by Octavia Kore
“Don’t be long,” Amanda told her as she walked out. “I’ll be waiting.”
Hades sat in the hall watching her as she took her purse from the little octopus hanger on the wall. “What’s up, best friend? Are you going to forgive me now?” The big cat hissed, grumbling as he turned his back on her. “Guess not.”
She stepped outside, closing the door quietly behind her before reaching for the weapon. It wasn’t anything too big, but it suited her. If the Venium were anything like the Grutex, manmade bullets and blades wouldn’t do much, but it might at least slow one of them down if she needed to retreat. Turning the safety off, Jun gripped the gun in both hands and kept it pointed toward the ground as she rounded the corner.
The faint blue glow was just visible behind the house, near the kitchen window where one of the taller shrubs was growing wild, obscuring her view. It grew brighter as she approached, and she adjusted her grip on the gun as she prepared to confront the threat. Amanda might have an alien bodyguard now, but in her family, they looked out for one another, and she wasn’t going to take any chances.
Chapter 2
Brin
A few days before...
The screen on his comm went black as he disconnected from the link with his brutok. The other male seemed a little battered and bruised, but he was alive and seemed well enough to travel the distance to the shore where they could be reunited. This okeanos was nothing like the one back home on Venora. Each time he drew the salty water across his gills, it left a distinctly polluted burning sensation within his lungs.
A small piece of the outer haul of the shuttle floated in the water next to him, and Brin groaned. He had known the look in Oshen’s eyes meant that trouble was on the horizon, but he hadn’t anticipated it would be quite so bad. Destroying an incredibly expensive shuttle on top of disobeying a direct order from their commander? Yeah, this wasn’t going to end well.
He looked at the sky above him, scanning the star-speckled expanse, and noticed the absence of Earth’s single moon. Somewhere up there was the Venium mothership, carrying hundreds of their people and one moody commander who was going to be furious when he realized what they had done. Brin grimaced as he thought about the punishment they were in for when the distress signal reached Vog.
I hope he doesn’t decide to leave us here to rot.
He should have known better than to let Oshen take the lead on anything like this. Brin grinned as he thought back on all the mischief they had gotten into as pups. None of his bad ideas had ever gone this awry, and he didn’t plan on ever letting his brutok live it down. Assuming Vog didn’t send them out the airlock.
This is going to infuriate Brega when it gets back to her.
Brin propelled himself through the water, refusing to linger too long on thoughts of how his dam would react or what he would have to put up with next time he saw her.
Tiny aquatic creatures darted out of his way as he swam. Fish, that’s what the data the Grutex provided them with called the little scaly things. He marveled at some of the similarities to the life forms found on his homeworld. The depths soon gave way to a sandy bottom covered in lush seagrass. Brin ran the tips of his fingers through it, taking a moment to watch it sway in the current.
Up ahead, the shadowy outline of wooden pillars was visible. Kicking off the grassy bottom, Brin surfaced quietly, taking in his surroundings. The water lapped at the shore and the wooden dock that jutted out from the stretch of land.
The night was silent, but Brin approached with caution. There were many land-dwelling animals on his homeworld that were incredibly dangerous, even to a fully grown Venium warrior. He had only read up on a few of Earth’s land species, but most of them didn’t seem like they would cause too much trouble if he were to encounter one.
A pained groan caught his attention just as the wind brought him the tangy smell of lifeblood. He recognized the scent of at least one of the injured parties, and it made his pulse stutter in fear.
Oshen.
Brin moved forward, treading water as quietly as possible as he approached the pillars of the dock. With his heart racing in his chest, he gripped the edge, pulling himself up slowly to check for any signs of danger.
The moans that drifted through the dense fog that had settled in brought a frown to his face. Was this Oshen? Was his brutok lying somewhere up ahead, bleeding out? Had the Grutex found him? Had he come too late? He swallowed down the lump that formed in his throat at the thought. No, these sounds were… different. He couldn’t say what, but something wasn’t right about this.
Curled up on the boards of the dock a few feet away from where he had climbed up was a large mangled mass. Oshen was a large male, but this was even bigger than him. Even so, Brin felt the urge to confirm his suspicions.
Loosening the tight grip he normally kept on his emotions, he allowed the blue light of his fushori to illuminate the darkness and sighed in relief when the mauve-colored exoskeleton of a Grutex warrior was revealed.
The male’s sloping head was thrown back in agony, and all six of his red eyes were glazed over. The plant-like tendrils that sprouted from his head moved along the ground around him as if they were reaching for something he couldn’t see.
A few of the blunt spikes that crowned his head had been broken off, and his chest and arms were covered in deep, nasty gouges that he knew had come from the deadly claws of a Venium.
Oshen must have fought this male and been injured enough to leave behind his scent. The Grutex’s lifeblood flowed from his wounds, pooling all around him as he struggled to breathe. He was strong, Brin would give him that, but he wondered why Oshen hadn’t ended the male when he had the chance.
Had he been too injured after the fight, and if so, where had he ended up? Brin readied himself to deliver the death blow, but distant voices stopped his hand. Someone or something was coming, and he couldn’t afford to be caught.
A strained laugh floated up from the dying Grutex. “They won’t allow you to live, Venium,” he wheezed as he struggled to breathe.
Brin snarled before darting around the male, fleeing in the opposite direction of whoever was approaching the dock. If the voices were this male’s recovery team, then he was correct; they wouldn’t let him live if they found him anywhere near their fallen warrior. He had more important things to deal with. Finding Oshen and getting them home was his priority, and he had no idea where to even start.
He ducked behind buildings and tried to stick to the woodline, weaving his way through what seemed to be a business district. There were few humans on the streets, but he took shelter beneath a massive gnarled tree, making sure to keep out of sight.
Each call he tried to make to the mothership and Oshen only ended with cursing nearly strong enough to make his dam blush. Something or someone was blocking the signal.
Brin smirked as he began tapping in coding on his comm. There were certain advantages to being a Havacker, like knowing how to slip through the tiniest crack in the walls they had erected even without his equipment. The little dot representing Oshen’s location popped up, and he pumped his fist victoriously.
Thank you, goddess!
He might not be able to reach Vog, but at least he could find his brutok and they could come up with a plan to get home together.
Present day…
Brin crept closer to the small human dwelling, picking his way through the small shrubs that lined the ground around the purple exterior until he could peek into the window. His fushori pulsed, lighting the way.
It had taken him far longer to reach the position than he had anticipated and he had feared for Oshen’s safety. Apparently, his worry was all for naught. His brutok stood across the room, shoulders pressed into the wall as he stared down at the dark-haired female at his side.
His mouth nearly dropped open in surprise when he watched his friend run the clawed tip of his finger over the little female’s jaw. The foolish smile Oshen wore plastered on his face told Brin everything he needed t
o know.
It was exciting and completely terrifying to see someone so close to him with that look of utter adoration in their eye. He leaned back, puzzling over the fact that they had been separated for only a few Earth days and already Oshen had found a human female.
Annoying little insects buzzed near his ears, attacking him with tiny needles that extended from their faces. How in the world did the humans put up with this? He swatted at them in an attempt to dissuade the pests from landing on his unprotected upper body.
“I am not food,” he hissed.
Something hard and cold pressed against the back of his neck, and Brin went still.
“Who are you?” The sound of her hurried words caused a shiver to rush up his spine. “Only perverts hide in bushes. I’ve never met a pervert who put on a light show, though.” Brin glanced down and noticed his fushori was indeed still glowing. He hadn’t been this uncontrolled in many years. Having a warrior for a dam meant you learned quickly how to hide your emotions and the physical reaction they caused so you didn’t give yourself away to the enemy. So much for that. “What are you doing here?”
“Which question would you like me to answer first?” he teased, but the increased pressure of whatever she held pressed into his skull let him know she wasn’t amused.
“What are you doing creeping through the bushes and staring into windows?” she asked again.
“I’m looking for my brutok. We were supposed to meet somewhere, and he disappeared before I arrived.” The pressure didn’t ease. “I believe the Grutex are blocking our comm signals, but I was able to trace him to this dwelling.”
“Brutok?” He could almost hear her mind working. “Fishboy used that word earlier. Do you know Oshen?”
“Did you call him Fishboy to his face?” Brin grinned, imagining the utter indignation Oshen would have felt and wishing he could have been there to witness it.
“I did.”
He laughed, but was silenced by the click that emanated from the weapon she held to his head. Probably not the best time for humor, but he hadn’t ever been very fond of taking things seriously. Why start now?
“I wouldn’t laugh, Glowworm.”
Brin’s chest swelled with pride. This fierce female had bestowed an endearment upon him. Never had his fushori lit with such radiance.
“I am not your enemy. If you lower the weapon, we can talk this through.” He raised his hands to show her he was unarmed. “I only want to retrieve Oshen and be on my way.”
“Yeah, thing is, I can’t really let you do that. The woman in there with him is my best friend. Your brutok told her that he believes she is his mate and instead of thinking he’s bat shit crazy she’s convinced that he’s telling her the truth. So, even though I’m still a little iffy on the whole thing and I’d love to strangle him with my bare hands, I’m not going to let either of us ruin this for her.”
The weapon that had been pressed against him only seconds before fell away suddenly.
Brin spun around to argue, but stopped short when he got his first glimpse of the fiery female. She was tiny, barely coming to the middle of his chest, with jet black hair that was twisted into a long braid. The blue of his fushori glowed off of her smooth, tanned skin, and her expressive dark eyes narrowed on him.
She was beautiful, and she looked as dangerous as a shayfia, one of the vicious apex predators from his homeworld. They looked sweet, like the fawns from Earth’s database, with four thin legs and a long, willowy tail. Instead of the large ears found on the Earth creature, the shayfia had fins and fleshy ribbons that hung from its head. Four bisected gills lined its long neck, flaring open in warning just before the beast split down the middle to better consume its prey. Her innocent allure was already working its magic on him, and he almost wanted her to unleash that carefully checked aggression he sensed.
The grin that spread across his face did nothing to placate her. In fact, it only seemed to annoy her even more. Without a second thought, Brin wrapped his tail around one of her ankles, his mind calling for him to give her comfort in some way, but an honest-to-gods growl slipped from her lips as she snarled at him.
She lifted her small foot from the dirt and, with surprising strength, slammed it down on the middle of his tail. He hissed as he uncoiled the appendage, but failed to stop the laugh that escaped him.
Vicious. I like it.
“Don’t touch me.” Her dark eyes flashed with anger.
“My apologies. I meant no offense.” A deep purr rumbled up his chest as he placed a hand over his heart.
“Mmhmm.” She eyed him as she pursed her lips.
She didn’t trust him, and why should she? Who knew what sort of impression Oshen had given her of their people? His brutok might be a wonderful ambassador, but he could be unyielding and demanding when it came to something he wanted, and clearly he wanted her friend.
Oshen’s mate. If he could believe what this human female was saying, then Oshen had actually found her. The Grutex hadn’t lied it seemed.
“Look, I’ve gotta get home and change and I don’t need you trying to ride in there like a knight in shining armor and I’m sure Oshen might take it badly if you were to get caught sneaking around the house by the police. You can come with me for now, but…” She jabbed her finger into his chest and his skin prickled with a desire he’d never felt before. “If you try anything stupid, I won’t hesitate to shoot you. Understand?”
“Of course, little shayfia,” Brin cooed. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
A fine black brow rose. “I don’t even know you, but I’ve got a feeling you wouldn’t know good behavior if it slapped you in the face.”
He knew good behavior, but all of the things filling his mind at the moment were so far from good that even he was a little shocked. “Good isn’t always fun.”
“Let’s go, Glowworm.” She jerked her head to the side as she led him around to the front of the dwelling and out to an ancient form of transportation. “Hop in. The door is unlocked.”
His brow ridge rose as he pulled the door to the transport open and managed to fold himself into the small seat. He’d only just pulled his tail inside before the female slammed the door shut. She kept her eyes trained on him as she moved to the other side, sliding in behind the steering controls.
A small key was jammed into the console before she yanked on a stick that sat between them, causing the transport to reverse. Brin watched her movements.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to ride in such a primitive transport before.”
The look the female shot his way told him that may not have been the right thing to say. “Listen, Glowworm, I worked my ass off for this car. Let’s not insult it.”
“You’ve used that endearment several times, but my translator hasn’t picked up on the slang of your language. I like the name. What does it mean?”
“Endearment?” She snorted, her eyes darting over to him before she turned forward.
“Yes. A term used for someone you love or care for.”
“Love?” The transport swerved to the right as she turned to gawk at him. “I hardly know you, and I definitely don’t love you.” Brin waved anxiously at the wheel in front of her and she righted the path of the vehicle. “It’s just a nickname.”
“Ah, my mistake, little Shayfia.”
“My name is Junafer, but I prefer to go by Jun. I’m not Shayfia!”
“Jahn. Very pretty.”
“J-oo-n! John is my brother’s name.”
Another grin tugged at his lips as he tried once more to repeat her name.
“J-oo-n. My name is Brin.”
He liked this female very much. Beneath that prickly exterior she presented, there was something much softer and emotional. He didn’t imagine very many people got to know that side of her.
If there was any Venium who knew about the differences in the mask you showed people, and the face you kept for those close to you, it was Brin. For some reason, he was determined to be let in
, to be shown that side of her she kept hidden.
He hadn’t ever seen himself wanting a mate, had never wanted to start his own family, but he sent up a prayer to the goddess, a plea that if he was going to be forced into a mating, then let it be with this vicious little female.
“I know you don’t want me to disturb your friend as she attempts to mate with my brutok, but I should get in contact with Oshen soon.”
“He really is fine. I stitched him up myself.” Jun parked the transport in front of what he assumed was her dwelling.
He stepped out, watching from the corner of his eye as Jun grabbed her bag and the weapon, and when she jerked her head toward the building, he followed.
The door opened to reveal a space that would be considered small by Venium family den standards. The database hadn’t given him much information on human dwellings, unfortunately, so he wasn’t sure how her home compared to other humans.
There were many unfamiliar objects set around the space, and he wondered briefly if his dam felt this same awe and curiosity whenever she was offworld interacting with alien species. Perhaps her life as a warrior kept her too busy to notice the small things. She didn’t notice you. Brin shook away the thought.
“You’re a healer then?”
Jun looked at him and ran a hand over her long, dark hair. His hand twitched with the desire to do the same. He wanted to lose himself in his exploration of her, to forget all his worries for a few moments.
“I’m a nurse,” she answered, shaking him from his thoughts. “That means I’m more than capable of cleaning up a few scratches.”
Brin raised his brow ridge. All the healers he had ever met had a gentle nature. They certainly hadn’t held a weapon to his head and threatened to shoot him where he stood. He had spent his whole life running from one fierce warrior female, and here he was, begging the goddess to grant him this one.
