Nighttime Promises
Okay, guys, here's the hunt between Daroshi and Bryan. I didn't show the whole hunt, but you do find out who tried to kill Bryan. I'm very close to the end now so I'll be pulling this soon. It is under contract with Romance First too. Yay! So, after I finish it, I'll send it off for publication. I'll be starting a new flash Wednesday. No tentacles this time, lol. ~M
What the hell was that? Animal? Not an animal? Daroshi? Shit, shit, shit, where did it come from? Off to the right?Bryan gradually sat up, slowly scanning the area around him, his heart pounding. Damn, can whatever’s out there hear that?It certainly sounds loud to me. He had to stop sucking air before he passed out. Darkness surrounded him, but his eyes had already adjusted so he could see somewhat. His hand crept across the space until it landed on one of the weapons nearest him. Gently, he pulled it closer, barley daring to breath, careful not to make a sound. Something moved not far away, the brush shaking as… Bryan sighed. A small animal shot across the clearing hot on the heels of another animal. He didn’t know the name of the bigger one, but the small, darkly furred animal reminded him of a fox. It could be dangerous, but wasn’t a top predator. He relaxed as it moved on, intent on what it was chasing. Well, guess I’m a little jumpier than I thought. Bryan laid the weapon down. A lone bead of sweat trickled down his face. Irritated, he brushed it away. Okay, so he was a lot jumpier than he thought. Being prey was hard on the nerves. Bryan sighed again as he looked around. Well, hell. He pulled the canister of berries out. Well, so much for that; he was damn sure wide-awake now. Maybe he managed a few hours. It was enough to keep him going for a while. Eventually, he’d have to take a break and sleep. He finished the berries, cleaned up his little hiding spot, and repacked his gear. Might was well keep moving.Sounds echoed around him as he crawled out of his hiding spot. There were the chirps and calls of the nighttime predators, and the small sounds of prey skittering through the brush around them. Some of the sounds reminded him of things he would’ve heard at night on Earth. Other sounds… yeah, not so much. He walked for a time, listening for anything that didn’t belong to the night. The sound of rushing water caught his attention first. Then the smell wrapped around him. Taking a deep breath, he filled his lungs. Water. The cool mist on the air currents drew him to a waterfall. Plant life grew in abundance near the bank. They were the usual browns and grays that were so prevalent here, but the plants were healthy and large. The water was clear and sparklingly. There was no foul smell from the water, but he wasn’t taking any chances. The tables would guarantee the water didn’t make him sick. Bryan checked the water then knelt at the bank, moved his weapon so it rested across his back, and washed his hands. Cupping his hands, he dipped as much water as he could and dribbled in across his face. Man, that feels good. Bryan did a quick recon of the area, and not seeing a threat, removed the weapon and placed it near him. Yeah, he wasn’t stupid, that weapon was staying close to him. But now, at least, he could get his shirt off. Nothing sounded better than washing the sweat off his upper body. After he washed, the slight breeze dried him. From his backpack he gathered what he needed to purify the water. Using the plastic container, he filled it with water and dropped a tablet in. Bryan looked around while he waited. It was actually half way decent here. No color, of course, but he was getting used to that. Didn’t necessarily like it, but getting used to it. No, the area had something… Bryan glanced around again. Outside out the landscape being so alien, it reminded him of… the country in a strange way. The colors were certainly wrong, the plants weren’t right, but it felt… nice. Homey. Bryan wondered why Daroshi hadn’t built closer to the waterfall. He damn sure would’ve. He’d love to strip down and bail off in all that cool water, but knowing his luck, he’d look up and there would be Daroshi. And as tempting as being fucked here was, he wasn’tready for their hunt to end. And… he’d never hear the end of it if Daroshi caught him with his pants down. He checked the water, and seeing it was ready, took a swig. Smacking his lips, he took another drink. Man, that’s good.His stomach growled. Yeah, that was next on the list. He needed to eat, really eat. He should’ve shot that little fox-like animal he’d seen earlier. He stood and put his shirt back on, buttoning it up. After that, he strapped his weapon back on. With a last longing glance at the waterfall, he turned and began walking again. When their hunt was over he’d mention the waterfall to Daroshi. He wanted to come back here, at night, with his mate… and make love. What the hell would it feel like getting fucked by those tentacles in water? Bryan shivered. Damn good, that’s what he’d bet it’d feel like. He shook his head. Now was not the time to get lost in what he’d like Daroshi to do to him. He sure didn’t need to get distracted.This waterfall was nice, though. He certainly intended to come back here with his mate. It was one of the few places he truly felt at home. And there he went again, letting his mind wander. Bryan dragged his thoughts back to the here and now as he walked farther into the wooded area, keeping his eyes open for things he could eat. Those berries from earlier were long since gone. Man, he’d love to kill something, skin it, and cook it over an open flame… and that would bring Daroshi to him at a trot, no doubt. The whole point was to hide, not send up smoke signals that would lead Daroshi straight to him. But damn, meat sounded real good. Great, now his mouth was watering. And he really, really needed to get his mind off his stomach and on what the hell he was doing. He was trying to hide his trail, but he didn’t have to blunder through the woods leaving all sorts of clues everywhere, either.Some of the never-ending clouds that surrounded the planet seemed to have thinned. One of the moons peeked through; a weak, silvery moonlight covered the land. Giving himself a little shake, he made certain to watch what he touched around him. Broken limbs were a dead giveaway he’d been by. He gently brushed a low hanging branch out of the way. It had been a couple of hours since he set out. Frankly, he was surprised he hadn’t seen or heard anything from Daroshi yet. He peered into the darkness. Damn alien had to be out there somewhere, he’d bet on it. Could Daroshi be close enough to see him? Smell him? Was he out there right this very minute, crouched in the top of some tree, staring down at him… waiting? Bryan shivered as a breeze caressed his neck and looked up. Straining his eyes, he grunted. Wasn’t like he could see that well in the darkness. All this accomplished was straining his neck. He looked back down and slowly reached back to massage the sensitive skin on his neck that was suddenly covered in chill bumps. He stared into the darkness, his heart rate picking up. Was Daroshi watching him now? Plotting his next move? Had the regular nighttime sounds that surrounded him suddenly stopped, or was he just now noticing how quiet it was? Did… did something move out there in the darkness? And… and… Jesus fuck, what the hell was he doing? Well, besides freaking himself out? Bryan glared at the night that surrounded him. Maybe Daroshi was out there, watching him. And if he was… Bryan held his hand up, slowly folded his fingers down until one certain finger was left raised… and flashed a big cheesy smile at the darkness around him , to take the sting out of the gesture. If Daroshi was out there, he’d know what that meant. Bryan snorted. He could just imagine the look on Daroshi’s face if he did see that. He stood there, listening closely for a return snort. Huh. Nothing. Not a damn thing. Maybe he hasn’t caught up to me yet. Bryan frowned at nothing, thinking. Swear to God, if he waits until morning to hunt me, and I’m out here tromping around in the woods while he’s… If I find out he’s been in that nice, comfy bed while I tried to sleep on the ground… Bryan huffed out a breath. Well, what he’d do wouldn’t be pleasant. “Yeah, right. He’s too much of a big, badass warrior to be laid up in bed instead of hunting me.” He had less than two days now to avoid Daroshi, and he knew, just knew, Daroshi was out there somewhere. He wasn’t sure if that made him feel better.Bryan pushed his hair off his forehead as he continued to walk. He found several long curving cylinder-shaped brown fruit hanging from a tree. The bottom end narrowed to a point and the top end had a thick stem that attaches the fruit to the tree. He plucked the fruit, peeled the skin back, and ate the insides. Huh, damned if the thing didn’t kind of taste like a banana. He raided the tree, eating quite a few, then packed the rest for later. He buried the peels—leaving them lying on the ground would be a dead giveaway. After he buried the peels, he smoothed leaves over the fresh dirt. Taking a couple more swigs of water, he moved on. Maybe he should find a spot to rest. The little sleep he’d gotten earlier wouldn’t do him for long.Bryan stopped by a nice grouping of rocks. Maybe if he found a long stick he could use that to sweep out under the overhang. He damn sure wasn’t getting climbing under there until he knew nothing else was there. This would make a nice sleeping spot and provide coverage. And, if he managed to sleep until morning, it would provide shade. He prowled around until he found a long enough stick. He swung his weapon off his back, placing it next to him on the ground, then used that to stir up the area under the rocky overhang. “Okay, so far, so good. Nothing came out of there wanting to take my head off.” Bryan poked the stick around a bit more. Better to be safe than sorry. He started to ease his backpack off his back when something caught his eye. A red dot shining on the rock next to him. Fuck!Reality warped then slowed to a crawl. Sound fractured, distraught echoes bouncing around him, then silence reined. A loud buzzing prowled through his head. His skin chilled, his breath froze deep in his chest. His vision wavered as he stared at the red dot. His muscles locked. Frozen, he watched as the little red dot slowly tracked closer… closer. Closer to him.A wild animal called out, the plaintive wail breaking the silence that cloaked the land. Reality snapped back, fear crashing around him. Bryan dropped to the ground, instinct kicking in. Red dot, red dot, red dot… oh, fuck me, oh shit. No, no, no. Get out, go… Hide… run, go! Now!Bryan crawled across the ground, backpack and weapon balanced on his back. Keep your ass low, get those elbows going, and fucking move it. The ground cover scraped across his face, sticking and poking tender areas of exposed skin. Sweat dripped in his eyes and his throat dried out from panting. The roaring in his ears wiped out everything else. His vision waved as he frantically crawled across the ground. Dots danced before his eyes. Breath, stupid! Gasping, he filled his lungs. Stop panicking and think! He spotted a group of tangled trees surrounded by a heavy thicket a few yards off and made for that. He’d rather have something a bit more solid than trees, but this would have to do.On his belly and head low, he wrenched his way through the sharp briers that mauled any exposed skin. The trees provided cover and the thicket was head high. He wouldn’t be quite such an easy target now. His head spun… he was a fucking target. Someone out there was shooting at him…. And it wasn’t Daroshi. He wouldn’t do that—he wouldn’t shoot at him even as a joke and certainly not aim so close. He would never risk Bryan’s life that way.So who the fuck was out there shooting at him?The low, hissing clicks of Maz’Rarian warrior drifted across the land to Bryan. Everything around him narrowed down to a tunnel of pure white, his body went numb, and sound receded. The deadly clicks of a lethal predator bent on killing him slide over his sweat-slicked skin. The hair on the back of Bryan’s neck stood up and chills raced over his body.I’m fucked. A soft laugh drifted to Bryan, breaking the fear-induced trance that held him. That sumobitch is laughing at me? Fucking laughing at me? Bryan eased his weapon off his back. Damn thing didn’t have a laser site. Wonderful. Now what was he going to do? And better yet, how was he going to keep this fucker from killing him?
Chapter EightZiang had an arm full of giggling human when his comm went off.With a sigh, Ziang lowered Shawn to the ground. Both of them stared at the offending equipment on Ziang’s wrist, neither moving. It went silent then another shrill beep rang out, unmindful of the death glare both alien and human were giving it. “Well hell, are you going to answer that?”“I suppose so.” Ziang raised his arm. “It had better be important, though. I’m off duty until we report back in a few days.”“It’s always important,” Shawn mumbled as Ziang turned away, engaging the privacy mode on his comm. All Shawn heard now was Ziang’s end of the conversation. He knew what being a starship captain entailed, but he had no idea the job followed Ziang home. He snorted at his thoughts. How funny. This complaint seems to be universal. Of course, he was willing to bet there weren’t too many humans out there in the great beyond having the same thoughts running through their heads. Well, he assumed there weren’t too many humans out there. Huh. But I don’t know that. There may be more out there than I think. I mean, here I stand, after all. He snorted again at the internal conversation he was having with himself. He really needed to—“You dare to comm me? I thought I made it perfectly clear that… What?”The walls shook. Jesus, what a fucking sound. Shawn shivered, every hair on his body stood up. He stood frozen, unable to move as Ziang’s roar faded. Hell, he might have stopped breathing for a second. His breathing kicked in, followed by an eerie silence. Now he was panting, sucking air. He’d never heard Ziang use that tone. Never. He’d heard Ziang mad, worried, and even hesitant, but he’d never heard this driving rage. Ziang’s tentacles writhed on his back, an angry, squirming movement that drew Shawn’s eyes. The movement was hypnotizing. It reminded him of when Ziang went into rut, except for the fury. The power that surged through the room from Ziang left Shawn lightheaded, just like before, just for a different reason. Ziang’s eyes narrowed as he listened, the red pupils even more daunting than usual. His lips pulled back, a snarl twisting his face. The growls Ziang made sounded like a rabid fox Shawn had to put down once. But the hissing clicks, those sounds had his heart thumping. This… this was truly a killing rage. And what was more frightening… Ziang hadn’t said another word since that shouted ‘what?’ Jesus. Since leaving Earth with Ziang, he’d never feared the big alien, but… now he didn’t know what to think. Ziang snarled again, one hand clutched in a fist. “Are you one hundred percent certain? You have irrefutable proof? Why were you on my ship to begin with? Ah, I see. How did you get those logs? You hacked them? Gods, how… never mind that for now.” Ziang nodded his head as he listened. “The main computer verified his logs hadn’t been tampered with? Excellent. So they are indeed the originals? There is no question?”Shawn frowned. The urge to ask questions nearly overcame him, but he wasn’t getting any closer until Ziang calmed down.“What made you think it was him? There were others around him after you… Yes, he was alone with Bryan in Medical, but… That means he had to have planned this ahead of time. I know he has medical training, that’s why Daroshi gave him permission to treat Bryan after you… Yes, I’m aware of that. No, I didn’t know he wanted to mate with Daroshi. Look, I’ll alert the Council that the attack made on Bryan, Daroshi’s mate, has been… What? You did?” Confusion covered Ziang’s face and he snarled loudly. Shawn stayed where he was. “Did you inform them as to who the suspect is? Yes?” Ziang glanced at Shawn and his eyes widened. Slowly he held out his hand as regret crossed Ziang’s face. Shawn watched Ziang pack that need to kill away. Zaing’s tentacles calmed. Didn’t mean to scare you, love, Ziang mouthed. I am so sorry… please, come here.Shawn hurried into Ziang’s arms. Ziang pulled Shawn close and took a deep breath. “Where are you? What? You’re… where?”Shawn jerked as another roar filled the room. “Did you contact Daroshi? No? By the gods, Haya, why not? Do you have a death wish after all? That should’ve been the first thing you did. No, what you should have done was not go on Daroshi’s land! If Daroshi sees you he’ll open fire without bothering to ask why you’re there. You must know that. What? You’re trying to help? I think what you mean is you’re trying to redeem yourself, right?” Shawn inhaled sharply. “Daroshi won’t believe her.”“Oh gods… Daroshi. Daroshi still thinks that you…You’re there now? On his land? Listen to me, hold your position. Daroshi is hunting Bryan for fun and… What do you mean he’s vanished? The Council sent guards and he wasn’t there? They can’t find him?”Shawn squirmed in Ziang’s arms. “Loosen up the hold, E.T.”Ziang eased his grip on his mate, eyes trained on Shawn as he stepped back. “I’m going to comm Daroshi right now. You stay where you’re at until I contact Daroshi and inform him of the situation. I’ll… What did you say? Are you sure there’s someone else in the woods besides you? Are you sure? By the gods, tell me you’re armed? Keep him alive, Haya, until we get there… and thank you.”Ziang shut the comm off, his face pale. “Okay, I got most of that. Haya somehow figured out who poisoned Bryan, she can prove it, she told the Council, and unbelievably… she’s taken it upon herself to help Daroshi. She’s there, on his land, now. As luck would have it, Bryan is out there in the woods, alone and pretty much unprotected. And yeah, she’s not doing that out of the goodness of her heart. She wants something.”Ziang rubbed both hands over his face. “Of all the stupid, irresponsible… She should have contacted me and let me handle this. She should have commed Daroshi and toldhim instead of going there. She should have done anything but this! She’s going to get herself killed by either Daroshi or possibly Bryan. And if Bryan sees her out there in the woods…gods, what a mess.”“He’ll shoot first and ask questions later.” Shawn hugged Ziang then stepped away. “On second thought, he might not. He is a cop, after all. And he has said from the start he didn’t believe Haya was the one that poisoned him.” “He was right.”Shawn crossed his arms. “So?”“So… what?”“Don’t be cute, E.T. Who did it?”“Blayno. The warrior I assigned to watch both you and Bryan. A male I thought I could trust. Instead, I nearly got Bryan killed.”“Hey, you had no way of knowing.”A growl worked loose from Ziang’s chest. “I know now. And soon, so will Daroshi.”Shawn hugged himself. “Bryan’s out there, alone, Ziang. He has no idea what’s hunting him, seriously hunting him.”“Daroshi will do what he must after I tell him. I’m going there, too. Haya is out there and she is more than capable of handing Blayno.”“We hope.”Ziang frowned at Shawn. “No, she has the ability. She’s dangerous when her temper doesn’t rule her actions.”“That’s not what I mean.”“I’m aware. Shawn glared at Ziang. “She’s hurt him before.”Ziang glared right back. “Again, I’m aware.”“She may hurt him again.”Ziang tapped out Daroshi’s comm ID. “I don’t think so, Shawn. I think… hope she’s being honest about helping. For now, that’s the only backup Bryan has out there.”
“Well stars, really Bryan?” Daroshi knelt, examining a broken shrub. The lead Daroshi gave Bryan hadn’t helped. Maybe he should’ve given Bryan more time. From the looks of it, Bryan wasn’t making as good time as Daroshi figured he would. He examined the broken section of the shrub, shaking his head. What a stupid, stupid mistake. Bryan really should have been more careful how he brushed against native plants. Bryan might know how to survive in the wilderness, but he had no clue how to be prey. Tracking him had been absurdly easy. Bryan had made an effort to disguise his trail, but he still left clues everywhere. They’d have to talk about that once this was over. He scanned the trees, finally choosing a suitable one. Climbing it quickly, he settled down in a nice bend near the middle of the tree. He’d just wait here, give Bryan a little more time. Crossing his ankles, he leaned against the tree, hunting for a comfortable position. They had a mission coming up soon, but after that they’d come back here and focus on tracking skills. He had no doubt Bryan would pick up the skill quickly. He dozed, letting his mind wander, and time passed. When he woke again, it was still dark. Daroshi stretched, popping his back, slightly disgruntled at how stiff he’d become. Too much time spent on a spaceship and not spent hunting. Maybe he’d find Bryan again and have a little game of... he believed it was called Cat and Mouse. A slight smirk crossed his face. Yes, that was exactly what he’d do. There was nothing better than a good, exciting hunt in the great outdoors. Just thinking of it, his pulse increased. How long had it been since he hunted on his lands? Months? Of course, the last time had been for food. Daroshi’s excitement faded as he remembered Bryan’s reaction to the planet he’d be calling home now. Bryan hated if here, truly hated it here. Oh, he’d tried to hide his real feelings, but the flash of disgust had been hard to miss. What was he going to do about that? What could he do? He’d promised he’d make Bryan happy. How could he fulfill that promise?Darosih rubbed his hands over his face. Later. They’d talk about all this later, and somehow he’d find a way to make Bryan happy. Right now, there was a hunt to continue, and a mate to fuck into the ground. Pleased with the plan, he lowered himself to the ground. He’d taken two steps when his comm link vibrated. Frowning, he looked at the display link. Why the stars is Ziang buzzing me, especially right now?Ziang opened the link. “Ziang? Um, I’m right in the middle of… What? Why are you asking where am I? I’m outside, of course, in the woods. No, the hunt isn’t over yet, I just… What? What!” A scream crept up Daroshi’s throat, threatening to claw its way out. He clamped his lips shut. He would not, would not, give in to whatever was choking him. Daroshi struggled to control his breathing as he listened to Ziang. He lost the battle and the scream tore from his throat anyway at Ziang’s next sentence. “Who is out there, looking for him? No! No, she has no right to… I don’t trust her, Ziang. I don’t care that she has proof, she has hurt Bryan before. I also find it hard to believe Blayno is the one behind this. Are you sure about this, Ziang, absolutely sure?” Daroshi closed his eyes as Ziang continued to talk. Stars, he sounded sure. His eyes snapped back open when Ziang continued to speak. “I see. Why would Blayno do this? Is there anything in his logs that tells why?”Daroshi nodded his head. “You’re right, the reason doesn’t matter. I must find Bryan, Ziang. Immediately. I need to… Okay, I understand. Thank you.”Ziang informed him he was coming to help and to set his comm to send a locator signal. Movements wooden, Daroshi ended the conversation with Ziang and set his comm as Ziang had instructed. Emotions swept over him in waves, threatening to drown him. His head pounded as he fought the sensations. His chest tightened and his breathing spiked. The harsh sounds of panting echoed around him. Bryan was out there, alone and unaware a hunter was stalking him. Daroshi panted faster, trying to drag air into his lungs. He leaned against a tree, lungs screaming for air, head spinning. So this is fear?In all his life, he’d never felt such an emotion. The helplessness was overpowering. His mate needed him. He was out there all alone, and in danger. He couldn’t lose Bryan, he just couldn’t. Wave after wave of fear crashed over him, and Daroshi gritted his teeth, his hand slamming into the tree. Pain radiated up his arm, leaves fell from the tree, raining down on him… but his mind cleared. The suffocating fear receded. A quick glance showed bruises already forming, but the skin wasn’t broken nor were bones. He flexed his hand—sore, but it worked. With the calmness came clarity. The situation had two troubling aspects. Haya had involved herself and he didn’t trust her. She’d already hurt Bryan once and he saw no reason to think she wouldn’t do it again. Her reasons for helping were entirely self-serving. If she helped save his mate, she could use that to regain her lost honor. He doubted such an act would get her back on Ziang’s starship, though. Blayno was the other threat, one he hadn’t factored. The younger male was a science officer from the Astrology lab on Ziang’s ship. He was a warrior, yes, but he focused more on science than combat skills. That didn’t make the danger less for Bryan, but it did mean Daroshi was the better warrior. He certainly had more kills than Blayno. Before the night was through, he planned to add another kill.He moved quickly through the underbrush, following the trail Bryan left. Now he wished he hadn’t left his exo-suit at home. Being invisible was a tool he could have used. Instead, he was dressed normally. He took a moment to thank the gods his clothes were dark and nondescript. Bryan had talked about creating clothes in blues, greens, reds… Daroshi swallowed. He couldn’t think of Bryan right now, couldn’t dwell on the drabness of their clothes, or roll his eyes when Bryan complained about how uncomfortable his furniture was… and he couldn’t do this. He’d get himself killed if he wasn’t careful. If only he could communicate with Bryan, warn him of the dangers.He really could kick his own ass for not giving Bryan a comm unit. Fear climbed up into his throat again as he stalked through the woods. Haya was out there, and stars, so was Blayno. Ziang was on his way, but who knew if he’d get there in time. For now, it was him against one warrior with killing on his mind, and another warrior he wasn’t sure he should trust.
Regardless, blood was going to flow this night.
What the hell was that? Animal? Not an animal? Daroshi? Shit, shit, shit, where did it come from? Off to the right?Bryan gradually sat up, slowly scanning the area around him, his heart pounding. Damn, can whatever’s out there hear that?It certainly sounds loud to me. He had to stop sucking air before he passed out. Darkness surrounded him, but his eyes had already adjusted so he could see somewhat. His hand crept across the space until it landed on one of the weapons nearest him. Gently, he pulled it closer, barley daring to breath, careful not to make a sound. Something moved not far away, the brush shaking as… Bryan sighed. A small animal shot across the clearing hot on the heels of another animal. He didn’t know the name of the bigger one, but the small, darkly furred animal reminded him of a fox. It could be dangerous, but wasn’t a top predator. He relaxed as it moved on, intent on what it was chasing. Well, guess I’m a little jumpier than I thought. Bryan laid the weapon down. A lone bead of sweat trickled down his face. Irritated, he brushed it away. Okay, so he was a lot jumpier than he thought. Being prey was hard on the nerves. Bryan sighed again as he looked around. Well, hell. He pulled the canister of berries out. Well, so much for that; he was damn sure wide-awake now. Maybe he managed a few hours. It was enough to keep him going for a while. Eventually, he’d have to take a break and sleep. He finished the berries, cleaned up his little hiding spot, and repacked his gear. Might was well keep moving.Sounds echoed around him as he crawled out of his hiding spot. There were the chirps and calls of the nighttime predators, and the small sounds of prey skittering through the brush around them. Some of the sounds reminded him of things he would’ve heard at night on Earth. Other sounds… yeah, not so much. He walked for a time, listening for anything that didn’t belong to the night. The sound of rushing water caught his attention first. Then the smell wrapped around him. Taking a deep breath, he filled his lungs. Water. The cool mist on the air currents drew him to a waterfall. Plant life grew in abundance near the bank. They were the usual browns and grays that were so prevalent here, but the plants were healthy and large. The water was clear and sparklingly. There was no foul smell from the water, but he wasn’t taking any chances. The tables would guarantee the water didn’t make him sick. Bryan checked the water then knelt at the bank, moved his weapon so it rested across his back, and washed his hands. Cupping his hands, he dipped as much water as he could and dribbled in across his face. Man, that feels good. Bryan did a quick recon of the area, and not seeing a threat, removed the weapon and placed it near him. Yeah, he wasn’t stupid, that weapon was staying close to him. But now, at least, he could get his shirt off. Nothing sounded better than washing the sweat off his upper body. After he washed, the slight breeze dried him. From his backpack he gathered what he needed to purify the water. Using the plastic container, he filled it with water and dropped a tablet in. Bryan looked around while he waited. It was actually half way decent here. No color, of course, but he was getting used to that. Didn’t necessarily like it, but getting used to it. No, the area had something… Bryan glanced around again. Outside out the landscape being so alien, it reminded him of… the country in a strange way. The colors were certainly wrong, the plants weren’t right, but it felt… nice. Homey. Bryan wondered why Daroshi hadn’t built closer to the waterfall. He damn sure would’ve. He’d love to strip down and bail off in all that cool water, but knowing his luck, he’d look up and there would be Daroshi. And as tempting as being fucked here was, he wasn’tready for their hunt to end. And… he’d never hear the end of it if Daroshi caught him with his pants down. He checked the water, and seeing it was ready, took a swig. Smacking his lips, he took another drink. Man, that’s good.His stomach growled. Yeah, that was next on the list. He needed to eat, really eat. He should’ve shot that little fox-like animal he’d seen earlier. He stood and put his shirt back on, buttoning it up. After that, he strapped his weapon back on. With a last longing glance at the waterfall, he turned and began walking again. When their hunt was over he’d mention the waterfall to Daroshi. He wanted to come back here, at night, with his mate… and make love. What the hell would it feel like getting fucked by those tentacles in water? Bryan shivered. Damn good, that’s what he’d bet it’d feel like. He shook his head. Now was not the time to get lost in what he’d like Daroshi to do to him. He sure didn’t need to get distracted.This waterfall was nice, though. He certainly intended to come back here with his mate. It was one of the few places he truly felt at home. And there he went again, letting his mind wander. Bryan dragged his thoughts back to the here and now as he walked farther into the wooded area, keeping his eyes open for things he could eat. Those berries from earlier were long since gone. Man, he’d love to kill something, skin it, and cook it over an open flame… and that would bring Daroshi to him at a trot, no doubt. The whole point was to hide, not send up smoke signals that would lead Daroshi straight to him. But damn, meat sounded real good. Great, now his mouth was watering. And he really, really needed to get his mind off his stomach and on what the hell he was doing. He was trying to hide his trail, but he didn’t have to blunder through the woods leaving all sorts of clues everywhere, either.Some of the never-ending clouds that surrounded the planet seemed to have thinned. One of the moons peeked through; a weak, silvery moonlight covered the land. Giving himself a little shake, he made certain to watch what he touched around him. Broken limbs were a dead giveaway he’d been by. He gently brushed a low hanging branch out of the way. It had been a couple of hours since he set out. Frankly, he was surprised he hadn’t seen or heard anything from Daroshi yet. He peered into the darkness. Damn alien had to be out there somewhere, he’d bet on it. Could Daroshi be close enough to see him? Smell him? Was he out there right this very minute, crouched in the top of some tree, staring down at him… waiting? Bryan shivered as a breeze caressed his neck and looked up. Straining his eyes, he grunted. Wasn’t like he could see that well in the darkness. All this accomplished was straining his neck. He looked back down and slowly reached back to massage the sensitive skin on his neck that was suddenly covered in chill bumps. He stared into the darkness, his heart rate picking up. Was Daroshi watching him now? Plotting his next move? Had the regular nighttime sounds that surrounded him suddenly stopped, or was he just now noticing how quiet it was? Did… did something move out there in the darkness? And… and… Jesus fuck, what the hell was he doing? Well, besides freaking himself out? Bryan glared at the night that surrounded him. Maybe Daroshi was out there, watching him. And if he was… Bryan held his hand up, slowly folded his fingers down until one certain finger was left raised… and flashed a big cheesy smile at the darkness around him , to take the sting out of the gesture. If Daroshi was out there, he’d know what that meant. Bryan snorted. He could just imagine the look on Daroshi’s face if he did see that. He stood there, listening closely for a return snort. Huh. Nothing. Not a damn thing. Maybe he hasn’t caught up to me yet. Bryan frowned at nothing, thinking. Swear to God, if he waits until morning to hunt me, and I’m out here tromping around in the woods while he’s… If I find out he’s been in that nice, comfy bed while I tried to sleep on the ground… Bryan huffed out a breath. Well, what he’d do wouldn’t be pleasant. “Yeah, right. He’s too much of a big, badass warrior to be laid up in bed instead of hunting me.” He had less than two days now to avoid Daroshi, and he knew, just knew, Daroshi was out there somewhere. He wasn’t sure if that made him feel better.Bryan pushed his hair off his forehead as he continued to walk. He found several long curving cylinder-shaped brown fruit hanging from a tree. The bottom end narrowed to a point and the top end had a thick stem that attaches the fruit to the tree. He plucked the fruit, peeled the skin back, and ate the insides. Huh, damned if the thing didn’t kind of taste like a banana. He raided the tree, eating quite a few, then packed the rest for later. He buried the peels—leaving them lying on the ground would be a dead giveaway. After he buried the peels, he smoothed leaves over the fresh dirt. Taking a couple more swigs of water, he moved on. Maybe he should find a spot to rest. The little sleep he’d gotten earlier wouldn’t do him for long.Bryan stopped by a nice grouping of rocks. Maybe if he found a long stick he could use that to sweep out under the overhang. He damn sure wasn’t getting climbing under there until he knew nothing else was there. This would make a nice sleeping spot and provide coverage. And, if he managed to sleep until morning, it would provide shade. He prowled around until he found a long enough stick. He swung his weapon off his back, placing it next to him on the ground, then used that to stir up the area under the rocky overhang. “Okay, so far, so good. Nothing came out of there wanting to take my head off.” Bryan poked the stick around a bit more. Better to be safe than sorry. He started to ease his backpack off his back when something caught his eye. A red dot shining on the rock next to him. Fuck!Reality warped then slowed to a crawl. Sound fractured, distraught echoes bouncing around him, then silence reined. A loud buzzing prowled through his head. His skin chilled, his breath froze deep in his chest. His vision wavered as he stared at the red dot. His muscles locked. Frozen, he watched as the little red dot slowly tracked closer… closer. Closer to him.A wild animal called out, the plaintive wail breaking the silence that cloaked the land. Reality snapped back, fear crashing around him. Bryan dropped to the ground, instinct kicking in. Red dot, red dot, red dot… oh, fuck me, oh shit. No, no, no. Get out, go… Hide… run, go! Now!Bryan crawled across the ground, backpack and weapon balanced on his back. Keep your ass low, get those elbows going, and fucking move it. The ground cover scraped across his face, sticking and poking tender areas of exposed skin. Sweat dripped in his eyes and his throat dried out from panting. The roaring in his ears wiped out everything else. His vision waved as he frantically crawled across the ground. Dots danced before his eyes. Breath, stupid! Gasping, he filled his lungs. Stop panicking and think! He spotted a group of tangled trees surrounded by a heavy thicket a few yards off and made for that. He’d rather have something a bit more solid than trees, but this would have to do.On his belly and head low, he wrenched his way through the sharp briers that mauled any exposed skin. The trees provided cover and the thicket was head high. He wouldn’t be quite such an easy target now. His head spun… he was a fucking target. Someone out there was shooting at him…. And it wasn’t Daroshi. He wouldn’t do that—he wouldn’t shoot at him even as a joke and certainly not aim so close. He would never risk Bryan’s life that way.So who the fuck was out there shooting at him?The low, hissing clicks of Maz’Rarian warrior drifted across the land to Bryan. Everything around him narrowed down to a tunnel of pure white, his body went numb, and sound receded. The deadly clicks of a lethal predator bent on killing him slide over his sweat-slicked skin. The hair on the back of Bryan’s neck stood up and chills raced over his body.I’m fucked. A soft laugh drifted to Bryan, breaking the fear-induced trance that held him. That sumobitch is laughing at me? Fucking laughing at me? Bryan eased his weapon off his back. Damn thing didn’t have a laser site. Wonderful. Now what was he going to do? And better yet, how was he going to keep this fucker from killing him?
Chapter EightZiang had an arm full of giggling human when his comm went off.With a sigh, Ziang lowered Shawn to the ground. Both of them stared at the offending equipment on Ziang’s wrist, neither moving. It went silent then another shrill beep rang out, unmindful of the death glare both alien and human were giving it. “Well hell, are you going to answer that?”“I suppose so.” Ziang raised his arm. “It had better be important, though. I’m off duty until we report back in a few days.”“It’s always important,” Shawn mumbled as Ziang turned away, engaging the privacy mode on his comm. All Shawn heard now was Ziang’s end of the conversation. He knew what being a starship captain entailed, but he had no idea the job followed Ziang home. He snorted at his thoughts. How funny. This complaint seems to be universal. Of course, he was willing to bet there weren’t too many humans out there in the great beyond having the same thoughts running through their heads. Well, he assumed there weren’t too many humans out there. Huh. But I don’t know that. There may be more out there than I think. I mean, here I stand, after all. He snorted again at the internal conversation he was having with himself. He really needed to—“You dare to comm me? I thought I made it perfectly clear that… What?”The walls shook. Jesus, what a fucking sound. Shawn shivered, every hair on his body stood up. He stood frozen, unable to move as Ziang’s roar faded. Hell, he might have stopped breathing for a second. His breathing kicked in, followed by an eerie silence. Now he was panting, sucking air. He’d never heard Ziang use that tone. Never. He’d heard Ziang mad, worried, and even hesitant, but he’d never heard this driving rage. Ziang’s tentacles writhed on his back, an angry, squirming movement that drew Shawn’s eyes. The movement was hypnotizing. It reminded him of when Ziang went into rut, except for the fury. The power that surged through the room from Ziang left Shawn lightheaded, just like before, just for a different reason. Ziang’s eyes narrowed as he listened, the red pupils even more daunting than usual. His lips pulled back, a snarl twisting his face. The growls Ziang made sounded like a rabid fox Shawn had to put down once. But the hissing clicks, those sounds had his heart thumping. This… this was truly a killing rage. And what was more frightening… Ziang hadn’t said another word since that shouted ‘what?’ Jesus. Since leaving Earth with Ziang, he’d never feared the big alien, but… now he didn’t know what to think. Ziang snarled again, one hand clutched in a fist. “Are you one hundred percent certain? You have irrefutable proof? Why were you on my ship to begin with? Ah, I see. How did you get those logs? You hacked them? Gods, how… never mind that for now.” Ziang nodded his head as he listened. “The main computer verified his logs hadn’t been tampered with? Excellent. So they are indeed the originals? There is no question?”Shawn frowned. The urge to ask questions nearly overcame him, but he wasn’t getting any closer until Ziang calmed down.“What made you think it was him? There were others around him after you… Yes, he was alone with Bryan in Medical, but… That means he had to have planned this ahead of time. I know he has medical training, that’s why Daroshi gave him permission to treat Bryan after you… Yes, I’m aware of that. No, I didn’t know he wanted to mate with Daroshi. Look, I’ll alert the Council that the attack made on Bryan, Daroshi’s mate, has been… What? You did?” Confusion covered Ziang’s face and he snarled loudly. Shawn stayed where he was. “Did you inform them as to who the suspect is? Yes?” Ziang glanced at Shawn and his eyes widened. Slowly he held out his hand as regret crossed Ziang’s face. Shawn watched Ziang pack that need to kill away. Zaing’s tentacles calmed. Didn’t mean to scare you, love, Ziang mouthed. I am so sorry… please, come here.Shawn hurried into Ziang’s arms. Ziang pulled Shawn close and took a deep breath. “Where are you? What? You’re… where?”Shawn jerked as another roar filled the room. “Did you contact Daroshi? No? By the gods, Haya, why not? Do you have a death wish after all? That should’ve been the first thing you did. No, what you should have done was not go on Daroshi’s land! If Daroshi sees you he’ll open fire without bothering to ask why you’re there. You must know that. What? You’re trying to help? I think what you mean is you’re trying to redeem yourself, right?” Shawn inhaled sharply. “Daroshi won’t believe her.”“Oh gods… Daroshi. Daroshi still thinks that you…You’re there now? On his land? Listen to me, hold your position. Daroshi is hunting Bryan for fun and… What do you mean he’s vanished? The Council sent guards and he wasn’t there? They can’t find him?”Shawn squirmed in Ziang’s arms. “Loosen up the hold, E.T.”Ziang eased his grip on his mate, eyes trained on Shawn as he stepped back. “I’m going to comm Daroshi right now. You stay where you’re at until I contact Daroshi and inform him of the situation. I’ll… What did you say? Are you sure there’s someone else in the woods besides you? Are you sure? By the gods, tell me you’re armed? Keep him alive, Haya, until we get there… and thank you.”Ziang shut the comm off, his face pale. “Okay, I got most of that. Haya somehow figured out who poisoned Bryan, she can prove it, she told the Council, and unbelievably… she’s taken it upon herself to help Daroshi. She’s there, on his land, now. As luck would have it, Bryan is out there in the woods, alone and pretty much unprotected. And yeah, she’s not doing that out of the goodness of her heart. She wants something.”Ziang rubbed both hands over his face. “Of all the stupid, irresponsible… She should have contacted me and let me handle this. She should have commed Daroshi and toldhim instead of going there. She should have done anything but this! She’s going to get herself killed by either Daroshi or possibly Bryan. And if Bryan sees her out there in the woods…gods, what a mess.”“He’ll shoot first and ask questions later.” Shawn hugged Ziang then stepped away. “On second thought, he might not. He is a cop, after all. And he has said from the start he didn’t believe Haya was the one that poisoned him.” “He was right.”Shawn crossed his arms. “So?”“So… what?”“Don’t be cute, E.T. Who did it?”“Blayno. The warrior I assigned to watch both you and Bryan. A male I thought I could trust. Instead, I nearly got Bryan killed.”“Hey, you had no way of knowing.”A growl worked loose from Ziang’s chest. “I know now. And soon, so will Daroshi.”Shawn hugged himself. “Bryan’s out there, alone, Ziang. He has no idea what’s hunting him, seriously hunting him.”“Daroshi will do what he must after I tell him. I’m going there, too. Haya is out there and she is more than capable of handing Blayno.”“We hope.”Ziang frowned at Shawn. “No, she has the ability. She’s dangerous when her temper doesn’t rule her actions.”“That’s not what I mean.”“I’m aware. Shawn glared at Ziang. “She’s hurt him before.”Ziang glared right back. “Again, I’m aware.”“She may hurt him again.”Ziang tapped out Daroshi’s comm ID. “I don’t think so, Shawn. I think… hope she’s being honest about helping. For now, that’s the only backup Bryan has out there.”
“Well stars, really Bryan?” Daroshi knelt, examining a broken shrub. The lead Daroshi gave Bryan hadn’t helped. Maybe he should’ve given Bryan more time. From the looks of it, Bryan wasn’t making as good time as Daroshi figured he would. He examined the broken section of the shrub, shaking his head. What a stupid, stupid mistake. Bryan really should have been more careful how he brushed against native plants. Bryan might know how to survive in the wilderness, but he had no clue how to be prey. Tracking him had been absurdly easy. Bryan had made an effort to disguise his trail, but he still left clues everywhere. They’d have to talk about that once this was over. He scanned the trees, finally choosing a suitable one. Climbing it quickly, he settled down in a nice bend near the middle of the tree. He’d just wait here, give Bryan a little more time. Crossing his ankles, he leaned against the tree, hunting for a comfortable position. They had a mission coming up soon, but after that they’d come back here and focus on tracking skills. He had no doubt Bryan would pick up the skill quickly. He dozed, letting his mind wander, and time passed. When he woke again, it was still dark. Daroshi stretched, popping his back, slightly disgruntled at how stiff he’d become. Too much time spent on a spaceship and not spent hunting. Maybe he’d find Bryan again and have a little game of... he believed it was called Cat and Mouse. A slight smirk crossed his face. Yes, that was exactly what he’d do. There was nothing better than a good, exciting hunt in the great outdoors. Just thinking of it, his pulse increased. How long had it been since he hunted on his lands? Months? Of course, the last time had been for food. Daroshi’s excitement faded as he remembered Bryan’s reaction to the planet he’d be calling home now. Bryan hated if here, truly hated it here. Oh, he’d tried to hide his real feelings, but the flash of disgust had been hard to miss. What was he going to do about that? What could he do? He’d promised he’d make Bryan happy. How could he fulfill that promise?Darosih rubbed his hands over his face. Later. They’d talk about all this later, and somehow he’d find a way to make Bryan happy. Right now, there was a hunt to continue, and a mate to fuck into the ground. Pleased with the plan, he lowered himself to the ground. He’d taken two steps when his comm link vibrated. Frowning, he looked at the display link. Why the stars is Ziang buzzing me, especially right now?Ziang opened the link. “Ziang? Um, I’m right in the middle of… What? Why are you asking where am I? I’m outside, of course, in the woods. No, the hunt isn’t over yet, I just… What? What!” A scream crept up Daroshi’s throat, threatening to claw its way out. He clamped his lips shut. He would not, would not, give in to whatever was choking him. Daroshi struggled to control his breathing as he listened to Ziang. He lost the battle and the scream tore from his throat anyway at Ziang’s next sentence. “Who is out there, looking for him? No! No, she has no right to… I don’t trust her, Ziang. I don’t care that she has proof, she has hurt Bryan before. I also find it hard to believe Blayno is the one behind this. Are you sure about this, Ziang, absolutely sure?” Daroshi closed his eyes as Ziang continued to talk. Stars, he sounded sure. His eyes snapped back open when Ziang continued to speak. “I see. Why would Blayno do this? Is there anything in his logs that tells why?”Daroshi nodded his head. “You’re right, the reason doesn’t matter. I must find Bryan, Ziang. Immediately. I need to… Okay, I understand. Thank you.”Ziang informed him he was coming to help and to set his comm to send a locator signal. Movements wooden, Daroshi ended the conversation with Ziang and set his comm as Ziang had instructed. Emotions swept over him in waves, threatening to drown him. His head pounded as he fought the sensations. His chest tightened and his breathing spiked. The harsh sounds of panting echoed around him. Bryan was out there, alone and unaware a hunter was stalking him. Daroshi panted faster, trying to drag air into his lungs. He leaned against a tree, lungs screaming for air, head spinning. So this is fear?In all his life, he’d never felt such an emotion. The helplessness was overpowering. His mate needed him. He was out there all alone, and in danger. He couldn’t lose Bryan, he just couldn’t. Wave after wave of fear crashed over him, and Daroshi gritted his teeth, his hand slamming into the tree. Pain radiated up his arm, leaves fell from the tree, raining down on him… but his mind cleared. The suffocating fear receded. A quick glance showed bruises already forming, but the skin wasn’t broken nor were bones. He flexed his hand—sore, but it worked. With the calmness came clarity. The situation had two troubling aspects. Haya had involved herself and he didn’t trust her. She’d already hurt Bryan once and he saw no reason to think she wouldn’t do it again. Her reasons for helping were entirely self-serving. If she helped save his mate, she could use that to regain her lost honor. He doubted such an act would get her back on Ziang’s starship, though. Blayno was the other threat, one he hadn’t factored. The younger male was a science officer from the Astrology lab on Ziang’s ship. He was a warrior, yes, but he focused more on science than combat skills. That didn’t make the danger less for Bryan, but it did mean Daroshi was the better warrior. He certainly had more kills than Blayno. Before the night was through, he planned to add another kill.He moved quickly through the underbrush, following the trail Bryan left. Now he wished he hadn’t left his exo-suit at home. Being invisible was a tool he could have used. Instead, he was dressed normally. He took a moment to thank the gods his clothes were dark and nondescript. Bryan had talked about creating clothes in blues, greens, reds… Daroshi swallowed. He couldn’t think of Bryan right now, couldn’t dwell on the drabness of their clothes, or roll his eyes when Bryan complained about how uncomfortable his furniture was… and he couldn’t do this. He’d get himself killed if he wasn’t careful. If only he could communicate with Bryan, warn him of the dangers.He really could kick his own ass for not giving Bryan a comm unit. Fear climbed up into his throat again as he stalked through the woods. Haya was out there, and stars, so was Blayno. Ziang was on his way, but who knew if he’d get there in time. For now, it was him against one warrior with killing on his mind, and another warrior he wasn’t sure he should trust.
Regardless, blood was going to flow this night.
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