by Ruby Dixon
This idea has appeal. More than anything, it will bring P’nee to my arms and only mine.
And M’tok is the smart one. If he says it is a good plan, then it is a good plan.
5
PENNY
After days of hovering over me, S’bren has become…standoffish? Well, no, that’s not the right term for it. He’s always been weird and just a little awkward. But he was always nearby, watching, and lately he’s been away. When I walk on the beach, there’s no big goober mutely thrusting a raw fish in my direction. There’s no alien lurking in the shadows near the fire, watching me or making sure to give me “surprise tea.”
And then I feel like a dork for being sad about it.
I sit by the fire, listening to people talk excitedly about Ashtar’s victory over the skyclaw Old Grandfather. It happened less than two days ago but I’ve heard about it seventeen billion times already, and Ashtar’s been strutting around camp like his shit doesn’t stink. It’s kinda funny now, but it wasn’t so funny to me when I had to race frantically back to camp to let everyone know that Thrand had been eaten and Nadine went after him.
I swear I aged thirty years in three hours.
I ran so long and hard that by the time I made it to camp and Ashtar shifted to dragon-form and flew off, my ankle felt like it was swollen the size of a football. I hobbled back to camp once the others set out—luckily they knew the trail we’d taken from my description—and put my foot up. Gail fussed over me, of course, giving me food and drink, but S’bren (who’s usually always so protective) was nowhere to be found.
I don’t know why it hurts my feelings, but it does.
Was I that mean to him? Sure, I was short to him when he tried to steal my spear, but I’m growing increasingly protective of my independence. Sitting on my butt for a week seemed nice in theory, but it made me restless to just hang out at camp. I like being out in the wild, exploring the next bend of the trail, testing my skills with hunting. I like being independent. I like learning how to take care of myself. Power in this world is different. It’s not who’s the strongest, it’s who can build a fire or keep themselves fed, and I want to be powerful in my own way. I want to be self-sufficient.
I sure don’t want to be told by a dude that I’m not allowed to hunt.
So I might have bit his head off. Maybe a teensy bit. I looked for him when we got back to apologize, but he was off hanging out with his brother, and I never got the chance. It’s not entirely his fault that I was sensitive about the hunting thing. I don’t know if S’bren is aware of all the limitations that are being piled onto the girls. At first it was small things, like to go out in pairs, and to stay close, which was natural given that we were in a strange, scary land.
But the more comfortable we get with spears and with hunting and learning to be self-sufficient? The hits just keep coming. Just recently Nadine and I were told that if we want to go hunting? We have to bring a man with us. I don’t think Raahosh and R’jaal realize how sexist it is. In their eyes, we’re just fragile widdle humans that desperately need protecting. It’s like they think we’re going to go apeshit the moment we get away from a dude, go off the familiar paths, go cross country, or head out on hunts for days. We just wanted to check trap lines close to the camp. Jeez.
So that rankles. Add in the conversation I had with Liz the other day as she tried (unsuccessfully) to keep her three children in check while their father was out hunting? It made me realize that my time of independence is going to be small. Once I resonate—and I’m sure it’s coming—I’m going to get heavy with a baby. Then I’m going to be nursing a baby. And it doesn’t matter how good of a hunter I am, but there’s no baby formula here. Breastfeeding is the name of the game…which means my baby needs to stick close. Which means no hunting.
Which means Penny will be camp-bound. And the more kids I have in the future? The more I’ll have to stick around camp.
I don’t hate this vision of the future. I love love love the thought of a soulmate and want to have babies. I love that. But…does it have to be right now? Because I’m really enjoying just being Penny Of The Wild, ferocious huntress and all-around human badass. I love hunting. I love exploring. I’m in no hurry to sit around camp and nurse babies yet.
So I’ve got to make sure that no one takes my independence away. Not even S’bren, who’s charmingly sweet when he wants to be. I can’t let myself be “claimed” or else I’m going to give up my freedoms entirely. Which means it’s a good thing that S’bren is cooling his heels.
Even so, I can’t help but wonder what I did wrong. It’s not in me to make enemies. I want to be friends with everyone. I don’t want to hurt S’bren either, because he’s got a good heart.
And…he saved me. I still can’t get over that. I’m utterly grateful, but at the same time, I can’t let him think I’m constantly in distress. There has to be a balance, doesn’t there?
6
S'BREN
Music drums through the camp. The sound of laughter and people talking fills the night. Everyone is in good spirits.
Me, I am nervous. I wipe my sweaty palms on my leggings and look for my brother. He lurks in the shadows at the edge of the group, his gaze intent on C'lie. The tribe is celebrating the resonance of N'deen and Th'rand, and also celebrating the death of Old Grandfather. Were I not so distracted, I would be enjoying myself, too. I would feast on the good food, drink the fermented sah-sah until my head felt watery, and watch P'nee and her bouncy teats all night long.
But tonight is the night M'tok and I will put our plan into action. Tonight, we steal the females. OUR females.
Everything is ready. Our packs of supplies have been hidden under snow a few canyons over, off of a rocky trail and away from the beach. Tiny curls of visshek root are in a pouch in my pocket, waiting to be dropped into P'nee’s and C'lie's tea. M'tok and I have picked out the caves we will head toward, going in different directions so they cannot follow us both. That part makes me nervous. I have never left my brother's side for long, and I wish he was coming with me. M'tok always knows what to say. He always has a plan.
I will be alone with P'nee and the thought is terrifying. Exciting, but terrifying.
I am sweating with nervousness. P'nee is going to be very angry when she finds I have carried her off. I worry if she is too angry, it might influence her khui and then she will not resonate to me. But M'tok reassures me that such things cannot happen, and that if the khui chooses, it chooses. After all, C'lie is always angry and she resonated to him. It will be fine.
I tell myself that over and over again, even as I approach the fire. U'dron beats on his drum, several of the females clapping in time, and he is loving all the attention. I fight back a scowl, because the focus on one of Shadow Cat clan is good for my plan. It is. My dislike for them should not matter, but I grit my teeth when P'nee claps and laughs along with the others. I glance up at M'tok and my brother gives a slow nod as C'lie sits down next to P'nee and L'ren.
It is time.
"Here, I will help," I tell G'hail as I take the ladle from her. "I will serve tea."
She looks surprised, then pats my arm. "Bless you, honey. I appreciate that."
I nod, grunting, and fill the first cup. The tea is pale, leaves swirling in the steaming water, and I move, handing the first cup to L'ren. Then a cup to R'ven. I am following M'tok's plan. He said I could not give our females the tea first. That it would be too obvious if I shoved drinks into their hands, so I am serving others. Even as I pass a cup to H'rlow, I pull the small packet of visshek out of my pocket and tuck it into my grip. It feels as if I am going to spill all of it into the tea, but the leather packet sticks to my sweaty hand and I manage to shake a few curls of the root out into P'nee's cup.
I am dripping sweat, sure that someone will notice.
No one does. R'ven jumps to her feet and dances, and the clapping gets louder.
Now is the time. I turn to P'nee and offer her the cup, silent. She takes it with a grat
eful smile and inhales the scent. "Surprise tea?"
I nod, not trusting my voice.
Her expression turns, just a little, and she tilts her head, watching me. "Are you and I okay? You've been kinda quiet lately."
My heart thumps. "Busy," I manage to choke out.
"But we're still friends, right?"
I nod again, once, and then force myself to turn back to the fire. She knows something is wrong. She knows I have been spending time with M'tok and not around her. And she noticed my absence. If I was not so nervous and sweaty, I would be excited by this. I scan the shadows, looking for my brother. He watches me with an intense gaze and gestures at the ladle with a flick of his hand, indicating that I need to hurry and serve his female, too. I ladle another cup of tea, add the visshek carefully, and then offer it to C'lie, who thanks me but seems distracted. I want to stare at P'nee, to watch her drink, but I fear I will give it away. I ladle out two more cups and then hand the dipper back to G'hail. "I am done now."
"O-kay." She gives me a puzzled smile. "Thanks, I think?"
I nod and retreat to my brother's side, where he lurks at the edge of the encampment.
"Now we wait," M'tok murmurs. "You did well, my brother."
I wipe at my brow. I just want this to be over with. I want P'nee in my arms and I want to be alone with her. If I get that, all of this will be worth it.
If M'tok is right about this plan working, I will have days and days to work on my apology to her, because she is sure to be mad once she wakes up from her visshek sleep. I consider this and practice what I will say to make her anger go away. Do I tell her that I want her to be my female? I am not sure if she will like that. Do I say to her that I am resonating? Then she cannot leave me. But…she will notice my chest is quiet. I scratch my head, thinking. I wish I was clever like M'tok. He knows what he will say to his female, I imagine.
I open my mouth to ask him, but M'tok inhales sharply and nudges my arm. "C'lie is leaving. Now is the time. Watch for your female."
I turn back to look at P’nee. She is still by the fire, tipping the bottom of her cup up and draining it. Her eyes are heavy, though, and her smile a little slower when L’ren says something to her. It is working. I keep watching her, and as time passes, she blinks heavily. Once. Twice. Then again, and blinks for so long that I think she’s fallen asleep. She murmurs something to L’ren, touches her shoulder, and then gets to her feet, leaving the celebration.
Now is my chance.
I circle the outside of the group, but no one is paying attention to me. They are distracted by R’ven singing something, U’dron’s drumming, and the laughter of the group. They are having a wonderful time. I move slowly, because running will call too much attention, and see P’nee as she wobbles toward the cave where the females sleep.
I move to her side, grab her elbow before she can teeter over.
“Oh,” she breathes, peering up at me through heavily lidded eyes. “Thanks.”
“Shall I help you walk?”
“Sure.” She gives me a silly-looking smile and wraps her arms around my waist, burying her face in my chest. “Oooh, you’re warm.”
“My thanks.” I touch her shoulder awkwardly.
What do I do now that I stand with her? Do I swing her over my shoulder and make for the hills, or do I ask her to walk with me until we are a safe distance away? I am frozen with indecision. M'tok would know what to do, and I worry I will do the wrong thing without his advice.
P'nee presses her face to my chest and blows on it, making a loud noise that startles me. She giggles. "I gave you a raspberry."
This…is not how visshek is supposed to work, is it? But she is human. Perhaps it is different for them. "Are you tired, P'nee?"
She yawns again, rubbing her face against my chest. "Oh yeah. I could go to sleep right now…if you promise to be my teddy bear."
I do not know what that is, but if she wants me to be something, I will. "I shall. Will you come with me?"
"Mmm." P'nee sways on her feet, her eyes sliding shut. "I think maybe…" And she slumps.
I catch her before she falls over and hits the sand, cradling her sagging body in my arms. M'tok was right after all. Relieved, I hold her to my chest and look to the snowy hills. I am to meet up with my brother before we part ways, and I want to show him that I have my mate.
P'nee is going to be mine.
The thought fills me with so much anticipation that it adds a spring in my step, and I practically race to the distant cliffs.
7
PENNY
I have hazy dreams.
Hazy dreams of the world bobbing, of snow falling in my face, of something digging into my stomach. My mind slides in and out, unable to focus, and I'm dimly aware of movement. My movement. But my feet aren't touching the ground, so does that mean someone is carrying me?
I slide back into dreams, deeper ones.
When I wake up, it's warm and something hard and long like a log is pressed against my side. I turn over in the furs—not my furs, I notice absently—and see a huge blue thigh right next to my face.
God, it turns me on.
It occurs to me that this is strange, but I lean over and kiss the bare skin anyhow. When has a big, rock-hard thigh ever been so damn sexy? It looks enormous, like it's been hewn from granite. I've never seen such big quads, and I lightly scrape my nails over it, fascinated.
There's a hiss of breath above me.
I look up, and my foggy brain dimly realizes the leg is attached to someone. S'bren. He's sitting up next to me, and it's his extended leg that I'm snuggled up next to. His delicious, delicious leg. Mmm. My big teddy bear. “Bear.”
“You are awake?”
"Hi," I moan, and then hook one thigh over his calf. It looks perfect to grind against. I drag it between my legs and rub against it, whimpering at how delicious that feels. Man, I have never been so damn horny in my life.
"P'nee," he chokes out. He sounds startled. "What do you do—"
He's killing my vibe. All I want to do is fuck and get back to sleep. My brain feels disconnected from the rest of me, so I don't question this. All I know is that I'm full of need, and this need must be answered. "Shhh. Just lie back," I whisper. "Penny will take care of you."
S'bren groans, and then there's a WHUMP of air as he flings himself backward. Then he's lying flat, and the tent of his loincloth is right at my face and so obvious. Oooh, he's a big boy all over. I make a happy little humming noise and lazily pull at the ties of his loincloth. Man, my hands are heavy. I absently notice that even as I fight back a yawn. I can't decide if I want to fuck or nap. Fuck first, then nap, I decide. I pull the leather away and reveal his dick.
Wow. How have I not seen this before? All of the islanders are casual with their nudity, but somehow I've missed out on S'bren's pretty cock. It's the arrow-straightest, most graceful-looking dick of gargantuan size I've ever seen. It's got ridges, too. The head of it is flushed and thick, the ridge of it prominent, and his balls seem to be huge. That's…fascinating. I trail my hand over him and discover something unusual at the top. "What's this called again?" Even my voice sounds disconnected and distant.
"S-spur," he manages to choke out as I touch it.
Spur. Right. It's big, too, the size of a thumb—his, not mine—and I've heard stories about this sort of thing. How it rubs against the clit when the big alien is inside you, and how it makes you come harder than you've ever come before. My horny brain wants to try this, and I consider swinging a leg over his hips and riding him.
That seems like a lot of effort, though, and I'm so tired. Yawning, I grind against his leg a little more and rest my head on his hip, watching as I learn his cock with my fingertips. It jerks and twitches every time I touch him, but S'bren is silent as pre-cum leaks down the head of his cock and dribbles onto the shaft.
Well, that just calls for a licking, doesn't it?
I lean forward. Holding his shaft steady with my hand, I consider him.
&
nbsp; S'bren's breath explodes out of him. "A-are we playing the bottle game, P'nee?"
"Huh?" He's distracting me and it's hard enough to concentrate as it is.
"The bottle game. Where you give kisses." His words are strained, his body weirdly tense next to mine.
I rub my bare, achy pussy against his leg. I'm not sure why I'm naked, but I'll question that later. Right now it just feels too good to drag my folds against his leg. It's not quite a spur, but my laziness doesn't care. I'm so tired. So tired and so turned on. It's such a weird combination and I’m not sure why it’s happening, but I’m up for it. "Not a game."
"Then why are you holding my cock?”
"Do you not like it?"
S'bren's hushed response is fervent. "I do."
Yeah, he really sounds like he does. It's encouraging, and it makes all the horny parts in me light up. I can do more, I think. “I was going to put you in my mouth.”
He sucks in a breath. “You are?”
“I was.” But…that's tiring. And I'm so sleepy. I rest my head on his hip again, holding onto the hard, rigid length of his dick. “Maybe after my nap.”
And I go back to sleep.
8
S'BREN
In a daze, I stare at the female, her hand still half-curled around my rigid, aching shaft. A snore escapes her and I can feel her drooling on my hip.
I…do not know what just happened.
P’nee woke up, much earlier than I expected, from the visshek. Her sleep was restless the entire time, as well. Even though I carried her in my arms—and sometimes over my shoulder—she twitched and muttered and moved as if her dreams were not pleasant ones. Snow fell steadily as I carried her through the hills, and so it added speed to my steps as I retrieved my bag of supplies. When I found the hunter cave, I started a fire, and then P’nee started to mumble, tossing in her sleep.
