are.”
He paused with his armour in his hands. “That is a very good idea.”
He put on the silk trousers, his boots and he pulled his tunic around his shoulders, leaving it open. With his armour and sword tucked under his arm, he offered her his free arm, and they walked back to the Open Heart.
Teebie had their going-away outfits ready, and she took the gown away to prep it for transport.
Ten minutes after arriving, they were out the door with their bags sent to the Meditation Centre for them.
“So, this is your home?” Somehow, Nika had expected something more along the lines of Argus Stables. This was more of a village and less of a home.
He grinned and scooped her up in his arms. “It is our home. The outbuildings are for the hands and the student vets. We specialise in rehabilitating horses that have been abandoned and left without medical care.”
“It is a rescue.”
“It is. We travel across the continent, gathering the lost and abandoned animals who need a home and help. We bring them here and adopt out those that we can to verified homes, while keeping the others so that they can remain safe.”
She smiled. This was work she knew, just on a larger scale.
He carried her into the largest house in the village, and he held her with one arm while he opened the door.
“You don’t lock your doors?”
He shrugged. “I really don’t have anything to steal.”
She nuzzled his neck. “Do you have Wi-Fi?”
“We do.”
“Good. I have a hobby that I enjoy, and I would hate to have to give it up.”
He walked up to the second floor and along a wide walkway. “What is the hobby?”
“Digitizing embroidery. I take images and turn them into stitchable designs for embroidery machines.”
“Truly?”
She nodded. “Yup.”
By the time they finished their chat, he had opened the door to the master bedroom and walked her up to the bed, settling her on the bedding with a soft kiss. “I will work on getting your necessary supplies here tomorrow.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into the bed with her. “Give it a week. I am sure that there is a lot for me to learn around here.”
Nika ran her hand down his chest to his belt, and she worked the leather free.
“I have always been a supporter of education.” He dropped to the bed next to her, and they rolled around, wrestling free of their clothing before she rode him to a satisfying conclusion.
It was a solid start to their new balance.
Nika held the mare’s head and murmured to Sparkle as she sweated and shivered in labour. The hard blowing was to be expected, but Nika still wanted to sooth her.
Mark was on the business end and easing the tiny hooves into position. The little one was coming out slowly. When the head emerged, he looked up and nodded.
The rest was timing pulling to labour, and slowly, the little one slid into the world. The moment it was free of its mother’s body, it fought to rise with flailing legs. Mark pulled the amniotic sac away, and Sparkle struggled to her feet.
Nika and Mark would have caused more harm than good if they had been humans, but Sparkle accepted them as protective members of the herd. It was a nice feeling.
Covered in blood and liquid, Mark kissed her quickly. “I am heading for a shower.”
She laughed. “It is all par for the course.”
The vet students who had alerted them to the labouring mare were standing in the doorway and staring.
The little filly toddled over to her mother, and they met muzzle to muzzle for the first time.
Nika teared up and left the stall.
The vets were going to take care of the afterbirth when it emerged, and in the meantime, Nika could get back to bed.
Four days at the ranch had gotten her introduced to all the hands and the students doing their practicums at the busiest horse facility in the region.
A new house was being constructed on the edge of the small town. Annabella and Frennin had jumped at the chance to move once they had
He paused with his armour in his hands. “That is a very good idea.”
He put on the silk trousers, his boots and he pulled his tunic around his shoulders, leaving it open. With his armour and sword tucked under his arm, he offered her his free arm, and they walked back to the Open Heart.
Teebie had their going-away outfits ready, and she took the gown away to prep it for transport.
Ten minutes after arriving, they were out the door with their bags sent to the Meditation Centre for them.
“So, this is your home?” Somehow, Nika had expected something more along the lines of Argus Stables. This was more of a village and less of a home.
He grinned and scooped her up in his arms. “It is our home. The outbuildings are for the hands and the student vets. We specialise in rehabilitating horses that have been abandoned and left without medical care.”
“It is a rescue.”
“It is. We travel across the continent, gathering the lost and abandoned animals who need a home and help. We bring them here and adopt out those that we can to verified homes, while keeping the others so that they can remain safe.”
She smiled. This was work she knew, just on a larger scale.
He carried her into the largest house in the village, and he held her with one arm while he opened the door.
“You don’t lock your doors?”
He shrugged. “I really don’t have anything to steal.”
She nuzzled his neck. “Do you have Wi-Fi?”
“We do.”
“Good. I have a hobby that I enjoy, and I would hate to have to give it up.”
He walked up to the second floor and along a wide walkway. “What is the hobby?”
“Digitizing embroidery. I take images and turn them into stitchable designs for embroidery machines.”
“Truly?”
She nodded. “Yup.”
By the time they finished their chat, he had opened the door to the master bedroom and walked her up to the bed, settling her on the bedding with a soft kiss. “I will work on getting your necessary supplies here tomorrow.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into the bed with her. “Give it a week. I am sure that there is a lot for me to learn around here.”
Nika ran her hand down his chest to his belt, and she worked the leather free.
“I have always been a supporter of education.” He dropped to the bed next to her, and they rolled around, wrestling free of their clothing before she rode him to a satisfying conclusion.
It was a solid start to their new balance.
Nika held the mare’s head and murmured to Sparkle as she sweated and shivered in labour. The hard blowing was to be expected, but Nika still wanted to sooth her.
Mark was on the business end and easing the tiny hooves into position. The little one was coming out slowly. When the head emerged, he looked up and nodded.
The rest was timing pulling to labour, and slowly, the little one slid into the world. The moment it was free of its mother’s body, it fought to rise with flailing legs. Mark pulled the amniotic sac away, and Sparkle struggled to her feet.
Nika and Mark would have caused more harm than good if they had been humans, but Sparkle accepted them as protective members of the herd. It was a nice feeling.
Covered in blood and liquid, Mark kissed her quickly. “I am heading for a shower.”
She laughed. “It is all par for the course.”
The vet students who had alerted them to the labouring mare were standing in the doorway and staring.
The little filly toddled over to her mother, and they met muzzle to muzzle for the first time.
Nika teared up and left the stall.
The vets were going to take care of the afterbirth when it emerged, and in the meantime, Nika could get back to bed.
Four days at the ranch had gotten her introduced to all the hands and the students doing their practicums at the busiest horse facility in the region.
A new house was being constructed on the edge of the small town. Annabella and Frennin had jumped at the chance to move once they had
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