Untrained Fascination Read online

  “Were?”

  “Am. I am content. I like my job.” She smiled tightly.

  He pulled her wrist to his lips. “That is the truth.”

  She shivered. “How can you tell?”

  “Your heartbeat. You are nervous, excited, interested and in a little bit of pain. Your body tells me anything I need to know, and the Zjin-Rrassic know how to listen.”

  His lips were just above her skin, but she could feel the heat from his body. The small distance felt more intimate than a kiss.

  “Well, currently, the rest of me is saying goodbye. It has been an eventful day for me. I think I should make it to my quarters and call it a night.”

  He smiled slowly. “It is the middle of the afternoon.”

  She scooted up the wall and got to her feet. “Well, I have lost a bit of blood. Need to compensate for that somehow. Where are the other Hunters?”

  “Working on the accident investigation.” He was still crouched casually on the floor. His head was now even with her breasts.

  “Yet, you came here for some recreation?”

  “It is always safer to work these things out before they become distracting. You were ordered to rest by medical, and yet, you came here. What logic was behind that?” He collected the med pack together and stopped staring at her.

  “Oh, I wanted to hit something.”

  He got to his feet. “Apparently, you succeeded, and it hit you back. If you ever want to hit something that is a little more prepared for you, contact me.”

  He lifted her wrist with her ident band and tapped in his code. “If I do not answer, leave a message.”

  She stared up at him. “Why? I am sure you have other things to do.”

  He smiled. “I love a good mystery, and you are definitely a mystery. A delicate flower that wants to be a tiger but doesn’t know how to do it. It is a fascinating combination, and I am riveted to see what will happen next.”

  She shivered and cursed her thin workout clothing. Her nipples had hardened, and his gaze had definitely caught on to it.

  “I think I need to leave now. Can you step aside? I just got the knee fixed; I would hate to have it fixed twice in one day.”

  His grin showed the sharp white fangs that made the girls tremble. Apparently, biting was saved for their mates, but the rest of them were open for business if fun was on your mind.

  Sorrok stepped aside, and she slipped out the door with the gloves and wraps dangling from her fingers. Tomic was on his own at the desk, and she dropped the gear off.

  “Did you finish with your rush?”

  He shrugged. “There wasn’t one. Hunter Sorrok came in right before your call. He offered to help out, and I can’t really say no. Are you all right?”

  She looked over her shoulder, and the lazy, graceful, wall of the man-shaped tiger was coming toward her. “Right. Well, great, and I am out of here. See you later, Tomic.”

  Lianne headed for the changing rooms as quickly as she could. She got a feeling that the gender block was all that would stop Sorrok from following her.

  In less than a day, she had gone from normal and boring to injured and stalked by a Hunter. If things kept escalating, she wasn’t going to leave the house.

  Chapter Four

  There was a certain calm repetition to her job, with the calculations needed to keep a completely balanced load. She hadn’t been informed why it was important, but balance was key on the pallet. It had to glide through evenly.

  She was on her third prep of the day when Mrtok came to her lift. Deep in her mind, she groaned. “Yes, supervisor?”

  “You have an appointment at the assessment station.” He crossed his scaly arms.

  “When?”

  “Now. It is a good thing you have already completed your day’s work. Full pay for it.” He winked and beckoned her down.

  She settled her machine and tried to think of ways out of that situation. She was on an alien world with her family under threat for her behaviour. Lianne pretty much had to go where they sent her.

  She got out of her lift and brushed her coveralls. “Like this?”

  Mrtok chuckled. “It isn’t for fashion. You are being granted an interview. I wasn’t told why.”

  Lianne wrinkled her nose. “How long do I have?”

  “Well, there are three Hunters here to escort you, so I would say enough time to relieve yourself, and then, you are on your way.”

  Always pee before you leave was an adage that Lianne believed in her heart and soul. She used to take road trips with family, and it had never steered her wrong.

  She headed to the bathroom and took care of the nervous flip in her stomach. She tried to spend extra time scrubbing her hands, but there was only so much she could do. When she had checked her hair, her suit and the crescents of her fingernails, she had no excuse and nowhere to hide.

  She sucked in a deep breath and headed out, past the security gates and into the common areas where the commissary and break rooms were located.

  Three Hunters were waiting for her but not the ones she was expecting. The men waiting for her were Luthin-Rrassic. They specialised in chasing the folk who tried to run. Camouflage was built into their skin, and they could and would keep after her until they caught her. The Zjin were immediate Hunters in the heat of the moment, but the Luthin were in it for the long haul.

  “Lianne Whelling?” The central Hunter inclined his head.

  “Yes.”

  “We are your escort. Please, come with us.”

  She nodded and tried to keep her shoulders relaxed. It wasn’t an easy task. She was surrounded at a respectful distance, but she was given no room to run.

  The trip to the offices that she had been to only once before was done with folk on the street stopping to stare.

  Lianne was escorted through the building and up to the highest level. A wide desk was host to one of the rarer branches of the Rrassic. His wings were huge and swept behind him. The chair he was sitting on had to be custom made.

  Lianne got very nervous when she noted Bella sitting in a chair in front of the desk and another Rrassic in the shadows.

  Bella had a calm expression on her features and that was generally not a good thing.

  “Please, Lianne Whelling. Have a seat.”

  The Hunters who brought her in formed wall behind her. She was definitely surrounded.

  She sat.

  “I am Overseer Iktabi, and I have been looking into your case.”

  She blinked. “My case?”

  “Yes, the situation that we find ourselves in. You were initially clearly marked to be a Breeder, but the file was altered at the point of interview.”

  Lianne studiously didn’t look at Bella. “You don’t say.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “We have questioned Isabella, and her mind has not given a clear explanation as to what occurred. Would you care to enlighten us?”

  Lianne folded her hands in her lap. “I was given the job that I was most suited for.”

  There was a snort from the corner of the office where the other Rrassic stood in shadows. Iktabi looked to the corner and sighed. “Despite the monitor’s opinion of this matter, it is serious. We have trusted the assessment officers to be true to their positions. Isabella has broken that trust.”

  “No, she didn’t.”

  Lianne felt every set of eyes on her, with the exception of Bella’s.

  “Bella told me that I was qualified for the Breeder class, and I panicked. I had a full-on fear response. She assessed it and knew that that classification would destroy me, my confidence and make me useless. I hate being useless. Instead, she took the chance on my mind settling into the change and gave me the job that I could thrive in. I have been the highest-rated operator in the port for the last six months. Here, on another world, I was able to do what I am good at. Bella made that possible.”

  Bella cleared her throat. “She isn’t a woman you can put on a s
helf. She has to be active. I am pretty sure that that is why she was selected.”

  Iktabi leaned back, and his wings flexed, silhouetting against the window behind him. “Why didn’t you report it?”

  “You had a monitor watching all of us every day during the arrivals. Do you think we might have wanted to make it easier on the other humans? On our friends?” Bella was leaning forward with her shoulders tense.

  The winged Rrassic looked surprised. “You knew her from Earth?”

  Lianne frowned and opened her mouth, but she wasn’t able to speak. A pressure on her mind kept her silent.

  Bella nodded. “We went to school together. We were friends.”

  Iktabi frowned. “You didn’t mention that when we started this.”

  “I answered the questions I was asked.”

  Lianne smiled at the pugnacious tone. She knew that tone, and Bella was about to start cursing.

  The overseer leaned back, and he steepled his fingers together. “Well, in light of this information, you will have to be given Breeder classification.”

  Lianne’s heart sank. Bella looked at her, and she opened her mouth with one hand raised.

  Lianne could nearly see the sparks that were trying to emerge from Bella’s head. Nothing got her friend more irate than seeing another friend in a preventable situation.

  The monitor in the corner was holding Bella immobile.

  Iktabi held up his hand. “However, in light of your mental situation, the glowing reports from your supervisor and the confirmation of this meeting, you will be able to continue your occupation.”

  Lianne was shocked. “I can just go back to work?”

  “You can... with some alterations to your schedule. You will have to attend the mixers that are organized between the humans and Rrassic.”

  She made a face. “Fine.”

  “You will need one escort at all times.”

  She frowned. “Why?”

  “The other Breeders are in special quarters where security can be assured. You are not. If you wish to continue to work and function normally, you will do it under escort.”

  Lianne frowned. “For how long?”

  He shifted his wings. “Until you find a mate. It is a peculiar situation, but we are sure that you can manage it.”

  Lianne had a sudden concern. “What will happen to Isabella?”

  “She is under probation. We will watch her carefully. At present, she is the only one of our administrators that has been found to be circumventing our regulations.”

  Bella was still stuck in her angry pose.

  Iktabi cleared his throat, and Bella settled back into place.

  Bella turned and smiled at Lianne. “Don’t worry. I will be fine. They might audit my assessments, but everything will work out.”

  Lianne still wasn’t sure.

  Iktabi got up, and he had an ident band unit in his hands. He came around the desk and used the cutter on one end to free her wrist. When she had her own pale skin exposed, she wanted to rub it, but he put the unit on, and her new ident band was in place.

  “You are free to return to work, Lianne Whelling.” He smiled tightly. “With your escort.”

  She made a face and got to her feet, realizing that her eyes were only at nipple height. He was just as freakishly tall as the rest of the Rrassic. “Good day to you. Nice to see you, Bella. Keep in touch.”

  “You too, Lianne.”

  “Overseer Iktabi. Did this new band carry over data from my previous one?”

  He nodded. “It did.”

  “Oh, good. Thank you.”

  She left and heard the footsteps of the three men behind her. “I am just going back to work, guys. This isn’t a high-security event. I don’t need all of you.”

  The central Hunter spoke. “Oh, we have nothing else to do. We have been assigned to you for the day.”

  She led them through the building and out into the street. They formed up around her as a shift began to release into the street. She definitely felt guarded on their trip back to the port.

  Mrtok was surprised when she cleared security and returned to her station. To her amusement, the Hunters were stuck on the other side of the barrier.

  “Lianne, I was not expecting you back today.”

  “Oh, I am cleared for duty. I just have to keep an escort with me when I am out and about.”

  “Why?”

  “I am now a registered Breeder with a job. I don’t know if I am the first, but I think I will enjoy the process of dodging the others.”

  “The others?”

  “The Rrassic who take mates.”

  “Got it. Well, I will go and speak to them; you get to work. We have gotten three more requests in, and the clock is ticking.”

  Lianne smiled and headed for her machine. She always felt at home with the delicate controls that would move tons of goods and materials in a matter of minutes.

  She hummed to herself, trying to ignore the ramifications of the meeting as she looked at the shopping list and got to work.

  * * * *

  Sorrok entered Iktabi’s office, and he stopped in front of the desk. “What were the findings?”

  “She was—is—a Breeder. Since she is also the most competent loader that we have, she will remain on duty each day with an escort to and from the port.”

  Sorrok scowled. “That isn’t what I was anticipating.”

  “Tough. Isabella was about to start cursing, and it takes forever for her to get that irate. She knows Lianne, and this is the best combination of situations.”

  “The assessor changed the file?”

  “She did. She assessed that Lianne would not thrive in the position of Breeder. It would have been one change too many for her after coming here.”

  “How will you punish the assessment officer?”

  Iktabi chuckled. “I will work something out. Was that everything?”

  Sorrok scowled. “How—when will Lianne be at the community hall?”

  “She has to be at one of the mixers every four days. Her escort will ensure it.”

  “Can I get a notice?”

  Iktabi ran a hand through his hair. “Ask my assistant to put you on the notice list. The Luthin who escorted her in are already on it.”

  “What?” His outrage was sudden and ferocious. How dare they?

  “Even the Saya who was here was interested in her, though he probably won’t act on it.”

  He snorted and flexed his claws. “Let him try.”

  “The Regiz have also brought a few of their people into town. You might have a fight on your hands.”

  Sorrok faced his friend and repeated. “Let them try.”

  “Excellent. See my assistant on the way out.” He inclined his head. “Good hunting, Sorrok.”

  Sorrok nodded and left the office, pausing at the desk to speak to Iktabi’s assistant. “You are human.”

  The woman with the long, dark hair looked at him and nodded. “I am. What can I do for you, Hunter?”

  “I need to be put on the alert list for Lianne Whelling. When she goes to the community events, I need to know.”

  “She is a popular girl for someone that no one knows is out yet.” The woman smiled slightly and typed in the information. “There. You will be alerted when she is in a common area and when she is socializing.”

  He paused. “Is there a way to be alerted when she is at the gym?”

  The woman smiled slowly. “Well, you are paying attention, I will give you that. Yes, the alert is filed. Your account will notify you when she is heading to the gym. The escort she has with her is required to file the plans.”

  “Thank you…”

  “Isabella.”

  He looked to Iktabi’s closed door and back to her. “I see.”

  She shrugged and smiled. “Yes.”

  She was wearing two bands, one on each wrist. He understood why Iktabi wasn’t worried about her. She was
chained to him.

  With a small nod, he left her and wondered about how long it would be before he got a notice.

  His communicator pinged before he was out of the admin building. Apparently, the new Breeder was at the gym and heading for something to hit. He was volunteering to train her, whether she liked it or not.

  Chapter Five

  She changed into something more suitable after Mrtok had kicked her off her machine for the second time that day. Heading to the gym to settle in for an evening of flailing around at the combat projection seemed a better use of her time.

  With the Hunters following her, she was definitely in the mood to fight. Tomic found her new escort hilarious, and her hands tightened.

  The Hunter that followed her into the gym was careful to keep his distance, but it wasn’t until she was in her fight space that she was finally alone.

  She wrapped her hands and faced her hologram. She mirrored the stance and struck and retreated. The beat got faster, and she was just getting into it when the locked door opened.

  She hit the floor as a holographic fist came at her head and yelled, “Off!” Her fight partner disappeared with a flash of energy.

  Hunter Sorrok was wearing the loose, sashed trousers that the Rrassic wore at the gym.

  “How did you get past the guard at the door?”

  He chuckled. “Lianik knows I am authorized to be here. You are still technically under investigation.”

  She blinked as he moved across the space and wrapped his hands to match hers. She took in the striped markings that slashed across his body and finally gathered her wits.

  “What do you think you are doing?”

  “Well, you came for a workout, so I thought I would actually train you. Watching you flail around is painful.” He smiled as he finished wrapping his left hand.

  “You are joking.”

  “I am not. If you are determined to maintain a balance between your work and your status as Breeder, you will need an outlet.”

  “You are volunteering?”

  “When I am available.” He walked up to her.

  She stared at him, taking in the muscles under the velvety skin of his chest, the thick-corded neck and the wide jaw before she jerked her gaze to his face.