Venomous: Erotic Science Fiction Romance (Alien Warrior Book 1) (49 page)

Venin Stings the Sweetest hissed.

The crackling quality to the sound was disparaging.

I wished I could go back to not hearing the subtle differences in the sounds my new family made.

It’d be easier to ignore the ones that barely tolerated me then.

Making a grumpy noise, I crossed my arms, expression sullen and stance defensive.

I waited to be told why I’d been ousted from the cosy nest that smelt like my males. “Is there somewhere we’re meant to be going, or something you’ve planned where I’m needed?”

I didn’t want to be disrespectful or seem rude, I was rising above it, but I was sleepy, and had a double helping on my plate.

I needed thinking time to obsess over my nightmare bonding ceremony.

Something else important came to mind.

“We have to be quick. Singing Water is coming just before second moon to give me a cooking lesson, and I’ve slept most of the morning away.” I smiled thinking of Cobra that Strikes’ mate. “I have no idea how to prepare most of the food, and she offered to help.”

“Your plans with She, Singing Water have changed.” Venin waved an imperious hand. “You have no need to learn such things. Use the Sylphs.”

“I’m not yet comfortable with the Sylphs. None stay here, so, my plans with Singing Water are important and have not changed.”

The matriarch looked disgusted. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, but–”

“Then we will go.”

I gave her palm. “Let me holocall Singing Water first. Then we can go.”

Aggravated by her high-handedness and lack of respect, I stomped past before she replied.

In the living enclosure, I used voice control to navigate the communications matrix as Fiercely had demonstrated during my first cycle.

You could tap the screen, or issue mental commands, but the former made me miss my Earth gadgets, and the latter gave me headaches if I did too much too often.

Itching my scalp, I hoped Singing Water would see how sorry I was to change our plans last minute.

The dainty Rä’Na appeared in life size before me in full shape and colour.

I adored Rä technology.

It looked and sounded as if she were in the room with me.

“Lumen of the Stars.” Singing Water gave me a mystified smile. “Is all well?”

“Yes. Good rising. I wanted to let you know our cooking lesson might have to be pushed to tomorrow if I’m not back from.... Uh....” I turned to look over my shoulder at Venin Stings the Sweetest who floated into the room behind me. “Where are we going?”

“To meet a trader at the spaceport,” she replied without her usual spew of rancour. “He owes me jewels. I thought to take you along, show you the sights.”

I made a face. “Isn’t Rök a closed world?”

“Approved traders may land to refuel. Such is a stipulation for being registered to the Intergalactic Alliance. Our laws say offworlders who use this service cannot leave the spaceport.” Her thin lips winched into a stiff smile. “My Rä’Vek mentioned you dislike being sequestered all rotation
,
and how your mates must accompany you outside the lair.” Another haughty hand gesture. “As they are busy until third moon, I merely thought to relieve your boredom before your hatching traps you nesting.”

“Oh.” I blinked. “That’s actually nice. Thanks.” Surprised, I turned back to Singing Water and opened my eyes wide. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” she was quick to reply with a flighty movement of her claws.

Disappointed, I slumped.

I’d been looking forward to spending one on one time with a Rä female that didn’t hate me.

My males wanted this Rä’Na’s Rä’vek to be my lesser mate, and I was dying to get to know her better.

Maybe we’d end up being friends rather than just acquaintances.

No harm in being hopeful, right
?

“I know.” I gave a little jump and clap. “Why don’t you come with us. We can go to the spaceport then go to lunch, and then shopping.”

Singing Water and Venin Stings the Sweetest exchanged a look.

The younger female broke away first. “Unfortunately, I cannot,” she murmured her face lowering. “She, Venin Stings the Sweetest commed me at first moon with your change of plans. I amended my day. I am going to the market with Cooler Sky who is visiting from the West. I have kindred there who left my home province when I was a hatchling. I am eager to see Cooler Sky.” Her voice dropped quiet. “Sincerest apologies, She, Lumen of the Stars. Perhaps there will be another time.”

“Of course there will be. No worries.” I smiled big to reassure her and hide my distress. “It’s my plans that changed after all. Well, good parting.” Before I could wonder if her stricken look was real or a figment of my imagination, the call ended, and the hologram winked out.

An a’Rä I didn’t recognise passed through
the haze
bringing with it a trail of sand and hot, fruity air.

It ignored me, and addressed Venin Stings the Sweetest. “What is taking so long?” A short glance at me. “The planetary shield cannot remain deactivated for long. We must not miss them. They land within two-span.”

Venin Stings the Sweetest barely waited for me to slip on my sandals before she shoved me towards
the haze
after the a’Rä.

She kept putting hands on me.

The next time, she’d draw back a bloody stump.

Weighty body slithering over my foot, the Zýt’s muscled length rose up to my shoulder and blocked my way.

Wedge-shaped head tilting, her tongue flickered.

Flaring scarlet in colour, her tail rattled.

Intrigued, I hesitated because I didn’t recognise the rhythm.

I knew her ‘I’m happy to see you’ and ‘feed me treats’ noises rather well.

The rest confused me as they were similar.

Shrugging, I stroked under her chin then nudged her aside.

She seemed unharmed.

I’d figure out her noises eventually, but right then wasn’t the time to puzzle over it.

Venin Stings the Sweetest was running late after stopping to pick me up.

Overbearing as her behaviour was, she too was making an effort by including me.

I wondered if Venomous had had a word with her.

I knew her discrimination troubled him, and he wanted us to bond.

Last thing I needed was to make her miss the trader and get all cranky.

I tried to move around the Zýt, stepping over her coils seemed rude, but she shifted and danced until I stopped with a noise of exasperation.

“Enough,” Venin snapped, shoving past.

Rattle sounding like a swarm of angry bees, the Zýt snapped at her throat, head darting in a striking motion that made Venin skitter.

Is she picking up on the I hate my mother-in-law vibes?

Venomous mentioned the Zýt were sensitive and attuned to the family they nested with.

Alarmed by her aggressive behaviour, worried she learned bad manners from me, I paused long enough to give her a kiss on her head. “Behave. I’ll be home soon. We’ll have a nice long snuggle and nap. I’ll even feed you some of those disgusting, cricket-looking things you love.”

Drawing my hood up to shade me from the sun, I stepped through
the haze
and the rattling faded.

Climbing into the four-seat transport next to the pilot, who barely acknowledged me, I hunkered down in my seat feeling ill at ease by the lack of greeting.

Rä were not touchy-feely, but most were chatty, curious, and even if they didn’t like me they greeted me.

The a’Rä escorting us were taciturn the entire journey.

Music came from the transport speakers and relaxed me as I stared at the spectacular landscape.

Rök was a beautiful planet.

While occupied by higher life forms and peppered with cities and settlements, it retained a raw beauty Earth lacked outside of its uninhabited areas.

Second moon rose high in the sky with the sun.

I leaned on the side dash taking in the rolling, emerald dunes and the flashes of animal life when we slowed to turn a corner or descend into a ravine.

The droning engine died, and the transport landed.

I shimmied off my seat, lips pushed out.

The spaceport we’d driven to didn’t look familiar.

As She, Venin Stings the Sweetest and her attendant disembarked, the a’Rä pilot strode over then clamped something around my wrist.

Startled, I glanced down to see a manacle.

As I yanked back, he grabbed my other hand, slapping another circle of metal on.

Magnetised, the cuffs slammed into each other, yanking my arms together.

It took several scary hard thuds of my heart for the implications of what happened to sink in.

I looked around with wide eyes. Up at the a’Rä in white-faced shock. “I don’t understand.”

“Human, you do not belong here.”

S
wallowing, I twisted my face from the a’Rä shackling me to seek out Venin Stings the Sweetest. “W-Why are we here?”

She looked smug. “Finally, I am to be rid of you.”

Dread crept cold and dark though my veins. “I’m beginning to think....” I cut off.
This is not happening. I’m meant to be safe here amongst these people.
“Are you....” Again, words escaped me. My breathing hitched. “Are you leaving me here to die?”

Venin looked badly like she wanted to say yes.

I’d been warned time and time again by my males how dangerous it was for me to be outside alone.

We’d travelled for spans to the outskirts.

All they had to do was march me into the sand plain, turn me about then leave me to my fate.

I was a forgetful fool, so I didn’t have my personal communicator to call for help.

The sun would continue to shine relentlessly leaving me dehydrated and likely ambulating delusional circles.

No water; dead.

Stumble into a predator’s territory; dead.

Sting from a Viranid; dead.

Fall down too steep a slope, and snap my neck; dead.

Caught out in the brutal sandstorm Fiercely warned me of last moon; so freaking dead.

And those were the dangers I recalled off the top of my head.

Worst of all, neither of my mates knew I needed rescuing from my whacked out mother-in-law.

“No,” the a’Rä replied levelling an irritated look at Venin. “We are not leaving you here to die.”

“Okay,” I said evenly not appeased or reassured. “Do you mind telling me what
is
happening?”

I lifted my hands then waved them so it caught my meaning.

“You do not belong here. We are sending you to live in the care of those more like you.”

Nodding, my bound wrists lowered. “I see.”

No, I did not fucking see.

What else did one say when confronted with such utter bullshit?

How mercurial my life had become.

Suddenly, I was
so
not shocked or staggered by the turn of events.

The moment I became excited about spending the rest of my life with Venomous and Fiercely was the perfect moment for something shattering to occur.

I’d been through so much, it was difficult to drum up anything but a vague sense of disappointment and pain on Venomous’ behalf.

He would be beside himself when he discovered me missing.

When he deduced his mother was to blame, and he
would
work it out, he’d be devastated and feel betrayed.

“Venin,” I began, “I need you to listen to me. Carefully. This is a mistake. Take a moment to
think
. You’ll realise it too.”

The Rä’Na shook her bald head. “There is no mistake. My widowed offspring will grieve, but another will mate with him in time. He must be patient.” She sneered. “He will come to see your disappearance as best.”

“You can’t just
give me away
.” I was beginning to get flustered. “I trusted you. Venomous trusts you. This will destroy him, especially because it’s you doing it.”

“He will never know. I will tell him I took you out to the Empty Quarter to teach you its dangers, and like the deformed idiot you are, you wandered off alone into the wilderness. When they search for you there, find nothing, they will declare you dead. That will be the end of it.”

“
That’s
your plan? He won’t believe you.”

“You are wilful and I gave him life. Many times have you nearly come to death in an accident of your own making.” She drew herself up tall. “I will be believed. You will become no more than a shameful memory.” She motioned to the a’Rä. “I have witnesses to testify how I was distraught when we discovered you gone from the transport. All because you disobeyed, and roamed astray when our attention was diverted to finding your weak human body water.”

Incredulous, I gawked then eyeballed the a’Rä askance.

The seven foot giants flanking me barely paid me any mind.

They wanted me gone, wanted my strange offworlder presence off their precious planet.

My wrists hurt.

The manacles used to secure me were strong with sharp edges, and because of the twisting I did to free myself they were now reddened, raw and bleeding.

One of the a’Rä hissed, tongue flickering. “You bleed.” It cast me a glance that actually looked concerned then reached to stop me moving.

Seeing an opportunity, I kicked it hard between the legs.

It looked at its crotch in confusion then at me as if I was demented.

So I screamed.

All three Rä slammed their hands over their ears, dropping to their knees.

I legged it towards the transport.

Made it five running steps too, before I was lifted up and shaken.

“
Do not hurt her
,” cried the a’Rä that had shown concern for my wounds.

The a’Rä that caught me sniffed then dropped me onto my feet.

I shrugged it off, glaring. “Don’t touch me.”

There was revulsion in its return stare that made me feel small.

Was this a’Rä one of the Rä that believed Venomous and Fiercely were sexual deviants for wanting me?

There was so much
more
than what the naysayers tried to reduce our relationship to.

We adored everything about each other.