Venomous: (Alien Warrior Book 1)

by Penelope Fletcher

  Too sweet for the indigenous palate, Rä used it in its oil state as an ointment to moisturise dry scales.

  The liquid possessed a floral, saccharine fragrance that attracted firebirds, named so for their crimson feathers and flaming tails.

  Pretty beasties that fed off the nectar in seed form and lived underground.

  Tasty plucked, seasoned then roasted over glowing stones.

  Brume snaked the underbrush, and coiled around his crouched figure lending further concealment as he edged nearer to the razorbeast.

  The carnivore hunkered beneath a spray of succulent plant fronds.

  Silent death, it prepared to pounce.

  Its nine-tails were held low, swaying pennants caught in the breeze.

  Green fur stippled with blue and slashes of yellow, allowing the creature to blend into its environment, lay flat against its sinuous trunk.

  It tufted, giving the illusion the creature doubled in mass, and further protected its tough hide from attack.

  Cobra unlatched the crossbow secured to his back.

  Took aim.

  His free upper hand crept to his waist to grip the hilt of a falcate blade designed to cut through armoured flesh.

  Chirring insects quietened.

  The fluted ears of his quarry’s prey twitched and swivelled at the lack of sound.

  With a twang and a whistle, the bolt loosened from the bow.

  Mewling, the newborn goodbeast vanished into the shrubbery.

  Dart embedded in the razorbeast’s vulnerable scruff, the creature whipped around then bared its serrated fangs proving true to its awesome moniker.

  Loosing a spine-chilling caterwaul, it reared up on powerful hind paws, and exposed a bloated, downy underbelly, the barren patch between its inflamed teats a weakness in its furred hide.

  Bellowing a roar of challenge, Cobra that Strikes, struck.

  He leapt forward to stab the beast’s gullet then twisted.

  Pulling the blade free, he yanked flesh, fur and gristle with it.

  Blood gushed.

  The dirt beneath his boots swamped into ore-scented mud.

  Hooked talons scrabbled over his hardsuit then fell away as the gravid kill hit ground with an ear-splitting snap of crushed kakt’kakt, and the fractious chirping of firebirds burrowing deeper into underground aeries.

  Cobra knelt to mutter last rites in respect of the life he’d taken, as was the way.

  He stabbed his weapon into the ground to clean the blade.

  Thank you, sister, for your gift.

  Tomorrow, your sacrifice will feed the hundred and ten clans I hunt for.

  A dim vibration tickled his senses.

  The gentlest stirring of air brushed his nape.

  Unsheathing the spare blade holstered to his boot, turning in an agile twist, Cobra collided with a male razorbeast as a thunderclap reverberated through the lowlands.

  Growling, he grappled with a yawning maw barehanded.

  Genuflect, spine bent under tremendous weight, Cobra’s poison glands swelled as his anima flourished in a threat display.

  Fangs dripping, he spat toxin into a beady eye wild with too much white.

  The razorbeast yowled with primeval rage.

  Fighting for its life, and furious at the death of its mate, the animal hissed and scratched, knocking the dagger from his lower fist.

  Sour pants of breath gusted over Cobra’s face.

  Foamed slobber dribbled over his forearms, compromising his grip.

  Using brute strength, he shoved the creature upright in increments and gained his feet.

  Grunted when he slid flatfooted through the loamy soil as the beast flailed and pranced on its haunches.

  Tendons in his neck popped as he hugged the razorbeast’s head with his lower arms then wrenched.

  Crack.

  The animal slumped, dead.

  Breathing strained, legs wobbly, Cobra laid it down, patting its still warm side in condolence. “Rest now.”

  “Oh, la!” Deathly as It Goes grumped mimicking someone he knew well.

  His brow ridge rose. “Problem?”

  “What am I to hunt? Your racket has scared the game deeper into the forest.” She sniffed. “You have made my hunt that much harder.”

  Still out of breath, he snorted. “You are welcome.”

  She laughed. “Good hunting, Rä’Vek! That was thrilling to witness. I shall tell my Rä’Vek and your clan of your skill.” She said over her shoulder, “All of you should speak of this. It was a worthy kill. Did you see how Cobra that Strikes had the dagger ready when the female reared in warning? Remember that your primary weapon may not be enough to take down larger prey. And did you see, even when offering last rites, he did not lose awareness of his environment? Defending against the male’s pounce a moment later would have seen his head bitten from his shoulders.”

  Roving through the kakt-kakt, the apprentices mumbled between themselves, and sidled closer to get a better look.

  “Slaughter the beasts and packet the meat.” To Cobra, she said, “We will deliver it to your lair by third moon’s end, so your apprentices may deliver to the clans you hunt for.”

  “Set aside the prime cuts and hides,” he replied. He gave a small smile. “I will make a gift of them to my nest mates.”

  “It will be as you say. Go.” A knowing, female smirk. “Enjoy the rain with your clan.”

  He badly wanted to go, but she had clans to hunt for too.

  His personal desires should not disrupt the balance. “Do you need me to watch the fledglings?”

  “No. I teased earlier. While you were playing with razorbeasts, I downed a docile ruminant or three.” She waved away his heartfelt congratulations. “It was nothing compared to this. But–” brille narrowing “–I will become Master Hunter yet. Watch your back, white-quill.”

  Laughing, thanking Deathly for the help, Cobra paused to offer her apprentices murmured words of encouragement.

  After answering the more pressing questions of tracking technique, washing his arms off, he left them to butcher and dress the meat.

  Usually he did such tasks himself, but it was part of his duties to guide and train the younger generation.

  “Do not skin it like that,” Deathly shouted exasperated. “You ruin the pelt. Look! Look how you have punctured the viscera, and it is staining the fur. Empty skull. Watch me as you insist on being simple. I do not understand why you struggle with this. I have shown you a dozen times. Watch. The female’s blood has already drained, so we need only peel back the hide, eviscerate then split. The male is an extra step. Sever the artery like so, peel, remove the organs, and only then do you divide the carcass in half.”

  Her well-meant diatribe faded as Cobra wended his way back through the forest, and out to the sand plains.

  The colours in the multihued sky grew darker and ruptured upon reaching the city proper.

  Excited Rä stood on their stoops, and awaited the downpour as he rushed homeward.

  Yammering to his nest mates, Lumen bounced on the pathway as he rode up.

  He let the Sylphs lead away his white-flecked mount, requesting three more readied and brought to them.

  Skipping to him, Lumen slapped both hands to his gore-spattered chest. “Welcome home, honey.”

  She went up on her toes to hug him around the neck.

  The hard yet soft mound of her stomach pressed against him, making his hearts ache with hope for the future.

  Venomous and Fiercely traipsed after her, yet their expressions were indulgent, happy she was happy.

  “Lumen,” he muttered embarrassed, but also thrilled to be greeted with enthusiasm.

  He grimaced.

  She’d dirtied her softsuit, an occurrence that would have sent Singing Water into hysterics.

  Glancing down at the blood, she shrugged it off. “You’re a Hunter. Shit might get messy. Bag anything good?”

  “Razorbeast. A mated pair.”

  “Impressive,” Fie
rcely said. He clicked his teeth. “I knew there was a reason I did not gut you.”

  Venomous chuckled. “Does this mean you have a spare rotation to spend with your clan?”

  “It does,” Cobra replied with a fang-filled smile.

  Gaze drifting between them, Lumen chewed her lip. “Isn’t killing a mated pair kind of cruel? What if they had cubs?”

  Cobra decided not to reveal the female had been breeding.

  “So compassionate,” Venomous murmured.

  “A weakness,” Fiercely stated with a vexed scowl.

  Venomous shot him an ominous look. “I disagree.” His tone was icy, final.

  “Something I should know?” Lumen asked not bothering to look at them.

  Lines of tension bracketed her mouth.

  A pause that lasted a beat too long.

  Fiercely replied, “No.”

  “Usually we do not condone such action, as it would destabilise the food chain,” Cobra explained diverting her attention.

  He knew why Fiercely worried over their Rä’Na’s vulnerabilities, but he sided with Venomous.

  The moment was wrong.

  Though the discussion with their mate was a long time coming, it could wait.

  “Part of my responsibility as a Hunter is to preserve the nature in my territory,” he continued, “but at sunrise an old Rä’Vek was caught unawares, and mauled to death outside his lair. His body dragged away to be eaten.”

  Her lips parted as she gasped. “His Rä’Na must be devastated.”

  “Indeed. I tracked this pair from the site of the tragedy because they developed a taste for Rä flesh, and would have taught this to their young. There were plenty of wild goodbeast, and other animals for them to hunt. It was sad, but necessary for the safety of our old and young. Larger predators are too wary to come close to our lairs. Usually.” He clicked his teeth. “These two showed no such fear.”

  Venomous said, “A hatchling fed them scraps during infancy, I think.”

  “Yesss. It is likely.” Cobra gazed upon his mate. “Are you ready for the rain, my hearts?”

  Her brilliant smile returned. “Am I ever. I’m wearing white because Fiercely said it’s better that way.” She looked puzzled. “I get this is a big deal as Rök is an arid planet, but why...?”

  As she spoke the heavens opened.

  A drop of blue splattered her shoulder. Splashes of yellow and green against her creamy brown cheeks.

  Eyes round with wonder, Lumen held up her hands, fingers splayed.

  Rainbow droplets sprinkled her palms.

  “Oh my gosh,” she shrieked, “This is incredible.”

  Smiling at her antics, his nest mates angled their faces to the sky, the spate growing into heavy drizzle.

  Rä celebrated the rain, revered it with a spiritual fervour left over from their primordial origins when soothsayers considered the life giving waters divine.

  Apathetic about the rainstorm, the Sylphs returned with a triad of fresh mounts, saddled and ready to ride.

  Taking the reins of the lead animal, he asked Lumen, “Will you accompany me?”

  Laughter chimed like a tintinnabulum over the pattering rain.

  She whirled to him and nodded.

  They rode in formation, Cobra at the head with Lumen perched on his lap.

  She crowed with delight, and pointed out quartz structures dotted with trailing colours as they passed.

  Rä stood outside with their faces turned heavenward.

  Many wore white softsuits they’d keep in remembrance.

  Rainfall was incredibly rare, occurring once an aeon or so.

  Hatchlings played in puddles, splashing and chasing each other.

  Elder a’Rä not blessed to find life mates stood amongst their kindred and rubbed the liquid gemstones into their scales, praying to Grandfather for strength and Grandmother for wisdom.

  Mated couples inched closer together than was proper, and the bold exchanged touches of affection.

  Old and young, wealthy and deprived; all were coloured equal when touched by the rain.

  Asking if she could drink it, then rolling her eyes and answering her own question, yes, Lumen opened her mouth then stuck out her tongue.

  She waggled it provocatively whilst wriggling her brow filaments.

  The males chuckled as she proclaimed it refreshing and delicious.

  “How long will this carry on for?” she asked soaked to the skin as they dismounted a span later.

  Venomous warned their mate could catch cold.

  Cobra and Fiercely had deduced her flesh might freeze if its temperature dropped too low, implausible in the arid climate.

  So, he was not yet concerned.

  The weather was muggy and her flesh felt warm.

  “Through the night until first moon,” he answered.

  Hands encircling her waist, he set her down on the blue grass then helped her to balance as she wrestled with the sodden fabric wrapped around her ankles.

  Deeply satisfied with caring for her, he pushed wet spirals off her face.

  The kinky strands appeared longer and darker when weighted with water, reaching below her shoulder blades, the length of his quills.

  “This is my favourite place.” He clasped her hand between his, and held it over his hearts.

  Filled to bursting with emotion, he walked her towards the glossy pool he’d swum in as a youngling, leaving his nest mates to tie up the goodbeast.

  A watercourse ran through it, and meandered into the flowering brushwood.

  “After my parents perished, here, I found peace.” He glanced at her, nervous, wondering if she thought it sentimental foolishness. “Perhaps it will become a place of reflection for you too.”

  Shoal a ring of black pebbles, the silt bed glowed with bioluminescent algae.

  Head resting on his arm, Lumen peered into the rippling basin.

  She cooed as silvered fish arced from the green beck to gobble hovering flies then hit the water with gentle plops.

  Translucent beetles with dozens of skinny legs skated the choppy surface to hide from the downpour under porous leaves of aquatic plants.

  “Beautiful,” she breathed.

  “Yesss, you are.”

  Her eye filaments were spiked when she jerked her chin up to look at him. “Thank you for sharing this with us.” Her arm swept out flinging water. “Thank you for coming into my life. Thank you for being kind, and generous, and bringing your quiet joy, your wisdom. For the things you do I’m not smart enough to know you’re doing. Just thank you.”

  Cobra went to his knees.

  He was thankful for her, for his clan.

  He felt cherished, and longed to find the right words to express the depth of his happiness.

  Return words of gratitude clogged in his throat.

  He knew what it felt like to be trapped without hope.

  Lumen set him free.

  Speechless, he pressed his forehead to her breasts, rubbing his face into the soft mounds.

  Nimble fingers tugged on the thong tying his quills to his crown.

  Loosened, the jet lengths draped his face and bunched shoulders.

  She massaged his scalp then trawled her fingertips from his crown to his nape.

  Shivering, he hesitated then slid his lower arms around her to cup her buttocks.

  The drenched cloth moulded to the ample globes, her curves, and he found them maddening, arousing.

  He squeezed then muttered a harsh curse when she rocked against him.

  She invites me.

  With frantic roughness, he roamed her sensitive flesh.

  He tried to temper his touch, but was swept away by a shockwave of sensation.

  Then she was under him.

  Cobra shoved a thigh between hers and gripped her softsuit at the neck.

  He ripped it open to bare her breasts.

  The startled gasp torn from her lips jolted him out of his haze.

  Then the salty musk of her sex inva
ded his nostrils, and blanketed his mind with ferocious yearning.

  It had never been like this.

  As if he’d die if not inside his female.

  As if his flesh would implode, and he’d cease to exist.

  Cold water drops hit his back.

  They slid down his heaving sides to wet her skin warm.

  Their gazes tangled, breaths mingled.

  “Cobra.” Lumen hooked a rain-slicked leg up his waist. She gripped his quills, and spoke with resonant belief. “Never doubt you were meant to be mine.”

  Moaning, his head drooped.

  Her words of possession seized yet another fragment of his soul.

  He pushed downward to suck on her nubbins, as he’d seen his nest mates do.

  She arched her back as he tongued the dusky nubbins until they wrinkled and puckered.

  She responds to my touch.

  He dragged his hardsuit down, and pushed the waterlogged skirt of her softsuit to her thickening waist.

  Beauty, he thought as his hand passed over her rounded stomach.

  My offspring, a hatchling of his heart and soul seeded by his nest mate.

  His thigh connected with her bare core, and he shuddered.

  Wet heat.

  His lower hands spread her legs, and he impaled her on his turgid length.

  Tender flesh yielded as he powered inside.

  Lustful frenzy descended as her channel sucked him in.

  Panting, grunting, he shoved into her until her body jarred with each hip kick.

  Nails raked his back.

  Roaring, he rutted her as if one with the beasts he hunted, driven by primitive instinct.

  Fiery twilight glinting off metal, the point of a dagger pierced his throat.

  Another pressed into his lower spine and stilled his violent bucking.

  Incensed he’d been caught off guard, panicked his mate lay pinned and defenceless beneath him, his lips peeled back to bare dripping fangs.

  Fiercely applied pressure.

  Cobra’s neck moved with the blade lest it be severed.

  His back bowed, forced upwards, yet he refused to leave the suction of Lumen’s sheathe.

  He adjusted his hold, so he lifted her, speared on his distended length, as he bent.

  “Animal,” Fiercely snarled. “She swells with what is ours.”

  A ruby bead rolled down Cobra’s neck.

  He struggled to order his thoughts and understand the charge laid against him.