Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

the storm. He whirled, flexing his knees, nearly helpless as a Delphine soldier launched himself in their direction, his long blade glinting in the darkness. Sai ducked his head and rammed his good shoulder into the soldier's belly and they both went down in a heap. Hands wrapped around his neck and suddenly went slack as a flash of silver took the man's life.
    Sai rolled away, glaring up at Arick.
    "I suppose it would be a bit safer to free your hands. Or would it?" A slight half-smile crooked his lips. "Will you kill me?"
    Sai narrowed his eyes.
    "Most likely. But if that one came for us, others will also."
    As though to prove his point, a pair of Delphine attacked and Sai watched helplessly as Arick battled, his twin scimitars like cold fire in the darkness. Obviously, he'd managed to recover his missing sword. No surprise, as Sai had bespelled the blades to their master, to Arick. Now it was only a matter of time before…
    He rolled, scrambling out of the path of the battle. With a cry, one of the soldiers fell, his sabre falling from his dying grip.
    Sai's blade.
    Behind the leather gag, he grinned. Ignoring the fight that raged on, Sai reached out, drawing his bindings over the wicked blade. His fingers were numb, but he fumbled at the gag, pulling it from his lips. He scrambled to his feet, sabre in hand, watching as Arick went down hard. His opponent attacked and at the last possible moment, Arick's feet came up, shoving the man backwards, right to where Sai waited. Always thirsty, his sabre drank deeply of enemy blood. A slash, a thrust, and then it was just the two of them.
    This time, Arick was on the ground, staring up at Sai.
    Another blast of thunder and he dove to the ground, wincing as his ears rang. Arick was shouting, pulling at his sore arm and Sai scrambled after him, running desperately up the rocky slope. Beyond the rain and thunder, another sound rose up, one he didn't recognize. Panting hard, Arick stumbled to a halt, one hand on Sai's arm. He looked around, his face looking eerie as lightning illuminated him. His eyes were wild; his skin was pale. A dark bruise stained the side of his face, and his hair was plastered to his head. His leather armor was gone; the fabric of his tunic slapped against his thighs.
    "That sound…" Spooked, Sai looked around. They were halfway up a rocky slope; trees and gnarled brush surrounded them. Just yards away, a deep gorge cut through the slope.
    "Flash flood!" Arick pulled at him again; they dug in and ran, angling across the gravelly slope, heading for the trees.
    They found the cave by accident. It was shrouded by brush and hidden under a rocky undercropping. Together, they squatted under the shelter and peered out into the storm. Unconsciously, Sai huddled closer to Arick, needing warmth and reassurance.
    "We should be out of danger…." Even as Arick spoke, the hissing sound grew into a rumble, and without warning, water exploded down the slope, filling and flooding the gully they'd just escaped. It foamed and crashed, carrying downed trees and tumbling rocks in its wake. It was magnificent. It was horrifying.
    "Shit." Sai rubbed the water from his eyes with a shaking hand.
    They were safe, but the men in the camp were not. Sai pushed himself backward into the cave, unwilling to witness any more. He fell back, wet and cold, aching from dozens of cuts and bruises. For the moment, he was safe.
    Arick's form was little more than a silhouette as he stood at the entrance of their shelter, watching the torrent. Sai clenched his hands, one fist closed over the grip of his sabre.
    Now what?
    He wanted to kill the bastard. He wanted to bow to the Gods and offer thanks. He wanted to beat the hell out of Arick, and then fuck him blind.
    He wanted to lie on the floor of this cave for the rest of his life.
    As Sai watched, Arick stripped his clothing away, draping the sodden garments over a rock. He sat, untying his sandals until he was completely nude except for the loin wrappings he wore, shivering a bit in the cold. Carefully, Sai set his sabre well out of reach. He had a bit of revenge to dispense, and it was best served with flesh, bones, and skin; not steel and leather.
    He crouched.
    ****
    Arick shivered from more than the cold. Behind him was the lover he'd betrayed. Outside was death. No matter where he went or what he did, the situation was fucked. He'd cut the picket line that held the horses in place. Hopefully the horses had survived. He prayed that