Holding up one hand, Jill chuckled. “I’m familiar with strip poker. Actually, I’m damn good at poker if I do say so myself. You’re not going to enjoy being cold and naked while I’m completely dressed.”
“Oh, so confident, my mate. My foolish mate.” He nuzzled her neck and nipped her earlobe. “And you know if by some miracle from the goddess my loss was the result in our private tournament, you wouldn’t be able to resist the sight of me without apparel for long. Off would come your clothes without any need for me to win.” He cupped her breast through the tee shirt and bra, squeezing gently. At the same time he thrust his hips upward to emphasize his thickening cock. “So I win.”
Arms twined around his neck, she chortled. “How well you do know me. Let’s play a few hands and see how it goes. This cave isn’t warm enough yet for me to want to get naked, not even with the body heat you generate.”
“Fair enough.” He allowed her to slide off his massive thighs and sit cross legged on the floor, where she broke open the pack once he’d tossed it to her and began shuffling the cards. After he’d poured their tea into the sturdy mugs, he joined her and they launched into a lively game.
Aside from teasing each other as the wins and losses accumulated, they talked lazily about the issues facing them at Sanctuary Valley.
“Have you decided who is going to be your new enforcer, now that Reede has gone off to the Sectors?” she asked. “You haven’t said anything on the subject for a while now.”
“We’ve been busy, rescuing Daegan and his pack for one thing. But yes, I need to complete the selection process to settle the pack and take the extra workload off Mateer. He hasn’t been complaining of course but it’s a drain on him, being the father of a small child and the only enforcer for me.” Aydarr took the hand with a triumphant grin and gathered the cards for the next one.
Jill sorted through the dwindling contents of the backpacks and assembled a snack for them. “And your top candidates are who?”
Dealing the cards in movements too rapid to follow with the naked eye, he said, “Actually I’m thinking Kierce might be my top candidate, although Landon’s been moving up the dominance scale since the success of his last mission and since becoming mated. It’s interesting to see how several of the now-mated men have increased their status in our hierarchy. As if the fact of being claimed adds to their abilities and power in a way other Badari instinctively respond to.”
“I’m hardly surprised,” she said, hands on her hips. “Would the pack object to an enforcer who was one of Daegan’s men originally though?” She chewed her ration bar and considered the ramifications. “I know Kierce’s blood sworn to you now of course.”
“I might have three enforcers and therefore select them both. I wanted your opinion and I want to talk to Mateer about it a bit more.” As she sat down he enfolded her in a hug. “But nothing needs to be decided today.”
“And don’t try to see my cards,” she said with a laugh. “Listen to us, making a special effort to escape the valley and our daily concerns, yet here we sit, chatting about the pack politics.”
Aydarr shrugged. “It’s a huge part of who we are. As long as we don’t allow the pack matters to take over our entire conversation here, I enjoy bouncing the ideas back and forth.” He gave her a calculated leer, raising his eyebrows and reducing her to giggles. “When we’ve had enough of the cards and the conversation, I’m sure we can distract each other somehow, mate.”
The time passed companionably and eventually they did indeed retire to the sleeping mat for a leisurely session of lovemaking, followed by a late dinner. Eventually Jill couldn’t control her yawns anymore and prevailed on Aydarr to come to bed with her for the night. “I’ll be too cold without you.”
“We can’t have that.” Cheerfully he stripped and lay beside her, bringing her close. “Sweet dreams, mate.”
“I’ll settle for no dreams at all, or not remembering them in the morning,” she said, closing her eyes and getting comfortable.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Garrison, don’t zone out on me, trooper.” Harker waved one hand in front of her eyes and instinctively Jill flinched. She had to stop herself from taking a combat stance and going into self-defense mode on him, her reactions a little slow from living on a peaceful colony world for so long. Oblivious to his close call, the slightly out of shape deputy chief said, “Is my turbo synthometer bracket repaired yet or not? I need to send Mik out on patrol but not if the damn flyer can’t accelerate.”
She blinked. What the seven hells? How could she be on Amarcae Seven? And wasn’t Harker dead, on a harsh alien world? Jill stared at the interior of her workshop, which might appear messy to the untrained eye but which she’d set up for maximum efficiency when she arrived on this planet to take the Chief Tech job after leaving the service. “Sorry, Harker. I think I was uh daydreaming.” Rattled, she took a hasty swig from the coffee mug on the top of the tool box. The beverage was lukewarm but it gave her something to do and the jolt of caffeine would help.
“Not having a flashback or anything, were you?” Harker was in nosy cop mode now, eyes narrowed, as if he expected her to act out a combat scenario in the next minute.
“No, sorry, deep in thinking about tomorrow’s list of repairs. Your repair job is done. I’ll bill the department, no problem. If you want to take it now, that’s fine.” Jill retrieved the small unit from its temporary bin and handed it over.
“Hells, here comes that pain in the butt captain Aydarr,” Harker said, looking as if he’d like to spit but didn’t dare, not in her shop. “Damn guy is so fucking full of himself.”
Gazing past him, out the front door of her mechanic’s bay, which she’d left open today because the weather was so fine, Jill saw the imposing soldier headed toward the shop. “I thought you checked his credentials and it all was okay.”
“I sent the request to Sector Central but haven’t gotten a response yet. All the coms to Central are getting distorted right now, big solar storm, I guess.” He rubbed his chin. “Something about Aydarr and his crew doesn’t ring right to me. You keep a sharp eye out.” Harker hefted the repaired item as if it weighed a ton, gave her a playful salute and stalked toward the door.
“I’ll do that.” Jill sank onto her stool, rubbing her forehead. Her mind was fuzzy, as if she’d been drugged or in stasis. Had she really been dreaming? But the other place had seemed so real. Now she felt her cheeks flaming as she remembered the handsome captain on his way to see her now had figured prominently in the dream. Just because he’s a giant and the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen doesn’t mean I should be having detailed fantasies about him in the middle of the damn day. I’ve got work to do. As sternly as she was talking to herself, the unease didn’t fade.
Being on Amarcae Seven on a normal day was wrong.
She glanced outside, to see Aydarr in conversation with one of his men. The unusual squad of soldiers were all built on an oversized scale, although to her he was the standout. Landed a few weeks ago, presented their credentials and a set of orders to Harker, said they were a unit allied to the Sectors military, on some kind of secret official mission—although what Amarcae Seven could possibly have to interest a crack military unit like this one eluded her and she’d seen pretty much everything in her Special Forces days, up to and including Ancient Observer installations. Aydarr and his men kept mostly to themselves. What their mission might be was anyone’s guess.
Although Captain Aydarr had made an unusual number of excuses to run into her or visit her shop for repair or refurbishment of items which were only slightly worn.
He and his man were arguing now, with agitated gestures, although who in their right mind would stand up to Aydarr? He obviously commanded with an iron hand. Jill pulled the most recent piece of tech he’d dropped off out of the drawer, to have it ready if he did make it into the shop.
Oh and guess who just crossed the threshold. Her heart pounded and she licked her lips. Maybe if she played her cards right
she could get him to go out for dinner with her. Or to see a trideo at the local theater. “Afternoon, captain. I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
He drew the door shut behind him. The air in his vicinity crackled with tension and Jill could have sworn there was a golden glow in his eyes. She sat up straighter, her adrenaline rising, and adjusted her position slightly to put her hidden blaster more conveniently in reach. This might be a peaceful colony world but Jill didn’t believe in taking chances or being unprepared. Pointing at the now closed portal, she said lightly, “I kinda preferred the fresh air, if you don’t mind.”
Ignoring the hint, Aydarr came to the counter and leaned closer. Under his mass, the structure groaned and he straightened. His first words shocked her into silence. “This isn’t the right time for me to talk about what I feel for you, since the moment I first saw you. You wouldn’t understand anyway. I must be brief so we don’t fall under suspicion of those who watch. Get your sisters and leave the colony now. Get into the mountains if you can, steal a flyer if you must, but get out and hide.”
Barely able to form the words, she asked, “What’s going on?”
He shook his head. “I can’t stand by and watch you suffer what’s about to happen.” He reached out with one hand that had unaccountably developed lethal black talons and before Jill could move, he’d run his fingers through her hair and sliced off a lock. “Why I had to meet you here and now, the goddess only knows. I’m grateful but I want you to live. Get your sisters and run. Tell no one else.”
Pulling her closer, he kissed her on the lips, a caress more bittersweet than passionate. Jill was fully capable of avoiding an unwanted touch but she found herself melting into the kiss as if the two of them had done this together many times before. There was a twang in her chest, almost as if her heart had stopped and restarted. She jerked away from him and went for the blaster. Lining the barrel up with the center of his forehead, she said, “I need to know more before I try to find my sisters and evac on your mere sayso. What’s coming?”
Aydarr didn’t appear to be bothered by her weapon, merely nodding. “Good, I hoped you’d have resources. My men and I are an advance team, scouts for an enemy force the likes of which you can’t imagine. This place, this colony of yours has been chosen as the first to be attacked and utterly wiped off the face of the planet as a message for the Sectors. All will die, many in terrible ways.”
“But you had Sectors papers, a Sectors military ship—”
“Faked papers. Your sheriff, much as I loathe him, was right to be skeptical. My ship was hijacked and the original crew killed so I could use it for this recon mission. Please, we can’t do this discussion now—you have so little time and I must return to my duties. I sent two of my most trusted men to fetch your sisters and take them to your residence. Run from there as far and as fast as you can.” His eyes glowed but his handsome face was set in lines of sorrow as he tucked the lock of her hair into his pocket. “Believe me when I tell you those who hold my strings have powerful leverage over me. I can’t stray from my mission parameter. This colony is doomed. But I can save you.” Jaw clenched he looked away. “I’ll do my best to save the children where I can. Search them out after we’ve gone.”
Despite her training and years of combat experience, the room was spinning around her and her voice sounded far away as she spoke. “How do you know I won’t sound the alarm?”
“Because fleeing now as I’ve told you to do is the only way to save your sisters. Family first, am I right? You only have about an hour and if you do try to warn anyone else, I’ll have to advance the time of the attack.”
He turned his broad back to her, heedless of the weapon she still held and reached the door. As he put his hand on the control, she said, “Will I ever see you again?”
He paused and shook his head without looking at her. “Not in this life. Be well, Jill Garrison.”
* * *
GASPING, as if she couldn’t get enough air, Jill sat bolt upright, fist to her heart, which was pounding. Outside the faux cave, the storm raged on unabated. In the firelight, she could see Aydarr stretched out beside her. He must be deep in his own dream, not to have awakened when she came out of her odd nightmare. Quietly, Jill left the sleeping mat, grabbed her jacket and got herself a drink of water, taking the mug to the cave entrance and watching the downpour for a few minutes to let her heart rate settle into a more normal pace and hoped for the dream to fade.
If the enemy hadn’t decided to kidnap all of us from Amarcae Seven for experiments, is that how I would have met him? She shivered and cursed her own overactive imagination. But there’d definitely been an uncanny air to the dream, which had been all too real.
Surprised she’d managed to avoid waking her mate; Jill crawled under the covers and curled up beside him. Immediately he scooped her close, her back to him and spooned himself against her. Since this was how she preferred to sleep, she made a contented murmur, patted his arm, and closed her eyes. I hope I’m done dreaming for tonight.
Thunder rumbled outside as if to punctuate her thought.
* * *
AYDARR SAT INSIDE HIS HUT, sharpening the tip of his favorite fishing spear, anticipating the contest to come later in the day. This gathering of the clans was always an exciting time. Although the elders held the reins of tradition and ceremony tight, this was finally his time to shine and demonstrate why he should be the supreme chief. Examining the spear, he went to work to improve the symmetry of the tip. He knew his own worth as a warrior and a leader and he had idea upon idea for improving life for all the clans, once he was in charge.
Oh yes, he’d win the challenges and the goddess would select him.
And then he’d choose a woman to stand beside him. There were several likely candidates among the various clans gathered, although he had to admit none of them stirred his desires the way the woman who visited his dreams did. Slender, fierce, black hair framing a lovely face, a curvaceous figure, a warrior in her own right…But long for her as he might, he had to admit she wasn’t real and he needed a flesh and blood partner to make his rule successful.
The thatched door to his hut swung open and a woman stepped inside, a priestess by her garb, although he had a hard time seeing her face. Either she was intentionally keeping to the shadows or else the momentary flash of sunlight as she’d come inside temporarily blinded him a bit. He was sure she wasn’t anyone he knew. A high priestess from one of the over-mountain clans perhaps, who rarely attended the big gatherings, but which had come for this one, since a new high chief was to be chosen.
“How may I assist you, sister?” he asked, laying aside the spear and rising from the stool to make the sign of greeting and bow, as was proper when a priestess approached.
“You will be the high chief,” she said, her voice musical but oddly sad.
“The Great Mother willing, I hope to show my worth,” he said modestly but with confidence.
“Alas, you will have a short time to rule. There will be no mate, no sons or daughters to carry on your clan. Terrible times are coming to the people.”
The skin on his arms pebbled and a chill ran down his spine. Although she herself posed no threat, he rested his hand on the carved bone hilt of his belt knife “You speak a dire prophecy, sister. Have you warned the council of elder chiefs? We should prepare for whatever it is you’ve seen.”
She shook her head slowly. “Useless. Your world is going to end. The goddess has given this pledge, however. You will have descendants of a sort, not children you could ever imagine, but strong warriors in their own way, who will take revenge in their own time. The goddess will watch over them. When the time is right, she will bring the mate their chief—who will be blood of your blood—needs.”
He felt as if he should be on his knees, so dark was her tone. He believed her for her words rang utterly true, as if the Great Mother spoke directly to him. The image of the dream woman appeared in his mind’s eye for a fleeting instant. Was she then his d
escendant’s mate-to-be? “Why are you telling me this? What am I to do with this foreknowledge?”
She sketched a sacred sign in the air and it glowed like green fire. “Become chief. Fight hard. Endure as long as you can so the enemy will acknowledge you as the one they need and choose your heritage to preserve. The goddess will give peace and sanctuary to all her children here once their struggles in this world have ended. Never doubt that.”
“You speak riddles and mysteries. I don’t understand. Help me, give me more information.” Anger rose hot in his chest, mixed with a helplessness he was unaccustomed to feeling and which he loathed. “Who are we to fight? What weapons do the enemy have? When are they coming?”
“There is nothing more to be said. Know the Great Mother wishes your future was a different one for she loves her people dearly.”
As he stared, the woman dissolved into wisps of green mist and he was left alone in his hut, pondering his fate.
* * *
AYDARR SAT up with his talons and fangs deployed, ready for combat, but there was only the cave and his mate sleeping peacefully beside him. Swallowing hard, he decided not to awaken her, since she hadn’t stirred even with his violent escape from the dream.
Or was it a vision?
Whose vision then? Not his. The man in the dream wasn’t a Badari.
But the woman he dreamt of was Jill.
The knowledge gave him chills and he left the bed, pacing across the cave in unusual distress. He stopped to build the fire up again to have something to do with his hands. The vision lingered and disturbed him. Not too long ago one of his men had a vision of the ancestors but nothing in Landon’s account had been so disturbing as what Aydarr saw and heard. Landon had been happy and at peace after his experience.
Honeymoon for the Alpha Page 5
