Hinekiri

by Shelley Munro

  Hinekiri let her imaging machine fall against her chest, her violet eyes narrowing. They exchanged a glance full of meaning along with a couple of silent questions.

  “I’d bet it’s something to do with Killer and Harry,” Richard said in a grim tone, voicing what they were both thinking. Wasn’t it bad enough that he harbored an alien? Harbored—hell, embraced fitted the scenario a little better. “I think Killer and Harry are hiding something.”

  Hinekiri started back down the track. “Don’t worry,” she chirped. “I have ways of making creatures talk.”

  Richard remained frozen for a bit longer, studying the feminine sway of her hips while replaying her words. Ways of making creatures talk. Shit, that didn’t sound good. Then he considered the idea again and figured Hinekiri needed some sort of protection when she traveled to uninhabited planets and explored unknown worlds. He scowled as he started after her. He hoped like hell that he never upset the beautiful alien. He’d hate to discover exactly what those methods of making creatures talk entailed.

  The return journey to the Land Rover took half the amount of time since it was downhill and they didn’t stop to gawk. Puffs of red dust rose with every step. Richard sneezed and paused to wipe his face and eyes. He really hoped those rain clouds delivered. When he opened his eyes, Hinekiri was wrenching open the rear door of the Land Rover and growling at Killer and Harry.

  The astonished look on the driver’s face told Richard that he’d better run interference.

  “Hi, Samuel,” Richard said, breathing heavily because of the rapid sprint across the last few meters of track. “Where are we going next?”

  “We can eat or go back to the lodge,” Samuel said. “The sun is higher now. Most animals are active at sunrise and sundown.”

  “Lodge,” Hinekiri snapped, breaking off her spate of growling and barking for an instant.

  Richard heard the odd barked word here and there but didn’t get the full picture. He rounded the Land Rover and opened the door. The stench made him stagger back a couple of steps in desperate need of fresh air. He took a deep breath and stepped closer. The smell was incredible—a mixture of putrid dead-animal and wet animal fur with a touch of sulfur.

  “Killer and Harry were hungry. They ate breakfast without us.”

  The whistle of air followed by a whiff of sulfur made Richard’s eyes water. What the hell was the driver going to think?

  Hinekiri pushed Killer across the backseat and climbed inside. She wound down the window and stared straight ahead, waves of palpable anger pouring off her.

  “What’s going on?” Richard whispered.

  “Tell later,” Killer barked an instant before the driver climbed inside. His nose twitched and he cast a startled, wide-eyed look over his shoulder before winding down his window.

  “The animals went swimming,” Hinekiri explained, her voice charming and totally different from the tone she’d used only minutes before.

  The driver nodded and started the Land Rover. They bounced down the dusty track, gears grinding and a plume of dust billowing behind to mark their departure.

  Richard hoped the journey back to the lodge would be a bit quicker than the outward one. He breathed through his mouth in an attempt to avoid the stench coming from the rear.

  “We will help you clean the interior of the vehicle,” Hinekiri said.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Samuel said. “I will clean. It is my job.”

  Richard scowled in Killer’s direction. If the dog had been capable, Richard would have demanded the creature help Samuel clean the mud and stench along with the trail of broken eggshells. It appeared their breakfast boxes had included a hard-boiled egg. Another whistling fart signaled the arrival of a sulfurous cloud. Richard gagged. Bloody hell. The terrible twosome had some explaining to do.

  Samuel pulled up in the car park instead of in front of reception. Richard didn’t blame him in the slightest.

  He climbed from the passenger seat and gulped in a huge lungful of clean air. His gaze met Hinekiri’s over the top of the vehicle. “I’ll go and help Samuel.”

  “Thanks,” Hinekiri said. “I’ll interrogate these two.”

  It was an hour later that Richard entered their cabin. “Hinekiri, I’m back.” He could smell the stench wafting from him and he unbuttoned his khaki-colored shirt as he moved to the bedroom. He dropped his jacket on the tiled floor and added his shirt to the pile. His trousers followed next then his underwear. Naked, he crossed the bedroom and entered the en suite. “Hinekiri,” he called.

  When there was no answer, he opened the shower door, flipped on the water and stepped inside. Hinekiri’s collection of girly soaps sat on the ledge inside the shower. Richard grabbed one and lathered, uncaring if he smelled like flowers for the rest of the day. Anything was better than the stench of the river mud. He washed his hair, face and body until the water ran clean. He had no idea how two small animals had created so much mess in the back of the Land Rover. Thank goodness he’d stayed around to help Samuel. A good bloke.

  Samuel had regaled him with legends told to him during his childhood of hyena men, clever elephants and shy giraffes. Despite the hard work involved with cleaning, Richard wouldn’t have missed the experience for the world.

  He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and wiped the droplets of water from his body. “Hinekiri?”

  No reply. Shrugging, Richard padded through to the bedroom and pulled out a clean pair of shorts and a shirt. After pulling on underwear, he hurriedly dressed and headed out to the verandah to see if Hinekiri and the animals were out there.

  “Hinekiri? Where are you?”

  “Out here, Richard.”

  The careful, almost strained note in Hinekiri’s voice brought a note of alarm. Richard slowed and stopped at the double sliding doors leading out to the verandah. Hinekiri, Killer and Harry stood in the middle of a ring of grinning hyenas. Hell! What did he do now? They didn’t have a weapon, not that he could do much with a gun. By the time he shot one or two, the others would be on the attack.

  “Richard, come outside.” Hinekiri’s voice was a trifle steadier this time.

  Frowning, Richard stepped into the open. Stormy clouds filled the skies and he could practically smell the rain. Not that the rain would save them. Feeling helpless, he walked closer, stopping where the steps led from the verandah down to a huge expanse of grass.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, working at maintaining a calm demeanor.

  Hinekiri glanced at Richard. “Harry’s family has been worried about him.” Her words started a spate of protests from Killer and Harry. “Quiet,” Hinekiri snapped.

  “But we done nothing wrong,” Killer barked. “Eh, Harry?”

  Harry’s unevenly pitched howl sent a shiver racing down Richard’s spine. It was eerily reminiscent of the laughter of a demented soul. His howl started a series of whoop-whoop howls from his family.

  “What the hell is going on?” Anger laced Richard’s voice when what he really felt was clammy fear. His palms sweated and he clenched his hands to fists to halt the fine tremor of terror. Cops and especially Kiwi cops didn’t show fear. Ever. But it was a bit different when it was Hinekiri facing danger. In that moment, he realized that what he felt was love. The faithless emotion had crept up on him. He…hell, what the fuck was he going to do?

  “It seems Harry has a little secret.” Hinekiri’s face was serene but the toothy grin he’d come to enjoy was absent, which told Richard she was worried.

  Richard’s gaze speared to the tense purple dog, standing shoulder to shoulder with Harry. “Did Killer know?”

  “Of course know,” Killer barked.

  Richard glared at the dog in silent challenge. Sarcasm didn’t become the spotted creature. “Why didn’t you tell us if having Harry around was going to put us in danger?” He caught Hinekiri’s gaze but she gave him a silent shrug. She hadn’t known either.

  A flash of movement on the far side of the hy
ena circle caught Richard’s attention. A blonde hyena with light brown spots sashayed through the gap and into the center of the circle.

  Killer growled low and mean, her hackles rising. The fur along her spine rose until she appeared larger.

  The blonde hyena grinned and they traded glares, neither willing to back down.

  Now what? Richard moved closer, hoping an opportunity would present itself so he could grab Hinekiri and get her out of danger. A hyena’s jaw was extremely powerful.

  Killer plonked her butt on the dusty ground and raised her nose high into the air in an outright snub. “Livingston, I presume?”

  “Livi.” Harry copied Killer’s actions but wasn’t quite as rude.

  Livingston? Richard couldn’t help the snigger that escaped, but he soon shut up when every animal on both sides of the mystery argument glared at him.

  “If Prince Harry did not wish to mate with me all he needed to do was say,” Livingston said in a plumy English accent. “He did not need to run like a coward. Although why he would prefer you…” Livingston glanced at Killer and shook her head. “You’re purple. You stand out like a baboon’s backside. Useless during a hunt.”

  Killer growled, flashing a mouthful of teeth. “Not useless,” she snapped. “Black spots more stylish than brown. Brown common!”

  Richard felt his mouth fall open, and it wasn’t just because of the bickering animals. He’d thought he could communicate with Killer because she was an alien, but it appeared this new talent of his extended to Earth animals. Freaky weird. It was enough to turn a man vegetarian. He closed his mouth and shook his head. This was real. The hyena, Livingston spoke with an upper-class English accent. Shit, she sounded like the queen. Did they all talk? Harry hadn’t said a word.

  “Prince?” Hinekiri said, plucking the important information from the hyena’s carefully enunciated sentence and ignoring Killer’s snarls.

  “It was to be a joining of the clans—the Seren and the Gheti. In these times of trouble, we need strength in numbers. Our joining is necessary but the prince ran away.” Livingston strode across the circle, pushing through the outer rim of hyenas and padded up to Richard. She rubbed against his leg, uttering a hair-raising laugh when he flinched.

  Richard gulped, sucking in air. She smelled rather ripe and if he wasn’t mistaken, there were traces of blood on her muzzle. His attention wandered to the strong jaw and sharp teeth. They looked twice as lethal from close quarters. He wanted to back up but forced himself to stand his ground.

  Livingston’s rounded ears cocked toward him and she fluttered stubby lashes. “You look strong and brave. Maybe you join Gheti clan and help me rule.”

  One week ago, Richard would have presumed he was in the middle of a nightmare. A hyena certainly didn’t proposition a man during a dream. “Thank you for the suggestion,” he said, “but I am committed to Hinekiri.” That said, Richard strode confidently toward the ring of hyenas and brushed through a small gap to get to Hinekiri. He slid his arm around her waist and squeezed lightly.

  “My hero,” Hinekiri whispered, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

  The hyena commenced an excited chorus of whoop-whoops and the maniacal laughter that set Richard’s teeth on edge. It was a wonder they hadn’t attracted the attention of the guests in the neighboring cabin, although they were isolated being right at the end. Richard hadn’t met anyone else apart from in the reception area.

  Livingston followed and sat down beside Richard again. He felt her hot breath on his bare leg and wished he’d put on trousers instead of shorts. Maybe he wouldn’t tell Luke about the hyena’s proposition.

  Livingston gave one whoop-whoop and every hyena subsided. “This is your fault,” she yapped at Killer. “You will fix.”

  “Perhaps if you would explain the problem to us we would be able to help,” Richard said, using his best cop voice—stern and confident. A show of confidence went a long way, even though in this case it was a total fabrication. Hell, he had no experience in this arena.

  “We have a poacher problem. The rangers at this end of the park are clueless,” Livingston pronounced. “Or enmeshed up to their eyeballs. Either way, both of our clans are in danger along with most of the other animals.”

  “In danger how?” Hinekiri asked.

  “They take our skins. In the middle of the night and the early hours of dawn, they hunt with guns or trap. Some animals vanish. My mother,” Livingston said. “No animal is safe. Even the large animals like elephant and giraffe have suffered losses.”

  “Surely the rangers have noticed,” Richard said.

  “Maybe the rangers are involved,” Hinekiri countered.

  Livingston nodded, her eyes serious even though her mouth gaped in the ever-present grin. “If the situation does not improve, our clan will travel south or maybe east toward Ngorongoro. We cannot stay here and lose more family members.”

  “Harry not go with you. Wants to mate with your sister Stanley. They in love.” Killer gave a big doggy sigh. “Very romantic. Stanley have pups soon.”

  “You!” Livingston growled at Harry. “You’re the one.” She prowled toward Harry, issuing a hoarse ah-ah sound.

  Killer moved so fast her spots blurred. She placed her pale purple body in front of Harry and growled low and fierce.

  “That’s enough,” Richard snapped.

  “You can’t fight between yourselves,” Hinekiri said. “Not when you’re all in danger. This is the time to work together.”

  Livingston stopped and turned to face Hinekiri and Richard. “You have a plan?”

  “Yes,” Richard said.

  Hinekiri nodded vigorously.

  A smaller version of Livingston pushed through the ring of silent hyenas. She ran toward Harry uttering one excited whoop-whoop. “Harry. Harry! I’m just wild about Harry. And Harry’s wild about me.”

  Killer stepped aside to give the lovers a little privacy. They nuzzled each other with much laughter and whoop-whooping. Stanley’s belly was large and hung low to the ground. She was definitely in the family way.

  “Oh lord,” Livingston said. “They’re both loco. They deserve each other.” She turned to nail Richard and Hinekiri with a stern eye. “What’s your plan?”

  “It needs some refining. How about if we discuss the plan at nightfall?”

  Livingston regarded both Hinekiri and him with suspicion. Finally, she gave a clipped nod. “Very well. I find your terms acceptable. Platoon, stand down.”

  The hyenas melted away into the undergrowth and less than a minute later only Livingston, Stanley and Harry remained.

  “You let Harry and Stanley mate?” Killer demanded.

  “For a purple creature you have a lot of gumption,” Livingston said. “I wonder how you’d taste?”

  “You never find out,” Killer snapped.

  “Who is going to stop me?” Livingston countered.

  “I am,” Richard said. “Killer is our friend.”

  Livingston smirked. “Anything for you, big boy.” She barked a laugh at Stanley and Harry and moved off, the other two hyenas falling in behind.

  “I tired,” Killer said. “Need sleep. Have food when wake up.” She marched up to the verandah and walked two tight circles before collapsing in a round ball. She was snoring before they made it to the verandah.

  Chapter Ten

  “What’s your plan?” Hinekiri demanded once they were out of Killer’s hearing. The dog was remarkably quick when it came to waking up and she didn’t want her to overhear something and blurt it out at the wrong moment.

  “What’s yours?”

  “Fodo crap. You don’t have a plan either.”

  “No,” Richard admitted. “What’s a fodo?”

  “It’s a stupid bird that lives on Dalcon,” Hinekiri said absently. No plan. This wasn’t looking good. “We use its tail feathers for lots of things. Needles and pens.”

  “Hinekiri?”

  “Yes?” She turned to look at Richard and melted. Her hear
t did a distinct flip-flop and banged against her ribs.

  “We’ll think of something. Together.” His husky voice made her feel warm all over, as did the idea of working with him. They did pretty well as a team… Her grin turned sly. “I don’t suppose you’re in need of a snooze like Killer?”

  “Woman, you’re going to have to feed me first. I haven’t eaten since last night and I’m starving.”

  Hinekiri’s mood rose to giddy levels. “You and that dog have a lot in common.”

  One brow arched. “Our dislike of purple?”

  Hinekiri chuckled and tucked her arm under his. “You like my eyes.” She glanced at him and batted her eyelashes.

  Richard chuckled. “That is true. Violet is one shade of purple I adore. It looks good on you.”

  “I think so,” Hinekiri chirped. “Let’s go to the restaurant and grab a meal. I want to send Janaya a postcard, if I can work out what to do. I enjoy trying the local customs.”

  “You’ve come to the right person,” Richard said in a solemn voice. “I am the perfect person to help with local customs.”

  * * * * *

  “I thought you wanted to sleep.” The lazy gleam in Richard’s brown eyes belied any reluctance. His appreciative gaze swept up and down her naked body and the twinkle intensified when she straddled his hips then placed one knee to either side of his body. His penis rose and his lips kicked up into a rueful smile. “Maybe sleep isn’t on my mind either.”

  “Good,” she whispered, smoothing his hair off his forehead. The male needed a mane trim. “I came across a shop selling sex toys when I was waiting for you the other day.” A wave of excitement swept Hinekiri as she thought about experimenting with the items she’d purchased. She’d read the instructions and the toy sounded amusing. A vibrating condom that came complete with a paint set and other special attachments. She scanned the length of his body again. Richard was just as naked as she was, spread out flat on his back for her viewing pleasure.