Cravr (The Mating Games Book 8) (5 page)

Annie felt good helping others. When she was young, she had wanted to be a nurse, but she had no interest in memorizing all the bones and nerves in the body or all the symptoms of every disease known to man. No matter how strong her desire was to help others, the field of medicine couldn’t hold her attention. She would care for Sylvia and see to her needs, but Sylvia only needed the same kind of care her daughters did.

No, Annie had turned away from healing and looked for other ways to help people. On Earth, she had always taken a share of her crops and helped those who needed it most. It made her feel good to help in any way that she could. Sylvia now needed help, but she needed more than help recovering, she needed help getting her new life on track. Maybe that was something Annie could do once Cravr had helped her get familiar with the area, the jobs available to someone, and the housing they could provide. More and more people were coming here and Oison was just starting to see a boom in industry.

Once the females of Earth discovered how much better it was here, they would flood this planet. A system needed to be in place to welcome those they approved and get them settled. She would talk to Cravr about that.

“Mama, mama!” Sally and Molly came running and hugged her tight. Cravr followed them in moments later. Thinking about him seemed to conjure him.

“Hello, Annie. I brought the girls home so you wouldn’t have to worry. How is your visitor doing?”

“I gave her a snack, it was all she could hold down, and she’s sleeping now.”

“Is she in my bed?” Sally asked.

“No, she’s in Molly’s room. The two of you will be sleeping together while she’s here.” Molly screamed in delight, but Sally didn’t look as happy.

“She’s your sister. Someday you won’t get to see her every day, you’ll each have families of your own. Enjoy the time you have with her now.” Annie observed. It sounded like an often quoted saying. It had little effect on Sally’s unhappiness. “I’m fixing burgers.” Annie said. That seemed to make everything better as Sally picked up her sister swinging her around in a circle until she squealed in delight. “Would you like to stay for supper?” Annie was looking right at me.

“I’d love to.” Cravr replied, and truer words were never spoken. “Need any help?”

“Can you make potato salad?” She asked looking at him doubtfully.

“I can, I’ve been trained to do it recently.”

“Lista?” She asked peevishly.

“No, Razar. He’s house trained.”

“I don’t think that is exactly the way that term was meant to be applied.” Annie observed.

Cravr didn’t say anything, he just entered the kitchen, washed up, and began to make the potato salad with instant potatoes like he’d been taught. Annie observed him and it looked like she was trying to stay quiet, but couldn’t.

“That won’t be any good.” Annie said with her nose turned up at it.

“You might be surprised.” Cravr responded. He’d liked it when he’d helped Razar make it and he knew he was making it right. He was finished and Annie finished right after him.

“Girls, wash up and come in to eat.” Annie hollered. He noticed she made a small plate for Sylvia. His potato salad wouldn’t be hard for her to eat. Annie gave her a hamburger patty without the other stuff. That would be her protein.

Once Annie came back, without the plate, they all sat down and started filling their plates in an organized fashion. Cravr took his first bite, Annie’s hamburgers were even better than the ones at the restaurant.

“These are so good, Annie.” She blushed with pleasure at his compliment.

“Your potato salad turned out to be good too.” She praised in return and he saw she had actually eaten some. The girls seemed to really like it.

They all ate their fill and the girls put their plates in the sink then went to play. Cravr helped Annie clean up then they sat in the living room and talked. “I think the time will come that you’ll need someone to help get new citizens settled in, those not here to mate right away, that is.” Annie observed.

“The need will be there eventually, I’m sure. Was this something of interest to you?” Cravr asked. He liked getting insights into this woman. The more he knew, the easier it might be to convince her to try to see what was between them.

“Maybe, yes, probably. I like to help people, I always have. What would be more helpful than when someone comes to a new place, scared, possible alone, to be calmed while someone helps you map out your future. This would be a future they would have some say in, not just being shuffled by some autocratic government.”

“Yes, I see what you mean. Even some of the mates took a while to adjust, and they have the family they mated into to help them. Maybe talking to some of them would help you see where the help is needed most. Jobs, houses, healthcare, even childcare is not a problem, it is the things they miss from home, people can’t be replaced, but sometimes just a familiar food or item can help someone feel grounded.”

“That was insightful, you’re so right. When you took me to the restaurant that had the cheeseburgers, it made me feel that this wouldn’t be so bad. Sometimes the little things really do make all the difference.”

“Males can be considerate and empathic, too. Like right now,” he said as he moved to sit next to her. She looked at him, her eyes wide and her breath coming faster. “I see you are worried about this thing between us.” He moved his hand to her chin tilting it up as his lips came down on hers. Cravr didn’t just kiss her, he inhaled her. Never had she felt so mastered, so devoured, by a kiss.

Her lips opened, inviting him in and he accepted her invitation, thrusting his tongue in her open mouth, owning the space inside, exploring like a conqueror. Nothing had ever prepared her for a male like this and for the feelings that rushed through her. Inside a voice screamed to submit, to accept that he was hers and always would be. It advised her to take him before the games came around. Hang on to this amazing male, and never let go.

Ah, but there was another voice, the one of fear and caution that said, stop, it’s too soon. How can you really know if it’s right? That voice was being drowned out, even if temporarily, by the fire running through her veins and the need he was creating with just a kiss and a few soft touches as his hands moved up and down her back stroking gently. She wanted him, but she was afraid, no terrified, after what her experiences on Earth had taught her about men.

The thing was, he wasn’t a man, not like those on Earth. Could she let go and see where this would take them? Was she brave enough to follow her heart after all it had gone through? The longer the kiss lasted, the more determined she was to follow her heart.

“Mama, Molly won’t listen to me!” Sally yelled and Cravr stepped back just before the little girls burst into the room. It was good that he had, because Annie’s mind had shut down and she wasn’t thinking straight.

“I listed. She being mean.” Molly, was three going on sixteen, complained.

“It’s time to get ready for bed. She won’t come take a shower.” Sally looked to be six, but she was actually eight. She was just small for her age, but Annie had always been short so she wasn’t worried about it.

“I wanna bath.” Molly whined.

“Why don’t you run a bath in my bathroom so Sally can take a shower in the other one?” Molly ran off happy.

Sally pursed her lips. “You’re spoiling her.”

“No more than I spoiled you at that age. Now go on and get ready for bed.” Sally turned red, embarrassed at the way the conversation had gone in front of Cravr. Slinking off, she shot her mother a pitiful look before she was out of sight.

“Kids can be a challenge.” She said as she leaned back into the cushions on the couch.

“You handle them well. Sally will understand given time. I’m sure this move has been an adjustment. They are now stuck in a yard when before they could explore acres of farmland.”

“You’re right and I really don’t understand what the dangers are.”

“There are behemoths in the water that can snap up a grown male and eat him before he knows he’s been had.”

“We aren’t that close to the ocean.”

“That’s true, but there are also predators, since we were originally limited to small areas, I can’t even say what’s out there. I know there are predators, similar to lions and wolves only much larger and carnivorous plants that can eat those predators.”

Annie knew she was pale and scared. “I had no idea.”

“They tend to stay away from settled areas, but once in a while, they stumble onto a house or a person. Razar’s pet is friendly to people and always was. They have a connection that was immediate. No one understands it, but there is no guarantee others of his kind will be the same. As for the catlike creatures, Razar had to kill one that was trying to eat him and Lista during the mating game they played.”

“If the games are so dangerous, why do they continue to play them?”

“No one knew the predators existed because they do stay away from heavily populated areas. It’s only recently that we’ve moved out into areas they prowl around. Security around the games has been increased and the width of the area mates must transverse decreased. The games are a custom that the older generations cling to.”

“Why…”

“Why am I signed up for the games?”

“Yes.” Annie didn’t even attempt to act like she didn’t care.

“There are many customs our parents and others of their generation cling to. Another is that sons must mate in birth order. The males of our kind think of nothing, but that female that is to be our mate, from puberty on, and our desire to have a family rules us. It is my turn and I want that family, but even if I didn’t, I owe it to my younger brothers to do my duty.”

“Is there no other way?”

“There is. If I could convince the female I wish to mate, to go to the Temple with me, and go through the ritual, if the priest approves our mating, I could skip the game.”

“Is there such a female you desire?” Annie’s heart stopped beating, or at least it seemed as if it did. Her breath froze, waiting for the answer.

“Mama, she won’t get out of the tub!” Sally screeched.

“Let her stay in a little bit longer.” Annie hollered back. This was important and few minutes of tub time was no big deal.

“The water is cold. She’ll get sick.” Sally yelled.

“Okay, I’m coming.” Annie shot an apologetic look at Cravr. This was her life and if he didn’t understand that, none of this would matter anyway.

Annie entered the bathroom where one giggling little girl hung onto the side of the tub as her sister tried to pull her out. Because she was wet, Sally’s hands kept sliding off and when they did, Molly would just laugh harder.

“Alright, Sally, go do whatever you need to do to get ready for bed and I’ll take care of Molly.” Sally reluctantly left the room. That girl was far too serious for her age, but Annie didn’t know what to do about it.

Now that she was in the bathroom, Molly reluctantly got out of the tub. Annie helped her dry off, put on her PJs, and she left her to brush her teeth by herself. Returning to the living room, she was relieved Cravr hadn’t snuck off. The men she’d known on Earth hadn’t like children or any reminders that they were around.

“Sorry about that.”

“That’s alright. Kids come first, always. I come from a big family, can you imagine bedtime with ten of us?”

“No, that sounds scary.”

“It wasn’t as bad as you think. Razar was like a miniature general and he didn’t mind cuffing someone on the back of their head if they didn’t listen. We all worked hard, from an early age, so most of the orneriness was used up by bedtime.”

“It sounds like you had a hard childhood.”

“It may sound like it, but we had love, fun, and laughter, all any kid could wish for. Our parents are the best. I hope you get to know them better, you’ll love them.”

“I’m sure I will. Now, tell me more about your Temple. I haven’t heard of it before.”

Cravr proceeded to tell her a lot about their religious beliefs and how the priests helped them to find the right mate so they would have happiness in their life. He seemed to really believe that they could figure out if two people could be happy together. Annie couldn’t help but wonder if there was a reason he was telling her these things.

Chapter 6

The Temple

Cravr felt hope shoot through him as Annie hung on every word he said. It wasn’t easy to speak so freely about a subject as personal and taboo as religion was to his people. There was no requirement that she believe in his people’s gods or priests in order to mate a Mazlan, but at least being open minded would make things so much easier.

Finally, it was time to tell her how this affected her personally. “Annie, I think we’re mates. There’s only a little over a week before the games and I’d like you to go to the Temple with me to see if they will approve our bond.” He felt better now that it was out there and she knew.

She looked stunned, her eyes were wide and she was speechless, for a few moments. “I wasn’t sure you meant me.” She whispered in a small voice.

“How could you not know I meant you?” He asked. Did she not feel the rush of attraction, the tingle when they touched, or feel the soul deep knowledge that if they didn’t mate each other, they would both have eternal unhappiness?

“You hid your feelings most of the time and the few times you showed interest, it seemed purely sexual.” Annie admitted.

“Sexual, yes,” he said his eyes burning with desire. “Purely? No, I feel so much more than that for you.”

“Thank God.” She wanted something more than just a physical need, she wanted a soul deep connection. It had been lacking in past relationships. The men of Earth weren’t like the males here. They didn’t seem to have much to give even when they tried. The males here appreciated women and it showed.

“You’ll accompany me there?” He asked wanting a commitment.

“Yes, but I will need someone to watch the girls and Sylvia.”

“The girls can go to daycare, it’s good for them to be with other children. I have someone to sit with Sylvia in the morning so we will go then. Give me a goodbye kiss and know I will be thinking of you all night long.”