Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1) (9 page)

Smoothing his thumb over the etching, he wondered at the woman who’d worn it. Had she been taken in battle? Annika was young, perhaps in her early to mid-twenties, several years younger than he, so that gave him a rough idea of when her mother had lived. The Council had records going back half a millennium of all the Light Blades killed or lost in battle against the
Na’Reish
. He had little doubt the warrior would be listed among them.

Should he make it back home, Annika’s presence there would certainly cause uproar, but worrying about his people’s reaction to her should be the least of his qualms. They’d yet to get safely away from the fortress. He should be more concerned with how long it would be before she was ready to travel and whether they’d remain undetected in the cave until then. Staying in one place increased the chance of being discovered.

He placed the amulet back in the pocket, repacked the pouch, then checked on Annika. She seemed to be resting peacefully. Her skin felt much warmer. A jaw-splitting yawn caught him by surprise. Exhaustion dogged him now that the adrenaline of their flight had worn off. He rubbed his burning eyes. Sleep was something he’d had little of in the last fourteen days.

Bowing to the inevitable, he settled down beside Annika and ar-ranged his blanket over both of them. With a short prayer to the
Lady
to keep them safe during the coming daylight hours, he let sleep claim him.

Chapter 5

A
NNIKA roused, driven from sleep by a sharp hunger. Saliva filled her mouth as she scented a human close by. Knowing the need would only get worse the longer she went without feeding, she fought the encroaching signs of blood-fever.

In the past she’d always been careful to feed well before they appeared. Her reputation among the human-slaves was dubious enough without fuelling their fears by turning feral as she treated them.

She moved closer to the warmth pressed along her side, hoping the pangs would ease. Pain lanced through her wounded shoulder, dulling the pangs until only a lingering nausea remained. Grateful for the reprieve she opened her eyes.

Her breath caught in her throat. Curled up beside her, a blanket covering them both, Kalan was the source of the warmth. She held still, not wanting to wake him, unsure of how he’d react when he realized he slept so close to her.

Asleep he no longer seemed as fierce or intense. Up close, his expression was relaxed yet captivating. Dark locks of hair fell over one half of his face. Without thought, she reached out to brush them behind his ear. The strands were soft and smooth beneath her fingertips.

Full and expressive, his lips were parted slightly as he breathed evenly, oblivious to her scrutiny. Several days of stubble shadowed his strong jaw and high cheekbones. A pale, razor-thin scar ran across the lower edge of his jaw, from his chin to his ear, but in no way did it mar his masculine beauty. She smiled, liking what she saw. All that was missing were the distinctive markings and he’d have passed as a
Na’Reish
lord.

But he wasn’t. He was human, a Light Blade warrior. Her smile faded. Hesia had regaled her with tales about the legendary human warriors, of their dedication to the
Lady
and sacred oath to protect and defend those who needed their help. Her friend’s faith in their reputation was unswerving.

Annika chewed her bottom lip. Had she been fully human, trusting them wouldn’t have been an issue. With cursed blood running through her veins, Kalan’s recent actions had only strengthened her doubt. For the moment they shared a common goal and a temporary truce, but how long that would last remained uncertain.

Blinking, she found herself staring at his throat, at the pulse throbbing just beneath his skin. The hunger stirred inside her. This time her stomach cramped. It took several heartbeats for them to subside.

She had to feed, and soon. As reluctant as she was to wake Kalan, they had to move on. It would be dangerous traveling in daylight but no more so than her ignoring the warning signs of blood-fever.

Shuddering, she placed a hand on his shoulder. “Kalan?” She gasped in surprise as his eyes opened, instantly alert, a warrior trait.

“Annika?” The sleep-roughened voice was deep. His head rolled toward her. She averted her gaze as he sat up. The blanket slipped from her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

She flushed, and clutched the blanket to her as she realized she lay naked beneath it. “Where are my clothes?”

“I had to treat your wounds.”

Her cheeks burned with the thought of him examining her despite knowing she’d have done the same for him. He rolled to his feet and fetched her dress where it lay on her pouch, then helped her to a sitting position. Dropping it over her head, he supported her until she tugged it into place under the blanket. Her shoulder throbbed.

“You’ve lost color.” He pulled the blanket over her again, made sure it was tucked securely around her. The gesture touched her. “You should rest.”

Sleep would aid her healing but Annika shook her head and peered toward the cave mouth. The slant of the sun told her it was late afternoon. Gritting her teeth, she flung the blanket aside and reached for her boots. They stood beside her healer’s pouch. “We need to move on. If we follow the river out of the valley, we might reach Whitewater Crossing by morning.”

“Why now? It’ll be dark in a couple of hours. There’ll be less chance of being seen if we wait until then.”

Shadows were filling the cave and the temperature was dropping. She fumbled with the bootlaces. “It’s too dangerous to stay. There’ll be Patrols combing the forest tonight. We have to get farther away.”

She could hear her own heartbeat in the silence that followed. Her laces finally tied, she quickly refolded the blankets and reached for her pouch.

“I don’t think it’s the
Na’Hord
Patrols you’re worried about.” Kalan crouched beside her, his head tilting to peer at her. “Let me see your eyes.”

Lady’s Breath
, he was perceptive. Annika tensed, steeling herself for his reaction as she lifted her gaze. Dark green eyes locked with hers.

“They’re bloodred,” he said. His gaze narrowed. “You’re hungry?”

Just how hungry was she?
She ducked her head, almost able to hear his unspoken question as she returned to her task of securing the blankets onto her pouch. “I need to hunt. I can do that as we travel.”

“You’re in no condition to travel—”

“I’ve no choice.”

He motioned at her bandaged shoulder. “Your wounds need time to heal.”

“We don’t have time.” She rose, slinging the pouch over her good shoulder. A frown marred his brow. It looked like he was ready to argue with her. His stubbornness sparked a bitter anger. She strode to the mouth of the cave. “Your safety is forfeited if I don’t feed soon. I’m still strong enough to overpower you. I’ll drink until I’m sated. Do you want to risk that?”

Even though it had been years since she’d last tasted human blood, the memory of the hot sweetness of it in her mouth was immediate. The urge to grab Kalan and pin him to the ground so she could feed filled her mouth with more saliva. She shuddered.

Breaking the addiction to human blood as a child had almost killed her. Only through carefully weaning herself off human blood and onto animal blood, and the resilience of her youth, had saved her. Hiding her transition hadn’t been easy. It’d taken nearly four months, using the excuse of foraging for herbs in the forest to cover her need to hunt, but for once her father’s disdain and the
Na’Reish
’s contempt for her presence among them had proved beneficial.

Instinct warned Annika not to risk addicting herself to human blood again. Hunting now rather than later was her only option.

Kalan appeared beside her and she fought not to flinch under his scrutiny. Staring out into the shadowed forest, she waited for some cutting remark or epithet.

“How will you get down from the cave?” he asked.

His calm response startled her, delayed her answering for several heartbeats. “The same way I got up here.”

“Then give me the bag.” He took her healer’s pouch. “You’ll have enough to worry about without that hampering you. I’ll go first.”

A quarter hour passed as Kalan scouted the area. When he gave her the all-clear, she took her time descending, testing the strength and flexibility in her arm.

Concentrating on secure hand- and footholds helped keep her mind off her hunger but by the time she reached the ground she was shaking with fatigue. Her wounds burned and throbbed in time with her pulse. She placed her cheek against the cold rockface until she recovered, her breathing ragged. Would she be able to reach the river-trader village in her present condition?

“We need to follow the river awhile,” she said. “I’ll fill the canteen…”

Kalan caught her arm before she could move off. “I saw no signs of a Patrol or other
Vorc
.” He placed her pouch on the ground beside a bush. “Rest while I hunt.”

Alarm raced through her. “Your scent—”

“I’ll leave one whether I hunt or travel to Whitewater Crossing.” His argument made sense but it would also take time she wasn’t sure they could afford. “You’ve already admitted you’re a threat to my safety. How can I watch for Patrols if I’m worrying about you attacking me to feed?”

Annika nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Be careful.”

She watched Kalan take an animal trail into the forest then made her way toward the river. It felt strange having him head off on a task she’d fully expected to do herself. For so long she’d had to do everything on her own, no matter how tired or ill she’d been. She knelt on the bank of the river and started to fill the canteen, pausing a moment as a frisson of unease skittered along her back.

Would Kalan use the hunt as an excuse to leave her behind and head for Whitewater Crossing on his own? He was experienced enough to realize she was a liability. It might take him a little while to negotiate the darkness once the sun set but all he had to do was follow the river.

Her hand shook as she capped the water flask and peered along the trail he’d taken. Deep shadows obscured it where the forest thickened. She listened for footsteps, a branch breaking. All she could hear were the intermittent squawks and flapping of feathered wings as birds settled in the upper canopy. Sunset was barely an hour away.

Fear curled in the pit of her stomach. She placed the canteen into her pouch and wiped her hands on one of the blankets. From the outset Kalan had shown a reluctance to trust her. She had all the supplies, her medicines, the blankets, her cloak but the idea that he would leave her behind was still a possibility.

Following him once she regained her strength wouldn’t be an option. Her tracking skills just weren’t that good. Going back to the fortress would be foolhardy. Her compassion for humans was well known.

She bit her lip. Not all humans were likely to accept her. A demon alone was fair game. It was why she’d bargained with Kalan for his protection. For time to prove she was no threat. For the chance to find sanctuary among the Handmaidens and Manservants dedicated to serving the
Lady
.

Hesia had often spoken about their tolerance for all who came seeking help. If she could find one who would aid her, perhaps she could lead the new life she’d dreamed of for so long.

Overhead, a cool breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. Annika shivered, pulled her cloak out of her pack, and wrapped it around herself. She took shelter beside a bush. Her stomach clenched with hunger. Should she hunt for herself or trust Kalan would return?

For the moment, the only decision she could make was to rest. She’d expended a lot of energy climbing down from the cave. She tried to shake the uneasiness eating away at her but the longer she waited the heavier the sinking feeling in her gut grew.

Half an hour passed. A full hour. Late afternoon became purple-tinged twilight, then full darkness.

She buried her head against her up-drawn knees, fighting a combination of disappointment, fear, and hunger. Until Hesia had found the Light Blade warrior in the dungeon, her dream of freedom had been as unattainable as finding acceptance among the
Na’Reish
. She’d dared to anticipate a new life among humans but now it looked like she was going to have to survive on her own after all.

Hot tears prickled in her eyes. Clenching her jaw, she swallowed hard. Crying wouldn’t solve anything.

If Kalan had left her, she hoped he made it out of
Na’Reish
territory safely but while she could understand his motives, being abandoned still hurt.

Chapter 6