“Hmmm. Must be my turn to play artist.”
Richard withdrew and flopped on his back. He grinned up at her in silent daring. Her heart flipped and she picked up the paintbrush from the top of the small shelf above the bed to keep emotion at bay. But the action didn’t halt the tightening inside her throat and the tense sensation in her chest. The day of her departure from Earth loomed as large as the bull’s eye.
Hinekiri swallowed and dipped the brush into the pot of sanitizer then into the pot of blue paint. “I think we should…should match.” Swift slashes of the paintbrush across his chest and abdomen. After another dip of the brush in a different color, she painted his thighs. Then after sanitizing the brush, she dipped it into the transparent paint. She applied it on his cock, still glistening from her juices. The colorless stripes turned to a bright, glittery green.
Hinekiri moved back to survey her handiwork. “Very nice, sailor.”
The bedroom door shot open and Killer bounded inside. She stopped abruptly. “You got disease?” Her nose wrinkled and her stubby dog eye lashes blinked open and shut several times. “Sex. Told you impressionable. Cover dangly bits.”
Richard chuckled and stood. Killer closed her eyes while he grabbed the two lightweight red robes that hung on the back of the bathroom door. He tossed one to Hinekiri and put on the other one, tying the belt firmly around his waist.
Richard noticed the dog had shut its eyes. “You can look now, Killer.”
“Tell plan,” Killer barked with a wag of her tail.
“Hinekiri will tell you.” Richard wandered out to the small kitchen area to grab two glasses. He grabbed a jug of iced water from the fridge and filled them.
Hinekiri sauntered through to the lounge with Killer on her heels. “I thought you’d have come up with a plan by now.”
“Nope, I thought you’d have thought of something.”
Killer looked from Richard to Hinekiri and back. She shook her head in a sorrowful manner. “No plan. Oh boy. You have problem. That Livingston one mean puppy.”
“I’d like to point out you dumped us in this mess,” Hinekiri said.
“We need plan,” Killer declared. “Otherwise big trouble.”
“Sit down and help us think of one instead of berating us,” Hinekiri snapped. Sometimes the spotted creature was a pain in the bottom.
“Do ya have any food?”
“Killer.”
“I’ve think I have a plan,” Richard said.
Killer moved closer and plonked her butt right next to his outstretched feet. “Tell.”
“Samuel, our driver, told me some African legends while we were cleaning out the Land Rover. He told me stories of hyena men and leopard women. Shape-shifters. I gained the impression the locals were very superstitious.”
Hinekiri thought she saw where his idea was leading. “They have good luck charms in reception. They sell them in the gift shop. If we played on their superstitions, we might have a chance to scare them off.”
“So you think we pretend to be hyena men and scare bad people off,” Killer yapped. “Make them scared to walk at night. Might work.”
“Since it’s our sole plan, it’s going to have to succeed.”
* * * * *
They met with Livingston that night after dinner when most of the lodge guests were attending a special night of culture and dancing.
“This cloak and dagger stuff is starting to piss me off,” Richard muttered.
Hinekiri nodded even though she knew Richard wouldn’t be able to see in this light. She could barely make out the narrow track they were navigating down past the waterhole and up a kopje. She supposed the view from the top was helpful with security but the small hill was difficult to navigate. The evening of culture and dancing sounded much better than traipsing along a narrow, rock-strewn path. A pair of glittering eyes on her right caught her attention. Her footsteps slowed. Fodo crap, she wished she’d brought a weapon. The idea that they could be walking into a trap made the contents of her stomach jostle about uneasily.
Finally, they reached the top. The kopje flattened out to a large grassy—at least she thought it was grass beneath her feet—plateau. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, it was easier to make out the trees and rocky outcrops on top of the plateau.
“Wait here,” the hyena that had been sent to escort them yapped—another plumy English accent.
Killer nudged her from behind. “Might take bath tomorrow,” she barked softly. “River mud took off some purple.”
Hinekiri was glad Killer thought they’d survive until another day because she didn’t feel quite as confident. They were in the African savannah. It was the middle of the night. Hinekiri spotted another two sets of glowing eyes in the tree above her and suppressed a shudder. The middle of the night was dinnertime for the locals.
Hinekiri moved from beneath the tree and joined Richard. “Can we trust them?”
“I don’t know.” Richard’s arm slid around her waist, his solidness lending her confidence. “Have you noticed the sets of eyes watching us?”
“Yes.”
“If we get out of this alive, we’re having some hot and heavy celebration sex,” Richard whispered. “We’ll get a dog-sitter to keep Killer amused.”
A bud of warmth bloomed deep inside Hinekiri and she pressed against his side, her breasts heaving in silent laughter. “Good idea.”
“And you can tell me what’s putting the shadows in your eyes each time we make love. It’s getting worse and I want to know what the problem is.”
“I—”
Above them, a cloud shifted and faint moonlight bathed the plateau. Livingston appeared from behind a rock in front of them. She prowled over to them, stopping two feet away. A lion and a lioness appeared from their right and behind them slow, heavy footsteps approached. When Hinekiri glanced over her shoulder she saw an elephant appear out of the gloom, followed by a giraffe, a wildebeest and a rhino. A pair of leopards leapt from the tree she’d been standing beneath and three cheetahs prowled across the plateau to join them.
“Everyone here?” Livingston asked.
“I believe so,” the elephant said.
The male lion made a big production of settling, then asked, “Why are we here?”
“Bloody hell,” Richard said. “We’ve fallen into a Doctor Dolittle adventure.”
“Gather round,” Livingston instructed. “Listen very carefully. I shall say this only once.”
All the animals moved into a semicircle facing Livingston except the wildebeest. He stomped his front feet in a nervous manner. “We’re all clear this is a truce and there will be no snacks provided?”
“Good question,” Richard whispered. “I’d appreciate that reassurance.”
“We are discussing a plan to rid the area of a common enemy.” Livingston’s grin widened and it wasn’t particularly encouraging for a being on a different level of the food chain. “Once our enemy is driven from this land things will become normal again.”
An oblique way of saying everyone was dinner once the poachers left. The wildebeest hesitated before joining the semicircle. Killer moved forward and Hinekiri and Richard followed.
“You may speak,” Livingston informed Richard.
“Nothing like a little pressure,” Richard whispered in Hinekiri’s ear. Seconds later, he strode to the front of the semicircle and turned to face them all. Hinekiri felt a burst of pride. Richard was a good man. He was strong and wasn’t afraid to take charge when required but he wasn’t bossy either. He was fair-minded enough to let her offer an opinion and not afraid of listening to her ideas. The warm spot deep inside glowed hotter and whispered of a possible future. If only she had the courage to act…
Richard glanced at her and winked before starting to speak. “I believe the poachers are locals. That makes sense since only a local would have accurate knowledge of the park and know which animals inhabit the different areas. From conversation with some of the workers at the lodge, I
’ve noticed they are very superstitious. I have also heard of the legend of the hyena men and the leopard women. My plan is to bring these legends to life and scare the poachers away. Make them too frightened to venture out at night.”
“How will we do that?” a leopard barked in a gravelly voice.
“I am the king of the savannah,” the male lion said with a haughty sniff. “Such pranks are below me.”
Hinekiri stepped from the crowd to stand at Richard’s side. “It comes down to this,” she stated. “What would you do to save your family?”
Chapter Eleven
Grunts and snorts burst out as the animals broke into their local dialects.
Livingston let out a loud whoop-whoop and silence descended. “The human is right. We must put aside our skepticism and work together. If any of you have a better plan, now is the time to state your suggestion.”
The silence that greeted her words was deafening.
Richard held his breath while he waited a fraction longer for one of the animals to speak. Speak. Yeah. If he hadn’t already met an alien and a talking dog this month, he would have sworn he was in the middle of a weird nightmare caused by eating a heavy meal too late at night. “Do you agree to try my plan?”
One by one, the animals spoke or nodded. Full agreement.
“Okay then. We need to do a little reconnoitering so we can work out the main areas where the poachers are operating. I believe the lodge has a myth and legend night toward the end of the week. I’m going to investigate which legends they portray and hint I’d enjoy hearing about the hyena men and leopard women. Once we know a little bit more about the movements of the poachers and how many there are we can make further plans.”
“We need immediate action,” a cheetah said. “How many of us will lose loved ones before the plan takes effect?”
Richard nodded in understanding. “We have one shot to make this plan work. If we move too soon or aren’t professional enough to fool the poachers, we will lose everything.”
The elephant made a soft sound of assent. “That is true.”
“Once we have the information we require, we can start training our ghosts. Since we are portraying hyena and leopard, we will need volunteers from these family groups but we will also require other animals to provide the sound effects. Each of you will play a part.”
“Any questions?” Livingston asked. Her rounded ears flicked backward and forward before her grin widened showing even more of her teeth. “We will not meet again until the end of the week. Meanwhile watch for the poachers and send any information to the hyena burrows. Take care. It’s a jungle out there.”
* * * * *
“I need to check the ship,” Hinekiri said the next morning. “Killer, do you want to come?”
“No, I spy on lodge workers today. Listen for poacher talk.”
“Richard, do you want to come?”
“Sure do, sweetheart.”
His wide grin told her his mind was taking a different path. Traces of panic unfurled inside her when she realized they’d be alone without Killer to chaperone. He’d mentioned a talk—that was after he’d suggested the celebratory sex. They’d already had that last night once they’d returned to their room. Maybe she could distract him with sex. And perhaps bring out the blindfold so he could only feel rather than see. She didn’t want to talk about goodbyes so soon.
Hinekiri stooped to pet Killer. “All right. We’ll go after breakfast. I think we’re all hungry this morning.”
“Just so long as it doesn’t turn out to be the last meal,” Richard said. “I’m getting a bit jumpy in my old age.”
Humph, Hinekiri thought. It wasn’t as though this romantic interlude was turning out exactly the way she’d planned either.
Once breakfast was done and they’d taken back a doggy bag for Killer, they headed to the car park where they’d left Maximus. The black-and-silver bike was still where they’d parked it.
Hinekiri straddled the bike, flicked a few switches and started Maximus with a throaty roar. Richard climbed on behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist. Hinekiri took off. This time she’d tied back her hair and pinned it up so it looked as though it were short. She concentrated on maneuvering the bike around the numerous potholes instead of dwelling on the rightness of his touch. Her emotions were out of kilter. She wanted to cry, and she felt like throwing herself at Richard and demanding he never let her go. That, of course, was impossible. She was destined to live alone.
They passed an open truck full of produce heading for the lodge. Hinekiri returned the driver’s wave and sped on. It had rained during the early hours of the morning, tamping the dust down but making conditions slippery. Hinekiri slowed to suit the road but it didn’t take long to reach the ship. She switched off the ignition and pulled the control for the camouflage from the pocket of her khaki shorts.
“Can you see anyone?”
“Only animals. I wonder if they know we arrived in a spaceship?”
Hinekiri snorted. “We told them to watch everyone and report back to the hyena burrows. If they didn’t know before, they will now.” She pressed a button on her control and the ship shimmered into sight. Depressing another button made the entrance stairs wind down into place. “Go up and I’ll reengage the camouflage.”
Richard paused to brush a kiss across her lips before clomping up the stairs and disappearing inside. Hinekiri watched him go, feeling as though she were about to face the sorcerer who’d cast her horoscope all over again. Sighing, she walked up the stairs into the belly of the spaceship. At the top, she paused to engage the controls then went to face Richard. If she spoke first, she could distract him and he’d forget about this crazy idea that they needed to talk. Fortunately, she had just the distraction in mind.
“Come with me.” Hinekiri led him directly to her chamber. She closed the privacy door after them and turned to Richard. “Take off your clothes.”
Richard’s brows rose. “An order.”
“Got it in one, sailor.” Her hands went to his shirt buttons and she undid them rapidly. A Dalcon robe was much more efficient. Hinekiri wondered if Earthlings realized how much time they wasted dressing and undressing—unnecessary, in her opinion. Her hands went to the belt and she unbuckled that as Richard shrugged off the cotton shirt. It fluttered to the floor.
“I thought I was meant to disrobe for your viewing pleasure,” he said in wry amusement. “You seem to be doing most of the work.”
“I’m impatient.” Hinekiri let Richard take care of the rest of his clothes while she started removing her own. “Wait on the bed.”
Richard grinned but obeyed. She paused to admire his firm backside as he walked away. When he rolled on to the middle of the bed, she savored the view from the front. A lump built in her throat almost choking her when her thoughts skipped to her solitary future. Focus. She needed action and distraction.
Hinekiri ripped off the last of her clothes and strolled to the bed. “We won’t adjust the gravity this time. I have something else in mind.”
Richard placed his hands behind his head, looking relaxed and ready for anything. “Should I worry?” He grinned, looking so much like his son she blinked. A strong resemblance. Janaya had more in common with her aunt than she knew. Good taste for one.
“Oh yeah,” Hinekiri retorted. “You’re the picture of concern. You might want to think about my surprise.” That wiped the smirk off his face.
“Bring it on, woman. Don’t keep me in suspense any longer. I’ll count to ten. If you haven’t started by then, I’m going to take things into my own hands.” His brown eyes gleamed with sensual promise even as his gaze traveled slowly across her face and lower to her breasts. They tingled even though they weren’t touching. “We still need to have that talk.”
Hinekiri jerked before moving. She adjusted the light level and the room became intimate. Hinekiri tried to hold herself aloof, tried to remain distant as she should have from the first meeting. It didn’t work. Richard
had wormed his way into her affections and she knew it was going to hurt when she left.
She pushed a button on the control panel inset in the headboard of the bed. She pressed another series of knobs and felt the glide of a hand across her back. The cool fingers moved steadily down her spine.
“What the hell?” Richard spluttered, jerking bolt upright on the bed.
Hinekiri let her head drop back as the male behind her tugged the pins from her hair. Lock by lock the strands of hair tumbled down her back. He ran his hands through her hair, massaging her scalp. A sigh whispered from her lips.
“It’s the mind machine,” she whispered. “A type of hologram. I’ve set it so we can both feel the sensations. The sensations feel colder than normal.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a little bit freaky seeing my image making love to you while I’m sitting here on the bed.”
Hinekiri shivered as the hands of the male behind her shifted down to cup her buttocks. Then his hands traced the crease where her buttocks met her thighs. She trembled again when the heat in Richard’s gaze intensified.
“Come over here,” he whispered. “But can you do something about that fella’s face? It’s bad enough seeing my mug in the mirror each morning when I shave, but it’s bloody disconcerting seeing my face making love to my woman in the bedroom.”
His woman.
Hinekiri’s legs almost gave out. Her hand trembled when she hit the buttons to redesign her hologram lover. She hit the buttons to make a fourth lover to add to the party—a female one—and taking Richard’s words to heart she requested a woman who looked different from her. A female with dark hair, alabaster skin and a curvy figure appeared.
“Hello, sailor,” she purred, and she strutted over and claimed the portion of bed on the far side of Richard. “I just know I’m going to enjoy this game.” Her hands stroked his bare buttocks and Richard jumped in surprise.
“Bloody hell,” he croaked. “Four of us?”
“It’ll be fun,” Hinekiri promised.
“I keep thinking of that song. Four in bed and the little one said, ‘roll over, roll over.’ So they all rolled over and one fell out—”
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