Chapter 13
KIERA
WHAM—WHAM—WHAM!!!
Kiera jerked awake so hard her whole body jumped.
Beside her, Buck was up and on his feet at once, a low growl rumbling from his deep chest.
“Oh my God,” she gasped, sitting bolt upright. “Who the hell could that be?”
WHAM—WHAM—WHAM!!!
The pounding came again—loud, angry, and insistent. It echoed through the rounded walls of the dome and made her heart leap into her throat.
For one awful second, she thought something had gone wrong with one of the enclosures—one of the predators had gotten out somehow or one of the work—bots had malfunctioned and had gone berserk.
But then the pounding came a third time–WHAM—WHAM—WHAM!!! accompanied by a muffled curse from outside.
Kiera frowned. That voice was human—or at least humanoid.
Buck’s growl deepened. The thick fur along his shoulders was standing up and in the dim light from the hallway glows, Kiera could see his lips peeling back from long, sharp, white teeth.
“Easy, boy,” she whispered automatically, though her own pulse was racing now. “Take it easy.”
WHAM—WHAM—WHAM!!!
The pounding came again.
Kiera frowned.
“All right, that’s enough of that,” she muttered.
Pushing the coverlet aside, she slid out of bed, shivering a little as the cooler air of the room hit her bare legs. She was still wearing her oversized t—shirt, and she was glad she hadn’t decided to sleep nude.
Buck jumped off the bed at once, pacing close beside her as she hurried barefoot down the curving hallway toward the front of the dome. The big wolf’s body was tense and alert, every line of him saying danger!
Honestly, Kiera felt it too. No one should be knocking at her door in the middle of the night.
What the hell was happening? If there had been an accident or problem with someone she loved back on Earth, Commander Rarev or Iyanna would have bespoken her with a Think-Me.
They wouldn’t come pounding on her door at three o’clock in the morning or whatever ungodly hour it was.
She reached the front door and paused in front of the silver panel, keeping well back from it. The Monstrum security doors were strong—strong enough to withstand a battering from most of the creatures in the sanctuary if one somehow got loose.
Still, her skin prickled uneasily as what sounded like a heavy fist slammed against it.
“Who’s there?” she called, her voice coming out angry because being scared did that to her.
“’S me—Higgs!” a deep masculine voice snarled, words slurring.
Kiera’s stomach dropped. Of course it was Higgs. Who else would come pounding on her door in the middle of the night like some kind of drunken lunatic?
Buck’s growl turned into a deeper, more dangerous rumble. He pressed close to her leg, near enough that she could feel the heat rolling off his massive body.
The sound of his growl was oddly comforting.
If he tries to hurt you, I’ll fuck him up! it said.
Which was exactly the kind of backup Kiera needed.
“What do you want? It’s the middle of the night!” she exclaimed, still shouting through the door.
“Wanna come in. You never gave me a chance. You an’ me, we’re the only ones around on this gods—forsaken moon–we oughta be together! Lemme in and I’ll show you how a real man treats a lady!” Higgs slurs.
Kiera grimaced. The smell of liquor wasn’t coming through the sealed door, but she could hear it clearly enough in his voice. Great. Just great. Apparently the slimy rancher next door had gotten drunk and decided tonight was the night he was going to try and show her a good time.
“I don’t think so,” she snapped. “You sound drunk—go home and sleep it off.”
Outside, Higgs muttered something she couldn’t quite make out and then banged on the door again, harder this time.
WHAM—WHAM—WHAM!!!
Kiera jumped in spite of herself. If he didn’t stop that, he was seriously going to put a dent in her front door!
“Come on, pretty Kiera!” he shouted. “You didn’ treat me right! One little date an’ then you act like you’re too good for me? I been patient with you but that ends NOW! Get out here and lemme show you what a woman’s good for!”
At that point Buck, who had been growling louder and louder, pushed her aside and planted himself directly in front of the door, shoulders squared, head lowered, a snarl curling his lips.
“Buck–” she began but he didn’t let her finish.
The huge wolf let out a savage bark that made her nearly jump out of her skin. It was so loud and deep it seemed to shake the entryway.
From outside came a sudden startled silence.
Good, Kiera thought fiercely. Let him hear you. Let him know you’ll fuck him up if he messes with me!
“Wha’ the fuck was that?” Higgs asked from the other side of the door.
“My new pet wolf. Believe me–you do not want to meet him,” she said sharply. “So go away–now. I mean it.”
“You’re lyin’—I know you’re in there alone,” came Higgs’ voice after a moment, sounding uglier now—less drunken wheedling and more mean, petulant anger. “You can’t stay holed up forever, sweetheart. You haveta come out sometime and when you do, I’ll be waiting.”
Kiera’s mouth went dry. The words hit a little too close to the truth–she was alone out here. Alone with the work—bots and the animals and miles of open plain between her and anybody else who might help if something went wrong.
Well…not entirely alone now, she thought, glancing down at Buck.
He was still growling, the sound low and terrible, and she saw one huge paw scrape at the floor as if he badly wanted the door to open so he could launch himself through it.
The thought made her feel safer.
“Higgs,” she said again, her voice colder this time, “if you don’t leave right now, I’m calling Commander Rarev and reporting you.”
That gave him pause–as it should.
The Monstrum didn’t play around when it came to the safety of the humans working with them. Rarev in particular had made it crystal clear that anyone who threatened Kiera or interfered with the sanctuary would answer to him personally.
And since Commander Rarev looked like a giant lion with claws the length of steak knives, that wasn’t an idle threat.
“Aw, hell,” Higgs muttered at last. There was another thump against the door, but it sounded less purposeful now—more like he’d staggered into it than punched it. “You ain’t worth the trouble anyway.”
“Good,” Kiera snapped. “Then go home. You’re a grown—ass man–you ought to be ashamed, acting like this.”
There was some more grumbling—something about stuck—up females and not knowing a good thing when they saw it—but at last she heard his uneven footsteps stumbling away across the hard—packed ground outside.
Kiera stayed where she was for several more moments, listening, just to make sure he really had gone. Slowly, her heart stopped pounding like it was trying to get out of her chest and make a get—away.
Buck, however, wasn’t calm–he didn’t stop growling until the sound of Higgs’ footsteps had faded completely. Only then did he huff sharply, as though to say Good riddance, and turn to look up at her.
Kiera let out a long breath and rubbed her chest.
“Whew—that guy is really getting to be a problem,” she told her new pet.
The big wolf gave a whuff as if in agreement.
Looking down at him, Kiera felt shaky all over again despite herself. The encounter hadn’t lasted very long, but it had rattled her more than she wanted to admit. Higgs had always been annoying—pushy, persistent, a little too full of himself—but this…this was different.
This had felt ugly…threatening.
She swallowed hard and reached down automatically to stroke Buck’s head. His fur was warm and thick beneath her fingers, and the minute she touched him, some of the tension inside her began to ease.
“Come on,” she murmured. “Let’s go back to bed.”
Buck stayed close to her all the way down the curved hallway, practically glued to her leg now. Every so often he glanced back over his shoulder toward the front door as though to make absolutely certain Higgs wasn’t coming back.
And Kiera, who usually prided herself on being independent and sensible and not the kind of woman who got spooked easily, found that she didn’t mind that at all.
By the time they got back to the bedroom, she was feeling the delayed reaction from the incident.
Her hands were trembling a little and she was uncomfortably aware that if that had been an ordinary human—made door—or if Higgs had been more determined or more violent—the whole situation might have turned out very differently.
Thank the good Lord for Monstrum engineering and thank the good Lord for Buck.
She climbed back into bed without protest this time, lifting the coverlet and slipping beneath it. And when Buck jumped up after her, she didn’t even think about telling him to stay on top of the covers or keep his distance.
Instead, as soon as he settled beside her, she turned toward him and put her arms around his thick furry neck.
“Oh, Buck,” she whispered softly. “I’m so glad I found you.”
The huge wolf made a low sound in his chest—not quite a growl and not quite a whuff. It was more like a rumbling murmur of agreement. He leaned into her at once, letting her press herself against him.
Kiera buried her face into his ruff and breathed him in.
He smelled warm and wonderful and male, with that same impossible scent of cedar and spice and fur that had tangled itself all through her crazy dream. It was so comforting–his scent completely banished the lingering fear Higgs had stirred up in her.
Buck felt safe…solid…protective.
His body was so big and warm and strong that lying against him made her feel sheltered in a way she hadn’t felt in…
well, maybe ever. Jerome had never made her feel sheltered.
If anything, she had usually felt like the stronger one in that relationship.
The one who had to keep things together and smooth over problems and pretend everything was fine.
But Buck…Buck simply was strength.
She couldn’t explain it and couldn’t deny it–the huge wolf just felt right.
Kiera must have felt right to him too, because he shifted a little, curling more fully around her, and she felt one huge paw settle lightly over her waist as if he was holding her in place.
The gesture should have seemed ridiculous coming from an animal, but somehow it didn’t. It felt natural. Comforting.
Kiera sighed and snuggled closer, letting the warmth of his big body soak into hers.
Outside, the sanctuary was quiet again. The chiming trees whispered faintly in the night breeze and somewhere far off, one of the nocturnal creatures native to the area gave a soft, eerie cry.
But inside the home-dome everything was warm and still and safe.
At last, the tight knot inside her chest began to loosen.
“That’s better,” she murmured into Buck’s fur. “Much better.”
He answered with another soft whuff, as if pleased she was calming down.
Kiera smiled a little in the darkness and stroked his thick ruff one more time. Then she let her eyes close.
She was still a woman alone on a strange planet…still a little too far from help…still more shaken by Higgs’ visit than she wanted to admit.
But she wasn’t quite as alone as she had been anymore–Buck was here.
And somehow, for tonight at least, that felt like enough.
Breathing in his warm, wonderful scent, Kiera let herself drift back toward sleep at last, comforted by his presence and by the steady heat of his huge furry body wrapped around hers.