Free Men of Anderas II: Dak the Protector by Cheryl Johnson

than Talon received on the
shuttle or what he experienced at the bathhouse, he’d just as soon
not be around to see it. His fingers still tingled.
    She said she needed an Anderan .
Why? We’re no different from any other humanoid race. Since the
plague, we aren’t considered worthy candidates for the
marriage-minded. So what did she need with him?
    Dak reluctantly admitted that only Kierin
knew the answer to his questions and only she could remove the
stone. All he had to do was come up with a good enough reason for
her to make that choice. Brute force was obviously not an
option--even without the power of the stone. It just wasn’t in him
to pit his greater strength against a woman. There had to be
another way.
    “Dak, we really need to leave. It will be
dark before we know it.”
    “Yes, Kierin.” Her look of surprise was
almost enough to restore his good humor. If nothing else, he was
keeping her off balance. Swinging himself into the saddle, he
sought the balance of an unfamiliar mount. He was accustomed to the
larger warhorses of Falcon Tor but the mare seemed content to carry
his weight. Kierin was apparently satisfied with his riding skills.
She turned north and headed out of town. It was bitter irony that
he, trained from birth to lead men, now followed a woman. No
weapon. No supporting patrol. Not even a plan of action if anything
went wrong. And it was his experience that something always went wrong if you weren’t prepared.
    Once clear of the city gates, she set a
steady pace toward the line of trees in the distance. At least
there would be some cover in the heavy growth. He couldn’t shake
the feeling that someone was watching. Was it Draagon and his
killers? Talon? He knew by the prickling of hairs on the back of
his neck that someone followed Kierin, but which one was it? By the
Beard of the Prophet, this endless barrage of questions was driving
him mad.
    Kierin headed for home, constantly aware of
the disturbing man behind her. He continued to surprise and confuse
her. He was under the control of the stone yet he managed to do
things without her directives. Animal Control Units used the same
stones to control the largest wild animals without harm to
themselves or the beasts. Animals twice Dak’s size became meek and
docile. He shouldn't be capable of even simple actions, like
feeding himself, without her specific instructions. Her Anderan
managed much more than feeding himself.
    She should have seen it coming from the
beginning. He had a strength of will, a determination unlike anyone
she'd ever encountered. Admittedly, her experience with men was
limited. Her father and brother sheltered her from the harsher
realities of life. Draagon's threat only intensified their
protectiveness. Now, when she needed all her focus on getting them
safely to her fortress, he kept slipping past her guard right to
her heart. She had to remember that he wouldn’t be in her world
long no matter how badly she might want him to stay. If she started
thinking about a future that might include him, she’d only be hurt.
He was already more important to her than she ever intended for him
to be.
    She overreacted to his kiss this morning. It
was her only excuse for what she’d done to him. His actions didn’t
warrant the use of her power. Those remarkable brown eyes had the
power to turn her common sense to mush. The approval she saw when
he looked at her made her feel very special, but scared her to
death. She didn’t know how to deal with him nor his effect on her.
When he touched her she couldn’t get enough air. When she finally
did manage a deep breath, she couldn’t let it out. And his kisses.
If she could bottle those kisses there would never be another cold
woman on the entire planet!
    "Is there a problem little witch?"
    Dak’s slow drawl, so close beside her,
startled her out of her mental rambling.
    "What?” She asked, glancing around. The late
afternoon sun was barely above the treetops, gilding the