Journey with Joe (Middlemarch Capture Book 5) Read online

  Mungo moaned. Her eyes flickered and finally opened.

  “Sweetheart,” Joe said. “Swallow the berries. Please, I know they’re horrid, but do it for me.”

  “Berries?” Gidget said.

  Joe nodded. “Come on, Mungo. Swallow.”

  Mungo moaned and grimaced. She dribbled, her throat working.

  Joe used the corner of his shirt to wipe her chin. “One more mouthful,” he said, figuring that should be enough. He wished Gidget had taken only the berries they’d required rather than chomping on the whole lot. But her heart had been in the right place.

  Once Mungo swallowed, Joe let her lie back to sleep. He didn’t recall much of what had happened when he’d been ill, only what Saber and Sly had told him. He’d slept after eating the berries and although he’d suffered from sluggishness, the numbness had faded after rest.

  Hopefully, Mungo’s recovery would follow the same path.

  “Let’s give Mungo a chance to rest.” Joe hustled Max and Gidget from the flymo.

  “Wife?” Gidget asked, pointing at him and then herself.

  “No,” Joe said. “One wife.” He pointed to the flymo. “Gidget.” He indicated her. “Friend.” Then he tapped the center of his chest. “Friend,” he repeated.

  “Not wife?”

  “Friend is better,” Joe said firmly and went through the motions again.

  “Friend?” Gidget’s brow creased in clear doubt. “Not better.”

  Joe nodded. “Gidget and Joe are friends.”

  “Saber and Sly are coming now,” Max said.

  “Good, I’d like to watch Mungo and the herd. Part of me thinks I should take Mungo to the resort to recuperate, but I don’t like to pass off the responsibility for our cattle.”

  “We all understand,” Max said. “Why don’t you give Mungo two hours of rest and decide then. Hell, she might decide for you.”

  “Not a bad idea. Now that Mungo has eaten the berries, she’ll hopefully recover. I’ll check with her and ask what she wants,” Joe decided.

  But first, he needed to make certain Gidget understood this wife thing. He and Sly were not in the market for another wife, but they were always ready for more friends. He’d try to make her understand this. If the chief refused to take Gidget back into the tribe because she was causing trouble with his other wives, they’d find something for her to do at the resort. Saber might have some ideas.

  “How is Mungo?” Saber asked.

  “Thanks to Gidget, we got Mungo to eat several berries. She’s asleep now. I want to stay with the herd, and Mungo will want to stay too.”

  “I’ll remain to help. It won’t take more than five days to drive the herd to the resort.” Sly glanced at Saber. “Perhaps you could take Max or one of the others back with you.”

  “What about Gidget?” Joe asked.

  “I tried to talk the chief into taking her back. He was adamant. Too much drama, or words to that effect. I could take her with me. Ma will supervise her.”

  “Wife?” Gidget said, pointing at Sly.

  “No,” Joe said, answering for his twin. “Friend.”

  Gidget turned to Saber. “Wife?”

  Saber shook his head. “Friend.”

  Gidget sighed, the air whooshing from her mouth in a hard whistle. “No home.”

  “You’ll come with us,” Saber said. “You will live at our home and be our friend.”

  Interest flashed in Gidget. “Your home. Friend?”

  “Yes,” Saber said. “If you don’t enjoy the resort, we will bring you back.”

  Gidget regarded Saber as if she was measuring his sincerity. She sought Sly then finally focused on Joe.

  “Is dandy? This friend thing?”

  “Yes,” Joe said, his mouth twitching with the need to smile. “At our home we mind each other. You’ll make other friends too.”

  “Yesss.” Gidget danced from foot to foot in a weird dance celebration.

  “Right.” Saber inclined his head. “Sorted. Joe, you took several hours before you recovered from the berries. Max and I will do a circuit back to the coast before we return to the resort. Just in case those Scothage people are tracking Mungo again.”

  “Fuck, I hope not,” Joe said. “We can do without those heathens upsetting Mungo. She is my mate.”

  “But she doesn’t understand the concept of mates,” Saber pointed out. “She might have other ideas.”

  “I refuse to push her too fast,” Joe said. “I know what I want, what I want from Mungo, but I won’t force her.”

  “What about your feline side?” Saber asked. “Your feline will push you to bite her, to claim her as your mate in fact. You won’t think straight. You won’t be able to resist. Your feline will drive you until you can’t think of anything else. Ask Sly if you don’t believe me. I don’t think you understand how difficult it is to resist the mating urge.”

  “Saber,” Sly said, a cautionary note in his tone. “Give Joe a break. I think he’s right to court her and give her a chance to accept us and our people, to discover how she might fit into our world.”

  “Or if she even wants to.” Joe forced the words out. He thought Mungo wanted the same thing as him. They’d made love, and he craved a repeat of the experience as soon as Mungo recovered and showed she wanted him.

  “Bro, it will be all right.” Sly squeezed Joe’s arm. “Follow your instincts and everything will work out okay.”

  “Easy for you to say,” Joe snapped. Silence fell, and he sighed. “Sorry. My temper is… Sorry.”

  “It’s fine,” Sly said. “I wasn’t Mr. Perfect while I was waiting for Liam to find a spell to cure my blindness. Bro, I get you’re worried. I’m certain everything will be fine.”

  Max had remained silent while Saber and Sly gave Joe a pep-talk. Now, he spoke. “We left Harriet here. Sam reckoned you’d get the berries, and Mungo would recover. He thought you’d need the horse for Mungo while she recuperates.”

  “Thanks.” Joe forced a smile. “I appreciate the help you and Kenan have given me.”

  “Do you need anything else?” Saber asked. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take Mungo with me?”

  “No!” Joe barked. The idea of being without her, not able to see her face for five days filled him with apprehension. He’d never concentrate if she left with Saber. And there went his temper again. “Sorry.” He glanced up to find his two brothers grinning. Max sported a broad smile. Joe reined in his uncertain mood. “I’ll get Mungo.”

  He entered the flymo and scooped up Mungo. She was still asleep, but he thought her breathing sounded easier now.

  “I’ll grab the bedroll,” Sly said.

  Joe carried Mungo and set her on the bedroll set up by Sly in the area where they’d made a campfire.

  “We’ll see you in five days,” Saber said. “If you don’t reach the resort within seven, we’ll come looking for you.”

  “Thank you.” Joe embraced Saber. Sly did the same.

  Things were changing. In his brothers’ lives and in his. Joe sat with Mungo and prayed the woman his cat had claimed was on the road to recovery.

  15 – Romance In The Great Outdoors

  Mungo’s head throbbed in a rhythmic pounding that had her wincing. Her legs, her arms ached. A spot high on her right arm pulsed the most, and vague recollections of an arrow flitted through her confused mind. Blacklight filled her vision, and she had no idea of her location. A croak escaped her.

  “Mungo. Mungo, are you awake?”

  “Joe? Something be wrong with my eyes,” she whispered.

  A masculine laugh sounded right near her ear. “Open them. That will help.”

  “Nay,” she whispered, not believing Joe for an instant. She blinked, saw a flash of whitelight, and decided he might well be right. “Everything hurts.”

  “I understand, sweetheart. My head thumped, and every part of my body ached during my recovery. I’d hazard a guess and say the berries give the user a hangover.”

  Joe
’s presence distracted her from her beating brainbox, and her ability to string words and thoughts together became easier.

  “What’s a hangover?”

  “The pain and sickness or nausea that comes from drinking too much wine or whisky.”

  Mungo shifted her body and winced at a dagger of pain in her right arm. “Oh, aye. We call that pished. I dinnae drink much. Reilynn says ’tis unladylike.”

  “Food and drink improved the illness. Let me help you sit.”

  Mungo grimaced as Joe helped her to an upright position. It was then she noticed Joe’s twin. “We’ve met. I dinnae recall yer name.”

  “Sly. How are you feeling?”

  “Like a mob of rampaging coos ran over me.”

  Sly laughed. “Ma and Scarlett will love you.”

  “What happened? I remember eating one berry but the poison worked through my body, making my thoughts grow hazy.”

  “I was out of it myself,” Joe said.

  “Joe was already sick when we found you, and you told Saber to give him the berries.”

  “Aye.”

  “That was two days ago,” Joe said.

  “It’s taken us that long to find more berries, and then it was luck we discovered them. Several of the Bone people wore them as necklaces,” Sly explained. “From what Saber understood, the berries are not ripe right now. We found a bush with green berries.”

  “Drink this,” Joe said, handing her a flask of water. “Easy. Don’t gulp.”

  Joe was right. After eating, she regained control of her limbs. “Where are the coos?”

  “Ah, now I’m certain you’re recovering,” Joe said.

  It was late in the cycle when Joe and Sly declared her fit enough to travel. The brothers packed up the campsite and stowed everything in one bag.

  “Can you carry my clothes?” Sly asked. “I thought I’d shift and run as feline.” Sly slid off his shirt and sat to remove his boots.

  Mungo watched with interest. A low growl right near her ear made her jump.

  “Mungo, don’t look,” Joe ordered.

  “I ken yer identical twins. This is an opportunity to compare ye, and see for myself.”

  “You can take my word for it,” Joe said, forcibly turning her away from his brother.

  Sly chuckled. “Mungo is improving. She’s feisty.”

  A snort escaped Joe. “This is a warning, sweetheart, not to push me too far. I find I have little humor these days.”

  The teasing seeped out of Mungo, and her brows drew together. “Does this mean ye’ll strike me?” She refused to stay with Joe if hidings and scolding were to fill her future. She’d had enough of that with her family.

  “Beat you?” Sly asked. “No, we—”

  “Don’t turn around,” Joe snapped. “Shift.”

  “You’re Mr. Bossy Pants today,” Sly teased.

  When Mungo tried to turn around, Joe held her in place but moved closer. She savored the heat coming off his big body. Instantly, her indignation faded, replaced by a strong yearning.

  “Go,” Joe ordered his brother.

  With a laugh, Sly shifted and prowled around them until Mungo could see him. He bore a distinct catlike smirk. With his gaze on Joe, he approached and licked Mungo’s hand.

  “Go,” Joe said again, bolstering his demand with a feline snarl of his own.

  Sly’s smirk widened before he bounded off with a flick of his tail.

  “That wasnae verra well done of ye,” Mungo chided.

  Joe didn’t reply, instead pressing his warm lips to her neck. She shuddered at the flash of heat that roared from the place of contact.

  “Sweetheart.” Joe nipped her neck before releasing her. “If you’re strong enough, we should leave. I’d prefer to place more distance between us and the coast.”

  “I thought ye said the land bridge only appears for a few cycles.”

  “Each month. Yes, that is correct, but it is possible for men to sail across the sea using a boat or fly, if they possess a ship.”

  “None of the Scothage clans own vehicles to fly through the skies. At least I think that is the case. I have heard of clans owning boats, but the Caimbeulach clan dinnae.”

  “Good to know,” Joe said. “Shall we go? Sam left Harriet for us.”

  “Where?”

  “She’s busy grazing, near to here.”

  Harriet nickered a welcome as they approached. Joe saddled her, gave Mungo a boost and vaulted up behind her.

  “I want you with me,” Joe said. “Once we get to our home. I have my own bungalow. You can stay with me, or if you prefer, you can lodge with my mother and sister.”

  “What would I do? I dinnae wish to wear a dress and do women’s work.”

  She sensed Joe’s amusement rather than saw it.

  “In five days—cycles—you can judge for yourself. Will you remain with me?”

  “In yer bed?”

  “That would be my preference.”

  “Aye,” she said.

  Joe’s arms clasped her, and his lips pressed against her neck. Mungo kenned nothing of what the future might bring, but Joe and his family, his friends had treated her with care and respect. They’d hunted for berries to cure her when her father would’ve turned away in disgust, leaving her to die.

  “Excellent. The lands we’re to travel through belong to the Bone people. They are a hunter-gatherer tribe.

  “Why are they called Bone people?”

  “Many of them wear bone piercings in their noses. One of them—Gidget—grabbed the berries from me. She knew it was best to chew them for you. I’d never have thought of that. You’ll meet her when we reach the resort. She is on the hunt for a husband.”

  “I’ll express my thanks in person,” Mungo said. “Tell me of yer plans for the coos. Where will ye keep them? Are ye sure they will do well in the greater heat of this island?”

  The afternoon passed in pleasant discussion. Mungo had already learned much of Joe’s character in the way he treated the coos, and his and his brother’s plans excited her.

  Whitelight was turning to black when they saw the herd. Roly, the owl, flapped his wings from his perch on Sam’s shoulder. He no longer possessed bald patches and was pure pink fluff now, his round brown eyes alert and interested.

  Mungo, too, had regained most of her strength, although Joe, backed by the others, insisted that she sit and rest while they prepared dinner. As always, it fascinated Mungo to see their cooking pots and food appear from within neatly packed bags. Even the bedrolls were compact. From what she could see, they possessed three packs, taking turns carrying them while two of their party raced around in feline form.

  Soon, Joe presented her with a meaty stew before taking a seat beside her.

  “Are ye posting a guard this blacklight because of my father?” she asked.

  “Partly,” Joe said when Sly, Duncan and Sam joined them. “We want to make certain the Bone people don’t go back on their word and try to take a cow to eat.”

  “Saber and Eva told us huge birds live on this side of the island. We’ll watch for those,” Sam said.

  Mungo frowned. “I’ve heard tales of big birds, although I’ve never seen one. Are they truly large enough to carry off a coo?”

  “One of them snatched Eva. She’s Saber’s mate,” Joe said. “Saber was quick enough to grab hold of Eva but the bird carried both of them across the island.”

  “How did they survive?”

  “According to Saber, another bird attacked and the one carrying them dropped him and Eva,” Sly said, entering the conversation.

  Sam chuckled. “We’re not sure whether to believe them because the bird grows with the telling of the tale.”

  “We believe they migrate, since we’ve only seen them at certain times of the year,” Joe said.

  “How will ye protect my coos?” Mungo demanded.

  “We’re going to build shade areas. Remember, I mentioned those this afternoon,” Joe said.

  “Aye.”<
br />
  “They’ll serve a dual purpose. Protection from the heat of the day plus protection from birds. We’ll train the cattle to go to the shade area on command,” Joe said.

  “Harriet too,” Mungo said.

  “Yes,” Joe said. “Although we’ve never seen the birds near the resort. They appear to prefer this side of the island.”

  “My theory,” Sam said, “is that they return to their breeding grounds to nest and raise their young before flying off wherever they go. Somewhere on the mainland.”

  “But ye’re planning for the future, should there be a change.” Mungo nodded in approval.

  “You have more color in your cheeks. It’s amazing how fast those berries work,” Sly said.

  Joe wrinkled his nose. “Once the hangover wears off.”

  “Aye, I dinnae wish to get poked with a poisoned arrow again.”

  “I second that,” Joe said drily. “It’s getting late, and we have an early start. We want to travel as far as we can before the midday heat. We’ll set up our bedroll over there, but we’ll go to the stream for a swim first.”

  Mungo blushed, but Sly nor any of the other men commented at Joe’s assumption. The truth—she wanted to sleep near Joe. His presence made her feel safe.

  Joe stood and offered his hand.

  Taking it, Mungo stood. “What about the cleaning up?”

  “We’ll do it,” Sly said. “You and Joe have been sick. Go and rest.” He grinned and winked at Joe, and heat sped through Mungo again.

  Joe grabbed a bedroll and guided her from the camp. He picked a sheltered, private spot, yet still close enough to his brother and friends to holler should she and Joe require help. Instead of unpacking the bedroll, he dumped it and tugged Mungo to the right. They wove between big trees and finally exited near a stream. It widened to a pool and steam rose from the surface. An unusual tang rode on the air, and Mungo couldnae decide if she liked the perfume or not.

  “We camped here on our way to collect the cattle,” Joe said. “The area is volcanic, and the water gets its heat from the thermal activity.”

  “Ye mentioned heated water before, but I dinnae believe it.”

  “Yes, but let me test it first. Just in case the temperature has risen. When Saber and Eva were first here, the volcano was erupting and spewing out a river of lava. It blocked the path. The volcano is quiet now.” He squeezed her hand. “You look confused. Tomorrow, we should glimpse the volcano once we get out of the trees.”