The right warrior backing you.”
Drak took a step closer to Tirin. “Can you say the same, Endlander? Can you protect her or do you want her to rut and breed like the rest of them?” Keer was amazed to see a glimmer of moisture in Drak’s eyes. “There will be no breeders here human warrior.” Cian spoke through clenched teeth. “Keer Teho is our mate. We go where she goes. If she chooses to hunt, so be it. She hunts with us.”
“Wait a gods-damned minute!” Keer was still absorbing the idea
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that her mother had called upon a man to protect her when she knew of her innate fear of them. “You never touched me, Drak. And you knew. Why didn’t you take me when the peak came and tortured me?”
All her theories of males and fears rested here on the answer of a man who had known he could imprison her but had chosen not to.
Drak reached out to her, touching her face gently. “It was not for wanting you, Keer. Every warrior, hunter, or bondsman would want you. But it was not just my choice to make. It was yours. “
Cian’s hand itched to remove the human’s touch from Keer’s skin but he could feel her fear fading as Drak spoke. In this moment the human bondsman did more for the triad than he or Tirin could ever hope to achieve.
“Commander, I would strike him now.” Tirin request was pathed, searing in his ill-concealed anger. Cian shook his head slightly.
“Let him finish, Lieutenant. For our mate’s sake.”
Keer reached out to Drak, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him fiercely. Cian and Tirin growled simultaneously. “Thank you, Drak. I want you to know.” She looked up at him her own tear-filled eyes. “I did consider it, but, we…we were such good friends. It just worked so well….and hunter’s balls, Drak!” She began to laugh, her shoulders shaking. “You were the only man I could trust. I didn’t want to take to your bed and find out I couldn’t. It would have changed things.” She shook her head as she released him from the bear hug.
Drak, bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Cian reacted quickly giving him a sharp shove, which Tirin followed, nearly sending him into the wall.
Regaining his balance, the bondhunter stood hands on hips and asked “What goes here, Keer? You can’t stay in this red dirt planet.
You have wings on your boots like any hunter.”
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“I told you. Drak. I have to stay with them.”
“But you don’t have to stay here. If you keep her here, you’re no better than the Terran freak hunters that trap breeders.” “You do not hear well, Drak Voi.” Cian’s tone relaxed now that Keer was back at his side, his lieutenant watching over her. “There are other warriors here to protect the Endlands. Tirin and I stay with Keer. Wherever she chooses to go.”
“I, well, I’m not sure. I don’t really even know this place. I’ve spent most of my time in chambers.” Her words stuttered as Cian pierced her with his gaze. “I was hurt, freak hunter.” She added for Drak’s benefit.
Cian’s eyebrows raised. Evidently Keer was going to leave out the details of what she had been doing the last three days in those chambers. Cian interceded. “The next freighter will not return from Etah for many days, Drak Voi. Stay with us and you will see that we do not mistreat our mates.” Cian extended his hand to Drak in formal salute and they grasped arms in the fashion of warriors.
“I’ll stay. And you can bet a hunter’s balls I’ll be watching.”
Tirin’s grin finally fell back into place. “But not this hunter’s balls, bondsman!”
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Chapter 10
“Your mind is too full, small hunter,” Tirin pathed to her as they lay in front of the fire in their shared bedchamber.
“We can take that worry from you, my mate.” Cian moved his leg between hers and rolled toward her on the large bed.
“No. I do need to think without being stroked by you two endless fountains of sex.” She patted them both absently and mulled over the coming freighter. She was going to miss Drak. She had gone months before without contact while chasing some elusive runner across the stars, but this would be different.
Keer sighed. Drak, Cian and Tirin had formed an alliance. Their one solid goal seemed to be agreeing on the two warriors watching over her.
“We can keep him here if it disturbs you, Keer.” Tirin was matter-of-fact. She looked from his gold stare to the pale blue of Cian’s eyes and began to laugh.
“You would do that, wouldn’t you? Lock him in the brig for me? I believe you would, Endlander.” She shook her head and rose from the bed, grabbing Tirin’s green dressing gown. She paced the chamber, watching the fire leap in the deep wall.
“He has a business to run, a business I used to be part of.” She frowned and looked at the red stone floor then began to pace again, the frown deepening.
Cian and Tirin watched her silently. “This is a problem Commander. She is unhappy. That cannot be. I do not enjoy this unhappiness.”
“We have a solution between us, Lieutenant. A life in the Endlands 88
will dry up our small Teruvian flower, I believe,” Cian added.
“We are needed here rarely, now that the Colony is developed, Commander. We watch and wait. The ranks grow. Even a healer is among us now.”
” I would see this Terran soil that grows such a beautiful flo—”
“Pear.” Tirin’s mental laugh returned. ” Devorian pear.”
The trio walked shoulder-to-shoulder into the galley to find Drak Voi. He sat, reviewing a star wire that a bot had placed before him, his dark eyebrows drawn together and an almost evil smile on his face. Keer recognized that smile. It meant he had news, and it was probably new business. Something good by the look of the near-smirk Drak carried.
“Good news?” she asked, knowing the answer.
Drak leaned back with his self-satisfied grin. “Been issued a challenge, bondsman. Seems we have a lost intelligence reporter last seen headed for the Agreeb out of the third port of Etah. Something you two Endlanders might be interested in.” Cian and Tirin watched, expressionless. “Our little Terran reporter snuck aboard the nasty prison ship looking for captured females trapped in the solitary hold.”
“She got onto the Agreeb undetected?” Keer was amazed. Not many could do that and live to tell the tale. “No Terran has ever been on the Agreeb to my knowledge,” she added mentally to the two hunters, both still expressionless.
“Going to have to send someone in.” Drak tapped the metal galley table and attempted to look as though he were pondering carefully.
“Now who would know how to hook the Agreeb in a sort of unsuspecting fashion? And of course, the bondhunter would have to have some muscle at their disposal.” Drak looked from Cian to Tirin and then sighed. “I’ll have to send in a couple of Nelds. Only warriors could do this kind of work.”
“Insults, Drak? I would think you could but ask.” Cian nearly smiled. Keer was watching the dark hunter carefully. The big warrior reached out to caress her shoulder gently. “My mate, it appears you
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have a mission and may have need of us.”
It only took Keer a Terran moment to realize that Drak Voi was asking her to work with him again.
She looked to the two warriors who now completed her and thought of a life with them. Rescuing Terran reporters wasn’t high on her list, but who else could board the Agreeb? It would be dangerous, nothing new to her, but with the assistance of her two mates she could go in assured of her own safety.
“We can do it, Drak. You know we can.” Drak tried to look doubtful but only briefly.
“Pack your gear, bondsman. You’re going in.”
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Chapter 11
Keer felt the lurch of the ship as it rose, casting a shower of red Endland dust across the horizon. Another security drone buzzed through the cargo bay.
“Etah, third moon from the planet provides supply ports and recreation bays for all Endland travelers featuring entertainment, c
redit gambling and automated pleasure for visitors. Consider visiting Etah for your recreation needs.” the drone sounded almost cheery at the prospect. “Return travel to Etah is not available.”
“My mate, perhaps we should consider a visit to Etah.” Cian’s pale eyes sparkled as he pathed to her and Tirin. Tirin smiled and waited.
Keer laughed, projecting warmth to the two big men. She shook her head firmly her gaze touching them both. “Hunters, you are all the recreation I need.”
THE END
http://www.lizacurtisblack.webs.com/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Liza Curtis Black has been writing fiction in various forms for many years until she discovered romantic erotica. Realizing she was addicted, she decided to attempt to write what she was reading and enjoying everyday. Lo and behold, Siren BookStrand loved her work as much as she delighted in writing it!
Liza lives in Midwestern suburbia where she cares for her astoundingly bright and witty husband, her two beautiful and gifted children and their noble and devoted pets. Her days are spent catering to lawyers and her nights are spent in lively discussion with her favorite editors, her sisters.
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Salvation for Three Page 9
