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  As she watched the blue man searching for her, another male came into the area, a wrist scanner on his arm. That bugger was cheating!

  Nenita had hoped for more time and more sterile surroundings, but there was only one thing to do. With a deep breath, she pulled the quill from her wrap and tested it in the tiny hole in the back of her collar.

  She stilled her shaking hands with a deep breath, placed a small branch between her teeth and bit down as she worked the quill into her collar.

  The controls were fairly simple, but the retraction trigger was what she was after. Nishino had ordered the control installed when she tried to kill him when he untied her after their landing on this rock. The influx of his clan members saved him and restrained her, but her fury wouldn't fade.

  If she struck the control in the correct place, the collar would retract the electrodes that zapped her when she got too close to Nishino. She wanted him dead and nothing was going to stop her.

  She grimaced around the branch as she sought the right spot. If she hit the wrong spot, she would be paralyzed or worse.

  The collar started chirping as she pressed the nodules in order. She swallowed and held her breath as she slid the quill into place. She saw two large feline predators on the ground beneath her and kept her focus on them while she pressed down and activated the centre of the wiring.

  At first, she didn't feel anything and then a disturbing slither inside her caused a gagging reaction as the filaments retracted back into their metal housing. She removed the quill and popped the lock on her collar loose. Nenita looked down at the instrument of torture and control in her hands and scowled. What should she do with it now?

  Chapter Three

  Drioth looked at his clan brother, Hexar. They could smell the female in the trees above them.

  Should we climb?

  No. She will have to come down eventually. We will just have to remove the competition in the area.

  Hexar shifted his feline form into something more deadly with longer claws.

  Drioth matched him, his collar stretching around the thicker cords of his neck. They no longer needed to track the Terran. They knew precisely where she was.

  She would be safe in the tree until they took care of her other would-be-suitors.

  * * * *

  Nenita couldn't figure out what the newcomers were. If it hadn't been for their collars, she would have thought them to be native-but-familiar animals, but when they shifted and stood, all similarities between them and leopards back home disappeared.

  The creatures stalked the two men who were arguing in the clearing. She winced when the blue male scented something an instant before he was forced to the ground, his limbs bleeding from the attack.

  The other male tried to press keys on his armband but was distracted by his arm being ripped from him by the jaws of his attacker.

  With their opponents incapacitated, if not dying, the two creatures turned back in her direction and shifted into their leopard forms. Huge, graceful cats approached her hiding place and they paced beneath her refuge in slow and lazy patterns.

  Nenita looked down the expanse of the tree and swallowed as the two beasts lay down to wait. There went her chances of a bathroom break.

  She settled back and watched them through half-closed eyes. Napping was dangerous in her position, but she rested as best she could. She wouldn't have a chance with both of those predators. Even the other males hadn't had a hope in hell of fighting the two shifters off.

  * * * *

  How long do you think she can remain up there, Hexar?

  I don't know. She has been up there close to an hour if not over it, by my guess. The two that she stunned next to the pool were the first.

  She did a good job on them. Brax and Neffer were always too full of themselves. It served them right to be taken down a peg.

  You may want to clean the blood off your mouth before you shift. She probably won't enjoy seeing you covered in blood, Drioth.

  You have a point. Clean your paws. You are covered with Henir's blood.

  The two shifters began the arduous task of cleaning their fur. Blood stained horribly if you let it dry.

  * * * *

  Two hours later and Nenita couldn't stand it, she had to pee and there was no getting around it. The two cats had dispatched the other seekers with speed and returned to the small clearing near the base of her tree.

  She moved her stiff limbs and turned to face the trunk, seeking and finding the path down with her arms shaking from fatigue.

  If the cats came at her, she would try to stop them, but she really had to attend to nature first. She kept her collar looped over one arm. She would only have one chance to make her escape and until then, they needed to know where she was. The moment they came looking for her, she would have the collar back in place, but she would make sure that it didn't work the way Nishino anticipated.

  The cats remained seated as she got closer to the ground. When her bare feet pressed against the moss, they watched her while she staggered for the cover of the shrubs.

  Tears of relief sparked in her eyes as the torment of the last few hours was eased. Now that she had attended to the nagging need, she peeked back through the shrubs to her alert followers.

  Nenita weighed her options. She could make a run for the tree, run off through the woods or confront her followers. Her limbs were too sore for running, so that left option three.

  She took four paces out past the shrubs and faced them, hands on her hips. "Fine. You caught me. You win."

  The cats looked at each other and stood on their hind legs, stretching into the form of well-toned men.

  "Technically, you surrendered, we didn't catch you." The one with pale brown hair looked down at her with amusement in his blue-green eyes. The thick collar on his neck was banded for expansion and his trousers and boots seemed to be part of him, they shifted when he did.

  "I am too tired to run."

  The one with black hair and peculiar gold eyes smiled. "We will have to arrange for you to run at another time. We enjoy a good chase."

  She rolled her eyes. Innuendo was not something she was in the mood for. "Wonderful. Who and what are you?"

  "I am Drioth Nerosa, guardian of the Oefric colony on Mkara." He bowed, his naked torso rippling in the most fascinating of ways, his brown hair sliding over one eye as he stood.

  "I am Hexar Wen, guardian of the Oefric colony on Mkara. What is your name, lady?"

  She sighed and got it over with. "Nenita Chase of the Alliance Protectorate of Terra, assigned to Venith Station."

  Drioth frowned. "You are the woman that the one known as Nishino was after."

  She scowled. "Apparently. How long have you been here?"

  Hexar grunted, "Six weeks. We were lured into a trap on Mkara and ended up here. They trot us out for sparring practice."

  "I know why they wanted me, but why did they take you?"

  Drioth answered, "They love to fight against natural talents. They work on enhancing themselves so that they can be more aggressive in their attacks. Well, that and the Tival constantly attempt to breed talents into their bloodlines. This way, they can try out their experiments on those they plan to attack."

  She looked at their thick necks and licked her lower lip. "Is your collar wired into your brain?"

  They blinked and as one, they noticed her collar on her arm. Hexar nodded. "Yes, they are. It causes us to seize when they trigger the pain."

  "Would you like them removed? You can still wear them, but they won't work on you anymore." She quickly finished her last sentence when it looked like they would interrupt her.

  Hexar quirked a brow. "How would you do that?"

  She pulled her quill out of her wrap and looked up into his golden eyes. "Do you trust me?"

  Chapter Four

  Hexar was in front of her and Nenita had to admit his back was truly a lovely sight. She stifled her hormones and examined his collar. It was a lot easier from this angle.


  "The quill fits into this small space and with the correct pressure on the nodes, it retracts the filaments that are linked to your nervous system."

  "You can do that with a small spike? It took surgeons to implant them." Drioth was watching over her shoulder.

  "The collars seem to have a failsafe if you die or it needs to be removed in case of emergency. This tiny spot, the same size as the quill tip, is perfect for striking the sensor." She paused and asked Hexar, "Are you ready?"

  "If it will free me from this control, I am. Drioth, keep an eye out for any additional visitors. I don't know if more suitors will be released to seek her out." Hexar sighed and leaned forward to give her complete access to his neck.

  "Nenita, whenever you are ready." He let his air out and breathed slowly.

  "I will tell you when to hold your breath, but this will be painful, so try not to shout and startle me." Her fingers stroked along the nodes activating the sequence that her talent told her was correct. It was different from the combination on her collar, but when the light began to blink blue on it, she inserted the quill and said, "Hold your breath."

  He froze and she could see the tick on his forearms as the electrodes retracted. The moment it was completely free of him, he collapsed, leaving her to unlatch the collar and put it to the side.

  Sounds of battle drew her attention. Drioth had found some more suitors and based on the snarls and growls, they were having a difference of opinion.

  "Stay here, Hexar. You will be fine in a few minutes." Nenita moved toward the sounds of battle while checking back on Hexar. He was lying on one side, his hand pressed to his neck where the paler skin marked where the collar had been.

  Drioth was dealing with more than two suitors. Four men bearing the marks of the guards were attacking him. Drioth was in that in-between form again. Long claws, huge teeth, a long muzzle and only his blue-green eyes were the same. His body covered in molten gold fur and muscles banded with sinew and looked designed to kill.

  Two of the guards were sparring with Drioth and a third was using a remote to trigger the collar. His teeth were clenched as he fought the pain, but the growl was constant. He wasn't going down without taking them with him.

  The fourth guard was waiting for an opening. He was the only one to notice her. He approached swiftly and her talent kicked in, measuring a grid over his body and finding the weak points. He reached out to grab her arm and she dodged, ducked and struck at the position that gleamed with a violent purple to her inner vision.

  He stopped, choked and fell to his knees. She turned on the man who was using his remote on Drioth and rushed him.

  It took three swift strikes to cause him to buckle, but he went down with features contorted in pain. Nenita quickly disabled his remote and turned to watch Drioth dispatch the other two guards.

  She looked cautiously at him, blood dripped from his claws and jaws. "I turned the collar off."

  He nodded and jerked his head back toward where Hexar was recovering. Taking the hint, she returned to the Oefric who was struggling into a sitting position.

  Hexar was rubbing the back of his neck and looking at her warily. "Is it off?"

  She smiled. "Yes, it's off. It's on your left. I think Drioth is cleaning up, that or he is eating the guards that came to retrieve us."

  "He is cleaning up. It isn't proper to speak to you covered in blood." Hexar reached out and closed his hand over the collar, his fingers whitened as he gripped it.

  "If he will let me, I will remove his collar as well. Where is the nearest stream or body of water? I am a little thirsty." She was more than a little thirsty, but downplaying it seemed safe.

  "I will take you. I could use a good splash of icy water on my face." He wobbled to his feet and held out his hand.

  Nenita took it, her vision giving her a number of spots on his body to touch, none of them for the purpose of immobility. A light blush heated her features as she took his hand. It was slightly cool, but steady and strong as his fingers closed over hers.

  She swallowed at the inappropriateness of her hormonal surge at the polite contact. This was not the time for her to find a man that she responded to and certainly not the place.

  He tugged her through the brambles and three minutes later, they were at the edge of a stream. Drioth was in his bipedal form washing his hands and face. "How are you feeling, Hex?"

  "Better. It feels really weird, but better. Do you want to get yours done?"

  Drioth looked over at Nenita, "Would you please assist me by removing the collar?"

  She shrugged and tugged the quill from her wrap for what she hoped was the final time. "Sure. Kneel a little away from the water. We don't want you falling in."

  "Nenita, have your drink of water first. You are very pale." Hexar ducked his head under water and shook out his hair, the dark locks flying.

  "Good idea." She went upstream from the bathing and blood and washed her hands before palming water to her mouth. It was ambrosia, but her stomach gurgled angrily. She hadn't eaten in over a day and she was rather hungry.

  Feeling more alert, she turned to Drioth and gestured for him to kneel. "I will tell you what I told Hexar, you must hold still when I activate the withdrawal. The nodes will have to be pressed in a certain order and then I will warn you to hold your breath. Understood?"

  He inhaled and exhaled slowly, "Yes."

  Hexar shifted to his feline form and watched the edge of the woods, his ears swivelling and his attitude one of full alert.

  Nenita did her own deep breathing as she blinked and analyzed Drioth's collar. His had a different sequence than Hexar's or her own. As she readied her quill, she bit her lip. The quill was fracturing from the pressure required to activate the release. Her stupidly enhanced sight was pinpointing each stress point, so she gripped it carefully and aimed it. "Hold your breath."

  The moment he locked up, she hit the sequence and struck the tiny pressure plate deep within the collar. He remained immobile as the wires retracted back into the collar. The moment they were free, he fell to one side and retched. Nenita removed the collar and held it while he shook in reaction to the retraction.

  The quill snapped when she pulled it free of the collar. Having done its duty, it simply gave up and turned into a pile of carotene splinters in her palm. She tossed them into the stream and they floated in procession until she couldn't see them anymore.

  She sat with her two shifters and her gaze fuzzed as a blast of light struck her. Nenita covered her eyes and blinked frantically.

  "What is it?" Hexar was at her side as she regained focus.

  "Nothing. My talent was enhanced with a viral catalyst. It surges out of control from time to time." A halo settled around Hexar's face, the dazed and recovering Drioth sported his own. She didn't know why they had changed in her sight, but her own hands were not quite free of the iridescence.

  Blinking rapidly, she could not clear the light that coated them all. Unsure if it was her talent or her vision, she ignored it. She could work around it.

  When a guard crashed through the trees and into their small clearing, she saw him clearly. Her mind identified him as a target and pinpointed three attack zones.

  When Hexar shifted and brought the man down, she watched the savagery absently. While the guard presented himself as a target, the Oefric were glowing with a soft, attractive light. "Oh dear."

  Drioth lifted his head. "What is wrong?"

  She opened and closed her mouth as his blue-green eyes glowed in his perfect face. Absently she patted his arm as if she had done it a thousand times. "Nothing, love. Nothing at all."

  Chapter Five

  Once Drioth recovered, they buried their collars and the men shifted into a larger form. At his invitation, she rode Hexar into the lowlands of the mountain range as far away from the raider outpost as possible.

  Once there, they made camp in a deep cavern and Drioth retrieved some wood for a fire.

  "So, what do we do now?" She sat with
them on the rocky ground and listened to her stomach gurgle.

  "We come up with a plan to return to the camp, grab a shuttle and get off the surface as fast as we can." Drioth prodded the wood and started to drill to gain a spark.

  Nene stood and wandered over to the wall, running her hand down the stone to find what she was looking for. When it sparked in her vision, she knelt and picked up a rock.

  "What are you doing?" Hexar was behind her, squinting at her hands in the dim light.

  "Speeding up the fire production by chipping off a few pieces of iron-based stones to match the flint on the floor." She smacked the rock to the wall and a chunk slithered down.

  She took the fallen piece and picked up the shard of flint, walked back to the pile of wood and scraped the two together. Sparks didn't issue on the first two strokes, but they did emerge on the third.

  "How did you know what would work?" Hexar was looking at her intently and his focused gold eyes caught her in a web of intensity.

  "What would work?" She blushed when a light smile crossed his lips.

  "That those rocks would make fire."

  "Oh, I used to go camping with my family. I know what to look for in a sparking rock." She flicked a few more times and the cascade of sparks caught on some of the tinder Drioth had been working on.

  "That isn't what I meant. You were able to remove the collars, but you don't seem to have any medical training. You were able to disarm and deflect a guard when you obviously have no hand-to-hand combat training and now you can pick minerals at random and start fires in moments."