Heart of the Hunted Read online

  “Oh, you are that human. Well, I am glad you are back safely.”

  “Thank you.” Her smile was tight.

  “Well, this is his room. I will remain outside until you are ready to be returned to your ward.”

  Bree nodded, took a breath and opened the door. Inside the room, there was a bed, and swathed in clean sheets was Arix.

  His smile was genuine. “Bree, I didn’t think they would let you come.”

  She walked up to him and took his hand, sitting at his bedside. “I asked and they brought me.”

  He squeezed her hand, the bruising still evident on his torso. “I am glad. How are you?”

  “Fine.”

  “I meant the claw marks.” He smiled slightly.

  “Oh. They are treated and healed, more or less. How are your injuries?”

  He chuckled. “Fine.”

  She snorted. “Really.”

  “Well, I am going to be on light duty for a few weeks. It will coincide with our debriefing, so that is fine.” Arix squeezed her hand again.

  “Our? I thought you would have your mission report or whatever and I would just go back to the Breeders’ quarters.”

  He let go of her hand and stroked her cheek. “You are the only one who has seen the inner workings of the colony, and you can let the overseer know what is going on there.”

  “I was just there for a few hours.”

  “It was more than anyone else has done.” He sighed. “Women have been taken before. They haven’t come back.”

  She touched his face in return. “They didn’t have you looking for them.”

  They sat there in silence for several minutes until the Nool interrupted them. “Miss, it is time to return to your ward.”

  Bree smiled, nodded and leaned in to kiss Arix before she could change her mind. Colours shifted across his body and showed his surprise.

  She blushed and said, “I hope you get well soon.”

  His voice was a low growl. “I am definitely going to make that a priority.”

  She nodded her head and left quickly before she could crawl up against his chest and stay there. The guard was gentle as he led her back through hall after hall and checkpoint after checkpoint. She was definitely focused on Arix, and she hadn’t even consulted him on his own inclinations. She didn’t know what it took to make a Luthin change colour, but she had just managed it.

  Chapter Six

  There was a group waiting for them, well, it was waiting for her.

  There was a human woman with the Dorbin-Rrassic that Bree recognized from the orientation that she had sat through on her first day on Imrahl. The overseer had an assistant. Another figure stood nearby with a hood that threw his head into shadow.

  She inclined her head. “Overseer Iktabi, what brings you here?”

  He flexed his huge wings, and his assistant spoke. “The overseer wishes you debriefed as to your time on Skekt, so Lekorh is here to speak with you and get your views of the colony.”

  “Um, sure. Out here?”

  The hooded figure chuckled. “We have a sitting room down the hall if you would care to come with me. Isabella is excellent at making arrangements for this sort of thing.”

  The overseer nodded. “Isabella is excellent at knowing what is acceptable for human sensibilities. She said that if I were here, you would know that it was not another attempt to abduct you.”

  Bree smiled. “Thank you, Isabella. It is nice to know that I didn’t just go from the frying pan into the fire.”

  Isabella nodded. “No problem. Lekorh is a Saya, so he will be listening to your mind while you are being interviewed. I will be there as chaperone, and Iktabi will observe.”

  Bree sighed. “Right. Well, I suppose we should get this over with.”

  Lekorh smiled, his mouth forming a Cheshire cat grin. It was all that was visible in the shadows.

  “I love your enthusiasm. This way, please.”

  They all trooped together to a room that had a small buffet waiting. Bree looked to Isabella. “Can I?”

  “Of course. It is here to make you comfortable. The Saya work best when their subject is relaxed.”

  Isabella jerked her head. “I skipped breakfast. Let’s see what they consider breakfast for humans around here.”

  Bree chuckled and followed the overseer’s assistant.

  Isabella handed her a plate. “You are recovering well considering your trials.”

  Bree shrugged. “I wasn’t on my own long. A few hours, maybe a day. Time kind of felt funny when I woke up.”

  “Time felt funny?”

  “Yeah, I don’t know how else to describe it. I had to squirm my way out of the pallet and onto the ground. I thought I was going to suffocate before I got free.”

  Isabella nodded. “You probably would have. The signal was cut off here, so the delivery was skewed. If you stop a transport, it rides along with the landing-site rotation. The world moves the landing site.”

  “So, I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”

  “No, and it probably saved you from getting taken away before Arix could get to you.”

  She nodded and filled her plate. She set it down at the boardroom table before getting a cup of strong tea. When she was at the table and eating, she looked to Lekorh. “Ask what you like.”

  “Tell me about the day you were taken. What do you remember?”

  Bree thought about it and started at the beginning.

  “I woke up and went to work. When I got to the agricultural offices, my boss asked me to take a meeting at the assessment office. I got a transport and went in to take the meeting.”

  Lekorh’s voice was soothing, and she felt a soft wash over her mind. “Who did you meet with?”

  “Officer Talli. He is a Sthik, and he keeps patting my hand as he tells me that my last medical scans indicated that I was a Breeder. I asked him how a person could simply become a Breeder, but he didn’t answer. He just patted my hand again.” She frowned. “He scratched me.”

  “Did it hurt?”

  She held her right hand in her left at the memory. “Not really. It burned. It was a long scrape, but he put some cream on it and it healed up without any problem.”

  “What did you do next?”

  “Well, my boss was notified, and I was sent to the Breeder quarters. I met a few of the ladies and was given a stipend to personalize my own space. I asked to go shopping and was given a detail of two Hunters. Everything was being sent back to the Breeders’ quarters.” She paused. “That is when they switched.”

  “Who switched?”

  “My guard detail. They changed into a Regiz and a Zjin. I thought it was a shift change, but then they drugged me.” She sipped at her tea.

  “What happened then?”

  “Flashes. Tiny flashes of being wedged into a pack. The world spins around me and then everything went dark.” Bree closed her eyes.

  “What is the next thing you remember?”

  “Heat. Humidity. I could feel it all around me. I worked myself backward until I could get out of the cargo. I don’t know how long it took. When I was free, I caught my breath and then I ran. I could hear folks speaking in Rrassic, and I ran.”

  “What were they saying?”

  She focused on what she had heard. “I am not great at it, but they were talking about punishing someone. Someone who had botched the shipment.”

  “Can you remember the words? Just think them.”

  She thought of the growls and snarls that interspersed the words and focused on what she had heard.

  “Thank you. Now, what happened next?”

  “I ran until I collapsed near a water source. There were some skark around it, having a break, and I went upstream and had a drink. One of them came over and nudged me. It scented me from head to toe and seemed to like me. It knelt and urged me to climb on, so I did.”

  “How long were you with the skark?”

  �
��All day. I slept in the middle of the herd, against my ride. Arix came to me and carried me out of the herd. When we were at a safe distance, he explained himself, and after that, he set up a tent and a bedroll for the night.”

  “How did you feel about being around a Luthin?”

  She smiled but kept her eyes closed. “It was weird talking to him when I couldn’t see him, but I always knew where he was.”

  “What about the Rrassic who followed you from the watering hole?”

  She swallowed. “Oh. Right. The herd was moving away from the watering hole and had just started to walk across the plain when the half-dozen Rrassic behind us let out a hunting cry. The skark turned and attacked, trampling the Hunters into paste. When they were sure that the Rrassic were dead, we continued out over the grasslands.”

  “How did you feel about that?”

  “Relieved. I thought that they were the only Rrassic on Skekt.”

  “Of course. What happened when you woke?”

  She smiled and opened her eyes. “The skark were all around us. My ride urged me onto its back, and apparently, my scent was enough to get Arix a ride as well.”

  “Your scent?”

  “Apparently, I was being treated as a skark youngling.”

  Lekorh chuckled. “What came next?”

  “We rode for the day until a flier scattered the herd. Arix grabbed me and pulled me off the skark, lying on top of me to cover me from the sight of any mechanicals.” She shivered. “Next, he was being hauled off me and I was flipped over a Zjin’s shoulder. He carried me across the plain, and the last thing I saw was half a dozen Rrassic focusing on a fixed point. I heard a skark bellow, and then, I was taken underground.”

  “What was your last sight before you went under?”

  She remembered craning her head and staring out at the light as it was taken away. Rocks, bushes and grasses filled her view.

  “Thank you. What happened next?”

  “They took me to medical and ran some scans. They checked me and determined that I was getting close to being receptive. After that, the men who had been assigned to me took me to the baths. They explained the situation I was in and that after the following day they were both going to have sex with me daily until I was pregnant. I was not terribly happy with that news.”

  “Think of the details of the arrangement.”

  She ran through it because she didn’t want to say it out loud.

  “Thank you. Now, go through to the women’s area and look closely at all of the females that you see. Describe them.”

  She sat and described each woman that she had seen, in every colour that they came in. “None spoke Rrassic. Each was restricted to their own language.”

  Iktabi’s voice boomed, “Why do you think that was?”

  “To stop them from conspiring to escape.”

  Lekorh cut in. “Thank you for the information. What happened next?”

  “I paced in my room until I heard Arix. He told me what I needed to do, and all I did after that was hold on and tried to keep still.”

  “You made it out alive, so I would say that you both did what needed to be done.”

  She felt the admiration in Lekorh’s mind.

  “Thank you for the information, it was excellently recalled and you have provided us with valuable intelligence.”

  “You are welcome. Was there anything else?”

  There was a pause. “What do you think of Arix?”

  She froze, going through every touch, caress and look that had passed between them.

  “Thank you for your reply. You have been most helpful.” Lekorh’s voice was smooth.

  She sighed and slowly focused on the room around her.

  Isabella was sitting at the table with her hands folded on the polished surface. She was wearing two silver wristbands that matched the ones that Iktabi was wearing.

  Bree looked from Isabella to the Dorbin and back with a raised eyebrow. Isabella shrugged and winked.

  “So, how long do I need to remain here at the health centre?” Bree looked around.

  Isabella smiled. “You may return to the Breeder compound today. As you are now receptive to the Rrassic, you will be able to find the mate of your choosing without trouble.”

  Bree felt a blush climbing up her cheeks. “What if I don’t want to?”

  Iktabi’s brows snapped together. “You agreed to abide by our requests when you were brought here.”

  Bree sighed. “I mean, what if the man I want is not available?”

  “You mean taken by another female?”

  “No, I mean in the med centre.”

  Isabella smirked. “I think we can have a cot brought into his room until he is released.”

  Bree scowled. “I don’t know if I am his type.”

  Lekorh chuckled and flipped his hood back. “During his debriefing, he definitely indicated that his thoughts were only of you. He got very creative.”

  Bree stared. She had never seen a Saya up close before. His skin was silver, his hair was gold and the third eye in his forehead matched the others precisely. She smiled. “It is good to know. Thank you.”

  Iktabi got to his feet. “Bella, I will be right outside.”

  Lekorh stood, walked around the table and lifted one of Bree’s hands to his lips. “It was an honour to walk in your thoughts.”

  “Thank you for being kind.”

  “It is easy when the subject thinks so clearly. I wish you well, lady. Enjoy your mate.” He winked with his centre eye and left the room.

  Iktabi was right behind him.

  Bella smiled and cocked her head. “So, do you have any questions about mating with a Rrassic? I am pretty sure I have answered most of the usual ones once or twice this week.”

  “Are they different than human guys?”

  Bella grinned. “Get another cup of tea. This is going to take a while.”

  Knowing when she was going to get genuine intelligence, Bree took the lady’s advice and got herself another cup of tea. It was time for the Rrassic sex talk.

  Chapter Seven

  Three broken ribs, a fractured arm, countless bruises, slices to his chest and neck, and every injury had been incurred for her.

  She was lying on the cot and watching him sleep. It was creepy if she admitted it to herself, but she felt better for keeping watch over him.

  “I can feel you staring at me. I have to admit it feels odd.” Arix opened his eyes and turned his head toward her.

  She blushed. “Odd?”

  “Yes. I spend my time being invisible. Having someone actually looking at me is a little odd. We aren’t used to it.”

  “We?”

  “Luthins. We are trained to blend in.”

  Bree got out of her cot and went to sit at his bedside. He took her hand, and she leaned forward to stroke his cheek with her fingertips.

  “I would recognize you in any light, anywhere, anytime, whether I could see you or not.”

  His free hand captured hers, and he pressed a kiss to her palm. “That is one of the nicest compliments I have ever received.”

  She moved closer to him and slowly leaned in to kiss him. He seemed more surprised at the kiss than the compliment.

  She leaned in, threaded her fingers behind his head and brushed her lips against his until he was an active participant.

  He cupped her head with his long fingers as his lips explored hers, and she teased him with her tongue. He tasted like the sweet fruit tea that he favoured.

  He held her against him as they clashed and teased each other. When she finally relaxed her grip, he followed her lead a moment later.

  His black eyes were hard to read, but his brows and smile told another story. “That was a surprise.”

  “Was it?”

  “Yes. I didn’t consider that you would accept me as a viable option. I have seen your kind going hot over Zjin and Regiz, never Luthin.”

  Sh
e stroked his cheek. “It is probably because you are so hard to find.”

  He laughed. “I have never thought it would be an asset.”

  Bree let him pull her against his chest. She was careful not to put too much weight on him, but she enjoyed the embrace.

  His heart thudded under her ear, and he exhaled a long sigh with his good arm around her.

  “Why the sigh?”

  “Well, I am stuck in here and you are receptive right now. It is a bit of a waste.”

  She glanced up at him. “We have a couple of days. Would you be interested if I did all the work?”

  He stared down at her in shock, his colour going from green to violent purple. “You would do that?”

  “Sure. But when are you getting out of bed. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I am being released in a few hours. I will need to remain with someone. Are you interested?”

  Bree smiled. “I am, as long as you do what I tell you to. I don’t want to have to fight you to keep you on the road to recovery.”

  “You won’t. I swear I will follow every order for the honour of having you as my mate.”

  Bree sighed. “Good. Your assistance with camouflage has bound us together as strongly as if you had bitten me. Enjoy it. Neither you, nor I am getting away.”

  “I have never been so delighted to be caught.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “I am sorry about the damage that marked you.”

  “You got me out before they could do something that was far worse. I would rather be forced to choose than simply be forced.”

  “That doesn’t sound pleasant.”

  She shrugged. “I got the Breeder lecture, and I know that the Rrassic are trying to see what happens when our kinds get together.”

  “The Voboth have taken out so many of our people, and they are still coming. To know that we can create a future that we can see, something that can take over after that point... it matters.”

  “So your women are gone?”

  “Most of them. The queens are now as safe as we can make them, but if we are to rebuild once this is over, we need to have an eye on the future.”

  “Is that what the colonists are doing?”