friend and ally. That’s all. No man ever drove her more crazy than he did. There was no way she could like him so intimately. It didn’t make any sense.
The only reasonable thing she had done was to stop the kiss as it started. But still, she shouldn’t have demanded he go to sleep. Although sleep deprivation was the only logical reason he would have done something so ridiculous, and she knew he needed his rest, Leika would never forgive herself if this meant the end of the line for herself and the drivers. They had been ambushed during the night by two wolf shifters from another world, a couple, man and woman, who snarled menacingly at them in their wolf forms. What did they want from them?
The drivers were doing remarkably well at holding their own. They clearly had been trained by the same instruction that Cherin had. But unlike Cherin, it was clear that these were no star pupils who were able to work miracles in just the nick of time. These were normal men who had nothing to lose, and also, apparently, nothing much to gain from victory. The wolves each took on the drivers, who were too surprised even to shapeshift into their powerful dragon forms.
Suddenly, the ground quaked as a mighty roar sounded from behind them, and a sleek, silver form streaked past Leika. It was Cherin, in his dragon form. Just in time to save the drivers from being completely mutilated by the wolf shifters. A vicious fight ensued, and Leika watched helplessly as Cherin slammed the wolves around, first the female, and then the male. The female, a brindle colored woman with ferocious eyes, fell against a boulder with a yelp, and began transforming back into her human form. The male, jet black and ferocious, soon followed and crashed into a tree, shattering a bough that fell onto his limp body. He, too, returned to his human form in his weakness, giving Leika and Cherin time to help the wounded drivers back to their carriage.
“Thank goodness you were there,” the kinder one breathed, leaning heavily against the backrest. “Please, come with us to see Lopu Mansana for a reward.”
“Lopu Mansana?” Cherin asked, playing dumb as he shifted back into his human form. As always, he was nude when he completed the transformation and Leika tried to avert her eyes a little too late. She covered her face anyway, hoping to hide the deep red flush creeping across her cheeks at the sight of her friend’s impressive manhood. He would make some woman very happy one day.
“Yes, we are her couriers,” the other said. “You will be provided safe passage with us. Join us in our camp and come along with us for the ride.”
“I’m not sure I could refuse,” Cherin said, flashing a secret smile over at Leika. “I’ll go collect my belongings.”
By the time he returned, the couriers were ready to get back on the road and put the attack behind them. It was nearly sunrise, and the men insisted he join Leika in the carriage. They fed him the best of their food as they continued traveling toward the capital city. The carriage was wanting for space, and Cherin’s long, muscular legs pressed against Leika. Both of them seemed embarrassed by the closeness of their quarters, but Cherin was having fun pretending that he didn’t know her and making ridiculous conversation. She played along, though she glared mightily at him the entire time. How could he be so easygoing about everything all the time? Life wasn’t just a game and people weren’t just there to be toyed with and manipulated. Still, it was comforting to have him so close by. Every time she glared at him for saying something outlandish, like asking Leika questions he already knew the answer to, he simply laughed it off and continued with the charade, until they made it through the gates that signified their arrival to the capital city.
Leika sighed, her heart drumming in her chest. What could Lopu Mansana possibly want with her? And what was going to happen now that Cherin was going to be rewarded for his bravery at the same time she received her orders? Would she still feel safe? All she really knew was that now that Cherin was by her side, she didn’t want him to go anywhere.