Pursuer (Alwahi Series) (15 page)

Zanas happily began to eat the soup, bringing the bowl to her lips and drinking deeply. The meaty flavor of the broth was delicious, and she let out a soft sigh as she swallowed it. Ressna picked a large piece of meat up, placed it in Maleek’s open mouth, and he too seemed to let out a sigh of enjoyment.

“
Everyone is buzzing about the fight. You are the first person that has ever won a fight against Desstina. I have never seen such a commotion over a pledge fight.” She paused for a moment. “But then again, most pledges don’t fight like you do. Well…that’s not true either…
no
pledge has fought like you do.”

Once again, Zanas felt that familiar sense of dread that came when she saw that fear reflected in people’s eyes. Once again, she was surprised to find none.

… … …

Her interactions with the Pursuers had changed. Before she had been a floating ghost among them, ignored. Now, as she walked the halls she found more and more eyes meeting hers as she walked past. This filled her with a sense of pride and she pondered the feeling.

Her face was still slightly sore, but there were no longer any bruises. It quickly healed, as did her aching muscles. One thing that did not pass, however, was her feeling of restlessness. Zanas resigned herself to a quick run, when she heard a loud knock at the door. She opened it to find Dressdon, Ressna, Tress and Fless standing outside.

“
Come on little girl,” Tress said with a mocking grin.

“
We are going to town,” Fless finished.

Zanas gazed at the two hulking bodies of the twins and then took in the bubbly excited Ressna in the background. Next to Ressna was the quiet, dark figure of Dressdon. Before she could shut her door, Maleek scooted past her and disappeared around the corner. Zanas was not quite sure where he went when he left her room, but Maleek usually returned with the smell of fresh blood on his hot breath, giving the mental images of running hard in the dark caves. Just as she had, Maleek had explored his new home, combing the dark corridors of its interior, always pushing forward.

Zanas shut her door and followed the crowd, as the brothers led the way. They traveled down the long passageways, down the steps, and to the entrance to the city. Just as she always was, Zanas was struck by the beauty of the golden, glittering city. The Ulwahi twinkled down on the city of rock. As she stared at the cave roof, her foot missed a step. She felt a strong arm reach out and grab her by the wrist, steadying her. Her newly green eyes widened in surprise as she took in the dark haired Pursuer. He smiled at her, his eyes soft.

“
I know…” Dressdon paused. “It’s beauty to look at.” His emerald eyes stared into hers for a moment longer, and then he let go of her wrist, turning to follow the others. Her arm burned where he had touched her, as did her face. She was usually not so ungraceful. The streets were full of town people, their pastel colors crowding the space. Zanas was reminded of the pangerra flowers, as they opened in the night air of the wet forest.

Ressna led the way and once again, Zanas found herself in the shabbier part of town. The streets were not so pristinely cleaned, the walls did not shine. Instead of pastel colors, the street was colored to ink, as Pursuers ambled from one building to another, the streets alive with their joking laughter. Walking towards the door of one of the buildings, Zanas noticed a girl dressed in sea blue, giggling in a flirtatious way as two Pursuers grinned at her with gleaming teeth.

Zanas felt a flush of anger at the girl, who stood there like a naive child twirling her pretty blonde hair, her red lips pouting at something one of the boys had said. Her actions spoke of a girl of little substance, and of no courage, other than to attract boys of less desirous qualities. As far as her part of the town was concerned, at least. Zanas wondered if her parents knew where the empty-headed girl was.

As they approached the trio, Zanas felt herself growling softly and she flashed her teeth in a soft hiss as they passed them. The girl’s eyes grew wide in fright, and she walked back a step. Zanas did not know where the feeling came from, but she felt angered that this blue dressed, soft willed creature had ventured to this area. She was surprised by the sudden hot flash of anger; she usually was not so controlled by her emotions. Zanas could hear the soft laughter of Dressdon behind her as they stepped through the entranceway of the building.

It was dark except for a large fire in the center of the structure. The space was covered with the bodies of Pursuers. Pastel colors mixed in with the moving dark mass of bodies, moving to the beating of drums that vibrated through the building. Zanas felt a soft buzz in her body as the song beat through her. The people around her were dancing in the flickering light of the fire, their bodies moving and turning to the beat of the drums.

The twins evanesced into the crowd, and Ressna immediately moved into the center of the throng, bouncing her body to the beating of the music. Zanas took a moment to take in the room. The ceilings were void of light; no Ulwahi covered the dark walls. The air was filled with the moisture of the crowd of Pursuers moving with abandonment, their figures swaying gracefully with the pounding of the song. Zanas felt his hand on the small of her back and then he was leading her forward into the crowd.

She danced beside him, his hands on her hips. The crowd pressed inward until she felt as though she did not know where one body ended and another began. They seemed like the huge mass of one being, their arms and legs moving in unison, like the flowing of flowers in a field of rock. Dressdon’s arms tightened around her and Zanas let her hands rest on his chest, as the vibration surged though their feet.

She did not recognize the people who crowded around her, and she saw no sign of the twins, or Ressna. Her body seemed to hum with the movement of the dance as she stared into Dressdon’s green eyes. Her heart was pounding with the exhilaration of the beat and the closeness of their bodies, his breath seeming to mix with hers, as they exhaled in frenzied gasps. Zanas felt his hands tightening around her waist once again and then he was bringing his lips to hers.

There was no anger in the moment, only the unison of their movements and the excitement of the experience. She met her lips to his and at that moment there was no one else in the room, only their two bodies merged as one, their lips entwined.

Zanas felt a tug on her shoulder and they pulled apart. Her breath was coming in gasps and she felt as though her heart would explode in her chest. She turned her eyes to meet the face of Ressna, whose effervescent eyes danced with the blaze of the fire.

“
We found a table in the back and some Klahmai,” she said grinning, and then shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she called over the noise of the crowded room.

Zanas turned her eyes to a laughing Dressdon who pushed her softly forward towards the retreating Ressna. He kept his hand lightly on her back as they came to a dark table at the far end of the room. The twins were already seated, two cups of a glowing drink in their hands. Zanas heard the soft purr of his voice in her ears.

“
Klahmai,” he explained, “kind of like Klah, but not made by the Dreamers. You could call it a more street version,” he said with a grin and a wink. “We brew it differently and it has a richer taste. The Dreamers don’t particularly endorse it, and we don’t particularly care,” he finished, his teeth gleaming at her. She was momentarily mesmerized by the soft flesh of his lips and the memory of her lips meeting them. He seemed to read her mind and his eyes began to dance with amusement. Zanas felt the skin of her cheeks radiating with embarrassment.

A cup was placed in her hands, bringing her back to the group, and she turned her eyes to them. She noticed the twins pass a surprised look as Ressna began to talk boisterously to them, her charismatic chatter filling the group with a lively energy. Zanas found herself laughing along with them, being filled with happy abandonment.

She sipped the Klahmai. Dressdon had been right when he expressed the difference in the taste. The Klahmai had a robust nutty flavor that she found very tasty. The music continued around them and Zanas found herself watching the dancers at the center of the stone building. They were all young looking, early or late teens. But this seemed to be the case the majority of the time; Zanas had never seen an old Pursuer.

The Klahmai began to warm her stomach, the flicker of the fire casting glittery shadows on the people in the room. The room began to dance slightly, heaving in and out, as if the room itself was breathing. Through the thumping of the drumbeats, she could almost hear a soft chanting,
almost
make out the words. She reached out a hand, trying to grasp a tangible hold, and a tight grip on her wrist snapped her back into reality.

Dressdon held tightly as Ressna stared at her with wide eyes. The twins had left to dance, and they were the only three left at the shadowy table.

“
Whoa… you okay?” Dressdon asked. Ressna continued staring at her with shock in her eyes.

“
You looked just like a Dreamer,” Ressna stammered. “I’ve seen them before in their trances, or whatever it is they do,” she said giving a little shudder. Zanas laughed a little nervously.

“
My sisters a Dreamer,” she found herself revealing. She had not planned to share this with them, but perhaps the Klahmai also loosened the tongue.

“
I didn’t know you had a sister,” Dressdon said. Zanas turned and looked at his face and he watched her for a moment, his eyes narrowed. “Twin sister…” he proclaimed. Zanas felt her eyes widening in shock.

“
Oh great, more creepiness. I hate it when you do that Dressdon. Don’t mind him Zanas,” Ressna said, rolling her eyes. “Come on, enough seriousness, let’s go dance!” the girl said flinging her arms widely, taking one last long swallow of her drink, and then bouncing across the floor.

“
Do you want me to take you home?” he asked.

Zanas realized that she felt pretty disorientated, her head beginning to pound. She nodded her head in agreement, and he pulled her up from the table, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder. He steered her through the crowded floor and out into the cool air of the city.

The streets were empty, only a few people moving here or there. Their boots echoed, softly crunching, as they walked down the stone streets. The cool air and the quiet seemed to sooth Zanas’s headache and she began to feel better. She noticed the street that they were traveling down, she recognized it from her venture with Ressna.

“
Isn’t the line shop around here?” she asked. He began to laugh.

“
It sure is. Just down a little further. Do you want to go in? They’re open late,” he said. Zanas felt herself nodding, and a few steps later, they were entering the shop.

The building was mostly empty, only a few booths occupied with Pursuer customers. She did not see the girl she had met the last time she had been here. Instead, a young man stepped forward, his face dark with the outline of tattoos.

“
Do you want me to continue your line?” he asked. Zanas shook her head.

“
No. I was hoping to get something more personal,” she explained and the man began to grin with understanding.

“
Sure, come and have a seat,” he said, waving her over to an empty booth. Zanas sat down and pulled her braid aside.

“
I would like it here on my neck,” she said pointing to the spot with her finger.

“
What would you like?” he asked.

“
An eye,” Zanas replied. She heard a soft intake of breath from Dressdon.

“
The Dreamer sign,” the man said with a thoughtful look, nodding his head and gathering his tools. He was dexterous with his hands and the tattoo was quickly completed. Zanas stared at the smooth metal surface, her face reflected back at her. She liked the way her lines had begun to define her face. The addition of the beautiful open blue eye at her neck seemed only to add to the mysterious woman she was becoming.

“
I like it,” Dressdon commented, flashing a crooked smile. Zanas smiled back at him. When she stood up, she began to feel lightheaded again, and was comforted by the warm arm of Dressdon, as he placed it around her.

“
Come on. Let’s get you home,” he said laughing. “Before I end up having to carry you. I forgot to mention the Klahmai is much stronger than Klah.”

The thought of him carrying her in his arms made her heart begin to pound, and she held tightly to the arm wrapped around her. They walked out the door and back into the crooked streets of the city.

They said nothing as they walked. Zanas felt comfortable in the silence and tried hard not to psychoanalyze her current situation. She was, after all, walking through the streets of the quiet city wrapped in the arms of a young man. A young man who had the uncanny ability to infuriate her, as well as enflame her soul. She listened to his soft breath, and once again, was reminded of the fiery kiss on the dark dance floor.