Broken Earth

by S. J. Sanders

  At length, Terri joined him again, a concerned look on her expressive face. Even covered in gore, she did not flinch from him like the other females did. Instead, she stood beside him fearlessly, her head tilted back to meet his eye.

  He flung an arm open, gesturing to the cowering females in disbelief. “These are who you wish to preserve? You would stand between them and their enemy and yet all they can do is cower and weep when there is any possibility of you being injured.”

  “They’re scared, Veral,” Terri argued. “I don’t expect them to stand between us. They don’t know you like I do. It is natural for them to be afraid. They were on their way to the coast, where they heard that a large sanctuary city was recently established. The Reapers aren’t an anomaly. Similar gangs have been striking all through the interior, but they hadn’t expected to encounter one out here. They lost half of their women and a quarter of their children to this raid.”

  “They were careless and suffered for it,” he snapped.

  Several females whimpered and shied away, while others shot him angry looks.

  Good. Let them hate him and learn to be strong for their offspring.

  He glowered at them in turn. “This is no universe for the weak. Learn this lesson well, for others shall follow behind me now that this world has been recorded and logged. That you dislike it doesn’t matter. Hate me if it makes you feel better but be stronger than you are. Your offspring are dependent on you. Will you curl onto the ground and allow yourself and your young to die because you are too frightened to continue by yourself?” he sneered. “Mate and forge strong alliances but remain strong, steady, and observant. Take nothing for granted.” He growled in parting before allowing his mate to pull him away.

  Her brows lifted at him. “A little harsh, weren’t you?”

  “I spoke nothing but the truth. Anything less would be dishonorable and teach them nothing of how to survive.”

  “Maybe,” she agreed slowly. “But humans usually couch unpleasant truths in ways that are not quite as offensive to the one receiving them. It’s part of being compassionate.”

  “Then I shall leave compassion to you. I am concerned more with the survival of their offspring. I do not hold with any adult who would allow their grief to damage their young.”

  “Ah, you’re talking about your father then?” she said softly.

  “I am speaking of him and them. Their offspring deserve better.”

  Terri nodded slowly. She opened her mouth, the tip of her tongue touching her lip thoughtfully as she visibly searched for the words she wished to say. He waited patiently, his attention completely on her.

  “Veral, we need to talk.”

  “We are speaking,” he grumbled.

  “No. I mean I’m going to have to alter our agreement,” she said with a tiny smile.

  He scrutinized her silently, not moving, as he attempted to process her meaning. She shifted from one foot to the other, though she met his eyes with a steely resolve.

  “Speak plainly of your intentions, female.”

  “I can’t help you salvage right now. They need my help.”

  He blinked at her in surprise. “You speak of the coast. They require your aid to get there?” He shook his head at the glaring fault in her plans. “By your own admission, you have never left this settlement. You would be a disastrous guide.”

  “True.” She laughed dryly, her smile slipping. “No, that’s not what they need from me. I’m going into the Reapers’ camp. Before you say anything, no, they didn’t ask me to do it. I volunteered. The women and children they stole—I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try to save them.”

  His eyes shifted to the cluster of females and offspring behind her. They watched him warily as if expecting him to lash out and attack his female.

  Moving in closer, he dropped his head close to her cheek where he could breathe in her natural perfume as he spoke in a low whisper, his breath fanning her face. “It is dangerous. Do you forget that you are mine?”

  “Impossible to forget,” she whispered. “I swear I’m not leaving you or abandoning you in any fashion. I’m not your father. I won’t forget you just because something else demands my attention. I will take care to remain safe and once it’s done, I’m all yours once more.”

  Veral growled with impatience, his vibrissae lifting in a show of dominance. In response, all the females stammered, their bodies pressing in close around Terri, though his mate looked on, entirely unimpressed by his display. He snorted, amused by his mate and insulted down to his circuitry by the other females.

  He wouldn’t harm his mate or allow harm to come to her.

  She was his—his everything. She was the safest female on the entire planet.

  He wanted to object. However, his female was insisting on aiding them, and they were clinging to her like sap beetles of Octnartova. It was doubtful that he would be able to convince his mate to abandon her plan. If he wanted to safeguard Terri, he understood, somewhat reluctantly, that it required a departure from their original agreement. He shook out his vibrissae in disgust.

  Very well. He would be flexible.

  He returned his focus to his female.

  “We will delay our salvage and help these humans.” Veral smirked to himself as her mouth dropped open but kept his expression blank and unaffected.

  “Wait! You’re going to help?”

  “You are under contract to me and you are my mate. That contract has yet to be satisfied and I refuse to allow my mate to wander into danger without my protection. I will not let you go against the Reapers alone. Besides being my female, the debt remains between us.”

  Terri smirked up at him. “The debt… I suppose you have a point. All right, my mate, I will allow you to help me since you asked oh so graciously.”

  With another long look in his direction, she turned away and waved at the other females. “Come on! Let’s get to shelter before the Reapers decide to investigate!”

  Shuffling in a mostly sedate manner, many of them keening quietly to themselves, they left the abandoned bodies of their mates and companions. Clutching their children tightly to them, the females followed Terri and Veral away from the dusty sea of blood. Some flinched from time to time as Krono occasionally circled near, his muzzle and chest soaked with the blood of his kills, but otherwise they made steady progress into the fallen city.

  17

  Terri offered some water to a small child who looked up at her with wide, scared brown eyes. Everyone was exhausted as they leaned against each other crammed into the room. It had been a long walk, especially for the children. After the dust had settled, it hadn’t taken them long to notice that both of the skinny mares had been killed during the gang’s attack. That had been the first sign that made her realize helping the women wasn’t going to be easy.

  Terri had felt her first moments of frustration when a large portion of the women refused to do anything other than wring their hands. They didn’t want to go through their things and pack supplies that could be reasonably carried. They just whimpered as a handful of the women among them dug through the wagons and loaded themselves down with as much as they could carry. Veral spent a good part of their trek back to Phoenix glaring at them.

  Even now, sitting in clusters around the living room along the few remaining walls, they did nothing but complain about being hungry and thirsty while Terri worked to ration out the supplies with the help of the women who were among the lead organizers for their caravan. Truth be told, she was beginning to lose her patience with their helplessness. If it weren’t for the few competent women among them struggling to see to everyone’s needs despite grieving for their own losses, she would likely have yielded to Veral’s insistence to let them fend for themselves.

  It wasn’t a charitable thought, but she was exhausted and feeling less and less inclined to be magnanimous with every passing hour that she had to tend to them. Despite the number of women who’d fought off the Reapers, and the large han
dful of them who were dragged away kicking and screaming, Terri had come to find out that most of the women that she was stuck with were the ones who had hidden inside the wagons. She had nothing against hiding—she’d done plenty of it in her own time—but their unwillingness to do anything was quickly eroding her patience. She barely kept herself from making unpleasant comments already. Sooner or later, she was going to crack and go full crazy woman on them.

  Josie, a matronly woman of forty-five, scowled from where she stood at Terri’s side. She had a ladle in the hand fisted on her hip as she finished ladling broth into bowls for the women. Although she hadn’t warmed up to Veral, she at least didn’t cower from him whenever he approached Terri. She was perhaps only a bit less impatient with foolishness than he was. Josie possessed a sharp eye and an even sharper tongue for those who tried her patience. She was currently glaring at a young woman who was sulking over the meager ration she’d been given while ignoring the two-year-old who cried and tugged at her breast as he tried to climb into her lap. Josie snorted in disapproval.

  “Your guy is a bit rough around the edges, but he wasn’t wrong about one thing,” she mumbled.

  Terri arched an eyebrow at the other woman. “Oh?”

  Josie gestured at the small group of women. “I told my Matt several times that these girls were being coddled. The men were spoiling them, insisting on doing everything for them. It wasn’t good for them. He insisted that as soon as we got to the sanctuary that the girls wouldn’t need to worry about struggling to survive. Told me not to worry. Now look at them, caught in their grief, helpless as children while they ignore their babies. They aren’t going to do a thing for themselves. Like the rest of us aren’t grieving too. Who would feed us if we all collapsed as they are, taking the luxury of doing as if it’s their right?” She made a sound of disgust in the back of her throat, one hand coming up to wipe away the tears at the mention of her newly departed husband. “If they weren’t so afraid of your guy, I wouldn’t doubt they would be trying to latch onto him. I would watch for that anyway, because Lacey over there has that look about her like she’s about to get brave.”

  Terri sighed. “Of all things for her to focus on. She would be better off seeing to herself and her child. She has no chance of gaining anything from Veral other than his ire.”

  “Hmph, that was what my daughter Becky thought until Lacey got her hooks into her man. He started sneaking the girl extra rations whenever she complained and spent all his time with her because she said she was scared to be alone. Eventually, he fathered a child on her and decided that Lacey needed him more. She used it to her advantage, getting him to take care of her. My poor Becky took it hard, but she’s a fighter. Those men don’t know what they’re in for keeping her against her will. I hope she kills a couple in their sleep,” Josie ground out.

  She gave Terri a troubled look. “Now that her man’s gone, it won’t be long before Lacey looks for someone else to provide for her. If she or any of these other girls get it into their minds that they will be well cared for by your guy, they’ll do everything in their power to win him. This world isn’t kind to those who aren’t strong, as you know. They will see it as a matter of survival to find someone to protect and care for them.”

  “How can they even tell that Veral is male?” Terri blurted out in surprise. “I didn’t even know it until he told me.”

  Josie chuckled, her eyes gleaming with humor and sympathy. “The way he tends to you gives it away. And sometimes the front of him bulges out a bit when he’s close to you. His armor must have some impressive give to it to allow that kind of flexibility,” she observed wryly.

  Terri felt her cheeks heat. Well, she had asked. Despite the fact that she didn’t like other women staring at Veral, it was at least good to know the facts of the matter.

  “I’m not worried.” She laughed convincingly despite the twinge of anxiety that made itself known.

  Josie made a doubtful sound in her throat. “If you say so. Still, the sooner we can get to the sanctuary, the better. There will be plenty of men happy to take them off my hands.”

  Terri smiled, but her eyes strayed again to the young woman ignoring her toddler. The baby had finally managed to wrestle his mother’s breast free and was hungrily suckling despite her apathy. Lacey’s head was lowered, but from between the long tangle of her hair, Terri could see that the woman’s eyes were following Veral’s every movement. Lacey was afraid but there was something speculative in her eyes. Or maybe Terri was just imagining it.

  She knew that Veral wouldn’t be interested in the other female; he barely tolerated being near them. Still, she couldn’t help feeling a bit exhausted at the idea of having to deal with another woman trying to wheedle her way into his affections. It wouldn’t work, but the thought of the woman even trying made her want to throw her out into the street to fend for herself against the Reapers.

  Once again, the thought wasn’t that kind, but Lacey had better watch herself lest Terri be tempted too far.

  Frowning, she began to instinctively search out her mate. Turning to go to him, she ran into the solid wall of a male’s armored abdomen. Teetering precariously, she squeaked until her mate’s arms wrapped around her, anchoring her to his front. Terri sighed and melted into him, resting her head against his chest as his vibrissae slid over her hair. Even the gentle scrape of his claws over her back helped her relax against him.

  Terri lifted her head to meet his gaze, but instead of seeing him looking down at her possessively, he was scowling at Josie. No doubt he’d heard every word that the other woman said. His eyes were still tracking her angrily, not that she seemed disturbed by it, but he paused to hiss at Lacey when she attempted to sidle nearer. The girl blanched and backed away so fast that she stumbled, nearly tripping over Krono when he darted around her, leading a train of children chasing after him. With her hand fisted over her chest, Lacey dropped back to her place on the floor beside where her little one had fallen asleep on a pile of rags. Terri snickered into his chest as his arms tightened around her. He apparently decided that the other females were no longer worthy of his attention, because his jaw dropped beside her cheek and his mandibles vibrated their comforting, humming purr.

  His nose brushed the side of her face. “Do not worry about these females, anastha,” he said in a low voice. “You are my mate. I belong to you as much as you belong to me. My species doesn’t feel the effects of desire until we already form an emotional and mental bond with our female. It cannot be reversed or overridden by the presence of another.” He inhaled slowly, drawing her scent into his lungs. “They can never compare to my mate. I will never let you go,” he hissed.

  Terri relaxed in his arms and smiled up at him. “I know. I just don’t look forward to beating weepy, clinging women off you with a stick.”

  One horned brow raised. “I might enjoy watching my female demonstrate her dominance. If you wish to strike them away from me, I will not stop you,” he trilled with pleasure, sending a tingle up her spine.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” she murmured as her fingers slid over the armor protecting his belly. Veral made an approving sound and nuzzled her before stepping out of her reach. She pouted up at him, but he responded with a chuff of laughter.

  “I will see to gathering what we need to enter the human compound. Inform me if these females bother you. You have worked enough for their comfort. They can get anything else they need. Rest, anastha,” he demanded, his eyes narrowing on her until she nodded. Pleased, his mandibles rattled, his hand caressing her hair briefly before he strode away.

  She smiled after him, his dark form wading through the smaller women who scattered out of his way without the least bit of provocation. He ducked into the hallway leading to the rooms. The nursery was the smallest room in the wreckage of the house, but it was comfortable and cozy for them. They agreed to allow the other women to make use of the other three rooms. She had a feeling that most of the women would cram into the master bedroom. It
was already difficult separating them from each other. She would probably have to herd them into the room when night fell. She debated just letting them stay in the remains of the living room if they insisted, just to save her the headache, but she couldn’t do that. It wasn’t safe.

  At least she wasn’t going to have to worry about Josie and her friends. They would likely make themselves comfortable in one of the other rooms and enjoy the relative privacy compared to those who would be crowded in together. Terri was just glad that she and Veral had a room to themselves. She didn’t even bother suggesting that they open their room up for use. Her mate wouldn’t have tolerated it. He was jealously possessive over their room, warning away any woman who so much as touched the door.

  At that moment, laughter broke out in the center of the room. Terri looked over and grinned at the source of the disruption. Krono lay on the floor, his mouth gaping in an alien equivalent of a canine grin as children circled around him. Some of the smaller ones were snuggling up against him, playing with his vibrissae, while a little girl was busy crowning the brute of a beast with wreaths of wildflowers that she’d plucked from around the house. The happy squealing of children rung out as they were licked by the dorashnal’s huge tongue. A pair of mothers giggled as they watched.

  One of the women stepped over to Terri, a concerned look on her face. She had a very upset seven-year-old by the hand.

  “Is that thing safe? Mandy wants to play with it like the other children… but I don’t know. I’ve never seen such a creature, and the mutated animals tend to be aggressive.”

  “He is perfectly fine. He isn’t a mutated coyote or anything like that. Krono is a dorashnal… He’s Veral’s companion. An alien dog, more or less,” Terri explained.

  The woman went pale and swallowed. “Oh, I see.”