Captured (14 page)

“Your brother contracted polio,” Mari said, her voice soft in the evening breeze.
 
“In my grandfather’s lifetime, many of my people died of polio.
 
Those who survived the disease are often crippled and they too walk with a cane or they use a wheelchair…a moving chair.
 
We have been immunized against polio too, since my parents’ time.”

“Very much death for both our peoples.”

“Yes,” he heard Mari agree.
 
She said nothing more.

“I must return,” he said, “to the warehouse.
 
I must collect my money.”

Mari stared into space.

“Look at me, Mari.”
 
She turned.
 
Her face appeared uncharacteristically blank to him.
 
“It is blood money, I know this now, but we need it, you and I.
 
We need the money to survive whatever may come.
 
I cannot save them.
 
I can only save you.”

“I agree,” she said to him.
 
He saw her eyes fill with tears but they did not fall.
 

“I do not understand,” Ekkatt said.
 
“I do not comprehend how you can agree.
 
I am taking money earned from the deaths of your own kind.
 
Why will you not fight me on this?”

Mari’s voice was even when she answered him.
 
“If I was with those women, if I stood in their place, and I knew that one of us, only one of us, had a chance to live, I would tell her to take it.
 
I would tell her to save herself and remember us in her prayers.
 
I would not ask her to die with me.
 
I would never ask her to die with me.”

Ekkatt took her hand and squeezed it.
 

“Do you have
sages
in your history?”

“What is a
sage
, little human?”

“A sage is a venerated man, a wise teacher, a saint.
 
One of our ancient sages, Rabbi Hillel said,
What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.
 
That is the whole Torah, the rest is explanation.
 
Go and learn.
”

“What is this Torah?”

“Search your Hebrew file…the chip in your brain.”

Ekkatt closed his eyes for a few minutes.
 
“It is the law,” he said.
 
“A body of law that tells you how to behave toward other men.
 
Then you are what is called a Y’hudah?”

“Yes, I’m Jewish and you are Attun-Ra. I guess we’re both fucked.
 
Ekkatt.” Mari squeezed his hand back. “How do we stay alive?”

“I will speak with my father.
 
He is like one of your sages.
 
Perhaps he will know a way.”

* * * *

A week later, Ekkatt prepared his craft for a return flight to the warehouse.
 
He called to Mari, “You will follow my instructions?”

“Yes, but I will bathe, Ekkatt.
 
You’ve said you’ll be gone several days. You cannot expect me to stay cooped up in the cabin the entire time.
 
I will be cautious, promise.
 
I’ll take the uustal with me to the hot spring,” she held up a hand, “Yes, I know to go only in the afternoon.
 
You’ve said the giant durra hunts in the evening and the early morning.
 
I will avoid those times.
 
I swear it.”

“Mari, the beast hunts silently.
 
You would not hear it until it is upon you.
 
I cannot bear to have you put yourself at risk.”

Mari rolled her eyes, a gesture he had come to recognize as dismissive.
 
“If what you’ve told me about this creature is true, I’m barely a mouthful.
 
Besides, there’s only one path to the spring and you can’t tell me this animal is like a mountain goat.
 
I doubt he can climb straight up the cliff.”

Ekkatt perused the little human in silence.
 
Her stare challenged him, but a corner of her mouth turned up in a half-grin.
 
“You may be barely a mouthful,” he said, “but you are a tasty mouthful.”
 
Mari laughed at his innuendo.
 
“You may go to the spring in the afternoons, but only in the afternoons. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times.
 
And your nose.”

“My sense of smell is not as acute as yours, Ekkatt.
 
What does it smell like?”

Ekkatt thought for a moment.
 
“I once smelled a pride of lions in the continent you call Africa.
 
Do you know the smell of a lion?”

“Yes, actually, I do.
 
We lived in Kenya for a time, and I encountered lions in the wild.
 
I also worked as an intern at a zoo where I cared for the big cats, the lions and tigers.”

“A giant durra smells much the same, but stronger.”

“Ah, so it’s a cat.
 
That explains a great deal.”

Ekkatt raised an eyebrow.
 
“Explains?”

“Nothing,” replied Mari.
 
“I assume it patrols a territory, hunts in the same area, more or less.”

“Yes.
 
If you hike to the top of the ridge and turn to your left, you will see many game trails leading down the mountain.
 
The giant durra I have seen hunts the forests below.
 
He prefers to stay within the trees.
 
I have not encountered the beast in the open, but...”

“There’s always a first time,” Mari finished for him.

Ekkatt nodded.
 
“You will stay away from the ridge.”

“Yes, sir.”
 
Mari saluted.

“This is a joke?”

Mari shook her head.
 
“No, it’s a military salute.
 
Go, Ekkatt, get out of here.
 
The sooner you leave, the sooner you return.
 
I will be okay.
 
The minute you leave I’ll lock everything up for the night and no one will know I’m here.”

“And you will not be sick when I return?”

“Oh, no,” Mari grinned, “I will most definitely not be sick.
 
Other than my sore feet, I’m feeling very well.”
 
She grabbed his jacket and pulled him down for a kiss.
 

Ekkatt picked her up in his arms and kissed her soundly.

“You’re becoming very adept at this,” Mari murmured against his mouth.

Ekkatt growled in response.
 
No woman had ever aroused him as quickly as this human. He backed her against the wall and lifted the hem of his shirt from her body.
 
“I am glad you have no underthings to wear. You are so accessible to me, and we have only a moment.”
 
His finger slipped inside Mari.,
 
Ekkatt found her still wet from their lovemaking an hour before.
 
He felt Mari tug on the clasp of his trousers and free him.
 
He heard her gasp at the size of his erection.
 
“I want you here,” he said. “Against this wall.
 
Can you take me, little human?
 
Can you take me in this position?”

“Oh, God yes,” she breathed, wrapping her legs around his hips.

“Your god has nothing to do with it,” Ekkatt growled.
 
Propping her up with one arm, he ripped her shirt open and it fell off her shoulder, exposing one breast.
 
He dropped his mouth to her nipple, sucking, nipping at the tight, swollen bud.
 
His canines had elongated, so that he’d drawn a little blood.
 
The sight made him even harder.
 
Mari whimpered, but she did not tell him to stop.
 
Her eyes were closed and her face flushed.
 
He could smell her arousal.
 
The scent of her musk was very strong.
 
With one hand, he guided the head of his uus through her folds and began to enter her, cursing in English as he pushed inside, trying hard to control his movements.
 
He did not want to hurt her.

Mari wiggled in his arms, impaling herself inch by inch.
 
Ekkatt groaned.
 
He could not imagine how any man could resist the pleasure of such a woman, such a headstrong, powerful, funny, lively, confident, warm, tender, loving woman.
 
She might be small in stature, but she was large in heart.
 
When he’d buried himself in her tight heat, Ekkatt began to thrust, slow and gentle at first, then faster and harder, the sound of her moans driving him wild with need.

Mari’s head rolled back against the wall.
 
“Fuck…” he heard her say, her voice hoarse. “Oh…fuck…now, Ekkatt…now…please…please…”
 

“Yes, little human,” Ekkatt growled.
 
He bit down where her neck met her shoulder. She screamed her release as he came deep within her, exploded within her.
 
Ekkatt was deaf, dumb, and blind to all but the feel, the sound, the sight, and the smell of the woman in his arms.

* * * *

Ekkatt flew all night to get to the warehouse and holding area.
 
He wanted his money. By now, the chief should have sold the survivors of the fever, provided they had tested free of disease.
 
The closer he got to the facility, the tighter his chest became, but he knew he had to get his portion.
 
He needed the money he’d earned for the months of harvesting and risk.
 
He needed it so he could buy a way to keep Mari alive.
 
He loved her.
 
He loved her more than anything in his world.
 
He would do whatever he had to do to keep her safe.
 

Ekkatt had begun to harbor a secret hope that he dare not share with her, that he would find enough cills to buy their way onto a transport and return her to earth.
 
He’d live with her there.
 
If you came to my home, I would treat you with respect and dignity.
 
I would not call you an animal simply because you are not human.
 
He knew then, when she’d said it on board the ship, naked, helpless, alone and frightened, that she’d meant every word.
 

“Ekkatt Vom Baerkah Elae, son of Baerkah, son of Elae requests permission to land.”

“Permission granted, Ekkatt Vom Baerkah Elae, son of Baerkah, son of Elae.
 
You are cleared to land in your usual spot.”

“Then the fever has abated?”

“Yes.
 
All restrictions have been lifted.
 
You have complete access to the facility.”

Ekkatt landed and strode down the walkway to the holding area.

“Ekkatt,” called a voice.
 
Ekkatt turned.
 
It was Pana.

“It’s good to see you, friend,” Ekkatt said.

“And you,” said Pana.
 
“Are you here to join the crew?”

“No.
 
I’m here for my share.
 
I am needed at home.”

“Ah, your brother?”

Ekkatt nodded.
 
He caught the flare of Pana’s nostrils and he stepped back a few paces.
 
“I must find the chief.
 
I wish you good hunting, Pana.”

“Yes.
 
I believe we shall have very good hunting.
 
I plan to scout for more of the red hair.”