Sighing, Kele took Susan’s marked hand. “It only tells other males that he’s interested in you. If you want to be approached by others, then just wash it off. I thought it safer for you to bear some sort of mark for the time being.”
“I don’t want any males. How do I announce that?”
“Then keep it on. Ahote is dominant enough in the pack that most won’t challenge him.”
“What do I do about him?”
Kele gave her a sly look. “You don’t want him?”
“It’s not that. He’s very nice looking but—but we’re not even the same species.”
Her smile grew wider. “Trust me. I’ve know Ahote all my life. That won’t matter. If you want my advice, make him work for it if you’re interested in a lover. If you want more, go looking for someone else. He’s too full of himself.” They climbed two more sets of stairs to the top level. “We need to tend to more important matters than your love life. My parents will find out about yours and Sorin’s presence very soon. It’s in your best interest to be frank with me. Tell me about the blue light, and we’ll present your story in the best manner.”
Kele crossed a hanging bridge that swayed.
Susan took a couple of steps then clung to the rope. The ground appeared much farther away from above than it had from below. Inching one step at a time, she kept her gaze straight ahead. Sweat trickled down her back in a steady stream until her shirt clung to her skin. She hummed the circus tune as a distraction until she crossed the length.
Kele tapped her foot as she waited by the entrance to a cave at the far end of the terrace.
Susan hurried to catch up. Glancing inside the room, she found some civilization but not the kind she’d hoped for. The chamber was carved in pale stone with elaborate pictures covering the walls done in bright-colored paints. Most depicted hunting scenes.
Once inside, Kele closed the door and lit a few candles, then settled on the large cushions lying in a pile by the farthest wall.
Dark dread, which had been clinging to Susan since her arrival to this world, lightened a little. Books—wonderful, leather-bound books—filled a shelf. Susan’s fingers twitched to flip through the pages. “Is this your room?”
“Yes. I study and mix medicines in here.”
“So you’re the healer?”
“Yes. My parents thought it wise if took up a trade since…” Her solemn eyes darted away. “I can’t shift.” She patted the fur next to her.
Susan straightened her dirt-smudged lab coat before accepting Kele’s invitation to sit. “Is that common?”
“No, but I didn’t bring you here to discuss my problems.” She leaned in closer and trapped Susan’s gaze. “Did the Goddess send you?” She tapped her nose. “Don’t bother lying. We can smell it.”
A blush warmed Susan’s cheeks. She’d lied to Sorin at the Temple. He’d probably known. Why should she care? He scared the bejesus out of her. “The truth will be difficult for you to handle. Hell, it’s difficult for me to handle.”
Something hard bit into Sorin’s wrists. His hands were so numb he couldn’t sense them moving when he attempted to make a fist. Metal rattled as he jerked his arm. He hung from chains.
He listened to the many voices surrounding him. They echoed slightly as if he dangled within a great cavern. Laughter flitted over the noise. He must be displayed in the pack gathering room.
Forcing his limbs to go limp, he tried not to attract attention. The Payami had taken him prisoner and would try to ransom him, but his pack had nothing.
Painful cramps seized his shoulders but he ignored them, pushing the discomfort back in his mind where he shoved all his past abuse. Only the dead felt no pain. As long as he endured this glorious sensation he was alive. His useless father had taught him this.
He cracked his eyelids open and checked out his surroundings. Many members of the pack lounged in the room playing games, conversing and drinking. Thick carpets lined the cave floor and plush, colorful pillows supported the shifters in comfort. Sorin had never seen such luxury. The excess burned his senses.
“You’re awake.” A dark-haired male stepped into his sight with a tankard of ale in one hand and a pretty omega female in the other. He whispered in her ear.
She gave him a shy smile. Her gaze trailed over Sorin’s nude form in an appreciative way, and then she hurried away.
Such female interest would have given Sorin some pleasure in time long past, but he bore too much responsibility now to allow even that little bit of enjoyment.
The dark shifter watched the pretty omega wiggle through the crowded room before returning his attention to Sorin. “I was wondering how much beauty sleep you were going to need. With that scar, I would have guessed more. I almost had that nice little female convinced to follow me into the back of the cave. It’s dark and private there.” He winked.
Sorin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Muscle spasms ripped through his arms and they trembled. “Get on with it, pup. What are your alpha’s demands of my pack?”
“Pup? Is that the best you have?” The male bowed. “I’m known as Ahote.” He rose. “And I don’t know the answer to that question. You’ll have to ask him.”
The trembling eased in Sorin’s mucsles as his blocked the pain and allowed it to pass beyond his awareness. “Then let’s be done with it. I don’t care for your name or any other introductions you might have.” He had to return to his pack. His absence wouldn’t usually alarm them since alphas led the hunts but they needed him. Now.
He was not his father and would never abandon them. Peder would return with the flowers at least. Working his tongue around his dry mouth for moisture, Sorin broke eye contact with Ahote and scanned the room. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
He kicked out toward the overconfident idiot and jerked against the chains. “You know exactly who I’m asking about. What did you do to the hu-man female?” If they harmed her, he didn’t care how powerful this pack was—he’d find a way to tear them down. She belonged to him, straight from the Goddess.
A huge grin spread across Ahote’s smug face. “You like her? Too bad—she bears my mark now.”
Snarling, Sorin yanked at his restraints until something tore in his shoulder. He sucked in a sharp breath and relaxed the tense muscles in his upper body. He was playing right into this pup’s hands. He had to act smarter. So what if she bore his mark? It couldn’t be a permanent thing. They’d only met today. It could be washed off. She’d been sent to save him—his people.
He cleared his throat. “I want to see her.” Make sure she wasn’t being misused. As a stranger to this land she wouldn’t understand shifter culture. The dominance games his people played confused those of other races. He’d witnessed how she arrived at the Temple. No one here had. They’d never understand how special she was.
“You’re not in any position to make demands, Sorin.” A familiar voice spoke to his left.
Sorin swung his head to glare at Inali, the Payami’s alpha. “Let me go. I only crossed to claim what was mine. Your hunters had no right to take her.”
“An unmarked female on my land? Sounds like she belongs to me now. You have no defense for breaking our laws.” Inali’s blue eyes bore into his. He’d been alpha for a long time and had known Sorin’s father at his worst. There was no love lost between their packs.
If only the other alphas would give Sorin a chance to prove himself, they’d see his pack had changed.
Sorin swallowed a growl and offered Inali his most reasonable expression. Dealing with his father had taught him how to control his temper. Arguing with Inali would only bring violence and waste more time. “Very well, believe what you like. What do you want for my freedom and hers?”