Chapter 20
Draggar
The chirping of liseks sounds through the trees as we make our way down the path. Haley and I have just passed the stream that indicates we have entered Anuriix territory, now, and I can feel the tense set of my muscles relax with relief.
My mate will be safe with my tribe.
Even though they do not know of Haley, yet, and I am not looking forward to explaining why I have waited so long to tell them of her existence or where I have been – I know they will accept her as one of our own. She is my spirit mate, and nothing is more important than that. She will be honored and protected not just by me, but by the entire tribe. No matter if she accepts the bond or not, she will be safe.
But if she does, she will be one of us, a member of the Anuriix tribe.
I glance over at Haley and marvel at her as she confidently walks along beside me.
I surprised her after sunrise with a new set of clothing and boots. Seeing her curves displayed in clothing reminiscent of the traditional attire of Laediriian females sends a thread of warmth through my chest and my second heart pumps out a fast beat. The dark blue leather of the dress makes her eyes look even brighter and somehow bluer and the boots, similar to my own, offer protection to her delicate feet.
I noticed how she tried so hard to clean and repair her strange clothing, even though they appeared beyond repair. Her shoes, which were made of some sort of soft fabric I have never seen before, had ceased to provide any sort of protection long ago, and her garments were much too heavy for the temperatures of the hottest season on Laedirissae.
I used the scrof hide along with the small sewing kit I carry to quickly fashion her new clothing. It is not of the same quality as what some of my other tribe members can create and I was almost embarrassed to give the garments to my mate. But Haley seemed to be pleased with the new clothing when I gave it to her.
My skin flushes hot as I remember how she threw her arms around me and fused her mouth to mine, our kiss quickly deepening until we were both panting hard. It had taken every bit of control I possess to stop before we went any further. It had already been an act of immense determination to not go any further when I gave her pleasure this morning.
Especially when she looked at me with so much need like she actually wanted to give me pleasure, too.
Only a little longer. Once I get the translator chip, I can explain the mate bond and all that it entails. Then, Haley can tell me if she wants to complete the bond or not.
The universe could not have sent me a better mate than Haley, and I feel my chest swell with happiness every time I look at her. I just hope she feels the same way about me.
We are near the outskirts of my village, and I have a decision to make. Should I go ahead and take Haley into the village center and introduce her to the other members of my tribe or should I ask her to wait for me somewhere on the outskirts? Somewhere hidden, perhaps.
I glance over at Haley and lock gazes with her, and the trusting smile she sends me makes my decision for me. I do not want to be parted from my mate. Not for even one moment, if it can be helped.
But that does not mean we should traipse through the center of the village with everyone staring.
It is still early in the day and even though the ground has not completely dried out from the storm that recently came through Anuriix territory, the warriors and hunters will be up and about already. The other males in the tribe will be awake and stirring, as well. I do not want to stumble upon any of them just yet.
My tribe’s village is clasped in the protective arms of the Monadh Mountains and it provides security in addition to the tall wall around our settlement. The mountain range is dotted with caves and passages, and I recall the passage that is kept secret from everyone except a select few tribe members. It is meant to be an escape route should we ever have need of it. I hope we will not.
The passage is narrow and meanders through the mountain and under the settlement walls until it ends at a sturdy door on the edge of the village. We can use it to enter the village without drawing attention.
I take us around the outskirts of the village, keeping well away from the wall and the sentries that will be stationed near it, until we come to a rock wall covered in moss and vines. There is a door here somewhere, just tall enough and wide enough for one full-grown male to fit through and its moss-covered surface blends in well with its surroundings.
If I did not know what to look for, I would not know it was there. But thank the goddesses, I do.
The door is secured with a lock that can be unlocked from both the inside and outside by twisting five metal dials in a code. I quickly rotate the dials, inputting the code that I know will unlock the door, until a loud click sounds. Haley’s eyes are rounded when I push the heavy door open and duck through the entrance, gesturing for her to follow me.
“It is safe. We will use this passage to enter my village.” I reassure her. It is obvious by the hairs over her eyes – which I now know are called eyebrows – drawn together in a frown that she is hesitant to enter the shadowy space, but after locking gazes with me, she nods and steps quickly through the doorway.
Just as I remembered, the passageway is narrow with only enough room for us to walk in a single file line. With the door closed, it’s dark but a thin coating of moss on the solid walls glows and provides enough illumination that my mate’s eyes should be able to see. Still, I hold my hand back and link it with hers just in case. Her smaller hand clutches mine, and I give it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
The ceiling hangs low overhead, and at times, I’m forced to drop my head as we travel through the chamber. The sound of water dripping down the stone wall is loud in the silence as we draw closer to it. Up ahead of us, the dusty rock floor of the passage has turned muddy from the water. This passage is usually dry, but the water is probably runoff from the recent storm.
Footprints are visible in the mud and leading away from it towards the door we just entered through before fading away. Someone else has recently been here.
My entire body goes on alert as I quickly gaze down the narrow, shadowy passageway that stretches in front of us. There is no movement in the darkness, nor are there any unusual noises. My nose twitches as I inhale deeply, but all I smell is the dripping water the mustiness of the passage, and a faint sour odor that I cannot explain. And Haley.
There is no one else here, but there was and recently.
My muscles unclench with relief, and I pick Haley up to cross the muddy section of ground. She makes a noise of protest and tries to get me to put her down so she can cross on her own, but I shake my head and pull her closer, enjoying the sensation of holding my mate in my arms even if only for a moment. I turn sideways and continue down the path, only letting Haley down once we reach the second door at the end of the passageway.
This door is secured by a similar lock, and the entrance should allow us to emerge at the edge of the village not far from the rows of huts, and hopefully we will not be seen. Although it is still early in the day, most of the males in the tribe should be in the center of the village by now. The kitlings will be starting their lessons and everyone else should be going about their daily tasks, whether it be training, hunting, preparing food, or any of the other duties our tribe depends upon to function.
It takes only a few seconds to twist the five dials until the click of the lock sounds and I carefully pull open the heavy door. The hinges let out a high-pitched squeal that makes me wince with how loud it is. Beside me, Haley gasps and grows still. I wait, my muscles clenched tightly, expecting to hear one of the other males in my tribe calling out in alarm.
But no cry comes, and after a moment, I relax.
But only a little. The footprints are trouble. This passage is intended only as an escape route should it be needed, and its existence is not known by everyone in the tribe. Only the chief of the tribe, myself, Vrenner, the medic, and the seer. . . Jaran. Sard.
Could Jaran have been in the passage recently? But why? I must discuss this with Chief Daggir when I get a chance, but I know in my gut that if he was in the passageway, the reason cannot be good.
I usher Haley through the open doorway with her hand in mine. She chews on her bottom lip and nervously glances around as we emerge near the pens that usually contain our mounts. The eponirs are absent, having been turned lose for their mating season.
Haley’s blue eyes are wide as we continue down the path, emerging near the huts laid out in neat rows. Many of the structures are empty, now, as the size of our tribe has rapidly dwindled. So many of our males are growing older and fewer kitlings are born every year. There has only had one kitling born in the last two years. Soon, there will be none.
The healer, Warrix, has said it is because the quality of the eggs has degraded over time. If that is true, then the other Laediriian tribes are likely facing the same risk of extinction. An extinction that is fast approaching for our people.
But now, there is hope. With Haley and the amoris bond restored, perhaps, we might have a chance to survive.
As we near Vrenner’s hut, I spot the glow of light emanating from the window near the back of his home, letting me know that he is most likely still busy working away in his workshop.
Good, he is awake.
If truth be known, he has probably been awake all night long tinkering with whatever project has captured his attention this time.
I am not sure if he will even hear me if I knock on the door, so I decide to forego the customary courtesy and ease the door open to reveal the interior of his hut still in the same dusty condition it was in just days ago when I was here. Was it really only days ago? So much has happened since then. So much has changed since then.
The same bowl of stew with mold growing on top of it is still situated in the middle of the small table, only now it has been joined by two more bowls. A small pile of clothing lies on the floor next to the door as if Vrenner placed it there as soon as he entered and forgot about it, and I wonder momentarily if it’s clean or dirty. I shake my head at the mess, and notice that Haley is looking around, studying the small hut. This is not exactly the first impression I wanted her to have of my tribe, but it is done.
“Vrenner, are you here?” I call out as we move through the cluttered room towards the open door of my cousin’s workshop.
Vrenner appears in the doorway, his eyes bleary and glazed in the shadowy interior of his hut.
“Cousin, where have you been all. . .” Vrenner’s question trails off to silence as he comes to a halt when he finally notices that I am not alone.
His mouth falls open in shock and his eyes are so wide I fear he will never be able to close them. His ears and nostrils twitch as if he is in the middle of the jungle, and after a moment of staring, he recover enough to snap his mouth shut with an audible click.
I want to chuckle because it is the first time I have seen my cousin struck speechless, but instead I force down the laugh. “Vrenner, this is Haley.” He is still frozen in shock, his eyes glued to my mate as if he cannot believe what he is seeing. He probably can’t. I was the same way when I first saw her.
I turn to my mate. “Haley, my cousin, Vrenner, who as you can tell is as messy as a herd of scrof.”
I neglect to mention to my cousin that Haley is my spirit mate. That is a subject that I should discuss with Haley first, not anyone else. I am eager, and nervous, to discover if she will accept the mate bond between us. My gut clenches when I think about the possibility that she might choose to deny the bond.
Instead, I smile reassuringly at Haley. Her eyes are still rounded with shock as she stares at my cousin, but she is clearly trying to make the best of the situation. I beam as she clears her throat and shoots Vrenner a polite smile and mutters a few words that must be her people’s version of a greeting.
“Nyys too miit yoo.” Her voice is soft and hesitant.
“You, you. . . you are a female.” Vrenner hisses the words out as if they are an accusation as he ignores her quiet greeting. “An alien female.”
He continues to stare at my mate before finally he shakes his head as if trying to reset his brain. Vrenner’s perusal turns studious as he moves forward and walks a small circle around us, almost like he would if he was examining a tech component that needed repairing.
I want to roll my eyes at his reaction, but I resist the temptation. For all of my cousin’s intelligence with the technology the Ancestors left behind for us, he has never been the most charming male in the tribe. He is much more at home tinkering with his gadgets than interacting with others.
Haley makes a noise in her throat and lets loose with a string of words that I have no hope of understanding, but it is clear she does not appreciate my cousin’s perusal. I chuckle and smile in appreciation at her fiery spirit. The universe chose well with my passionate mate.
Her skin that is usually pale and almost colorless is flushed the same enchanting pink color that graces her cheeks when she is in the throes of finding pleasure, and I can feel my cock jerk in response. I suppress the desire to escort her out and to my own hut so that we can have privacy. There will be plenty of time for us to sate our needs later.
We have come to my cousin with a purpose of the utmost importance.
“That is enough, Vrenner.” My voice is firm.
I pull Haley to me and wrap my arms around her before placing a reassuring kiss on her forehead. She quickly calms and grows quiet, her own arms snaking around my waist. She feels so right against me. Her soft curves nestle perfectly against my harder frame. Like we were made to fit each other.
Out of my peripheral vision, I see Vrenner come to a halt and a speculative gleam enters his eyes as I caress my mate’s back, but I do not care. Let him look. I will care for my mate whenever she needs it in whatever manner she needs.
After a few moments, I can feel Haley relax completely against me, and I turn my attention back to Vrenner. He has retreated and he’s now leaning against the door to his workshop studying us.
“Yes, Haley is an alien female. She is a human from a place called Earth.” I succinctly explain to him, then before he can ask any questions, I quickly change the subject and inquire about the reason for our visit. “Were you able to repair it?”
Vrenner shakes his head as if coming out of a fog. “Yes. It has been waiting for you. Where have you been, Draggar?”
“I will explain later, cousin, but for now, I wish to see the chip.”
He waves us into his workshop, and we follow. The room is usually small, but with both my cousin and I crammed inside it, along with Haley, it feels even tighter. Vrenner holds out the tiny piece of tech that is only a little larger than a single grain of kresiva. One end of the chip is sharper and he indicates that it is designed that way to allow it to be easier to insert into the body with no other tools needed.
“Do you want me to insert it into the alien?” Vrenner asks, a little too eagerly for my liking.
“No.” I take the small chip from him and hold it in my hand almost reverently. This minuscule bit of technology will allow me to finally understand my mate. “I want you to insert it into me.”
“You?” Vrenner sputters, my request clearly not what he expected.
“Yes, insert it into me. Now, Vrenner.” I tell him, a thread of steel in my voice.
He shoots me a confused look, but my cousin quickly does as I ask. He rubs a cold astringent smelling liquid against my skin just above my ear, then he presses the translator chip against me.
I wince in pain as the sharpened end of the tiny device burrows through my flesh before it becomes imbedded in my body. Once it is inside, there is an almost immediatel halt to the pain before it blooms again only to become a mind-numbing, searing bolt of lightning that shoots through my brain.
It feels like my head will explode. It is the chip connecting to my brain or something in a process that Vrenner had a name for, but I do not remember what it is called at the moment.
Over the loud ringing in my ears, I can just barely make out the sound of Haley calling out my name, her voice tense with worry as she yells for me. I want to reach out and comfort her, but I can’t move. I can’t speak.
Then, everything goes dark, and I slip into blessed unconscious away from the excruciating agony.