The sting tail flailed, attempting to dislodge him. Gripping the coarse exoskeleton with his claws, Faltz drove the spear down behind its head. The shrill, whistling exhalation of compressed air that the creature released in its agony hurt his ears, but it lasted only a moment until he severed the head from the body with a sharp snap of his arm.
Faltz bounded clear of the body as it fell from beneath him, landing with a heavy thump against the ground. The triumphant call of the guards rose in the air, and Faltz smiled. They had reason to celebrate. Beni was safe, their objective completed, and they had brought down the largest sting tail their clan had battled since coming to this planet.
As Bakin directed two of the guards on where to find Isnah, the other guards made quick work securing long cords from the sting tail to their harnesses for it to be dragged back to camp. The guards tasked with fetching Isnah watched reluctantly for a moment, but complied when they were assured that they would not return to the village without them. The glory would be shared by all. With smiles, they hastened to deal with the young male who had betrayed their clan.
None of that mattered to Faltz.
He returned to Beni’s side and pulled her up over his withers. Once seated, she immediately scooted forward and wrapped her arms around him so that he could feel every breath and heartbeat echo though him where their bodies were pressed together. She snuggled close and remained quiet for several minutes until finally the guards returned with Isnah. The male hung limp between them, his head hanging. As he passed them, Isnah lifted his head for a moment and looked in their direction before he was tugged away. Faltz felt Beni stiffen, and for a moment thought she was afraid of him. He reached back and stroked her leg.
“Do not fear,” he said. “The queen will deal with him, though sadly she cannot deal with Calth as well, nor with whoever aided them.”
“Wynter,” she replied quietly, startling him.
“The queen’s brother?”
Her head nodded against his back. “He came to warn Isnah. He told him to leave me and flee west, like he was. He had helped Calth before, but this time he helped Isnah with the promise of assistance to depose the queen. Calth wasn’t part of it. He tried to stop him, but his own son killed him when he attempted to set me free.”
Faltz’s hand tightened on her leg at the note of sorrow in her voice.
“The queen will honor the memory of the male then,” he replied. “Though he stood against me, I too will respectfully mourn his passing for what he attempted to do for you.”
“What about Isnah and Wynter?”
He sighed. “I suspect that Isnah will be exiled. He is young, and the queen will be merciful enough to allow him the chance to start again in another clan. But he will never be permitted to cross into our territory again. I do not know if I agree with this, but the queen has a charitable heart. Wynter deserves death as a traitor, but if he has escaped west, it is unlikely we will ever recover him if he wandered into the far territories along the water’s edge. Your revenge won’t be satisfied,” he muttered angrily.
Her hand slipped along his back in a gentle stroke. “It doesn’t matter. All I really need is you. That’s enough for me.”
“I nearly failed you…”
“Never. You saved me in more ways than one. You are my hero, cookie. Never doubt it.”
He fell silent, his lips twisting, with a sense of pleasure rising through him. It was hard to believe that he did not fail her, but her words bored into his heart, bringing him a taste of hope for a better future.
Clearing his throat, he glanced back at her. “I do not know why you insist on calling me this cookie thing.”
Her laughter was soft as she whispered, “Because you are sweet, and I want to spend a great amount of time nibbling on you.”
His cock tightened, and he shifted on his feet with an eagerness he could not constrain. “This sounds acceptable,” he grunted.
“Well then, hurry home. We have a long, happy future to get started on.”
“After we return Tabby,” he amended. “I know you enjoy your friend, but that female will never give us any peace or privacy.”
Beni’s laughter filled the air behind him, delighting his heart. “Oh, if you insist. After we return Tabby, then. It is a good idea anyway. I finished my booklet before I was taken. I think that Tabby will make good use of it. Besides, now I have to introduce you to Mama… my dam. Don’t worry. I just know that she’s going to love you.”
Faltz’s heart warmed at the thought of his clan gaining in prosperity and growing strong and healthy. More so, his heart sang as he imagined the years stretching forward with Beni by his side. The trepidation he felt at the idea of meeting his mate’s dam was a small thing. He would face anything to have his danmi in his arms forever.
“Take me home, Faltz,” she whispered.
With a leap forward, he broke into a gallop, her soft laughter ringing in his ears as he gladly obliged.
Epilogue
Viv stared at the beastly male reclining on a dozen pillows that Beni had thrown carelessly to the floor. She didn’t know what to make of him. If it weren’t for the fact that Beni looked so satisfied with the entire situation, she might have been tempted to poison him—or something. Her eyes slid over to Tabby, who shrugged helplessly in her direction. She wasn’t sure exactly why Tabby was there, outside of perhaps a morbid sense of curiosity. The girl was watching the whole thing with an entertained expression.
“Tabby, dear, I know your parents are worried sick about you. Shouldn’t you be home?” Viv asked in mild bewilderment. It was mild only because the girls had been friends for ages and little surprised her anymore.
The young woman shook her head and sipped the hot tea with a grateful sigh. “Not just yet, Mama Marshall. If it’s all right, I would like to warm myself first from trekking through those tunnels after being rained on for the last few miles of our journey. I know my father. The moment I step into that house, I will be grounded for a year, with my elder brother on my tail watching my every move.” She sighed. “House arrest will almost be enough to have me run screaming back to the Mintar village—almost.”
“You did worry everyone… both of you,” Viv chided, giving Beni a stern look.
“I swear it wasn’t intentional, Mama,” Beni pleaded.
Her only child’s explanation had been enough to give Viv white hair. Knowing that her daughter was rescued by a brave and honorable male who cared for her the entire time Beni had been missing—even if he wasn’t human—brought some peace to her heart. That her daughter genuinely loved the Mintar… That was perhaps less surprising. Beni always had strange taste in men. She knew exactly what her daughter got up to in those clubs, and by far preferred the alien, despite his peculiar appearance.
How on earth do they even…? She shuddered, and dropped that line of thinking. She didn’t want to know anything about how sex worked between the male and her daughter. Her curiosity about the species could end there.
“So, what happened to Isnah, anyway? You didn’t tell me,” she reminded Beni.
Her daughter shrugged.
“That part is not very interesting. As Faltz said, the queen did end up exiling Isnah. Guards escorted him to their territory border and made certain that he left. He never did come back. Last anyone heard, he traveled through several territories before he found a clan that would take him in. Wynter, we never did get word on, though the queen still inquires among her allies. There has been some strange movement from the Order of the Huntsmen near our territory as of late, so everyone is taking caution as much as possible.”
“Your daughter is safe, though,” Faltz interrupted, with an exasperated look directed at Beni. “The clan lands are well fortified.”
Viv was grateful for the assurance. Beni didn’t always think ahead to how others around her would take her blithe announcements. Although Viv was used to it and usually found her daughter’s bluntness amusing, in this moment she needed the reassurance after we
eks of worrying, not knowing what fate had befallen her daughter. It seemed that Faltz was exactly the balance that Beni needed in her life.
A smile played on her lips as she watched Beni wrap her hands around the male’s neck and press her cheek lovingly against his, joy on her face the likes of which Viv hadn’t seen since her father died. That smile was worth anything.
Viv didn’t know if she would ever truly get used to Beni’s mating, but it was obvious that she was happy. She couldn’t ask for anything more. Especially not when it solved so many problems when it came to the men in the Citadel. Beni wouldn’t have been happy with any of them, and Viv would have been sad to send her away to somewhere safe. The Mintar territory was still far enough away, but not so far as to prevent them from seeing each other, as Beni had demonstrated with her surprise visit in the middle of the night.
The image of her daughter standing on her darkened porch at the light hour with a behemoth of a monster was burned into her memory forever. How she managed not to scream as her daughter bid her welcome was still beyond Viv’s understanding. Now, as Faltz’s hard face broke into a kind smile when directed at her, Viv could see the good heart beneath the scars and dark scales. But sunrise would be coming soon, and she knew Beni couldn’t stay. Her heart broke at the thought of her daughter leaving, but she smiled through the pain.
This was how life worked. Children were adored and raised, and eventually they grew up and followed their own roads. She would be thankful for what she had, and for what Beni had found.
Beni sighed and glanced at the pre-dawn light visible through the window. “I suppose it’s time for us to go. Tabby, do you need us to escort you to your house?”
Tabby shuddered. “No, not necessary. I think I will linger here a bit longer, if that’s okay with you, Viv?”
Viv chuckled. “You can’t hide away here forever, child, but I suppose so. Just for a few hours more. Once you are fed and dry, and the rain has stopped, you are to go straight home,” she added sternly.
Tabby gave her a cheeky smile and bit into another cookie.
Pushing up to her feet, Viv stepped forward and embraced her daughter. “You come back often; do you understand me?”
“Of course,” Beni said as she returned the embrace. Faltz’s large hand rested against his mate’s back, but he gave them plenty of room. “We must come back often. Not only to drop off more booklets for Tabby to disperse, but for another reason.”
Faltz sighed and shook his head at his mate. “I know you wanted to keep it as a surprise, but you should tell your mother and give her some happy news to keep in her heart while you are absent.”
Viv looked between them in confusion. “What happy news?”
Beni grinned and cupped her hands against her belly. “Well, Grandma, you are just going to have to wait a few months and see.”
Author’s Note
I hope you enjoy Beni and Faltz’s story! When I wrote Huntress, I fell in love with the Mintar species. There is not a lot of books involved quadruped aliens and having a romance between a more unusual centaur-like alien hero. I had toyed with doing Bakin’s story first, but I really wanted to go back and tell Beni and Faltz just because they are such a fun couple to write. Bakin will have a story coming next year though, so I hope you look forward to a return to the Mintar clan!
SJ Sanders
About the Author
S.J. Sanders is a writer of Science Fiction and Fantasy Romance. With a love of all things alien and monster she is fascinated with concepts of far off worlds, as well as the lore and legends of various cultures. When not writing, she loves reading, sculpting, painting and travel (especially to exotic destinations). Although born and raised in Alaska, she currently as a resident of Florida with her family, her maine coon, Bella, and pet bearded dragon, Lex.
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Other Works by S.J. Sanders
The Mate Index
First Contact
The VaDorok
Hearts of Indesh (Valentine Novella)
The Edoka’s Destiny
The Vori’s Mate
Eliza’s Miracle (Novella)
A Kiss on Kaidava
The Vori’s Secret
A Mate for Oigr (Halloween Novella)
Heart of the Agraak
A Gift for Medif
The Arobi’s Queen
Monsterly Yours
The Orc Wife
The Troll Bride
The Accidental Werewolf’s Mate
Love Blooms for the Pixie Queen (coming soon)
The Unicorn’s Mare (coming Dec 2020)
Sci-Fi Fairytales
Red: A Dystopian World Alien Romance
The Sirein: (coming soon)
Ragoru Beginnings Romance
White: Emala’s Story
Huntress
Dark Spirits
Havoc of Souls
The Mirror (also part of Mischief Matchmakers)
Forest of Spirits
Desert of the Vanished (coming Halloween)
Shadowed Dreams Erotica
The Lantern
Serpent of the Abyss
The Mintars
Librarian and the Beast
The Atlavans
The Darvel Exploratory Systems
Classified Planet: Turongal
Librarian and the Beast: A Mintar Romance Page 21