THE FINAL
Kalia looked down at the small baby in her arms and fell in love all over again. It had been six weeks since her son Benji was born and she fell more and more in love with him each day. Every day, she noticed some new change in him that took her breath away. It amazed her that she and Luke had created this perfect little cub.
Luke, for his part, was in awe of their child and with fatherhood. In their quiet moments together as a family, she would watch him and he took her breath away with the pure love and devotion he had for their son. She'd not thought it was possible to love him more than she already did, but seeing him as a father moved her beyond words.
On that particular morning, he had gone outside to bring in some firewood, giving her a rare moment alone with the baby. Usually, the three of them were inseparable, which was just fine with her. Still, it was wonderful to take a moment and just enjoy the tiny creature in her arms. He was, in her opinion, the most beautiful baby boy she'd ever seen. She wasn't alone in her opinion. Her mother and sister agreed, as did Luke’s father.
Her younger brothers were not entirely interested in the baby at the moment. They were not as bothered by the thought of her having a child of her own as she'd feared they would be. Rather, they just saw no use in him at the moment. They told her they were excited for him to grow big enough to play with them, which warmed her heart.
There had been no further threat from the other bear clan, leading her to believe that perhaps they'd worried for nothing. Still, though, she didn't say anything to Luke. She rather liked having him constantly at their side and she knew it couldn't last forever. She was determined to savor it while it lasted.
Just then, the baby began to wake. He cooed gently and wiggled in her arms, snuggling closer to her.
“There, there, child. Don't fear. Mommy is here,” she said as she pulled him instinctively closer to her. “Mommy and Daddy love you so much. We'll give you the best life, my sweet little boy. Then, you'll grow up to be a warrior like Daddy.”
As she said the words aloud, they knocked the wind out of her. It was hard enough, of course, knowing that Luke’s mission in life was to do battle to keep their tribe safe but the thought of her son facing such dangers was more than she could stand. She felt the tears threaten to fall and she could do little to hold them back. Instead, she let herself cry, looking at the innocent face of the child in her arms. She knew she needed to do all that she could to ensure there was peace by the time he became a man. She wanted him to lead a quiet, safe life without fear of imminent attack. She just wasn't at all sure how to go about accomplishing that goal.
That was how Luke found her when he returned moments later, his arms full of firewood. She sat there in their bed, tears streaming down her cheeks, the baby held tight to her. He caught one glimpse of her and dropped the firewood he was carrying and rushed to her. The loud crash of the wood hitting the floor didn't even startle Benji. He simply looked up at his crying mother in confusion.
In the blink of an eye, Luke was in the bed with them, his arms wrapped around her. “What on earth is the matter, darling?” he asked gently as he ran his hand through her hair to calm and reassure her.
“It's nothing at all, I promise,” she said, shaking her head and trying to regain control of her emotions.
“It doesn't look like nothing,” he said skeptically, using the pad of his thumb to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “Is something wrong with the baby? You must tell me. I can’t do anything to make it better if you don't tell me what is wrong. Please, I need to know. I need to do everything I can to make sure you're both happy and healthy. You're the only two people in this world who matter to me and I need to know what is wrong.”
“I was just thinking of what he'll be like as a man,” she said quietly. It was the truth, yet without enough detail to hurt him or fill him with the same fear that she felt.
“And this makes you cry tears of sadness?” he asked, unconvinced by her explanation.
“People cry happy tears,” she said, trying to get her voice to carry the teasing voice it usually did but she didn't quite manage it.
“Those were not tears of happiness or joy. They were the tears of a broken heart. Please, tell me what it is that you saw in our son’s future that made you cry,” he asked, his face full of concern.
“It's not something that I saw, exactly,” she explained. “I just thought of what the future will hold for him and he'll face the same threats that we do. He'll be a warrior, just like you are. It's a proud tradition; I know that. I just don't want our son to face any dangers. I want him to have a safe and peaceful life, but I couldn't think of any way to shield him from it. It broke my heart to think of our sweet baby growing up to be a man who would have to risk his life to keep those he loves safe. It's hard enough for me to think of you doing battle, as strong and powerful as I know you to be. How could I think of this sweet baby facing that one day and not shed tears? I'm not made of stone,” she said defensively.
“My sweet mate, you're not alone in those worries. I hate the thought of him being trained as a warrior. I want him to be as far from that life as possible. I don't want him in danger but I also don't want him to know the feeling of taking the life of another. You know that feeling now. You bear the scar of such things on your very soul. I don't want that for him. Don't worry too much about it, though. I've a plan,” he said, wrapping his arm around her and staring at the quiet cub in her arms.
“What sort of plan is that? How do you think you can solve decades of strife and blood shed just because you don’t want our son to face it,” she asked skeptically.
“I can and I will. I don't want this for him. I'm training the warriors with more grueling regiments than ever before. They are the strongest and most skilled champions our tribe has ever seen. When our enemies come to attack us, we'll defeat them once and for all. We are going to end this. We didn't seek the war that's coming, but we'll be the victors. I'll not allow any other outcome,” he answered, so sure, that she couldn't help but believe him.
“But everything has been so quiet. They have abandoned their plans to attack us and I know you, you'll not attack them without provocation,” she said, trying to process what he was saying.
“Well, that's something I may need to apologize to you about. You see, I didn't want to worry you, especially towards the end of your pregnancy. Our patrols are routinely coming across their scouts in our area. There have even been a few skirmishes. None of our tribe have been seriously wounded, but these are all the warning signs that they are, in fact, plotting a large scale attack against us,” he explained, looking a bit guilty that he had kept the information from her for so long.
“I don't know whether to be angry with you or to hug you. Thank you for not giving me that worry while I was with child, but please don't keep such things from me. I need to know the dangers we face so that I can keep Benji safe from them,” she said as she looked down at their son.
“I promise you I'll not keep that sort of information from you in the future, but I don't want you to worry about keeping the baby safe. You just worry about raising him to be as caring and loving as you are. I'll keep you both safe,” he vowed.
“We have a deal. You said once I had the baby you would train me to fight to protect him. I'm holding you to that promise,” she said fiercely.
“Now, now…there's no need for that. My warriors will have this all settled before any of them come close to you or the child. We cannot have you running off into the line of fire when there's no need. You just focus on keeping him happy and healthy and I'll do the rest,” he said dismissively, kissing her gently on top of the head when he finished speaking as though the conversation was over.
“It isn't an option,” she growled. “If you'll not train me like you promised, I'll begin to train myself again. I'll do it with the baby strapped to my back if I have to. I refuse to be passive. I'll not be a waiting victim for them, unable to protect my child. It was bad enough when I could do nothing more than stand off to the side while you battled Bertram to the death, but I accepted that because there was nothing more that I could have done. Now, there's something more I can do. I can learn to fight. I'm not asking you to send me to the battle lines. I'm only asking that you prepare me for all possibilities.
"I love you more than life itself, Luke, but I love our son more. There are few things I would ever go against your wishes on, because you know how it pains me to know that I've added worry to your already burdened mind. Still, for his safety, there's absolutely nothing I wouldn't do. You must realize that,” she threatened, her eyes fiery and fierce, reminding him just why it was that he loved her so deeply. Still, her plans infuriated him and he couldn't entirely keep his anger in check.
“How will you train? I know now that you sneaked around, watching me train the warriors. You'll not be nearly as stealthy with the baby attached to you. I'll know in a second that you're there. It just will not work and you know that,” he said, with an edge in his voice that she couldn't miss.
“You're not the only warrior in our tribe. If you'll not train me, I'm sure there are others who would see reason,” she said, unblinking as she glared at him.
His fury was instant and undeniable, though she couldn't understand what about her words had spurred such rage in him. “I'm sure that there would be no shortage of warriors willing to teach you anything you asked. I know each of my trainees is at least half in love with you. I don't blame them, either. You're a very hard creature not to fall in love with, even if you have a tendency to do infuriatingly dangerous things without once thinking of yourself or your safety, but you listen to me now. If you dare to have one of them train you, I don't care who it is, I'll challenge him to battle and I'll be the victor. I'll not have you sneaking off to meet anyone, no matter what the purpose and you should know better than to even hint at it. My inner bear instincts are too strong to allow it.
"You're my mate and you belong with me. I wouldn't want to, but I would kill any man who agreed to teach you because I would know in my soul that it was because he loves you, that all he really wants is the chance to touch you and be near you; to steal you away from me. I know you would probably be safer if one of them did take you away from me. At least then you and Benji would be far from all of this and safe, but I cannot allow it to happen. I need you both with me too much. Even for your own good, I cannot allow you to leave me,” he ranted, looking as wild as she'd ever seen him in his human form.
Then and only then did she realize how worried he had been for months about the coming threat, all the while working to make sure she had no worries or fears at all. It made her fall in love with him all over again, no matter how irate he was or whom he threatened to kill to keep her.
She knew his love for her and their son was too deep for him to even consider the thought that something might happen to either of them. That was why he didn't want to train her to fight. If he did, it was admitting he and his men might fail to protect her and Benji and that she might be put in the perilous situation he feared most.
The wave of understanding didn't negate her own inner instincts, telling her that learning to fight was inevitable, but it did give her a better understanding of his reasons. It wasn't that he deemed her too weak or feminine. It was that the very thought of having failed to keep their enemies from her would drive him nearly mad. She could tell from his ramblings about her leaving with another warrior he had played every possible course of events over in his head in an attempt to anticipate any threat they might face, and he was consumed by those that he couldn't prevent; those that gave him no control to protect her.
Wordlessly, she laid the baby beside her on the bed and wrapped both arms around her mate, who tensed up and looked at her as if he suspected that she'd gone quite mad. It only took him a fraction of a second though to wrap his strong arms tightly around her and crush her to his chest, breathing in the sweet scent of her.
“Darling,” she began slowly, "try to understand. The way your instincts are screaming to you that you must keep me as far as you can from all that has to do with the fighting is the same way that mine are urging me to prepare myself to protect our family. It's not that I've any doubt in your ability to protect us. I know you're the fiercest warrior of them all and I know that you would lay down your own life for me or Benji, but that doesn't stop the need in me to be able to protect him. I love you just as much as you love me and I want to be able to keep you and Benji safe just as you can keep us safe. Can you imagine the feeling you would have if you were not trained to protect those that you love?”
“I had not even considered that,” he said slowly, staring down at her as though he wasn't entirely sure that she was real, safe there in his arms. “It's not that I don't want you to fight for our son and I don't want you to be helpless, but I cannot bear to even think of the things that could happen that would make it necessary for you to fight. It'd mean I had left you alone. It'd mean I failed and I cannot even consider failure. It cannot be an option if we are to win.”
“You'll not fail us. You never could. I love you and I believe in you. Don't even consider doubting that,” she said, holding him even tighter.
“Then why do you insist on learning to fight?” he asked, looking truly anguished.
“I've faith that you'll not fail us, but others could. What if there's a moment where it's you and I against those who would harm us and the baby? What if that happens and I hold you back instead of helping you? What if I'm the reason you get hurt?” she asked, looking as pained as he did. The baby, for his part, continued to sleep soundly as they both bared their souls.
“Is that really what you're worried about?” he asked in shock before he started to laugh deeply as the relief washed over him.
“Yes, but I really don't see what's all that funny,” she said, a bit annoyed to be laughed at when she was sharing her honest emotions.
“You and I have been so concerned with keeping our family safe that we have never stopped to think about just how the other one felt until just this moment. If you still want to learn to fight, I'll train you. I'll make sure you don't have to fear a future where you have to stand by and watch me fall while defending our family,” he vowed, his expression suddenly serious.
“And I promise I'll never go looking for a battle. I'll use the skills you show me only as a last resort to keep you and our son safe,” she promised in return, feeling her own wave of relief.
“Then we have an agreement,” he said with a predatory smile.
“Yes, we do,” she answered, keeping her guard up. She knew by the expression on his face that he was up to something.
“Then perhaps we should seal it with a kiss,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her passionately, with a lingering heat that left them both wanting more. Still, there were too many threats for them to leave the baby alone while they made love, though they both desperately needed it.
“Perhaps,” she suggested as she tried to catch her breath, "Mali should come and stay with us while you train me.”
“To what end?” he asked, looking suspicious.
“Well,” she said, her playful tone restored, "then she could be close at hand with Benji to raise an alarm should danger come and you and I could focus on my training.”
“Sound thinking,” he said passively.
“And,” she added with a wink, "perhaps she could be with him while we undertake other physical pursuits.” To emphasize her point, she ran her hand lightly over his penis, causing him to jump at the sensation, even through the fabric of his pants.
“Yes, I think that would be very responsible,” he said, doing all that he could to keep from taking her then and there.
“I'll have one of the warriors send word to her and escort her safely here. I believe you should prepare yourself,” he added mischievously, "for the most physically exerting night of your life.” To show her just a taste of his plans, he dipped his hand under her nightgown and caressed her breast, sending chills of desire across her skin.
“Tell them to hurry. The sooner we start my 'training' the better,” she said, but the gaze in her eyes left no doubt that what she was truly anxious for was to lay with him again, to feel him inside of her once more.
“Trust me,” he said with total seriousness, “he will be swift, on pain of death.” And with that, he swept out of the room, leaving her alone with the sleeping baby and her anticipation.
*
As Kalia waited for her sister to arrive, she buzzed around the house, keeping herself busy with preparations. They'd never had an overnight guest in their home. The tent had been too small for it and their lives, since they moved into the cottage, had been too hectic to lend themselves to house guests. Still, there was plenty of room for her to arrange a cot in the baby’s room that would make Mali very comfortable. It did take her a bit of time to decide which pillows and blankets would suit it best and she flitted about, trying to decide if she should move more furniture into the room for her to ensure her comfort.
In the end, she merely cleared out some of the drawers in the baby’s room for her sister to use and moved in a small table and chair so that Mali could have a bit of room to use the space as her own. She'd wondered if perhaps it was unfair to make her stay with the baby, but that was the help Kalia needed most and she simply put her faith in Mali’s desire to keep her nephew safe.
Mali arrived within a few hours and looked much happier to have been summoned than Kalia thought that she would be. Her sister seemed eager to help, which meant the world to both Kalia and Luke. The moment she entered the cabin, she swept Benji up in her arms and held him as Kalia walked her around and showed her what her accommodations would be. She was a little afraid of some push back about them. After all, her sister had always been a self-involved child.
“I brought in this mattress and this table and chair for your use,” Kalia said as the entered the room, preparing herself for the storm of one of Mali’s fits.
“Oh, this is perfect! Thank you, Sister,” was her reply as she took in the details of what was to be her room while she was with them.
“You’re sure? We could get you another chair or perhaps some more pillows if you thought they would make you more comfortable here,” Kalia offered, a bit in shock by her sister’s reaction. Her high maintenance little sister would've demanded a room of her own. She would've demanded to have her own space, not embraced helping to care for her nephew.
“No, this will be perfect. Besides, I'm not here for a visit. I'm here to help you keep this little one safe,” she said as she placed a kiss on the head of the baby boy in her arms.
“I'm glad to hear you feel that way,” she said, unable to resist the urge to give her little sister a big hug. “I'm so happy to have you here. It means so much to us to have you here. It'll make me feel so much better knowing that Benji has his aunt here to watch over him.”
“I'm honored you asked. I know you're used to me being a bit immature, but I've grown since you left for your new life. I've really embraced my role as the eldest child in the home. I've matured while helping Mother and the boys. I'm ready for this,” she said confidently. She held the boy close to her and looked at him in an adoring way that made Kalia feel even more connected to her sister.
“Well, I can take Benji while you get settled in,” she said as she reached for the baby.
“Oh no, my nephew and I need to get better acquainted. Leave him here with me and go start your training. I'm proud you've decided to learn to fight to protect your family. You've always been different, in some ways stronger than the rest of us. This will be hard, I know, but it'll be so worth it. You're remarkable,” she said, using her free arm to hug her sister tight.
Kalia could feel tears threatening to fall, but she did her best to hold them back. After all, it'd do her no good to become a sobbing fool right after her sister called her strong. When her sister released her, she was relieved to see she was also on the verge of tears.
“Now look at us, living together again for only a few moments and we are already in tears,” she teased, earning her a giggle from Mali.
“At least there are no bruises or broken bones,” Mali laughed.
She wasn't wrong. They'd often roughhoused as children. Their bear strength had made their sisterly spats a bit more dangerous than the average sibling spat. One particularly tough battle had left half the furniture in their shared room destroyed and each of them with their own scars to remember the day.
“Alright, well then, I'm going to go find Luke and start my training. Remember, all you have to do is call out if you sense anything out of the ordinary and we'll be here in a moment. You don't need to fight or engage anyone. You just need to call us and Luke and I'll come running,” she said seriously.
“Oh, I've no delusions of valor. I'll call for help. Believe me, if anyone happens to get through all the guards I saw when I was coming in, I'll gladly call for you and Luke. I'll tell you, though, if something keeps you from coming, I'll lay down my life for this little boy. He's our future,” she said gently nuzzling the baby.
“Thank you so much for doing this for us. You'll never know how much it helps us and it means the world to both Luke and I that you love Benji so much,” she said, leaving the room to allow niece and nephew to bond a bit and to allow Mali to get settled in her room and her new life.
She wasn't sure where Luke was, but it took her only a moment to catch his scent in the air. She followed the scent from their clearing and into the woods surrounding them. It felt wonderful to move around with such freedom again. She pushed the fact that it was being made possible by dozens of warriors patrolling and creating lines of defense to keep their enemies at bay. Instead of thinking of that, she focused on the wind upon her face and the ground beneath her feet, savoring the scent of nature as she walked deeper in to the woods.
Had she not been so dialed in to her surroundings, Luke’s sneak attack would've caught her completely off guard. But in that moment, she was so connected to all that surrounded her that she felt the minute shaking of the ground as he moved toward her, heard his catlike footsteps despite all his attempts at stealth, and smelled the very danger in the air.
He rushed at her in an attempt to gauge her ability to defend herself. He had suspected he would catch her completely off guard. He had considered she might make a delayed attempt to deflect him. What he didn't anticipate was her grabbing his arm and flipping him over, pinning him to the ground.
“Easy, Kalia! It's just me,” he said, gasping for air as her arm crushed down on his windpipe. Her eyes widened in shock and she released him, looking as shocked as he was at her reaction.
“I'm so sorry, Luke!! I just sensed someone coming at me and my instincts took over. I cannot believe I did that to you. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that to you,” she said before realization he had attacked her first. “Wait,” she said. “You attacked me. Why on earth did you do that? Did you not know it was me? You told me to come and meet you after I got Mali settled. You should've been expecting me.” The confused expression on her face was absolutely adorable to him. He wanted nothing more than to laugh aloud, but he was fairly sure that he would find himself pinned back to the ground if he did.
“I've been lying in wait for you since I left the house this morning. I wanted to test your skill set. You passed, by the way,” he added, unable to keep from smirking.
“You were testing me? I could've killed you. That's what my instincts told me to do,” she said, a little shocked at how strong the urge to kill him had been.
“That's good. Not that I'm saying you should've torn my head from my body, but you need to listen to those instincts. It's your inner bear that's your true warrior. Even in your human form, you need to let it rule when you're threatened. That was going to be my first lesson for you, but apparently you already know that,” he said with a laugh.
“I didn't make a choice to let my instincts take over. They just did. It was like I was watching someone else react. It all happened as though I had no control,” she explained, unsure what that meant.
“That's what our warrior training does. It allows you to be connected with those instincts but to control them. We'll put you in touch with that primal instinct but you'll be able to use your own thoughts and reason to be a smart fighter, not just one blinded by desire and impulse,” he continued, circling her as he spoke.
“Do we really have time for that? We should've started this while I was pregnant. I'll never be ready,” she moaned.
“If I recall, you did start your training while you were pregnant,” he said with a laugh at the pouting expression on her face.
“That was different. I punched my hands bloody against the trunk of a tree. I didn't tap in to any raw instincts. I just worked my arm muscles and thickened the skin on my knuckles,” she said in frustration.
“You started as all warriors start. That exercise is more than just a physical one. It's the first step that warriors take to mix the physical with the mental. Tell me, when you were striking the tree then, what was your mind doing?” he asked, looking as though he already knew what her answer would be based on the grin on his face.
“Well, I suppose my mind was blank. I was only focusing on my movements,” she answered, not sure what he was hinting at.
“That's exactly what my warriors do. By focusing on your physical actions so intently, it helps to meld the two,” he explained, amused by the light of realization in her eyes.
“What is the next step?” she asked, eager to expedite the process.
“You cannot rush this, my dear. We'll spar and while we do, you'll work to meld your primal urges with your conscious thoughts,” he said, the smirk on his face telling her that he had decided to enjoy their sparring rather than letting it make him fearful. The sight of his smile was a relief to her. Since he had agreed to finally train her in earnest, she'd worried about the toll that it'd take on him to do as he promised.
“I think I might enjoy that,” she laughed as she dropped into a defensive stance.
“That's excellent posture, but that alone will not save you,” he said as he continued to circle her.
With that, their training began in earnest. He circled her, pouncing again and again as she worked to avoid his grasp. She did remarkably well, each time he came close to her, she was able to spin away. Again and again, he lunged at her and again and again, she kept herself free.
“This isn't enough,” she said as she ducked to avoid his latest attempt.
“What do you mean?” he asked, as he paused to really listen to what she was saying to him.
“You're teaching me how to avoid a fight. You're supposed to be teaching me how to win one,” she accused, her hand on her hip as she glared at him, knowing just want he was up to.
“I don't know what you mean,” he said, making every effort to look innocent of what she was accusing him of.
“You do know exactly what it is I'm talking about,” she said, poking her finger in to his chest.
“All you really need to be able to do is avoid an attacker. That way, you and the baby will be safe until I can end the life of whoever would harm you,” he said, looking as though it was of no real concern to him.
“That's not our deal. You need to really fight me so that I can learn. You said it yourself,” she said, making no attempt to hide her anger.
“Fine, but I'll not attack you at full force,” he said, crouching in preparation to attack.
“I don't think any of those who want to see us dead will go easy on me because they love me. Do you?” she asked, her annoyance clear.
“If that's what you want, it's what I'll do. Don't even think of pouting when I beat you. I train warriors as my mission in the tribe. There will be no shame in losing to me. At least it'll show you how much you need to learn,” he said.
She didn't answer. Instead, she trained all of her senses on him, waiting for him to pounce. She felt them humming, as though she'd elevated herself to some sort of new state of consciousness. Usually, something like that would've frightened her, but knowing Luke was nearby allowed her to embrace it.
When he finally did make his move, she bested him easily. In fact, as he came at her head on, she was able to kick his legs out from under him and pin him to the ground, twisting his arm behind his back.
“Did you let me do that?” she asked as she released him, angry that he was still not taking her training seriously.
“No, I swear to you I didn't. I attacked you with all my strength. Have you been training behind my back? Kalia, you promised me that you wouldn't. It's so dangerous to do while you're pregnant,” he accused as he got back to his feet, pacing back and forth as he spoke.
“But I didn't,” she swore, looking so surprised by what had happened that he couldn't doubt her sincerity.
“Then how?” he asked, shaking his head at the impossibility of her having such skill without training, yet there was no other explanation.
“I don't know,” she gasped, looking down at her own hands as though they were foreign.
“Perhaps it was just a fluke,” he said, lunging at her again.
He made no effort at all to hold himself back but she again took the upper hand. Each time, she was able to knock him off balance or to get her hands on him before they reset. After what felt like an hour of sparring, she was able to pin him against a large oak tree, which brought them both to a fit of laughter.
“Oh darling, I seem to have the upper hand,” she said as she laughed out loud.
“You usually do, Kalia,” he said, spinning her around so that her back was pressed against the tree.
“It doesn't bother you that I seem to have some strange fighting ability?” she asked meaningfully.
“It gives me peace of mind to know your skills before were not the result of the baby within you but rather your own,” he said, locking his lips on to her neck when he finished speaking.
“You don’t think we should try to figure this out?” she asked before the sensation of his tongue gently drawing circles on the sensitive skin of her neck drove all thought from her mind.
“Oh no, I'm afraid the time for talking has passed,” he murmured against her skin before turning his attention to her shoulders, kissing his way across her bare skin.
“Really?” she asked, trying to keep her senses about her.
“Yes, I cannot stand to be so close to you for so long and not have you. It's torture. You don't want to torture me, do you?” he asked as his hands roamed her body, roughly kneading her breasts as he kept her pinned against the tree.
“The real torture is having your hands on me like this. I cannot stand the waiting. It's been weeks. I need you now. Take me, please?” she asked doing her best to rub herself against him, taking what pleasure she could from the motion.
“We don’t have to rush it,” he purred as his mouth traveled down her skin. Gently, he turned her arm so that he had access to the sensitive skin of her inner arm and work his way down. He placed a gentle kiss on her wrist, relishing the vibration of her pulse against his mouth.
“I need you now,” she moaned, arching her back against the tree in frustration.
“Patience is a virtue,” he teased, turning her hand over and kissing the back of her hand. He smiled up at her, then darted his tongue between her fingers, sending her nearly mad with want. All she could think of was all the other places on her body that she would rather his tongue was. Still, there was something so sweet about the painful desire burning within her. The longer he teased and titillated her, the more her desire for him grew.
“Is it my virtue that you love so much?” she teased, knowing that he was as desperate for her and she was for him.
“Oh, I love every bit of you. I love your virtue, your mind, your hips, your breasts. I love the way I feel when you're near and the way I feel when I'm inside of you. There's nothing about you that I don't adore. I don't think there will ever be a day where you don't amaze me. I think you were put on this earth for the sole purpose of being my match in every way,” he said, before blowing on the sensitive skin he had just finished exploring with his tongue.
“Funny, that's how I feel about you. It seems so strange to me to think that you feel the same way about me. It seems nearly impossible someone like you could love me as deeply,” she said, overcome with their closeness and emotional connection.
“Don't say such things. You, my dear girl, are the most special person in the world to me. You're everything I ever thought I wanted and so much more. Don’t devalue yourself. I wouldn't let anyone else say such things about you and I don't intend to allow you to, either,” he whispered to her.
“Then make love to me,” she moaned. “Show me that you love me as I love you.”
He didn't answer her. Instead, he gripped her butt tightly and pressed her against the tree as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her fingers dug in to his shoulders as he devoured her mouth. Though she still needed him inside of her desperately, the passion in his kisses was enough to satisfy her for the moment. The feeling of the tree's bark against her back was exhilarating. Her thighs clenched around him, trying to keep him close to her on a primal level.
Despite her groan of disappointment, he managed to untangle himself from her. He sat her on the ground and stepped away to admire her beauty. They were both so alert and tuned in to their primal side from their sparring that he wanted to be sure that he was in full control when they made love. He wanted to take his time and enjoy every sweet and slow moment of it.
Kalia, for her part, wanted nothing but to be with him. He gripped the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head, revealing her body to him. Though he knew every inch of it by heart, it always took his breath away to see her nude body, offered up to him as a gift from the heavens.
He walked to her slowly, placing his hand against her cheek and leaning down to kiss her as if they had all the time in the world. It was Kalia who lowered herself to the ground, extending her hand and beckoning him to join her. She lay back on the grass and he couldn't resist any longer. He quickly divested himself of his shirt and pants and joined her on the soft grass.
He bent over her and touched her most intimate place, light as a feather at first. There, between her legs, he explored her core while watching her face contort with pleasure as he circled the source of her pleasure. His rhythmic motions were nearly more that she could stand. She threw her head back and gave herself over to the sensation of his touch. Then, as his desire grew, he ran his hands up her ribs and returned his focus to her breasts. They seemed made for his hands, but he wasn't content to simply touch her. He needed to taste her. As his mouth latched on to her sensitive buds, a shiver of anticipation shook them both. She knew then that he couldn't hold back much longer. He would give in to his desire and enter her soon and the sense of satisfaction at that knowledge nearly enough to make her cum right then.
He sensed her need and couldn't deny it any longer. He thrust into her then and she couldn't remember ever feeling so fulfilled. When he began to move within her, she could see stars behind her eyes. Her toes curled as she felt her climax coming closer and closer. With each thrust, she held him tighter. She was so lost in her passion that she couldn't control herself. She screamed his name, digging her nails into the skin of his back as he drove into her faster and faster. Each time she called out his name, he grew wilder and wilder.
They fed off each other’s desire. It was as though they were in the midst of an inferno, in danger of being burned alive by their passion for each other. When they finally reached their climax, it felt as though the very earth itself was shaking beneath them.
After, when the adrenaline had passed, they simply lay there in the grass, holding each other and pretending that the rest of the world didn't exist.
*
For a week they went on like that, training each day. Though she clearly didn't need to practice her skills, it helped to keep both of their minds occupied as they waited for their enemy to strike. From time to time, the thought popped into her head that it'd be best if they just attacked first but it was against the code of the tribe.
In her heart, of course, she knew that she could never do such a thing. She might be able to defend herself but she could never attack another unprovoked. Her strange, innate fighting ability was one thing but she wasn't capable of taking the life of another without provocation. That she knew to be true.
One evening, lying in his arms in the quiet darkness of their room, Kalia was doing all she could to savor what peace they could find while it lasted. Still, Luke seemed restless and it made her nervous. He had never seemed so restless when they were alone together and her mind was racing, thinking of everything that could be causing his stress. The only logical solution was that he had heard concrete news of when their enemies would come for them.
"Tell me," she whispered in the darkness, her head upon his chest. "I can handle it."
"My sentries have seen a change in our enemies. They are coming in larger groups and they are more organized. Before now, they have only entered our territory individually. Now, they come in organized scouting parties. It'll not be long now. Soon, they'll attack us. It could happen at any moment," he admitted, holder her tighter each second he spoke.
"It's come then," she sighed. "It's alright, Luke. We're ready. Your warriors are the best trained our people have ever seen. There's no way your enemies are as strong, determined, or well trained. Besides, they don't have nearly as much to fight for. You have our family and our love. You cannot fail."
"With you, love, I could move mountains," he said as he held her close. His lips pressed to hers and she ran her hands up and down his strong arms, savoring the feeling of him there, safe beside her. Though her faith in him was unwavering, it would have taken a cold creature to know that her love faced such a threat and not worry.
"I don't need you to move mountains. I just need you to come home safely to me," she said as she kissed him lightly, memorizing the taste of him.
"I'll not leave your side until this is over. I'll not take my eyes from you," he growled, gripping her so tight that she was sure she would bruise.
"We both know that's unwise. You need to be outside this house with your men. Be on the defense line closest to the house. Keep us safe. You'll be only a shout away and you'll be able to do the most for us by leading them."
"You're right. Of course, you're right. I don't know if I can bear to leave the two of you, though. Not having you in my sight might drive me absolutely crazy before the enemy even arrives," he admitted, looking so torn that she couldn't think of any way to comfort him.
"Then you should be comforted to know that I can take care of us," she said gently.
"Yes, you can, but I never want you to have to," he sighed.
"I don't want that either, but if the worst should happen, then we are prepared," she said confidently.
"How did I get so lucky as to have you in my life?" he asked, holding her close.
"When will you go?" she asked, suddenly wishing she were the kind of woman who could beg him to stay with her. Still, she knew that she needed to be strong for the both of them.
"I should go now. Otherwise, I may never be able to go," he said, reluctantly rising from the bed.
"I suppose that's for the best," she said reluctantly.
"Yes, but I want nothing more than to be selfish and to stay here in the warmth of your presence," he said as he began to dress. "That's why I must go out to the men now. If I don't join them out there now, I'll lose my will entirely."
"I love you more than words. Your soul and mine are one," she said, reaching out and taking his warm hand in hers.
"There's no one in this world who means as much to another soul as you mean to me," he said with a smile. "I thought I could never love you more, then you gave me our son and I felt a whole different kind of love for him and for you."
"Come back to me," she begged.
"I would defy death itself to return to you," he said, leaning down to kiss her once more before turning and leaving the room and the cottage behind him.
Kalia couldn't stay there, in their empty bed, without him so she rose and went to the baby’s room. There, she found Mali wide awake, watching Benji sleep in his crib.
“You're up late,” Kalia whispered as she sat down beside her sister on the cot.
“I couldn't sleep. Every time I try to, I'm sure I hear someone coming to harm him. I cannot stand it. It's easier to stay awake. That way, I don't have to worry. My sleep is restless anyway,” she shrugged, not taking her eyes from the sleeping baby boy.
“You're so good to him. It means so much to know that he has you,” she said, wrapping her arm around her sister’s shoulders.
“It's so strange to think how much has changed in the last few months. Looking at this sweet little baby tells me that it's all been for the best. He's worth anything that comes our way,” she said with conviction.
“I agree,” Kalia said with a muffled giggle so as not to wake the baby.
“Where is Luke? You two haven't been out of each other’s sight since I got here,” Mali observed, a coy smile on her face.
“He's out with the warriors now. He needs to be out there to lead them. It's not what he wants and it's definitely not what I want but it's what is best for us all,” she said, thinking how lonely her days would be until the battle was over and won.
“Well, at least you have me to keep you company,” Mali said with a genuine smile. Kalia was amazed by the wonderful woman that her sister was growing to be.
“Thank goodness for you,” she said to her with a smile.
“Why don’t you sleep in here with the baby and I tonight? I know you must be anxious about his safety. You should not be alone and you and I are very used to sharing a room and even a bed,” Mali offered with a gentle smile.
When they were very young girls, they'd shared a bed and had both hated it. The happiest day of their young lives had been when they each got their own bed. Now, though, nothing sounded better to her than curling up next to her sister. In fact, knowing that her sister was by her side might be the only way she was going to get any sleep.
“You're an angel,” she said, hugging her sister and laying down on the cot. Mali lay down beside her and wrapped her arms around her, making her feel safe as she drifted off to sleep. Though her thoughts were still filled with thoughts of Luke and the dangers that he was about to face, the closeness of her sister calmed her.
***
The next morning, Kalia and Mali were in the kitchen of the cabin with Benji happily lying on a blanket near the fireplace when they heard shouting from a distance. Kalia looked out the window to see the warriors surrounding their home falling into formation. She could see smoke rising in the distance and she could smell the sweat and blood of the battle filling the air.
"What do you see?" Mali asked her.
"The battle has come," she whispered, shaken to her core by fear for Luke's safety.
"What do we do?" her sister asked, looking as scared as Kalia felt.
"For now, we wait. We need to be vigilant. If they break through the line, we'll need to react. For the moment though, we're as safe as we've ever been. They have always been a threat but now they are a threat that we can see," she said, crossing the room and lifting Benji from the floor and into her arms.
"Fair enough. Do you want the front or the back?" Mali asked, doing her best to keep her fears at bay.
"I'll take the front. You watch out the back. We can take turns holding the baby. I want him to be in one of our arms at all times," she said, knowing that she needed to be the strong older sister to get them through this.
"We'll keep him safe," Mali promised.
"I know," Kalia said, looking down at the oblivious baby in her arms, cooing as though there was nothing in the world that could hurt him.
For hours they kept watch. Every half hour or so, they traded turns holding Benji. During those hours, they could see the distant signs of battle but there was no immediate threat. As the day wore into evening though, the battle grew closer. Soon enough, they could see the warriors who were their last line of defense engaging in hand to hand combat with the enemy. She could hear Mali gasp each time she witnessed a particularly brutal blow, but they didn't speak. Neither was willing to divert the attention needed for a conversation from their efforts to watch for threats to the baby.
It was because of that vigilance that Kalia instantly spotted a tall warrior with dark hair break through the line and rush towards the cottage. She knew that they only had a matter of seconds to react before he was inside. She rushed across the cabin to Mali. She kissed the baby swiftly before putting him in her sister's arms.
"Take the baby and go hide upstairs. There should be enough room under the crib. Pull a blanket in front of the two of you and don't make a sound," she ordered, trying to keep the thought of being away from Benji for even a second during such a dangerous time out of her mind.
"What are you going to do?" Mali demanded, terrified for her sister.
“I need to stay down here and hold them off until help can come,” she said without hesitation.
“What about Luke? He'll be here soon,” Mali said with no doubt.
“We don't have time to wait. Go upstairs with the baby now and keep his eyes covered. I don't want one of his first memories to be of the carnage,” she said, hugging her sister tight before nudging her toward the stairs.
“I promise you he'll be safe,” she said, before running off as Kalia asked.
Kalia braced herself then, knowing her enemy was about to break down the door. In a fraction of a second, the door Luke had worked so hard to build was laying on the floor as the stranger entered their home. He didn't speak. With a predatory look on his face, he approached her slowly, preparing to savor the fear he expected to find. Instead, he found a warrior as fierce as any he had come across in battle before.
Kalia braced herself for his attack. As he prepared to lunge for her, she caught Luke’s scent and heard footsteps running towards the cabin. Her would be attacker heard it too and turned behind him to see Luke rushing at him. Relief washed over Kalia when she saw him rush through the doorway and tackle the stranger who had defiled their home. They rolled around on the ground, tearing and slashing at each other. Kalia’s relief was short-lived, though. She heard a loud thump and then saw her mate, the love of her life, lying unconscious on the floor.
The stranger rose and approached her once again, clearly thinking all obstacles between him and tasting her blood had been removed. If he had not been so focused on her, he would've killed Luke right then and there and Kalia thanked God he wasn't smart enough to realize it.
She did her best to look scared and fragile, lulling him into a false sense of superiority. His lecherous smirk made her skin crawl. All she really wanted to do was snap his neck to get him out of her home and away from her child, but her instincts told her to wait and let him come to her. She needed him in just the right position when she attacked. She knew she would only have one chance to attack him where surprise was on her side. Once he realized she had the skill and soul of a warrior, it'd be nearly impossible to get close enough to make sure Luke and Benji were safe. She knew in her heart that, it she failed, they would both likely die, not to mention her sweet sister who was in danger only because she'd been willing to come and help her.
When he finally did decide to make his move, she was ready. She attacked him with as much fire and determination as any warrior could have and she was able to dispatch him quickly. Then and only then, did she rush to Luke. She put her fingers to his throat and felt such deep relief to feel his pulse beating steadily beneath her touch.
A few seconds later, he began to regain consciousness. As soon as he did, he shot to his feet, his hands out in front of him, preparing to strike out at his enemy.
“Where is he?” he demanded, still groggy from his head injury.
“I took care of him. You don't need to worry about that,” she said, trying to steady him as he was still quite wobbly on his feet.
“I let you down. You had to face him yourself,” he moaned, looking as though the fact caused him physical pain.
“You didn't fail me,” she said, comforting him. “You were my strength. Our love was the reason I could defeat him.”
“Where's the baby?” he asked, looking around for their son and finding no evidence of him.
“I sent my sister upstairs to hide with him,” she answered.
“That was a smart move. I have to get back out there,” he said, gesturing to the door.
“Be careful. You're hurt,” she warned, looking as though she might knock him unconscious again just to keep him safely in the house.
Still, there was no keeping a warrior from battle and she'd no choice but to move out of his way and let him rejoin his men. She didn't go and get Mali and the baby, though. She left them upstairs in relative safety and prepared herself for the next warrior to break through the line but that attack never came. She could see their men beating back the enemy and she could hear the cries of victory as they pushed them back, winning a resounding victory.
It was only then, when their enemies were banished, that Luke returned to them. He held her tight and whispered sweetly in her ear, “Now Benji can have the safe and peaceful life you and I dreamed of for him.”
“Yes, thank you so much for making that a possibility for him,” she said as tears of joy ran down her face.
“There's no need to thank me. It was you who saved our son today, just as you saved me when you gave me your love,” he said, crushing her against his chest.
“My love, I am now and will forever be yours,” she replied, inhaling his scent and imagining their long and happy future together.