the other end of the beach, and McGann was stuck inside with the women, learning to cook over an open fire and other fun stuff like that. We spent the morning hauling shit up to the longhouse. I was working on a mess of sail and wood when Wolf came running down the beach, frantic.
"Mas... Mas!” he shouted. “I need help!"
I dropped what I was working on and ran to meet him. “What's wrong?"
"Follow me,” he shouted. I did and was shocked at what he had found.
Wolf had been working on another pile of wood when he was surprised to find a couple of injured people in the wreckage. He really hadn't expected them to be Keno and Tamazusa.
They were cold and barely breathing, and Wolf had run to get me for help. Logan came over and just took charge, not that Wolf was being an idiot, but because this was something Logan knew about. I thought he was happy to be useful.
"Hypothermia,” Logan said. “The open water around here is like ice. No injuries, surprising, considering the boat's in pieces. We got to get them out of those clothes, into bed with someone to warm them up. They're both lucky that they're alive."
I grunted and lifted up Tamazusa, while Wolf picked up Keno and ran to the longhouse. I was surprised by how small Tamazusa seemed as I jogged after him. I figured she would be pissed if she woke up naked with someone, and then she would turn my insides into Jell-O. I wasn't going to let that happen to anyone. Besides, in my line of work, there were worse ways to die than being killed by a hot chick.
* * * *
Tamazusa
I woke up naked and aching, in the arms of a man. Not something I had ever wanted to do again. I stiffened and was confused when a soft voice murmured assurances of safety to me, while my back was stroked. I didn't recognize the voice, even if I recognized the language. It was English, but with an accent I didn't know. I lay still, plotting what I was going to do and waiting for whatever outrage he was going to inflict upon me. The place smelled of smoke, bad food, and too many people. There were coarse blankets around me, heavy and warm. Where had I ended up?
I was powerless, and as far as I knew, alone. I tensed up, thinking of the half dozen Reaver guards I'd had with me, along with Keno. They had not survived the storm, I knew that. I wasn't sure Keno had.
My unwelcome companion murmured something soothing again and patted my back, and I forced myself to relax. I wanted to appear as harmless as possible until I knew what had happened to Keno and where I was. Was I this man's prisoner? A guest? The voice sounded familiar, but I wasn't going to show him I was awake by opening my eyes to find out who it was. I would pretend to be asleep and see what I could gather for information.
"How is she?” another man asked.
"Warm, finally,” my bedmate replied. “She's been drifting in and out of it."
"McGann says that she's dangerous,” the other man continued. “That she's a powerful Nipponese lord that you met before, Mason."
"Kickass,” Mason replied. “Tough as nails and has a bigger set of balls than McGann, Logan. Be nice to her."
I shifted, shocked when I heard the name, and he winced, then moved me again. “Ball buster, too, which she just demonstrated by squishing mine. She's in charge of some place in Nippon. Have McGann tell you about it."
"The other one's okay too,” Logan said. “He's going to be asleep for a while, though."
"Good,” Mason said, “I was worried about Keno. He's a good kid. Don't give him any shit."
I heard Logan move off, and Mason stroked my back, gently telling me, “I know that you're awake."
I looked up at him, knowing that fooling him wasn't an option. “And what are you going to do?” I hated the fact that I sounded weak, almost frightened.
"Well, you're warmer now but still shivering a bit. All I was planning to do was keep you warm. You're a sexy mama, but I also know you can turn me into Jell-O. I remember that trick you pulled with Heiseg.
"Mas... Mas!” he shouted. “I need help!"
I dropped what I was working on and ran to meet him. “What's wrong?"
"Follow me,” he shouted. I did and was shocked at what he had found.
Wolf had been working on another pile of wood when he was surprised to find a couple of injured people in the wreckage. He really hadn't expected them to be Keno and Tamazusa.
They were cold and barely breathing, and Wolf had run to get me for help. Logan came over and just took charge, not that Wolf was being an idiot, but because this was something Logan knew about. I thought he was happy to be useful.
"Hypothermia,” Logan said. “The open water around here is like ice. No injuries, surprising, considering the boat's in pieces. We got to get them out of those clothes, into bed with someone to warm them up. They're both lucky that they're alive."
I grunted and lifted up Tamazusa, while Wolf picked up Keno and ran to the longhouse. I was surprised by how small Tamazusa seemed as I jogged after him. I figured she would be pissed if she woke up naked with someone, and then she would turn my insides into Jell-O. I wasn't going to let that happen to anyone. Besides, in my line of work, there were worse ways to die than being killed by a hot chick.
* * * *
Tamazusa
I woke up naked and aching, in the arms of a man. Not something I had ever wanted to do again. I stiffened and was confused when a soft voice murmured assurances of safety to me, while my back was stroked. I didn't recognize the voice, even if I recognized the language. It was English, but with an accent I didn't know. I lay still, plotting what I was going to do and waiting for whatever outrage he was going to inflict upon me. The place smelled of smoke, bad food, and too many people. There were coarse blankets around me, heavy and warm. Where had I ended up?
I was powerless, and as far as I knew, alone. I tensed up, thinking of the half dozen Reaver guards I'd had with me, along with Keno. They had not survived the storm, I knew that. I wasn't sure Keno had.
My unwelcome companion murmured something soothing again and patted my back, and I forced myself to relax. I wanted to appear as harmless as possible until I knew what had happened to Keno and where I was. Was I this man's prisoner? A guest? The voice sounded familiar, but I wasn't going to show him I was awake by opening my eyes to find out who it was. I would pretend to be asleep and see what I could gather for information.
"How is she?” another man asked.
"Warm, finally,” my bedmate replied. “She's been drifting in and out of it."
"McGann says that she's dangerous,” the other man continued. “That she's a powerful Nipponese lord that you met before, Mason."
"Kickass,” Mason replied. “Tough as nails and has a bigger set of balls than McGann, Logan. Be nice to her."
I shifted, shocked when I heard the name, and he winced, then moved me again. “Ball buster, too, which she just demonstrated by squishing mine. She's in charge of some place in Nippon. Have McGann tell you about it."
"The other one's okay too,” Logan said. “He's going to be asleep for a while, though."
"Good,” Mason said, “I was worried about Keno. He's a good kid. Don't give him any shit."
I heard Logan move off, and Mason stroked my back, gently telling me, “I know that you're awake."
I looked up at him, knowing that fooling him wasn't an option. “And what are you going to do?” I hated the fact that I sounded weak, almost frightened.
"Well, you're warmer now but still shivering a bit. All I was planning to do was keep you warm. You're a sexy mama, but I also know you can turn me into Jell-O. I remember that trick you pulled with Heiseg.
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