Nine Lives

1

Nine Lives

(Second of the Bete Novels)

By Stephanie Barr

Smashwords Second Edition

Copyright 2017 Stephanie Barr

Discover other titles by Stephanie Barr at Smashwords.com

Conjuring Dreams or Learning to Write by Writing

Tarot Queen

Beast Within (First of the Bete Novels)

Saving Tessa

Musings of a Nascent Poet

Curse of the Jenri

Dedicated to Stephanie, Roxy and Alex, always.

Also, thanks to Lee who was actively involved in reading, ideas and support.

And to Chuck Larlham, proof that good beta readers are worth their weight in gold.

Cover design © 2017 by Ryn Katryn Digital Art

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

One - Ambush

Two - Nightmare

Three - Community

Four - Privacy

Five - Mining Expedition

Six - Examination

Seven - Rescue

Eight - Unexpected Attack

Nine - Damage Control

Ten - Sampling

Eleven - Rivalry

Twelve - Mutiny

Thirteen - Complications

Fourteen - Confession

Fifteen - Ambush

Sixteen - Solving the Puzzle

Seventeen - Dissension

Eighteen - Calibration by Force

Nineteen - Divine Ambassador

Twenty - Challenges

Twenty-one - Trouble

Twenty-two - Guilt

Twenty-three - Manipulation

Twenty-four - Preparation

Twenty-five - Setbacks

Twenty-six - Regrouping

Twenty-seven - Overthrow

Epilogue - Mixed Blessings

About the Author

1

One - Ambush

Excessive pride, ironically enough, often leads to spectacular embarrassment. If you're lucky.

-My Father's Wisdom by Cil

There was no feeling in the world like it, not this world, not on the world he was born on, Laren decided. It was heady, the feeling of absolute power.

Laren could not have been more in his element. Several kilometers from camp, hidden in the tall grass of a plateau loaded with delectable grazers, his powerful form was poised to strike. The night was lit with an oversized pink moon that washed out most of the stars. The moon provided more than enough light for Laren's night vision.

The scent of prey filled his nostrils, the dainty deer clearly seen. Under his midnight fur, Laren's muscles bunched. Saliva dripped down his fangs and was lost in silky down along his jaw. He flexed his paws, feeling the claws extend to the rocky soil under the grass. His hind end wiggled, tail twitching, as he readied for the pounce.

The power, the strength that made him more than a man built within him, straining to be released to do what the panther did best. Kill.

His gentle target lifted its head, as if sensing its danger, still chewing the stringy grass that grew somehow in the stony soil. But it wasn't spooked.

Perfect.

Laren's heart raced as he crept forward just the tiniest bit, well-hidden by the thigh-high grass. His muscles were trembling with their pent-up power, begging for release. And, n—!

With a sickening thunk, an arrow buried itself in the doe's eye. It dropped like a stone.

Damn it, Rem! Laren protested, punctuating his mental complaint with a roar. Others in the fallen doe's herd scattered at the sound. Without hesitation, a tall man, purple in the moonlight, ran to the fallen doe and began dissecting the carcass. Rem had already slung his bow over his bare shoulder and efficiently began to skin the doe as Laren seethed.

Laren stalked up, chest heaving, baring his fearsome fangs. What the hell do you think you're doing?

Skinning the critter. Are you going to help or just brood?

Laren, his face within whisker distance of the man's, roared again, punctuating the roar with a snap of his huge sharp teeth. That was my kill!

Rem blinked at the sound then smacked Laren on the side of his head with a bloody hand. Not anymore, it's not. Bad enough you were taking all night with one harmless doe. With you roaring your head off, we'll be lucky if there's more prey within five kilometers. Now stop pouting and get helping. This might be the only catch we get.

Laren sighed inwardly and transformed, shrinking down to his somewhat short human form. He tried not to let it bug him that Rem was more than a head taller while he was in his form. Rem didn't transform into an animal, like the rest of the Prime, but a primitive man. A really impressive one, of course, but still a man. Laren reminded himself that his other form was a kick-ass fang panther. Rem was as disappointed in his Prime form as Laren was disappointed in his human one.

From the strap tied at his loincloth, Laren pulled a large hunting knife and went to carving. Sorry, Rem, he said after a minute. My temper got away with me.

"Yeah, well you should work on that. It's not that we're short on meat, but I have a hard enough time getting to go hunting at all. Cil doesn't think I should be allowed 'cause I'm not Prime enough to suit him."

Cil's not in charge, Laren said with a sigh, knowing where this was going. And he's an asshole.

Yeah, but he gives Xander nothing but grief about me. If we come back without a decent set of kills, it just makes it that much harder to justify. And they'll blame me, not you, if we come back with our bags mostly empty.

Laren hung his head, unable to deny the truth of this. His hunting skills were well-established. I could tell 'em it was my fault.

Rem sighed, rolling up the skin, before putting it in a bag and sealing it. "I'm your best friend. They'll think you're just covering for me. 'Cause you would if it was my fault."

Sorry, Rem, Laren said again. Rem was his best friend in the whole world, on two worlds, in fact. I don't know how you put up with me.

Me either, Rem said with a grin that told Laren all was forgiven. You're a pain in my ass.

Laren grinned back, but was thinking. I really will try to work on my temper.

His friend snorted. Yeah, good luck with that.

No, seriously. Laren said, sealing up the last bag of meat and transforming back to his panther form to lick the blood off his paws. I'm getting too old to be starting fights all the time.

Yeah, I was thinking you were becoming an old man, Rem said. Rem was seventeen, a year older than Laren, but he looked even older in form. He put his head to one side, a habit he'd probably picked up from K'Ti, the tribe's healer. "Get a grip on your temper, eh? You know, that is a good idea. But I wouldn't want you to strain nothing," he added with a twinkle. He wiped his knife with a handful of grass and resheathed it.

Oh, you're hilarious, Laren thought back. Then he caught a whiff of something in the air. A scent he knew.

Wolves! Coming from the east.

Shit. Big wolves like those that attacked the camp or those tiny little bitches you told me about? Or direwolves like Findal?

I got a scent here, not a visual. Laren could smell some human with the wolves, but didn't want to mention them to Rem. Rem would be sure to call for help. Bet it's the same band that attacked the camp.

Terrific! Can we get away? Rem asked, then clenched his knife between his teeth while he readied his bow.

The only reason they haven't attacked us yet is that they're surrounding us.

So, no, Rem thought back, using the telepathy all Prime shared while in form. We should call for backup.

I am not calling for help with a bunch of dogs. Suck it up. You shoot arrows that direction and I'll kill any that come at your back. Here they come.

How many are there? Rem asked.

Laren didn't answer. Better if Rem didn't know. But the grass was going to limit Rem's ability to pick the wolves off. Laren glanced around quickly and noted an outcropping of rock just barely above the grass level. Not enough to keep the dogs at bay, but it gave Rem a vantage point. Not sure if that would be enough to make up for his lack of night vision. Quick, Rem, on that rock. You pick off everything you can see. I'll defend it.

Laren, you're scaring me. But Rem managed to climb onto the rock one handed, bow in his other hand.

The first howl split the night. Laren could hear them scuffling about in the grass now, and cursed inwardly. There were nearly three dozen of them. For the first time, he wondered about their chances of surviving this little adventure.

Rem must have had the same thought. Laren heard an arrow fly and the tiny instant of whimper before the wolf died. Nice shot, Laren thought to Rem. Not bad for someone all but night blind. A growl, taken up by the other pack members filled the air.

Thank the Gods moon is full. I'm aiming for the reflection of their eyes. And there are a lot more of them then there should be, Rem said, loosing two more arrows to critical hits. Laren, how many are there? Wolf packs rarely run more than eight or so, but it looks like dozens out there. And shouldn't they be backing off with three of their numbers killed?

I think these are controlled by some native humans, Laren said reluctantly.

Rem responded immediately with a mental shout. Xander, we're in trouble, some three and half kilometers southeast of the camp. Pack of wolves has us pinned, Rem thought out. Laren, you should have told me. We can't handle all these alone!

Maybe we could—, Laren thought. Then he wasn't thinking anymore as a wolf leapt on him from the side. Laren swiped it with a heavy paw, then gripped its head in its powerful jaws to swing the wolf into the next attacker. Then he crushed its skull. Above him, Rem was shooting arrows nearly as fast as he could pull them from his quiver.

Danai and I are flying in, Xander's voice filled Laren's mind. Findal is following as fast as he can. The rest will guard the camp. Hang on. We're coming. Be there in two minutes.

Laren roared again as another wolf landed on his shoulders. He rolled then cuffed another, snapping the leg of a third with his powerful jaws. They were coming en masse and Laren would never admit that Xander's message was a comfort. Assuming they lived through the next two minutes.

Laren's vicious fighting was making a difference. The wolves had backed up a few paces, but they weren't retreating further. Laren, however, had paid a toll. He knew he was bleeding in several places, including his head because one of his eyes was blinded by blood. He thought he might have tendon damage on a hind leg which was really pissing him off.

Rem, as far as Laren knew, hadn't been touched, but he seemed to be more careful about arrows. Either they were giving him a respectful distance, too, or he was running seriously low on arrows. You okay, Rem? he asked.

Better'n you at the moment, but I've only got three arrows left. I only had a dozen to start with. I think they're going to try something. I can't see any of their eyes anymore. Shit! Laren heard a wolf leap on Rem from the side.

Rem dropped the bow and cocked arrow and rolled off the rock wrestling with the wolf. Fortunately, he rolled toward Laren and landed at his paws so Laren could smack the wolf away. Even though he'd lost his bow, Rem still had his knife clenched between his teeth.

Thanks, he thought to Laren, gripping his knife in his fist. Guess it's about to get interesting.

Dogs have no business using strategy, Laren complained.

Then, they were too busy fighting to talk, even mentally. Rem was stronger than a normal human, Laren told himself, and could handle himself in a fight. Deadly with the knife, too.

But as the pack separated them, fighting them both from all sides, Laren worried that Rem was not going to make it. He tried to fight his way back to Rem, but there were too many of them. When Rem cried out, Laren was driven to do what he'd have sworn he'd never do. He called out to his foster brother. What's taking you so long, Xander? Rem's in trouble!

As if his mind had conjured him, Xander dove out of the sky, screaming down through the air like a missile. Impossibly, Xander opened his wings at the last instant to land heavily, sweeping out with the wings to knock aside wolves as his talons and teeth tore effortlessly through the pack converging on Rem. With his tail, he managed to sweep the bulk of the attackers off Laren as well. Danai streaked down herself an instant later to land with spine crunching force on another wolf. From a distance, Laren could hear Findal's howl. Save one of those bastards for me!

But it was not to be. As Danai took off for another strike and Rem regained his feet, the wolves backed off. Then, when Xander let just a trickle of flame escape from between his lips, they turned, tails tucked between their legs, and slunk into the night.

Laren would never admit it under normal circumstances, not even to himself, but Xander was an impressive sight. Xander was a huge black dragon, tinged violet in the moonlight with purple eyes that glowed internally. It might be the only time in Laren's life he was glad to see the bastard. Danai, a sizable blood hawk, looked puny next to him. Hell, everything looked puny next to the Dragon.

Xander stayed in form, his eyes following as the last of the wolves faded into the grass. Are you two unharmed? Laren? Rem?

I'm alright, Rem said, sliding his knife back into its sheath after wiping it on the fur of a corpse. A few scratches, but no one quite took a chunk out of me. I just made sure I used the knife on any open jaws. Still, closer than I liked.

If you weren't hurt, why did you scream like a girl? Laren asked, returning to his human form and sliding to his butt as his leg gave out.

I did not scream like a girl, Rem retorted.

Laren's injured leg was useless and he was shaking from the pain, something he'd just as soon Xander didn't see. He felt like he hurt everywhere and guessed he was missing a few chunks. He wasn't sure he wanted to do a real tally. He felt light-headed and really woozy and couldn't seem to blink all the blood out of his eyes.

Laren? Xander asked again, concern in his huge violet eyes.

Laren was trying to figure out how to word his answer when he was struck from behind by an over-exuberant girl. Laren! Are you okay? I was so worried about you! Oh, you're hurt.

Ow, Laren said, trying to loosen the arms tight around his throat. Don't choke me now, Danai. I'll be alright in a bit. I think. I'm sorry you two had to rescue us.

I'd do anything for you, Laren. Want me to kiss it and make it better? Oh, you're shaking!

Laren rolled his eyes, but he moved her around him so he could give her a friendly hug and then released her. Danai was a sweet kid, but he didn't want to encourage her crush. I'm okay, mostly. I guess the fight was a little tougher than I'd hoped. Damn dogs wouldn't stop coming even when we'd killed more than half of 'em. Normal wolves don't do that.

Laren could hear the pounding feet of Findal, their own direwolf, a canine monster that put these wannabes to shame. As he galloped up, Xander transformed back into his human form, squatting next to Laren, moving him wordlessly and examining him with his enhanced vision. You look a little worse for wear, there, Laren. His fingers found the worst wound on his leg, put pressure on it. Rem, do you have any straps or anything? He's losing a lot of blood. I think this leg bite may have nicked an artery. And I bet he can't walk on it. Laren, can you use this leg?

Laren was finding himself more than a little lightheaded, the world going black around the edges. I don't think so. I think they took a tendon. He was surprised at the slurred quality of his words, as if he were drugged.

Rem, put pressure on his leg here. I'm going to have to take him back. Findal will go back with you, with Danai providing air support. If I don't get him back to K'Ti quickly, he might lose too much blood.

Laren wanted to protest that he didn't want to be flown anywhere, but he couldn't seem to get his mouth to work now, the black creeping further into his vision. Of course, Xander, with his telepathy in any form could hear him anyway. Don't be stupid, Xander thought, transforming back into the Dragon. Wrap it up tight, Rem, or he'll bleed out before I can get him back.

Laren could hear Danai crying out and Rem's fingers wrapping something about his leg, but Laren couldn't keep his eyes open to see for himself. We're losing him, Rem said grimly. Rem never sounded grim. Idiot should have told us.

With surprising gentleness, Xander slid his long talons under Laren's body, then wrapped them securely about him. Hold on, Xander thought before leaping into the night sky.

Which was the last thing Laren remembered.

Two - Nightmare

The cruelest thing you can do to one who loves you is hurt yourself.

-Collected Wisdom of the Forgotten Tribes by Sinda El & Kindran Forn

When Laren opened his eyes some time later, he was as surprised as anyone that he was still alive. He was on a mat on the floor of the medical hut, with daylight filtering in through the cloth hanging at the door. How long had he been out?

He lifted a hand to his ringing head and stopped as he felt a sharp pain at his elbow and a tug on his arm. He turned his head and examined the something sticking into his skin with a tube snaking away, a tube so darkly red it looked purple. He swallowed against the sick feeling in his stomach, and followed the tube to where it ended: in Darma's arm.

Darma was propped up beside him on some cushions, that sarcastic half-smile on her lips, her eyes sharp. Back from the shadow of death, are you? 'Bout time.