Page 2 of Guardians

Lexie absently rubbed the spot where his teeth had pressed into her skin. The subtle mark had long since faded, but she could still feel the teasing pressure of his bite. Male lions often bit while mating. Some believed the pain triggered a hormonal reaction in the female that increased the chance of conception. Others hypothesized that the ritual simply allowed the male to withdraw his barbed penis without retaliation from the female.

Another shiver dropped down Lexie’s spine. Did feline hybrids have a barbed penis while in their lion form? She’d never seen one of the hybrids shapeshift, but too many of the scientists insisted that they could shift for her not to believe it. How much had their human anatomy been altered by the insertion of cat DNA?

A blast of frigid wind shook the tents, threatening to topple the structures. Lexie sank deeper into her coat and pulled her hat down to completely cover her ears. The fire sputtered and danced, fighting to stay alive. All of their efforts to stay warm were failing. There was no escaping this unforgiving weather. Not in this camp at least.

Two days after Kane’s visit, three of the lab techs approached Lexie. She didn’t know them well, but they seemed pleasant enough. Emma, their apparent leader, came right to the point. “We have a proposal for the cats.”

Lexie scrunched up her forehead. “Why bring it to me?”

“Because Kane looked like he wanted to devour you. Everyone noticed it.”

“I’m not sure I agree, but go on.”

“We met in college.” Emma indicated her two companions. “Anyone who knows us, knows that. What very few people know is that we didn’t meet at the university. All three of us paid for our education by working as escorts. That is how we met. If we’re willing to set up a brothel inside the village, will the cats provide us with a house, access to food, and whatever else we need to live comfortably?”

“ Very comfortably,” the brunette on Emma’s right stressed. “If they’re going to turn us all into whores anyway, we’d rather do it on our terms.”

Lexie nodded, trying hard not to look as shocked as she felt. “I’m not sure when I’ll see Kane again, but I’ll tell him about your offer.”

“We’re serious about this,” Emma told her. “And we might not be the only ones to make this choice.”

At the time, Lexie thought the three were crazy. But the more she thought about it, the more she understood their rationale. It wasn’t a choice that appealed to her personally. The need for a family, even an unconventional one, was too engrained in her psyche. But the hybrids were domineering and aggressive. Joining the brothel might well be the only way for a human female on Rydaria to maintain anything resembling independence.

It had now been six days since Kane’s visit, six bitterly cold, hunger-filled days. Lexie didn’t know if Tara had changed her mind, but Lexie was starting to wonder if being claimed by a coalition of feline hybrids might be worth escaping this misery. Anything that gave her access to warmth and food couldn’t be all bad. Everything about this planet was harsh and unforgiving. Why should this be any different?

“I’m going to bed,” Lexie said after a long pause. It was marginally warmer in her sleeping bag. At least she’d be out of the wind.

Bianca followed Lexie into the tent. A few seconds later Tara ducked inside as well. Their other three tent mates were already in bed, though none of them were asleep.

“We have to do something or we’re all going to die,” Kelly whispered after Lexie and the others settled into their sleeping bags. “I know we’re all trying to stay positive, but we need to be realistic. We’re not equipped to tame a wilderness. Most of us have never been camping, much less grown our own food.”

“Tara and I are going to the feline village tomorrow,” Lexie told her. “Bianca needs medicine, and we all need food. Maybe if a couple of us agree to… mate with them, they’ll take pity on the rest.” Tingles zipped along her nerve endings as the now familiar fantasy surged to the surface of her mind. Kane was fucking her from behind this time. He held her arms at the small of her back and slammed into her fast and hard. An unseen male fucked her mouth just as brutally. Each time she pictured them together the sex was almost violent, and she was always being shared. Kane emanated aggression and she’d belong to a coalition, so the images seemed to fit.

“Is this just about sex?” Dawn whispered. She had burrowed down into her sleeping bag and wrapped a thick scarf around her head so only her eyes and nose were visible in the moonlight. “Or do you think they want children?”

“They’re no longer human,” Claire objected. She was a biologist with a background in reproductive issues. Of the females in this tent, she was the most highly educated. “It’s unlikely that they would be able to produce offspring with any of us. We are two different species.”

“I’m going to barter with them, not get on my knees,” Tara insisted. “We have knowledge and skills. We’re willing to work and provide them with things they can’t get on their own. There is more to us than what’s between our legs. We need to help them see that.”

“I agree with you,” Claire said, but her tone revealed her uncertainty. “We can analyze plants and formulate medications, but only if we recover our instruments. I don’t think the cats have our stuff. I think the wolves are responsible for the raid.”

“I do too,” Lexie admitted. “Which is why I’m going to the feline village. I don’t trust the wolves.”

“And you trust the cats?” Dawn cried, propping herself up on her elbows.

Lexie shook her head. “I don’t trust any of the hybrids, but I think our chances are better with the cats than the wolves. We have to start somewhere.”

Dawn’s only response was a heavy sigh as she plopped back down on her cot, then she muttered, “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

Kane sat in the cavernous meeting room of the lodge staring into the central fire. Flames crackled and popped, emanating light as well as heat. The feline village was arranged in cabin clusters. Each cluster consisted of fourteen identical cabins and a grassy common area. The common areas had fire pits and many of the feline hybrids preferred to gather with the males from their cluster rather than trekking up the hill to the lodge. Kane was one of Zion’s six advisors—known as the guardians—so he spent more time here than most. Zion was the undisputed leader of the pride, but he depended on his guardians for in-depth information and varying perspectives. They also served as bodyguards anytime Zion left the village.

Tonight’s meeting had lasted longer than anticipated so they’d combined it with the evening meal and kept right on debating the issues. There were only two: a possible alliance with the human scientists and war with the wolves. The consensus was that an alliance, if strictly controlled, would be good for the pride. War, on the other hand, seemed unavoidable.

Elias and his pack of lupine hybrids had been unruly since the day they arrived on Rydaria. Many of the wolves preferred to stay in animal form, creating havoc and victimizing the other hybrids. Zion’s first task as pride leader had been driving the wolves out of the area and forcing them to create their own village. Elias resented the move and retaliated with endless raids, abductions, and attacks. The latest incident had been the worst.

Kane sighed. There were only sixteen hybrid females and all of them were feline. Lupine hybrids couldn’t mate with feline hybrids, so the wolves were destined for extinction. The disparity drove Elias crazy, and he lashed out in progressively more violent ways. Hybrid females became frequent targets for wolf attacks, so Zion decreed that no female be allowed to leave the village without an armed escort.

The rule hadn’t protected Akari. Her small party had been ambushed and her guards murdered. One of Akari’s mates was the village teacher. His coalition had recently claimed her and the group was deeply in love. Kane wasn’t sure if she had been targeted because of their happiness or if it was a crime of opportunity. The details didn’t matter. Either way what the wolves had done was inexcusable. She’d been held captive for six hellish days and subjected to abuse and torture that would have broken many. When the wolves tired of their games, they dumped her battered body in the forest, expecting her to die.

A routine patrol party found Akari and rushed her back to the feline village. Malik, Kane’s best friend and the closest thing the cats had to a doctor, worked tirelessly to save her life. She was physically stable now, but her emotional recovery would be long and complicated.

And what happened to Akari was one example among many of the despicable behaviors of the wolves. Something had to be done, but none of the cats wanted the situation to escalate to full-scale war.

As if summoned by Kane’s troubled thoughts, Malik sat down on the wooden bench beside Kane and handed him a mug of frothy ale. “You’re thinking about the blonde again, aren’t you?”

“Actually, I’m not,” Kane told him. “First time in days, but I was thinking about the wolves.”

Malik tensed, his dark gaze icing over. “There’s only one solution for the wolves and we all know it. Make an example of Elias and anyone else who touched Akari. The entire pack needs to know that anyone who harms one of our females dies. Period.” He paused for a long pull of ale. Fighting back memories, no doubt. “We’re bigger and stronger than the wolves, and we outnumber them three to one. I don’t know why Zion is being so hesitant about this. What they did to Akari was intolerable. There must be a reckoning.”

“I agree. And so does Zion,” Kane stressed. “The question is when and how to retaliate. Zion is trying to avoid needless slaughter. The ones who hurt Akari must die. Our laws are clear about that, but attacking their village indiscriminately makes us no better than them. And how do we identify Akari’s attackers without traumatizing her all over again?”

Setting his mug aside, Malik stood and moved closer to the fire. His restlessness was understandable. Kane felt it too. “I hadn’t thought of that,” Malik admitted. “I just want them dead.”

“We all do. But it’s complicated. Which is why Zion is taking his time.”

Malik turned his back on the fire as he faced Malik. “Well, the options couldn’t be laid out any clearer. We debated them for hours. The final decision is up to Zion. Let’s talk about something else. Anything else.”

Kane lifted his ale and smiled. “You’ll get no argument from me.”

“Where’s Diego? No one explained his absence at the meeting tonight.”

Diego and Malik were the other two members of Kane’s coalition. They were all guardians. They shared a cabin, but were often given very different tasks. Malik’s skills and knowledge were based in medicine. Kane headed village security. Diego and his team of ‘Shadows’ provided Zion with reconnaissance and stealthy attacks. They could blend so well with their surroundings and move so soundlessly that they seemed almost invisible.

“It’s been a while since we scouted out the lupine village,” Kane explained. “Zion wanted to make sure nothing significant has changed before we plan our attack.”

“Wise precaution.”

“Diego should be back tomorrow. Did you need him for something?”

Malik shook his head. “I was just curious where he’d gone.”

They lapsed into silence for a moment while Kane sipped his ale. As he forced thoughts of the wolves from his mind, Lexie’s image resurfaced. Her hair was the color of honey, a warm multi-toned gold. There was a delicate symmetry to her features that made her appear both sensual and innocent at the same time. And her eyes were the brightest, most vivid shade of green that Kane had ever seen.

“Now you’re thinking about Lexie,” Malik accused with a dreamy smile.

“Guilty. I don’t know what I’ll do if she refuses the offer.”

“You said that she seemed to be drawn to you,” Malik reminded, his brows scrunching up over his nose. “Was it just a look or did you speak with her?”

“It was several looks and a much too brief conversation. I know she’s interested, but all of them seem uncomfortable with the idea of mating with a coalition.”

Malik shrugged, unconcerned with the statement. “That’s to be expected. We’ve had three years to accept this new reality. They’ve been here a few months. Besides, we went from the pit of hell to relative freedom. Their journey was backward from ours.”

Kane nodded, but her reticence bothered him. “We need to court her, show her what life with us would be like.”

Malik laughed, a soft rumbling sound. “I have no idea what life with us would be like. I’ve never shared a woman before. Have you?”

Kane had, but the memories surrounding the situations were so dark and unwelcome that he just shook his head. He’d had no control over anything that happened while he was in captivity so he would not take responsibility for the events.

“Tell me more about the human females,” Malik prompted with a wicked grin. “How many of them are young and pretty?”

“Do looks even matter at this point?” Kane countered. “We lucked out with our mate, but I think most of us will be thrilled to have a female in our beds regardless of her outward appearance.”

Malik nodded. “Unless we find a way off this rock, which isn’t likely. Human females are our only option.”

“And we are theirs,” Zion stressed as he joined them by the fire.

Zion had been speaking with Flynn and Levi, two of his guardians, over by the table where the meeting took place. Kane had been so engrossed in his conversation with Malik that he hadn’t noticed Zion approach. Kane liked Zion, respected the hell out of him, but their relationship was entirely professional. Zion had a few close friends. Kane just wasn’t one of them. They weren’t at odds, yet they didn’t socialize.

“Despite our mutual distrust,” Zion continued, “we’re stuck with each other.”

“I hope the stubborn humans figure that out soon,” Kane grumbled. “I honestly thought Lexie would be here by now.” Six days. It had been six endless days. He’d expected it to take maybe three. The weather had cooperated beautifully. It had been utterly miserable out. “If Lexie keeps this up, I’m going to go get her.”

“No you’re not,” Zion said firmly. “They must come to us. We offered them an opportunity, but it’s their choice. I will not allow this to be forced on anyone.”

Kane didn’t like it, but he didn’t argue. Zion was right. The females must come of their own free will or they were not true mates.

“I’m dying to see her,” Malik said with a groan. “I’ve always been partial to blondes.”

“She’s lovely.” Kane couldn’t hold back his smile. “But her beauty is irrelevant. She’s smart and spirited, and ours .” A heated shiver raced up his spine, stirring his blood and hardening his cock. The longer she resisted the inevitable pull, the more he wanted her. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. She will belong to our coalition.”

“Do you have an exact number of the potential mates?” Zion stood beside Malik with his hands clasped behind his back. The situation couldn’t be any more casual, but he remained vigilant, ever watchful. It was part of what made Zion a good leader. He was always ready for anything.

Thinking about Zion’s question, Kane shook his head. “There are four hundred and sixty-eight scientists. One hundred sixty-six are male. I estimate about fifty of the females are too old to produce children.”

Zion shrugged. “They can still offer companionship and comfort to our older coalitions. Make sure they understand that the offer is extended to them as well.”

“I will,” Kane assured him. He’d volunteered to act as an emissary between their village and the humans. He knew the humans better than anyone because they fascinated him. He’d spent much of his free time lurking in the woods observing their struggles and marveling at all their bad decisions. Their camp was made up of some of the most intelligent and highly educated minds on Earth and yet they couldn’t successfully complete some of the simplest tasks.

“That leaves approximately two hundred and fifty young, healthy females?” Malik figured, drawing Kane back into the present.

Kane nodded then quickly reminded, “They still have to agree to bond with a coalition. The concept is new and controversial to humans. Attitudes about sex are not nearly as regimented on Earth as they once were, but monogamy is still the norm.”

“This isn’t Earth,” Zion insisted. “It’s Rydaria and we are a village of coalitions. If the females want the security and comfort we can provide, they will accept our offer as it stands.”

“There are no exceptions,” Kane and Malik repeated their leader’s favorite phrase and Zion rewarded them with a rare smile.