by Autumn Dawn
* * * *
Keg did more than stare. He did a double take and swallowed hard. With some effort, he looked away and pretended all was normal. In reality, the inside of his mouth had turned to dust and he was in a sweat. Dey's breasts had swollen to nearly twice their normal size and her top looked painted on. He'd known she would be exciting once she matured, but he hadn't expected it to hit with such a vengeance.
He caught Drostra looking and frowned at him.
"Save your dark looks, my friend.” Drostra's voice was warm with humor. “Have I not recognized your claim? Besides, she makes it plain enough she prefers you."
Keg grunted and replied in Drostra's language, “You tried for her when you were first introduced.” It wasn't hard to picture Drostra's grin. After all, they'd trained together for years.
"What did you expect? She is lovely, but I prefer the other one. My Luna.” He practically purred with self-assurance.
"Better not let her hear you say it. At the moment she can hardly stand you."
"You did not see us in the clearing. She liked what she saw."
What Drostra didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Besides, he and Dey hadn't seen that much before he'd dragged her away.
Thoughts of Dey made him look her way. He didn't realize he was staring until she snapped at him.
"Do you mind?"
"Not at all."
She made a growling sound and crossed her arms under her breasts. They plumped nicely, causing an uncomfortable heat to pool in his groin. Unaware of his condition, she scowled at the swamp, scanning the waters.
"What are you looking for?"
"That.” She nodded at what looked like a drifting log. Closer inspection revealed a snout and two eyeballs on the front end. The powerful jaw and nasty teeth were well hidden under the water. “Ridge backs and the big snakes don't like each other. We'll have to travel on a bit before we get to snake territory."
"How long do you think?” He wasn't sure how long he could behave himself around her while trapped on this tiny boat.
"Figure one, maybe two days until we see signs.” Her jaw clenched.
"If you're worried ... ,” he said softly, inviting her confidence. He'd gladly finish the hunt for her and bring her the skins, if only she'd lose that tense look.
"Just be ready,” she said, and turned away to fuss with the harpoons.
* * * *
Drostra made some progress with Luna that night. He even unbent enough to shed his helmet, since there was no one around but the four of them.
Luna noticeably relaxed. “Your own head looks much better,” she assured him.
The slate he was using to teach her Beast lettering dangled from his fingers. “For you, I am glad. At home we are not so rigid, but among strangers it best protection."
"From lusty alien woman?” she teased.
"From laser blast,” he said seriously.
"No one would shoot you in the back,” Dey protested.
"I believe you wouldn't,” he said generously.
Keg shook his head at Dey when she would have argued. “Not all humans are so fair-minded, Dey. There's a reason Beasts come to trade in pairs."
She left it alone at that, but later, when Dey and Luna were alone—the men had gone off to investigate something—Dey said casually, “I've never seen you flirt before.” It was dark, and she could just make out Luna's shrug.
"Never had a chance. If you hadn't noticed I haven't exactly been flooded with male interest."
"So you like Drostra?"
"I don't dislike him. Why?"
"He's not from around here,” Dey said dryly, hoping to convey caution.
Luna abandoned her crate and stood, a black silhouette against the stars. “If you hadn't noticed, Dey, part of me isn't either."
Dey lit a lamp and stared at the flame as Luna went to bed. Luna's differences had never bothered her, for Dey was different, too. The town had absorbed the stranger Dey, but never really accepted her. Not really one of them, but unwilling to brave the swamp alone, she'd clung to the safety of her one friendship and tried to ignore her loneliness. Maybe that was why she was so unsettled by the alien Beasts in town. They were different, too, and Dey didn't like to be reminded of her own alienness. At least if she clung to the conservative prejudices of the settlement she was a part of something. A part of it. Home. Safety. The familiar.
But what if Luna left? What if she chose the Beast and stranded Dey in the settlement alone? A shiver made Dey wrap her arms around herself. Who would love her then?
* * * *
"There."
Dawn had just faded, leaving the sky a gunmetal shade of early morning. Keg had to squint through the haze to follow Dey's pointing finger. “What am I looking for?"
"See that break in the trees? Make for it.” Tension radiated from her. At the sound of it the others stirred from their slumber and joined them as Keg directed his symbiont to pull them to shore.
"Whoa!” Luna's eyes grew round as she stared at the small snapped trees and the telltale drag marks of a huge body. “Is it...?"
"Snake.” Her face expressionless, Dey jumped to shore and examined the damaged wood. “This is fresh. The marks haven't yet weathered."
For someone who had been fired up to collect snake bounty, Luna didn't look excited. In fact, she looked a bit green. “How big do you think it is?"
"Keg's arms might just touch around its belly.” She held up a scale. “It's a silver. Prime specimen. This one alone should easily buy a sled, but we'll need another to pay for upkeep."
"Maybe we should start with a smaller one,” Luna suggested brightly.
Dey's look was sharp. “I'm not wandering around these swamps all summer, girl. Besides, one thing about the big ones, you can usually hear them moving. Ideally we can get ahead of it, find a couple of big trees to anchor the harpoons. If we're even luckier it will have eaten lately and be sluggish."
"And if we're not?” Keg didn't like anything about this. Of them all Dey was the only one experienced at this kind of massive game hunt. Anything could go wrong.
"Worse case scenario?” Dey dusted off her hands and jumped back into the boat to collect her hunting gear and harpoon. The look she sent him was droll. “We become snake bait."
"If you've changed your mind, Luna, no will blame you,” Keg told her. “This is dangerous."
Her shoulders straightened and she bent to collect her own harpoon. “Why don't you stay here and guard the boat? This shouldn't take long."
"We need his symbiont cycle and Drostra's bike,” Dey reminded her before he could say anything. “And you have no idea how long it can take to skin one of these beasts. They're going."
As if there had been any doubt, he thought irritably. No way was he letting these two out of his sight.
They found the snake two hours later.
Keg hissed and directed his cycle to slow. Out of a healthy respect for his hide, he kept well back. Trees bent as the massive animal twined through them, occasionally snapping smaller trunks. Anything smaller was flattened under its great weight. Sunlight glittered off its silver and black bands, making it look as if it were armored with sheet metal.
He swore he could hear it breathe.
"Get ahead of it,” Dey muttered in his ear. The powerful harpoon gun was held tense in her hand, ready to go.
A glance across the body of the beast showed Drostra and Luna on the other side. Luna's skin looked ghastly pale, but her lips were firmed in a thin line, and her harpoon gun held steady.
Keg moved ahead and chose a massive tree. Dey and Luna dashed off the bikes and cabled the anchor end of the harpoon to the tree. It was critical they be in the path of the snake, and so had to be close, but not close enough for it to see them and possibly turn away.
The sound of breaking foliage grew closer. The day was hot, but a cold trickle of sweat tickled his back. “Hurry up,” Keg hissed.
"Done.” Dey mounted up a hair's breadth ahead of Luna and waited.
Seconds ticked by. Suddenly the bushes parted and the snake's massive head came through. Its slitted golden eyes widened, and it hissed. A forked tongue slid out and tested the air.
There was a dull thud and Dey's body rocked against him with the force of the harpoon's recoil. Without waiting to see if her aim was true, Keg sent the command: speed! Instantly his bike leapt forward, driving them to safety.
The terrible sound of thrashing came from behind them.
When he was certain they were out of range, he slowed and glanced behind them. The thrashing sounded far off. Even better, there was no snake behind them.
"I missed,” Luna said shakily. By the way she clung to Drostra, she had no desire to turn around and retry.
"I didn't.” Dey had calmly reloaded why they retreated. “You've got the laser rifle, Keg. Remember, even when they're dead the beasties don't know it. Just shoot it in the head and back off. We'll collect when it stops thrashing. Try not to get us smashed,” she added as an afterthought.
"I'll keep it in mind,” he muttered as he turned around for another pass. Why had he thought this woman ever needed protecting?
It was a good hour later before the snake finally stopped coiling and smashing against the trees, and fifteen minutes more before Dey let them get close. “You can never be too sure,” she cautioned as she slid off the bike. “One of these coils on you is enough to suffocate you to death. Almost happened to my father once when he moved in too early. Lucky for him my mother was around to save his hide.” She pierced the snake by its head and grimaced as a spurt of warm blood came out and soaked her pants leg. “Ugh! Well, don't just stand there—get to work!"
Everyone was tired and sticky by the time they finally got the skin loaded back on the barge. Once Dey had cleaned up, she was in no mood to pass the night in idle chatter. Her pillow was calling. So understandably she was surprised when Luna asked a favor of her.
"I need you to distract the men tonight."
Dey frowned. “Why?"
"Just trust me. Okay?"
So that was why Dey found her sleepy self propped on deck, doing her best to provide a distraction to equally exhausted men. “Pretty moon tonight.” The men had been quiet all day and now seemed pensive. She felt a little edgy herself as she wondered what Luna was up to. “I wonder what's really up there."
"Rock,” Drostra answered. “No air."
Startled, she looked at him. “How do you know?"
"We've been up there."
She gaped at him.
"You'd be shocked where Beasts have been,” Keg said, his tone unnaturally severe.
Was it only her, or did that sound like a warning? Could they possibly know about Luna? Neither of them could see beyond the privacy curtain to the makeshift cabin.
Suddenly a blue light went off on a device attached to Drostra's armor. He picked it up grimly and met Keg's eyes. The armor came up around his head.
"What ... ,” her bewildered question was cut off as lights blinded her. The soft drone of sleds shattered the stillness of the night.
One of the Beasts approached the boat. He had Luna.
Keg's hand covered Dey's before she could draw her gun. A stupid move, and purely reflex, for she wouldn't have a chance of stopping them.
"No.” He slid it out of her holster, his eyes unreadable.
A chill made Dey shiver. Those eyes ... in the bright light of the headlights they were no longer dark. “You.... “Her throat closed up. Desperate for answers, she looked at Luna.
Luna cleared her throat. “There was a tomb in the area."
Double betrayal made Dey stiffen. Wooden lips said, “We were supposed to be hunting snakes."
"Um, sorry."
Sorry? Adrenaline poured through Dey. Her hands closed into fists. Everyone had known what was going to happen but her. One step took her closer to Luna before a hand clamped on her shoulder.
"Don't make it worse,” Keg warned her. He almost sounded regretful.
* * * *
Armetris pronounced public sentence on Luna, since she fell under his jurisdiction. With the Beasts standing by, he announced without expression, “You will spend three years with the Beasts. Contact with your friends or family is forbidden."
The leader of the symbionts, Luna's brother Jackson, stepped forward. Eyes fathomless and cold, he told Dey, “You were not caught with Luna, but your involvement in her activities is well known. You've ignored repeated warnings, so the counsel sentences you to banishment for one year.” He fastened a collar of shunning around her neck and locked it. “You may return here after one year, but will be shunned for another two."
Dey said nothing. There was nothing to say.
"The Beasts have offered another choice.” Jackson glanced at them as if making certain they hadn't changed their mind.
Drostra inclined his head, indicating it was still valid. By the way the others called him Drostra-Ra and the respect they showed him, it was obvious he was their leader.
"You may spend your sentence with them if you wish. You will not be allowed contact with Luna."
Her eyes unfocused for a second as she looked inward, examining her options. No, she did not want to go. The barest shake of her head indicated her choice.
A movement caught the corner of her eye, and Keg was there. Whatever his thoughts, they didn't make it to his face. He wasn't going to speak for her. But he did attach something to her silver collar. “In case you change your mind. It's a locator. Activate it and Beasts will come for you.” His again dark eyes were guarded and ... intense. “It's not easy to survive in the swamps alone. I'd hate to see a woman die."
A woman. Not her. Her cold fingers closed around the pendant. It was shaped like a shell. She didn't have to look to know it was a pink shell. The very one he'd given her. He'd betrayed her. Seduced her. Been sent to watch her.
He hadn't even kissed her.
Well, didn't she deserve something? He'd teased her often enough, made her think of things she'd known were impossible. He owed her this. She refused to live on dreams, wondering what it might have felt like....
Determined, she straightened her spine and stepped closer to him. Her eyes flicked to his lips. “You owe me this,” she whispered, too softly for him to hear. Gently, she touched her mouth to his. There was no experience behind the move, but it rocked her. Wrung a sound from his throat, something between protest and growl.
She pulled away, shaken. She'd stolen a memory, and it left her dazed with a craving for more. Dey looked in his eyes and felt remorse. Her first kiss, and it had been stolen from unwilling lips, not given.
Unable to face him any longer, she looked through him instead, turned, and walked away.
* * * *
It was a death sentence. Keg clenched his fist and fought the urge to chase her down. No one survived the swamps alone for long, especially not a frail young woman. No matter how much her race had learned about living here, even though her father had been a hunter, he could not believe she'd make it alone. Not for a year.
Even if other humans found her they would also shun her, for the collars were widely known and respected. In a few days she'd activate the locator and he would come for her. In the meantime, he'd be having nightmares about that kiss.
A shudder passed through him. It had been the wrong time and the wrong place, but definitely the right woman. She might not know it, but she'd just sealed his determination. If she could still want him after all that had passed between them, then he would claim her. Until then he'd undoubtedly suffer sleepless nights dreaming about where her kiss could have taken them had they only been alone....
Chapter 4
Seven months later....
She'd gotten used to silence.
Birds called to each other in the early morning haze as Dey guided her symbiont-boat among the wild rice. The ripe seed heads shattered easily into her boat with the help of a long stick. The slow, methodical work kept her from thinking, and that was good. Sometimes she'd work unt
il she dropped. Other times she'd pick up her camp and ride off to explore one of the sites on her ancient maps.
It wasn't nearly as much fun alone.
The rage burned hot as she worked to store her hard-earned grain. The fierce electrical storms would be here any day now, thundering through the land and driving all creatures into shelter. The ruins she'd chosen to shelter in weren't ideal, but she'd fashioned a pallet and a door, and the alcove she'd chosen had survived millennium. It would last another season.
She was lucky she'd found her great symbiont. Or rather, it had found her. It was much easier to survive with the cycle than without. Certainly no predators could outrun it, including Beast sleds.
The war zone was perilously close to Dey's wanderings, but she felt relatively safe from them. They had no reason come this far into the swamp. And if she ran into humans.... The weight of the collar around her neck reminded her that she might as well not exist.
It was thoughts like these that made her careless. Instead of carefully checking her home against intruders, Dey simply slung her leather rice sack into the corner. There came a blood-curdling squeal, a hiss, and then a blur of fur and sharp teeth launched itself at her. The swamp vermin's poisoned teeth sank into her thigh, injecting burning venom. Dey screamed as the acidic stuff entered her bloodstream. One sweep of her knife and the deadly thing fell off her thigh, but it was too late. Already in the grip of fire and nearly numb from poison, she staggered to her bed and crashed on the furs. The odds were five to one that she'd survive, even with her symbiont, which flowed to the sight of the wound and pulsed as it tried to stop the venom's spread and close the wound. Her last thought before she blacked out was that no one would ever find her body if she failed to wake.
Voices roused her enough to open her eyes. A man and a woman were in her shelter. She tried to call for help but could barely move her lips. Thirsty. Her dry throat begged for water.