Chapter 19
Maya
Maya hung on tight as the alien work vehicle sped across the forest floor.
It was a bumpy ride, but they were making good time.
She was glad Ranek had insisted she sit between his legs with her back up against his broad chest. Because if she had been behind him, she was sure she would have already ended up as a pile on the ground.
She could only hold on for so long before her arms gave out.
Even now, she was having difficulty keeping Commander Chaos on her lap.
Ranek must have felt her struggling because the vehicle slowed. “Do you need a rest?” he asked as they passed a rock wall, which blocked the intense midday sun. Ugh! Why was it so damn sunny and hot on this planet?
“Yeah, my arm hurts. I’m tired, and Commander Chaos is getting lazy and leaning his whole weight on me. I don’t want to drop him. At least he seems to be okay with this novel way of traveling. I had no idea these work vehicles could go so fast.”
“They normally wouldn’t. But I removed the regulator. And I’m pushing this vehicle as hard as I can so we make good time.”
They settled by the rock wall, and Maya was glad for the shade it provided. If she recalled correctly, they were close to the mining station. The map had shown a rock formation leading right up to it. This large ledge must be it.
They shared some food and several packages of water. They were already climbing back into the vehicle when a sound had Maya whipping around, goosebumps tickling up her arm. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up at attention.
“Do you feel that?”
In her arms, Commander Chaos started to struggle, and this time, it wasn't out of curiosity. He was in full-on defense mode. But he was also terrified. He clung to Maya, his little claws digging painfully into her skin, but also growled, trying to sound as menacing as possible.
“Yes. We must go.”
Ranek helped her up, then got on behind her, legs astride the vehicle. Then they were off, pushing the poor work vehicle as fast as they could. The feeling of being watched followed her for a while, but no attacks came, and she soon relaxed.
Her heart rate never returned to normal, however, because pressed up to him, she could feel how the adrenaline had affected his body.
His cock was a hard bar behind her back, and every fallen branch and rock they traversed had them bumping together.
Her pussy also bumped up against the seat every so often, making it worse.
Every minute to the mining station was torture, and she was ready to jump his bones when they reached the clearing and the building came into sight. The pirates had left the freaking door wide open. Great.
“Stay under the overhang,” Ranek said, helping her off the vehicle. “I’ll make sure the station is clear.”
Maya stretched and encouraged Commander Chaos to do his business as Ranek ferreted out anything that might have gotten inside.
She was just reaching down to touch her toes when that uncanny feeling of being prey returned. She looked around, her eyes scanning the trees, but saw nothing. She quickly looped Commander Chaos’s leash over her wrist, and just in time too, because he started growling at the trees.
Maya pulled Commander Chaos toward the door. There might be something inside the station, but there was definitely something deadly out here.
There was a growl, and a blur of purple-gray leaped out from the trees.
The thing was terrifying. It looked like a velociraptor, but had fur.
And the way it stood on its hind legs made it seem more like a bear.
A giant, purple-gray polar bear. When it moved, it did so with the grace and agility of a big cat.
Something about the way it looked in the light had Maya taking a second glance at the terrifying creature.
Where had she seen that color before? It was Commander Chaos’s reaction that finally clued her in. Those pompoms inside the tunnel!
What the hell? They turned into these things? Well, Ranek had already warned her.
But still, she hadn’t expected them to turn into something this scary!
The creature moved fast, lunging at them, and Maya threw herself behind the work vehicle, her heart pounding so hard in her chest that she wondered if it would pound right out of her body. Poor Commander Chaos was pulled along.
“Ranek!” she screamed.
Maya scrambled, playing the galaxy’s most dangerous game of ring-around-the-rosy with the beast around the vehicle.
She prayed the creature wouldn’t get smart and realize it could just leap right over it to get at her.
It didn’t, but instead it shoved at the vehicle, moving it and forcing her to scurry out of the way lest she be crushed against the wall.
She ended up on the side away from the station. Fuck. And now, the leash was stuck on something, meaning Commander Chaos was stuck with it.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
“Ranek!” she shrieked again.
She grabbed the hammer-like tool attached to the back of the vehicle and hefted it in her hands.
She wasn’t sure how much help this tiny toothpick was going to be against the creature, but she wasn’t going to watch as it hurt her baby!
The creature lunged, and she swung. The hammer bounced off the beast, but it moved its head just enough that it bit down on the back of the vehicle instead of on her or Commander Chaos.
Suddenly, the beast was being dragged away by the tail.
Ranek
Rage blinded Ranek’s vision as the verlak’s jaws snapped shut, missing his mate thanks to her quick thinking.
He roared, letting the bloodlust take over.
His cheek creases unfolded, and his fangs descended from their normal position.
Adrenaline coursed through him along with a surge of power.
His senses were acute when he charged in, fierce to protect what was his.
He tackled the beast, grabbing hold of its tail and hauling it back.
The beast, still intent on the two bite-sized morsels in front of it, ignored the less tasty Tallean male.
So Ranek tore at its fur, ripping off large handfuls in a bid to get the creature’s attention.
If it wanted a fight, it needed to fight something its own size.
It shrieked, finally realizing it had to deal with Ranek before it could feast on its lunch.
“Yes, face me!” he roared.
It did, charging toward Ranek, who barely evaded massive claws.
In the background, he heard Commander Chaos’s desperate yipping.
But there was no time to look, because the creature moved fast, now that it had its sights set on him.
It snapped its jaws, and sharp teeth gnashed just inches from his face.
He reacted fast, grappling the creature and holding its jaws shut.
Made for crunching strength and not designed to be strong the other way, Ranek was able to hold its mouth closed.
Thus incapacitated, the creature flailed, panicking, and Ranek held on as it thrashed, bringing them both to the ground.
One of his legs was now pinned under the creature, and if he let go now it would be his doom.
He kicked with the other foot, clawing at the thick, leathery hide. But the angle was wrong, and the beast’s skin was thick. He did get it to move though, freeing his leg. But now he was airborne, having been flung off the creature. He landed hard.
The tunnel verlak pounced on him, and he rolled before springing back to his feet. Ranek kicked, and this time his claws dug into the beast’s side, drawing blood. There was a yelp, but the creature continued its attack. That little nick wasn’t enough to chase it away from its meal.
There was a loud yip, and suddenly the beast whipped around.
Commander Chaos was latched onto its sensitive tail.
The distraction gave Ranek the opportunity to punch it in the face.
It was like punching a mountain. But despite the voice in his head demanding blood, the image of Nibbles flashed in his head, and Ranek resisted the urge to kick it with his claws now that he was no longer in immediate danger.
The creature was just hungry. And unlike the pirates, there was no glory in its death.
As the monster snapped at the dragus pup attached to its tail, Ranek boxed it again. Several more well-aimed jabs had the beast retreating and deciding that the meal wasn’t worth the hassle. Ranek followed it a few more steps, chasing it back into the jungle.
Maya called for Commander Chaos, and realizing the fight was over, the pup released the beast and ran back to her.
With the danger gone, Ranek turned back to Maya as well. She was running toward them. Just one look at her, disheveled and panting with exertion, had the bloodlust morphing into something else. Hunger. Hunger for her. Arousal hit him hard.
The violence had triggered an instinct from the past when it was common for his kind to fight for and claim a female.
He’d managed to fight it off last time after fighting the pirates because they weren’t safe yet.
But this time around there was nothing else here but them, and the need for release seized his very being.
He stalked toward his female. His mate.
Two steps were all it took to close the gap between them.