Born of Fury

CHAPTER 28

Flat on his stomach, Hauk blinked his eyes open to find himself at home. In his own bed. At first, he thought everything had been a dream until he realized the warmth against his side wasn’t a pillow and there was a long, shapely leg draped over his buttocks and a delicate hand buried in his hair. Best of all were the warm, naked breasts pressed flat against his arm.

A wave of peaceful contentment washed over him. He didn’t want to move and disturb her in any way.

At least that was his thought until he felt her fingers slowly massaging his scalp.

“You awake?” he whispered.

“Yes. You?”

He rolled over slowly so that he could draw her into his arms. “If I’m not, don’t wake me from this dream. I want to stay here forever.”

She brushed her hand carefully over his bandages. “How do you feel?”

“Wonderful.”

She snorted doubtfully as she plucked at the bandage over his abdomen. “I find that hard to believe.”

“I would gladly take a thousand beatings if it meant I could wake up with you, like this.”

“You’re a sick Andarion, Dancer.”

Smiling, he laced his fingers with hers. “Eleron, status on my searches.”

“Wait!”

He frowned at Sumi’s almost shrill tone. That was as close to hysteria as he ever wanted her to come. “What?”

She bit her lip. “I didn’t want you to hear it from the computer. The search on your chip came back last night and…”

“And what?”

“It originally belonged to Keris.”

Hauk couldn’t breathe as that news slapped him hard. “How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. Fain said —”

“You told Fain?”

She nodded. “You were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you. He took it to Syn so that he could run diagnostics on it.”

“He hasn’t found anything other than the DOM,” Eleron broke in. “He also pulled the autopsy files for Keris Hauk, as well as his full medical history.”

Hauk was taken aback to see Eleron in his doorway. She normally didn’t assume her Andarion form without asking him first. But at least she did take his last command to wear more human-like clothing. “Thanks, El.”

“My pleasure.” She continued to stare at them from the doorway.

Feeling a little awkward to have a computer voyeur, Hauk pulled his blanket higher. “Is there anything else, El?”

“No.”

“You planning to stay there for a while?”

Eleron blinked innocently. “Do you not want to look at me?”

Sumi arched a brow over that comment.

“Uh… I would like a little privacy, El.”

She actually cast a menacing glare to Sumi. “Very well. Let me know when you need me again.”

Sumi cocked her head. “I don’t think your girlfriend likes me very much.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Does Eleron know that?”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not that big a pervert, mia.”

“Then why was she naked last night?”

“She was clothed. I swear that was normal Andarion wear.” He placed his hand over his heart. “Really.”

“Well, where I grew up, that’s naked.”

He slid his hand down her thigh. “Not as naked as this is.” He dipped his head to nibble her hip. “Am I forgiven yet?”

“You’re getting there.”

Grinning, he nudged her legs farther apart.

“Hauk?” Eleron said as she appeared next to the bed again. “Maris prepared breakfast and has left it in the kitchen warmer for you. Would you like me to heat it to full temperature?” She frowned at the bed. “Hauk?”

He stuck his head out from under the sheet to glare at her. “I wanted privacy, El.”

“But you have a house full of guests… Desideria is currently bathing Illyra in their guest tub. Nykyrian, Syn, Darling, Chayden, Fain, Nero, Maris, Caillen, Shahara, Devyn, the mecha monkey I despise, and Jayne are in the conservatory. They were joined an hour ago by Ture, Terek, Zarya, and an infant I am told is named Cezar. Should I create a new profile for the child?”

“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Done. Now should I prepare your shower and food?”

Sumi’s stomach convulsed under his head as she laughed silently at his misery. “Privacy, El. Please.”

“Is it not considered rude to leave guests waiting?”

“She’s not going to give on this, sweetie.”

Hauk growled in the back of his throat at the bitter frustration that begged him to pull the plug on his entire home system. But unfortunately, Eleron was right. It was rude to leave them unattended. “Would you like to meet the rest of my family?” he asked Sumi.

She gently brushed the braids out of his eyes. “Sure.”

Grimacing, he slowly got up and dressed, and cursed Eleron while he did so. By the time they’d left the bedroom, Eleron was waiting in the hallway.

“Yes, El?” he asked irritably.

“Two more just arrived. I have allowed them access to the living room and am holding them there for your review.”

He frowned at that. No one else should be here. “Who is it?”

“Ger Tarra War Hauk and Tarra Fadima Wulfryn.”

Hauk groaned out loud.

“Who?” Sumi asked.

“My yaya and evil cousin. I swear if Fadima squeezes my cheek, I will stab her.”

She laughed at his disgruntled threat. “Does that a lot?”

He rolled his eyes. “Sadly, it’s a step up from the days when she used to throw me on the ground, sit on me, and fart. If you ever wondered where Darice gets his finer manners, I swear Dimie swapped wombs with Dariana.”

“Oh joy. I can’t wait to meet her.” Sumi’s humor died as Hauk led her into the living room and she came under the scathing glare of an extremely tall, gorgeous Andarion who made her feel like the twisted underbelly of a torna.

“Dancer!” When Fadima took a step toward him, his grandmother pulled her back.

“Our princess, Fadima.” She fell into a low bow.

Fadima followed suit. “Forgive me, Highness.”

Uncomfortable, Sumi bit her lip and glanced at Dancer, who seemed to be enjoying this a little too much. “Please, rise. It’s fine.”

Dancer squeezed her hand to let her know that she didn’t need to be nervous. “To what do I owe this honor, Yaya?”

His grandmother pulled the black, rectangle case from her shoulder and knelt on the floor with it. Fadima knelt beside her while his grandmother unzipped it to expose his family’s Warsword.

Sumi gasped at the weapon that was centuries old and in perfect condition. It looked as if it’d just been forged. Never had she seen anything more beautiful. And it was with the blade of that sword that Andaria had been saved.

The sacredness of it wasn’t lost on her.

Solemnly, Dancer fell to his knees and motioned for Sumi to do the same. With great ceremony, his grandmother pulled out a pair of thick black leather gloves and placed them on her hands. Then she handed a similar pair to Sumi.

“The blade is sharper than any you’ve ever held, Highness,” his grandmother explained. “For that reason, gloves should be worn at all times when you handle it, and especially when you fight with it.”

Sumi bowed her head respectfully. “I will always take care.”

His grandmother sat back while Sumi covered her hands. “My husband’s honorable mother bestowed the great Warsword into my stewardship on the tenth year of our unification. Menser of the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk was one of the greatest heroes of his generation. A decorated warrior, he never knew defeat in battle. To the day he drew his last breath, I couldn’t believe my fortune in having a husband so noble. He fed this great Warsword the blood of many enemies. But alas, she has remained famished for many years now as I waited for the right Andarion to again wield her in battle.”

Her eyes were filled with sadness as she looked at her grandson. “You, Dancer of the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk, have more than earned the honor of wielding this great sword. I’ve wanted to bestow her on you since the day your paran died. It was wrong of me to withhold her from you because of the animosity I bear the Terisools. But I couldn’t stomach the thought of placing this in the hands of that bitch who killed my firstborn grandson. Nor allowing any child she brewed in her venomous womb to touch it.” She turned back to Sumi. “Forgive me, princess, that’s not part of the ceremony.”

Sumi smiled at her. “By all means, think nothing of it. Dariana has no friend in me.”

Her white eyes shined like a child’s. She lifted the sword and held it with two hands, by the blade. “For the first Dancer War Hauk it was forged by the first Great Chief and founder of the Most Sovereign Blood Clan of eton Anatole. Since the moment the Great Chief’s blood and that of the War Hauk mixed upon this blade, it has been foretold that so long as a War Hauk has possession of our Warsword, Andaria will know no defeat. We will stand strong against all invaders. It is my deepest and most sacred honor that I now move her forward and place her in the hands of the next generation that will feed her well. Into your honorable hands, Sumi of the Most Sovereign Blood Clan of eton Anatole, I place the greatest heritage of the Warring Blood Clan of Hauk. I know that you, Dancer, and all the beautiful children you will have to carry our legacy on, will bring nothing but glory and honor to this noble weapon. May you feed her well and defend our nation as all the great War Hauks before you.” She kissed the winged hilt before she carefully placed the sword in Sumi’s hands.

Sumi bowed low. “Thank you, Ger —”

“Yaya,” she said, breaking in.

She smiled. “Yaya. I will watch over and protect this great Warsword with every ounce of courage I possess.”

His grandmother placed her hands over Sumi’s. “I know you will, child. I am proud to welcome you into our family and pray that I live long enough to see your firstborn.” She released her hands and looked over to Dancer. “Now, you may finally touch your paran’s sword and return it to its nest. I promise there will be no spanking henceforth when you pull it down.”

He kissed her cheek. “Kimi asyado, Yaya.”

She patted his shoulder. “You were always my favorite.”

“That’s what I keep telling him. But he never believes it.”

Laughing, Sumi turned toward Fain at the same time Fadima hissed and exposed her fangs.

She started to rise, but their grandmother grabbed her and held her fast.

Sumi gaped. For an elderly woman, the matriarch of the War Hauks still had a lot of fight and strength in her.

“He is now an eton Anatole,” she said in Fadima’s ear. “Any harm, and it will be from your hide recompense is taken.”

Fadima’s jaw went slack. “Seriously?”

His grandmother gave a curt nod. “Yes.”

Fain made a little-kid gesture of sticking his thumbs in his ears and poking his tongue out at her. “You can’t touch me.” He sobered as he looked over at his brother. “Damn, to have had these wicked powers when we were young.”

Laughing, Hauk returned the sword to its brackets. “I know, right?” He winked at Dimie. “And not that I’m not thrilled to have you over, coz, but why are you here?”

She inclined her head to Sumi, who was removing her gloves and returning them to the sword’s case. “To train our princess on how to fight an Andarion female.”

His grandmother rose to her feet. “I asked her to do this as a personal favor. Dariana sent over word this morning that she wants Sumi in the ring, day after tomorrow.”

Hauk scowled. “Why so soon?”

“Dariana is with child and cannot legally fight after that date.”