by KD Jones
“Should we be scanning all the islands instead of going one by one?” the younger warrior, SimON, asked.
CristOF shook his head. “No. The more we use our scanners or the shuttle, the more we risk being exposed. The rebels may be scanning for any activity.”
“Perhaps after the next island, we should consider splitting up the remaining islands,” his old trainer Warrior RusEN said.
“Good idea. We’ll make arrangements before sunrise. Let’s get the next island cleared first.” He started to walk to the shuttle but turned back and added, “Good work. Stay safe.”
It took another four hours before they were finished clearing the second smallest island. The two suns were rising clearing some of the fog that had left the islands with an ominous atmosphere. He gathered with his team as they began to set up a campsite.
“We will camp during the daylight. We cannot use any of our communication devices. We will not build a fire or do anything to draw attention to us. Once the suns set, we will divide up and take the inflatable boats. There will be no communication for ten hours unless it’s an emergency.”
He put the youngest warrior with the most experienced. “Warrior RusEN and Warrior SimON will take the island to the west,” he said, putting the youngest warrior with the most experienced. “Warrior TorIS and Warrior FinlEY will take the largest island, to the east. I’ll take the island in the center. Its terrain appears to be more of a jungle, which I’m familiar with. Now, go look for a place to get some sleep. You may use the inside of the shuttle if you want. I’ll sleep outside.”
Warrior RusEN did not look pleased with the plans, but he didn’t say anything in front of the others. He waited until the two of them were left alone. “Do you think it’s wise to go by yourself?”
“You know I can track much better on my own. The jungle terrain is difficult to maneuver in if a person isn’t used to it, and if I took someone inexperienced with me they would only slow me down. I won’t take unnecessary risks.”
RusEN placed a hand on his shoulder, rare emotion showing on his weathered face. “Just remember, you are important not only to our people but to me. You’re like my own son.”
CristOF nodded, not sure how to handle the sudden emotion rising inside of him. RusEN had always been there for him, and when his grandfather had died, he was the only person CristOF had invited to come to the private burial ceremony.
He smiled, remembering his first day of warrior training. RusEN had been a much younger warrior; barking out orders and making them do drill after drill. There were times he’d hated the male, but that training had saved him time and again. Their friendship had solidified when his grandmother died. RusEN had come to spend time with him and his grandfather. He didn’t speak much, just was there for them, went fishing with them and prayed with them. The big, rough warrior was deeply devoted to the Goddess KatieRI and often performed services for warriors killed in battle. He was a second father to CristOF and would hate it if anything happened to him.
“Make sure that the young one doesn’t get overly excited and do something foolish and dangerous,” CristOF warned him.
RusEN growled low. “You would have to stick him with me. I ought to kick your ass for that alone.”
CristOF laughed. “You can try, but I’m faster.”
“Luckily, I’ve had plenty of experience handling wet-behind-the-ears warriors,” RusEN told him.
The two of them continued talking as they set up their bedding outside. The others had decided to sleep inside the shuttle. Lightweights, all of them. He lay down, throwing his arm over his eyes to block the sunlight, and tried to rest. He wouldn’t sleep, but he could at least conserve his energy.
Chapter 7
Tera shaded her eyes from the blaze of the suns with her hand as she looked out from her window. It had been more than twelve hours since CristOF left for his secret mission. She wished she had gotten more time with him. Even though they’d just met, she felt like she had known him for forever.
When they came back to her suite from the park, she had been nervous, not knowing what to expect. It was a first for her to invite a guy to her place after knowing him such a short span of time. Some guys would have made heavy moves on her, especially after kissing at the park like they had done. CristOF once more proved just how different he was from other men she had known.
They had talked for hours about her family, his family, her career, and his training to be a tracker. She’d learned so much about him in that time, but there were many more questions she wanted to ask. He’d steered clear of talking about his upcoming mission, but she couldn’t help but ask him something.
*****
“Will it be dangerous?” she asked as she looked up into his handsome face with worry.
He held her hand in his. “It could be. That’s the risk we take with any mission. It’s a risk every warrior takes when going into battle.”
“How long will you be gone?” She needed some kind of reassurance. He was fast becoming someone she cared about.
“I don’t know. It could a few days or a few weeks. I can’t tell you more than that.”
She was disappointed, but she understood his commitment to his people. “I don't want anything to happen to you. I’m just getting to know you.”
He ran a finger over her lips. “I promise that I will do everything I can to come back to you safely. I want to get to know you, too.” Then he leaned down and kissed her.
Tera parted her lips on a sigh and let his tongue slip inside. She felt every stroke throughout her entire body. Shivers of need rose up in her, making her press closer to him until she literally crawled up in his lap and straddled him. She didn’t know where this boldness had come from, but she had to get as close to him as she possibly could. The taste of him, the feel of him made her ache inside, not just in her body but also in her very soul.
His arms came around her and his hands rubbed up and down her back as their kiss deepened. She could feel his arousal under her through their clothes, and he was big—really big. She’d heard her few friends talk about how much stamina the Katierans had, going all night long. Suddenly she wanted to see if that applied to Kiljorns as well. Her whole body tingled with need, and her pussy actually pulsed. God, he’d nearly made her orgasm from his kiss alone.
When he began nibbling down her neck, she discovered something about herself she had never known before: she loved having her neck kissed. The feel of his warm lips, his tongue, and the scrape of his teeth sparked electrical currents that shot straight to her nipples and her pussy.
“Oh...that feels good,” she moaned.
She shamelessly rubbed her body against his, knowing that this couldn’t go much further. He had to leave soon. It wasn’t fair of her to take what she wanted, possibly distracting him from his mission. Reluctantly she pulled away and looked into his eyes.
“This will have to be continued when you get back.”
His eyes were dark with desire, but he nodded his agreement. “It will definitely give me the incentive to complete my mission quickly.”
She placed her hands on either side of his face. “Come back to me safe and sound.”
“I will. And when I do come back, I will make love to you properly.”
*****
Tera wiped a tear away from her cheek. She was feeling so emotional, wishing she had been brave enough to make love to him before he left. At least then she would have been left with wonderful memories to keep her warm at night.
Shaking her depressing thoughts from her head, she decided to go for a walk. She left her apartment building and headed down the walkway towards the park. The city was beautiful, full of tall silver buildings and small shops. Most people in the city lived in the towering apartment buildings, but toward the outskirts of the city more individual metal cabins and cottages could be seen. A few people passed her by. It was one of the busy morning meal times, so most everyone was going to eat at the community cafeterias.
She ended up back at the p
ark they had shared a picnic at the day before. The gazebo they’d used was open, so she went there and sat on the bench looking out at the pond nearby. Birds were chirping, and the two suns shone high above.
What was CristOF doing right at that moment? Was he thinking of her too? Hopefully he was safe. Closing her eyes, she prayed to God, asking him to look after CristOF. Then she prayed to the Katieran’s and Kiljorn’s deity, the Goddess KatieRI. It couldn’t hurt, right?
“Please Goddess, keep him safe for me. Bring him back so that we can have our second date.”
A sound behind her made her pop her eyes open. She turned to look behind her and found two tall men standing there, looking at her with expressions that made her uncomfortable. Like she was a bug, but one they found interesting. She stood up to leave, but as she attempted to walk past them they moved to block her.
“Is there something I can help you with?” she asked, taking a step back to keep distance between them. Their eyes tracked her, and her mind flashed a warning. Something inside told her to run.
“You met with a warrior yesterday. What did you talk about?”
She frowned in confusion. “Do you mean CristOF?” Maybe they were friends of his and wanted to talk to him or something.
The two men looked at one another, then back at her. “CristOF is the tracker Commander TylOR sent for? What did he tell you of his mission?”
Everything in her screamed to run again, but she couldn’t. She was blocked in, the two men were in front of her, the gazebo railing on the sides, and the pond was behind her. The only way out of the gazebo was through the two men, unless she jumped into the pond. She had taken self-defense courses, but nothing that would help her against two hulking men.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“You were with him a good amount of time yesterday and last night. Did he say where he was going?” One of them moved forward.
“I barely know him,” she said, stepping back.
Coming closer as well, the other man sniffed at her. “You lie. I can smell his scent on you. It’s faint, but it’s definitely there.”
She hadn’t showered last night or this morning. Were their senses that good that they could smell him having kissed her? She tried to move back farther, but she came right up against the railing. She was trapped, with no good options. She tried to reason with them.
“Look, I had lunch with CristOF, and then he left. I don’t know where he went or what he’s doing.” That was true enough. She wouldn’t tell these men anything else about CristOF. Somehow, she had to get away.
The man closest to her turned to look at his friend. “She’s either telling the truth and doesn’t know anything or she’s lying to protect the bastard.”
“Even if he didn’t tell her directly, she could have overheard something that we could use. We’ll have to take her with us for further questioning.”
Oh shit! Everything she’d learned from her self-defense courses said to never let the attacker take her to a new location. That would ensure that she wouldn’t live through the encounter and her body might never even be found.
Acting quickly, Tera gripped the railing and threw herself over it, landing in the shallow water at the edge of the pond. She took off running as best she could through it. A few seconds later, she could hear splashing of feet as one or both men jumped into the pond and gave chase.
Run faster...run faster...run faster! She kept telling herself, even though the farther she went into the pond, the harder lifting her legs became. Her clothes were being weighted down with water.
One of the men behind her tripped, and cursed in his language. “Kitana! Get her!”
She glanced back to see him kneeling in the water, but where the hell was the other one? Suddenly, she was hit from the side and knocked down. She fell into the pond and choked on water as she came up for air. She flailed, trying to get her balance to stand and run again.
She took in a breath to scream for help, but a large hand clamped over her mouth and nose. Then she felt a pinch in her neck, and everything started to fade. She wondered if this was it for her. She wished one last time that she had made love with CristOF.
Chapter 8
CristOF paddled the inflatable boat toward the center island, which was actually a little farther away from the others. Sweat formed on his body from the effort of over an hour of paddling. He could have used the shuttle to move closer, but that risked giving away their presence.
It was dark, and fog blocked out much of the light from the Luna. With his heightened senses he could see the outline of the island ahead of him. The side of the island facing him had cliffs and rocky soil with few trees. It wasn’t suitable for setting up living quarters, but the other side might prove differently. He would land on the rocky side and make his way through the jungle part of the island.
As he approached the shore he got out of boat. The water reached his waist. He gripped the boat and pulled it up and over the rocks. After a brief search, he found some large branches to cover it wit. He glanced up when the Luna peered over the clouds for a moment. It reminded him of the dream he’d had when he was on his way to the Kiljorn prime city. He closed his eyes, and the woman’s image from the dream came to him. Now the image wasn’t a faded unknown female: it was his beautiful Tera.
Tera reminded him that he had something to live for. He was no longer alone; someone else besides the Kilorn people mattered to him, and hopefully he mattered to her as well. He needed to complete this mission and return to her. After only day spent in her company, he knew that she was meant to be his. He hoped that once he returned, he would be able to take the time to woo her properly and convince her to mate him.
The sound of birds nearby brought his attention back to the mission. Inhaling, he took in the fresh air mixed with the tang of salt water, the sand and dirt, the trees and the scent of wilderness. There was something else mixed in there, a scent that was not of nature.
He walked away from the shore and entered the wooded jungle part of the island. The trees were not quit as wide on the island as the trees on the mainland but he could still hide behind one easily. The smells of the jungle lessened his tension and helped him focus. He was most comfortable in this environment. He listened to his environment for clues or signs of disturbances. The wind brought scents to him leading him toward the center of the island. The further he went the fewer animals he saw.
A group of birds above him squawked and flew out of the treetops twenty feet ahead of him. He paused and waited where he stood listening for any unusual sounds. Footsteps crushing twigs clumsily alerted him that there was someone patrolling the woods not too far away.
Looking around, he searched for the tallest tree with limbs close enough together to allow him to climb. He found one and jumped, caught the lower branch, and pulled himself up. Then he began the long climb up the tree.
From his vantage point near the top, he could see much better. He spotted several males walking through the jungle; clearly they were doing a perimeter patrol, but none of them bothered to check the trees. Moving his glance away from the men below, he looked farther out, past the trees to where a clearing appeared about twenty feet ahead. Shifting his position so he could get a better look, he made out the shapes of multiple small structures. It didn’t look like any metal was used in their construction, so he assumed they were made out of the trees that had been cleared away. He could see people walking around the camp but he couldn’t see their faces clearly. The only people present seemed to all be male. He didn’t feel the need to move closer; it would be risky, and his presence might be detected. He just needed to watch long enough to see what they were doing.
He sat with his back against the tree trunk and watched for a while. Patience was key to learn everything he needed to before he returned to his team and called for re-enforcements. The males patrolling the area had a routine: Each one walked around the clearing in a different direction, and met back in the same location clo
se to where CristOF was perched before repeating their walk again. It took fifteen minutes for them to complete one round of patrol.
CristOF had to get an idea of the number of males in the camp. He made his way down the tree. Once he reached the ground, he knew the males would come back to their meeting point; then they started on their next round, and he moved to get a little closer. He ran quietly and swiftly through the jungle, making sure to use the large trees to camouflage his body. Right before he reached the clearing, he found another tree that he could climb.
Climbing up to a good enough height in the new tree, he kept his body on the backside of the trunk and peered out. Males were jogging by in formation. There had to be at least twenty or thirty of them. To the right, other males were training, but for what? A male stood on a platform observing the warriors, and he drew CristOF’s attention more than any other. He had a shaved head, and wore a uniform unfamiliar to CristOF from that distance. It was the male’s stance, commanding and exuding power that made CristOF conclude that this was the leader of this group. He wished he could see the male’s face clearly.
Examining the scene once more, he finally understood what he was looking at. This was a training camp for the rebels. The boldness of these males to train right there on Kiljor infuriated him. How could they betray their own people in such a way? They had no fear of being found guilty of treason or of banishment. He might not always agree with his commanders, but he respected their efforts and trusted that their decisions were in the best interest of the Kiljorn people.
He sat with his back against the tree trunk and watched for a while. Patience was key to learning everything he needed to before he returned to his team and call for reinforcements. The males patrolling the area had a routine. Each one walked around the clearing in different directions and met back in the same location close to where he perched before repeating their walk again. It took fifteen minutes for them to complete one round of patrol. CristOF had to get an idea of the number of males in the camp.
