Page 25 of The Manticore's Fire

“Totally worth it,” Abby mumbled and then groaned softly when she tried to move. He winced a little with guilt, but she ran her hand along his cheek lovingly, distracting him. “Okay handsome, get me over there. And don’t look so worried. I have been sunburned a lot worse than this.”

Purring, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her back into the shelter. It was only several hours later, and well after sunset when they were ready to set out again. His muscles labored under the combined weight of the water jugs and Abby across his shoulders and upper back, but he did not mind it. His spirit was high. He was more than a little eager to return home with his female.

One thing was for certain; he was utterly and undeniably besotted with Abby. There could no longer be any denying it. She had long earned his admiration, and now his trust so that he could finally admit that what she had possessed all along was his heart. He would get her a small treat to show her his caring. Surely there was a caravan somewhere nearby. She slept so heavily that she would not even notice that he had left.

Chapter

Seventeen

Abby’s gaze lifted from the page where she was practicing writing the simple sentences Samir had taught her. She frowned at the tea as he poured it into the cups, though she was grateful that the skin on her face no longer pulled with the tightness of sunburn when she did so. Lifting her own cup, she gave the oddly dark liquid a delicate sniff and grimaced. “I think there is something wrong with the tea.”

“That’s because it is not tea. It’s coffee. A very good quality coffee that is highly prized in this region,” he replied with a faint purr to his voice. “I just recently acquired a fresh batch while you were sleeping.”

Her brows dipped lower as her eyes lifted from the dark, steaming liquid to squint up at the manticore. “Recently acquired? How…?” She groaned and set the cup down before lowering her head into her hands. “Please tell me you didn’t raid a passing merchant caravan.”

“Do not be ridiculous.” He snorted mirthfully and lowered the ornate silver pot in his hands. Now that she was paying closer attention, she noticed that it wasn’t the usual smaller pot he used for tea but taller and more fluted in shape. “Of course I did.”

She peered up at him between her fingers and sighed, propping her chin on her fist instead. “You do realize that is why they sent me, right?”

He paused in the midst of placing a plate of some sort of sweet confection she knew for certain that he didn’t make. “Should I write them a thank you letter? I could stuff it into the wound of the next human I let flee.”

She glowered at him, drawing a chuffing chuckle from the male.

“Do not look so cross, Abby,” he purred, tapping her thigh gently with the side of his stinger. “I may wound those who are foolish enough not to get out of my way, but I seldom kill anyone who is not trying to kill me first. There are always some guards who are far more noble than what their pay warrants who try to make a stand, but a few strategic slashes change their minds easily enough.”

“And you don’t imagine that is the cause of people wanting to kill you?” she retorted.

“I do not,” he said primly despite his grin as he nudged the plate toward her. “They should be leaving me coffee, tea, and various treats as gifts for all the good that I do them. Speaking of which, I have acquired gifts for you,” he purred as he nodded toward a small stack of novels boasting adventurous titles penned to them that had her clutching them to her chest.

“I wanted to get you jewels and things of beauty, but it seems that coffee, snacks, and books was the best this particular caravan supplied.”

“You say that likes it a bad thing when I can’t think of anything else I would like better,” she hesitantly admitted.

Holding her books within her arms, she eyed the plate for a moment. They did look good. She knew she ought to protest eating ill-gotten treats and the lavish present of books, but on the other hand it didn’t do to let them go to waste. After amoment of indecision, she leaned forward and plucked up a puffed pastry dusted with large crystals of sugar. He certainly knew the way to a girl’s heart. If he hadn’t already captured it that was—not that he would be especially pleased to hear that either way considering his apparent determination to remain unyoked to a mate, so she kept it to herself. Wouldn’t he have said something by now, otherwise? It was a crushing thought but one that she was resolved to keep pushed back to the furthest recesses of her mind so as to not dwell on it and ruin her time with him.

Licking a bit of sugar off her thumb, she turned a skeptical look at him. “What do you mean by ‘all the good you do for them?’”

He peered back at her. “Did you not happen to notice how this part of the desert is shockingly free of monsters—aside from myself, naturally.”

Abby thoughtfully nibbled at the cookie as she considered it. He had a good point. Normally when traveling through the wilderness one could catch sight of any number of creatures—many of which preferred to scatter or hide when they were at a disadvantage but wouldn’t hesitate to attack if the opportunity struck. Even still there were always signs of larger, more dangerous predators that passed through. Although she knew nothing of deserts, now that he mentioned it, the fact that they encountered no signs that she was able to detect was unusual. No one had even so much as mentioned other creatures that lurked in the region.

“And I suppose you are saying that it’s due to you? What do you do, just eat everything in your territory?” she asked lightly, still uncertain of whether he was being facetious or not.

He snorted again as if she were a particularly silly child but inclined his head in agreement. “Yes and no. Yes, I’m responsible, yes, I eat most things, but no I don’t eat any sort ofbeing that I consider a person.” His eyelids lowered sultrily. “As you know, I make an exception for you, little female,” he purred.

Abby’s thighs pressed together as heat flooded into her cheeks. Although he hadn’t mounted her again over the last couple of days, the reminder sent a tendril of heat stabbing through her. With promises like that, what was holding him back?

His nostrils flared and he smirked, letting her know that he was toying with her in at least one way. Coughing delicately, he picked up a twisted pastry sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon and his expression shifted to a more sober one once more with a flick of his ears. “I do, however, kill plenty that would have raided the towns and villages, razed cities and crushed caravans throughout my territory. It is because of me that these caravans, who threaten me if I so much as dare approach, are even able to safely travel through this part of the desert. Trust me, there are things I would rather be doing. And as picking bits out of my teeth of things I refuse to eat and removing it from beneath my claws is a foul task, I try to use my stinger as much as possible, depleting my venom which requires me to consume a large quantity of food. So why should I not have some sort of tithe for my protection when I can go into the mountains to the southeast and leave the humans to their own devices.”

She mulled over his logic. There was brutality to it given that he took what he wanted whether it was offered or not, but it was also clear that Zayman’s description of the situation had a lot missing. Unless the people were that ignorant, she didn’t know how they could miss it. She doubted that Samir went through the trouble of hiding bodies. He clearly expected some measure of appreciation and reciprocation.

“Have you considered trying to discuss it and offering a trade of service?” The moment the words were out of her mouth, Abby cringed at just how stupid that sounded. Of course, that wouldn’twork if they were trying to kill him on sight. He was a manticore—a dangerous monster as far as most were concerned. The flat look that Samir gave her just compounded her embarrassment and she winced. “Sorry,” she muttered as she picked up her cup and brought the coffee up to her lips.

The hot, bitter liquid hit her tongue, and she nearly choked before catching the delicate hint of spices… the distinct hint of sweetness from cardamom stood out from it, giving it an appealing flavor despite her initial recoil. Experimentally, she took another sip, this time bracing for the expected bite and was pleasantly rewarded with another burst of mingled flavors. It was actually good.

“It would be infinitely easier if it could be that simple,” he muttered, his ears virtually disappearing into his mane as they flattened. “I cannot even approach a caravan or even a small contingent without weapons being hurled at me.”

“Considering that you are ambushing merchants, I can’t imagine why,” she replied drolly.

---