Venin Stings the Sweetest barely waited for me to slip on my sandals before she shoved me towards the haze after the a’Rä.
She kept putting hands on me.
The next time, she’d draw back a bloody stump.
Weighty body slithering over my foot, the Zýt’s muscled length rose up to my shoulder and blocked my way.
Wedge-shaped head tilting, her tongue flickered.
Flaring scarlet in colour, her tail rattled.
Intrigued, I hesitated because I didn’t recognise the rhythm.
I knew her ‘I’m happy to see you’ and ‘feed me treats’ noises rather well.
The rest confused me as they were similar.
Shrugging, I stroked under her chin then nudged her aside.
She seemed unharmed.
I’d figure out her noises eventually, but right then wasn’t the time to puzzle over it.
Venin Stings the Sweetest was running late after stopping to pick me up.
Overbearing as her behaviour was, she too was making an effort by including me.
I wondered if Venomous had had a word with her.
I knew her discrimination troubled him, and he wanted us to bond.
Last thing I needed was to make her miss the trader and get all cranky.
I tried to move around the Zýt, stepping over her coils seemed rude, but she shifted and danced until I stopped with a noise of exasperation.
“Enough,” Venin snapped, shoving past.
Rattle sounding like a swarm of angry bees, the Zýt snapped at her throat, head darting in a striking motion that made Venin skitter.
Is she picking up on the I hate my mother-in-law vibes?
Venomous mentioned the Zýt were sensitive and attuned to the family they nested with.
Alarmed by her aggressive behaviour, worried she learned bad manners from me, I paused long enough to give her a kiss on her head. “Behave. I’ll be home soon. We’ll have a nice long snuggle and nap. I’ll even feed you some of those disgusting, cricket-looking things you love.”
Drawing my hood up to shade me from the sun, I stepped through the haze and the rattling faded.
Climbing into the four-seat transport next to the pilot, who barely acknowledged me, I hunkered down in my seat feeling ill at ease by the lack of greeting.
Rä were not touchy-feely, but most were chatty, curious, and even if they didn’t like me they greeted me.
The a’Rä escorting us were taciturn the entire journey.
Music came from the transport speakers and relaxed me as I stared at the spectacular landscape.
Rök was a beautiful planet.
While occupied by higher life forms and peppered with cities and settlements, it retained a raw beauty Earth lacked outside of its uninhabited areas.
Second moon rose high in the sky with the sun.
I leaned on the side dash taking in the rolling, emerald dunes and the flashes of animal life when we slowed to turn a corner or descend into a ravine.
The droning engine died, and the transport landed.
I shimmied off my seat, lips pushed out.
The spaceport we’d driven to didn’t look familiar.
As She, Venin Stings the Sweetest and her attendant disembarked, the a’Rä pilot strode over then clamped something around my wrist.
Startled, I glanced down to see a manacle.
As I yanked back, he grabbed my other hand, slapping another circle of metal on.
Magnetised, the cuffs slammed into each other, yanking my arms together.
It took several scary hard thuds of my heart for the implications of what happened to sink in.
I looked around with wide eyes. Up at the a’Rä in white-faced shock. “I don’t understand.”
“Human, you do not belong here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Swallowing, I twisted my face from the a’Rä shackling me to seek out Venin Stings the Sweetest. “W-Why are we here?”
She looked smug. “Finally, I am to be rid of you.”
Dread crept cold and dark though my veins. “I’m beginning to think....” I cut off. This is not happening. I’m meant to be safe here amongst these people. “Are you....” Again, words escaped me. My breathing hitched. “Are you leaving me here to die?”
Venin looked badly like she wanted to say yes.
I’d been warned time and time again by my males how dangerous it was for me to be outside alone.
We’d travelled for spans to the outskirts.
All they had to do was march me into the sand plain, turn me about then leave me to my fate.
I was a forgetful fool, so I didn’t have my personal communicator to call for help.
The sun would continue to shine relentlessly leaving me dehydrated and likely ambulating delusional circles.
No water; dead.
Stumble into a predator’s territory; dead.
Sting from a Viranid; dead.
Fall down too steep a slope, and snap my neck; dead.
Caught out in the brutal sandstorm Fiercely warned me of last moon; so freaking dead.
And those were the dangers I recalled off the top of my head.
Worst of all, neither of my mates knew I needed rescuing from my whacked out mother-in-law.
“No,” the a’Rä replied levelling an irritated look at Venin. “We are not leaving you here to die.”
“Okay,” I said evenly not appeased or reassured. “Do you mind telling me what is happening?”
I lifted my hands then waved them so it caught my meaning.
“You do not belong here. We are sending you to live in the care of those more like you.”
Nodding, my bound wrists lowered. “I see.”
No, I did not fucking see.
What else did one say when confronted with such utter bullshit?
How mercurial my life had become.
Suddenly, I was so not shocked or staggered by the turn of events.
The moment I became excited about spending the rest of my life with Venomous and Fiercely was the perfect moment for something shattering to occur.
I’d been through so much, it was difficult to drum up anything but a vague sense of disappointment and pain on Venomous’ behalf.
He would be beside himself when he discovered me missing.
When he deduced his mother was to blame, and he would work it out, he’d be devastated and feel betrayed.
“Venin,” I began, “I need you to listen to me. Carefully. This is a mistake. Take a moment to think. You’ll realise it too.”
The Rä’Na shook her bald head. “There is no mistake. My widowed offspring will grieve, but another will mate with him in time. He must be patient.” She sneered. “He will come to see your disappearance as best.”
“You can’t just give me away.” I was beginning to get flustered. “I trusted you. Venomous trusts you. This will destroy him, especially because it’s you doing it.”
“He will never know. I will tell him I took you out to the Empty Quarter to teach you its dangers, and like the deformed idiot you are, you wandered off alone into the wilderness. When they search for you there, find nothing, they will declare you dead. That will be the end of it.”
“That’s your plan? He won’t believe you.”
“You are wilful and I gave him life. Many times have you nearly come to death in an accident of your own making.” She drew herself up tall. “I will be believed. You will become no more than a shameful memory.” She motioned to the a’Rä. “I have witnesses to testify how I was distraught when we discovered you gone from the transport. All because you disobeyed, and roamed astray when our attention was diverted to finding your weak human body water.”
Incredulous, I gawked then eyeballed the a’Rä askance.
The seven foot giants flanking me barely paid me any mind.
They wanted me gone, wanted my strange offworlder presence off their precious planet.
My wrists hurt.
The manacles used to sec
ure me were strong with sharp edges, and because of the twisting I did to free myself they were now reddened, raw and bleeding.
One of the a’Rä hissed, tongue flickering. “You bleed.” It cast me a glance that actually looked concerned then reached to stop me moving.
Seeing an opportunity, I kicked it hard between the legs.
It looked at its crotch in confusion then at me as if I was demented.
So I screamed.
All three Rä slammed their hands over their ears, dropping to their knees.
I legged it towards the transport.
Made it five running steps too, before I was lifted up and shaken.
“Do not hurt her,” cried the a’Rä that had shown concern for my wounds.
The a’Rä that caught me sniffed then dropped me onto my feet.
I shrugged it off, glaring. “Don’t touch me.”
There was revulsion in its return stare that made me feel small.
Was this a’Rä one of the Rä that believed Venomous and Fiercely were sexual deviants for wanting me?
There was so much more than what the naysayers tried to reduce our relationship to.
We adored everything about each other.
Our differences had become nothing to be afraid of, or repulsed by; they were attractants that made us value each other because we were unique.
I loved Venomous with all my heart, and he’d earned my loyalty through blood.
He was tied to me physically and emotionally.
I’d made him feel with more depth, and in a way that made him feel secure and appreciated.
Fiercely had bound himself to me as well.
As much as he annoyed me, as much as we fought, I was falling in love with him because he truly cared and tried his best to make me happy.
Tears welled in my eyes at the thought I may never see them again.
Venin Stings the Sweetest loomed over me. “Do that again and I will cut that thing out of you.”
Rendered mute by the horror of it, I nodded woodenly.
“Even if you managed to get past us with that oral weapon, where would you go? You cannot operate this transport.” She pointed towards the sand dunes. “There is nothing but death out there for a weak one such as you unprotected.”
“You would not survive,” the a’Rä affirmed.
Scared out of my wits for myself and my baby, I choked on a sob, and covered my stomach as best I could with my hands.
“Cease your noise and fidgeting,” Venin Stings the Sweetest ordered. “Conserve your energies. You need them.”
“W-What for?”
“The Verak who has bought you was kindred to the one Venomous killed in pursuit of you on the L’Odo slave planet.” Her attention drifted. “He is aware you are mated. He will want to cover you many times to establish his dominance, and remove their scent. It is their way. Be still. Prepare yourself.”
Aghast, I gaped at her. “You can’t do this to me! I’m your daughter-in-law! I’m pregnant with your grandchild!”
She grimaced. “The Verak will get rid of the aberration.”
A shiver of disgust raced through my body at her callous words, followed by a mind-numbing bolt of terror.
I couldn’t even wrap my arms around my stomach to protect the fragile life inside.
Venomous was overjoyed we were having a hatchling.
To him, it was a sign our mating was as natural as any other.
He was vocal in his belief we were destined for each other as his people believed mates were.
News of our child reassured the fears of many people who withheld their approval.
It allowed them to accept an alien as part of the Rä, and to see me as not a big deal, or someone to fear.
My participation in the bonding ceremony was the last step in setting most of those objections to rest.
“Venom will never forgive you,” I whispered. “He’ll hate you.” My face heated. “Don’t force him into that position. He’ll choose me and our aberration.”
Venin stared me in the eyes, hers hard and uncompromising. “He will not find out.”
“Don’t be stupid. He’ll piece it together and know you had to have something to do with it. If not him than Fiercely.” I had a thought and smiled triumphantly. “Singing Water will tell them we came to the space spot not the Empty Quarter. Now do you see this won’t work?”
Venin snorted. “That Rä’Na wants rid of you as much as I.”
Paling, I whispered, “What?”
“How do you think I was able to bypass the planetary shield? She has connections.” Venin paused then snorted. “She did not like the way her Rä’Vek stared at you. She is to corroborate the story I took you to the Empty Quarter to show its unusual beauty and warn you of its dangers. She will further rumours you were flighty and unstable. My heartfelt testimony will be believed.” She made a dismissive gesticulation. “You wandered off and were killed. Simple, believable.”
Betrayed.
It cut deep, yet I didn’t let doubt cast me into despair.
Venom and Fiercely will work it out then come after me.
I had to stall for time.
“No, he won’t. He knows me. He knows since my argument with Fiercely I wouldn’t wander alone. I promised them I’d be careful.”
“He will believe.”
“You’re wrong.”
“I am his life giver. I know my offspring.”
“And I am his Rä’Na. I know him! I know the strength of his mind, the depth of his honour! I am telling you he will never forgive you this.”
“You overstate your worth. My son will call forth a new Rä’Na, and you will be nothing more than a sordid memory. He will be glad to have rid himself of you. Fiercely Comes the Night will return to his home, and that will be the end of it.”
Infuriated by her short sightedness, I stomped my foot. “Lady, I didn’t want to get nasty, but you are a screaming bitch.”
Afraid for the life of my unborn child, I was beyond pissed, but out of ideas.
All I had was the hope my males would come bounding to the rescue.
Wonderingly, I hadn’t broken down as I had when snatched from Earth.
I’d grown and matured, was stronger emotionally.
Venomous would be proud if he could see me.
Fiercely would somehow make this out to be all my fault, but he’d hug me tight while he did so.
Venin’s eyes burned with anger.
The female Rä’Na sneered at me as if I were goodbeast droppings she stepped in then scraped off on the doorstop.
Whatever.
After dealing with the despicable L’Odo on the slave planet, and the violent Dei San pirates, the bigoted Rä’Na didn’t scare me.
A sleek spaceship dropped from the upper atmosphere, silhouetted by the sun.
The machine throttled then slowed as it lowered to the hot sand, sending a gust of burnt ether billowing out on a chalky cloud.
Burning sun rays glinted off the hull of the dented ship, and glimmered with vapour from the vast cold of outer space.
The spaceship settled with a hiss of air and groan of metal.
A circular hatch in its underbelly spiralled open, a ramp lowered then a trio of predators prowled forth.
Their feline grace and long, flowing hair almost suited the desiccated environment.
Loose trousers and tunics were embroidered with lustrous thread and jewels.
The biggest, behorned Verak slinked closer.
A feathered eyebrow rose, astonishment clear in his expression.
That was swept away by a dark look as he took in how I was bound.
Muscles bulged under his clothing, and the long cape he wore fluttered in the breeze.
Tufts of smoky fur sprouted from the deep collar of his thigh length tunic, and engraved metal bracelets encircled his thick wrists.
Chains and medallions hung around his thick neck, and silver studs pierced the curve of one pointed ear.
He wore
animal-skin boots that kicked up sand as he loped the sloping dune.
The power of his golden gaze intensified as he drew nearer, and it was possessive.
Trembling, I broke eye contact.
I had to admit, if my heart wasn’t consumed by my Rä warriors, I might have found the advancing male enticing.
He exuded raw sexuality and masculine virility.
I peeked at the Veraks following a protective, yet respectful distance behind.
They stared back with curiosity, and a glimmer of lust.
“Greetings, Great Alpha,” Venin said. “Here is the female as promised.”
The Verak tore his gaze from me to She, Venin Stings the Sweetest. His head cocked. “This is the female my kin lost his life for?” His voice was gruff, holding an underlying silkiness akin to a lover’s caress.
“Yesss.” Venin waved a hand. “She has sustained no damage, as was agreed.”
“She appears whole. Angry, but unharmed.” His eyes flickered over me. His attention snagged on my restraints and caused a frown. “Is she violent?”
Venin Stings the Sweetest hesitated. “Wilful. A great warlord such as you will have no problem breaking her to your hand.”
“Why sell her?” His tone revealed he was not persuaded by her attempt to stroke his ego. “Her mates are displeased?”
“The human creates trouble among my kindred. She bends minds into accepting her strange offworlder ways. My son partakes in clutch many times a rotation.” Venin’s lip curled. “Noises come from their lair, frequently, at all moons, loud and crude.”
I blushed, but lifted my chin when the Verak’s eyes returned to me.
I wasn’t ashamed of wanting my male and making him want me.
Besides, we didn’t even have sex that often, not with him worried about knocking the hatchling, and Fiercely staring hungrily when we did get hot and heavy.
Most of what we did was tell stories of our pasts, plan for the future, talk about the hatchling, laugh, and fool around.
“So bold,” he murmured. It wasn’t disapproval. His eyelids lowered in thought then lifted as he pinned She, Venin Stings the Sweetest with a glare. “I shall take her.”
My lips pressed together.
I lowered my chin to my chest to hide my anger.
There was no point yelling.