“I found him, or rather he found me,” she told T’Hargen.
“Explain.”
She sighed at his curtness. “Please.”
“Please, what?”
“You say, explain, please, then I tell you how TL came to be in my company.”
“Kathryn, this is not a game.”
Irritation flared in her. “Neither is you respecting me enough to use manners,” she snapped.
T’Hargen straightened and his shadow, cast against the rock in the dim light, seemed huge. Her damn knees went weak. Hell, he was huge. His size and strength a potent attraction. She ached to caress the strong, seductive line of his jaw with her fingertips. Test the pliability of those jaw plates, see if they sparked with as much sensuality as Sandrea reported of them and—
Let’s not forget the not-so-charming domineering characteristic.
Right.
She took note of her sensible side and ordered her baser feelings into line. His full lips twitched and his nostrils flared to a great intake of breath. She refused to allow her gaze to drop to his chest and admire its breadth, the hard contour of pectoral muscle beneath the cream-coloured shirt, the vest—
T’Hargen cleared his throat. The rough sound startled her. She snatched her gaze from him and turned. Desperately seeking TL, she scanned the cave everywhere but where T’Hargen stood.
Oh, heck, please don’t let him have seen me metaphorically drooling over him. The light’s dim, maybe he didn’t notice.
“Kathryn, it is important I speak with you. Unless you wish for me to destroy your new toy, I suggest you keep it under control and come with me. Calmly.”
Well—she gave a dry, mental shrug—if he noticed my perusal, it didn’t affect him.
Annoyance pricked her mind at T’Hargen’s overbearing attitude and she pressed her lips together. She wouldn’t be treated like one of his intelligence agents. If he wanted to talk to her, he could ask. Nicely. She walked towards the cave entrance, ignoring him. If TL zapped him in the butt again, she’d reward the little drone with more of the under wing scratching he seemed to so enjoy.
“Come on, TL,” she said. “Ignore the lunatic Angrigan.”
Her artificially intelligent, sentient friend phased into visibility, dropped his nose at T’Hargen in a condescending manner, and took up station behind her left shoulder. As a united team they moved towards the morning light streaming in the cave mouth. With each step her anger faded and she began to consider that T’Hargen’s presence might just be propitious.
Who would be better to explore this cave system and its mysterious machinery with her? He was more than capable, intellectually and physically. His vastly superior strength could come in handy and he might recognise the origin of the technology she’d found. He was already here and hadn’t he just tried to protect her from something he perceived as a threat? A flutter of warmth edged around her stomach.
No, no, no! She would not go there. There was no emotion involved. That spark was pure lust. Something she could contain. If her body chose to inconveniently betray her at times, responding to the sexual allure of him, all she had to do was remember his infuriating, arrogant manners and complete lack of esteem for her, to cool her unwanted ardour. Job done.
T’Hargen’s guarded, measuring stare at TL when the drone had appeared gave no hint as to whether T’Hargen might be familiar with TL’s technology or not. Still, if he wanted to speak to her she would demand the reciprocal and at least sound him out as to his interest in exploring the cave further.
~ ~ ~
Now their backs were to him, T’Hargen allowed himself to glare at the drone, probably in much the same manner as his brother had scowled at the dangerous caped lizard adopted by Sandrea when he’d first discovered it. The villagers had not mentioned such a device accompanying Kathryn. How had it come to be in her possession?
“As it happens, T’Hargen”—her smooth voice drifted back to him—“I have something about which I wish to speak to you. If you’re willing to listen.”
He practically heard the rider, If you can behave like a civilised being.
He trudged after her, fully aware the impression he had made would not stand him in good stead to persuade her to his way of thinking. Which was what, precisely? That he intended to keep her in a secure facility until he determined the nature of her importance? Probably best not to mention that part or he’d have a fight on his hands.
Pleasure breathed a warm glow through his cranial ridges at the thought of a physical tussle with her. His mind froze on the sensation, scrambled his thought process. He stumbled at the unexpected and sudden sensation of arousal after prolonged absence.
What is this?
His gaze dropped to the enthralling curve of her hips silhouetted by the incoming light and swaying gently with each of her strides.
Focus, Mhartak.
A narrow, golden beam of light stabbed towards him and exploded with a soft phlt on the cave floor two inches from his right boot. He raised his head and sent the drone a hard glare as it faced him across twenty feet of morning-lit cave-shadow.
“Now, now, TL,” Kathryn soothed.
The urge to swat the drone from the air burned in his mind.
“Behave. T’Hargen might be our companion for a while.”
I might?
“You’ll need to get on with him,” she continued.
He bristled. What was that human saying? Oh, yes, two chances, Buckley’s and none.
He calmed his aggressive thoughts. He needed to make up ground with her, figuratively speaking. A show of cooperation to put her in a receptive mood would do well.
“Have you eaten this morning, Kathryn?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder as they reached the entrance of the cave. Sunlight turned her amber eyes to the golden glow of wild karnayal syrup.
“Yes, I grabbed something earlier, but I could do with a cup of enchi.”
Pits, I can’t make a tally.
His combat trouser pockets were full of nutritional square-cakes and pouches of Angrigan tea. Disregarding the drone, he strode forwards and snatched up Kathryn’s backpack as she reached for it.
“Allow me,” he said and extracted her compact camp stove. He crouched, and with sure movements from years of practice, warmed water from his canteen then infused it with the caffeine-rich enchi. His tongue almost shrank in revulsion.
Bitter, charcoal-coloured sludge. Disgusting stuff.
Kathryn remained near the cave entrance. He glanced up and met her level gaze, dark with suspicious evaluation.
Not a good start.
He reached out, snagged her glass-laminate cup from an outside pouch of her backpack, filled it with the thick, nauseating beverage then handed her the drink with a square-cake he fished from a pocket.
She uncrossed her arms and accepted his offering with a murmured, “Thank you.”
“Now what can I do for you?”
The suspicion in her eyes deepened and then her chest rose to a deep breath. How had he never noticed the rounded, bountiful temptation of her breasts? She was a woman a big man could hold on to with curves that would fill up all the corners of his arms.
What in the name of all that’s holy in g’Nel’s Temple is wrong with me?
He stiffened. Hadn’t his brother suffered something similar in a cave on G’areen? He sniffed. No, no hint of a foul odour produced by intoxication-inducing spores, just Kathryn’s opulent, mouth-watering fragrance of caramelised spiced-sugar—
“Do I smell?”
He blinked at her then crashed back into the here and now from an unprecedented sensual thrall.
“What? No! No, I—”g’Nel your scent is—“What is it you wanted to discuss with me?”
Her eyes na
rrowed, her lips parted as if to speak, she took a breath then held it.
“I would very much like to know what is on your mind, Kathryn.”
Pride filled him at this display of charm. Perhaps he hadn’t forgotten how to cajole a woman after all this time.
“What’s on my mind is that I’m wondering what you’re up to.”
Pits! Regroup, regroup.
“I admit that you were right and have more than earned and deserve my respect.” That was certainly true. He mustered his most appealing smile. It sat a little unpractised on his lips. “Are not my manners sufficient?”
“I see.” She stared down at her cup then glanced back up at him. “You couldn’t just apologise?”
He gazed at her, nonplussed. “Isn’t that what I’m doing?”
With fluid grace she sat cross-legged on the cave floor before him, never spilling a drop of her drink. “Then I accept your apology, T’Hargen, thank you.”
He inclined his head towards her. “The fault was mine.”
She took a sip of her drink, closed her eyes and a look of pure bliss softened her features. Her throat worked a swallow and his gaze locked on the burnt-caramel of the flawless skin of her neck.
How soft would it be to my touch? Would she shiver as my lips nibbled over her?
“I’ve stumbled across something . . . odd.”
Shock jolted through him and he slammed back to reality from his bizarre daydream. He focused.
The moment we return I will undergo a superior medical. Perhaps the couch missed some anomalous aphrodisiac I inhaled at the Bluthen camp.
“Odd? In what manner?”
“I was given to understand that this moon has never been colonised by a sentient species.”
He shrugged. “As far as our records indicate, that is correct, yes.”
Kathryn lifted her chin towards the inner cave. “Well, down there I came across not only TL, but what appears to be banks of computer-managed machinery. Including a food processor”—a grimace of distaste flashed across her features—“of sorts. They don’t appear to be operational.”
“The machines and”—he flicked his gaze at the drone—“it could have been left by someone passing through. Discarded them as useless.”
The thing’s armament began to glow.
“Kathryn, I must warn you that if the drone attempts to fire upon me again, I will respond accordingly.”
He fingered the laser strapped to his upper thigh to underscore his intent. Kathryn’s focus shifted to the contraption. She lifted a hand and ran a finger down the back of the thing’s fuselage. Displeasure simmered through him and he squashed a desire to smash the drone into the nearest rock wall. She should not jeopardise her well-being by associating with the unidentified object. It could be programmed to assassinate for all she knew.
“I suppose your assessment of the machinery in the caverns could be correct, but it appears to be quite established. TL doesn’t know anything about it. His memory core has very little data. I got the impression there’s a lot more down there than what I saw and”—she cast him a quick glance—“this is going to sound peculiar, but it feels old. Ancient even. I want to investigate it.”
So that is what she meant by being a companion for a while.
He mulled it over. It couldn’t hurt to make a show of examining her find, allow her a few hours to indulge this interest before urging her away. He would be there to ensure she didn’t endanger herself, possibly even separate her from this drone whose agenda had yet to be revealed. He was fairly certain it was AI, possibly an ASI, and he did not trust this dubious allegiance it had forged with Kathryn. Perhaps the opportunity would arise to discover its origins and purpose.
And perhaps Kathryn would be grateful enough for his compliance to consider his ‘request’ with an open mind when he broached it afterward.
“If you don’t want to do it,” Kathryn continued, “perhaps you could suggest someone? Corporal Dovzshak has an interest in archaeology hasn’t he? I could ask Sandrea if he’d be interested and available.”
Something unpleasant clawed through T’Hargen’s gut.
Corporal Dovzshak can lick my— “That won’t be necessary, I would enjoy exploring with you. What do you have in the way of provisions?”
“I have enough for another week.” Her gaze ran over his shoulders and his spine straightened in response. He shook his head in irritated bewilderment.
I really must prioritise that medical.
“We could try the food replicator if you think we need more,” she suggested.
He brushed that aside without consideration, having already decided the outcome of this exploration, but some gesture towards her concerns would not go astray. “We’ll assess the situation today and consider our options after that.” An expression of flint flashed through her eyes. “If that’s satisfactory with you,” he added.
She inclined her head. “That will be fine, thank you. You said it was of some importance that you speak to me, what do you need?”
Your word to obey my every command? “Time enough for that later.”
~ ~ ~
Kat focused an assessing gaze on T’Hargen for a long moment.
Time enough for that later? Really? What changed between demanding to speak with me on the instant, and now?
She mentally shrugged the cryptic transformation aside. It would be a sure bet that T’Hargen would not tell her until he was ready, not even under duress. She drained her drink and rose.
“I’ve got a length of telescopic mono-rope that will extend to five hundred feet with a breaking strain of a thousand pounds.” She rinsed her mug and returned it and her camp stove to their proper places. “And I’ve been digitally recording my journey. I could show you what I found down there, but I’d rather you saw it with your own eyes.”
“As you wish, Kathryn.”
T’Hargen grabbed her backpack and slung it across one of his broad shoulders. She stared up at him. Confusion, admiration, suspicion, all mulled about in her mind.
What’s really going on here? A sudden thought illuminated her thinking. Oh, I get it. He wants something from me and thinks by cooperating I’ll be more in a frame of mind to acquiesce. For some odd reason, which she wasn’t prepared to analyse, her silly heart deflated a little.
Her gaze took a scenic tour of his big, brawny body, down the long length of his muscular thighs, back up to . . . Her brain snapped back to operational.
Don’t be an idiot, Kathryn Holden, you know he’s not interested in you in that way. He’s made that quite clear. So, what other reasons could he possibly want time from me? Something to do with the Brain Machine Interfaces the Bluthen forced the abductees into? Maybe.
“TL, lead the way, would you? And give us some light.”
Her new friend beweebled acquiescence, then twin miniature spotlights carved into the dark of the tunnel. T’Hargen seemed disinclined to view the rock carving when they passed it, nor did he evince any interest in the bioluminescent creatures when she shared her experience and speculation about them.
As though he just wants to get this over and done with then pursue whatever he’s after.
At least TL thought they were interesting. She led T’Hargen over the stone bridge, which he eyed with curiosity, but made no comment, then into the cavern flooded with golden light.
“These”—she waved her hand at the light sconces—“were tinted teal. They changed colour after I touched them.”
T’Hargen whirled on her. She took a step back. TL shot between them, lasers glowing, the low, menacing sound vibrating from him amplified by the dome of the cavern.
“You touched them?” T’Hargen demanded, his outraged scowl hard on her and apparently ignoring the threat of her friend. “Why would you do such a thin
g?”
She put out a hand and ran a gentle fingertip down the spine of TL’s fuselage. “Shh, shh,” she crooned, “it’s just T’Hargen’s way. He wouldn’t hurt me.”
I’d bust his balls if he tried, even if he is a big bastard.
She sent T’Hargen a reproving glare. “Humans often use touch to connect them to the world around them.”
“You will refrain from such reckless action.”
His eye-ridges lowered and steel hardened his adamant gaze.
Perhaps this wasn’t such a great idea.
With a determined struggle she clamped down on the anger this man seemed to so easily provoke.
“TL, please move to my side.” After a small hesitation, her friend obeyed then she turned to T’Hargen. “Believe it or not, T’Hargen, I managed to stay alive through quite an incredible ordeal simply by using my wits.”
Great, now his cranial ridges are swelling. I’ve pissed him right off. No wonder he didn’t accept my invitation to a relationship after we first met, doubtless the thought horrified him. “Perhaps it would be best if I pursue this with someone else. You don’t seem comfortable here.” With me.
“There is no need for that, Kathryn. I . . .” His chin lifted a fraction and his tiger-iron jaw scales glinted in the light like polished gemstones. “It is simply that I care for your welfare.”
Yes, I’m sure you do. If only I knew the reason why . . . “I know my confidence rubs you the wrong way—” A noise came from T’Hargen like the cross between a growl and a gargle. “Are you alright? Are you choking on something?”
Alien, Awakening (Alien, Mine Series Book 2) Page 5
