MORTAL LOVE - complete MxM paranormal romance

4

Hiro could have sworn the wooden pier swayed as much as the boats docked to it. His stomach lurched in silent warning. The only thing that seemed to help was to focus on the way Rama's black hair shone under the midday sun.

"How many days until the shipment arrives?" Rama asked the sour-looking captain.

The man's weathered face scrunched up even more as he spit in the water. "Depends. If all well, three days. Unlucky, five more."

There went the merchant's promise to deliver by the full moon. Hiro could only hope the scout he'd sent to Dera Rawal had been enough to appease Erisi.

"Will you be in charge of the journey upriver?" he asked.

"Yah. Never failed me," the man said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at another torture device. Hiro swallowed at the sight of it.

Rama handed the man the clay tablet with the wood merchant's seal. "We'll guard the shipment all the way to Harappa," he said.

The captain waved the tablet away. "Good by me, if here when shipment loaded."

Hiro nodded his acknowledgment and hurried off the pier. A soft chuckle followed him.

"At least you'll have three days to magic yourself some sea legs."

Suppressing his grin, Hiro turned to the irreverent warrior. "I'll do something useful instead. Best way to find our thieves is to get some help from those who know what happens in the city. I have some eyes and ears here."

Rama slowed down and studied him with narrowed eyes. "This city is far from your stronghold. Why would you have spies here?"

Here and everywhere within a few hours flight of Dera Rawal. Hiro shrugged and kept walking south, away from the cool of the Saran harbor and into the bustle of Dholavira's lower town. Happy to have solid land under his feet, he navigated the maze of narrow streets where dusty children played tag in the shade and a few old men looked up from their dice game to watch them pass by.

They stopped at a low building cobbled together from mud, clay, driftwood, and dried palm leaves. Hiro knocked once and stated loudly, "Ephtas."

The Minoan word had Rama look at him questioningly. It would be hard to explain that most demons mastered the language of angels since Lucifer's conquest, so he ignored the silent question.

A tall, dark-eyed female appeared at the threshold. The moment she laid eyes on Hiro, she bowed her head, hand on the Arav tattoo on her chest. "It's an honor, Shri."

"Aparna, how good to see you." He smiled at the female he hadn't seen since his elevation to chief. "Hiro will do."

She eyed the silent warrior behind Hiro's back but didn't ask. Instead, she gestured toward the inside of the shack. "Come in."

With only a few woven mats on the floor, the inside was as sparse as the outside. Hiro leaned against the most stable-looking wall. "I will be back to discuss the latest news about Dholavira later. First I need your help with something."

Aparna's eyes flashed to Rama who stood cross-armed on the threshold. "Yes, Shr—Hiro. How can I serve you?"

"Our wood got stolen upriver. I want to find out who was stupid enough to steal from the Arav. Even better if we can retrieve the wood."

"Where did it happen?" Aparna crouched down and rolled out one of the mats that sat in the corner. Red paint marked a crude map of the region.

Hiro nodded at Rama who approached and sank to his haunches to point at a spot along the curve of the Indus.

"Near Amri." Rama looked up at Hiro. "I believed the robbers were in Mohenjo-Daro, but we couldn't find a trace of them. Dholavira seems the next logical place. They could trade and ship the wood more easily here."

Aparna nodded. "This kind of wood is too valuable a shipment to go unnoticed in the smaller cities." She stood and faced Hiro. "I will send my scouts to the merchants immediately. Let's see if they have knowledge of any shady deals."

"You have two days," Hiro said. "We will leave with the next shipment. I'd like to know who we're up against. And get our damn wood back."

"Yes, Sh-Hiro."

"Any place we can lay low in the meantime?" he asked. "Close to the port if possible."

They needed to keep an eye on that captain and the trading company responsible for the wood. He didn't trust anyone who made a living on those wooden torture devices and thrived.

"We have a warehouse in Saran you can use."

"Perfect." He laid his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for your help."

"My pleasure." She bowed her head again and let them out.

The moment they left the street, Rama broke his silence. "Who the fuck are you?"

Hiro smiled. "I told you. Hiro of the Arav."

Rama scowled at him. "Don't play coy. Why did she bow to you? Why do you have spies in a city so far from your home?"

"The stories about the Arav are not without merit. We are the most powerful family in the region. I lead our scouts, the ones who feed us the information that keeps us powerful and safe."

For a moment, Rama just stared at him. "Maybe that's what you should have led with when you demanded to join this mission."

Hiro grinned at him. "Where would have been the fun in that?"

The memory of Rama's body underneath his, the way the human had fought him before submitting, that joyful laugh... Hiro shivered.

"We should use the next two days to gather information too," Rama suggested as they walked back to the harbor.

"We'll be a hindrance. My scouts know everyone in the city. If two strangers start asking too, we'll arouse suspicion."

Rama huffed. "Unlike your scouts, I don't bow to you, Hiro of the Arav."

Barely able to suppress his grin, Hiro said, "But you're too smart to jeopardize this mission."

The man's shoulders fell. "Two damn days to waste."

"Or five," Hiro pointed out helpfully.

As they stopped in front of the warehouse, Rama's slow smile made Hiro's breath falter. "I guess I have no choice but to focus on you then, Hiro of the Arav."

Hiro swallowed. His name had never sounded more like a threat to his sanity.