Alien Slave (32 page)

She’d become so much more.

Not a slave. Not a possession for
sexual pleasure or breeding. He couldn’t accept her as that
anymore.

My heart is gone, stolen by a feisty,
unpredictable Earther. But will she ever love me in
return?

That was for the future to decide. For
now, Gelan would treasure the present. Even with Tragooms and
vicious predators threatening at every turn, this moment was
incredibly sweet. He kissed the top of Dani’s head, feeling her
heart beat against his. He could have spent all night just
listening to her soft breath.

* * * *

When Dani woke, curled alone on the
leaf-covered ground, it was still full dark. Gelan sat next to her
head. Wynhod crouched on the other side of the fire, close to
Krijero who propped up on one elbow. The scent of meat cooking over
the fire set off a series of rumbles in Dani’s stomach. Apparently
Wynhod’s hunt had been successful.

He smiled at her. “We were debating
whether to wake you for a meal or let you sleep.”

“
I’m all about eating right
now.” She started to sit up, but Gelan’s arms closed around her. He
drew her to his lap and pressed a chunk of meat to her lips. Dani
devoured it in an instant.

“
Hungry, little fighter?”
Wynhod looked amused.

“
Starved.”

“
Try chewing this time,”
Gelan said, feeding her another morsel.

The next few minutes consisted of Dani
filling the yawning void of her gut. When her stomach’s clamor
dulled to where she could think again, she asked, “Any sign of
Tragooms?”

Wynhod shook his head. “I saw no sign
of pursuit. Maybe they finally got tired of being killed.” He
passed a chunk of meat to Krijero, who was eating with far more
grace than Dani.

Dani accepted a sip of water from
Gelan’s container. She looked Wynhod over, thinking how primitive
he looked. “Does it bother you to kill?” she asked.

He cocked his head, taking the time to
consider her question. “It depends on the situation. Sometimes it’s
my job to stop dangerous men from hurting others, and I have to
shoot my own kind. It’s the right thing to do, but it’s hard.
Taking the life of another Kalquorian is never easy.”

He pursed his lips, staring into the
fire for a few moments. Dani sensed he had more to say and was
trying to think how to phrase it. Finally his gaze flicked back up
to hers. “You may not like hearing this, but I feel nothing when it
comes to killing Tragooms. I find no redeeming qualities in them at
all. Tragooms are like a disease to me, a tumor to be cut out of
universe.”

The tone of Wynhod’s voice chilled
Dani. His eyes were as flat and uncaring as a snake’s as he talked
about ruthlessly murdering. She swallowed. Was it really that easy
for him? “But they’re intelligent beings, right?”

He shrugged. “They have intelligence.
They are self-aware. But they also brutalize others without
conscience, killing and raping without care. The weaker the
victims, the better they like it. I have never lost sleep over
ridding the universe of their kind.”

Gelan added, “Tragooms are
opportunistic. In a crowd surrounded by others who can defend
themselves, they conduct themselves with some restraint. However,
their code is to take what they want when circumstances allow.
Whether it be weapons, spaceships, or people, they steal and use
for their own gain. Their constant predations

made the Galactic Council decide long
ago no punishment would fall on those who kill Tragooms, so long as
their planet itself wasn’t attacked. And no member planet can trade
with them.”

Dani thought about ending the lives of
other beings, even ones as grotesque as the Tragoom race. To be the
reason someone else died – she shuddered. “Wow. I’m not sure I
could kill anyone without completely freaking out over it. Even if
they were to threaten my life, I think it would bother
me.”

Wynhod smiled at her, the chilling
expression on his face wiped clean. Dani’s shoulders relaxed
tension she didn’t realize she’d been holding. He told her, “You
value life. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Dani shook her head at Gelan’s offer of
another chunk of meat. Her stomach groaned, over full now. She was
content anyway. Being stuffed was miles better than being hungry.
She snuggled back against his chest, still watching
Wynhod.

“
More questions?” He didn’t
seem disturbed by her curiosity.

“
Just one, I guess. I mean,
I’ve never met anyone who has killed someone else. I suppose if
it’s part of your job, I’d better get my head around
it.”

“
Ask away.”

Wynhod’s face was blandly pleasant, and
Dani had the sudden insight that he was working very hard to keep
his demeanor from being frightening to her. He knew he was
intimidating to the nth degree, and she thought perhaps he wanted
her to feel safe, not threatened by him.

Taking courage from her instincts, Dani
asked, “Does feeling okay about killing make it hard for you to
love others?”

Wynhod blinked. Krijero looked at him,
his attention avid on the Nobek.

Gelan’s voice, rumbling over her head,
was thoughtful. “Now that’s a very interesting question. I’d like
to hear this answer.”

Wynhod crooked a half-smile at the
group. “It is a good question. No one has ever asked me that
before.” His brow furrowed, and Dani could tell he was thinking
hard again.

Finally he said, “In my work as law
enforcement, I see the worst of people. I suppose it may have made
me a bit jaded. I have built walls emotionally, because it does
take a toll. But when I have someone I trust enough to love, it
seems to be with more passion than most people I know.”

“
Really?”

Krijero nodded, his gaze on the Nobek
warm. “He is very protective and caring about those he’s close
to.”

Dani saw how Wynhod’s face softened
when he glanced at his Imdiko. She said, “You feel that way about
Gelan and Krijero.”

Wynhod nodded. “They are my clan. They
are my life.”

The way he said it was simple, but
there were volumes of meaning in his words. It was an honest
declaration of devotion for the other two men.

Dani couldn’t help the wistful envy
that crept into her tone. “You’re all very lucky to have one
another. To know you can depend on each other no matter
what.”

Gelan’s arms tightened around her. His
voice rumbled soothingly in her ear. “You can have that too, Dani.
You just have to open your heart to the right people.”

She sighed, hating to throw herself a
pity party but not able to stop it. “I’ve never been that important
to anyone. Even if I was, I doubt I’d trust them enough to know
they care to such an extent.”

Krijero sounded encouraging. “I once
felt that way too. Trust is earned, and if someone loves you,
they’ll do all they can to win it from you, no matter how long it
takes.”

Chapter 17

Wynhod stood guard in the black night
as Dani peed behind a rock outcropping. Nothing stirred over the
rock plain, but she couldn’t see in the dark and he had no idea how
stealthy and quick the moon’s predators might be. He was glad to be
on hand to protect her. It was what he was made for.

The soft beat of urine hitting the hard
ground ended. A moment later came the sound of splashing as Dani
rinsed herself with water from a hollowed-out rock they’d found and
filled for her. They’d also provided her with leaves to wipe
herself. The Earther liked to be clean. More than once she’d vowed
to spend hours showering the moment she got the chance.

He heard next the careful pad of her
wrapped feet and the slide of her hands against the rock as she
cautiously returned to him. She came into view, and Wynhod admired
her. Even with her hair wild and uncombed, a copper cloud around
her head, she was a beauty.

Mine, he’d declared a few days ago. He
again felt the need to claim her, felt it so keenly that it almost
hurt his gut. No one had inspired such an ache to possess before.
No one, not even Krijero, had ever made his insides twist with
terror at the thought of not being able to take care of
them.

Despite Gelan not yet officially
declaring her Matara, Dani was clan to Wynhod. The very center of
his world.

Wynhod had told her he was more
passionate than most in terms of devotion when it was aroused. Dani
had more than aroused his dedication. She’d swamped him with it
until she owned his thoughts. He didn’t fight this unforeseen
attachment. There was no point; he adored her and such fervor would
not be denied.

The biggest worry for him was that he
was naturally fierce. Dani’s questions about his ability to kill
without remorse had warned him that he needed to be very careful
how he presented himself to her. She required delicate handling,
something he had little experience with. Convincing her of his
ability to care for her could be a battle, one he wasn’t exactly
sure he could win.

He wondered if he’d already damaged his
chances to gain her trust.

“
Wynhod?” She’d reached the
end of the outcropping and stared blindly into the night. Poor
little Earther with her weak, light-dependent eyes.

“
Right here, little one.” He
was in front of her in an instant, gathering her in his arms,
picking her up and settling her on his hip.

Her long, slender arms wrapped around
his neck. “It’s black as pitch out here. I wish I could
see.”

An animal screamed in the distance. It
was far away, the dying shriek of some unlucky prey, but a trick of
the air made it sound much closer. Dani’s arms tightened and she
trembled as she stared desperately, trying to see what danger lay
around her.

Wynhod whispered, “I have you. I won’t
let anything happen to you.”

Her night blind gaze drifted over his
face, guided by his voice. “I’m more work than I’m worth, aren’t
I?”

“
Not in the least. You’re
worth far more than I’ve expended on you.”

“
But I got us in this mess.
My stupidity put us all in danger.”

She seemed genuinely remorseful. Was
she trying to apologize? Wynhod wished he had the instant
psychological tools to wipe the self-disgust from her face. He was
forced to think hard before speaking, fighting to find the words
that would tell her how precious he thought she was. “You’re not
stupid, Dani. Hurt and fear can make us do unreasonable things
sometimes.”

“
I guess. Are we going back
to the shelter now?”

They were about thirty yards away from
their camp. Wynhod saw his chance to connect with the Earther, to
somehow assert his feelings for her if he could just find the right
words.

He took a deep breath. “We’ll go back
in a moment. Before we do, I want to tell you what I see in you,
Dani. I see a beautiful girl who’s never known the safety of
unconditional love. I see someone deserving of that protection, of
that love.”

Her voice was sad enough to make Wynhod
wish he was less Nobek so he might weep. “There’s no such thing as
unconditional love. Everyone always wants something from you. When
you fail to give it; and you must fail because sooner or later
you’re going to screw up; it’s over. And then you’re all alone
again, with no one to care.”

She leaned her forehead to his shoulder
and started to cry quietly. The sound made him angry at her past,
much as he became furious when he thought of the Dramok who’d
broken Krijero’s heart. Unfortunately, there was no one to take his
fury out on.

Again, he was forced to choose his
words carefully, to modulate his tone so as to be a comfort.
“That’s not true, my little fighter. Sometimes we disappoint the
ones we love, but because they love us, they get over it. They
don’t have to like our actions to love us.”

She said nothing, continuing to cry.
Wynhod wasn’t even sure she’d heard him. He took a deep breath and
tried again. “When a Nobek swears to something, it is a vow you can
take to your grave. And I promise I will not leave you alone or
push you away, no matter what you do or say. I may become angry
with you, but you will always have my protection. Do you believe
me, Dani?”

She sniffled. “I want to. But I’m not
sure I can.”

“
Then I will prove it to
you, over and over, for as long as it takes.”

* * * *

Dani wished she could see Wynhod,
wished she knew what expression he wore. She wanted nothing more
than to wallow in his promise, to wrap herself up in the commitment
in his voice. All three men were tempting her to declare lifelong
dedication to them. But they couldn’t possibly want her, not
galumphing, impetuous Danielle Watson.

If only she had something to offer
besides sex! Something they could appreciate, something that would
make them want to keep her forever.

The irony that she’d done a complete
one-eighty from fearing the clan wouldn’t release her once her
contract was up wasn’t lost on Dani. God, she had
issues.