Chapter 10
Beyond Danger
Her mind was fuzzy when she woke, and for a bit Callie lay still, trying to piece together everything that had happened. When her eyes fluttered open, familiar arms wrapped around her. There was a strained voice near her ear. “Thank the gods. Oh, thank the gods, I thought I had lost you. That was so foolish. What did you think you were doing?” Caden pulled away from her, and she immediately saw tear streaks down his face. “Never be that reckless again. Please promise me you won’t be that reckless ever, ever again.” He pulled her head against his chest, his hand stroking her hair.
Callie wrapped her arms around Caden and pressed her face into his chest. “Only if you promise not to leave me.”
He pushed her away. “Callie, I can’t. I cannot remain as your guardian. You heard him. I made so many basic mistakes they were able to track us. I can no longer be objective with you, and that means you are in danger with me.”
Callie sat up and frowned at him. “I will give you that. You very nearly walked right into his trap.”
Caden sat up next to her. “Are you alright? Are you cold?”
Callie swatted at his hands as Caden tried to put a blanket around her. “No, you don’t get to say you are leaving me, then pretend to care.”
Caden looked back at her, his eyes showing how painful her words had been.
Callie folded her hands over her chest. “You had to know that they couldn’t be trusted. You were so quick to suspect Caspian, but you fell for an even more obvious ploy and nearly gave them what they wanted.”
At the mention of Caspian, Caden seemed to be shaken back to himself. His eyebrows knit together. “What does Caspian have to do with any of this?”
Callie threw her hands up. “You see him as a threat when he isn’t, and you ignore the obvious ploy of the men you knew were after me. If I hadn’t pushed you out of the way, they would have killed you and taken me. Surely you know that was what they wanted.”
Caden seemed at a loss for words at first. Finally, he hung his head. “You see, that is exactly what I mean. For the last day, I have been feeling… jealous. Jealous about the way you looked at Caspian, and the way you kept sticking up for him. You don’t know him like I do, so I should be able to just shrug it off. But with you I can’t. I can’t.” He sounded defeated. “You will be much safer once we finish crossing the ocean, but there will still be threats, and I can’t be the reason for your death.”
Callie placed a hand on his. “Then stop being my guardian.”
He looked up into her eyes, the resignation clear in his own. Giving a feeble nod, Caden moved to get out of the bed.
“No, that isn’t what I meant.” Callie grabbed his hand. “With you, it has never been a mystic and her guardian, because I could never treat you or anyone like that. I don’t want a guardian, but I’m not saying I want you out of my life.”
Caden looked at her, clearly uncertain of what she meant. And this was where Callie knew she was out of her depth. Her ability to string sentences together suddenly failed her as she tried to make her point. “I’m young. Yes, we both know that. But there are more types. Kinds. Look, I don’t know that much, but, um, Jade made it sound like her husband was a guardian.”
The word cause Caden to move back with a sharp intake of breath. “You can’t suggest that.”
Surprised that he was able to understand anything from her babbling, Callie asked, “Why not?”
“You—you hardly know me!”
Callie hung her head, trying to find the right words. “I have only known about you for a handful of days, but I have known of you much longer. You were the one to help me save Michechel, the man I thought I loved. Then you helped me through the grieving process. The flowers on the table. The meals. That was all you.”
Caden looked away. “When did you figure that out?”
“While eating the last breakfast sandwich. I don’t remember much about those days, but the smells and tastes remain. You used the same ingredients and strange bread back then, too.”
Caden nodded. “I should have realized it, but under the circumstances I wasn’t in my right mind. I have no idea how to look at you after what happened.”
Callie placed a hand under his chin and forced him to look at her. “Look at me any way you want. In the way that feels most natural.”
He shook his head slowly, her hand still resting under his chin. “That is inappropriate.”
“Not if you aren’t my guardian.”
“Then I would be someone else’s guardian.”
“You are over 120 years old. Don’t you think it is time to settle down?”
Caden’s eyes opened wide, then quickly narrowed. “He told you that?”
Callie smiled and nodded. “He told me that you would never act on your own and that you were old for a guardian. I can’t imagine living without you, and I don’t want you risking your life. It is precious to me, and I don’t want to go back to life without you. I don’t need to be old to know that.”
Caden’s eyes shone. “I shouldn’t—I mean, I don’t—”
Callie moved forward and rested her head against him. “I know, I feel the same way, but I think we can figure it out.”
His arms moved around her, and Caden’s voice was gentle as he muttered, “Well, shit. It looks like I may owe Caspian. Not quite sure how I will live that one down.”
Callie turned her face towards his, “I’m sure you will find out, but I will make sure he doesn’t demand a payment that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Do you really think you have that kind of leverage over him?”
Callie rose up and kissed him on the cheek. “I convinced you to stop fighting your emotions.”
He rapped her on the head. “Corrupting a guardian is not something to be proud of.”
Callie rubbed her head. “Ouch. No, but taking you out of the game is. Even Caspian seemed to be in awe of you. In his own way.”
There was a low grumble from Caden’s chest. “Can you stop bringing him up? He has no place in here.”
Callie giggled, “No, there is only one cat that belongs in my bed. Wait!” She sat up and looked at Caden. “Did you say we were crossing an ocean?”
Caden laughed, “You just now noticed? Yes, that’s why we are moving. I mean, obviously you aren’t riding a horse or me.”
Callie looked at him, and the words escaped her lips before she realized that she had thought them. “I can think of a way to make that happen.” She clapped her hand over her mouth as Caden laughed.
The look in his eyes changed as Caden began to look at her the way he had the night at the Hidden Gem. Hesitantly, he moved a hand to her hip. He then moved forward and kissed her tenderly. With his hand behind her back, he lowered her onto the bed and his hand slid down her leg. “I think that it’s my turn to be on top. You’ve had a couple of days on me already.”
Callie’s giggle turned into a moan as his hand slipped under her dress. He took his time, removing her dress, kissing every inch as he exposed her body. By the time the dress was off, Callie was begging him for more.
“There’s no need to rush,” he murmured in her ear.
Callie slipped her bare leg between his thighs and gently pressed into him. She could feel that he was already hard, but Caden was also still fully clothed.
Panting, she asked him, “How long do you plan to torture me?”
His mouth enveloped her nipple, and if Caden answered, Callie did not hear it. A minute later, his mouth was near her ear. “You want to celebrate forcing me to retire, so it looks like it will be torture for the rest of your wicked life.”
Callie giggled, but she immediately stopped as he grabbed her wrists and held her hands over her head. Without warning, he pushed all the way into her, and it was only his mouth that stopped her from screaming out the pleasure as she orgasmed. As soon as he felt her body start to rest, he pulled out so that just the tip was at her lips, lightly pressing into her in a steady pulsing motion.
Callie’s body shook with his taunting. “Please, Caden!”
He plunged inside of her again, and she felt her body tense then tighten. For several hours, Caden seemed to have complete control over her body and her desires.
As he reached his peak, Caden began to back away, but Callie wrapped her legs around him, pushing him further into her. He placed his head on her neck as he spilled into her. The sweat from their bodies mingled with their labored breathing. Callie reached up and brushed his wet hair from his eyes. “You don’t ever need to do that. I will give you as many children as you want because I already know what kind of father you will be.”
Caden stroked her cheek, their bodies still entwined. “We should wait a few years. Wouldn’t want you setting the place on fire during childbirth.” He kissed her forehead. “Which, by the way, is not a problem most mystics have to worry about. And those kinds of surprises are something I look forward to learning with you. And a cheerful birthday.” He kissed her tenderly before slipping out of her and resting beside her.
Callie turned and looked at him. “What do you mean? There are still a couple of days before—”
“No, you have been unconscious for a while. I was terrified that I was bringing back—” His voice cut off and he pulled her to him. “I have never been more scared in my life.”
Callie held him. “Well, we should find a nice little place and make arguments over chores our most dangerous activity.”
Caden shook his head, “It will never happen. You will have to argue with yourself, or our children, because I will always do whatever you ask me to do. I love you.”
Callie shuddered with happiness. “I love you too, Caden.” Her eyes met his. He moved against her, his hands seeking her. “Wait, don’t you have to—oh!” Whatever she had learned about humans did not apply to Caden as he slid into her.
He looked down at her, amusement clear on his face. “I’ve never been asked so nicely to do something I desperately wanted to do.”
Callie let him take complete control of her body again. The effects from the fireball still kept her from feeling at full strength—and even if she had been, she loved the feel of Caden exploring her.
***
Over the next few days, they did not leave the cabin often, so it was only on the last day that Callie got to see the ocean. It was stunning, but she preferred to return to the cabin. They would be docking soon though, so they needed to prepare for the future. A hand slid into hers, and the desire that flitted through her was definitely inappropriate for their location. With a sigh, Callie kissed the hand.
Without warning, she was swept off her feet. Caden’s voice whispered in her ear, “I know you will regret not taking more time to enjoy the ocean, so I will buy us a place right here so you can look out over it and enjoy the beauty from our side. It might distract you from the ugliness of the politics that you are entering. You are too strong for them to ignore, but remember, I will always be here for you. If you need strength, you have but to ask.”
Callie kissed his cheek. “As long as you are with me, I have all the strength I need.”
He stepped off the ship and walked toward a building three times larger than where she had previously lived. Her eyes were like saucers. Looking at Caden, she couldn’t miss the amused smile. “That way we don't have to move with all of the kids we will have.”
Callie smiled as he stepped up to the door. “But you haven’t had time to buy it yet.”
“Sure I did. All I had to do was send word forward and it was done for me.” He pushed the door open. As soon as they were on the other side, Caden began pulling her dress off. Callie didn’t have any desire to resist as he pinned her against the wall. “That was the most tortuous 10 minutes of my life. I can’t wait any longer.”
Callie undid his pants. “And you don’t have to.”
“A very cheerful birthday to you, my heart.” Caden stopped to admire her for a moment.
“You are a few days late now.”
“I'm going by the day you think it is.”
She gave him a playful slap. “I know what day it is now, so—” Her words disappeared as he slid her down the wall and over him. With no reason to remain quiet, Caden began to explore the range of noises she could make.
Annora’s Dragon
Dragons of Telera
Book 1
By: Lisa Daniels
Chapter 1
Competition and Criminals
Annora looked around, her blue-green eyes taking in the picturesque landscape. Had she been anyone else, her breath would have been taken away by the way the rising sun reflected against the ocean and the brilliant colors of the sky. Annora noticed none of these things as she scanned the horizon. Her thoughts were focused on one thing only – finding the dragon that had burned down the villages of King Salmon and Marked Tree. The inhabitants of King Salmon had largely escaped with their lives, but the people of the small town of Marked Tree had not been so lucky. She had known many of those who had died. While she hadn’t been exactly friendly with them, the people had always treated her well, despite her profession. Dragon hunters were not popular. They were considered boorish, brutal, and generally cold. The people of Marked Tree had not felt that way; they had always been understanding that you did what you had to do to make a living. It was an easier sentiment for the people of Marked Tree to understand since that was the way most of them lived.
Initially, she had refused the request of King Salmon to hunt down the dragon, but after it decimated Marked Tree, she took up the contract. What Annora did not tell her employers was that she would go after the dragon with or without their payment. After all, if you could get paid while getting revenge, it provided a little extra incentive. Dragons were among the toughest creatures to kill, and there were times when the fight didn’t seem worth it. The odds of dying were significantly higher than surviving. It’s probably why dragon hunters were so wild and unpredictable. And they were incredibly expensive. You had to be either a certain type of desperate or a large amount of crazy to join this profession.
Annora was neither of these. Dragons had destroyed three of her homes by the time she was 12 years old, leaving her an orphan after the second attack. She never questioned what she should become. For her, the job was a vendetta.
That had been 15 years ago.
As the woman stood on the cliffside scanning for the familiar outline of a dragon, a few strands of her wavy, chestnut-colored hair passed over her vision. She seemed not to notice, her attention too intent on finding the one thing she was after. Standing there, any passerby would have thought she was a strange statue – a fair woman wearing men’s clothing and carrying a pair of weapons. The sword was angled up so that she could quickly remove it from the scabbard. A dirk was located slightly higher on the right side. Men who saw her often laughed, believing that she didn’t understand that real sword wielders carried the sword on the left side to make it easier to remove with the dominant right hand. Their laughter lasted only as long as it took Annora to level the sword at their throats, her left hand firmly grasping it with a level of expertise that few others had.
Annora’s eyes sparkled as her cold smile told the men she knew how to use the weapon just as well as they. “Yes, it should be on the opposite side of the dominant hand. Why do you think it’s on my right side?”
No man who ever tried to challenge her during these encounters was ever able to use a weapon afterward.
Men were easy when you were accustomed to dealing with dragons.
The breeze on the cliffside caused her dark-brown braid to sway, the only sign that she wasn’t a statue. The dragon hunter didn’t feel it gently tapping against the small of her back as she took in the horizon.
Then she saw it. The creature was smaller than most she had seen, but that didn’t mean anything when it came to dragons. Females tended to be smaller than males, but they were far more vicious. Of course, the dragon may have been young still and was testing out its strength and power for the first time. Annora watched the graceful arch as the dragon soared over the water in the distance. A wry grin spread across her face as she imagined how much fun the dragon was having. Probably the same look it had when it decimated Marked Tree.
She was about to move when a movement at the bottom of the cliff caught her attention. For a second, she thought she had seen wings. If there were two dragons, she would have to reconsider the agreement. Either she would require more money or turn it down.
Shaking her head, Annora knew that she couldn’t do anything without confirming a second dragon. The fact that the dragon on the horizon was playing indicated that it did not realize that another dragon was nearby, and dragons did not tend to be stealthy. With that kind of power and size, stealth was hardly a necessary (or practical) skill to have. Considering how territorial they were, there were only a few reasons why two would appear in the same area together. This kind of distance between them made no sense. It was likely that the wing belonged to something else, perhaps a griffin or siren.
Taking a step forward, Annora looked over the cliff. To her surprise, a human was walking along the beach, his eyes also on the dragon in the distance. Her eyes flicked up to watch the movement of the dragon on the horizon, then back to the man. He was tall with curly black hair that moved with the breeze sweeping along the beach. For a moment she stared at his figure as he moved along the edge of the waves in the same direction as the dragon. It was obvious that the man was a fighter. The way his muscles pressed against his clothing was easy to see even from the cliff top. Even if she hadn’t been able to see the tensed muscles in his arms as he stood and folded them to watch the dragon’s progress, the broadsword on his back left no question that he was a warrior.
She completely forgot about what had caused her to look over the edge in the first place.
Competition.
It was the only thought that mattered amidst the jumble of other words floating through her head as she gazed at him.
Her eyes swept over his figure one more time, taking in the details. Best to know the competition, she thought, unable to admit even to herself that he was rather pleasing to watch from such a distance. He quickly unfolded his arms and turned toward the cliff face. Annora was startled for a moment and backed away where she would not be seen. Giving her head a shake, the dragon slayer turned and quickly moved back into the woods following the same direction in which the dragon had gone. She was going to have to work fast with someone else also after it. There was no way she was going to let anyone else take this kill because it wasn’t just about the money. Annora was going to make it suffer for what it had done to the people of Marked Tree.
Annora walked into Defiance, a bustling town and port. She had only been there once before, nearly five years ago, and it had grown considerably since then. The change was a bit unsettling. Had the woman known that it had changed so drastically, she would have gone to Kildeer. However, that was another three miles out of the way, and she didn’t want to go so far out of her way just because of a bit of discomfort. Not at this hour. Not when someone else appeared to be after her kill.
She didn’t notice any of the merchants or customers going about their lives as she headed toward what had once been a small and inviting inn. To her disappointment, that inn had burned down three years ago. In its place was a merchants’ guild. Glaring at the building, Annora saw someone approaching her from the corner of her eye. It was getting dark, and she wasn’t accustomed to so much light, but it did make the shadows and movement much easier to detect.
“Hello…” Annora slowly turned to look at the man addressing her. He was about to say something, but stopped when he got close. “Oh. Hello, ma’am. What do you think?”
Annora watched as the man folded his arms over his chest. He was clearly a merchant and he was looking up at the building with a sense of pride.
Usually she would just turn and walk away, but she did need some information as she had no idea where to go for the night. She attempted a small smile when he looked at her. “It certainly looks nice.” The woman’s mind was scoffing at him as the man returned her smile with a huge grin.
“Nice!” He laughed. “There is no building in this magnificent town as costly or luxurious.”
Annora simply blinked at him. “Well, that is something, then.” She fought to keep her tone from being too sarcastic.
The man didn’t seem to notice. “It’s mine, you know.”
Suddenly Annora didn’t feel like asking this man for assistance. “Good for you.” Her tone was nearly monotone as she gave him a condescending look. “If you will-”
Ignoring her words, the man pressed on. “And I dare say you are quite a pretty thing, aren’t you?” He winked at her. Annora merely stared back at him, her cold eyes warning him not to continue. The man seemed oblivious to the warning. “I’ll tell you what. If you will give me the pleasure of your company for, oh, let’s say three days, I will-”
Annora spun on her heel, her braid hitting the man’s arm with an audible smack. Ignoring whatever he had to say, she walked purposefully back the way she had come.
Unsure of where to find lodgings, the dragon hunter headed toward the water. The town was located at the mouth of the Allia, the longest river in Senones, a country that, until recently, had been backward. After the Cremera War, though, Senones had been growing rapidly, having benefited from aiding the victorious country of Volsci. Annora didn’t know the politics behind it, nor did she care. The only thing that mattered to her was that the small town she once understood was now yet another place she planned to avoid in the future.
As she reached the port, a hand fell on her shoulder. The woman’s instinct was to draw her blade, but she could hear someone gasping for breath and saying her name.
“Annora! My gods, but I never expected to run into you here!” There was a very melodic laugh and the tension eased from Annora’s shoulders.
Turning to face the woman, Annora tried to keep her face straight. “Hello, Bree.” She could not help the way one of her eyebrows raised and the corner of her mouth likewise went up.
There was another laugh as the curly-haired, redheaded woman placed a hand on her hip and stood up straight. Dramatically, she expelled a long breath, “Wooooo, but you are a hard woman to catch.” She beamed from ear to ear. “Don’t know what brought you here, but damn, it is good to see you. It’s been, what? Three? Four years?”
Annora couldn’t hide a small smile. “It’s been a year and a half.”
Bree looked shocked. “That’s it? Are you sure? No! It has to have been longer! Your hair is almost twice as long now.”
Annora shook her head, the braid swaying back and forth. “Just a couple of inches. It was just after the war ended. That was about two years ago.” Bree’s eyebrows were furrowed. “Remember? We were in Illyrian when the army came through and you-”
Bree began laughing. “Oh yeah! That was amazingly fun. You should have joined me.”
Annora just shook her head.
Bree looked her friend in the eyes. “So, where are you staying and for how long?”
Annora looked out over the water. “Just staying for the night, but I don’t have a where yet. The Boar’s Snout Inn burned down and I really don’t know anywhere else.”
Bree threaded her arm through Annora’s. “Now that’s what I want to hear. You’re coming with me.” Annora knew better than to try to fight at this point – Bree had never been one to listen once she heard what she wanted to hear. A rare smile spread across the dragon hunter’s face as her friend gently steered them toward one of the more luxurious inns in Defiance.
Annora stepped out of The Palace Paradise and shook her head. Bree had finagled a room for her, despite how packed the place was, and had managed to get it for free. Laughingly, Bree had told her that the room wasn’t free, it just wasn’t a bill that either of them would be paying. The woman was a couple of years younger than Annora with a personality that was the complete antithesis of Annora’s, despite the pair having grown up on the streets together in the modest city of Achaean. Bree’s given name had been Brianna, but she had always said it was too formal. Where Annora was cold and serious to a fault, Bree was charismatic and gregarious almost to the point of obnoxiousness.
Still, Annora loved her like a sister and was sad when Bree had taken her to a small but nicely-furnished room, then announced that she had to tend to a few things that night. Annora thought she knew what Bree was up to, so it was best not to ask, just as Bree never asked her about dragon hunting. Their outlooks on life were very different, and both felt the other had taken on a job that was too dangerous. The best way to avoid arguments was to simply avoid talking about work.
Bree had given her a big hug and headed toward the door. The young woman placed a hand on the door frame and paused. With an uncharacteristically serious look, she turned to face Annora. The dragon hunter felt a sense of dread. Bree was almost never serious unless it was bad news.
Bree bit her lower lip, looked to the window, then up at the ceiling, before fixing her sparkling green eyes on Annora, “Naya says she forgives you.”
Annora felt her stomach lurch. Whatever she had expected, that was not it. She looked toward the window.
Bree gave a humorless smile. “I know you aren’t ready to forgive yourself yet, but I think you owe it to her to at least pay a visit and talk. She’s not a child anymore.”
Annora heard Bree’s footsteps as the woman moved down the hall. Annora closed her eyes and for a few moments she felt lost. With a quick shake of her head, the dragon slayer decided she needed to head outside before her thoughts went where she wasn’t ready to go.
And that was how she found herself in an unfamiliar part of a growing town, unsure which way to go. Cursing herself, Annora wished she had at least asked where she could get a decent meal. The cost of the room was covered, but nothing else, and the dragon slayer was starving. Her head swiveled left and right. Deciding that direction didn’t matter, Annora stepped out into the night.
Her mind managed to keep track of all of the twists and turns she took while she looked for somewhere that would have decent food at a reasonable price. Usually following the smell was the easiest way to find a place where the food tasted like it was fresh. Annora may not have been particularly picky about the type of food she ate most of the time (after all, she really didn’t have that luxury when on the hunt), but it was one of the few benefits of being in a town. The dragon slayer greatly preferred the freedom and mobility of the wild, and detested being stuck in a place full of people. However, well-cooked meals were one of the few comforts Annora enjoyed when she was forced to remain in a populated place. Beds were the other benefit that she found great comfort in as the number of dangers were significantly reduced. The feel of a bed was also nice, although she felt more bothered about who may have slept in the bed before her than she felt about the animals who last slept in wherever she decided to sleep when she was in the wild.
Annora grimaced as her stomach growled. It had been a very long day, and she now regretted her earlier decision to skip food in favor of making progress.
She was distracted enough as she turned down a darker street that she did not notice the two figures that stepped out of the shadow. Annora didn’t walk very far before she realized the folly of allowing herself to be distracted. Cursing herself again, this time under her breath, Annora decided to make quick work of it.
In the dim light, it looked like she placed her hands on her hips as she stopped walking. The woman’s voice sounded annoyed as she spoke. “Sorry, but if you are looking for easy prey, you haven’t found it yet. I won’t even turn around so you can slink away and pretend this never happened.”
There was a derisive laugh behind her, then a higher-pitched male voice said, “Oh, I think we have found the perfect person for our little adventure. There’s nothing like a woman who knows how to act tough. They are the sweetest to take down.” His laugh echoed through the alley.
Slowly, she turned around and looked at the two thugs, men who clearly had enough money, so they didn’t need to prey on tourists who roamed into the wrong part of town. That meant the guys had been following her for a while, and there was only one way to take that –they were part of the criminal underground. The dragon slayer rolled her eyes as she tapped her sword and dirk. The first person she had talked to and this was the result. She made sure the metal gleamed as she partially drew them out. “These aren’t just for show.”
The sound of the man’s voice grated on her ears as he gave a cold, humorless laugh. “If you were a real fighter, you would know that the sword goes on the left side. Only a fool or a woman would wear it in the wrong place.” His smile was a sneer.
Annora simply blinked at him.
The man stepped forward and continued, “The boss didn’t like the way you turned him-”
The man’s voice wavered as the sound of metal hissed in the evening and the two weapons appeared leveled at his throat and stomach. A cold smile spread across her face. To make the point that she wasn’t incompetent, she quickly drew them back and twirled the sword and dirk, returning them to the same spot when she was done. It was obvious from looking at them that the sword pointed at his throat and the dirk at his stomach were well used and the edges really sharp.
The man’s eyes went wide and he swallowed hard before leering at her. “Sorry, sweetheart, but flashy tricks don’t mean anything.”
Annora realized too late that she had given the man in front too much attention. The second man threw a small dagger. Unable to dodge it, she changed its direction with her dirk. She felt the edge gash her right bicep. The street was dark enough that it was nearly impossible to see that wound, and she was not one to make a sound when wounded. Annora immediately moved forward, her weapons moving in unison. The man in front tried desperately to fend them off with his own sword only to find that the woman’s skill far outmatched his own.
The fight lasted only a few seconds. Annora’s sword plunged into his chest as her dirk slashed across his throat. It was certainly more than was necessary, but she was in a really bad mood. She used her foot to push the dying man away and immediately turned to fight the second. To her annoyance, he had already turned to run and was several hundred feet ahead of her. She dashed off after him, cursing as he reached the corner of a building and disappeared from sight.
Her weapons still out, she reached the corner and almost immediately froze. Her weapons were up and ready to fight the shadow lurking in the alley. Without a word, she dashed forward, her weapons looking for a second kill.
The sound of metal rang out in the night. Then a male voice spoke in the darkness. “You’ve missed him.”
Annora had been pushed back. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as a different figure emerged from the shadows. She had not seen much of the second man, but she knew he was not as tall as the figure before her, nor had he been as muscular.
“Why didn’t you stop him?” Her voice was cold and accusing.
The clouds that had covered the moon passed for a brief moment, and she was able to get a better look at the man’s face. His eyes were deep and dark, and in the moonlight they almost looked red. Not as if they were bloodshot, but because the whites of his eyes were a very bright white. His jaw line was very sharp, and his nose a little large, although it fit his very rugged features. Stubble lined his jaw and encircled his mouth, drawing her eyes to rosy red lips, the kind of lips she thought only belonged to men of leisure. His hair was almost as dark as the night. A gleam of metal also caught her eye, and Annora could tell from the location that the man carried a broadsword.
Shit, she thought, immediately recognizing him as the figure on the beach. It looked like her competition had also made it this far, too. Regretting that she had not pushed further that night, Annora tried to find an excuse to keep from talking to him. The less they talked, the better. She knew it was only a matter of time until he would inquire about her clothing, and there were too few reasons to give for it.
The man’s expression was one of surprise as he looked at her. It was not a look that she liked as it was one that Annora had come to associate with having to kill. Fully expecting the encounter to go wrong, the dragon slayer relaxed her stance. Though she looked at ease, her weapons were ready for what she felt was inevitable in the current situation.
The man smiled, and her brain told her that it was a pleasant sight. Her eyes narrowed in disapproval of such a girlish thought.
The man raised an eyebrow at her reaction to his smile. “I didn’t stop him because I had no business with him myself.”
Annora’s expression did not change. “Oh, how gallant of you to feel it is none of your business when two men attempt to assault a woman in a dark street.”
The man grinned, his teeth shining as the moon passed behind another cloud. For a moment, Annora thought his teeth looked a little too pointed. Had she not seen him about during the day, she would have suspected him of being one of the undead. There was clearly something off about him, though.
The man seemed relaxed as he looked up at the sky. “Oh, most nights I probably would have stepped in. It’s not like I enjoy lurking in alleys, but it didn’t appear my intervention was necessary this time. I hate to get in the way.” There was sincerity in his voice, but it still sounded more like an excuse to her.
“You let a criminal escape.”
“You could probably still catch him.” His expression was calm as he spoke, his voice low and gentle.
Annora shook her head, then she turned. As she returned to the corpse of the first attacker, she said, “And do what? By now he’s in a high traffic area or made his way into a building, which increases his advantages. I’ve no desire to-” Pain shot through her as she began to wipe her dirk on the corpse. She had forgotten about her injury. Refusing to let the man see that she was already injured, Annora continued to talk, although her voice was more aggressive as she kept it steady through the pain, “-to go hunting in a town that is nearly a city. He will likely meet his end some other night playing the thug for that merchant.” She tried to make it clear that she did not want to continue talking to him.
There was silence behind her, and the young fighter hoped that meant he had left. Annora turned, thinking that she may be talking to herself, hoping that was the case. Her disappointment was palpable as she realized he had followed her a ways and watched as she checked to make sure the man was dead, saying nothing as she cleaned her weapons and stood to face him. Once she was looking at him, the man reached out a hand. “I’m Elian.”
Annora’s stomach growled in response. As the man laughed, she glared at him. She did not offer her hand in return, but her eyes took in his features as the clouds moved on. The moon shone brightly on his face and his laughing, reddish eyes.
Elian did not seem offended as he smiled at her. “I dare say you are hungry. Would you mind if I accompanied-”
Suddenly a shadow passed over the moon, a shadow that was certainly not a cloud. Both the man and the woman immediately looked up and saw the outline of a dragon passing overhead.
Elian watched for a moment, his eyes following the trajectory that the dragon must have taken. He turned to look at the woman to make an excuse to leave, but found that she was already gone. Blinking and looking around him, Elian had no idea which way she had gone. Then his eyes went to the ground and a barely perceptible trail of blood.
“And just what is your interest in a dragon?” His words were spoken into the night, a sign that the woman had captured his attention and curiosity. The man took a few steps in the same direction that the woman had gone before he recovered himself. “Now’s not the time for distractions.” He cocked his head to the side and wondered for another brief moment, clearly ignoring his own advice.
With a faint smile, he turned and moved down a different alley.