The rain poured down around her as she limped along slowly, "damn that tree!" she muttered to herself "damn lightening!" Her ankle hurt like Tartarus but she kept going knowing her Amazon camp was not far away, well she hoped that is wasn't far away. Finally she gave in and found a place to rest that had some shelter for her from the burning rain and lightening. Shivering and miserable Danaan decided to wait for the storm to ease before she went on, hoping her Amazon sisters would come looking for her then.

A soft groan made her jump, she was sure it didn't come from herself, then she heard it again someone else was there and he sounded hurt. Gingerly she got up and looked around. She found him lying unconscious face down in the mud. Slightly annoyed Danaan scanned the area quickly; there was no sign of anyone else. So carefully she went over to him and lowered herself down, wincing as her ankle hurt even more. She gasped when she wiped the dirt away from his face and saw how handsome he was. He had dried blood crusting on his face from a large cut across his forehead, his face was bruised, and battered, he looked as if experts had beaten him. Slowly she slid his studded leather vest off his shoulders exposing his massive chest. There were masses of tiny cuts and bruises; they must have tortured him unmercifully. "How did you survive all of this?" she whispered under her breath. Cautiously she dragged him back towards the shelter, biting down the pain from her foot. Moments later she had a small fire crackling away warming them. With no supplies with her, Danaan was worried that she couldn't help him like she could have back at camp.

His face was familiar to her, but it was hard to place exactly where she had seen him before or who he looked like. Shrugging Danaan decided to wait until daylight and have a good look at him. Settling down Danaan slipped her arms around the stranger, deciding that their body warmth was just as good as anything to keep them warm. Sleep overtook her quickly though she was still alert enough like a true warrior to wake at the slightest disturbance.
Slowly he opened his eyes and tried to focus on where he was, his body hurt abominably. He ached from head to toe and when he tried to move pain shot from his side. Looking down he realised that he was sleeping in the arms of a lovely woman, dressed in an amazon leather tunic. She slept fitfully moaning slightly as she clung tighter to him. The sun was just starting to show through the storm clouds giving hope of a nice day. Gingerly he stretched and pushed her off him wanting to get out and back to his castle, he had some people he wanted to destroy.
"What the...oh you are awake are you?" Danaan grumbled as she sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes, in the daylight she took a good look at him. With no goatee and all the blood and dirt washed off he looked exactly like…"So you must be the Sov?" Danaan asked as she stood up and straightened her tunic, wincing with the sharp pain from her ankle she limped out to get some water.
"Who are you then?" he snapped as he realised he had very little of his clothing on. "Where are my clothes?" he snapped.
"The name is Danaan and you don't have to be so nasty, your clothes are over there!" Danaan pointed to the small pile next to him, "a thank you for saving your life wouldn't go astray either!"
"For what? I was doing fine!" Sov snarled looking around at their surroundings, nothing was familiar to him at all.
"Fine then you can wallow in your own dirt and blood I am gonna wash and get something to eat!" Danaan snapped shaking her head, he was starting to live up to his disagreeable reputation.
"Food? You have food?" Sov asked sitting up, then shuddering sorry he did that, his tortured ribs rubbing against each other. "Where is it woman?"
Danaan stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, "what did you say?" she ground out through gritted teeth.
"I said where is the food woman?" Sov snapped back starting to get annoyed with the Amazon.
"Well you can just sit there hungry now!" Danaan yelled "coz it will be a cold day in Tartarus before I get you anything to eat when you speak to me like that!"
"So what do you want me to say? Feed me woman damn it and hurry up!"
Danaan started to answer but bit her tongue and went outside cursing under her breath, "if he wanted food then she will give him food!"
A short time later Danaan reappeared favouring her injured ankle heavily and carrying two rabbits already skinned and ready to cook, she tossed them at the Sov and sat down slowly trying not to aggravate her ankle even more.
"What am I supposed to do with these?" Sov asked arching an eyebrow.
"You want the food, you cook!" Danaan answered with a grin, "I hunted; you cook!"
Sov sat up and looked at her with a look of sheer amazement on his face, no one had ever dared to speak to him like that. "You expect me to..to touch that and cook it? Do you realise who you are talking too?"
"I am no one's lackey Sov, you wanna eat you help out!"
"I do not cook!" he spat out, starting to really lose his patience with this aggravating woman.
"Well I am no man's slave, you wanna eat you gotta help!" Danaan retorted tired of his arguing with her already why didn't she just leave him where she had found him.
Deftly she threaded a stick through the rabbits and had then cooking over the fire, the fat spitting and sending out mouth-watering scents. Silently she regarded him for a moment then shaking her head once more she set about cleaning his wounds. Danaan totally ignored his protests and concentrated on the job at hand. As her wet hands glided over his chest, she sucked in her breath a little, and chewed her tongue, why do the gorgeous ones have to be so horrible for. Sov started to complain, but her ministrations felt so good that he lay back a little and closed his eyes. Slowly he opened them a little, he raised a hand and threaded it through her hair, pushing down suddenly, he pushed her towards him, and he kissed her hard on the lips.
Gasping a little with the shock and the sensations that rippled through Danaan as he kissed her made her pull back with regrets, smiling to herself a little she stared at him for a moment and traced her finger across his mouth. "Remember this Sov, I don't let any man take me for a fool, don't touch me again without an invitation!"
She said quietly, then bending down she kissed him harder then got up and finished their meal. Sov lay back and watched her work, he decided to play on his wounds for a little while she amused him with her independent streak and it piqued his curiosity. Danaan kept herself occupied with preparing the meal, her face still flushed from the heat of the kiss, there was something stopping her from letting him in. The Gods know he was handsome and so, well there was something about him that was aggravating but alluring at the same time. They ate in silence, both avoiding each others eyes, Danaan tried to make herself comfortable with her ankle but hunting this morning really made it sore and no matter how much she tried she couldn't put it anywhere without it hurting. Sov watched her for a moment then he moved closer to her, careful of his ribs and injuries. He lifted her ankle onto his knee and gently kneaded it, easing the aches and pain away. Danaan looked up startled an angry retort died on her lips, it felt so good, as his large hands expertly glided over the joint, pushing a little but easing it so much.
"Don't expect this all the time!" he growled ruining the pleasantry of the moment.
Pushing his hands away, Danaan glared at him for a moment then she got up and moved away from him she could still feel the touch of his fingers on her skin. "Don't worry I won't, I don't need your help anyway I am fine on my own, besides you are the injured one here, you need me more!"
"If you think I need your help then you are sadly mistaken!" Sov snapped as he tried to stand, shakily he managed to get onto his feet then he lurched forward dizzy, quickly Danaan moved to his side and helped him sit down.
"See you need my help!" she muttered as she made him comfortable again, then she settled down opposite him for a rest and to work out what she was going to do with him. The camp was too far for them to reach in their current conditions, but they couldn't stay here, the region was full of marauders and thieves. She couldn't risk the two of them being ambushed, with her ankle as bad as it is there was no way she could protect them properly, and he was in no shape to fight anyone.
"We need to get moving soon!" she said evenly trying to be civil towards him. "it isn't safe to stay here for too long!"
"Where do suggest we go then if you know so much?" Sov glared at her, trying to keep himself angry at this beautiful blond amazon.
"Well can't you have any ideas, or are you just another useless man?" Danaan quipped without thinking. The Sov regarded her with a thunderous look, murder glinted in his eyes, defiantly Danaan stared back gulping back her sudden nervousness. "Well I aint staying around here anyways!" she finished hoping he wouldn't see through her bluffing.
"Come closer and say that!" Sov spoke quietly and evenly holding out a hand to her, a strange smile played on his lips. Danaan hesitated for a moment he was so handsome and so sexy, but her ankle ached like mad, she was tired and dirty wanting a nice warm soak in a bath.
"Can you get up?" she asked rushing to pack the few things she had brought with her, ready to break camp trying to avoid his piercing blue eyes.
"Why shouldn't I be able to get up?" he growled as he gingerly tried to stand unaided. The cut on his head throbbed unmercifully, his whole body ached but he bit it back and stood tall, he had to show this amazon that he didn't need her help. Danaan watched him wince with the pain but she said nothing, it was pretty impressive to see him on his feet with all of his injuries. He must have a pretty good stamina to be able to do what would have any man in bed for weeks.
"Well are you just going to stand there gawking at me or are we gonna get going?" Sov snarled as he started to walk off, limping slightly letting Danaan struggle with the packs and her twisted ankle.
"Gee you are such a gentleman!" she yelled at his back. He totally ignored the barb and kept moving he didn't want her to see just how much pain he was in. They trekked through the brush for most of the day, the Sov leading them back to where he had come through the portal. Danaan did her best to keep up with him, but decided that just keeping him in view was enough for her. Suddenly the Sov stopped moving and disappeared behind a large rock. Suspicious Danaan dropped her pack and deftly crept to where she had seen him disappear. The Sov reached up and grabbed her arm yanking her down to where he was hiding. Putting a finger to his lips he pointed silently to the clearing ahead. Camped there was a gang of about ten soldiers; chained to a large post was a massive creature. It slightly resembled a dog in the head but it had the body of a large bear. Saliva and blood dripped from the large fangs that protruded from the mouth. Viciously it ripped into the carcass of an animal.
"Is that what attacked you?" Danaan whispered incredulously unable to take her eyes off the beast.
"Yes it is! Now get down!" Sov yanked he closer, tripping Danaan landed with her face against his chest. Flushed she lingered for a moment before raising her eyes to look into his. He glared at her for a moment then he bent down and kissed her on the lips. Taken by surprise Danaan kissed him back before she remembered the vow she had made to herself about men. Pushing him away slightly, Danaan cuffed his shoulder then turned to watch the beast once more. Her face flushed prettily and the heat of his lips still on hers.
"Well I am not sitting here forever!" the Sov growled as he crept around the camp trying to get a way in to attack.
Danaan hissed a warning and ducked for cover but it was too late, with his injuries, slowly him down the Sov was easily discovered. He was soon overtaken and though so very strong his weakened, state did make him more vulnerable to the attack and they finally overpowered him. His attackers did however sustain several severe injuries themselves. Within minutes, they had him restrained by strange looking chains, similar to what they had used to chain the beast with. Chained to a tree he looked both defeated and defiant at the same time. Danaan cursed under her breath but remained hidden until she could work out what to do to save him. Though part of her wanted to walk away and leave him to his own fate, but there was something about him that made her stay and want to fight for him. Night finally came and soon the only light was from the bright glow of the full moon. Seizing a chance to move closer to him Danaan crept towards the camp keeping a safe distance however from the beast that seemed to be settled for the night. Gently Danaan lay a hand on the Sov's shoulder and put her fingers over his mouth. Nodding silently, he watched annoyed that it was he in this weakened position and not her, the weaker female needing his help. Danaan desperately searched for something to break the chains with, but she was unsure of what to use. The chains were made of a material she had never seen before it seemed to have a life of its own and was slowly sapping the energy away from the Sov. He glared at her but stayed silent, all he wanted to do was sleep, his body ached and his head thumped unmercifully. Danaan crept around throwing caution aside if there was a confrontation so be it. However, she was unsure of how her ankle would hold up. The key to unlock the chains hung by the beast's head. Chewing her lip Danaan wondered how to get the key without disturbing it or the soldiers.
"Danaan!' Sov whispered calling her back, "the beast it will stay quiet with fresh meat to chew on, over there the pile over there!"
Danaan looked towards the pile the Sov indicated. About four small animal carcasses lay there freshly killed. Wrinkling her nose in disgust Danaan picked one up and carried it over to the creature. Tossing the body to it she watched as it warily sniffed the air, stared at her for a moment then it turned it's attention to the carcass. No longer interested in Danaan. Deftly she crept over and grabbed the key, rushing back to the Sov she managed to undo the lock without to much fuss. He fell forward into her arms, and clung to her until his dizziness passed and he was able to sit up. Smiling slyly he grabbed her face and pulled her towards him. Kissing her hard on the mouth, he lingered for a moment then he pulled away and his face changed and hardened once again. Murder shone in his eyes as he made his shaky way over to the unsuspecting soldiers. Before Danaan could stop him he picked up a sword and before she could stop him he slaughtered each soldier, the only thing was he didn't torture them for Danaan's sake he killed them swiftly. Shaking with anger Danaan strode over to him and grabbed his sword hand. "Why? Why did you kill them?" she demanded.
"Because they were going to kill me! Because they wanted what I had and because I am the Sovereign no one, I mean no one tries to kill me and lives to talk about it!" he roared at her, the blood lust filling his eyes. "Why do you want to be next?" he asked maliciously holding the dripping sword tip to her neck.
Disgusted Danaan pushed the blade away and smiled up at him, "you never told me what had happened!' she blinked prettily at him.
"They came through the vortex, wanted to take over my domain, my land! They have no rights there; they sent their pet after me! Brought it through the vortex with me while I was fighting it. Must have dazed it enough for me to get away, they must have followed and got it back, ready to find me again. I have no idea who or what they were or where they come from or what that thing is but NO ONE takes what is mine and survives!" he finished. "I take what I want because I am the Sovereign and I can!" he said as he took her into his arms nuzzling her neck, " I can take you if I want!"
"Get real Sovereign I take my men they don't take me!" Danaan retorted, pushing him away she stood back her hands on her hips glaring at him.
He stared at her for a moment, this amazon had spirit. He liked spirit, she would be a refreshing change from the usual fawners who tried to get into his bed. "Well what are you waiting for?" he asked smoothly.
"Don't rush me I am enjoying this!" Danaan grinned wickedly, "what are you gonna do with him?" she asked pointing to the creature.
"Take him with me, he will make a wonderful pet in the dungeons!" Sov answered absently, "stop changing the subject and come here woman!"
"Woman? Woman? Why you…!" angrily she slapped his face, grinning the Sov caught her hand and pulled her close to him. Her face resting against his massive chest. Slapping him harder Danaan started to struggle against him determined not to let him win. However, he was so close and he was so strong and muscular he was hard to resist. Sov pinned her hands behind her back and kissed her hard once again. Biting his tongue Danaan twisted out of his grip and put his arms in a vice lock. She regarded the big difference in their heights for a moment then an idea came to her. Letting go of his arms Danaan locked her hands around his neck pulling his head forward, taking him off balance. They fell together landing on a grassy patch, in a flash Danaan maneuvered herself on top of him. Satisfied she looked down at him, his annoyance only adding to her glee. "Now man you come to me!" she laughed.
The Sov laughed then, this feisty little amazon was getting to him. "Come with me back through the vortex, I can make you Queen of all you want!" he suggested pushing her off and under him. "We can do whatever we want!"
"Sorry Sov Honey but I am needed here for a while, though must admit I am tempted!" Danaan replied ruefully.
"What? You are turning me down?" Sov snapped shocked at the thought of anyone turning him down. It had never happened before.
"Who says we can't do what we want here!" Danaan said sliding her hands across his chest twisting the hairs in her fingers, "you could stay here with me!"
"Now as tempting as that is not! Why would I give what I have up for this miserable place?" Sov said smiling coldly, "No woman is worth that!"
"And no man is worth giving up anything for!" Danaan replied, pulling the fine chest hair savagely. Cursing her the Sov went to slap her hard when he looked into her eyes. Losing himself for a moment in them. Leaning down he massaged her ample breasts. Tweaking her nipples until she twitched with the sweet pain. "I must say I am disappointed!" he whispered in her ear. Leaving a blazing trail from her ear lobe down her throat with his tongue.
"So am I Sov, but I will get over it as I am sure you will!" Danaan answered pushing him off her. Panting heavily Danaan straightened her tunic and sat up, "just imagine what our next meeting will be like!"
"What do you mean next meeting?" Sov snarled
"Oh you will be back for more I am sure of it!" Danaan answered with a small smile playing on her lips.
"Can you say that you let me go and live with it! I might let you go a little further next time!" she added gamely.
"You will let me……you….you Amazon, you woman dare to speak to me like that!" Sov sputtered his anger boiling over.
"Yep coz I know you will want me so bad you will be able to taste it!" Danaan finished for him. "It is called the forbidden fruits isn't it?" she asked innocently.
"Oh believe me Woman it is not over yet!" he said in a low voice. A roaring sound made them turn around the vortex started whipping the wind around, the Sovereign looked down at the little amazon wanting to grab her and force her to go with him, but that would be too easy, he wanted to play a little more first.
"Till next time Amazon!" he said instead, then he disappeared. Danaan stood staring at where he had been standing for a moment. Wondering if she had made the right decision. "You will be back!" she called to the dawn sky. Then humming to herself she made her way back to the village her ankle still ached but she didn't feel it as much now. She could still feel his touch on her skin and the scorch of his kiss. He would be back.