She looked away from him, fiddling with the corner of the couch cushion. “It’s stupid.”
“Oh, is it? Alright,” Khy replied, knowing sometimes with Anna, the worst thing he could do was agree with her.
She slapped her hand down with a dull beat on the sofa. “I mean, it’s not stupid. It’s the best I could think of for a guy who doesn’t want anything.”
“Okay. So give it to me.” He held out his hand, flipping his claws up in a ‘gimme gimme’ motion.
“It’s not something I can give you.”
“Anna…”
“Okay, fine! But remember I’m exhausted right now, so…”
“So?”
“So I’ll just show it to you.”
“What the hell is it?” He watched her push to her feet, struggling out of the sofa’s soft embrace.
“You’ll see,” she said, throwing him a smile over her shoulder as she walked to their bedroom, and was she swinging her hips more than usual? “Just wait here until I come out.”
Khy rubbed his palms on his thighs, thinking she would only be gone for a moment, the time it took to retrieve a parcel from a hiding place, but Anna was gone for over ten minutes, and he found it hard to sit still and be patient. What was she doing in there? He couldn’t help but try to guess. It wasn’t something she could give him, she was going to show it to him… A gift for a mate who had everything he wanted already… He hadn’t thought himself a materialistic male, but he found himself strangely excited to discover his present.
Finally, the door opened down the hall, and he heard Anna’s voice call “Okay! You can come in now!”
He was there in seconds, moving quickly on his long legs. Anna was stood in front of the bed, and Khy jerked to a stop, his eyes wide and his crest suddenly pulsing and straight.
She was wearing… She was wearing Volon clothes. Not just Volon clothes, she was dressed like a chief.
Low on her belly was the hard, studded leather belt, cut high on her hips and dipping in the front to make her waist look so tiny. Normally the female wearing this would be Khy’s size, but this outfit had clearly been made for her. Falling around her thighs were the loops of fabric that concealed a Volon’s modesty, comparable to a human kilt. This one was threaded with gold, as it should be, he thought to himself, for her. Her delicate stomach was bare, her chest guarded by more tough leather armour, rounded to accommodate her breasts in a way he had never seen on a Volon. She had a dagger in a sheath slung from her hips, and matching arm guards. Her hair was up in a style he had never seen, a ponytail so high her hair was vertical for an inch or two before it fell behind her head, woven with feathers and leather thongs and braids. He guessed this was her best approximation of a crest, and the binding was hidden behind a decorated leather shield.
She looked like a warrior. She looked like a fragile human playing dress-up. She looked like the kind of female he would do anything for. She looked like his mate. She looked like Anna.
Where had she got it all? She must have been talking to Volon females behind his back, she must have commissioned someone to make this for her, to her size. She must have… She must have got to know his tribe.
She put her hand on her hip, cocking it nervously. “Well, do you like it?” she asked, fidgeting. “See, it’s not something for you to have, but I thought it might be something you would still… enjoy.”
Seeing her nervous, doubting him, got Khy moving. He crossed to her, taking her face in his hands, his thumb claw landing so close to her eye but she didn’t even blink as she turned her face up to him.
He had to say it in Volon, seeing her dressed like that. “My Queen. I love it.”
Anna shifted her weight, confused. “I didn’t understand that.”
He grinned. “I know you didn’t.” It felt good to speak his mother tongue to her, and she really had started it by dressing this way.
“Is this good or bad?”
“Good. Will you command me now, my chieftess?” He made himself laugh.
Anna’s brows drew together. “Are you making fun of me? Have I short-circuited you with this? You know I don’t speak Volon.”
He gave a soft exhale, charmed by her despite her current tone. He kissed her, softly. “I know. I am well. I like the outfit.”
She blew out a breath. “Well, the idea was- I mean, I thought you might want to, you know… fuck me in it, but honestly, after the day we’ve had…”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re tired. I remember.”
She gripped his arms, grateful. “I’ll take it off then.”
He nodded and let her go, stretching out on the bed so he could watch her undress, and when her eyes met his in the mirror there was a look in them that suggested she knew exactly what he was doing. When she let down her hair, she shook it and fluffed it in a way that normally preceded her crawling into his lap.
“Where did you get it?” he asked as she lay down next to him.
“That would be telling.”
He grunted. He’d thought he liked the idea of her making friends with his tribe, but now he found she was keeping secrets with her new allies, and that he didn’t like. Surely she wouldn’t have allowed another male to measure her body for the clothes? That didn’t sound like Anna. He would just have to make sure the other Volon understood that.
4
Khy hadn’t been to Arizona before, but it was easier to get to than Oklahoma where they had visited last. Oklahoma had been nice, but it got too cold in the winter for the Volon. The heat of the Arizona summer wouldn’t bother them the way it did the humans, and it was closer to California and the DETI office.
With DETI’s help, he had found farmland for sale that could, with a few extra acres from the neighbours if they were willing to sell, be big enough to make a home for a Volon tribe. They could raise livestock to be self-sufficient, and live however they wanted without being watched. A few Volon would live in houses here and there to serve as communication points for the tribe, perhaps mated couples with children. Khy had some people in mind, but there’d been no volunteers. First they had to find the land.
Just like in Oklahoma, Anna was accompanying him and the tribe. What was new this time was that other Volon from other DETI offices were going to join them, including other chiefs. Khy knew the San Diego Volon had a problem with mating and having children, but he honestly didn’t know for certain if others did. He had heard rumours, but it was humbling to think that maybe they were the only ones. If another chief had a solution, Khy would abandon his pride in an instant to help his people.
It was a long drive to the land they were meeting on, so they rented a big truck that could carry the tribe’s camping gear over unpaved roads. Anna was not happy about driving it, but once they were actually bumping along, the sun over their heads and the windows open, their sunglasses on, they laughed at themselves. Khy got the sense of freedom that only came from open plains and open sky, from nothing but grass, and not a single building in sight. No one was watching them here.
They found the farmhouse by GPS. The simple house and its gathered silos and barns would be the base of operations, where everyone would meet, and where they could get help in an emergency. They would not be sleeping there. The Volon were eager to sleep under the stars.
Khy climbed to the top of the silo to survey the land. It was a good open space. The boundary lines were within a day’s walk, which he didn’t really like, but for this short trip it would be enough. As other Volon arrived, he picked out places to camp and memorised where the road was. It made him feel like he was back on Teiss, advising his chief on the best routes to walk to avoid other tribes and rivers. It felt like another life, so long ago.
The days were short this time of year, and they would have to start setting up their tents if they wanted to be able to house everybody by nightfall.
He climbed down, and found Anna talking to Chax and Kona. Khy still smiled when he thought back to Anna’s speech inspiring the females to claim ma
tes for themselves. Chax had quickly given up trying to fight his way free of his larger, stronger mate, whose belly swelled with the third Volon child conceived since their first trip to Oklahoma. No baby had been born yet, but it was hope for the future, for all of them.
Khy was not surprised that if any female was going to get what she wanted, it was Kona. On Teiss, he would have thought Chax an odd choice for her, but now he was mated to Anna, it wasn’t like he could talk. He also loved a mate whose company he enjoyed, even if she was weaker than him. Khy hadn’t told anyone, but Kona was his first choice to replace him as chief if he ever had to choose between living with his tribe or staying in the city with Anna.
Anna turned when she heard him coming and offered him a small smile. He put his hand to her lower back as he joined their group.
“The land is good. We should set our tents here for the night and distribute food and water for tomorrow. Is everyone here?”
“Not yet,” Kona answered. “Almost half are still missing, but Tehr is making trips to the airport. Everyone will be here by midnight.”
“Good. Chax, get a group together and build a bonfire. Kona, go tell everyone to start setting tents, and find out who the leaders are.”
“You just want me to show my belly,” she accused with a grin. It was a point of pride for the whole tribe that Kona was pregnant, and he wanted to flaunt it in front of the other chiefs if he could. It spoke of good leadership and stability.
“As if you don’t want that,” he replied, and she laughed, her shoulders going back. They separated to go about the tasks he’d set them, leaving him with Anna. “Let’s give you somewhere to sleep tonight.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me have the house.”
“Sleeping by my side is better, isn’t it?” He loved to see her nestled in the bright blankets and pillows he lined their tent with, just as she would be on Teiss.
“Fine, but I’m using the bathroom and you can’t stop me.”
****
After Khy set up the tent and changed his clothes, stretching to enjoy the freedom of not having to wear a shirt anymore and revelling in the weight of his weapons at his belt again, he spent the evening organising everyone so that no fights broke out. With this many Volon, everyone was itching to prove themselves and show off. Khy kept one eye on the crowd around the bonfire as he met with the other chiefs, introducing himself and trying to keep straight in his head who everyone was and where they were from. Two of the chiefs were older than him and had been chief on Teiss as well, one male and one female. Another female had been put into the chief position on the transporter ship, and a quiet young male led a group who were barely more than children. Khy debated trying to do something about that, but the group stayed clustered tightly together, radiating an almost feral dedication to each other, so he decided it was best to leave them to it unless violence broke out.
With the only light coming from the bonfire throwing flames eight feet in the air, the land was a black sea, colours faded and faces flashing in the flickering heat. It felt different in every way from the city, as if the breeze here was older. He hadn’t noticed when he’d switched into Volon but it had been hours. All around him people sharpened blades, bodies darting here and there, while others sat in piles, eating and drinking. Some people played drums and others danced, and it was so much like Teiss it reminded him of his dreams.
By the time he realised he was getting tired from moving from group to group checking on people, the fire was half the size it had been, bringing the stars back out of the endless sky. It had been hours since he’d last seen Anna. He went to the area his tribe had claimed, expecting to see her laughing with one of his tribemates, but she wasn’t there. He checked their tent and found her asleep on her side with a pang of regret. He hadn’t meant to neglect her or make her go to bed alone, but there were just so many people, and he had to be vigilant to avoid looking weak in front of the other chiefs.
He let the tent flap fall closed behind him and crawled over his mate, caging her beneath him and pinning her under the blankets. He nuzzled her cheek to wake her and she murmured sleepily, pulling her arms free to give herself room to move.
When she opened her eyes, he said “I left you alone, I’m sorry.”
“S’alright… You’re busy, I know that.” Her eyes fell closed as she turned her face to the pillow. “Come to bed.”
Khy smiled, ducked out from under her arm, stripped off his weapons and clothes, and slid into blankets warmed for him by his delightful mate. He’d thought she had fallen back to sleep, but she reached for him and dragged herself against him.
“I forgot to ask, what are we doing for New Year’s Eve?”
Khy wrapped an arm around her and let his claws trace over her back. He knew the year would turn while they were there, and he’d wondered what to do about it. As far as he could tell, human, or at least American, tradition was to drink and light fireworks and kiss at midnight. Volon tradition was similar, at least in broad terms. Another bonfire, a feast, music, dancing and drinking. Other than that, it would differ by tribe. Khy’s old tribe on Teiss had celebrated with animal sacrifice and blooding new warriors, but that probably wouldn’t go down very well in front of Anna, and even here in the midst of his people, he still considered her feelings first.
“Nothing special,” he answered. “Just the usual.”
“And what’s that?”
“Hmm, human sacrifice?”
She nudged him. “Very funny.”
“Why do you think I brought you along?”
“I know why you brought me. You’re obsessed with me.”
He couldn’t exactly deny it. He kissed the top of her head. “Sleep… while you still can…”
She sighed, but then her lips touched his scales in a kiss.
****
In the end, their New Year’s Eve turned out to be eventful, and not in the way he wanted. He did his best with the other chiefs, but the following day he could feel a tension in the camp. He couldn’t tell exactly what it was or where it was coming from, maybe it was as simple as the different tribes keeping to themselves, but people were quiet. He felt as if people stopped talking when they saw him coming, or watched him from place to place. Anna stayed close to their tent, surrounded by their tribe, for which he was glad. He trusted them. They had seen now what he was trying to do for them, how hard he was working, and had accepted him as their chief. The games of trying to take Anna from him were over. They would protect her for him if it came to it.
The following day, he became certain something was going on. This wasn’t merely nerves at meeting new people. This was the feeling of preparing for battle. He didn’t want to, but he moved among his tribe and warned them, and they confirmed his suspicions. They had spotted scouts staking out vantage points, discovered eavesdroppers, and any invitations they had made to outsiders to join their campfires were refused.
When he asked if they knew the reason for the hostility, he was met with awkward silences and dropped gazes.
“Anna.” She was the biggest difference between their tribe and any other.
The small circle he had gathered nodded reluctantly.
“Cri and Mant… They don’t like a human being here. They think…”
“I know what they think.” He grimaced. Cri and Mant were the older chiefs who had held their power since Teiss. This could get ugly. He doubted there was any real danger, but if they challenged him and he lost, which he didn’t think he would, Anna would still be scared and upset. Being run out of camp would not be an experience she would forget any time soon, even if his tribe returned to San Diego and pretended it never happened. A challenge was different from the games she had seen before, which she’d thought brutal enough. He knew if he bled, he wouldn’t be able to control what Anna did next.
He sighed. “I’ll warn her, but I won’t hide here in camp. I’ll face them, try to stop this before it begins. You’ll protect her?”
“Of course,” T
ehr said, offering his arm for a clasp in solidarity.
Khy left them to find his mate… who was leaning over a circle of the adolescent tribe, offering them snacks where they sat on the ground, looking up at her blankly. Khy’s heart jumped. Even adolescents could hurt her if they wanted to.
“Anna,” he called, letting them know he was coming. “There you are.”
She straightened and smiled at him. The others just stared at him. There was something strange about those kids, he thought. They were so closed-off and hard to read, even if two of them cradled Anna’s flapjacks in loose hands. He put his hand on her back, broadcasting his protection of her. He offered the kids a smile, but they didn’t react.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Sure. I’ll just leave the rest of these with you guys.” Anna put the bag of flapjacks on the grass. “And don’t worry, I’ll ask him.”
Khy led her away. “Ask who what?”
“You. Can you do tattoos? They want-”
He shook his head. “Anna, I don’t want you talking to the other tribes anymore. Something’s going on and it would be best if you stayed with people you know for now.”
“What? What’s happening?” She tried to stop him and look at his face, but he kept her moving, muscling her back to their own campfires.
He wondered whether he should tell her that the other chiefs had taken against her. She already felt out of place among the Volon. She would feel guilty… “I might- One of the other chiefs might challenge me. It’s fine, but I’d feel better if you’re with people who will protect you.”
“What?” This time when she dug her heels in, she pulled him to a stop. “What do you mean? Are they going to hurt you?”
“We should talk about this in private.”
She let him steer her into their tent, then she turned to him, arms folded. “Okay, so tell me.”
“The older chiefs… they want to test me. It’s nothing I can’t handle but I just want you somewhere safe.”
“Is this where they try to separate us? Are you going to give me a knife?” She held out her hand.
An Office Alien Christmas Collection (Office Aliens Book 5) Page 23
