Hunter Raze, page 21
It wasn’t Roth, but Gnaw who showed on the communications vid. The male appeared to have just woken.
“Raze.” Gnaw touched his bare chest. “How went the hunt? Roth and my grouping are on duty, but I remain with our females in our home.”
They spoke in Veslor. Raze wasn’t certain of how much the humans had learned of their language, with the other grouping living on the vessel. He switched to Juba. They were an alien race who only had contact with Veslors for trading. They lived one solar system away. All his people knew their language. “We must be careful of our words, friend.”
Gnaw’s gaze sharpened and he sat up straighter. “Understood,” he replied in Juba. “Why this language?”
“The people you live with will not know it.”
Gnaw gave a sharp nod. “But why the secrecy? Did you find―”
Raze cut him off before he could say Anabel’s name. “Watch your words. Nothing that will give away what we speak of in case someone hacks or overhears our communications. Our hunt was successful. We have the female. She is healthy and fine. But she has sworn anyone knowing she is alive will create danger for her sister and your males. Understood? She fears others of her kind in power will kill them both, but make it appear as an accident. Did you receive our message? The female believes you need to leave your ship immediately.”
Gnaw appeared grim. “Yes. We’ve had some warnings about the female you hunted.”
Anger filled Raze. “She is an honorable female! Who said that she wasn’t? They are being dishonest!”
“Not that.” Gnaw leaned closer. “We were warned that the people she worked for might harm her if the female you hunted was returned. We were told to take her far from her people, for her safety.
“Your message said we need to leave with you. Is this still correct? We had planned to contact another grouping to pick us up, after the sister was returned to us. We didn’t bring a ship for this job. Our king was worried our technology might be studied and duplicated without permission. These people are mostly good…but not all.”
“It is best if you come with us. Our ship has technology that their sensors can’t track if we don’t want them to. We will arrive within a few hours. Be prepared to leave.”
Gnaw appeared a little surprised again, but he gave another sharp nod. “I will inform my grouping. Thank you for the offer to pick us up. We’ll be leaving sooner than imagined, but we have two mates pregnant with cubs. Do you have a healing center on your ship? Neither are due to birth soon, but their health and safety must come first.”
That news shocked Raze. Bruck had shared that at least one Veslor male had bred cubs with a human, but he hadn’t been aware any of the males in Roth’s grouping had been that fortunate. “We have an excellent healing center and Satrono can accommodate up to twenty people. We’re currently four. I hadn’t heard that any of your grouping expected cubs. Blessings to your males and mates!”
Gnaw smiled. “My mate has already given me two cubs. Roth’s mate is carrying one.” He paused. “Do not share this with the female…but her sister is carrying at least one cub as well. She wishes to give her that news herself when they are reunited.”
Raze reached up and placed his fist to his heart. “My vow of silence. A great yearning has come true for your males. Many blessings.”
“Yes.” Gnaw’s smile widened into a flat-out grin of joy. “Our king has given us territory. It is on a growing planet, but he knows we do not wish to be farmers. It is a small continent, ours alone, with much to hunt by land and sea. The weather is always fair. It will be a good place to live with our mates and raise cubs.”
“My grouping is happy to assist you, your mates and cubs to get home.”
“The female you hunted is truly well?”
“Yes.” Raze gave a smile of his own. “She is a tough, fierce female.” He had another question. “Do you feel any resentment for returning to our territory? You will have to give up traveling and fighting.”
Gnaw chuckled. “No. It was good to fight, and we may one day venture back into space again, in the far future, but to raise our cubs on land has become our priority. It grows more difficult to do jobs while leaving our mates and cubs for any length of time.” His expression turned solemn. “Mating bonds change everything. We will be happy to return to living on land.”
Then he smiled again. “It is easier to accept, too, since no farming will be expected. We hated that. Though we will plant small food gardens to feed our grouping. My mate’s family are farmers, and they love it. They have offered to plant and tend to our growing needs.”
A little envy crept into Raze. His grouping had taken to the stars after being banished from their home planet. They’d decided to live and work in space, rather than relocating to another planet in their home world. The false accusations against them had been spread among their people. Groupings near any territory they settled in likely wouldn’t trust them after hearing the lies told by Yendo. It had just seemed best to start an entirely new kind of life. They did enjoy the hunting.
Raze halted his thoughts. He needed to stay in the conversation, not review his life choices. “Should we stay at this distance until you tell us when to come?”
Gnaw shook his head. “There is no reason to delay. I will contact Roth now and inform him that your grouping is close. The sisters have been separated long enough. We’ve been prepared to go with you since receiving your message from the Cobona. We’ll be thirteen in numbers.”
Raze did the math. Four males, their mates, and two cubs equaled ten. “Did you allow more males to join your grouping?”
“We have three additional humans coming with us. I mentioned my mate’s family. Her parents and a sister will settle with us. Her two brothers have decided to stay on Defcon Red until they meet females to bond with, before joining us at our new home.” Gnaw hesitated. “We didn’t see any hope that a Veslor female would chose a human male as a mate.”
Raze couldn’t disagree with that assessment. Human males wouldn’t test well against their females in battle. “We’ll prepare extra guest sleeping cabins for your mate’s family. It will be crowded, but we’ll manage. Be careful when you speak to your grouping around the people there,” Raze reminded him. “I don’t want anyone to learn that we have the female onboard. Her safety is a priority to me.”
Gnaw’s gaze sharpened again.
Raze smiled, making a quick decision. Since Gnaw had shared a secret with him. He would do the same. “She has her own news to tell her sister.”
Gnaw appeared surprised but recovered fast. “She found a mate amongst your grouping?”
Raze nodded. “Me.”
Gnaw fisted his hand to his chest. “I am happy for you! You are blessed.”
“I am. Please don’t tell her sister.”
“I won’t. We will prepare for your arrival. Your ship will be welcomed by the fleet. Contact their bridge. Tell them you are our Veslor transportation.”
“Done. We’ll remain onboard until the members of your grouping join our ship after we dock. It will be good to spend time with your grouping again. Tell your males we have fresh meat from hunting. The food served during our travels will be good. Raze out.” He cut communications.
Bruck watched him from his seat on the bridge. “I don’t like taking Anabel so close to the human fleet.”
“I don’t either, but their fleet won’t be able to see her on their sensors.”
Bruck frowned. “Are you certain? We’re not familiar with their technology.”
He nodded. “I gave her my shield and have already masked her life sign.” He flashed his bare wrist. “Nothing the humans have can compare to Brani tech.”
His grouping male gaped at him. “You gave Anabel your band?”
“She’s my mate. Her safety is my priority. I’ll have one made for her as soon as we drop Roth’s grouping off in their territory. Then I will contact the Brani to offer our services.”
Bruck gave him a curious look.
“I want my mate to have her own shield.”
“Agreed.”
Raze held his gaze. “Perhaps we should trade for a few extra shields…in case you and Prasky find mates. That way we will have them ready and waiting.”
“I’m not taking a human mate. No offense to Anabel. She is a fine female. Brave. Vicious. Just too small and delicate to appease my sexual needs.”
The snorted laugh that burst from Raze surprised even himself. He was that amused. “You are very wrong. My mate is many things, but delicate isn’t one of them. Anabel would be insulted if she heard you use that description. You would quickly understand if you got a human female bare beneath you.”
Bruck didn’t appear convinced in the least. “Do you resent having to control your aggression? I refuse to believe your female seriously challenges you before copulation. I could smell that you’d tested a mating in the healing center. There was no damage in there. She didn’t make you fight her. You must have been extremely gentle.”
“It’s best when there is no challenge beforehand. Much more pleasurable.” Raze stood, grinning. “Much more. The best. I don’t feel any aggression with her. Only possession and tenderness.”
The confused look on Bruck’s face had Raze feeling even more amused.
“Trust my words. I would never deceive you. Humans are different but in extremely good ways. I’m grateful that Anabel is not a Veslor, now that I know the difference.”
Bruck turned to his station, giving Raze his back. “You should share the news with your mate that we have contacted Roth’s grouping. I’ll be sure to send the human fleet a message that we wish to dock with them.”
“Call me when we’re within viewing range. I don’t trust any humans besides my mate.”
Raze left the bridge and returned to his sleeping place. Anabel was curled up on their bed, napping. He stripped quickly before climbing in with her. He loved to hold his mate.
“Where did you go?” She turned her head as he curled around her back, pulling her tight into his embrace.
“I reached Roth’s grouping. We’re a few hours from Defcon Red.”
Anabel cursed and wiggled away. He hated to let her go, but did. His female could use her small elbows to cause him pain by jabbing him in various places. He’d learned that quickly.
She sat up, her exposed breasts distracting him. He licked his lips.
His mate chuckled. “Don’t look at me like that and keep your tongue in your mouth. You’re too damn tempting. I need to shower, get dressed and prepare for shit to hit the fan. What if the fleet commander of Defcon Red demands a tour of your ship?”
“They will not. Veslors are allies to the fleet. It would infuriate our king if we were treated as hostile enemies. I have already programed the shield to hide your life sign from their sensors.”
She lifted her ankle. His band wouldn’t shrink small enough to fit on her wrist. His mate had small bones, so he’d attached it there. He’d promised her that their grouping would take a trip to the Veslor home world to get her one that fit. For now, wearing it on her ankle worked.
“Are you sure this thing works for me?”
“Yes. I asked many questions while the Brani added the shield and other functions to my band. One function is hiding life signs. I was assured it would work on anyone wearing it. The Brani tend to use small devices attached to their clothing to hold the technology. That didn’t work for us.”
“Because you lose your clothing when you shift?”
He nodded. “But not our bands.”
“I remember. Because your people made them for shifters. It adjusts with you.”
“Yes. They are also impossible to remove except by the person it was made for.”
That made her frown. “You mean I can’t take it off?”
“No. It will only release when I tell it to, after you’re safe from the fleet finding you.”
“Is it functional for me the way it is for you? Can I talk to your grouping?”
He nodded. “I activated that function for you as well. The band also identifies you as a Veslor to any allied races. All our males wear them when traveling from our planets. Some even wear them on our world. The bands help us keep in touch with not only our own grouping, but others within transmission range. Some prefer the bands over keeping a stationary communications device inside their homes.” He chuckled. “Especially if they have cubs. When I was one, I broke ours playing with it.”
His humor fled when he thought of his parents, and their betrayal.
Anabel distracted him by leaning forward to brush her mouth over his. “Don’t be sad. Though, I get it. I’m sometimes reminded of good times from my childhood, but then realize I’ll never see my parents again. Yours are still alive. Maybe one day they’ll apologize for picking the wrong side and see what assholes they were to you and your grouping.”
“They must feel shame, but they have much pride. The truth is widely known. It is just painful for all who trusted Yendo’s lies to acknowledge that they were deceived. Our birth grouping will avoid us, and always will.”
“It’s their loss. You’re amazing. I’m not just staying that because you’re hot as hell and all mine.” She smiled. “You’re a great guy, Raze. I’m damn lucky you hunted me.”
He chuckled. “I am the blessed one.” His gaze darted down to her breasts. They were so very tempting. Everything about his mate was.
Anabel suddenly flipped around and crawled toward the edge of the bed. “No! Don’t even give me that titillating sizzling look. We’ll celebrate me not getting caught by the fleet after we get the hell away from them free and clear with my sister and your people. I need to get my game face on. That means showering and putting on clothes. Not letting you spend the next hour or two distracting me with multiple orgasms. My brain is always mush afterward.”
He felt proud of his skills pleasing his mate and sat up. “We have one hour to play.”
“After.” She fled. “I’m relieved I’m officially retired. You’d get me killed, Raze. I can’t think about anything but you when you’re naked. Put some clothes on.” She entered the bathing room to shower.
Raze was tempted to follow and seduce her. He’d learned how to tempt her easily, but he redressed, this time in leathers and typical Veslor gear. He might be facing the enemy soon. It would depend on whether the fleet humans attempted to board his ship.
He reached for his band to contact Prasky but touched bare skin, forgetting that it wasn’t there. He sighed and walked to the wall, using the ship’s systems. Prasky responded immediately.
“What are you doing?”
The confusion in the other male’s voice amused Raze. “I gave my mate my band so she can use it to hide her life sign. Prepare for docking with the human military vessel in two hours. We will pick up Roth’s grouping and fly them back to our home sector of space.”
The male growled. “Good. We can get rid of the human prisoner. Finally. I hate that male and have had to fight the urge to kill him often.”
Raze had mostly forgotten about the male who’d surrendered to them on the planet. “We will leave that male to their human justice.”
“I hope that is death. He whines and attempts to deceive me every time I feed him. I’ve never met anyone more dishonorable.”
“We’ll be rid of him soon. Two hours.”
“Are these fleet humans going to act like allies or enemies?”
“We’ll find out. Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.”
“Humans,” Prasky snarled. Then he ended the coms.
Anabel wore yet another oversized outfit. She really needed clothing that fit her, but it wasn’t like she could stroll onto Defcon Red to hit up their shopping district. Fleet battle vessels were about as close to a self-contained floating city that one could get off-planet. They contained not only everything the military needed, but they employed civilians to work shops, restaurants, and even a large hydroponic garden. It was because they were mostly deployed in deep space.
She opened the bathroom door to see Raze waiting for her. “Can you contact this Roth’s grouping again and have them pick me up clothing?”
His eyebrows rose. She’d surprised him.
“I’d like some actual pants and tops that fit me. Maybe a bra.”
He grimaced. “Your breasts are freed for good.”
She laughed. “Okay. I’ll pass on the bras. I would like pants and shirts that fit, though. Maybe a spare set of boots, since these ones have seen way too much action. Socks, too, because yours are too big.”
“I can go to the bridge to contact one of the males in Roth’s grouping again.”
She rattled off her sizes and made him repeat them. “I’ll pay the other grouping back for whatever they spend. I can access accounts I’ve set up if we stop at an Earth station, or any colony with humans.”
He growled. “You’re my mate. I will provide for you.”
“Do you have Earth currency?”
“No, but I am returning one of their criminals. Perhaps the human male has a bounty on him. I will collect it. If not, I will pay Roth directly in our currency. I also will return what he paid me to hunt you.”
She frowned, thinking about that. “I have money, but it’s not going to do me much good unless we go somewhere I can access it from Earth.”
“We have done well hunting. There is no need to think about it. You need nothing. I will give you everything.”
“My hero.” She went to Raze and gave him a hug. “If I can’t access my accounts, I guess I’m now officially broke. I’m glad that you don’t seem to mind being my sugar daddy.”
He chuckled, holding her. “I don’t know what that means, but you’re my mate.”
“I’m totally working with you guys on your next hunt to earn my keep.”
