I was put out to realise I’d lost track of the herd, and hadn’t a clue where they’d disappeared to.
There were tracks in the sand, but they told me nothing about what direction they went in; not that I’d ever learned to read animal tracks.
Which direction is homebound?
Stalking forward, heedless, I near tumbled down a hundred foot dune then off a cliff that opened into an underground cave.
Ironically, the cave was the location of the waterhole and my missing herd.
So, I would have found them.
I’d just would have been broken, bleeding and clinging to life when I did.
Now, I appreciated that if I had been Rä, I would have felt the earth move different as I approached the crest of the mound.
I’d have taken more care with my footing, known not to trust my eyes in the moonlight.
But I was human, clumsy and distracted.
Stood at the edge of the precipice, my arms pin wheeled as I squeaked.
I tried to throw my weight backwards, but my centre of balance had changed.
Gravity took hold, tugging me forward as the sand gave way under my feet.
I skipped back trying to outrun the slippage, but it was a losing battle.
A wedge of bank gave, and I careened forward with a panicked scream.
Fiercely swooped in to save me.
He snagged my waist, hauled me into him then lunged free of the slippage as the ridge of sediment crumbled to avalanche down the chasm.
Fiercely landed sure footed on solid earth with me tucked to his armoured side.
He adjusted me into the pannier-like hold of his arms. “My Rä’Na.” He searched my face, brushed shaking claws over my flushed cheekbone. “You are unharmed?”
“Y-Yes.” I clutched his shoulders fighting to draw a full breath. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Thank you.” My heartbeat slowed, and my quivering eased. “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not freaking stoked to see you. Your timing is flawless.”
“I returned to the lair, found you gone then set out after you.”
Steadying, I gazed at him with admiration. “How did you find me all the way out here?”
“Warriors spend a solar with the Hunters Caste learning how to track.”
I studied the tick in his rigid jaw. “You seem angry.”
“Thsst!” was the beginning of a cutting lecture that turned the tips of my ears red, and had my eyes swimming with tears.
He carried me the whole way home, refusing to put me down when I struggled.
Embarrassing me in front of our gawking neighbours, he gave me such a stern talking to, I threatened I wouldn’t talk to him for a whole cycle.
Being towed around like a naughty child infuriated me.
“Let me go,” I cried. “Stop and let me walk.”
He did put me down when we passed through the haze, only to haul me through the lair, so fast, my toes barely touched the ground.
“Fool,” he barked keeping his hold firm and moving faster. “You never listen. Stubborn. Wilful. Stupid.” Holding onto my arm firmly, but not hurting, he pushed me down onto the soft bundle of the nest. He thrust his furious face in mine. “If I had not checked on you, we would be scraping your pulverised corpse off the bottom of the gorge.”
Don’t get me wrong, I was downright grateful he’d saved me.
I understood why he was angry.
I’d risked my life by being scatter-brained, and come close to having a seriously bad accident.
I wasn’t grateful for how he scolded me in front of the whole bloody world then forbid me from leaving the nest until I learnt to pay attention.
I was new to the planet, and needed time to adjust.
I was never going to familiarize myself with my new home, my way of life, hiding inside the lair all rotation, every rotation.
“Do not,” I spat, “treat me like that again. Do not speak to me like that.” I rose up on my knees then shoved his granite shoulder. “Ever.”
“How many times must I say, for you, it is dangerous out there.” He flung out two muscled arms, claws scratching an unseen jeopardy. “You are too weak to wander alone.”
Feeling imprisoned in what was supposed to be my sanctuary, pissed at the derogatory manner in which he spoke, and how he viewed me as weak, I refused to back down or apologise for exploring.
We had a yelling match that shook the walls.
When we didn’t come to a peaceful solution, or at least a compromise well into the night, Venomous intervened.
He asked me to take one of them with me the next time I felt the need to explore.
I grudgingly agreed.
He also demanded Fiercely back off, which put the other male in a vile mood.
That awful fight had been the night before, and Fiercely left before I apologised for my part.
I lay in the nest, courting a headache as my mind refused to quiet.
I replayed the ferocious argument over and over, wondering if we’d ever reach a truce.
Teary, I cuddled into a fur that held Venomous’ wood and ginger scent.
Another smelt peppery, of Fiercely, so I grabbed that too because as much as he pissed me off, I cared for him.
I rubbed my face against the musky fuzz, the texture caressing my cheek almost as soft as my males’ touch.
I had to make this work with Fiercely, and I had to shake off my reservations about the lesser mating.
The last thing I wanted was for Venomous and Fiercely to be seen in a negative light.
Talk and exaggerated rumours already circulated the entire freaking planet because they brought home an ‘ugly’ offworlder.
Taking part in the bonding ceremony not only solidified my place in their lives, but would prove to my doubters I was determined not only to survive on Rök, but thrive.
I’d been given time to acclimatise because I was pregnant and my mates didn’t want to stress me, but I knew each day that passed where I didn’t vocalise my readiness to become theirs in the eyes of their kindred wounded them.
Fiercely already felt unsure of his welcome with me.
That in itself caused me constant worry.
With him everything was tumultuous.
If he’d been the first Rä to claim me, we’d have been perfectly happy, I’m sure.
Upon meeting Venomous, it all would have gone to shit, because he was meant to be my primary mate.
There was room in my heart to love Fiercely, of course there was, but it pained me that as I originally suspected, he expected me to act as I did with Venomous, with him.
His expectations were wrong.
The idea he would never accept, and appreciate what we did have scared me.
I could see the lines of tension between him and Venomous when we were in the same room and I did something affectionate for one and not the other, which made me hesitant to offer anyone affection at all.
The last thing I wanted to do was pit them against each other, but I refused to divvy out touches and kisses just to keep things equal.
I needed to be free to express my love as and when the desire moved me.
I had yet to make love to Fiercely, and I didn’t see it happening anytime in the near future until he got over his jealousy.
Our first kiss set me afire, and I wanted him, badly, but I simply wasn’t ready to go there until I knew we connected as we should.
Speaking of not ready....
He, Cobra that Strikes’ face floated into my mind’s eye.
Huddling into the furs, I shuddered.
Fiercely mentioned the hunter would view me in a possessive light, as it was to be his duty to guard me, and care for me if my mates perished, but the way he acted when around me seemed too uncomfortable.
Yet instead of avoiding me, I had an inkling he sought me out....
He has a Rä’Na.
I kept this in mind whilst dealing with him, to soothe my fears, and keep my shameless ogling in line.
The whole thing was going to be a disaster.
I felt it, but no one believed me.
I sensed a hovering presence, and my eyes fluttered open, brows pulling together as my head lifted, so I could look around.
Gasping then recoiling, I peered into She, Venin Stings the Sweetest’s face.
What the Rä’Na was doing in my nest, I did not know.
I did not like it.
It was rude, and totally out of order.
Who marched into someone’s bedroom then boggled at them sleeping until they woke?
It was creepy and disrespectful, and something the majority of Rä would never entertain even if they didn’t like me.
But she was Venomous’ mother.
I felt obligated to carve out some semblance of a familial relationship.
Stifling a yawn with the back of my hand, I managed a tight smile that failed to reach my eyes.
“You will get up and come.” The older female stripped back the warm furs. “We will go now.”
Be the bigger person, turn the other cheek.
“Good morning.” At her contemptuous look, I revised that to, “Good rising.”
I coughed to clear my croaky voice, rubbed crusts of sleep from the innermost corners of my hooded eyes.
All that sand.
I often woke with dry eyes and a sore throat.
“I didn’t expect you,” I said.
Hazy from sleep, I took a moment to move my thoughts beyond my dislike of her.
“Did Venom or Fiercely leave me a message before they left?” I asked.
“Up.” She slapped at my legs, stinging them. “Up.”
Rubbing the abused area, I gritted my teeth.
Wanting to please my mate by getting his mother onboard with our relationship, I did as asked, without cursing, and unpacked the softsuits Venomous bought me at the market from the trunk at the foot of the nest.
I asked, “Would you mind if I bathed?”
“There is no time. You are going to make me late. Get dressed.”
“Want to get out?”
“Do you have something to hide? More disfigurements? Is your body as unsightly bare as it is clothed?”
Counting to ten to give a violent wave of anger a chance to diminish, I dragged the shift I slept in off then chucked it to the floor at her feet.
A flattering shade of taupe, the softsuit I donned, made in the clinging fabric the Rä preferred for casual wear, accentuated my creamy brown skin.
The simple lines and colour really worked for me.
The design and fabric were practical in nature, yet I looked curvaceous and elegant.
I fluffed my springy hair, hoping it didn’t look too wild then glanced at Venin Stings the Sweetest.
She hadn’t spoken in a full minute, so unlike her.
She loved the sound of her own voice.
The older Rä’Na stared, dark gaze crawling up and down me.
As we were alone, she didn’t bother hide her disdain. “My son says you are beautiful to his brille. He calls you exotic.” She spat the word, as if it tasted foul. “You are attractive to your species?”
I thought about that.
Be honest, or exaggerate in hopes of impressing her? “I’m average.” And happy with myself fuck you very much.
I’d never felt self conscious about my big hair, curvy body and skin colour.
I wasn’t about to start, no matter how strange these people found me.
Venomous and Fiercely saw something in me they considered beautiful.
That was all I cared about.
“Rä look identical to the human eye at first,” I said hoping to steer the conversation in a less antagonistic direction. This female will not break me. “There are differences obvious to you that weren’t to me. It’s becoming easier for me to recognise people at a glance. Human skin tones are much more, uh, divergent in shade, but less in colour. Same with our hair, eyes, body shapes.”
“You are fat heavy.”
One could never accuse her of not speaking her mind.
“I suppose, to you, I am. Humans can be very fat or thin. Females carry extra weight on their breasts, thighs, hips and bottom.” Basking in the growing warmth I felt while thinking of the miracle Venomous and I created against the odds, my hand fluttered up to rest on my middle. “Because we carry children.”
Following the motion of my hand, Venin’s face curdled.
She shuddered. “Your skin is sticky to touch and colours oddly.”
“I sweat,” I replied my face tight.
It gladdened me she skipped saying anything derogatory about my baby.
I wouldn’t hold back if she went there.
It’d be awkward for Venomous to come home, and find his mother passed out on the floor because I’d screamed in her ear.
“I know that’s bizarre to you,” I said, “but it’s how my body works. It’s how I don’t overheat in the sun. As for my skin.” I shrugged. “Again, humans come in all shapes, colours and sizes. Most are a nice mix, and fall somewhere in-between each end of the scale. We don’t all look muscled as Rä do. In fact, few do. We’re predisposed to carry fat from our hunter-gatherer ancestors.”
Venin Stings the Sweetest hissed.
The crackling quality to the sound was disparaging.
I wished I could go back to not hearing the subtle differences in the sounds my new family made.
It’d be easier to ignore the ones that barely tolerated me then.
Making a grumpy noise, I crossed my arms, expression sullen and stance defensive.
I waited to be told why I’d been ousted from the cosy nest that smelt like my males. “Is there somewhere we’re meant to be going, or something you’ve planned where I’m needed?”
I didn’t want to be disrespectful or seem rude, I was rising above it, but I was sleepy, and had a double helping on my plate.
I needed thinking time to obsess over my nightmare bonding ceremony.
Something else important came to mind.
“We have to be quick. Singing Water is coming just before second moon to give me a cooking lesson, and I’ve slept most of the morning away.” I smiled thinking of Cobra that Strikes’ mate. “I have no idea how to prepare most of the food, and she offered to help.”
“Your plans with She, Singing Water have changed.” Venin waved an imperious hand. “You have no need to learn such things. Use the Sylphs.”
“I’m not yet comfortable with the Sylphs. None stay here, so, my plans with Singing Water are important and have not changed.”
The matriarch looked disgusted. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, but–”
“Then we will go.”
I gave her palm. “Let me holocall Singing Water first. Then we can go.”
Aggravated by her high-handedness and lack of respect, I stomped past before she replied.
In the living enclosure, I used voice control to navigate the communications matrix as Fiercely had demonstrated during my first cycle.
You could tap the screen, or issue mental commands, but the former made me miss my Earth gadgets, and the latter gave me headaches if I did too much too often.
Itching my scalp, I hoped Singing Water would see how sorry I was to change our plans last minute.
The dainty Rä’Na appeared in life size before me in full shape and colour.
I adored Rä technology.
It looked and sounded as if she were in the room with me.
“Lumen of the Stars.” Singing Water gave me a mystified smile. “Is all well?”
“Yes. Good rising. I wanted to let you know our cooking lesson might have to be pushed to tomorrow if I’m not back from.... Uh....” I turned to look over my shoulder at Venin Stings the Sweetest who floated into the room behind me. “Where are we going?”
“To meet a trader at the spaceport,” she replied without her usual spew of rancour. “He owes me jewels. I thought to take you along, show you the sights.”
I mad
e a face. “Isn’t Rök a closed world?”
“Approved traders may land to refuel. Such is a stipulation for being registered to the Intergalactic Alliance. Our laws say offworlders who use this service cannot leave the spaceport.” Her thin lips winched into a stiff smile. “My Rä’Vek mentioned you dislike being sequestered all rotation, and how your mates must accompany you outside the lair.” Another haughty hand gesture. “As they are busy until third moon, I merely thought to relieve your boredom before your hatching traps you nesting.”
“Oh.” I blinked. “That’s actually nice. Thanks.” Surprised, I turned back to Singing Water and opened my eyes wide. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” she was quick to reply with a flighty movement of her claws.
Disappointed, I slumped.
I’d been looking forward to spending one on one time with a Rä female that didn’t hate me.
My males wanted this Rä’Na’s Rä’vek to be my lesser mate, and I was dying to get to know her better.
Maybe we’d end up being friends rather than just acquaintances.
No harm in being hopeful, right?
“I know.” I gave a little jump and clap. “Why don’t you come with us. We can go to the spaceport then go to lunch, and then shopping.”
Singing Water and Venin Stings the Sweetest exchanged a look.
The younger female broke away first. “Unfortunately, I cannot,” she murmured her face lowering. “She, Venin Stings the Sweetest commed me at first moon with your change of plans. I amended my day. I am going to the market with Cooler Sky who is visiting from the West. I have kindred there who left my home province when I was a hatchling. I am eager to see Cooler Sky.” Her voice dropped quiet. “Sincerest apologies, She, Lumen of the Stars. Perhaps there will be another time.”
“Of course there will be. No worries.” I smiled big to reassure her and hide my distress. “It’s my plans that changed after all. Well, good parting.” Before I could wonder if her stricken look was real or a figment of my imagination, the call ended, and the hologram winked out.
An a’Rä I didn’t recognise passed through the haze bringing with it a trail of sand and hot, fruity air.
It ignored me, and addressed Venin Stings the Sweetest. “What is taking so long?” A short glance at me. “The planetary shield cannot remain deactivated for long. We must not miss them. They land within two-span.”
Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) Page 38
