Love Me, Love Me Not

Teffen's gaze shifted between the stallion and the damitts, he stepped slowly back into the door. Reed's piercing whistle sounded from inside the house and the damitts snapped to attention. Jorge's hold on Saile shifted and she ducked, slamming her elbow into his gut and spinning away. The blast singed the side of her face; acrid wisps of burned tendrils of her hair filled her eyes and nose.


Teffen took the hit as he was turning and raising his own weapon. He staggered back and fell. Jorge cursed and turned on Saile, his blaster whining as it recharged. He lunged for her. As Reed charged through the door, Jorge spun and pulled the trigger. Reed staggered with the half-charged blast, but didn't fall.


"Run," Saile screamed.


Jorge bolted off the porch toward Reed's horse, ground-tied behind the mass of damitts.


Reed lunged the last steps to Saile and snatched her into his arms. He spun her away and held her tight, her face buried in his shoulder. A final curse and screech sounded as the damitts converged on her uncle.


Saile took a deep breath, and another, then pushed away from Reed.


The damitts sat quiet, licking their fangs and nibbling at the crevices between their claws. The leader kept a wary watch on Tanga.


Tanga waited beside Reed's horse. She flipped her long ears forward when Saile looked her direction. "They're safe, grazing in the valley."


A shocked expression crossed Reed's face; he shook his head. "I'd have never guessed, but I guess we're in back in the llama business."


"You don't know anything about ranching," Saile said.


Reed shook his head. "I'll manage the spaceport - you manage the ranch."


Love me.


Saile held out her hand toward Reed, palm down, fingers spread.


Reed fumbled in a pocket and pulled out the band he'd offered her so many times. "That thing you said about no sex..."


Saile grinned. "It's going to be really good."





- the end –