by Lynnea Lee
“It won’t be so bad. Vore is an awesome fighter. At least, you know you’ll be safe,” Angie reasoned. “Wasn’t that one of your concerns?”
Lettie would be safe physically. Maybe even more than safe, perhaps even satisfied. Because despite what she had whispered into his ear yesterday, she knew he would be enough for her. Physically, anyway. Lettie was definitely not safe emotionally.
She took a deep breath. She was a big girl, and she would deal with it. Suck it up, buttercup. “Fine, how bad could it be?”
“That’s the spirit!” Angie patted her on the back. “Come, let’s get in and head out to the berries.”
Angie climbed into the front passenger seat next to Holden, who was ready to start the vehicle. That left the back seat for Lettie, right next to Vore. She steeled her nerves and climbed up to the seat. Vore’s wide body took up all of his side and some of hers as well. She felt the heat from his leg next to her own.
“Ready to go?” Holden asked. He started the engine and drove down the road towards the gate out to the wilderness.
She reached for the two ends of her seat belt and clicked them together. Only to have the two ends pop open immediately. She pulled the two ends together again. And again, they popped open. Great, she had to have a seat with a defective seat belt.
“I think my seat belt’s broken.”
Vore reached over and took the ends from her, his hand brushing over hers. He clicked them together at the front. The two ends popped apart mockingly.
“It’s broken,” he stated.
“No shit, Sherlock.”
He ignored her. “I guess I’ll have to hold onto you.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Holden spoke loudly from the front. “Once we are off the road, the ride is going to get real bumpy. I think it’s best if you hold onto her tightly, Vore.” Then he met Lettie’s eyes in the rear view mirror. “We don’t want you to fly out of the vehicle.”
“I’ll be fine!” At least she hoped she would be. “I’ll just hold on to the handholds.”
Holden made a turn onto a dirt road, jerking the wheel sharply to the side. It threw Lettie over to land across Vore’s lap.
“Lettie, I thought you said you weren’t interested.” His smirk mocked her.
She muttered inaudibly through her teeth and pushed up off of him quickly, only to be jerked back against him again with another turn of the wheel. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.
“Lean your head against me, so you don’t get whiplash.” A hand pressed her head against the side of his chest.
A clean, masculine musk enveloped her. She resisted, though, trying to put some space between them.
“Thanks, but I’ll be fine,” she insisted, unwrapping his arms from her body.
She grabbed the handle next to the seat with one hand and reached up to grab the railing with the other. Her hand barely reached the top rail. To make matters worse, she wasn’t able to brace with her feet because they dangled a few inches off the vehicle’s floor. Sometimes it sucked to be four foot ten with stubby arms and legs. Surveying the road ahead, she was dismayed that it ended abruptly. Beyond the dirt road was just a field of tall grass and brush.
Lettie’s body lifted off the seat as they hit a bump in the road. She let out a squeak at the feeling of weightlessness. She came back down onto the seat with a thud, the wind knocked out of her. The vehicle then jerked to the side, and her hand on the railing popped off. Her body leaned dangerously over to the side, away from Vore. The off-roader did not have doors, only a rail to hold the passengers inside.
“You okay back there?” Holden yelled. “We are going through a rough patch. It’ll get better after this.”
“I got her,” Vore answered. He reached for her again and pinned her close to his body. This time, Lettie did not protest. She decided that being held by one overconfident and attractive Vore was a necessary evil. The alternative was being dumped unceremoniously out of the all-terrain vehicle.
“Relax against me, Lettie,” he murmured against the top of her head. “I told you I’d take care of you, did I not?”
The heat from his body permeated through the thin fabric of his shirt. Lettie leaned against his side. His arm kept her close, and his hand rubbed at her arm.
Lettie had to admit that this was much safer and more comfortable. He reached his other hand over to caress the side of her cheek. He tilted her head to face his, forcing her to look him in the eyes. And for a moment, the rest of the world faded away. Lettie’s breath hitched as the bumpy ride, and their companions disappeared into the background. He leaned in, and Lettie was sure he was going to kiss her.
The off-roader jerked again, breaking the magic of the moment.
Good! Remember he’s a player, and totally not your type!
The corner of his lips lifted in a smile.
The vehicle slowed to a stop as they approached the edge of the woods. Brambles intertwined into an impenetrable shield that lined the edge of the forest with thicket. Further in, the trees were spaced far enough apart for the vehicle to navigate. But first, they had to get through the barrier.
The two Tallean males got out of the vehicle, grabbed two large machete-like blades, and got to work on the thicket. Watching the muscles beneath his black tank top ripple as Vore worked was mesmerizing.
“Great show, isn’t it?” Angie hummed from the front seat in appreciation. She angled her body so that she could talk to Lettie and watch the two males at the same time.
“Yeah, I’ve got to admit. These Tallean men are quite the specimens.”
“You know, you might want to take Vore up on his offer. He’s not a bad guy. And if you two don’t hit it off, he’s leaving with the Defiant in a few days. You won’t have those awkward moments bumping into him around the colony.”
“I don’t know, Angie. He’s kind of a known player. I don’t do those types.”
“All Tallean males play the field before they are mated. But I get what you mean, Vore has a reputation.” Then she added, “But that reputation includes him being awesome in bed. Not that I’ve confirmed it or anything.”
“So why don’t you see if the rumors are true? I’m sure you can seduce him.” The thought of her friend in Vore’s bed formed a lump in her belly.
Angie raised a brow at her. “I don’t think he’s here for me, Lettie. But you know what,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I’ll invite him into the tent with Holden and me tonight for a threesome. If he accepts, then you are right, and we will know the rumors are true. But if he doesn’t, well, then we know who he’s here for. I mean, it’s pretty obvious already. But if this will convince you —” She left it hanging.
Angie lost her at threesome. “Wait! Hang on one pea picking moment. Did you just say threesome?”
Her friend laughed, flicking a strand of blonde hair away from her face. “That’s the only thing you got out of it? It’s not uncommon for unmated Talleans to share. And even after a mating, some will share as long as it’s just sex and everyone is in agreement. It’s no big deal.”
Lettie knew her mouth was stuck in an O. The thought of Angie being tag-teamed by two hot Tallean males sent a rush of heat to her core. Was it wrong to imagine her friend doing it? Lettie’s concept of what was strange or normal was being eroded every day.
“So, are you okay with that plan? I’ll only ask if you are okay with it. If you don’t want me to try for Vore, I won’t.”
“Go for it.” If Vore took Angie up on the offer, it just meant that Lettie was right about him. It would make it that much easier to resist him.
Vore vaulted over the bar on his side without bothering to open it. His body tensed immediately. As they entered the forest, he crowded in close to her and hunched over to place his face close to Lettie’s neck. Not knowing how to react to his sudden intrusion into her space, Lettie froze. He sniffed her loudly and groaned.
“What were you two talking about? I hope it was me. You smell divine. I can’t wait to eat you all up.”
Her body reacted again. Stop! This was not going to happen. Not with Casanova.
He made a show of smelling her. Damn that Tallean sense of smell!
Vore walked through the invisible boundary and tested the perimeter one last time. A warning tone sounded from both their comm units.
“That should do it.”
The colony had equipped each team with a perimeter system that warned the group if large movements were detected. The perimeter also gave off a sonic deterrent to keep the dragus at bay. Dragus were pack hunters. One dragus was child’s play, but a whole pack was a worthy opponent. But Vore didn’t wish to deter them; he longed to fight them. Maybe Lettie would jump into his bed if he rescued her from a pack of dragus.
“Don’t look so disappointed, Vore. The deterrent only discourages a pack from attacking. It’s a repellent, but it doesn’t stop them. When a pack is hungry enough, they will attack anyway. The two tasty females with us are encouragement enough to counteract any sonar we put up. You will get to fight.”
Vore agreed. Lettie and Angie were both delectable females. They smelled delicious, and the dragus would not be able to resist. He would get to fight. Vore lived for the fight; he lived for the chase. Both for violence and females. Though recently, he only had one female in mind.
“Also, the deterrent doesn’t work on the coilbeasts. That’s why each team has to have at least two fully grown Tallean males and why only the strongest are allowed to come.”
The coilbeasts were sinuous creatures, riding low to the ground. Despite their thick, short legs, they were incredibly mobile, using their long powerful bodies to traverse the landscape. They rested by wrapping their elongated bodies up into coils, ready to spring out in a moment’s notice. Each beast weighed as much as five or six Tallean males. Luckily, they hunted alone.
Vore was eager to meet one and test his mettle against such a formidable foe. Just the thought of the fight got him hard. He loved fighting. He wished he had some of his melee weapons on him, but they were back on the Defiant. The colony had equipped them with blasters. He didn’t plan to use them unless necessary.
“I have never met a male more excited about a fight.” Holden shook his head. “Arus was right when he said you lived to fight and fuck.”
“Always have,” Vore agreed.
“So, about the fucking part. You were right about Lettie. She smelled like she was ready to jump on you back by the brambles, but she pretends not to want you. I think the humans call that playing hard to get. I don’t know why they play it, though; it’s not very fun.”
“She won’t be too hard to get. I’ll crack her soon.” The words sounded more confident than Vore felt. He didn’t understand why getting into Lettie’s bed felt so important.
With the perimeter secured, the two males headed back towards their camp and the two females they had left there.
Angie met them and pulled Holden aside. Vore scanned the clearing for Lettie and found her setting up the large tarps meant to catch the berries. Before he could head her way, Holden and Angie returned. Angie turned to him, placing her hands on his forearm and flashing a radiant smile. Her hair, tied into a ponytail at the top of her head, bounced as she tossed it lightly. She was a very attractive female. Holden stood behind her, an amused look on his face.
“I’m going to be blunt because I know Tallean males prefer it.” She leaned in close, pulled him down, and spoke into his ear. “Come join Holden and me in our tent tonight. I heard you are quite the monster under the sheets. Show me what you can do.”
He looked to his friend, and Holden didn’t seem surprised. “She’s adventurous,” he said noncommittally.
Vore had shared females with his best friend, Arus. Arus was mated now, and while some mated pairs quadrupled up for some extra fun, the idea hadn’t been brought up. Newly mated couples usually were lost within each other for a while.
Angie was attractive, but Vore found that he wasn’t interested. He had his sights set elsewhere.
“You are beautiful, Angie, and if you had offered just a few days ago, I would have had you pinned against a wall the next instant.” She bit her lip, his words having the intended effect. “But there’s someone else I rather pin down tonight.”
She didn’t look surprised or upset. “I know. I told her so myself. I’ll go let her know you turned me down.”
Vore watched as Angie skipped over towards the other human.
Holden bellowed a laugh. “The little minx was testing you for her friend! Don’t worry, Vore. I’ll blister her ass for you later tonight.”
Lettie perched on the large tree branch, reaching up to grab another bunch of fragrant berries. She dropped it down to the tarp below. The tarp was set up like a giant funnel, carrying their harvest to the bin below. Angie hadn’t mentioned anything about heights and climbing trees. Luckily height was not an issue for Lettie. As a kid, she was a little monkey who had climbed everything and anything. She had ruled the playground with an iron fist.
She felt happy and relaxed. A soft wind blew through the forest, carrying with it the scent of a million ripening berries. She took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air.
She eyed another bunch of golden berries. It was just out of reach. Amberberries grew on sprawling vines, the long stems looking for rock crevices and rough bark and latching on with their tendrils. They climbed the trees, forking many times and twining their branches towards the sunlight. The berries were borne on the ends of each vine.
This was the reason the team needed two lighter weight females. Some of the trees in the forest were unable to bear the weight of a fully grown Tallean male. Vore and Holden climbed the larger trees, with thicker branches, higher off the ground, while Lettie and Angie covered the smaller ones. They had straps and ladders to help them get up to the first branch where most of the berries were.
“I think I’m done with this section,” Lettie announced as she made her way down the ladder. She was glad a thick layer of mulch padded the forest floor. The decaying leaves and detritus offered a soft landing should she fall.
“I’m pretty much done here too.” Angie tossed down another bunch of golden berries. “Wait for me. We can help each other move our set up over.”
She scrambled down her tree to join Lettie on the ground.
As they moved their makeshift oversized funnel and bin system under the next branch, they chatted.
“So, what’s this going on between you and Holden? I thought you said you weren’t seeing anyone.”
“I’m not. Holden and I are just friends with benefits. We used to be more, but it didn’t work out.”
They lifted the massive bin, half-filled with berries, together.
“Used to be more? Like you used to date?”
“Yeah, we were together for a few months. In the beginning, we were so sure a mating bond would form. But he never formed one. So I suggested we go back to being casual. I guess things weren’t meant to be.”
“But I thought Tallean males formed mating bonds if you spend too much time with them. Mia only spent a few days with Arus before the bond started.”
“It’s not that simple. If the couples aren’t meant to be, the bonds just don’t form. It doesn't just happen with the first female they spend time with. It has to be a good match. That’s why the bond is so revered. If it forms, it means they are a perfect match, and it means it’s forever.
“And some couples decide to stay together even without a bond. They develop care, love, and friendship with each other. They call it a partnership of convenience. And sometimes, after years together, they wake up and realize they are suddenly bonded. It’s rare, but it happens. But couples in a partnership of convenience risk one partner finding a mate bond elsewhere and leaving. But leaving a partner like that is looked down upon, so those couples usually keep to themselves and other people t
hey already know to avoid it.”
Lettie was fascinated. There was a lot about Tallean culture she didn’t know.
“Vore rejected my offer, by the way.”
“He did?” Lettie felt relieved. But she shouldn’t, because she wasn’t interested in him.
“Yup, he said there’s someone else he’d rather pin down tonight.”
“Oh.” The image of him pinning her down flashed in her head. Lettie blew out a breath.
Angie laughed. She propped the ladder up against the next berry covered tree branch. “Okay, hun! Up you go!”
CHAPTER FOUR
Lettie lost track of time as she engrossed herself in the mindless, and somewhat relaxing, task. The sun was already going down, but she had filled several bins already. Reaching for the last bundle of berries on the branch, she tossed it into the funnel below.
She shuffled over towards the large trunk where she had propped her ladder up, but her ladder was gone. Instead, she found one handsome Vore, who looked much too proud of himself. She spotted her ladder one tree over. The asshole had moved her ladder.
He reached his brawn arms up to her. “Let me help you down.”
“You can bring back my ladder. I’ll get down on my own.”
“Nope, you go down on me, or not at all.” He smirked at his double entendre.
Her face heated at his words. Lettie considered jumping down. After all, the leaf litter was thick and would cushion her fall. But the branch she was one was a good eight or nine feet off the ground. She didn’t want to risk rolling an ankle.
Being almost seven feet tall, Vore reached her easily.
“Come on, beautiful. Just sit on the branch and I’ll slide you down. What are you afraid of?”
“You.” She decided to be honest.
“Me? I’m harmless.” Vore grinned at her, showing his sharp fangs.
Harmless, my ass! She sighed, realizing it was the best option. She sat on the branch, dangling her feet as Vore positioned himself in front of her. His hands gripping her thighs, he pulled her down and caught her against his body. She slowly slid down the front of him, feeling every bulge of every muscle against her front. When her hips slid past his waist, he took her legs and wrapped them around himself. One big arm tightened around her middle as the other supported her weight with a hand on her ass. He gave it a firm squeeze. He growled, the sound sending a frisson up her spine. Vore lowered her another inch, and something hard pressed up against her pussy. Lettie gasped.
