The Game Warden's Mate

by A. M. Griffin

  Joke. What someone says to cause amusement or laughter. Funny.

  “I assure you it is not.”

  She folded her arms, making her stand. Her breasts plumped nicely. “And what if I don’t want to play this game anymore? What if I let one of the hunters catch me? Then what? Will this be over?”

  “Giving up isn’t something you want to do.”

  She raised her chin and narrowed her eyes. “Why not? Why should I play this game with you? I can just quit.”

  “The longer a hunter stays in The Hunt, the more credits they spend on items such as room, board, sustenance, and daily fees. If a hunter captures prey, they must pay a fee for that as well. Level One prey is much cheaper than the Level Three prey. Get captured in Level One and you’re expendable.

  “Any one pursuing you in Level Three will see you as an investment. A treasure. The quality of life you can expect after The Hunt is determined by the level you’re captured in. The longer you’re in the arena, the more expensive it will be to acquire you.”

  Her chest rose and fell at a faster pace. She twisted her hands together and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. She looked like she would run, or at least she would’ve if he hadn’t scared her into thinking she would drown if she called an emergency pod. He hadn’t lied that the pod would fill up with water, but he’d failed to mention the water would drain out the microscopic breathing holes as soon as the pod picked up momentum.

  “There doesn’t seem a way out of this.” Her shoulders slumped.

  He knew what it looked like when prey gave up. The human before him was on the verge of it. A foreign emotion poked at him. Empathy? Did he feel sorry for this human? A little.

  “The way to freedom is to complete The Hunt.”

  “But why? Some hunter is going to get me anyway.”

  “If you’re captured now you’ll most likely become a mate, sold as a breeder or live a life of servitude. Any one of those options will ultimately result in your death.” He tilted his head to the side. “Is that the fate you want?”

  “Of course not!”

  That was the answer and conviction he’d hoped for. “Then you must survive. All of you must survive.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I want to help you—as much as I am allowed.”

  “Why?” She was suspicious of his intentions, as she should be.

  “You must at least work to progress out of Level One. As you increase in levels, so does your survival rate outside of The Hunt. Level Three prey are sturdier, smarter, stronger, durable and worthwhile. If you make it to that level, you’ll be viewed as a survivor. These are all attributes found in a suitable mate, companion or security staff. The hunters who’re looking for prey other than breeders will gladly wait for their chosen prey to reach a more desirable level.”

  “I-I don’t know. You don’t know us. Why would you want to help? What do you get out of it, stronger durable prey?”

  “You misunderstand. I don’t want you to get caught at all. I want you all to win the game.” He glanced at the darkening sky again. The alarm would ring soon. His time was running out fast. “I’ll be called back soon. Ask your questions quickly.”

  “Called back to where?”

  “The lodge. It’s where the hunters stay during the off-limit hours. There are rules that the hunters have to abide by. In this level, we aren’t allowed to harm the prey or each other. We also can’t interact with the prey during the evening. That’s when the prey are allowed to rest, re-group and fortify.”

  “Who enforces these rules? You?”

  He’d almost confirmed, but in the end, shook his head. “The game attendants enforce all the rules.” It wasn’t a lie. As the game warden, he made the rules. The attendants watched The Hunt play out and when infractions were noticed, they enforced the punishments. Xrez fingered the collar around his neck. “If we don’t follow the rules, we get a nice shock to put us firmly in our place.”

  “I’ve seen what the collars can do.” She grimaced. “Tell me more about the off-limit hours.”

  “It’s the time between the evening and morning alarms. It’s mandatory for the hunters to gather in the lodge. It gives the prey an opportunity to rest and plan. When the evening alarm rings I won’t have any choice but to leave. A transport pod will remove me and the other hunters from active play.”

  “You guys can call for those too? How many times do we get to use them? If I use one to escape will you be able to follow me?”

  “We can’t call one at will like you can. The only time we transport in one is when the evening alarm sounds, and we get taken from the gaming arena. You don’t have unlimited usage. Use them only in emergencies. You can use it three times in Level One, Twice in Level Two and none in Level Three.”

  “What happens when we make it to Level Three?”

  “You’ll be one step closer to earning your freedom.”

  She dropped her arms and her mouth opened wide. “Tell me how. We’ll do anything.”

  Exactly what he wanted to hear. “If you complete Level Three without being captured, you’ll win The Hunt, and the gamers will set you free.”

  “I can return home?”

  He should’ve clarified the misunderstanding. Tell her there was no possible way for her to return home. Once a human left their planet, they were not allowed to return. Earth was protected. But if he told her the truth, she would relay that to the others, and they all might give up. He couldn’t let that happen so he lied to her for the second time.

  “Yes.”

  She studied her comlink. “I don’t know how to read this. How much longer do I have to stay in Level One?”

  “It depends. Those who are self-reliant and have proper survival skills progress faster than others. I imagine your timer is set at the same pace as those you travel with. Slow.”

  She frowned. “Why would it be slow?”

  “You’re traveling in a group. You’re relying on each other for survival. You’re considered remedial. Dependent.”

  “And if I were by myself my timer would be faster.”

  “Correct.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t leave Miranda and Ben. We’re a team. If we stay together, will we still make it to the next level?”

  “Much slower than you would if you were on your own.”

  “But…” She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth. Her shoulders slumped forward. “I can’t do this by myself.”

  “You won’t be by yourself. You can communicate with the other humans any time you want with the comlink.”

  “Wait. You have one of these too. Are you able to hear our conversations? Can we hear yours?”

  He shook his head. “The hunters and prey are on two different frequencies.”

  “C-can you stop calling us prey? There’s something not right about it. It makes me feel…” She wrapped her arms around herself. Her dark eyes watered. “Scared.”

  He inclined his head at her. The emotion poking at him grew stronger. “The sooner you progress through the levels, the sooner you get to leave.”

  She shivered although the air was hot and muggy. “I have to stick with Ben and Miranda.”

  “You humans are a strange species. You don’t want to be here, but you won’t listen to the advice I’m giving either.”

  The evening alarm sounded.

  “Why should I trust you?”

  Before he could respond the ground opened, and he fell into the transport pod.

  Chapter Twelve

  After Xrez disappeared, Esme stood, rooted in place, just as she’d been when he’d first emerged from the trees. She’d been enjoying a small semblance of normalcy, trying to convince herself—even for a few minutes—she was in her lake back home, having a leisurely swim, pretending the last few days had been a bad dream she would wake from as soon as her alarm clock went off.

  Then he’d appeared.

  All six and a half feet tall, about three-hundred and fifty
pounds of him.

  He was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. The third alien she’d encountered in fact. There was no denying it any longer. She had alien encounters. The thought made her giggle crazily to herself. Alien. She was on a different planet with friggin’ aliens.

  The first two aliens had been scary. They’d leered at her like she was a prize. It’d made bile rise in the back of her throat. Now, she knew that to be true.

  Discount. Easily replaced. Become a mate. Sold as a breeder. Life of servitude.

  She’d been afraid of Xrez. How could she not? He had a raw animalistic aura about him that seemed hard to control. It simmered around his hairy body.

  At first glance, she’d thought he was dark skinned, but then she’d realized she wasn’t looking at skin. As far as she could tell he was covered in coarse hair. The hair on top of his head was a deeper caramel and was cut low on the sides, revealing hairy pointed ears. It was longer in the front and top, styled into heavy spikes that fell to one side. His eyes were black and his nose flat and broad. His lips were full, and when he spoke, she could easily see sharp, white teeth and elongated canines.

  His bodysuit stretched across muscle upon muscles that rippled and bulged. His arms were impressive, and his chest flexed as he breathed. His stomach was flat, and even from her distance, she could count the ridges in his abdomen. Eight. His thighs gave new meaning to thick.

  Although Xrez hadn’t looked as wild as the other aliens, he was still a threat. No matter how well put together and calm he’d appeared. He was deadly. There was no mistaking that. Her mind had screamed for her to run, but her legs wouldn’t move. She’d thought about calling for a pod, but fear had made her pause. Her brain threw one reason after another as to why she shouldn’t make a break for it.

  She was naked.

  She didn’t know where the pod would take her.

  She would be alone.

  She didn’t have her purse.

  She was scared.

  In the end, she’d given in to her fear and stayed, praying the alien couldn’t swim. Plus, if the alien was talking to her, he wasn’t hunting Ben and Miranda. She didn’t think of herself as a brave savior. She was far from it. She didn’t want the alien to pursue Miranda and Ben, driving them away from her. Selfishly that brought her back to the fear of being left alone.

  He’d said I had to separate from them if I wanted to progress faster.

  Esme shook her head. No. Staying together was the best for all of them.

  What would Oprah do?

  For one, Oprah would’ve gotten as much information out of the alien as she possibly could. Esme nodded to herself. She’d done that.

  Secondly, Oprah wouldn’t give up. She would finish the game, win her freedom then return to Earth and have a television special about her experiences.

  Esme didn’t plan on telling anyone about this. That would only lead to a fast track on the train to the looney bin. People would listen and believe anything Oprah said but Esme was a no name. Would they believe her?

  Oprah also wouldn’t split from the group. She would recognize they were stronger together and weaker apart.

  Now she just had to convince the others to finish the game. Together.

  A light switch flicked on in her brain and shock no longer had its grip on her.

  She fought against the water to get out of the lake as fast as she could. On the bank, she struggled to put on her wet clothes. The cotton-polyester blend shirt and slacks clung to her skin, but it was only a minor annoyance compared to the real worries she faced.

  She ran up the path and rushed to the makeshift camp they’d made for the night. Miranda was putting both kids into the sleeping bag and Ben was talking into his comlink.

  “I just had a conversation with one of the aliens!” she rushed out as she dropped to her knees in front of them.

  Ben’s facial features went from confused to horrified in less than a second. She really couldn’t blame him. She sounded all kinds of crazy.

  “What the hell?” he asked, stunned.

  “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

  “Are you serious? Those aliens are after us! They’ll probably kill us if given a chance!” Ben was up and getting the kids out of the sleeping bag. “We have to go. Now!”

  Esme held up her hand, trying to calm him down. “We already know the ending to this story. He didn’t capture me.”

  “But he could’ve! What were you thinking talking to one of them?” Alarm rang in Miranda’s voice.

  “Well, I was thinking that I didn’t want him to leave me and come looking for you and the kids.”

  Miranda glanced away. She didn’t have to say anything. Esme knew that was a low blow. She’d never once treated Miranda and the kids like they were a burden and she wouldn’t start now.

  Esme put her hand on Miranda’s shoulder. “Sorry, didn’t mean to say it like that. I wanted to run, I did. But I didn’t want him to find you guys.” She lifted her shoulder. “Besides, he didn’t try to take me away or anything.”

  “Is he coming for us?” Ben asked. He held the kids in his arms and looked into the jungle.

  Esme shook her head. “No, he left.”

  “Left?” Ben was confused. Curiosity seemed to push his anger to the side for the time being. “So what did he do?”

  “He talked. He told me what the hell is going on here.”

  “Really?” Miranda and Ben asked simultaneously.

  Esme nodded. “And it’s totally bonkers.”

  Ben gave the kids to Miranda and tapped his comlink. “Wait. I think the others should hear this too.”

  Ben went through a roll call, and Esme let out a sigh of relief when everyone answered. They’d made it through day two without losing anyone else. That was a win, wasn’t it?

  “Esme had a conversation with one of the aliens,” Ben started.

  “What. The. Hell,” Danny said slowly. “Are you trying to end up like Mary Ann and Spencer?”

  Esme winced, remembering their screams. She activated her comlink. “Of course not. But I was stuck in the lake and couldn’t think of another viable option. So I asked questions, and he responded.”

  “I’m glad you found a boyfriend and all,” Payton’s sarcastic voice came over the comlink. “But if you can’t tell us where the hell we are and how we can get home, then I’m logging off this party line and getting some sleep.”

  “We’re on the planet Turolois.” Esme paused. “I forgot to ask how far away from Earth we are, but at least I confirmed that we aren’t in Kansas anymore.”

  “Are you sure?” Kaylin asked. “Couldn’t he be lying?”

  “I mean, he could’ve.” Esme thought about it. Why would he lie to her? What would he gain? A mate, if he was looking for one. But he said he wasn’t. She wrestled with the question a little while longer before coming to a tentative answer. “But I don’t think so.”

  “It’s time to face facts,” Yesenia chimed in. “None of this looks like anything we have on Earth and that big planet hovering in the sky ain’t normal.”

  “Let Esme tell us everything she learned then we can ask questions afterward,” Ben said, eyeing Esme. “I don’t want her to forget anything while you guys are bickering. Go ahead.”

  Esme closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was so much information, and she didn’t want to forget any of it. She thought back on their entire conversation, even seeing Xrez clearly in her mind. Without the immediate threat, she could appreciate just how finely honed his body was. She remembered the way he’d moved, with purpose and confidence. His voice had been deep and enthralling, a rich baritone that had caressed her ears.

  “Esme?” Miranda asked.

  Esme opened her eyes. “First of all, that alarm? When it goes off in the evening, the pods take the aliens away. He said that they have to go back to the lodge when the evening alarm goes off. They don’t have a choice. And when the alarm rings in the morning, they’re free to come out again. Xrez, the alien
, called it the off-limit hours.”

  “Oh, goody. It has a name,” Payton said.

  “He could’ve been lying about that,” Danny said. “Lull us in a false sense of security. Then while we’re sleeping come and get us.”

  Esme shook her head. “I witnessed it. The alarm rang, and he disappeared.”

  “What did he tell you before he left?” Min asked.

  “What’s on our wrists is called a comlink. The aliens have one too but don’t worry, theirs is on a different frequency, and we can’t talk to them, and they can’t talk to us. It has different available options. We’ve already figured out everything it does except for the one that shows you what level you’re in. I have a single line. That’s because I’m still in Level One of The Hunt.

  “The characters on the side of that are universal numbers, and it’s on a countdown, letting us know, well, if we could read it, it would let us know how much time we have until we reach Level Two.”

  “Wait. Back-up,” Ben said breaking his own rule. “What do you mean ‘Level One’ and ‘The Hunt’?” Three deep lines appeared in his forehead.

  “Xrez said we were taken from Earth to be participants in a game called ‘The Hunt’. The aliens that are tracking us are called hunters.” She glanced at Ben then Miranda, hating to say the next words. “We’re being hunted as prey. That’s what he called us. Prey.”

  The rug had felt like it was pulled from under her when Xrez had said the word, but saying it out loud was ten times worse. It made her heart clench and ribs constrict, forcing the mystery meat she’d eaten hours before to rise in the back of her throat.

  Ben thrust his fingers across his scalp then brought them down to rake across his face and muttered, “Holy shit.”

  Miranda pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her voice was so soft that Esme almost didn’t hear her. “How do we survive this?”

  “We’re prey. This gets better and better,” Danny muttered.

  “We have to get through three different levels, each progressively harder than the first. But if we get through them all, we’ll be freed. It’s all part of the game.”