Sarazen's Claim, Book One (29 page)

“Not yet.”

“Not ever. You heard two males speaking of this plot to sabotage our mating?”

“Not just ours. Any humans with the potential to become hybrids. Abominations, is what they called us.”

His growl was hair raising, and it mingled with eleven other snarls and growls of denial. He curled around her and held her close, ready to tear the ship apart searching for the two males who had compromised their food. “Tarek, we can’t. Right now we have a small advantage. We need a plan first, all of us. I don’t know who was giving the orders, I could smell them and I’ll remember their voices later. But clearly we’re a threat to be reckoned with, and they want us to fail. They want us isolated and without the protection of legally being mated. How will you and the others find us, if we can’t communicate along our bond?”

Brennaugh snorted, curling his arm protectively around Tara and waved his free hand around at the collection of humans and warriors. “We need only the scent of our mates, and being unable to communicate along the bond will not stop us from finding you.” Tara looked up at her mate, then at her, then at Gwen. “What would stop you?” She ventured carefully, and Brennaugh gave an unconcerned shrug. “Death.”

“While I don’t doubt it would take a lot to put one of you down, not all of us are as formidable. We’ll be separated right before the hunt, right? You and the guys on one side of the forest, us girls on the other?”

The eleven warriors all bristled, unhappy, threatening growls rumbling like thunder in the room. One of them she wasn’t so familiar with yet, one of Brennaugh’s warriors, stated that no one would dare to bring harm to a potential mate on the day of the festival. It had apparently never been done before. “Someone has decided that we are a threat, we cannot assume anything at this point.” Falken stated, but Ohlen shook his head while rubbing his hands up and down Andi’s back, “Why are we a threat? Because our mates are able to shift fully as we are? It is a gift, a miraculous gift.”

She watched Andi snuggle her face into his chest to hide the soft smile on her face. She felt a strange sensation of relief easing through her, seeing the smaller woman so happy to be held by the larger male. “It’s not that,” Falken sighed, sharing a look with Brennaugh, and then the two of them looked to her and Tarek. “I already stated on record that I have no intention of making any claim and wish only to liaise with the humans.” Tarek insisted, and a ripple of understanding went around the room, the warriors now all reaching the same conclusion as she had after meeting the current ruling pair. She held her tongue, leaning on Tarek for support, momentarily glad that he was unable to feel her emotions or the certainty now itching along her shoulder blades of why this was happening. “Claim or not, you have proven your right to rule the pride a hundred times over, without ever having made challenge. The warriors in this room, we’ve fought alongside you, trusted you, followed you and have tasted victory by your side. Each of us belongs to a large tribe or warriors who would pledge themselves to you if asked, with no questions. And now you have a mate, one who openly has proven she is your match in every way. One who could potentially provide you with offspring. The
Asho
has done none of those things, despite his honor, and for many years it has been questioned as to why after so long, his mate has not given him an heir. By taking charge of the humans, taking one as your mate, you become the face they trust in. And if all of them have the potential to become as powerful as we are, more powerful, it could be misconstrued, truth or not, that you are building yourself your own armada. You are a threat, merely by drawing breath. As are we.”

The breath whoofed out of Tarek’s lungs, like he hadn’t expected to hear Falken so plainly state that the men in the room were loyal first and foremost to him. Not to his brother. She rested her cheek against his chest, rubbing her fingertips over a ridge in his abdomen. “You honor me.” He managed to say tightly, formally, “I would hear your thoughts on how to proceed. We are trained to go for the weakest spot in our prey’s defenses, and we are not vulnerable until our females our threatened. Only four of them could withstand an outright attack, and the females of S3 are incredibly territorial. If they saw an attack being made in their woods, they would intervene.”

“You believe the conspirators would actually order an attack on our mates, during the festival?”

Brennaugh shared a look with Tarek, and then grunted at his warrior who had spoken. “It is where they are most vulnerable, D’anick. In a forest they have no knowledge of, surrounded by unfamiliar faces.” D’anick made a disgusted face and stated the obvious lack of honor such an action would be. “Our females have already been fed some sort of toxin meant to silence our bond. I feel comfortable stating that the bastards have no honor.” Ga’rae grunted, giving his mate a sideways look when she poked him in the ribs. “We need blood.” Gwen demanded, “You’ve got the equipment to identify any toxins, maybe we can counteract it.” Ga’rae agreed to take blood from she, Andi, Cassie and Gwen, but by her count, it wouldn’t do much good. They were down to the wire with very few options. “Are the females required to stay separate from the men? Or is it just that mates can’t be on the same side of the forest?” Cassie ventured, and the warriors blinked, “There is no law stating that the females must enter the wood from one side or the other only. By splitting up we could better our chances at protecting everyone, while using the excuse that because the humans are unfamiliar with the terrain, we wish to give them the best opportunity for success.”

They set out to make plans for their plans, and all of them were banned from eating or drinking anything not provided by a trusted source. Once the warriors felt satisfied by the collaborative plans, they returned to their quarters and she sat on the bed watching Tarek paced back and forth across the smaller accommodations. “Promise me, Clary. Promise you will not leave Brennaugh’s side until you see the whiskers on my muzzle.” His voice was ragged with the fury sparking through him, the scent of it filling the cabin, making the air feel almost stiflingly hard to breathe. She got up on her knees and reached out to catch the sleeve of his tunic, pulling him to her so she could loop her arms around his shoulders and look up into his eyes. “I promise.” She murmured, firmly rubbing her fingertips into the tense muscles at the base of his neck. He let out a heavy sigh, licking his lips while he set his brow to hers and kneaded his hands into her loose hair, “It infuriates me that so soon into bringing you here, to my world where I promised you would be safe, someone has made a liar out of me. It will not stand, I give you my vow that their blood will stain the stones red.”

She lifted her face and kissed his brow, the corner of his eye, purred softly at how tightly he wrapped her up in his arms. “It’s not the place that makes me feel safe. It’s you. Whatever happens, I know I’m safe with you.” He shuddered, raking his teeth over the bite marks he’d left on her shoulder, “Always, my one.” She nuzzled at his throat and combed her fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath to give voice to the fear that had taken root in her gut. “Tarek?”

“Mm?”

“I hate to ask, and please know I’m not questioning you,”

“Ask, my one.”

“The warriors looking for the rest of my people, do you trust them?”

He drew back and frowned down at her in confusion, continuing to stroke his hands over her. “What?” She rolled her lips under and bit down, figuring it was best to just blurt it out there and get it out of the way. “If plots here are already in motion to deny our mating, if some of your people already see humans as a threat and the potential for hybrids as an abomination, what’s to stop them from destroying all trace of humanity?” The silence in response to her question, the way his golden eyes brightened to a metallic shine, pupils slitting to narrow slashes of black in the center of all that gold.

He didn’t answer her for long enough to make her nervous, but when he did, she knew to the core that whatever chance of fate had brought them together, she would never doubt the importance or rightness of it. “I do not know if they can be trusted, my one. And it pains me to admit it, because your doubts are not without weight. I would like to adamantly state that yes, they can be trusted. That the hope of humans somewhere struggling to survive without a strong mate to protect them, is enough to motivate any one of my warriors to action. I would like to believe that every male aboard my warship is honorable to the very marrow of their bones, but as I am not there to command them, as I have no power over the armada any longer, I do not know. This answer does not satisfy me, and after tomorrow, after we have foiled this attempt to weaken us, I will not rest until I can answer you with confidence.”

“Thank you.”

“Lie with me now, until it’s time to go.”

“Yes,”

Twenty Seven

She paced, almost smiling to realize she was following the same agitated movement Tarek had last night. She was with half of her human crew, Cassie, Gwen, Brennaugh, Ohlen and four of Brennaugh’s warriors, waiting in one of the incredible long houses nestled in the massive forest that took up a third of the planet they were on now. They were waiting for the sun to set and the horn signaling the hunt, to begin. She was agitated, because one of the two males she’d overheard discussing the plan to keep her and the others from legally becoming a mate on their world, was pretending to be gracious and offering them all food, drink, and attempting to get Cassie, Gwen and she to shower and change before the hunt. He was the one who had dosed their food, the one who’d casually asked his fellow conspirator if he wanted the toxin to be fatal.

His name was Mr’awl, he was handsome enough, and very good at keeping his true scent masked. Not completely hidden, but masked just enough to convey false sincerity. He asked her one final time if she would like to make use of the facilities, and she stopped in her pacing, turning slowly around on her heels to look up at him. She felt Brennaugh tense, saw him shift almost imperceptibly, positioning himself to protect her if need be. “Is there a reason you are so keen on getting me to wash up before the hunt?” She demanded coolly, letting her cat come to the surface just enough to be heard, and noticed the way Mr’awl tilted his head curiously at her. They’d never met before, and he wanted her and her people, dead. Her fingertips ached from the press of her claws, ready to be unleashed across his throat. Later, she would worry about how quickly she’d gotten comfortable with violence. “Only that I was told to ensure you were given all the comforts of the citadel. And some females choose to bathe before the hunt,”

He was good, not telling her a lie, but not exactly telling the truth either. She moved to circle him, almost allowing her to smirk at how he tensed, and how he swallowed when he met Brennaugh’s narrow gaze. “I can’t imagine why, we’re only going to run out there and get dirty again.” Cassie drawled, having picked up on the undercurrents flowing around the room now, in fact all of her people had, and were waiting for her lead. This was a defining moment, one where she could pretend ignorance and continue to allow them, whoever they were, to see her as weak, or she could show them that if they intended to treat her as a threat, she would act like one. “He thinks that the soap he’s put in there will somehow mask our scent further and prevent our mates from finding us. Just like he thought he would be able to get away with putting the Flarra pollen in our food and drink to block our connection to our mates.”

Mr’awl flinched at her hiss, and when he opened his mouth to deny the truth, she threw her hand up for silence and got in his face, ignoring Brennaugh’s growl of warning. “Don’t bother denying it now, asshole. I heard you. I smelled you. And I can smell the fear all over you now. You’re good at masking your scent, but not that good. I encourage you to pass a message along to your friends,” Remembering the feeling of Niora’s focused attention, she allowed her cat to pour the same kind of power at the male, perversely pleased when he winced and struggled to stand tall under the weight of it. It was a heady trip, feeling his beast struggling not to submit, smelling his fear, his confusion and uncertainty. The pleasure of watching him wobble and finally give in to drop to a knee in front of her. “Are you listening?” She purred softly, letting her claws slip from her hands, enjoying his nervous swallow, how the scent of his uncertainty rippled down her spine like fingernails. “Yes,” He grated out hoarsely, flinching hard when Brennaugh snarled from behind her. “Yes what, traitor?”

Mr’awl’s jaw clenched, his muscles bunched and quivered as he fought to not give into his beast, panting hard and sweating profusely now, “Yes,
Asha’na
.” She circled her hand around the thick column of his throat, her claws resting on his pounding pulse, letting the tips just prick his skin and tilted his head back to make him look up at her. His eyes were wide and round, full of awe and disbelief, why, she wasn’t sure, but it worked for her for now. “My mate has come home after decades of service to his people, he waits now, knowing I am here, within reach, when for so many breeding festivals before this, he has left alone. He wants to be an ambassador to my people and ensure peace, between our species. He brought us here to give us a home, to bring an end to our wandering the stars hopelessly, with no end to our exile in sight. He has stated in front of your
Asho
, in front of your council and trusted warriors, that he will make no claim to rule this pride, and I stand by him in that decision. I will continue to stand by him and seek peace, between our species, until someone does something foolish to threaten my mate, and the peace he has sacrificed his entire life for. For some reason you and your kind see me and mine as a threat, I assure you, we are no threat.”

She bent low and put herself at eyelevel to the sweating male, feeling him gulp nervously in the face of her fangs and her no doubt glowing eyes. “However, if I am given a reason, I will fucking demolish you, and all others that threaten my mate and the peace he deserves. Council your pack of foolish idiots, to give us reason to continue seeking peace, to continue adoring our mates and staying out of your ridiculous politics. The day you give me a reason, me and mine will become a threat. Am I understood?” She pushed more of her energy at him, and Mr’awl winced as his muscles contorted and spasmed with the need to change. “Yes,
Asha’na
.” He wheezed from between his clenched fangs, “Will you be able to remember all that, or shall I write it down?”

“I will remember.”

“Good. Do you have a legitimate reason for being here, aside from trying to sabotage my mate’s happiness?”

He shook his head quickly, silently, earning himself another hiss from Brennaugh, and she straightened, brushing any wrinkles from her tunic, murmuring to her cat to ease back from the fool on his knees. Content in the knowledge that he was not strong enough to take her, but she wasn’t stupid enough to give him her back. “I do not,
Asha’na
. I will deliver your message as you have spoken it. Forgive me, please, I truly meant no harm to you or the others. I have only followed orders,” She glanced at Brennaugh for guidance and he gave her a tight shake of his head, “Deliver my message to the ones who hold your leash, and if they let you live, you may beg my mate for his forgiveness. You wronged him when you followed those orders of yours, the former commander of the entire Sarazen armada, your
Asha
, by deed and action deceived him in an attempt to keep him from finding the mate all of you search endlessly for. Give him reason to forgive you, as many reasons as you can, and maybe he will. Maybe he will allow you to somehow regain your honor. Maybe he will choose to tear your carcass apart with his bare hands.”

“Yes,
Asha’na
.”

“Get out of my sight.”

Mr’awl didn’t hesitate. He moved so fast to obey that he left skid marks in the dirt. Her cat was restlessly stretching inside her, digging claws into her belly and snarling to be let free to hunt that little fucker down and shred him to ribbons. Maybe even bring a few pieces of him back to Tarek as a gift. She shook herself, a little sick by how seriously she suddenly hungered for his blood, and turned around, coming up a little short when she saw Brennaugh, Ohlen and the four other massive warriors drop to one knee and stretch out to place their fingertips in the dirt in front of them, bowing low and easily to her. “
Asha’na
.” They growled reverently, and when she glanced at Gwen and Cassie, at the other members of her crew, they were smirking proudly. She scrambled for something to say to them, but the low sound of horns filled the air, and her cat perked up inside her, all her focus now on going to find her mate. “Let’s do this.”

The forest was alive with sounds of snarling, roaring, screams of joy. Thousands of scents, male and female, the trees and the earth being churned beneath eager claws and boots. Her cat wanted out, wanted to run with the others, furious that she had to walk slowly alongside the weaker humans, but she absolutely refused to go running off to follow the tiny ribbon of scent she could catch that belonged to Tarek. It chaffed, but she stayed within reach of Brennaugh, knowing they were all heading in the same direction through the chaos. He’d changed into his massive feline form, the top of his head level with her shoulders, his fur mottled red and orange, the skin of his beautiful muzzle tight and gnarled with scar tissue, the same on his left forearm, and a good portion of his chest. She wanted to touch him, but he didn’t belong to her, and Tarek might take exception if she came to him with even the smallest scent of yet another on her skin.

A buzz ran along her body with such force that she stopped suddenly, and Brennaugh did the same, crouching low, haunches rolling with eagerness while he trained his eyes on something in the distance. “Is it them?” One of her crew asked from behind her, and even as she drew breath to answer, Tarek in his gorgeous feline form came leaping from the foliage with a growl, “Yes,” She breathed, running forward to be caught against his furred chest, burying her face in the surprising softness and grinning when he wrapped his muscled leg around her, purring loud enough to vibrate the blood in her veins. As they had discussed, her crew came and sat on the ground in the middle of the forest, surrounded by Tarek and Brennaugh’s trusted men, allowing any present in the forest to catch scent of the humans and perhaps find their mates.

She sat curled against Tarek’s side, content and sleepy while they waited. Two, then three males materialized out of the darkness, confused and looking warily around at the big wall of cat’s protecting her crew. Tarek chuffed, a sound she recognized as invitation and a warning to tread carefully. For a moment, no one moved, then with bravery and determination she appreciated, one of the males strode forward with his eyes focused confidently on one of her female crewmembers. He stopped in front of her, looking down at her for a heartbeat before folding his legs under him to sit in front of her on the forest floor. “I am Lorn,” He murmured softly, seemingly fascinated by the dark haired woman in front of him. “Um, I’m…I’m Bree.”

“Bree. My one.”

The other two followed suit and sat before their mates, speaking softly, watched like hawks for any signs of deceit or false claim, but her cat gave no indication of either. She seemed pleased, content enough to wait for any others. Surprisingly, a group of females approached, their lean, whipcord strong bodies moving through the trees, noses raised to the air to catch the scents of the human men sitting and talking softly together. They looked skeptical, seeking her out among the crowd and came as a group to kneel within respectful distance, flicking confused yet relieved looks at the now slack jawed human men staring at them. “Is it true that your kind are able to carry our beasts?” One of them asked, a lovely blue eyed female with dark spiky hair and matching aqua tattoos along her skull. Tarek grunted at her, “Yes. A voluntary blood exchange is all it takes.” Still not quite convinced, the same female very politely asked to see her change.

Tarek sat up, making the females tense warily, but they’d talked about it and she moved around to put his furry body between hers and the crew, not exactly comfortable with everyone seeing her naked, so she quickly stripped and let her cat out to play, preening a little when the Sarazen females hissed with jealousy and awe at her fully formed figure. But they conferred amongst themselves, gave she and Tarek a respectful nod and moved to the men whose scent had caught their attention. Pleased, she wound her way under Tarek’s chin and raked her teeth gently along his shoulder. He nipped her ear and got a swat of her paw, which made him give a hissing laugh and pull her down to lay under one of his paws, cleaning her fur with his raspy tongue and rolling his cheeks over hers to mark her with his scent. She happily turned over to give him her belly, rubbing her muzzle along the underside of his jaw and lazily lay there while they waited.

She was honestly surprised, but secretly pleased when by the time the sun rose, all but one of her crew had been approached by a Sarazen, male and female and claimed as a mate. She wasn’t certain yet if they were legitimate matches, or if maybe one of Mr’awl’s co-conspirators had infiltrated her crew to further sabotage their matings. Tarek seemed thus far unconcerned, eagerly herding her towards their ship parked in a long line of other ships, curling his lip at the officials waiting to officiate their mating. They changed back in their quarters and Tarek told her to stay put in their cabin while he spoke to the new members of their growing group, to the officials, and to the pilots waiting to return them to the citadel on S1.

She took the time to wash up now, enjoying the enzyme wash well enough, but had come to prefer the warm caress of water on her skin. A few strokes of her fingers through her hair and she went back to wait for her mate to return to her. He didn’t take long, and she was thrilled to see how his eyes brightened, yellowing when she moved from her provocative sprawl on the bed, around to kneel on the sheets with her hair over her shoulder to present him with her back. She heard the door lock, glanced over her shoulder at him and gasped when he leapt the distance to pounce on her. “My
mate
.” He growled, hands rough on her body, stroking her skin possessively.