Cry Wolf

Chapter 5

They dressed in silence, though talking wouldn't have put them in any danger--the soldiers were packing up to leave and weren't even trying to be quiet about it.

Sin couldn't wait to get out of this cave and into the moonlight, where he could really see Rei, look into his eyes, and get a read on what was going on in his mind right now.

Something had happened between them there at the last, and though he couldn't define what it was, it had shaken Rei.

In truth, Sin couldn't deny he'd been affected as well. From the moment Rei had entered him, his body had come alive in a way it never had before in a s****l encounter.

And then, in the brief space of time before he'd gone over the edge and spilled his seed, there'd been a moment where it had felt as if Rei had touched his very core.

A white-hot flame had exploded inside him, spreading through him like wildfire. The pleasure and pain of it had been so intense that the most powerful o****m he'd ever known had wracked his body.

Along with it, and for several minutes afterward, he'd quite literally felt connected to Rei...a part of him, able to feel Rei's heart beat in his own chest, know his ecstasy...and sense his fears.

Yes, something had happened. Something not of the ordinary. And though Sin felt closer to Rei than he ever had, Rei had withdrawn from him--he was keeping his distance even now.

He should've been human. But it seems he's not as pure as he thought he was. What's with that? It seems like magic. A kind of magic he knew very little about. Was it possible that in that powerful moment of connectedness Rei had been able to see into Sin's mind and had discovered who he really was?

A cold chill spread up Sin's spine. And not, he realized, for the right reason.

Instead of worrying his cover might have been compromised, which would bring Raul's fury down on him...what turned his blood to ice instead was that Rei would know he'd intentionally misled and lied to him.

In that moment, Rei would hate him, and what had happened between them tonight would never happen again.

Damn it all. Your duty is to Raul. That's what's important. Not what a human thinks of you.

But he knew differently. In a flash of raw honesty with himself, he knew without a doubt that he cared all too much what this particular human thought of him.

You're a liar. A betrayer. You're here to gather information about him and his people for the Great Clan Leader, who's then going to destroy them all. Rei is going to find out eventually that you're his enemy. You know this.

A sick lump burgeoned in his gut. He did know it. No matter how carefully he trod, he was captain of Raul's High Guard, the Reaper. Those details would eventually come to light.

Gods, how had he let this happen? Once upon a time he hadn't allowed himself to feel anything for anyone. It had been easier that way. Easier to do the tasks the Clan Leader demanded of him. Easier than feeling hurt and betrayed because his mother had died, abandoning him to a father who didn't love him, to a life of cold demands, brutal punishments, and ridicule for every misstep he made.

He'd learned quickly the only way to survive was to shut himself off from all that painful emotion, to bury it deep and fortify it with impenetrable walls. But then a pair of pathetic, starving human children had gotten under his skin, made him care.

He'd paid the price for that at the end of Raul's jailor's lash. And had continued to pay it ever since, bleeding emotion from a wound that wouldn't heal.

Rei's callused hands on his face in the dark startled him...and sent a new wave of guilty anguish storming through him. Did Rei know? Was this going to be the confrontation he'd dreaded?

The last thing he expected was warm, insistent lips against his, teasing, then demanding a response from him. Out of instinct, and the raw need to savor every possible last moment he could with the human, Sin opened to him and met his hungry exploration with one of his own.

It didn't feel like a last, poignant kiss between sworn enemies, though. Instead, it sizzled with possibilities, promises of things to come. Sin sensed something was still troubling Rei, but whatever it was, Rei had decided not to allow it to control him.

He felt a whisper of relief that his charade hadn't been called yet. But that was followed by another round of hard guilt.

Did it matter whether his deception was discovered now or later? He was still a liar either way. How could he continued to face Rei, knowing this?

"Come back to camp with me," Rei said. "There's something you need to know."

"Something I need to know? What?"

Another urgent kiss. "At camp."

It was almost another full hour before the soldiers finished saddling horses, packing gear, and left the clearing.

Sin and Rei sat in what Sin could only define as tense silence. His own thoughts were once again caught up in a swirling vortex much like the spiraling dust storms that sometimes came up on the Great Plain.

He couldn't guess Rei's thoughts, only sensed that he was anxious to get out of here and back to camp. And that realization only put Sin more on edge. What was it he needed to know that Rei wanted to show or tell him?

By the time they left the cave, the night was nearly spent. It would be dawn in little over an hour, Sin thought as they hiked through the forest, back the way they'd come. When they reached the plateau where Sin was assigned, Rei urged him on.

"We'll send another sentry back to cover the rest of your shift."

Wondering what exactly was going on, Sin followed. But with each step, he grew more and more wary. Was it possible Rei had figured out who he was and was taking him back to camp where he'd have reinforcements to help him arrest Sin?

As if he sensed Sin's concerns, Rei stopped suddenly, turned, and walked back to him. He buried his hand in Sin's hair and tugged him close, then planted another blistering kiss to his mouth.

Once again shocked at this unexpected action, all Sin could do was kiss back, even as his pulse pounded.

Rei pulled away and rested his forehead against Sin's. "I'm sorry," he said in a husky whisper. "I just... When we get back to camp, there are things you'll learn. There'll be people around all the time. I wish I could have you to myself for just a while longer, but duty calls."

At Sin's frown, he continued, "I just need you to know that I trust you. I want more than what we've been doing--the meeting in the forest each night for a few minutes. But there are going to be some who won't understand and won't like it."

Sin's stomach was a writhing mass of knots. He wasn't sure whether he was dreading whatever it was Rei was referring to, pleased Rei trusted him and wanted more, or wracked with guilt that Rei trusted him and wanted more. "Could you be any more confusing?"

Rei gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I'm not doing this well, am I?"

A half-smile teased at Sin's lips. "I'm not sure, since I have no idea in the name of all that's holy what you're talking about."

This time a soft, sexy chuckle was his only response. "Point taken. Okay, let me try to make this as clear as I can. I want to be with you, Sin. Nothing else matters. It's that simple."

Sin's heart stopped. The open sincerity on Rei's face, in his expressive eyes, filled him with a joy and contentment he knew he had no right to accept or yearn for. "It's that simple?"

"Yes. Can you trust me?"

"I trust you," he whispered.

"Then let's go face the wrath of the others."

That didn't sound good. At all. But Sin picked up his pace, matching Rei stride for stride. Whatever fate held for him back at camp, he'd deal with it. Just as he'd dealt with everything else life had thrown his way.

The gray-pink glow dawn was swelling on the horizon when they reached the encampment. Several witches and humans, up early and about their duties, nodded at them or waved as they passed, and Sin noticed Rei had a smile for all of them.

They paused only once, stopping to speak with a young human, no more than twenty who Sin recognized as a member of the Elite Guard.

"Wen, be a help, would you, and take the south outpost sentry watch until Bessel comes to relieve you," Rei told him. "Sin is coming with me...there's been activity tonight that needs to be reported."

"Of course." The young, shaggy-haired man reached for his bow and quiver.

"Keep your eyes open," Rei warned. "A detachment of the Clan Leader's main troops is making its way through the forest. They don't seem to be aware we're here, and we want to keep it that way. But should they swerve from their course, report in immediately. And tell Bessel the same when he takes over."

Wen gave Rei a brief, respectful nod. "By your command." He turned and left camp at an easy run.

As he and Rei continued on through camp, Sin studied his companion. The young human had treated him as a superior. Was Rei more than just a regular member of the Elite Guard? Was he in a position of command? Perhaps one of Rein's lieutenants?

The thought intrigued him as their booted feet covered ground.

Though Sin had wandered through the camp on his own many times, he had no idea where Rei was taking him. His own small tent was near the outer southern edge since he was a recent arrival to the group.

Around a hundred people lived in the camp, fairly evenly split, so he'd heard, between witches and human. Fifty or so tents were spread across a clearing at the top of a low forest hill, surrounded by pine and the dense, gold-leafed trees.

Fifty tents. One hundred souls. Not all that many in the grand scheme. Sin still couldn't fathom why he'd never seen the rebel leader. His first few days in camp he'd looked for a tent that had the trappings of a leader's presence...surely a leader would have a bigger, finer tent than anyone else. But there was no such thing.

And no one he asked seemed to know where Rein resided...or perhaps they knew and just refused to tell.

Yet he'd been assured by the human fringe group he'd first found and signed on with that this was, indeed, the main human rebel camp and the leader lived here.

He'd heard the same from the people here. He'd asked many to describe the leader-"A middle age person, of an average height, and dark hair" was what he'd been told. Excellent...that described seventy-five percent of the men in camp.

Now, given what Rei had told him last night about Rei having no desire for power and glory, Sin supposed the lack of fanfare around the leader made sense. It didn't seem to be Reinn's desire to attract attention to himself.

They passed right through the center of camp and continued on. By the time they reached the eastern edge, Sin was beginning to worry again. They were heading into the forest. What was going on?

Well out of sight of the tents, Rei paused and ran his hand along the trunk of a particularly tall tree. The air seemed to shimmer for a moment. Anyone else might not have even noticed it, or might have written it off as a bit of breeze stirring dust in the air.

But Sin had seen witches do their things and knew magic when he saw it.

Rei turned to him and gave him a fleeting smile. "Come on."

Deciding not to mention the magic he followed the human past the tree. He suspected wherever they were going was hidden by the magic screen they'd just walked past, and once beyond it, the screen would shimmer back into place behind them. Anyone else who wandered this way would see nothing but forest.

As they rounded a particularly dense stand of trees, Sin saw the tent. Though larger than any in the camp, it was no less utilitarian in appearance. Green canvas with gold flecks that gave it camouflage against the pine and delik trees.

A buzzing began in Sin's head. This was the leader's tent. He had no doubt.

The tent flap was open and Sin heard voices inside.

Rei strolled in and Sin followed, though with caution. He couldn't shake the niggling feeling his secret might be out or might come out rather quickly.

A man and woman stood at a large table, looking down at a map spread across it. The two at the table hadn't yet noticed him, though.

The male, unusually tall and muscular with several thick black braids draped over his shoulder, looked up at Rei with a welcoming expression.

But the moment he noted Sin's presence, his black-eyed gaze fixated on him with suspicion.

Was this the leader? He had the presence of one.

Rei pulled off his quiver and bow and leaned them against a stool near the table. "We're going hunting," he announced.

The woman showed interest at once. Her moss-green eyes opened wider and her eyebrows disappeared up underneath the heavy, sandy-colored bangs of her long, thick hair. "Where and for what?"

"Who's that?" the dark-headed man demanded, ignoring Rei's words and the woman's response.

Sin had paused just inside the tent entrance. Rei looked over his shoulder with a smile and gestured him to join them at the table.

"This is Sin. He's been doing sentry duty at the southern outpost. Last night we spotted a detachment of Raul's troops"--he leaned over the table and stabbed his forefinger down onto the map--"right here."

"That's awfully close to us," the woman said.

"Yes, but they seemed to be unaware they were near our camp. They were passing through the forest for--"

"He's an outsider."

Rei glanced up at the interruption and met the dark-headed man's gaze. "Yes, Jax, he is. And he's going with us."

Sin was surprised at the authority Rei conveyed in his look and voice. Perhaps the big man wasn't the leader after all. And it was clear Rei held even more authority than Sin had suspected if he gave the big man orders.

The woman seemed to take the announcement in stride. She smiled across the table at Sin and offered a hand. "Nice to meet you, Sin. I'm Marta."

Her grip was surprisingly strong for a female.

Jax offered no such welcome. His black eyes continued to bore into Sin with undisguised enmity. Sin had been a leader of men too long not to recognize a challenge when he saw it. This man had already decided he didn't like Sin for whatever reason.

Glancing away from him or ignoring him would only be seen as a sign of weakness, and if Sin had learned nothing else in his years working for Raul, it was how not to show weakness. He kept his own gaze steady and cool--not openly defiant, but not turning away either.

"I've seen this man," Jax said. "He's been in camp with us less than a full month. We know nothing of him."

"I came here with a recommendation from Xelos at the Charn River camp," Sin responded.

"I've heard of your abilities," Marta said, still smiling. "Ian says you've been a real asset to the sentry. He speaks highly of you."

A smiled quirked Sin's lips. He nodded in acknowledgment to the compliment. "Ian's a good man."

Jax's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to speak.

But Rei held up a hand to stop him. "If you're done posturing, my friend, we have work to do. I understand how you feel about strangers. But Sin is here with my blessing and my trust. He stays."

Jax huffed out a disgusted breath, gave Sin one last, long glare, then stalked across the tent and out the doorway.

Marta chuckled and looked at Sin. "Not to worry. He'll be back. Just needs time to get over his huff. They've been friends since they were kids and it's not often Rei has to go boss man on him and order him around."

Sin looked at her for a moment, then turned his head and studied Rei, who was bent over the table, busy looking at the map, but with a faint smile on his face.

It was then the pieces fell into place. Sin's heart rate quickened at the obvious answer. "You're him."

Rei straightened and turned to face him. His silver eyes sparkled with humor and just a touch of apology. "I had no idea you didn't realize it. Not until you asked last night why you'd never seen him...me."

"So you let me look the fool instead of telling me the truth?"

"Would it have made a difference...if you knew?"

Sin knew Rei was asking if he still would have shared the intimacies they had last night if he'd known Rei was the rebel leader.

"No," he answered honestly, his body suddenly warm and heavy with need again as he remembered how Rei's masterful hands had felt on his c**k, how full and stretched and thoroughly f****d he'd felt when Rei was inside him. "I wouldn't have changed a thing."

Rei's slow, seductive smile only served to bring his desire to an ever higher pitch.

"Neither would I," Rei said softly.

Sin became aware that Marta was watching them with open curiosity and a hint of a knowing smile. Rei must have realized it also because after another meaningful gaze that let Sin know he was remembering last night, too, he turned back to the map.

"Last night Sin and I heard and scouted a detachment of Raul's troops. We overheard some of the soldiers say they had to reach the south end of the forest by sunset tonight. They're meeting up with another detachment coming from across the Great Plain. Apparently Raul's transporting something and our raids have him spooked. He's ordered double guards for all shipments coming across the Plain from now on."

"Shipments of what?" Marta asked, her freckled features squinting.

Sin mulled the possibilities. "There's nothing across the Great Plain but the outer realms. They're all small and barely produce enough goods for their own survival. There's nothing in any of them I can think of what might interest him except, perhaps, the gem mines in South Dakota."

"Those have almost been worked to death, though," Marta said. "There's not much left in them. Unless, of course, they've uncovered a new vein of something."

"It's possible. But not likely." Rei absently scrubbed a hand against his cheeks. "Well, regardless of what it is, Raul doesn't want us to know about it and interfere, which means..."

"We're going to interfere." Marta's grin was infectious, and without thinking, Sin echoed it.

But the sight of Jax's brooding face as the man returned to the tent sent it fleeing. Jax didn't trust him...and for good reason. What was he thinking, grinning like a fool over interrupting one of Raul's shipments? He was here to put a stop to the rebel raids, not join in on them, and certainly not to agree with them and take pleasure in them.

"We'll have to travel light and fast to reach their meeting spot by sunset," Rei was saying. "Marta, gather your boys. Jax, Sin, get what you need. We'll meet at the southern edge of camp in twenty minutes."

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