Sword-Dancer by Jennifer Roberson

Author:Jennifer Roberson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction
ISBN: 9781101647400
Publisher: DAW
Published: 1986-09-02T00:00:00+00:00

thirteen

The lady was properly grateful. In the privacy of her very private wagon, as it bumped gently across the sand, Hashi's intended showed me she was no modest virgin, but an experienced woman who saw what she wanted and went after it. For the moment it happened to be me, which was very satisfactory all the way around.

Riding with Del hadn't been easy. I'd wanted her from the moment she'd walked into the cantina, but I knew she'd likely stick her knife into me for any unexpected-and unencouraged-intimacy.

The night she'd put her naked sword between us had pretty well informed me how she felt about the matter, and I've never been one to insist when all it requires is a little patience. Then, of course, we'd gotten picked up by the Hanjii, and all thoughts of making love to Del had rather quickly gone out of my head.

Especially after she kneed me.

Del's suggestion as to what could be considered "payment" for my services once we reached Julah had set my mind racing with anticipation and made the rest of me hot with impatience, but-once again patience was what was required. Well, it runs out after awhile. Del wasn't available yet, but Elamain was.

Young, sweet, tempting, hungry Elamain. Only a fool or a saint ignores a gorgeous, grateful woman when she's feeling amorous.

And, as I've said before, I'm neither.

We had to be quiet, of course. Hashi's bride was supposed to arrive unflawed and untouched. How she intended explaining to a new husband why she was no longer a virgin wasn't my problem, and I didn't allow it to linger in my mind very long. I had other things to think about.

A lot of women rather enjoy making the Sandtiger growl. I suppose it has to do with having the name in the first place. Occasionally, when the time and the woman are right, I don't mind, because I really can't help myself. But I told Elamain it was stupid to expect me to stay discreetly quiet and then do everything she could to make me growl like a big, tame cat.

She just smiled and bit me on the shoulder. So I bit her back.

Where Del was-or what she did-during all this, I have no idea. If she had any sense at all, she'd be making friends with Sabo, who could probably be very persuasive when it came to suggesting to his master that generous thanks might be in order.

But I hadn't known Del long enough; although I thought she was probably pretty sensible, she was also a woman, and therefore unpredictable. And, probably, prone to behavior that is occasionally not so sensible.

"Who is she?" asked Elamain as we lay sweating gently into the cushions and silks.

I thought about asking who, then didn't. I didn't think Elamain was stupid, either. "She's a woman I'm guiding to Julah."

"Why?"

"She hired me to."

"Hired." Elamain looked at me. "No woman hires the Sandtiger. Not with gold." The tip of her tongue showed.

"Sabo told me Elamain's father was more than happy to marry his daughter off.

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