Free Vulcan's Woman by Jennifer LaRose

open.
    “Jade?” the chieftain continued. The woman jumped up. “Bring
yarrow leaves for her wounds.”
    Yarrow leaves? Overwhelmed with relief, Wisteria inhaled
sharply but before she released the air, the chieftain swept her off her feet
into his arms.
    He carried her toward his hut, her body bouncing during each
long stride. Once inside he laid her on a fur hide. She skittered to her bottom
and backed up against the farthest wall. On the opposite side sat a small
in-ground fire pit surrounded by large rocks to contain the flames. A thin stream
of gray smoke floated from a pile of red embers and filtered through a large
hole cut in the roof. Despite the warmth, she still shivered. Rubbing
gooseflesh from her arms, she glared at the Barbarian.
    “What will you do with me?” She’d never been secluded in
such a small area with a man. And remembering the feel of Vulcan’s large, hard
organ, she wondered if it’d be less painful to burn at the stake or be stabbed
rather than be rutted against her will by this heartless Barbarian.
    “Whatever I choose,” he uttered.
    She didn’t like the sound of that. At all. Especially having
just witnessed the Flesh Eater’s demise. “Why’d you take me from my home?”
    The flap opened and Jade entered, carrying a handful of
leaves. “This should be plenty,” she said. “Shall I apply them now?”
    The Barbarian folded his arms across his chest and nodded
once.
    Jade knelt beside the pelt, laid the leaves down then rested
her hands on her thighs. “What is your name?”
    “Wisteria.”
    “These leaves will stop the bleeding and help the wounds
heal. Lie down.”
    Wisteria couldn’t take her eyes off the chieftain, whose
arrogant stance now blocked the doorway. Still unable to locate his eyes inside
the mask, she sensed him glaring at her as she moved toward Jade and eased onto
her back.
    Why were these Barbarians helping her? Was it their normal
protocol to treat their victims respectfully before ripping their hearts out?
Did they like to toy with their food before the kill?
    She laid an arm across her forehead. Just as Jade removed a
chewed leaf from her mouth and placed it on Wisteria’s tummy, Wisteria
shuddered.
    “I’m sorry,” Jade said. “Did I hurt you? The leaves are not
intended to cause additional pain.”
    Wisteria shook her head. She knew the benefits of yarrow.
Her clan used it often. She even credited it to saving Boar’s life. She and Ivy
applied many leaves to his wounds when their father nearly clubbed him to death
the day their older sister Lily was captured by the Mountain Slayers. If Shale
hadn’t grabbed the club, Boar would be buried with their other siblings.
    It wasn’t Boar’s fault Lily was slaughtered. Lily wanted to
learn how to spear fish so he’d taken her to the green lake. At the time he
wasn’t aware it belonged to the slayers and that it was forbidden from the
clan. There, they were overtaken by the mountain tribe. Boar was outnumbered
and fled for help. By the time Wisteria’s clansmen arrived, the slayers had
already shredded her sister to pieces. What remained lay in a puddle of blood
for the Flesh Eaters to discover. The slayers hadn’t burned her remains, which
meant they hadn’t considered her evil, but Wisteria wished they had. It seemed
more humane than leaving her to be fed upon.
    Fortunately, before the cannibalistic tribe had a chance to
find Lily, Wisteria’s father gathered her remains and performed a proper
burial. It was the first time Wisteria ever witnessed him cry. Sadly he became
bitter on that fateful day and lost compassion for his remaining children. They
knew Lily had been his favorite.
    Wisteria closed her eyes after Jade finished laying warm,
moist leaves on her tummy and began applying fresh ones on her legs.
    She swore the Barbarian beast groaned when the woman
separated Wisteria’s thighs to treat a slash that traveled to the inside.
    “Who whipped you?” Jade asked.
    “I’d rather not