34 BULLETS

My heart fell to my stomach.

The new wolf stood tall and chest heaving. Teeth showing in a fight.

Grey and nearly six feet high of thick muscle.

I couldn't scream.

Another werewolf!

It did come to eat me.

Stupid Eleanor and your whistling! What the freak did you think would happen!?

Dropping the blanket, I swirled around for my gun.

I didn't even have it to my eye before Thann laughed a delighted sound and stepped forward. "Cane!"

Cane?

I knew that name.

How did I know that name?

I tried to press the chill away and my thoughts zoomed in.

Cane.Cane.Cane.Cane.

Oh! Cane! It was Thann's family!

The wolf's mouth turned to a sloppy grin and he changed to a man before my eyes.

A very scantily clothed man.

Again with the Tarzan scraps boys?

Gah!

Put on some dang clothes.

I looked away until they were both in an embrace.

"Yena Wothanndo!" The other man laughed and patted his back.

The other man was just shorter than Thann, but still NBA tall. Skinnier muscles but streamlined like a swimmer. He was still incredibly fit and tan. Long hair skimmed about his shoulders as Thann and him did some patting handshake.

My gun was hovering around my nose watching them, when Thann turned a hand my way. "Lona ngu-El."

He realized my state of undress and sped forward replacing the gun to my shoulder and blanket around my chest.

The other man stepped forward, a sweet boyish grin upon his face. "Sawubona. NgiyiCane."

As I stared, Thann shook his head to his brother. "Akaqondi. Ulahlekelwe yindandatho yakhe."

Cane surveyed my hands, then put his own forward to shake, voice a rich tenor. "Hello. My name is Cane."

I was momentarily stunned remembering Thann's grand entrance, but then put my hand in his. "Hi. I'm El."

"El," he echoed. Then with his fingers still clenched around mine, wrapped his other around mine too and shot a knowing grin to Thann. "Owesifazane omuhle."

Thann nodded proudly, before shaking his head out and getting a serious worry. "Cha! Ungowenkosi. Ungowesifazane Wokuduma."

Cane's hands went limp over mine, eyes on me changed to horror. "Owesifazane Wokuduma."

"Ugh. Not that again," I grumbled to myself.

Cane bent quicker than a hummingbird to one knee and bowed, though both hands still held tight around mine. "Owesifazane Wokuduma. Ngizokukhonza." He spoke humbly to my toes.

Thann echoed the words and bowed to me as well. "Owesifazane Wokuduma. Ngizokukhonza."

"Oh good grief," I told the heavens, trying to release my fingers from Cane's hard grip. I couldn't. "Get up boys."

When neither moved, I put my foot under Thann's eyes and wiggled it. "Thann? Wake up. Get up. This is ridiculous. Yes, yes Earth female. Pretty, pretty. Okay?"

But I realized it wasn't my foot Thann was looking at.

He was staring at Cane's hands clutched around mine. Eyes slitted in distaste.

Was he?

Was he not liking Cane holding me?

Well, hello.

A simmer of a smile touched my lips. Did I detect a bit of the green-eyed monster?

Impulsively, I did what any Earth girl would do to make their Earth boy jealous.

... at least what they would do in the movies.

Quickly, I stepped forward finally pulling my fingers from Cane's grasp and lifted his face and kissed him.

Long and hard.

He was not kissing back. His body was frozen in shock.

But I was holding on and kissing him.

Not even five seconds had past before he was torn from my grasp and Thann had him down in the stream, kicking and punching. Cane tried to hit him off which only resulted in both going face in the water.

They came up sputtering and Thann was staring at me in confusion.

Well. That went perfectly.

I winked. And probably was grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

His brow came down as if he knew he was tricked and growled. He stood, offering a hand to Cane. Both sloshed out of the water and onto the bank.

"Guess we won't be eating fish for dinner." I snickered.

Thann's dangerous eyes never left mine and he came right up and stood tall, hovering in front of me.

He looked furious.

And scary.

Oh, shoot. Did I take it too far?

Cane had a girlfriend that passed away.

Oh no.

I wasn't thinking about that part! Just that I wanted Thann to be jealous!

I was about to take a fast backtrack and apologize.

But then Thann was kissing me.

Lips brought down in a rush against mine. It was completely animal. All claiming and brutal and I followed every move. My fingers glided up over his wet muscular arms and teased at his neck as his tongue pressed a war to mine.

I moaned into his mouth.

How could I so thoroughly forget how good kissing him was?

His fingers tugged into my hair, pulling the pony to the front and caressed down the locks stroking delightfully.

It was wild.

And also over.

He pulled away and stood back a few paces. He didn't stop looking at me, but I knew I read regret within the other emotions.

"Thann?" I asked soft. Did he really not want to kiss me?

"Wokuduma." It was like any basic greeting.

It stung.

Cane looked between us and shrugged. He had his long pants on now. Then he hit Thann's chest, face lit up with delight. "Kulungile. Thann ngize ukukuthola. UMolly noMathe babenengane yabo! Okubili! Umfana nentombazane!"

Thann's face fell in shock and then he too rounded with excitement. "Izingane?! Eyokuqala yeminyaka. Angikholwa! Kuyamangalisa." His eyes glistened with joy.

"Ngazi kahle? Igama lakhe ngu-Andla ngokuba namandla futhi ubizwa ngoSara ngumama kaMolly."

Thann nodded appreciatively. "U-Andla noSara. Amagama amahle."

I spoke out loud, but basically to myself. "I need to learn more Indawo."

Thann and Cane both turned and Thann chuckled, face still alight with glee. "El. Molly Mathe Baby. Two baby. Andla Male. Sara Female."

My face followed their delight and I bounced to my toes. "Oh! Molly and Mathe had twins! Oh my gosh. That's so sweet!" I pointed to the tree wolfie Cane appeared from. "El go Molly! Baby! Baby!"

Cane turned to Thann. "Wayezothini?"

He chuckled. "Angazi uhhafu walokhu akushoyo. Kepha siyasayina kwesinye isikhathi."

Cane looked me over. "Muhle kakhulu."

Thann grinned and eyes traveled over my body. "Yebo. Kakhulu."

I rolled my eyes and rocked on my heels. "Okay boys. The conversation is cute and all, but I have no frickin' clue what you're saying."

"Nomlilo." Cane grinned.

Thann nodded. "Ngangifuna ukumyisa enkosini. Ngeke ahambe aze amthole wheelbarrow."

I perked knowing at least one word.

"Yini-wheelbarrow?"

"Boys!"

Both looked at me with smiles.

"Sounds good to me, let's go get my wheelbarrow. With two of you I won't have to carry a thing."

Thann stepped forward and smoothed down my hair. "Niyabo? Unelanga legolide emhlane wakhe. Futhi lokhu," he held out my gun. "Ukuduma. Futhi uphethe umlilo!"

"Ngempela? Ake ngikubonise!" Cane looked expectant to me, with wild excited eyes.

"English please!" I cried.

Cane see El fire.

I turned to Cane's pleading. "He's never seen fire?"

"Fire. Yes. Matches."

"Oh, matches. That's what he wants? Okay." I started digging around in my pouch until I found my lighter and brought it out. I made a dramatic show like Tom Hanks in Cast Away and clicked it on. "Fire! Look what I have created! I have made fire!"

Cane took a breath in surprise and then glanced at Thann with a grin. "Nguyena. Ubamba umlilo!"

Thann nodded and patted Cane's shoulder. "Ngabe ufuna ukungisiza ngimbuyisele enkosini?"

Cane's face fell and he shortened. "O, ngiyaxolisa. Ngidinga ukubuyela ezinganeni. UMathe udinga usizo. Uvikela kakhulu."

Thann saddened. "Ngempela? Ngidinga usizo nami."

"You guys are driving me crazy here."

Thann glanced back to me and grinned. "Eat. Meat!" He turned to Cane. "Okungenani hlala udle isidlo sakusihlwa."

Cane nodded. "Eat Meat."

I smiled a surprise. "You speak English too?"

"English."

I giggled. "Do you sing?" I started head, shoulders, knees, and toes and both followed along until we were all laughing.

Thann then squared his shoulders. "Thann, Cane, go meat. El fish." He pointed to the stream.

I shrugged. "Sure. Get out of here Dothraki."

"Fire meat," Thann got wide eyed and serious.

"Fine fine, Dothraki," I rolled my eyes. "Don't want Walkodooma all sick again?"

And I'm sure he was telling the story of my food poisoning as they ran to the trees.

An hour later, I had caught the stinking fish! "Yo! Take that you gill breather!" I held tight and got him up to a rock and gave him a quick end with my pocketknife. Then started a fire.

The boys came back as the fire was large and ready with a skinned something. Both were wearing full pants as they emerged from the trees.

"Buzi?" I asked at the creature, my fish on a stick roasting over the flames. Goat was pretty much the only word I could remember in his language.

"No. Intshe." As I looked over the carcass, it looked like a giant turkey. Could have been an emu or even ostrich.

"Cool. Insty." I agreed and the two hauled it to a teepee form over the fire. "Sounds delicious."

Thann and Cane had been talking all night long and the language barrier was less bothering me now. I was pretty much ignoring their conversation. It was like when my toddler niece babbled on and on and on and I could only pick out one of twenty words. Although with them I could barely place one in fifty. I knew they talked about my back and the dragon at least.

Cane must have asked Thann a deep question because he stopped his eating over a massive ostrich breast and stared at me.

I pretended to be really enjoying pulling the meat away from my part of the wing.

Thann's voice was all gravel and sexy, but a hint of sad undertones. "Ngiyamthanda. Kepha angeke abe ngowami."

"Ungamthathi. Inkosi uMaza ayisoze yazi."

Thann was still looking at me. "Kepha indaba iqhawe liyisa kuye. Ngiyiqhawe. Hhayi Inkosi."

Cane nodded and patted his back. "Lokho kuzoba nzima. Ngiyabona ukuthi uyamthanda njengoba ngangimthanda uMataoka."

I turned to them, firelight dancing between us understanding the last word. "Mataoka?"

Cane nodded a happy sigh. "Love mate."

"Mataoka love Cane." I agreed.

"Yes." Cane then looked at Thann, a suggestion through his eyes.

Thann stood. "Night. Cane go Molly. El sleep."

I sat up straight. "Wait, I want to go see the babies. El go Molly. El go baby."

Thann shook his head and tossed the fur close to the fire. "No El go. El go wheelbarrow."

"But babies," I complained.

Cane cut in. "Molly far. El go to Maza. Molly come to Maza and El."

I smiled when his meaning showed. "She'll be at Maza?"

Thann nodded excitedly. "Yes! Andla Sara go Maza!"

I thought I caught a wink Cane sent to Thann but decided to ignore it. At least I'd be getting my supplies back and we could see Molly after.

But babies. Wow. I couldn't imagine raising babies in the wilderness.

After a few more hours Cane needed to leave. I really wanted to go with him, but apparently, I walk too slow, and Thann still refuses to touch me. I was tempted to ask Cane to wolf out and carry me away, but the story of his girlfriend getting bitten by a werewolf and bleeding to death was too clear in my mind. The thought of bringing up his pain hurt me. So, it was back to the wheelbarrow and walking myself to my doom.

At least I knew I'd see Molly and the babies when we get to the Maza person.

Still, when Cane hugged me to say goodbye, I left a lingering kiss on his cheek until Thann growled.

"Bye Cane," I waved my fingers as he stepped through some trees and stripped his pants. He rolled them into a tube and shoved them into his pouch.

"Wokuduma," Cane gestured a head bow and then transformed into his wolf counterpart, taking off faster than one of my bullets.

He did not take off his Tarzan scraps, which I was grateful for, or his pouch. I twisted my fingers down in the band at my own pouch and realized it was much stretchier than I had given it credit for. Hmm.. that must be how they carried things when they're wolfed out.

"El," Thann's voice was dark and foreboding. A warning in that one word.

I chose to ignore him and played with the stretch on my band some more.

"El," he reiterated louder.

"Hmm?"

Stretch, stretch, stretch.

Taking a step toward me, he yanked my shoulders to look at him.

"Gosh? What? You don't have to be so rough all the time."

"El kiss Cane. No."

I squared my shoulders. "I'll kiss whoever I want to Big Guy."

"No kiss Cane."

"Why not?" I stuck my jaw out. "Jealous?" My muscles relaxed in coyness, and I roamed a hand over his bicep. "Then you kiss me. Thann kiss El."

He let my arms free and stepped back. "No."

"Yes," I stepped after him, my arm wrapping his neck, but he would not let me move him to me. My posture fell and I sounded wounded. "Oh come on. I know you want to. Thann kissed El after Cane kissed El."

His eyes slitted and he sneered. "Kiss not good."

Not...

Not good?

I reared back a step.

He didn't like the kiss? Was I bad? Maybe I was. Maybe he never wanted to kiss me. He just got caught up in the action.

Ouch.

My air fell into despair and my voice was mournful. "Oh. Okay then."

I turned from him and wouldn't show him I was hurt.

I made a big production to smooth the fur on the ground near the fire.

Okay, I get it. Me too movement and all that.

He didn't want me like I wanted him.

That was fine.

I'd back off.

He sighed and reached for my arm. "El."

I threw him off and laid down on the blanket. "Night."

His voice was soft. "El."

"Night," I reiterated harshly and turned my body away from him.

I was done.