by Isabel Wroth
“Thank you.”
“Lie with me now, until it’s time to go.”
“Yes,”
Twenty Seven
She paced, almost smiling to realize she was following the same agitated movement Tarek had last night. She was with half of her human crew, Cassie, Gwen, Brennaugh, Ohlen and four of Brennaugh’s warriors, waiting in one of the incredible long houses nestled in the massive forest that took up a third of the planet they were on now. They were waiting for the sun to set and the horn signaling the hunt, to begin. She was agitated, because one of the two males she’d overheard discussing the plan to keep her and the others from legally becoming a mate on their world, was pretending to be gracious and offering them all food, drink, and attempting to get Cassie, Gwen and she to shower and change before the hunt. He was the one who had dosed their food, the one who’d casually asked his fellow conspirator if he wanted the toxin to be fatal.
His name was Mr’awl, he was handsome enough, and very good at keeping his true scent masked. Not completely hidden, but masked just enough to convey false sincerity. He asked her one final time if she would like to make use of the facilities, and she stopped in her pacing, turning slowly around on her heels to look up at him. She felt Brennaugh tense, saw him shift almost imperceptibly, positioning himself to protect her if need be. “Is there a reason you are so keen on getting me to wash up before the hunt?” She demanded coolly, letting her cat come to the surface just enough to be heard, and noticed the way Mr’awl tilted his head curiously at her. They’d never met before, and he wanted her and her people, dead. Her fingertips ached from the press of her claws, ready to be unleashed across his throat. Later, she would worry about how quickly she’d gotten comfortable with violence. “Only that I was told to ensure you were given all the comforts of the citadel. And some females choose to bathe before the hunt,”
He was good, not telling her a lie, but not exactly telling the truth either. She moved to circle him, almost allowing her to smirk at how he tensed, and how he swallowed when he met Brennaugh’s narrow gaze. “I can’t imagine why, we’re only going to run out there and get dirty again.” Cassie drawled, having picked up on the undercurrents flowing around the room now, in fact all of her people had, and were waiting for her lead. This was a defining moment, one where she could pretend ignorance and continue to allow them, whoever they were, to see her as weak, or she could show them that if they intended to treat her as a threat, she would act like one. “He thinks that the soap he’s put in there will somehow mask our scent further and prevent our mates from finding us. Just like he thought he would be able to get away with putting the Flarra pollen in our food and drink to block our connection to our mates.”
Mr’awl flinched at her hiss, and when he opened his mouth to deny the truth, she threw her hand up for silence and got in his face, ignoring Brennaugh’s growl of warning. “Don’t bother denying it now, asshole. I heard you. I smelled you. And I can smell the fear all over you now. You’re good at masking your scent, but not that good. I encourage you to pass a message along to your friends,” Remembering the feeling of Niora’s focused attention, she allowed her cat to pour the same kind of power at the male, perversely pleased when he winced and struggled to stand tall under the weight of it. It was a heady trip, feeling his beast struggling not to submit, smelling his fear, his confusion and uncertainty. The pleasure of watching him wobble and finally give in to drop to a knee in front of her. “Are you listening?” She purred softly, letting her claws slip from her hands, enjoying his nervous swallow, how the scent of his uncertainty rippled down her spine like fingernails. “Yes,” He grated out hoarsely, flinching hard when Brennaugh snarled from behind her. “Yes what, traitor?”
Mr’awl’s jaw clenched, his muscles bunched and quivered as he fought to not give into his beast, panting hard and sweating profusely now, “Yes, Asha’na.” She circled her hand around the thick column of his throat, her claws resting on his pounding pulse, letting the tips just prick his skin and tilted his head back to make him look up at her. His eyes were wide and round, full of awe and disbelief, why, she wasn’t sure, but it worked for her for now. “My mate has come home after decades of service to his people, he waits now, knowing I am here, within reach, when for so many breeding festivals before this, he has left alone. He wants to be an ambassador to my people and ensure peace, between our species. He brought us here to give us a home, to bring an end to our wandering the stars hopelessly, with no end to our exile in sight. He has stated in front of your Asho, in front of your council and trusted warriors, that he will make no claim to rule this pride, and I stand by him in that decision. I will continue to stand by him and seek peace, between our species, until someone does something foolish to threaten my mate, and the peace he has sacrificed his entire life for. For some reason you and your kind see me and mine as a threat, I assure you, we are no threat.”
She bent low and put herself at eyelevel to the sweating male, feeling him gulp nervously in the face of her fangs and her no doubt glowing eyes. “However, if I am given a reason, I will fucking demolish you, and all others that threaten my mate and the peace he deserves. Council your pack of foolish idiots, to give us reason to continue seeking peace, to continue adoring our mates and staying out of your ridiculous politics. The day you give me a reason, me and mine will become a threat. Am I understood?” She pushed more of her energy at him, and Mr’awl winced as his muscles contorted and spasmed with the need to change. “Yes, Asha’na.” He wheezed from between his clenched fangs, “Will you be able to remember all that, or shall I write it down?”
“I will remember.”
“Good. Do you have a legitimate reason for being here, aside from trying to sabotage my mate’s happiness?”
He shook his head quickly, silently, earning himself another hiss from Brennaugh, and she straightened, brushing any wrinkles from her tunic, murmuring to her cat to ease back from the fool on his knees. Content in the knowledge that he was not strong enough to take her, but she wasn’t stupid enough to give him her back. “I do not, Asha’na. I will deliver your message as you have spoken it. Forgive me, please, I truly meant no harm to you or the others. I have only followed orders,” She glanced at Brennaugh for guidance and he gave her a tight shake of his head, “Deliver my message to the ones who hold your leash, and if they let you live, you may beg my mate for his forgiveness. You wronged him when you followed those orders of yours, the former commander of the entire Sarazen armada, your Asha, by deed and action deceived him in an attempt to keep him from finding the mate all of you search endlessly for. Give him reason to forgive you, as many reasons as you can, and maybe he will. Maybe he will allow you to somehow regain your honor. Maybe he will choose to tear your carcass apart with his bare hands.”
“Yes, Asha’na.”
“Get out of my sight.”
Mr’awl didn’t hesitate. He moved so fast to obey that he left skid marks in the dirt. Her cat was restlessly stretching inside her, digging claws into her belly and snarling to be let free to hunt that little fucker down and shred him to ribbons. Maybe even bring a few pieces of him back to Tarek as a gift. She shook herself, a little sick by how seriously she suddenly hungered for his blood, and turned around, coming up a little short when she saw Brennaugh, Ohlen and the four other massive warriors drop to one knee and stretch out to place their fingertips in the dirt in front of them, bowing low and easily to her. “Asha’na.” They growled reverently, and when she glanced at Gwen and Cassie, at the other members of her crew, they were smirking proudly. She scrambled for something to say to them, but the low sound of horns filled the air, and her cat perked up inside her, all her focus now on going to find her mate. “Let’s do this.”
The forest was alive with sounds of snarling, roaring, screams of joy. Thousands of scents, male and female, the trees and the earth being churned beneath eager claws and boots. Her cat wanted out, wanted to run with the others, furious that she had to walk slowly alongside the wea
ker humans, but she absolutely refused to go running off to follow the tiny ribbon of scent she could catch that belonged to Tarek. It chaffed, but she stayed within reach of Brennaugh, knowing they were all heading in the same direction through the chaos. He’d changed into his massive feline form, the top of his head level with her shoulders, his fur mottled red and orange, the skin of his beautiful muzzle tight and gnarled with scar tissue, the same on his left forearm, and a good portion of his chest. She wanted to touch him, but he didn’t belong to her, and Tarek might take exception if she came to him with even the smallest scent of yet another on her skin.
A buzz ran along her body with such force that she stopped suddenly, and Brennaugh did the same, crouching low, haunches rolling with eagerness while he trained his eyes on something in the distance. “Is it them?” One of her crew asked from behind her, and even as she drew breath to answer, Tarek in his gorgeous feline form came leaping from the foliage with a growl, “Yes,” She breathed, running forward to be caught against his furred chest, burying her face in the surprising softness and grinning when he wrapped his muscled leg around her, purring loud enough to vibrate the blood in her veins. As they had discussed, her crew came and sat on the ground in the middle of the forest, surrounded by Tarek and Brennaugh’s trusted men, allowing any present in the forest to catch scent of the humans and perhaps find their mates.
She sat curled against Tarek’s side, content and sleepy while they waited. Two, then three males materialized out of the darkness, confused and looking warily around at the big wall of cat’s protecting her crew. Tarek chuffed, a sound she recognized as invitation and a warning to tread carefully. For a moment, no one moved, then with bravery and determination she appreciated, one of the males strode forward with his eyes focused confidently on one of her female crewmembers. He stopped in front of her, looking down at her for a heartbeat before folding his legs under him to sit in front of her on the forest floor. “I am Lorn,” He murmured softly, seemingly fascinated by the dark haired woman in front of him. “Um, I’m…I’m Bree.”
“Bree. My one.”
The other two followed suit and sat before their mates, speaking softly, watched like hawks for any signs of deceit or false claim, but her cat gave no indication of either. She seemed pleased, content enough to wait for any others. Surprisingly, a group of females approached, their lean, whipcord strong bodies moving through the trees, noses raised to the air to catch the scents of the human men sitting and talking softly together. They looked skeptical, seeking her out among the crowd and came as a group to kneel within respectful distance, flicking confused yet relieved looks at the now slack jawed human men staring at them. “Is it true that your kind are able to carry our beasts?” One of them asked, a lovely blue eyed female with dark spiky hair and matching aqua tattoos along her skull. Tarek grunted at her, “Yes. A voluntary blood exchange is all it takes.” Still not quite convinced, the same female very politely asked to see her change.
Tarek sat up, making the females tense warily, but they’d talked about it and she moved around to put his furry body between hers and the crew, not exactly comfortable with everyone seeing her naked, so she quickly stripped and let her cat out to play, preening a little when the Sarazen females hissed with jealousy and awe at her fully formed figure. But they conferred amongst themselves, gave she and Tarek a respectful nod and moved to the men whose scent had caught their attention. Pleased, she wound her way under Tarek’s chin and raked her teeth gently along his shoulder. He nipped her ear and got a swat of her paw, which made him give a hissing laugh and pull her down to lay under one of his paws, cleaning her fur with his raspy tongue and rolling his cheeks over hers to mark her with his scent. She happily turned over to give him her belly, rubbing her muzzle along the underside of his jaw and lazily lay there while they waited.
She was honestly surprised, but secretly pleased when by the time the sun rose, all but one of her crew had been approached by a Sarazen, male and female and claimed as a mate. She wasn’t certain yet if they were legitimate matches, or if maybe one of Mr’awl’s co-conspirators had infiltrated her crew to further sabotage their matings. Tarek seemed thus far unconcerned, eagerly herding her towards their ship parked in a long line of other ships, curling his lip at the officials waiting to officiate their mating. They changed back in their quarters and Tarek told her to stay put in their cabin while he spoke to the new members of their growing group, to the officials, and to the pilots waiting to return them to the citadel on S1.
She took the time to wash up now, enjoying the enzyme wash well enough, but had come to prefer the warm caress of water on her skin. A few strokes of her fingers through her hair and she went back to wait for her mate to return to her. He didn’t take long, and she was thrilled to see how his eyes brightened, yellowing when she moved from her provocative sprawl on the bed, around to kneel on the sheets with her hair over her shoulder to present him with her back. She heard the door lock, glanced over her shoulder at him and gasped when he leapt the distance to pounce on her. “My mate.” He growled, hands rough on her body, stroking her skin possessively.
The two days it took to return to the citadel, they didn’t leave their room.
Twenty Eight
When they reached the stone fortress, Tarek was grinning smugly, and she was walking funny. Thankfully she wasn’t alone, several of the other women looked just as wrecked as she felt, stars in their eyes while they were tenderly ushered forward by their mates. Her male crew members looked ragged, some more so than others, and she raised her eyebrows over the familiar faces that had grown a massive amount of muscle overnight, and gained a foot or more in height. “I take it you agreed to the conversion?” She asked, and the guys grinned sheepishly. “Seemed silly not to,” Their female Sarazen mates looked quite satisfied, and she idly wondered how the human men were going to take to the idea of only having sex twice a year.
Ne’tare and Te’sha were waiting to greet them, their expressions clearly overjoyed to see each of their charges now paired to a Sarazen. The one woman who wasn’t, Elenna, they both went to her and spoke softly, making her give a token smile despite the fact that she seemed disappointed. She gave them a moment to welcome the newcomers, and then quietly requested their presence after everyone had settled. They graciously agreed, and she leaned heavily on Tarek while they made their way back to their suite. She fell face first onto their bed, moaning softly when Tarek straddled her hips and kneaded firmly at the muscles in her back. At the touch of his mouth rubbing against the mating mark on her shoulder, feeling and hearing him turn his nose to her hair to inhale deeply. “Do I need another shower or something?” She groaned into the bedding, tilting her neck for him to get better access, “No, the scent of you is intoxicating, my one.”
The roughness of his voice, the deeper tenor made her frown in confusion and roll one eye back to look up at him. At the weird, tender expression on his face. “Are you alright?” He nodded, bending down to touch a kiss to the corner of her lips, “I am. Why did you want to see Ne’tare and Te’sha?” She remembered then that she’d forgotten to mention her little chat with Mr’awl. She quickly filled him in, watching the tenderness disappear from his features, her lover gone, replaced by the stone cold face of the commander. “Brennaugh allowed him to escape with his life?” His deadly soft hiss made her roll over under him, made her settle her hands on his belly, “Dead men tell no tales.” He got off her and pulled his hand down his face, opening his mouth to respond, but growled instead when a loud knock was rapped out on the doors to their suite.
Sore and exhausted though she was, she got up and followed him out, wincing over the burn of her overtaxed thighs and abdomen, wondering if someone could become crippled from to many orgasms. Ne’tare and Te’sha were accompanied by Brennaugh, speak of the devil, and Tarek immediately, irately demanded to know why his most trusted commander had allowed his mate to face down one of the fuckers responsible for compromising her food, and insult to injury, all
ow him to leave alive. Ne’tare and Te’sha were immediately irate as well, and shifted so that their large bodies were between her and Brennaugh, while the other commander did his best not to smile. “Had you been there, Asha, you would have been proud of the little warrior your mate is. She commanded the room, her beast superior to all save possibly you. She was glorious, and her will was undeniable. She almost forced him to shift forms.” This, if anything, made Tarek even angrier. “I trusted you with her life, and she was close enough to a traitor, who for all we know was commanded to rip her throat out, to make him nearly change forms?”
Brennaugh looked at her then, and she realized if she didn’t intervene here soon, he was going to be blamed for something not his fault. She stood up and prodded her lazy, sleeping beast into awareness, moving to stand close enough to Tarek to touch, and allowed the same energy she’d used to overpower Mr’awl, to flow over him. His shoulders bunched, hair flying as his head whipped around to look at her with furious eyes. “He was right there beside me, the whole time. Myself and my crew are an unknown entity to your people, our loyalty has not been pledged to the ruler of your pride, we’ve pledged it to you, because you earned our trust and have taken great care to keep us safe. From what little I know of politics, this is a threat to the pride ruler’s command, and those loyal to him will likely take steps to either ensure our loyalty is to him, or that we are neutralized.”