From the moment I met my father and came to this planet, not a single person, except Naska, wished to save me. Nobody cared, even seemingly reasonable Nrogo, while this one… I looked at the blue-eyed warrior and felt that his mere presence made me melt.

  The tahr-ehn leaned slightly toward me, and strands of his hair fell on my face, which aroused me even more.

  “Stop, woman,” the warrior whispered.

  His mouth was so close to my lips.

  “Everybody standing within two hundred steps downwind can smell your desire. The force of it, woman, is that line that you crossed. The warriors will lose control, and the dakha bracelet won’t protect you.”

  What was he talking about? I was really confused now.

  “Come,” said the warrior, still leaning over me. “The only way to save you is to take you out of Shodanar.”

  His words, like falling autumn leaves, spun in the air and sunk into my consciousness.

  “Save me?” I whispered.

  “Yes,” he said, exhaling and it was so… well, so…

  “No,” I groaned, totally smitten.

  “No?” He asked.

  “Don’t save me,” busted motor, what was I saying, “Don’t, I… I… never ever wanted anybody the way I want you now.”

  There, I said it. Then I realized WHAT I had said. My face flushed, and I felt that my cheeks were red as a beet and the concealer wasn’t helping at all.

  The warrior smiled. He simply looked at me and smiled, but I saw desire flash in his eyes as bright as it flashed in mine. My desire was at its peak, but his was only beginning to burn. This frightened and exited me at the same time.

  The warrior let me go and stepped back. Stunned, I looked at him, while he stretched his hand out. There was something about this gesture. Obviously, it had something to do with traditions. It looked like the choice was mine. If I took his hand everything would definitely happen. I had no doubts whatsoever that he wanted me. It wasn’t my reason, it was pure intuition.

  ‘What would happen if I didn’t take his hand? Would he simply escort me home?’

  For some reason, I felt that maybe I shouldn’t do it. I wasn’t doubting my desire, I wanted him so much that I didn’t even care about people watching us. The singing of birds in this artificial forest only made my wish to be alone with the warrior stronger. But I had to clarify something before diving headfirst into this ocean of passion.

  “You’re funny,” the warrior said suddenly, still stretching his hand out. “If you want to go with me, you must take my hand. If not, I’ll escort you to the house of your father or patron.”

  Aha, I guessed right, he is noble indeed. Excellent! However, there was one more thing.

  “Listen, warrior,” I nervously licked my instantly parched lips and asked hopefully, “are you poor?”

  He was so surprised that he put his hand down.

  “Does it matter?” He asked frowning.

  “It matters a lot!” I came up to him and stood as close to him as possible, yet I wanted to stand even closer. “It’s just… you know… I only need a very poor warrior.”

  I knew for sure that my eyes were full of hope, because if he wasn’t poor, I’d have to turn him down. If mom said it, it must be done and… I hoped he was poor!

  “Unusual requirement,” the tahr-ehn said, looking at me thoughtfully.

  “But very important,” I said with a sigh, not taking my hopeful eyes off him.

  The warrior frowned even more, his eyebrows almost met, then he thought for a bit and answered reluctantly.

  “Yes, I’m a very poor warrior. I would even say that I am the poorest warrior of Eeristan,” Then he lowered his voice to a whisper and added, “from the other end.”

  At that time, I didn’t really hear what he whispered, so I joyfully grabbed his hand with both of mine and was ready to go.

  “Then we can do it,” I said with obvious relief.

  He looked at me strangely.

  “We can do everything, really,” I said, nearly jumping with joy along with my exultant hormones. “Where should we go?”

  He didn’t answer, still looking at me thoughtfully, and it seemed that he had already started thinking about whether or not he needed all this at all.

  I looked at him, his amazingly broad shoulders, strong hands, manly chin, well-defined lips, and I burned like a dry bush in the wind.

  “What are you doing, woman?” The warrior suddenly groaned.

  “I’m standing,” I whispered, still looking at him with admiration.

  Suddenly noticing some movement to the left, I turned abruptly and saw another tahr-ehn approaching. He was also very tall, with fair hair and blue eyes. For some reason, he was looking at me with a certain perplexity. Throwing a dissatisfied glance at the newcomer, I turned back to my hero, and my emotions overwhelmed me again. I didn’t know what was happening to me, I couldn’t understand what made me literally melt just because he was standing so close, almost touching me. All the universe could go to blasted space, for all I cared, as long as he was next to me.

  “You don’t like him?” Suddenly my tahr-ehn asked.

  The question sobered me up at once. The warm and burning feeling between my thighs was gone, just like my obsession. My emotions toned down and were back under the control of my brain. I was drawn back to reality, to the wretched Eeristan, this forest full of backward beefy goons, to the glances of onlookers, and only then did I realized what the question was.

  “What?” I asked, looking at the warrior in puzzlement.

  He nodded, thinking about something, and pointed at the tahr-ehn who came up to us.

  “You don’t like him?”

  The next feeling that overwhelmed me was anger. I let go of the warrior’s hand and looked in his bright blue eyes for the last time. I wanted to say something insulting, shout, hit him, but I just stood there looking, and knew that if I don’t leave then, I’d burst into tears. I couldn’t give him such pleasure, though. I’d rather get twenty lashes, if father found me. I’d had enough of Eeristan, its dumb tahr-ehns and everything else!

  “I’m sorry, it was stupid of me… Well…” I said, barely holding back the tears.

  Then I took another step back.

  I was embarrassed and bitter.

  “Woman,” he called.

  I silently turned around and walked away. My face was flushed, my heart physically ached, my emotions were disappearing into the limitless space. Let this wretched planet go to unstable atom, I wasn’t going to go back to the khassar, I wasn’t going to play by their rules and observe their traditions. I’d had enough.

  “Should I send the warriors?” I heard someone say behind my back.

  “No, I’ll take care of it.”

  I no longer cared who was going to take care of what. I chose a path that led further into the forest to be as far away from all these people. I simply wanted to be alone and not see or talk to anybody.

  My plan didn’t work.

  When the cries of the crowd quieted down and the forest became thicker, a 7-foot figure of a beefy, almost black tahr-ehn appeared before me.

  “Woman.”

  Silently, I shoved my wide dakha bracelet under his nose. There was no point fighting the warrior, even though I really wanted to. Suddenly grasping my wrist with his strong black hands, he easily broke the steel bracelet and took it off me.

  I froze and looked at the ugly goon. He was really fearsome – black, stubbed hair, huge dark brown eyes, flat and crooked nose, fat lips, wide face with impudent eyes.

  “You don’t have a dakha bracelet,” said the warrior hoarsely. “You’re mine.”

  Unstable atom! I watched in shock as this goon threw the broken bracelet into the bushes and then grabbed my hand.

  “This is unfair!” I was more angry than scared. “Really unfair, you…”

  “T’yameh?” The warrior suddenly asked in a thundering voice, frowning.

  Now I was scared. I already knew how strong warriors were, and I only had a small knife with me. The warrior firmly held my hand, so I couldn’t run away. I panicked and looked around, realizing that there was no use shouting as we were deep in the forest. And even if they found me, they’d take me back to my father. The only thing left to do was fight, although I had no chance of winning.

  “Dahr ehm,” somebody said behind my back.

  The black tahr-ehn recoiled as if I was a leper, his face grew gray and he disappeared into the bushes. The path was clear now. I ran for it, as I instantly recognized the voice behind my back. I would always recognize him now. As far as this blue-eyed warrior was concerned, the problem would be to forget him.

  “Woman,” he called in a dissatisfied voice, as soon as I started walking quickly along the path.

  I could run only by pulling up my skirts, since this robe obviously wasn’t designed for running. So I simply walked fast.

  “Woman!” He cried compellingly.

  Now he was commanding me?! It didn’t make me mad, it made me furious.

  “Listen, creep!” I spun around to face the warrior and froze.

  Rebellious hormones resumed their march through my veins, a warm wave hit me, and my tongue downright refused to participate in the conversation. I cursed myself for such a reaction, but there was nothing I could do. Standing motionless, I silently watched the fair-haired warrior saunter up and recovered from my trance only when he stopped so close to me that there was barely any room between us.

  “Your behavior is illogical,” he said, scrutinizing my face.

  I got my tongue back immediately.

  “Yep, I’m illogical,” I said. Then I took a step back and, crossing my hands on my chest, asked coldly, “anything else I can do for you?”

  Raising my head up, I bravely looked into his eyes and froze again. I suddenly realized that I would have sex now, whether I wanted it or not, because HE clearly wanted it.

  His look made me tremble inside.

  “D-d-don’t look at me like that,” I whispered fearfully, stepping back.

  “Like what?” He asked mockingly and stepped forward.

  “L-l-like you’re looking at me now,” suddenly I was scared and took two more steps back, barely keeping myself from turning and running away.

  “Like what?” The tahr-ehn repeated his question, moving forward slowly.

  I stepped back and stumbled over a branch. I kept my balance with difficulty and stepped aside.

  “Listen, I changed my mind,” I said nervously. “I don’t want anything from you. Don’t approach me like that!”

  “Like what?” He mocked me again and took three more steps.

  “Like that!” I took another step back and realized that there was a tree behind me.

  A little too late, I also realized that because of that branch I had stepped off the path. I started to panic. The warrior was still looking at me with his unblinking eyes. Suddenly his image blurred in the air, and the next second he stood facing me, so close that he could touch me. All my escape routes were cut off. His hands were on either side of me, while my back was pressed against the wretched tree.

  “Don’t… Don’t… Don’t do it like that,” my voice suddenly grew hoarse.

  “Like what?” He reached for my lips.

  I closed my eyes. For some reason I was scared.

  “Listen,” I whispered still cowering with my eyes closed, “it was a mistake. I’m sorry. Yes… I won’t do this again, really, and…”

  Then he kissed me. His kiss was gentle and tender, yet firm and assertive. The tahr-ehn wasn’t going to ask my permission or hold any discussions, he was purposefully going for what I had agreed to by holding his hand.

  “You already gave your consent,” he said, confirming my thoughts. “I take what is mine by right.”

  I opened my eyes, glared at him, jerked, trying to break free, but the tahr-ehn pushed harder and grabbed my hands. I kicked him hard on his knee. The next moment I was free. The warrior stepped back, crossed his hands on his chest and simply towered over me, watching. After a kick like that he should have been jumping on one leg in pain.

  “Try it one more time, it will be more painful,” I whispered, stunned by how tough he was.

  It was supposed to sound threatening, but somehow it sounded almost pitiful.

  “I can use my other right,” the warrior said.

  “What right?” My curiosity forced me to ask, though I immediately felt bad about it.

  “The right of the strongest,” he answered in haughty and ice-cold tone.

  For about half a minute, I simply looked in unconcealed puzzlement at the tahr-ehn, who made me tremble inside, and tried to comprehend what he was talking about.

  “Warrior,” I finally said. “I have no doubts that you’re stronger than me.”

  There was a minute of silence.

  “Ve-ry fun-ny,” the tahr-ehn pronounced slowly in a strange tone.

  I didn’t see anything funny, probably because I kept looking into his eyes and clearly saw his desire. What’s worse, the more I looked at him, the more I felt my own re-kindled passion.

  “Listen,” retreating is not really my forte, but I nailed that maneuver, it seemed, when I was finally able to move away from the tree. “I have to go, really, and you…”

  His eyes flashed with passion again.

  “Don’t move!” I shouted at him, continuing my retreat.

  Smiling, the tahr-ehn stepped toward me, driving me into a trap again. There were a lot of trees around, so nailing me against one wasn’t an issue. And I was retreating backward, since I was afraid to take my eyes off the warrior.

  Birds sang incessantly, the leaves rustled in the trees, a branch cracked under my feet, while the warrior stepped toward me again, moving without any sound. Looking at him made my heart race madly, my feet falter, my body tremble.

  “You’re provoking me, woman,” the tahr-ehn whispered and smiled.

  “Me?” I couldn’t believe my ears.

  “You,” he replied.

  He was smiling and seemed calm and unperturbed. If it wasn’t for his eyes… I saw in them that there was no way out for me.

  “Listen, heartthrob, don’t come closer, and I promise that I would never…”

  I lunged back, but ended up against the tree again, as he professionally blocked all my escape routes and my ability to kick him. Very professionally. Even our instructors couldn’t do it like this.

  “You would never do what?” He mocked me.

  The beat of my heart seemed to drown the singing of birds, the rustling of leaves, the distant sounds of some newly started fight and the cheers of the spectators. The beat of my heart drowned everything, but I saw the entire world in his eyes.

  “What are you doing to me, woman,” the warrior whispered.

  Then he picked me up and carried me in an unknown direction.

  Although, one thing was obvious – we were finally going to have sex. That was it! I realized it quite clearly, and there was nothing I could do about it. What’s worse, I didn’t want to do anything about it. I kept looking at the warrior with my eyes wide open, as if I was hypnotized and stunned by the beat of my own heart.

  Then we stopped for a moment, and he carried me into a tent. I have no idea where we were at the moment. I only saw his face, and suddenly it grew dark because it was no longer lit by the sun shining through the leaves. Suddenly, there were no more sounds of weapons clashing, birds singing or even leaves rustling. We were alone, absolutely alone in this utter silence, as if we were cut off from the entire world by the fabric walls of the tent.

  The warrior slowly kneeled and put me onto something soft. His hand slowly moved to the straps of my robe. In the dim light of the tent, I saw his muscles roll under his tanned skin. Though he was moving slowly, the desire in his eyes burned like wildfire.

  “You make me lose control,” the tahr-ehn said in a husky voice.

  “Why?” I sat up and whispered, stretching my hand and touching his chest.

  I couldn’t help it.

  “Your passion,” he covered my hand with his, “is too strong. Now even your fear is gone. I can control my emotions, but this is too much.”

  I lay back, watching the warrior slowly undress me. When his fingers touched the straps of my robe, they fell apart as if hit by an ionic pulverizer. Then his hands slid under my white shirt and started creeping up my body, lifting the fabric. It was an incredible feeling. Indeed, my fear was gone, making room for the sweet anticipation.

  Suddenly he stopped. I didn’t even understand why. His hands froze on my hips. As it was Ashara who dressed me, I had no underwear on. I suddenly realized that I was lying half-naked before him. I looked at the man leaning over me, investigating my body, and felt ashamed.

  So I lay there ashamed, flushed all over, while he sat and looked at me. He stopped looking down my body and looked me in the eyes. And that’s when I realized that I was about to change my mind. I was with a strange man in a strange tent, and something painful was about to happen. I was scared again, but I couldn’t leave, for the warrior wouldn’t let me go. Busted motor! No, I couldn’t take it. I had to get out of here. To hell with everything, I just wouldn’t go back to father and…

  “You are like a panther,” the warrior said. “You’re strong, brave, resolute, graceful and stunningly beautiful, yet cat-like cautious and distrustful. It’s an amazing combination.”

  I knew that if I didn’t do it now, I was going to regret it for the rest of my life. The warrior smiled. His shrewd eyes saw that I had relaxed and come to terms with him and the situation. His strong hands slid up my body, lifting the fabric of my robe, then he lifted me a bit and removed my clothes completely. He lowered me back and I lay before him absolutely naked.

  “I can’t figure out your clan,” he came out of nowhere.

  Unstable atom! I’m lying here ashamed, trying to make critical decisions about my virginity, planning on giving myself to him, and he is not only examining me, but also trying to figure out my tattoo.

  “Is it important?” I asked, pulling back the dress he took off and covering the strategically important areas of my body.

  “Yes,” the tahr-ehn said calmly.

 

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