Hunted by the Alien Prince

by A. M. Griffin

She hated to admit it, but she’d gotten used to seeing Themba and spending time with him. Theirs had been a cat and mouse game. She would hide, and no matter what, he would find her.

  What the hell is wrong with me? Of course, he found me. He was hunting me.

  But now that he wasn’t. She missed him.

  I need fucking therapy. I wonder what Dr. Rebecca would say about this.

  Payton pushed out a breath and grabbed the next stick in her dwindling pile. She arranged it carefully, as she’d done the other times, stuffing one end through the snow and securing it in the ground. She held up one side of the rock and positioned it.

  As she worked, snot ran from her nose, but luckily it dried before reaching her upper lip. If she had a mirror, she imagined she would find dried snot tracks under her nose.

  Not a good look.

  But she didn’t have to look pretty for anyone. She shouldn’t have been thinking about it, to begin with. Here she was, on an alien planet, hunted and instead of focusing on surviving and winning, she’d been holed up, playing house with Themba. She’d never believed Mike when he’d told her she was dumb, but she sure as hell felt there was truth to his words today.

  My ndebele. She mouthed the words mockingly as she thought it.

  Those two words had made her feel like something. The man had a whole fiancée at home, and he was running around playing games with her. Who even had time for that? Apparently, Themba.

  If he were here now, Payton would do more than stab him in the chest. Her knife might not be able to penetrate his thick skin, but her new machete would do the trick.

  Stop thinking about that fool and concentrate.

  Payton pulled back and held her breath. The stick held. Dare she hope she would have food soon?

  She reached into her coat pocket and retrieved the frozen bits of the last of her Level One protein bar. She stared at it longingly and licked her lips. She wanted nothing more than to stuff the pieces into her mouth. At the thought, her mouth watered and her stomach grumbled.

  But if she ate it, where would that lead her? Still hungry because what she held wasn’t filling. No, she needed to stick to her plan and use the food as bait. She licked her lips again. With it, she could catch an animal and have real meat. Then she would use the animal guts to make more traps and catch more food.

  I’m so hungry!

  She stuffed the bits of protein into the wedge between the rock and the ground. An animal would have to stick his head way under there to get it then—

  Wham!

  The stick gave way, and the rock slammed on her hand.

  Payton pressed her lips tightly together and bit the inside of her cheek to stop from screaming. Tears welled in her eyes. She couldn’t stop the whimper. God, it hurt. She slid her hand from under the rock. Jack pressed his body close to hers and whined softly.

  Her glove remained white, which meant she wasn’t bleeding underneath it. She opened and closed her fist slowly. It hurt like hell, but she hadn’t broken anything. Thank God.

  She sat back and blew out a breath. Her trap setting skills officially sucked. Payton rolled the rock out the way and scooped up the bits of the protein bar, gave some to Jack and popped the rest into her mouth. Tomorrow she would try a drag noose trap. She had the cordage, all she had to do was remember how it was done. She chewed thoughtfully.

  All I have to do is figure out a way to get an animal to stick its head through my rope.

  She stood, and as soon as she did, a figure stepped from behind a tree. Jack angled low and growled. Payton’s heart lurched. It wasn’t Themba who’d found her. She wasn’t that lucky.

  “S-stay,” she told Jack. She didn’t want him to go on the attack.

  The hunter wore a white, full-fitting bodysuit and his skin was tinted blue. His build was similar to Themba’s, but he was drastically different. His face was diamond shaped, and his ears and chin protruded at severe angles. His jaw had four points that were adorned with silver hoops. His ears had hoops as well, one in each pointed lobe. In his broad flat nose was a septum ring. His eyes, while wide and deep-set, matched his face to make it more appealing. His irises were coal black.

  Run!

  Her feet stayed rooted in place. She should really be running now.

  The hunter took one step forward, and she took one step back.

  At least she reacted somewhat appropriately.

  “Don’t flee, little prey.”

  While his voice sounded soothing, her mind screamed, “Flee! Flee!”

  “D-don’t waste your time. One more step and I’m calling a pod. You’ll never catch me in time.”

  He smirked and somehow appeared even more dangerous. “What if I told you that I can offer you a good life?”

  “I would think you were lying.”

  He chuckled, and it was as if a chorus of angels sang. “And you would be right.”

  All types of alarm bells went off in her head. Why she wasn’t taking heed and running? She hadn’t a clue.

  “I’m a contracted hunter. I’m here to secure a mate for a customer. He’s much too old and out of shape to participate in The Hunt himself, but he’s very adamant in securing a rare human mate. He has a temper, but with your...” He tilted his head at Jack. “Protector, you might not fare so bad.” He laughed again. “I should be honest. He will most likely kill the beast.”

  “No, thank you.”

  A smile played on his lips. “As if you had a choice in the matter.”

  Payton raised her wrist and pointed to her comlink. “But I do. I still have all of my pods.”

  “You’re lying.”

  She stilled. How could he tell? His eyes couldn’t be that good. There was a good twenty-feet between them. “No, I’m not.”

  He squinted at her. “Then leave.”

  She pulled the machete that she had attached to her fanny pack belt. “Why run when I can stab you in the gut and walk away? At least that way I won’t have to use my pod.”

  He lifted one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “So you’re a fighter, eh?”

  Payton lifted her chin, taking that as a compliment. It had taken many years for her to grow a backbone.

  The hunter let out a sigh. “I thought this would be an easy job. I had planned to be on my way to collect my fee with a human in tow by now. But here I remain.” He sounded so sad, and all she wanted to do was find a way to make him happy again. She stepped toward him. Jack growled. Her collar sent a jolt through her. Not enough to be painful, but just enough to come to her senses and stop.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  Payton angled the machete in his direction and with the other hand, unzipped and reached into her fanny pack to retrieve her pepper spray. “If you come any closer, I’ll make sure to alleviate you of all your worries.”

  “A threat?” He chuckled, and angels sang again. “Well, at least you’re taking the time to tell me what you’ll do to me. The other female, the mother, she’s all action.” He absently fingered a bright red line on his neck. “She tried to decapitate me.”

  Miranda. She was still in The Hunt. There wasn’t time for Payton to be happy about that confirmation. If she couldn’t convince this hunter she would hurt him worse than Miranda, she would have to use her last pod, and she didn’t know how long she had to stay in this level. “I’ll succeed where she failed.”

  “You’re not as dangerous as her. She was my first choice. My employer wanted a human to produce offspring. She’s perfect. But I underestimated her will to protect her children. It has been...painful.”

  “What? And you don’t think I’ll be just as hard or harder to capture?”

  “The stakes are different.” Something passed behind his eyes, and he looked off in thought. “Maybe I should keep pursuing her. My employer would appreciate someone as fierce and protective as she is. Or my employer may end up dead on the other side of her temper. He might also decide her temper is not worth the trouble and kill her or the children.” He shrugged. �
�I’m only responsible for capture and delivery. What happens afterward isn’t my concern.”

  Payton’s blood boiled. How could he stand there and talk so callously about Miranda as if her life didn’t matter? Flashes of Miranda’s two kids, just innocent babies, and of Miranda’s quivering lips and panicked look she’d worn their first three days together, made Payton see red. “I just might do Miranda a favor and get you off her back.” She took steps toward him.

  The alien didn’t seem bothered by her approach. “Are you going to prick me, human?”

  She didn’t stop. She kept trudging through the snow in his direction. Too bad she couldn’t run to him. She was sure her struggling steps made her lose most of her badassery effect.

  For the first time during their conversation, the alien seemed concerned. “What do you hold in your hand? The smell is very unpleasant.”

  Payton huffed out heavy breaths. What she was doing was all types of crazy, but she couldn’t let this monster get Miranda or the kids. “How about you take a closer look?” She flicked the canister lock with her thumb. She’d bought the pepper spray a year ago and had never used it. She prayed silently and fast that it didn’t have an expiration date.

  Crunching sounded. Louder and louder and faster and faster.

  She stared in the direction of the sound and wanted to throw up. She could possibly handle one alien, but two? She was as good as caught.

  “Mine!” Themba roared as he ran towards them.

  Chapter Twenty

  Themba.

  Payton watched Themba as he barreled towards them. She didn’t want her heart to flutter or her stomach to tingle, but they were traitorous like Jack, who jumped and barked happily.

  He should’ve been long gone by now. Per the message, Themba had left this God forsaken place two days ago. But here he was, in the flesh, looking at the hunter she was about to kill with murderous intentions himself.

  Payton gave the new hunter a look. “You better leave now. He’s into ripping arms off and disemboweling folks.”

  The hunter twitched his nose and watched Themba as well. “Eh, I’ll stay. I’m always up for a good fight.”

  Payton lifted a shoulder. At least she didn’t have to worry about this hunter going after Miranda and the kids anymore. It would be hard to hunt Miranda with one arm and holding in his spilled guts with the other.

  Instead of running to the hunter and unleashing his claws for the fight, Themba tackled her. There was a moment of weightlessness before they hit the snow and tumbled.

  “What the hell?” she yelled when the breath returned to her lungs.

  Themba held her tightly, pinning her arms down at her sides and glared at the hunter. “She’s mine. I claim her.”

  The hunter looked unmoved by Themba’s show of aggression. “The rules state—”

  “I don’t care about the rules. This one is mine. I’m willing to die for her. Are you?”

  After a pause, the hunter flicked a hand at Themba. “You can have her. I have a mother and her children to go after.”

  What? No! Payton tried to wiggle from beneath Themba’s crushing arms, but she couldn’t. “Let me go! I have to kill him. I can’t let him get to Miranda or the kids.” The hunter disappeared, blending with the landscape. If she could free herself now, she might still be able to catch him.

  “I can’t leave Turolois without you. You’re coming with me.”

  She stopped struggling and shot him a warning glare. “Are you serious? Themba, I heard the message. Someone’s at home waiting for you. I’m not your side piece. Leave. I can handle myself. Now. Get. Off.” She twisted and bucked. His strong arms held her tightly.

  “Payton. You’re my true lifemate. I cannot leave you here to be claimed by another. I just cannot. I know your wishes of staying and winning. If I was here under different circumstances and I could stay with you, I would. But leave you here to face this alone?” He watched her intently. “Never,” he growled.

  Payton stared at him. She was his true lifemate? He’d mentioned the term once before. “What exactly does that mean?”

  “It means I’ll never be able to love anyone as I love you.”

  She let out a soft breath, taken off guard. “You love me?”

  He stared down at her and his eyes glowed warmly. “With all my heart.”

  Love was such a funny word. It was meant to invoke happy thoughts, not make her feel all types of panic as she did now.

  “Themba, you don’t even know me.”

  “I know enough. I would die for you. Everything else is secondary. Please don’t fight me on this.”

  She tried to push him off again. “Let me think about it. I can’t leave right now anyway. I have no idea where Miranda is, but if I follow that hunter’s footsteps, I’m sure he’ll lead me to her.”

  “Grab Jack,” he commanded forcefully.

  She reached for Jack’s collar. Themba only got that look in his eyes when there was danger afoot. “Is there danger nearby—”

  “Sorry.”

  The ground opened and swallowed them all.

  Payton hit the floor of the pod with a hard thump. Themba and Jack crashed on top of her, knocking the wind from her lungs. “Themba!” The pod lurched forward.

  “I don’t have time to wait.”

  “That hunter.” She stabbed a finger above her, even though they were most likely very far from the hunter. “He’s going to sell Miranda and the kids to a very bad man. You have to stop this now. I have to go back for them.”

  He rolled off of her. “I’m sorry, but we can’t. I know you’re upset with me and I hope in time you can forgive me.”

  “Why do you even want me when you’re engaged? I know I shouldn’t have listened to that message, but I did. And most of all, it shouldn’t upset me, but here I am. Upset. You made me feel like I was special and because of that, I not only want to kick myself, but I want to kick you too.”

  He reached for her hands, and she pulled them away. “You are special. What I feel for you, I will never feel for anyone else. You are mine, and I am yours.”

  “But what about your fiancé—”

  The pod stopped suddenly, and a gush of air pushed them up and out. They hit the floor, and Payton’s tailbone screamed in pain, causing her to groan and roll to her side.

  An alien with dark brown leathery skin and short, dark blue hair stood over them. Jewelry shined around his neck and ears. He was wiry and the oversized purple tunic he wore made his size more pronounced. He didn’t appear dangerous, and Payton didn’t get a threatening vibe from him. But he was very much alien.

  She moved away from the alien and closer to Themba. She was pissed at him for removing her against her wishes, but all that aside, if this alien wanted to harm her, Themba would protect her.

  “Congratulations on your catch, Prince Themba,” the alien said.

  Payton stilled. “Wait. Prince?” She tried to think back. Had he mentioned he was a prince in any of their conversations? “You’re a prince?”

  Themba stood and helped her up. “Thank you,” he said, addressing the alien and ignoring her. “I need her processed as soon as possible.”

  “Of course. Your transport is ready, and your shuttle is waiting at the space station.” The alien waved his hand, and a flurry of new aliens came toward her.

  Jack erupted into barks and growls. Payton cowered and hid behind Themba. “Whoa. What’s going on here?”

  With one hand, Themba grabbed Jack and held him back, and with the other, he forced Payton from behind his back. He addressed the alien, “A sedative for Jack. I don’t want him to accidentally harm any of the medics.”

  “Now wait a God damn minute!” Payton reached for Jack, but Themba held him away.

  “Payton, I can’t hold you both while the medics work. Let them put Jack to sleep. They’ll give him a physical and treat any diseases or parasites he might’ve picked up out there. Do you think he’ll stay still and let them do that?”

 
Payton eyed Jack. He had his teeth pulled back and was in full-on attack mode if she gave the word. Then she took a closer look. Patches of his fur was missing, and his gums were pale and dry. She could even count the ribs jutting from his stretched skin.

  “He won’t be harmed. When we’re done with him, he’ll be healthy.”

  Payton chewed on her bottom lip. She had to trust they wouldn’t hurt him. Easier said than done. She gave Themba a wary glance. He nodded. She only trusted one other person in this room. And it was Themba. “Okay.”

  At her agreement, a medic, a small pale alien with long silver hair and wiry fingers poked Jack in the side with a metal syringe. He swayed on his feet, and Themba picked him up before he hit the floor. He carried Jack to a metal table, laying him down gently as Payton watched over his shoulder.

  “While they’re working on him, we can give you all your treatments.” The alien held out a hand and indicated another table. “If you would please have a seat we can get started.”

  Payton hugged herself, unsure of the entire situation. The other aliens she knew had wanted to hurt her. This new one, speaking calm and pretending they were friends might not be any different. “Wh-what are you going to do to me and more importantly, will it hurt?”

  The alien took her by the hand. His touch was as gentle as his voice. She didn’t realize he was moving her until she reached the table and he patted a spot on it. “Sit right here.”

  Payton did as instructed.

  “My name is Bradliix, and you have my word that you will not be harmed. We’re going to upgrade your translator, give you a dose of antibiotics, vitamins, and a starting dose of nanomites.”

  “Nanomites?”

  Someone unhooked her collar. It felt like a weight lifted from her shoulders. It was weird not having it there anymore. Payton rubbed her neck. Surprisingly the skin wasn’t tender or sore. The same person fiddled with the translator behind her ear then placed another device over it.

  “Most technically advanced species have nanomites in their blood. They’re initially injected to infants in a series of doses. They help fight disease and stave off any potential sickness by boosting your immunity.”