“Menace, you’re killing me.”
He stopped moving. “Are you hurt?”
“No, will you get in there already?”
“You have grown demanding the last little while.”
“Hello, pregnant lady prone to mood swings.”
Menace pushed harder. He heard her sigh. They rocked together enjoying the heat of their bodies, their pleasure at give and take. He thought for a moment to roll her onto him but wanted her beneath him where she was safest.
“I love you, Menace.”
“The word love is so small yet means so much,” he said and groaned with the effort to be as gentle as possible.
Her insides squeezed and released. Their breath quickened and he lowered his head to kiss her cheek. Theirs wasn’t a harried joining, they loved. Her flesh was warm and soft and he smiled when his belly touched hers. He was building when he felt her wetness and heard her moan. The relief of his climax came soon after. Solace cried out and stilled. Menace slipped to her side and tucked part of the fur over her ass.
“Solace there must be another word for love. What I feel for you is intense, blinding, protective, desire. The words are useless when there is more. Passion, worry, I am engulfed in needing to pick you up and shield you from everything, everyone. The idea expands my chest, my arms grow stronger, yet gentle. My hands, they must touch you. Through them we join with a caress. Your lips drive me crazy, wanting them on mine every single second of the day. Am I insane?”
She chuckled and cupped his cheek. “That’s why we have the word love.”
“You understand I feel all those emotions with a single word?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I feel the same.”
His throat was suddenly burning. “Solace you could never hope to lift me, I’m too heavy.”
She laughed. “I do adore you, my love. Since you are already in my heart I have strength.”
He contemplated her words. “All right, but how about you refrain from trying to pick me up?”
Solace howled with laughter. The bulwark jumped to its feet and approached. She was chuckling and shoving the beast away from her now bare ass, the fur fell to the side.
“Get away, you big dumb beast. I’m fine,” she said and smiled while patting the furred beast’s ruff.
“I think it’s time to return to the others,” Menace said and pulled on his clothes.
Solace shoved at the beast again while struggling into her pants. “Yes, there’s a baby in there. Now get.” She stopped for a second. Her gaze grew concerned. “These bulwarks haven’t been exposed to babies. Will they try for mine?”
“The beasts will do the bidding of their masters,” Menace said. He helped her to rise. “The twins are the youngest yet to ever appear on this planet. You’ve seen how the beasts interact with them. Muffin’s cubs will adore this baby.”
“Doom will let the bulwarks all live won’t he? Clarity said it’s your way to kill the mothers after birth and house the cubs inside with family.”
“Clarity would smack him upside the head, I was told if he harmed one. You are right our way was to kill the adults and raise the cubs in our homes, but that’s the old way. We will have Muffin raise her own cubs with the villagers in the main area.”
“Oh how I want to be home.”
“Soon. Soon you will sleep in your own bed. I promise. But the hunters and gatherers will have to go farther afield to find food.”
“We’ll be all right.”
Menace hefted the pack onto his back and the fur into his arms. “Of course we will. I am going to be a father. My son or daughter will be safe and you, my sweetness, will be a wonderful mother. I have my own surprise.”
“What would that be?”
“I would ask you let me name our child?”
“You found names didn’t you?” She was smiling. “Well?”
“Our daughter should be named Destiny and our son Win.”
“I like them both. What do you wish for?”
“I don’t need to wish for anything,” he said with some confusion. “You are carrying our baby. What is left to wish for?”
“You, my love, are absolutely right.”
Chapter Thirteen
The transition from high cave to their village homes was slow. They moved lower down the mountain until each day scouts went out to check the area. At long last, it was determined their domed homes were safe, the ground dry. Food supplies were low and once the villagers settled a hunting party was established. Solace insisted she was well enough to accompany the hunters, while the youngest children stayed behind under the watchful eyes of Aba, a few other village women, and Muffin. The mothering bulwark lounged while both her cubs and the twins crawled over her.
“We need to make a stop,” Clarity said.
The tree where the raptors took shelter was empty. Solace was disappointed, she wondered if the mother’s arm healed. Clarity lifted the remains of the crude splint. It was well worn and appeared to have been pulled off recently. They moved on.
The world they once knew was ravished, but there were signs of healing. Above, the sun was bright, high, and warm. Solace tilted her face toward the light and basked in the welcome heat. She noted that morning her pants were a bit tighter than the day before, and she loosened her drawstring to allow more room. She was going to look a sight when her hide pants wouldn’t be enough to cover her enlarging rounded belly.
The village home was well protected. Only a human hand could open the doors to the dwelling by pressing a certain stone. Each individual living space was attached underground to the main living area. Sixteen homes in all, with the main eating room large and always filled with activity. Outside wasn’t safe, at all. Hybrid carnivorous dinosaurs lived on this planet where only the strong survived, and many were moving back to their old stomping grounds.
The monstrosities of the sacrifices took their toll on the people. This was the first year of no slaughter, and human men and women walked with the villagers. Lochlan and Heath came from two different Earths. Only Solace and Clarity were from Lochlan’s planet as were the twins, Luke, Nick, Em, Nina and Kiki.
The quiet group was wary of every sound, each bush movement. A clear sky could become a tempest in mere moments. All of the men went bare-chested except Lochlan and Heath who wore vests. Each male decided on buckskin pants or cut-off’s at the knee. The women were dressed much the same. All sported what Clarity maintained were booties that formed to the feet. Solace had been annoyed when her boots had to be replaced. Doom insisted once leaving the mountain she would draw too much attention to herself now that the other dinosaurs returned. The material from the megaceros was too different, and intriguing.
They all stopped at a loud booming sound. Creeping over a high-rise they dropped belly down to shimmy to the edge to gaze over. Solace was astounded. Massive creatures were nosing foliage.
“What are those?” Heath asked.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. That waterway wasn’t there before,” Doom said.
“Those are whales,” Clarity said.
“But whales live in the ocean,” Solace said.
“At one time they lived on land and took to the ocean as humans lived in water and took to land.”
The creatures were large with four legs. Long snouts protruded. “But where are real whales?” Solace asked.
Clarity grinned at her. “They’re different to be certain.” She then sobered. “I was afraid of this. If continents separated we may see animals we’ve never seen before. Animals that once stayed away may have been forced closer. Anything could be out there. Megalodon’s, super-squids or even dunkleosteus.”
“A who watsis?” Luke asked.
Clarity chuckled. “It was said to be a thirty-foot tank with teeth. This planet has turned to super hybrids. So who knows if there’s a pure basilosaurus or sea scorpions.”
“Look.” Doom pointed. “The isolated one. We’ll go around and
get that one.”
“Aw,” Solace said. “Not a whale.”
“We need fresh food,” Menace said.
“We may also have another source of food,” Clarity said.
“If the ocean is close we can gather seaweed,” Solace said with excitement. “You have seafood, I ate it last year. If the ocean has moved we can find more fish and pickle it, or salt it.”
“We have in the past salted large fish for the long sleep,” Doom said. “The sea wasn’t as close and it was a long walk but worth the effort.”
“You may have to include more than fish from the sea. You need to adapt to survive. I’m thinking lobster and crab would be tasty right now. Or shrimp, what I wouldn’t give for a fresh sardine sandwich. Those oysters you dried and brought back tasted so good,” Solace said.
“Can we hunt, please?” Lochlan said. “All this food talk is making me hungry. I heard a growl and thought it was a saber—it was my guts.”
“It’s a whale, how do you eat whale?” Heath said. His sad tone made Lochlan scowl.
“With salt and pepper. It’s food, you ninny, food. Why not send a few to make a camp and we can hunt?” Lochlan suggested.
Some stayed behind, including Heath who Solace thought might be stinging from Lochlan’s reproach, and made a small camp while the others went to hunt. The hunters dispatched the whale creature. Gutting the being was hard work and everyone helped. At camp, food was roasted while they worked. They ate a quick meal with some tea and lugging large packs and pulling numerous travois they headed for the village. The group stayed close allowing none to trail behind.
They dropped their supplies when they came across five Neandersauri roaming the village. Doom and the other men engaged in battle. Five young hybrids were no match for the skilled warriors. The Neandersauri were killed and dragged far away into the bush then dropped off a high cliff into a waterfall.
Solace made her way to the bed in her room; she was tired from the long day. She sat on the raised platform of high furs. Everything inside remained airtight and dry. Wearily she dropped her footwear to the ground, her pants next, then unlaced the rawhide string at her vest, her breasts spilling free. She groaned as she lay back.
“Oh my boobs ache.” Menace sat beside her. He lifted his hand. “Touch my tit and die,” she said with a growl.
He pulled back his hand. “I only wanted to massage them.”
His gaze was innocent enough but she saw the sparkle behind his eyes. “Massage this.” She rolled to wiggle her ass.
Huge fingers settled onto firm flesh, digging and dragging his way over her rounded rump. He worked his way over her thighs and to her calves. Each foot was picked up and the pads of his thumbs took away the tension. Back up he went over her body to her back. Her shoulders were screaming oh God yes as he continued.
Solace had balled a fur up under her arms and turned slightly to keep weight from her belly and boobs. He nudged her onto her back. A tentative touch to a breast and she groaned. Menace was careful. He began at the base and with only a thumb rubbed in small circles easing a full sensation. Both high mounds were given attention. As were her arms, hands and fingers.
Her throat was rubbed to her shoulders and he made his way to her rounded belly. He leaned down for a kiss at her navel. Solace remembered those hands dispatching two hybrid Neandersauri in a fury. How dare those creatures be near their home? How far had these proud villagers come, before hiding and afraid to become ferocious and daring. Menace always had the spark of defiance, and when given the means to react and defend others a fiercely deadly side was born.
“Sleep little one, your father is here to care for you.”
“Why don’t you come to bed to sleep?” Solace said.
“There is much to be done with the whale creature. Clarity says the blubber is useful. I thought it was a female who blubbered when she cried.”
Solace laughed. “Women don’t blubber when we cry, we express emotion.”
“I’ll remember that the next time you sob your heart out when a tie breaks on your booties. Grown men avoid you when you lose your temper.”
She smacked his chest. “Remember those emotions aren’t all mine. I’m hormonal not homicidal.”
“Tell that to the bug you ran through with your sword.”
“Hey in my defense those things are huge. The mere fact I did kill it with a sword is proof. And those grown men run because when I lose my temper, you get a glare to your eye that says; touch my female and die.”
He sighed and slid in beside her. “I suppose it’s true. I’m a little overprotective.”
“A little?” she sputtered.
“Now I have a larger problem. I was worried about bringing you along for the hunt, then we return to find hybrids roaming our village in daylight. I am needed to hunt but you and our baby need me more.”
Solace cuddled into his arms. “The hybrids can’t break in.”
“What if they can?”
She stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“I studied a young hybrid as I pulled him away. Before throwing him into the falls I became curious. Why would they venture so close? What was there to gain when they knew nothing could penetrate our locks. The rocks only slide back when touched by a human or villager. I sliced its outer hand off. Solace, the hand within was smaller, almost human. What if there is a single hybrid with a human hand within?”
She sat up. Menace rubbed her hip but lay flat. “Would they cut off their own hand to seek entry?”
“If they can gain entry by any means what do you think?”
“They would in a heartbeat. We have to tell Doom.”
“I did. Clarity asked me to remember what the hand looked like. It was soft and flat.” He took Solace’s fingertip into his hands and traced her prints. “There were none of these spirals such as the villagers have and humans have.”
“Each person’s is unique. No one has the same set of prints except maybe twins. Identical twins. Blue and Cole are fraternal. If they discover the difference, if there is a difference, we will be in for trouble. What’s to stop them from hunting a human and cutting off a hand to hold to a door? Would they be that smart?”
“They want space flight but the human hand must be warm. That means they would need to cut a hand from a person right near the door. The hybrids would continue to try if they thought it might work,” Menace said.
“All the villagers in all areas need to be warned. The Neandersauri must all be killed.”
“They will be here…”
“That’s right. Clarity said she thinks the continents split and those whales must be proof. The ocean is closer to us. If a hybrid wants space flight they sure as hell will be able to build a decent boat,” Solace said.
“But not today,” Menace said. “It was a long walk and you’re tired. Rest. When you wake it will be time to eat in the main hall. Sleep, my love. I’ll keep you safe. There are others watching. The bulwarks are outside. Muffin is in the main hall with her cubs. She has heightened senses these days.”
“My sense of smell has increased. I guess I notice more when something has an odor to it.”
Solace settled beside him, his unique scent was a magnet. Worry made sleep elusive but eventually the rigors of the day caught up to her. She closed her eyes and drifted into worried dreams.
****
Menace jolted awake. Solace was slumbering by his side. He’d fallen asleep when he meant only to rest. What woke him? From the recess of his mind he remembered a baby cry. Menace was very young, perhaps five at the time, or no more than the age of the twins. There was soft weeping. An anguished cry that was silenced. The baby’s mewling wail was cut short. The hybrids that were following his father’s village came into view. A hand went over Menace’s mouth, he remained quiet knowing quiet was safety. The hybrids passed by.
An icy finger slid down Menace’s spine. The baby was never seen. Killed after birth. Sparing the child a life of running and saving the villagers from d
etection. If the parents were killed there would be no one left to care for the babe. Or if not able to quiet the child immediately, an entire village could perish. The mother had no choice. Sacrifice one for many.
All children brought to any village learned fast to keep silent when warned. A baby could not. Fear built inside. If the hybrids could gain entry there would be no hiding for Solace if the baby were born. He bolted upright. A new room had to be made before the baby’s birth. Soundproof, impenetrable, more so than the homes already were. Well stocked with provisions. Something more impassable than the room used for hibernating. The room would be in need of something more. His mind was racing with his heart, the babe’s cries in his dreams resounded in his ears, worse was the sudden silence. Only one print would be able to activate the door lock to this new oasis. Whose? No not who, what.
Bubble-gum was the only dog on the planet. A failsafe. Menace woke Solace and they made their way to the main hall. When they sat he revealed his plan. Doom looked skeptical. Clarity was confident he was on to something. The dog was loyal, motivated by food and praise. Highly trainable. The first thing they had to do was build a new room.
“Over here in an out of the way place.” Menace was pacing off against a wall.
He took long strides indicating how long the room should be. Breaking through the hard wall was impossible from top side. A massive hole would have to be dug first. Inside, it was easier to break through the solid rock, especially when Clarity devised a sledgehammer. They began immediately. Once they broke free to the dirt, the going was easier.
Huge hides of dirt were hauled away and used in what was to be a garden Clarity wanted to grow. Before their food was accessible and close to home. Plant life was all but wiped out nearby. When the gatherers went out they brought back plants with roots attached and began cultivating their new garden above ground. The idea of the mouflon nagged the corner of Menace’s mind. There were no such small manageable creatures on his planet, unless the storms scattered a creature of the same type closer. He then remembered seeing the trail of a goat-like creature on the mountain. They were elusive and huge. If caught, they would need to be penned inside like they were at the treehouse. The little goat-like creatures intrigued Menace and he noted not all the animals were the same. He gazed at the hybrid cubs, the female was going to be a bit larger than her father but no more. If the villagers could capture the smallest of the mouflon hybrids they could cultivate the size they wanted over time.
Finding Solace (Ancient Origins Book 2) Page 18
