Wulf and the Bounty Hunter

by Gail Koger

“And they look so yummy.”

  “Open. Open,” Bui chanted, her legs drumming on the glass. “Me share.”

  My stomach roiled. “No. That’s okay. We’re not hungry. You kids eat them.” I cautiously popped off the lid, waving my hand to keep the nasty little things from escaping. Whish! Bui and Bedan shot inside and started chowing down.

  A sharp, cracking boom rent the air, and the ground shook beneath our feet.

  I grabbed Wulf. “Earthquake?”

  “No. Voss took out Sushila.”

  “Yay! No more murderous mercenaries.” I broke into a happy dance. Step. Step. Kick. Wiggle my butt. Step. Step. Kick. Wiggle my butt.

  Grinning like a fool, Wulf joined in. Step. Step. Kick. Wiggle his butt. Step. Step. Kick.

  A delighted smile curved my mouth. I loved this side of Wulf. I added a fast twirl, pivoted my hips, and shimmied my body, laughing as Wulf followed suit.

  The kids watched for a moment, then joined in. Slide. Twirl. Slide. Twirl. Wiggle. Wiggle.

  “What are you doing?” Bebo demanded.

  Bedan scampered over to his father. “Dancing. Enemy go boom!”

  In a lightning-fast movement, a tentacle whipped out from Bebo’s neck, snagging a mercenary hiding behind a barrel. He crammed the flailing warrior down his maw. “A ritual to celebrate the return of our children?”

  “Sure. Slick move with the tentacle.” I never even saw or sensed the guy. Had sex fried my synapses? “A celebration is a great idea, but back on the ship, okay?”

  To my utter surprise, Bebo began to dance. His tentacles flipped from side to side as he slid to the right, then to the left. Twirl. Slide. Twirl. Slide. His butt gyrated wildly.

  My eyes bugged out when Bebo caught another mercenary and tossed him our way. They had to be survivors from Sushila military base. Guess we had riled them up a bit.

  Without missing a beat, Wulf pulled his sword and lopped off the warrior’s head, then dipped me.

  Had Wulf and the Gorum lost their minds? Dancing in the middle of a battle zone? It was nuts. Or truly brilliant. It was a sure-fire way to lure the enemy in.

  My psychic senses screamed a warning. The image of a mercenary with a rocket launcher formed in my head. Where? I scanned the area. There he was, sneaking across a roof to the east of us. I immediately hurled the image into Wulf’s mind.

  My warlord vanished.

  The mercenary went flying off the roof to land with a splat on the concrete.

  “Miss me?” Suddenly back at my side, Wulf twirled me around him.

  “Maybe we should delay our dance until all the enemy combatants have been eliminated.”

  Wulf laughed. “Where’s the fun in that?”

  “We get to live another day?”

  Raj glided up and imitated Bebo’s funky rhumba. Slide. Slide. Twirl. Wave his tentacles. Slide. Slide. Twirl.

  “Relax. The Gorum wouldn’t put their children in jeopardy. Raj ate the last mercenary two minutes ago.”

  “Thank the Goddess.”

  Wulf grabbed my hand, spun me around him, and pulled me into a tight embrace. “You are my life.” He planted a long, voracious kiss on my mouth.

  “And you are mine.” I shimmied against his body. Step. Step. Twirl.

  Wulf promenaded me across the tarmac, spinning me this way and that.

  Voss and Zarek teleported in and watched the dancing with stunned expressions on their faces.

  “Gotta say this is the first time I’ve seen them speechless.” I snickered. Step. Step. Kick. Step. Step. Twirl. “Believe me. It won’t last,” Wulf groused.

  The Overlord’s ruthless gaze settled on us, and he inquired, “Has everyone lost their minds?”

  I wanted to say, they most certainly have, but I went with, “It’s an impromptu celebration ritual. Or simply put, a we-kicked-their-asses party.”

  Voss’s white teeth flashed in an amused smile. “What’s a party without liquor?”

  “Or food?” Zarek added, actually grinning.

  Several laser beams sizzled by my head. “Or body armor?”

  A mercenary’s bushy head peeked over the top of a big crate. He aimed his rifle at us, ready to take another potshot.

  “No ruin party.” Bui spit balls of webbing at a mercenary.

  One ball glued the rifle to the crate. The second caught the mercenary in the face. He fell backward, tearing frantically at the silky strands covering his mouth and nose.

  I pointed out grumpily, “The enemy has been eliminated, huh?”

  “They brought in reinforcements. I’ll take you back to the ship,” Wulf growled, scanning the area for more combatants.

  A sharp, crackling hiss sounded as someone took potshots at us with a laser rifle. I zeroed in on two mercenaries hunkered down by a shuttle.

  Before I could warn Wulf, I felt Zarek reach out with his mind and turn the mercenaries’ brains to mush. Note to self: never make him mad.

  I held out my hand to Bui. “We’re leaving this dump.”

  She dashed up my arm and settled on my head. “Me ready.”

  Wulf pulled me to him. “Hang on, Bui.” We teleported.

  Chapter Eight

  Ugh. My mouth tasted like rotted fruit, and I had the headache from hell. The Coletti really knew how to throw a party, and boy, had I drunk too much. I pried open one eyelid. The wall was covered with an assortment of weapons. Definitely not my room. Where the heck was I?

  A heavy body curved protectively around me. Wulf’s breath stirred my hair. “You’re in my quarters.”

  “Nice arsenal.”

  “A warlord is always prepared.” He kissed my shoulder.

  That was when it hit me. I was naked. I turned and eyed Wulf’s yummy body. He was naked too. All those luscious muscles were mine to explore. To taste. To lick. I stated the obvious. “You took off my clothes.”

  “I did. It makes it easier to have sex.”

  A frown creased my forehead. “Why don’t I remember having sex?”

  “Because we didn’t. You passed out. I want you awake and eager when we make love,” Wulf stated.

  “Aw, I’m sorry. Too much wine.” My gaze fell on his crotch. “Where’s your snake?”

  A slit opened in his abdomen, and out it slid. His penis had a copper-colored frill of tentacles around the top.

  Whoa! Wulf’s penis was a lot different from my brothers’. No funky-looking mushroom cap or protruding blue veins or poufy pubic hair. How did I know? My brothers didn’t have a modest bone in their bodies. It’s a cultural thing. “Can I touch it?”

  “Yes.”

  I reached out with my bionic hand.

  “But carefully.” Wulf’s breathing was suddenly ragged.

  “Wuss.” I wrapped my left hand around his penis. It was velvety to touch, but I could feel a steellike hardness beneath the skin. The tentacles slid sinuously against my hand. Up. Down. Up. Down. Heat coiled in my belly. “These little guys are better than my sex toys.”

  Wulf bellowed, “You have sex toys?”

  “Yeah. Doesn’t every girl?” I mean, c’mon, we have needs too.

  “It took me too long to find you.”

  I noticed the tic in Wulf’s jaw. “Relax. I’m still a virgin.”

  “Good. I would have killed any male who touched you.”

  Another fine example of testosterone poisoning. I knew for a fact Wulf wasn’t a virgin. Did that mean I could kill all his lovers? Probably not. Hmmm. “Where did you hide your balls?”

  Wulf snapped, “Coletti do not have balls.”

  The Overlord’s terrifying voice reverberated around my head. “What are you doing?”

  “Uh. I’m getting an anatomy lesson.”

  Wulf gave me an I can’t believe you just said that look.

  I shrugged. It was the truth.

  There was an odd note of exasperation in the Overlord’s voice. “The lesson ceases now. Do you understand me, Wulf?”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  Zarek mu
cked about in my brain. “Start giving her your blood.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Wulf replied dutifully.

  “I want both of you in my war room in twenty minutes.”

  In unison, we responded, “Yes, my lord.”

  “And Wulf. Shower separately.” Zarek withdrew from my poor battered head.

  And I thought I’d had a headache before. “Someone is being a tad cranky.”

  “Malik was behind the attack on the Gorum.”

  “What a surprise.” I rubbed my throbbing forehead. “Got anything for a headache?”

  Wulf bit into his wrist and held it out. “Drink.”

  Blood ran down his hand and dripped on my belly. Oh ick. “That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it? A pill or medical scanner will do.”

  “Drink. Now.”

  The Overlord had turned my fun mate into a predatory ass. “Do you always do what Zarek tells you?”

  “Yes, and if you know what’s good for you, you will too.”

  “Think again.” I glared at him. “I’m not his puppet.”

  “Drink.” There was a definite growl in Wulf’s voice.

  “And if I don’t?”

  Wulf’s scary index shot off the charts. “I’ll make you.”

  He did not just say that. Something was rotten in Orion. “Why is drinking your blood so important to the Overlord?”

  “My blood makes you stronger and harder to kill.”

  “So do my bionics.”

  “Drink, or I will force it down you.”

  One look at his implacable face, and I believed him. My heart broke. Had he been lying to me all along? “The truth comes out. I’m nothing more to you than a valuable resource.”

  “I will do whatever is necessary to protect you.”

  “Including forcing me to become something I’m not?”

  “Drink, Yakira.” Was there a note of pleading in Wulf’s voice?

  Maybe, but the honeymoon was definitely over. Very reluctantly, I took my jerk of a mate’s hand and sucked down some of his warm, coppery blood. It tasted gross.

  “More.”

  I gagged. “I’ll puke it back up.”

  “No. You won’t.” Wulf slid into my mind. The urge to hurl melted away, and I was suddenly thirsty. Very thirsty. For his blood! To my utter horror, I latched on to his wrist and lapped it down like it was my favorite wine.

  Wulf finally pulled his wrist away and licked the wound. “Blood exchanges are a necessary part of our mating.”

  “Well, guess what? The mating is off. I won’t have a liar for a partner.”

  “I have not lied to you.” Wulf’s mouth tightened with frustrated anger.

  “Oh yeah? Didn’t you say you would never betray me?”

  “I haven’t.”

  I jumped out of bed. “Coercing me into doing something against my will is an act of betrayal.”

  “You are a powerful Siren. Malik will do everything in his power to capture you. You have to be strong enough to deflect his mental attacks,” Wulf shot back, rolling to his feet.

  “And your blood is the answer?”

  “Yes.”

  Warmth seeped into my stomach and spread through my body. My headache vanished along with all my other minor aches and pains. His blood did have healing qualities. I let out a long breath. Maybe Wulf was right. His lifeblood would make me stronger, harder to kill. In my heart, I knew Wulf was only trying to keep me safe. But I didn’t like it. I needed to make him understand that I was a warrior too. “I don’t want to fight with you, but if you force yourself on me again, I will cut off all your tentacles and feed them to Ziyad.”

  Wulf’s voice was a purr of menace. “You’re threatening me again?”

  “You betcha I am.” What was that Earth saying? Oh yeah. “I am woman. Hear me roar. I am strong. I am invincible. I will kick your ass.”

  “I’ve never been defeated in battle,” was his cocky response.

  “Who said anything about a battle? I’m a sneaky bitch. I’ll attack when you least expect it.”

  Wulf laughed. “I do enjoy a challenge.”

  “Consider yourself challenged.” I looked around the room. “Where’s the shower?”

  He pointed to a door. “You have ten minutes.”

  If we didn’t show up at the war room on time, Zarek might do something I would regret. Like taking all our credits away. Ugh. I opened the door.

  “Wait.” Wulf held out a battle suit. “You’ll need this.”

  My jaw dropped as I took it from him. “You had this made for me?”

  “I did.”

  “Why?” I stroked the fabric, pleased beyond all reason. My very own battle suit.

  “Because you’re a trouble magnet.”

  “It’s not my fault people keep shooting at me.”

  “Perhaps not, but it’s my duty to protect you.”

  And here I thought I was the love of his life. Instead I was a duty. “Right. Can’t have a valuable asset getting shot all to hell.”

  In a put-upon voice, Wulf gritted, “You are my mate, not an asset I guard.”

  “Could have fooled me.” I shut the bathroom door in his face.

  Wulf forced open the door, grabbed me, and kissed the ever-loving sense out of me. “My heart is forever yours.” He shut the door.

  I sagged against the wall. Whoa! With one amazing kiss, I realized he wasn’t lying about loving me, but he was also a Coletti, the ultimate predator with a taste for blood, a passion for battle, and the need to control everything in his life. The big question was: How did I make him understand I was a warrior too?

  Fate, the evil bitch, had to be laughing her ass off. Get a Coletti to listen? To change? Fat chance.

  Ziyad was going to be so disappointed. All our plans to go wherever we wanted and do whatever we wanted had gone up in smoke. Males were the bane of the universe.

  Where was my best friend? Not on this ship. I had vague memories of Ziyad dancing with the Gorum and feeding Kalja deet worms. Voss had assigned Lothel to keep an eye on her. I had to admit, he was very attentive. Too attentive. What if she accidently marked him in her mating frenzy? Could Zarek reverse it? Or were Ziyad’s genetics dooming her to kill and eat Lothel?

  “Eight minutes left,” Wulf warned.

  My thoughts spun back to Wulf. Did I owe him an apology? Yeah, I did. Even if his protective instincts were a bit smothering, he was my mate. “I’m sorry. I never should have doubted you.”

  “All I want to do is keep you from harm. If I have to force your obedience to achieve that, so be it,” Wulf replied bluntly.

  My temper spiked. Here I was, trying to make nice, and he was going to be a jerk about it? “You need to realize being forced to do something against my will is abhorrent to me.”

  “Obey me, and it won’t be a problem.”

  Obey? Arrgh! I fought back the urge to whack Wulf upside the head with the battle-ax hanging on his wall. “Gee, thanks for making it so simple that even a mere female can understand.” I stepped into the shower and started scrubbing.

  “Are you being sarcastic?”

  “What would make you think that?” Once the blood and Gorum slime was off me, I braided my wet hair into warrior braids. After all, I was going to war.

  “You are being sarcastic.”

  “Who said males were dumb as a rock?”

  His tone one of resignation, Wulf asked, “Can we drop the subject for now?”

  “Sure, honeybun, anything for you. Smooches.”

  “Those are Earth terms.”

  “Bingo, smart guy! From something called a romance novel. Ziyad likes to read them to me.” I pulled on the battle suit. It fit like a glove. I looked down at my bare toes. “Do you happen to have any boots in my size?”

  “I do.”

  From his growly tone, I had a feeling he was still in his predator mode. I hit the door release button. Whoosh! A very naked warlord with a pair of boots in his left hand stood there. “While I enjoy the view, Zarek won�
��t.”

  “Very funny.” He handed me the boots and stomped into the bathroom.

  I sighed dramatically and clutched my chest. “Who said I couldn’t have my very own Prince Charming?”

  Wulf bared his fangs at me. “No more romance novels.”

  “Prince Charming is from a fairy tale, not a romance novel, but not to worry. Charming you’re not.” I quickly shut the door. From the look on Wulf’s face, he was about ten seconds away from throttling me. “I love you. Smooches.”

  “I’m going to put you over my knee,” Wulf yelled from the shower.

  Someone definitely needed some alone time. I hurriedly put on my spiffy new boots and stepped out into the corridor. Which way was the war room? I focused on the Overlord’s off-the-charts energy levels and headed toward it.

  The sensation of imminent danger slammed into my mind two seconds before muscular arms grabbed me from behind. I didn’t recognize the aura or brainwaves. Holy Goddess! Malik? I reacted instinctively and rammed my bionic elbow into his stomach. He grunted, and his grip loosened. I tossed him over my shoulder.

  The stranger hit the deck and rolled gracefully to his feet.

  I backed away and studied his big, battle-honed body. He was dressed like a Coletti, but his eyes were silver. A half-breed maybe? “Who are you and what do you want?”

  “You. Surrender, and you won’t be harmed.” Coiled power emanated from the stranger.

  I rolled my eyes. “You do realize the Overlord is on this ship?”

  A slight smile on his mouth, the stranger teleported.

  Maybe he did know and liked to live dangerously. I placed my back against the wall and waited for him to reappear. I couldn’t afford to let him get his hands on me again. If he managed to put me in a choke hold, game over.

  The silver-eyed stranger materialized in front of me.

  Bad move. I punched him right in the kisser.

  His head snapped back.

  I hit him again, and blood gushed from his nose.

  Off balance, he staggered backward.

  I followed up with a solid side kick to his chest. The stranger flew across the corridor and hit the wall.

  Bam! Pain exploded in my skull. Everything went dark for a moment. My knees buckled, and down I went. I fought to hang on to consciousness. Had I been struck by lightning? It sure felt like it. Wulf. I had to warn him. I linked with my mate. “We have…an…intruder. Not… Not sure…if it’s Malik.”