Tedra shrieked, he moved so fast when he came out of stun, too fast for her reflexes to accomplish anything except try to get out of the way. She wasn’t quite successful either. He obtained what he was after, ripping the phazor unit from her hand and throwing it a good distance away from him, while she ended up tripping over her feet again. She wasn’t usually so clumsy, and it was disgusting that she should be now. She sprawled on the ground, and this time she was looking up at an awake, aware, and movable barbarian.

Chapter Eight

Challen was too angry for words, but most of it was self-directed, and none of it showed. He had acted most foolishly in approaching the woman after seeing firsthand what she had done to the taraan with her small box. That she had done the same to him was no more than he deserved for that foolishness. How she had done it was less important, since it would not happen again. But he had let a mild annoyance over her clothes get the better of him, something a shodan should not have done.

Her-examination of him was another matter. He had not liked it, but only because he could not respond to it accordingly, and the basis of most of his anger now was the simple fact that he still could not give the woman what her boldness had demanded of him. If he had not taken the juice of the dhaya plant that morning, as warriors usually did when they had been long on the hunt, she would be under him already and receiving the proper instruction on how to deal with a warrior. But taken undiluted, the dhaya juice prevented the need for a woman, in fact made it impossible to take one, which was why it was used on raids to keep warriors’ minds from being distracted by female captives, and on hunts. Taken mixed with wine, it served another purpose, that of keeping children from being conceived by just any woman, for only the life-mate of a warrior could bear his children.

This woman intrigued him with her strange way of speaking that ran words together, and her other language that made no sense at all. She was also very pleasing to look upon, something his distraction with her clothing had kept him from noticing fully until she had approached him. And that boldness, by the stones of gaali, he had never known the like of. Women expressed their needs and desires with words and looks, and hoped a warrior would be interested. They did not touch without first receiving expressed encouragement to do so, since their place was to give, not to take.

Challen smiled finally, remembering that the woman was here before him without a man at her side, which made her claimable if he so desired to offer her his protection. She might be a woman of the higher classes, if her raiments were any indication, but the laws pertained to all women, servant and highborn alike. He could claim her or use her, the choice his, her ignoring the law losing her the right to refuse him.

It was a law Challen had never taken advantage of before. Women came to the shodan for protection, the old ones, widows, the orphans. There had never been the need to find one to claim, when he had more than made for a peaceful household. Of course, those who sought his protection could not be used, did they not offer themselves for use. But one who was claimed had no say in the matter.

Tedra didn’t like the smile that came her way. It was too full of satisfaction to warrant her any good. So the barbarian thought the tables were turned now, did he? She would just have to disabuse him of that notion.

“You might have thrown my phazor aside,” she said as she sat up. “But that doesn’t mean I’m defenseless, so don’t get any ideas we’ll both regret.”

His smile didn’t waver, and it wasn’t hard to tell he found her words amusing. “You are alone, woman, without the protection of a warrior, which indeed makes you defenseless-and claimable. You should have begged my protection immediately, for then I would have been bound to give it. Since you did not, you declared yourself claimable.”

Tedra frowned. “If that means what I think it means, you can forget it. I didn’t declare myself anything, and I don’t need anyone’s protection.”

That got rid of his smile, though there was no other indication that her words annoyed him. “I am claiming you, woman. Do you mean to resist my claim?”

“I’m not going to let you rape me, if that’s what you call resistance.”

“There is no rape in a claiming. Your lack of protection denies you your right to resist.”

“But I wasn’t without protection. That phazor you tossed away was all the protection I needed. It stopped you, didn’t it?”

He did not like that reminder. “Your weapon is strange to me, but weapon it is, and women are forbidden the use of weapons. Since they are so forbidden, only a man’s protection can prevent a claiming.”

She wasn’t getting through to him, but that didn’t stop her from trying again. “What if I can prevent it?”

He crouched down by her feet, his hands now within reach of her. The urge was strong to draw her legs up and away from him, remembering how fast he had moved before. She remained as she was, however, sitting on the ground, her legs outstretched as if she had nothing to worry about. She had more than her share of worries, though. Martha, who could hear what was going on, could Transfer her out of this situation, but Tedra knew she wouldn’t. Martha would be all for her getting raped by this barbarian, probably thinking it was just what she needed. That farden computer was forever deciding she knew best when it came to Tedra’s needs.

“You have other strange weapons I have yet to see?” the barbarian asked her.

“Strange by your standards, but not by mine.”

She’d caught his curiosity now. “Do you show me these weapons, woman.”

“And spoil the surprise? Do I look dumb, warrior?”

He laughed. She liked the sound. She liked him. Too bad he was insisting on this claiming business. She couldn’t afford to be claimed by a man on this world when she wouldn’t be staying here for very long, and when she had negotiating to do that just might be the salvation of her planet. Her own personal inclinations couldn’t get in the way of that.

When his humor had run its course, his eyes came back to her glowing with appreciation. “Whatever surprises you have hidden will be revealed when we have seen to your bracs and comtoc.”

Tedra didn’t try to hide her groan. It was loud and long. “That again? I thought I made myself clear on that score. Didn’t you get yourself stung trying to take my clothes before? They’re staying on me and that’s that. They wouldn’t fit you anyway.”

He gave a snort, letting her know what he thought of that last crack, but she’d already known he didn’t want the clothes for himself. He just didn’t want her wearing them. And he was staring at her thoughtfully now, increasing her nervousness with his being so close.

“You are claimed, woman. As well you know, this means you must yield to my will. Yet you continue to defy me, risking punishment. I have never met a woman who would willingly court punishment.”

He was either genuinely perplexed by her attitude or subtly letting her know what would happen if she didn’t buckle under to his demands. Tedra’s tokens were on the latter, and she had never liked threats, subtle or otherwise.

“You still haven’t met one, warrior. What you’re missing here is the fact that I’ve never heard of your farden claiming before, so how can I know the rules or regulations pertaining to it? It’s a word the Sha-Ka’ari use, so one I know, but not in the sense that you ‘re using it. But above and beyond that, I simply won’t be claimed. It sounds suspiciously like slavery to me, and I’ll kill the man who tries to enslave me- which reminds me of something I should have asked right up front. Do you people own slaves?”