The soothing sound of the crackling fire, the rumble of thunder, and the steady fall of rain surrounded Ka’ya and her peculiar captive. She shifted so she could sit down and lean against the rock. Careful of the man’s injury, she adjusted his head on her lap so he wouldn’t get a kink in his neck.

Stretching out her legs, she reached for the knife at her side and pulled it free of the leather and fur-lined sheath. She awkwardly bent over his inert body and cut the cord of rope she had used to bind him. The man was in no condition to attack her, and if he tried, the wolfhounds would kill him.

Returning the knife to the sheath, she leaned back against the rock. Her fingers hovered over the dark bruise on his temple. The combination of the medicinal herb salve and the rain water had washed away the blood. The long cut along it already looked better.

Her fingers traced the line of his jaw. The dark, rough whiskers felt pleasant along her fingertips. He had a strong jaw, much like her father had. She touched the corner of his mouth where his lips were slightly parted. The bruise from where she had struck him was already fading until she could barely see it. He was a fast healer.

His dark lashes lay like crescents against the olive complexion of his skin. Ka’ya caressed his bottom lip with her thumb. Her breath caught when the tips of two of his teeth suddenly peeked out from his upper lip. Curious, she pulled his lip up slightly and watched his canines lengthen.

She had never seen anything like it before. Her tongue touched her canine. Biting her lip, she glanced at the wolfhounds. They had long canines like the man, but theirs were always long. Returning her gaze to the man, she touched the end of his tooth to see if it was as sharp as the wolfhounds’.

A gasp escaped her when she felt the slight prick to her thumb. She was about to pull her hand back when a soft moan escaped the man and he drew her bleeding thumb into his mouth. Her eyes drooped in pleasure and her body tightened in surprise at the feeling of pleasure she felt when his warm mouth wrapped around her thumb.

Curious about her physical reaction to him, she didn’t pull away. The slight tug on her thumb and the feel of his tongue sent a piercing shaft of heat through her. Her left hand tangled in the material of his jacket and she bowed her head until the feeling passed.

Frightened by the intensity of it, she pulled her hand free. Sliding to the side, she gently laid his head down on the ground and rose to her feet. She returned to her small pallet. Glancing down at her knapsack, she picked it up and returned to the man.

Kneeling beside him, she lifted his head and placed the knapsack under it to give him some cushion from the hard ground. Her hand moved to brush his hair back from his temple. She blinked in surprise to see that the dark bruise and cut were now completely gone. She swallowed uneasily and stood back up.

Ka’ya returned to her mat and sat down. Drawing her knees up, she raised her thumb to study it. She had felt his tooth pierce her skin and had seen the droplet of blood, yet there was no indication of it. Hesitantly lifting her thumb to her mouth, she ran her tongue over its pad.

Her eyes widened when a tingling sensation swept through her. She pulled her thumb out of her mouth and dropped her hand to her lap. Rubbing her thumb with her other hand, she stared across the fire at the man now resting quietly.

Ka’ya reached out and rubbed the furry head of the alpha wolfhound before sliding down so she could lie down on her thin blanket.

She folded her hands under her head and stared across at the man’s features. Soon, exhaustion pulled at her and her eyes closed. A smile curved her lips when the dreams began – dreams of a dark-haired man and his warm mouth.

* * *

A soft chuckle escaped Alexandru. His shoulder jerked up, trying to push away whatever was tickling his ear. It disappeared for a moment, before returning. This time it felt like someone was sticking a warm, damp washcloth into his ear. A shudder ran through him and his eyes popped open.

Turning his head, he found himself now nose-to-nose with one of the animals he had awoken to yesterday. A look of distaste crossed his face when the wolfhound ran its tongue up his chin to his nose. Alexandru’s hands instinctively rose to push the animal away.

It scooted back and sat down. Alexandru sat up and looked around him. There was only the one wolfhound. The woman and the other two were gone. The small remnants of a fire burned low in a circle of rocks. Next to him was a cloth-covered bag.

“It is food. You need to eat before we leave,” the woman instructed, stepping onto the narrow shelf of rock shelter.

Alexandru’s gaze followed her when she stepped closer and held out a small jug. He started to raise his hand but stopped when he felt the cold blade of a short knife against his throat. They stared at each other for several tense seconds.

“Thank you,” he said, wrapping his fingers around the jug.

She bowed her head and took a step back. “Who are you?” she asked, sheathing the knife at her waist.

Alexandru took a swig of the water before lowering the jug and picking up the food. He pulled the cloth aside to reveal a small cake made of fruits and grains. He broke off a piece and tasted it before answering her.

“My name is Alexandru… Carson,” he replied.

“Where do you come from, Alexandru Carson?” the woman asked.

Alexandru shrugged and looked around him. A sardonic smile curved his lips. He would love to know the answer to that question.

“Not from anywhere close, I suspect,” he offered as an answer before turning his gaze to look at her. “What is your name again? I’m afraid I don’t remember if you told me.”

The woman’s head tilted to the side and she studied him for a moment. Suspicion darkened her green eyes as she stared back at him. Alexandru broke off another piece of the cake and lifted it to his lips. He noticed that her eyes followed the movement.

“Ka’ya,” she replied in a slightly husky tone.

Alexandru nodded. “Yes, now I remember. Ka’ya Stargazer. You called yourself something else as well,” he prodded.

She glanced away from him to stare out across the gorge below them. He didn’t miss the way her features tightened or the proud lift of her chin. A stream of sunlight broke through a narrow break in the canopy above. The light caught the blue streaks in her hair and it shimmered. For a moment, he remembered another woman with vivid blue hair and dancing eyes before the image faded. His fingers curled in frustration.

“I am known as the Huntress,” she softly replied before turning to look down at him again. “Eat. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

“May I ask where we are going?” Alexandru asked.

“Perth, on the edge of the Great Water,” she replied.

“What is Perth? I’ve been there – I think. The name sounds familiar,” he said.

“Good, then you will know who will pay for your release,” she said with a nod.

“Pay for my release?” Alexandru asked with a raised eyebrow.

Ka’ya pulled the long sword at her waist free. Alexandru swallowed the last of the cake he had placed in his mouth. His gaze moved up the pointed end of the sword to her face. She looked very serious.

“Yes. You are my prisoner. I will either release you when a ransom is paid or sell you to the highest bidder if you are wanted. Either way, you are valuable and I plan to collect the reward,” she stated with a jerk of her head. “Now, stand up so I can tie your hands again. If you try to escape, I will order the wolfhounds to bring you down and then drag you to Perth by your ankles.”

“Perfect,” he dryly responded before raising an eyebrow. “Am I allowed to water a tree before you handcuff me or will you do me the pleasure of holding my cock so I can at least pee?”

The arm holding the sword wavered for a moment. Her face grew warm, but she didn’t look away. Alexandru saw her gaze move to his crotch before returning to his face. A hint of a smile curved her lips and he swore she was actually contemplating the last part of his question. Just the thought had his cock responding eagerly to the idea.

“As tempting as your suggestion is, I will grant you the privacy to relieve yourself – with the accompaniment of two of my wolfhounds, of course,” she added, lowering her sword. “There is a small stream flowing to your right. The wolfhounds will lead you back to the road. I will warn you again, do not try to run. They are vicious hunters and so am I.”

Alexandru knew his mouth was hanging slightly open when she turned and disappeared off the edge again, leaving him with the two wolfhounds. He snapped his mouth shut and glanced to the right at the alpha watching him. A rueful grin curved his lips when it showed its teeth to him in the perfect imitation of a canine grin.

“You have a fascinating mistress, lord wolfhound,” Alexandru chuckled before rising to his feet.

He brushed off the debris from his clothing as best he could. Bending, he picked up the jug of water and drained it. He would refill it after he freshened up.

“Well, if you are going to be my escorts, lead the way,” he said with a wave of his hand.

The alpha sneezed and trotted by him. Alexandru came after with the second wolfhound in the rear. He followed the rock ledge around and stepped down onto an animal trail. Following it a short distance, he saw the stream Ka’ya mentioned.

Alexandru set the empty jug down on a rock and relieved himself. An expression of distaste crossed his face when he noticed how filthy the front of his light blue shirt was. It would have been worse if not for his jacket.

There was nothing he could do about the disrepair of his clothing at the moment. He washed his hands and face before he realized he didn’t have anything to dry them with. Searching the pockets of his jacket, he was relieved to discover a clean cloth. As he pulled it out, a small piece of paper fluttered to the ground. Alexandru dried his hands and ran the cloth over his face before he bent to retrieve the paper. Turning the rectangular card over, his eyes scanned the elegant script on the front of the ivory-colored card.

Pain flared through his head. Raising his hand to rub his brow between his eyes, he tried to focus on the words on the card. They swam before his eyes, changing before returning to normal again. He dropped his hand and shook his head. At least he knew he had been correct about his name. Now, he had another clue as to who he was – a business owner and antiquities expert.

A soft growl reminded him that he was not alone and that his furry companions were getting impatient. Muttering under his breath, he filled the jug with fresh water and replaced the plug attached to it by a thin piece of string. Glancing down the slope, he saw Ka’ya standing along the edge of the road.

“You know, your mistress is beautiful,” he said conversationally to the wolfhounds. “She’s a little rough around the edges, aloof, and quick with the blade, but very captivating.” He chuckled at his unintentional pun. “It will be interesting to see what she plans next.”

Alexandru casually straightened the cuffs of his jacket before he began his descent. As he descended, he couldn’t help but wonder where in the hell he was. His gaze swept over a maze of white flowers swaying 6in the breeze. The wolfhounds snapped at the flowering blooms. The blooms disappeared back into the dark blue stems. Shaking his head, he tried to remember if he had ever seen anything like the flowers before – and drew a blank.

Once at the bottom of the slope, he stepped toward Ka’ya. His advance was cut short when the alpha placed his large body between them. He glanced down at the wolfhound before looking back at Ka’ya.

“Hold out your hands,” she instructed, turning to face him.

Alexandru released a deep sigh. “Is this really necessary? In all honesty, I have no plans of going anywhere else,” he stated before shaking his head and holding his arms out when she continued to gaze at him in silence.

“How can I be certain of that?” she asked. “Besides, that is what you would say while you were planning to escape.”

She carefully wound several lengths of twine around his wrists and pulled it tight before taking the water jug from him. He stared down at the top of her head. He liked the way she had her hair pulled to the side. The sudden flash of her eyes and the tug on the cord told him that he must have said his thoughts out loud.

“So, why am I your captive again? I do not believe that taking prisoners is a common occurrence where I’m from,” he replied, following her when she turned away and started walking.

“You do not believe? Don’t you know if it is common or not?” she inquired.

Alexandru was silent for a moment before he replied. “I don’t remember,” he admitted.

Ka’ya glanced at him with a frown. “What do you mean you don’t remember?” she asked.

Alexandru gave Ka’ya a wry grin. “I appear to have lost my memory,” he said.

His attempt to appear nonchalant about the fact must not have been as good as he hoped. Ka’ya stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at him in surprise before her expression turned to one of suspicion. He returned her gaze with a steady one of his own. He saw her gaze move to his temple.

“Your head…. How did you heal so quickly?” she asked, gazing back at him.

Alexandru shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

“What do you remember?” she asked.

“My name,” he said in a quiet voice. “I found a card in my pocket. It had my name and the name of my business.”

“Where is this card?” Ka’ya demanded.

Alexandru turned slightly so that his left pocket was toward her. “My jacket pocket,” he replied.

Ka’ya stepped closer and reached into his pocket. Alexandru bent a tad so he could breathe in her scent. She smelled of the woods – fresh dew and earthiness. She pulled her hand free of his pocket, the card clasped between her fingers. She turned it over and stared at the writing with a frown.

“What does this say?” she asked, holding it up.

“Can’t you read?” Alexandru asked in surprise.

Ka’ya scowled at him. “Of course I can read! I just do not recognize these symbols. They are different from ours,” she retorted.

Alexandru grimaced. “I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I assumed that since you spoke English, that you could read it as well…. Only, you aren’t speaking English,” he replied slowly.

His voice faded when it dawned on him that he was speaking a language he had never heard before meeting her. The faint memory of a series of words flashed through his mind – along with the knowledge that those words held power. He closed his eyes when a shaft of pain swept through his head.

“What is it?” Ka’ya demanded, reaching out to steady him when he swayed.

Alexandru opened his eyes. “A memory – at least I think it was a memory,” he said with a slight shake of his head.

“Your head still hurts?” Ka’ya asked, reaching up to trace his temple where it had been bruised and cut the night before.

“Only when I try to remember,” he admitted with a grim smile. “Perhaps if you tell me about yourself and wherever in the hell we are, it will help.”

Ka’ya dropped her hand and stepped back. “I will tell you as we walk. Time is of the essence,” she said, turning away from him.

“Time…,” Alexandru murmured, glancing around before shaking his head. “No, not time…. Far, far away….”

“What?” Ka’ya said, turning to look at him again.

“I don’t know,” he growled in frustration, lifting his hands to run them through his hair only to remember they were tied. “I don’t know. Far, far away – I remember those words, but I don’t understand what they mean.”

Ka’ya was silent for several seconds before she pressed her lips together and turned again. “Well, we have a long, long way to go, so you can try to decipher the meaning on our journey,” she said.

“Your sympathy is truly heartwarming,” he retorted sarcastically, walking behind her when she tugged on the rope.

“Would being sympathetic solve your memory loss?” she asked.

Alexandru chuckled and shook his head. “No, but it might help my ego a little. I get the feeling I’m not accustomed to being treated like a – prisoner,” he said, hesitating on the last word and holding up his wrists.

“You’ll get used to it,” she replied with a straight face.

“Great! I lose my memory and get stuck with a comedian instead of a doctor,” Alexandru muttered under his breath.

Ka’ya’s soft chuckle drew a smile from Alexandru. Yes, he had lost his memory. Yes, he was a prisoner in a strange place. But damn, if he wasn’t curious about his captor. Another memory flashed through his mind, this one came without the familiar pain of the others. This memory was more recent and much more tantalizing. This memory was of the sweet, coppery taste on his tongue – a taste that made his stomach clench and his blood heat.

Alexandru was surprised when he felt his canines begin to lengthen. His tongue swept over his top teeth, feeling his canines sliding down from his gums. He glanced at Ka’ya. She was walking ahead of him, unaware that he was eyeing her with a hunger that shook him.

His gaze ran down her back to her long legs and back up again. His eyes locked on her neck. The moment they did, he felt his teeth lengthen until he knew they protruded. It would be impossible for him to hide the change if Ka’ya were to turn around and look at him. The sudden burning need to sink his teeth into the tender flesh of her neck nearly overwhelmed him.

He bit back a groan and clenched his fingers to keep from reaching for her. The wolfhounds sensed the building tension in him and gave him a wary look before moving closer to their mistress. Alexandru drew in deep breaths, trying to calm the raging fire that had started to burn inside of him. He focused on Ka’ya’s voice when she started to talk, thankful that the conversation didn’t require him to speak at the moment.