Hair of Gold: Just Right (Urban Fairytales Book 6) by Erik Schubach Page B

blessing. She was a small and feminine thing, but with a wicked sense of humor and the tongue of a lumberjack when she was out earshot from her parents.
    I had to smile and said, “She's good for you Big Bear. I like how she makes you smile.” I knew he felt some sense of responsibility to take care of us so he felt guilty about these feelings he was having. He knew I could take care of our brothers, and I only wanted to see him happy.
    I bit my tongue as I smiled and asked, “You think you'd have cubs or babies?”
    He bopped my head playfully with his fist.
    I leaned into him then said with a more thoughtful tone, “I have never really thought much about it. I feel like I have three overgrown children as it is.”
    He rocked us with his shoulder as he grinned.
    Then I looked at my hands and the callouses from the hard work I did around the cottage and all the weapons handling I did. They weren't the dainty hands of a maiden like Cordelia or Gabriela. I shrugged. “I have really never seen myself as settling down. As you know... my taste in ummm... partners is more like my brothers have. So I may never find one to accept that in me.”
    He frowned slightly and countered, “Gabriela seems to not notice that you are a woman. Or she does notice it I should say.”
    I snorted. “She is above my station. And besides, what would I do with a fragile little bride such as her? I'd fear snapping her in two in our bed. Nyet, I will be joyful just making sure my brothers find themselves happy in life.”
    He chuckled and turned to engulf me in a bear hug, kissing the top of my head. “We were blessed the day you came into our lives tiny kotenok. No man could pray to have a better little sister.” He smirked. “Even if she smells like a bear.”
    I smiled and started drilling my knuckles into his side into his ticklish spot. He chuckled and released his hug, scrabbling to escaping my onslaught. We both looked up, stomach's growling as Little Bear announced from the fire, “Lunch is ready.”
    We stood and started over. I glanced up at Andrei as he scowled at the horizon. I followed his gaze and then realized what had him bothered. The moon hadn't started tracking in the sky yet. I counted days in my head from when we started our quest and nodded at him. The moon would not rise until the sun set tonight. It was to be a Wolf Moon.
    I looked at my other brothers who were nodding in understanding. It would be an early dinner tonight as we found an open space where I could be easily defended. We ignored that line of thinking and sat down to have fish steaks and flatbread, joking and laughing with each other like a family with no burdens.
    We made haste that afternoon until we came upon a great stone overhang. It would do, giving natural defense at my back and we pitched camp. I made us a quick meal with what meager supplies we had left. We would have to hunt again soon, and trade the meat in a village for more supplies. Andrei had a few of his carvings to trade which he had made during our quest. And I could make us some coin in a tavern in games pitting my strength against the men there.
    We weren't half way through our meal, keeping an eye on the sun as it dipped low on the horizon when we heard a woman's enraged scream drifting on on the wind, accompanied by the sounds of swordplay.
    I was on my feet running in the direction of the screams of defiance, drawing my blade. Pavel was calling after me to wait. I had crested a rise a hundred yards off when I heard the first bellows of my Kodiaks behind me.
    I saw through a break in the trees, a young woman and man surrounded by ten raiders in leathers marked with Narcisa's brand. I had to blink at the woman as she parried a blade with a small dagger and spun backward in a blur to knock the blade out of the man's hand with the frying pan she wielded in her other hand.
    She spun back again as another thrust came in at her from behind. The tip of the sword struck the flat of the frying