Page 8 of Hainn (Sectors New Allies #19)

CHAPTER EIGHT

A waking in the early morning, happily sated and a bit sore from the night’s exertions, Jezari stretched and breathed deep of the wonderful air. Redolent of Spring, the scent of flowers and fresh green shoots emerging was intoxicating and calming. She was at peace, happy and content with her state of being and her newfound attachment to Hainn. Glancing at him, sound asleep next to her, she could barely contain her good mood.

Raising her eyes, she admired the pretty patterns in the luminescent lichen on the opposite wall and blinked. Wait a minute, why am I smelling the outdoors — I’m in a cave! Lichen had no scent either. Alarmed and puzzled, she sat up against the pillows. Her inner beast purred, which was also astounding and unsettling and a stark realization spread through Jezari.

I’m pregnant.

The predator entwined in her DNA murmured happy agreement as Jezari sat in utter shock.

A partial memory came to her, of a conversation she’d overheard while in the hospital. Dr. Garrison had been telling someone how her mate Mateer had known she was pregnant the first morning after conception because he scented Spring in the air around her in the midst of a Khagrish lab.

She studied Hainn again. But we never claimed each other. We never did a blood transfusion. How can I have gotten pregnant? It was an accepted fact in the valley a Badari male could only get a woman pregnant if she’d received a blood transfusion from him. With a jolt she remembered the transfusion also typically created a telepathic link between the partners. Her ability to speak mind to mind had returned yesterday, after her first lovemaking with Hainn and only worked with him. So we’re mates? Goddess, what is going on here?

Maybe the transfusion rule only mattered with human women. Perhaps a Badari to Badari mating bypassed the whole inability to father children problem the Khagrish had programmed into the warriors. After all, the mere existence of the Daughters had been a secret for nearly 800 years, even from 99% of the Khagrish themselves. The scientists wouldn’t have known to create barriers to a Badari siring a child with one of his own kind.

Hainn rolled over and opened his eyes, sleep lingering. With a drowsy smile he greeted her and pulled her close for a hug. “I wish we had time for another round this morning but the guys will be leaving early for the sea mount.”

She let him kiss her but her mind was whirling. Why wasn’t he astonished to wake up to a pregnant woman? Had he somehow planned this? Was he going to say anything about this development between them?

He doesn’t know .

Hain’s lack of awareness was the only possible answer Jezari could come up with as her lover left the bed and headed for the bathroom. She drew her knees up close to her body and rested her head on them as she stewed over the situation. The cubs were the most important thing in the world to the Badari packs and to have their own child was a dream every Badari held close to the heart. So far only Mateer and Megan had accomplished the feat but their example inspired the others to hope. In fact Hope was the name given to the child. There wasn’t a man in the packs who wouldn’t die to save Hope, daughter of Mateer. She was the symbol their longed for future with families was possible.

Again she considered her biology versus a human woman and decided being a Badari Daughter meant she could hide the fact of her pregnancy from males, at least for now. Once she started to show things would be more difficult.

“Bathroom’s all yours,” Hainn said as he wandered back to the room and picked up his discarded clothes. “I’ll go get us tea and get dressed for the day of surfing. Meet me out there?”

“Sure,” she said, raising her face for a distracted kiss before he pulled on his utilities and left her room. After a moment she crawled out of bed and stood with one hand on her belly protectively. The idea of being a mother was exhilarating and frightening. She lived in a very uncertain world, being at war with the Khagrish. Is there ever a perfect time to have a baby though? As she walked to the bathroom vertigo overcame her, trying to think through all the ramifications of this event. I need to tell him.

Immediately she shook her head. Not yet. They weren’t claimed mates—maybe he didn’t feel that way toward her, despite their closeness yesterday and last night. After all he’d been with a number of human women—he could do casual as the South Seas brothers said. If I tell him I’m pregnant he’ll Claim me for that reason alone and I’ll never be sure. Would the mate bond even form if they weren’t truly meant by the Great Mother to be mates? But would the goddess have allowed Jezari to get pregnant if Hainn wasn’t her true mate?

All this hard thinking was making her frazzled and a little nauseous. Or maybe the pregnancy hormones were kicking in already? Now dressed, Jezari assessed her flat stomach in the mirror and reached a decision. She wasn’t going to say a word about this now, since Hainn hadn’t scented the truth. She needed time to think and she desperately wanted to go to the goddess’s circle in the forest at the valley and beg for guidance. Briefly she considered talking to Timtur in his role as senior healer and emissary to the goddess but ruled it out with a shudder as too awkward. She might talk to her Alpha but she knew Keshara and Gabe had been hoping for a child since coming to the valley with no luck. Jezari’s situation would inevitably cause her sister pain.

Eventually she’d have to tell Hainn.

Jezari squared her shoulders and walked into the main cave, keenly anticipating her cup of Badari tea. A worry struck her—should she be drinking tea while pregnant? Should she be surfing the monster waves and carrying on as if everything was normal?

Yes, she decided between one step and the next. Pregnancy was a special but normal condition of life for women who weren’t Badari and she was going to treat this pregnancy of hers as a normal thing too. Her genetically engineered body was tough and healed itself rapidly—she was sure it could protect the new life she was carrying. Accordingly she greeted Hainn cheerfully and accepted the mug of tea he brought her. “Exactly what I need this morning.”

While eating a quick breakfast the group drew lots for the order of today’s surfing and Jezari drew the third position, which was fine with her. She liked to have time to sit on the ocean’s broad back and contemplate what she was about to do rather than having to jump straight into her first run of the day. Carrying her board like all the rest she headed out to the waiting flyer and another day of high adrenaline activity and fun.

Drifting on the water’s surface, paddling lazily to stay in position, Jezari reveled in the freedom of being virtually alone in the vast space of an ocean. Hainn floated close by and the other brothers were within hailing range too but it wasn’t at all like being in the valley with all the residences so close together and humans everywhere. She raised her arms to the sky and gave thanks to the Great Mother for her chance to be here, as well as for the tiny life she was now nurturing.

You’re next , Hainn said in her head. Are you ready or are you going to pass?

You must be joking, of course I’m not missing my chance!

As she paddled to catch the beginning of her wave, she reflected how much she enjoyed the sound of his voice in her mind. He was a special person and it was hard not to see him as a prospective mate today. But I’m not asking him. It has to be his choice and not because I’m pregnant either. The swelling water foamed and churned and lifted her effortlessly along with its own weight and she let her mind go blank so her muscles could take over and she could have a triumphant ride. Carried along on the wave’s journey, balancing on its back, she exulted in the speed and the sensations. With regret she steered her board away as the wave collapsed and felt the tractor beam’s touch as Stonor retrieved her.

After his usual brief questioning to make sure she was fine, he and Vindy dropped her off again in the waiting area and sped away to collect the next surfer from the end of his run. She didn’t see Hainn so she supposed he was next up, maybe even riding this minute. She was tempted to touch his mind and share his exultation but shied away from the intimacy. It might distract him. Her sending mind to mind would surprise him at the least. Jezari decided to talk to him about it at the lunch break on the beach.

Her inner predator tensed and Jezari ramped up her situational awareness, scanning in all directions, talons extended. She’d drifted quite a distance from the group while she was lost in thought.

Suddenly there was a disturbance in the water and a huge creature surfaced right next to her, eyeing her from its giant opalescent orb, studying her as it floated effortlessly. Jezari was so startled she nearly fell off the board. The animal was easily ten times her height in length but it made no threatening move before releasing a great spout of water from its head and sliding underneath the waves again. A broad tail slapped the water as it descended, spraying her with crystalline drops. Jezari saw a smaller version of the animal following the first and submerging a bit less gracefully and on an impulse she let go of her surf board and dove into the water herself.

At first there was no sign of either of the two leviathans, except for a trail of rapidly dissipating bubbles, coming from far below. Then a shadow rose speedily from the depths, barely flicking its tail to ascend and pausing a few feet away from her.

I mean you no harm , Jezari hoped maybe the animal could hear her.

The smaller one, which was perhaps one third of its mother’s length, swam into view and did lazy maneuvers around and over the parent, playfully nudging her with its snout and then speeding away with a flick of its flippers and tail. Mesmerized Jezari watched the baby play as the mother indulgently drifted. The baby came at Jezari next, not with an intent to hurt, she was sure, but wanting to play and having no idea of its own strength. Jezari dove rapidly to avoid a collision which would probably damage her, even with a Badari’s tough frame. Unfortunately the baby took this as a game and followed. Only the fact it wasn’t as accomplished a swimmer as its mother saved Jezari. She swam toward the surface, hoping it might deter the determined infant.

At the last second before the baby was going to collide with her, the mother came up right under Jezari lifting her on its back and surfacing with a huge spray of water, leaping many feet out of the air. She clutched at the shells and vegetation growing along the broad spine to keep herself from falling off as the immense creature made its leap and dropped to the waves. Once the animal was floating effortlessly Jezari slipped off and patted the thick hide.

Thank you! Your baby is beautiful but too big for me, she telepathed.

As if she’d summoned it, the infant broached the water in its own leap, quite impressive for a young one and the resulting splash inundated Jezari and knocked her under again. Surfacing with a sputter, she found the mother had maneuvered between the boisterous offspring and Jezari and was keeping the baby away from her with one massive flipper. The baby settled in to nurse briefly as Jezari watched, marveling at what a rare opportunity she’d been given to observe these animals.

Then the mother rolled her gleaming eye at her as if to say goodbye and submerged as smoothly as it had come, the baby close behind.

Saddened, as if she’d had a visit from friends who were now gone, Jezari stared out to the horizon, hoping for one more glimpse. Sure enough, the mother made a stunningly high leap, going way out of the waves and landing with an epic splash as the calf did its own version of the move an instant later. Then the pair was gone and this time there wasn’t another sighting.

Jezari! What happened? Are you okay? Hainn’s worried voice sounded in her mind and he paddled furiously toward her. I saw your empty board and I was worried.

I’m fine, no need to worry. Did you see those creatures? Have you ever seen their like before?

He came up beside her, giving her the measured glance of a healer as if making sure she wasn’t lying about any injuries. I watched them leap from the ocean just now. There’s no record of any previous encounter with anything that big. There are some marine mammals we meet out here on occasion but we keep a respectful distance from them and the pod leaves us alone. Did they threaten you?

She shook her head. No, I think they were curious more than anything else. It was awesome — I even rode the mother’s back. Well, briefly.

Hainn didn’t seem pleased by the piece of news but didn’t comment. It’ll be your turn in two more sets. We should return to the surfing area. Then it’ll be lunchtime.

I want to go diving this afternoon, she said as they reoriented their boards and paddled toward the spot where the waves broke. The surfing is fantastic but I don’t want to miss the full experience of being here.

I’m happy to contribute to the full experience. His mental voice was over the top lascivious and he winked at her. Changing inflection, he added, I’ll dive with you — I know some pretty coral formations and the sea life there is astonishing. Makes the muddy lake at home look like a puddle with tadpoles.

She wasn’t displeased with the idea of his company although she enjoyed exploring on her own. I hate for you to miss surfing on my account.

You shouldn’t dive alone, not out here. We always go in pairs.

Oh.

Before she could process her disappointment at his matter of fact statement, he said, I need to do my share of fishing anyway. We can gather sea urchins for the feast tonight as well while we’re at the reef.

They had rejoined the small group of Badari floating on their surf boards and Hainn indicated she should get into position to catch the next wave. With a sigh, checking the horizon, hoping to see her leviathan friends again, Jezari did so. The gathering wave lifted her and carried her away from her musings. There was nothing to do but concentrate on the surfing and wringing every moment of pleasure possible from the ride. It was a heady rush and she was laughing as she glided away from the breaking wave for Stonor to pick her up.

The group convened on the beach and Vindy parked the flyer under the shelter of a grove of towering trees. Jezari and the others helped her spread the camouflage net and bring out the generous number of stasis containers with the lunch offerings Sandara and her staff had packed. The surfing party had made an amazing inroad into the huge stock of meals—Badari ate prodigious quantities anyway due to their fast metabolism and the physical demands of surfing burned even more calories than usual.

Jezari was grabbing the last container of drinks when Vindy came down the ramp to join the group. The pilot walked beside her as they headed for the spot where the picnic had been set up.

“So, you and Hainn,” Vindy said, head tilted as she surveyed Jezari in her bikini and wrap.

Inside Jezari tensed but outwardly kept her calm demeanor. “He invited me to come surfing, yes.”

“He’s a good guy,” the pilot said. “But he’s a player so a word to the wise, better watch out for yourself. I know you haven’t been in the social mix much at the valley since getting out of the hospital but these South Seas boys like to play. And they like variety, if you catch my drift. Nothing and no one holds their attention for long.”

“Except a mate,” Jezari said.

“Well yeah. You saying you’re his mate? I don’t see the famous mate mark.” Raising her eyebrows, the woman studied Jezari’s shoulder. The coverup had slipped off and the skin was bare, plainly unmarked.

“It’s a social weekend,” Jezari said. “Nothing more.”

“I had a few of those with Hainn and then he moved on.” Vindy raised her hands as if to ward off a blow. “Hey, no harm, no foul, right? Two consenting adults, doing what comes naturally. But that’s all it was, for all the fun we had.”

Jezari had the distinct impression Vindy didn’t believe her own words. Maybe for Hainn their brief relationship had been nothing but fun but the pilot’s comments implied deeper emotions. And hopes. Didn’t nearly every human woman want to be a claimed Badari mate? Certainly that’s what the gossip in the valley said. Her Badari sisters had shared tales of things they’d heard from various humans they worked with or had friendships with, leaving Jezari with a mix of amusement and annoyance. Right now she was distinctly trending toward the latter and her temper was rising.

Luckily Stonor came up to them, with Hainn a few steps behind and Vindy walked away from Jezari without another word. She and Stonor had their heads together, laughing at something he said as she approached. Hainn relieved Jezari of the stasis container and they strolled in silence.

“You seem tense—everything okay?” he asked.

“Our pilot was doing a little girl bonding chitchat, nothing important.” Jezari tried to hit a light note. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t known Hainn was a flirt and able to do casual relationships with a variety of human women. Many of his brothers were the same, unlike the men in the Northern packs.

Hainn stopped, setting the container in the sand and taking Jezari’s elbow to swing her around to face him. “Did she make a comment about us?”

“You and her? Or you and me? Which us?” She allowed a bit of anger to seep into her tone.

He cast a glance at the sky as if asking the goddess for help. “Yes, I dated her. Yes, we slept together. No, it wasn’t anything serious. Two adults basically scratching an itch. We had fun but that’s all it was.”

“You might want to check your assumptions because going by what she said to me, she wasn’t casual about it, or where she hoped it might lead.”

“I told her up front, as I do with any woman I get involved with in the valley, they’re not going to be my claimed mate so there’s no future in us being together. It’s a casual encounter. If no strings and no long term commitment isn’t what they’re looking for, nothing further happens between us.” Now he sounded defensive and a bit hot. “Vindy was fine with the arrangement and the fling took its course and ended after a few dates.”

“I have no interest in discussing your dating history,” Jezari said with dignity, pulling her elbow free from his grip. “And you forgot to give me that handy lecture so Vindy was filling in the gap for me.” Satisfied with her parting shot, she walked away to join the group at the small fire Stonor had going.

No one lingered over lunch as there was the afternoon for diving, fishing and surfing. Hainn sat next to Jezari during the meal but they didn’t talk to each other, choosing to participate in the group conversation. As the group was cleaning up and hauling containers and trash to the flyer he sent her a message.

Do you still want to dive this afternoon?

He sounded hopeful and she took a moment to ponder. Vindy hadn’t really told her anything she didn’t know about the South Seas healer and Hainn hadn’t lied or misrepresented himself to Jezari. There were no strings attached to the weekend and her enjoyment of it and of his company.

Her hand strayed to her stomach. Except for you, my cub . Big surprise which he doesn’t know about yet. Turning to Hainn with a smile she said out loud, “Sure why not? I did want to see the coral reefs. There’s nothing like them in the lake—do you have similar habitats around the island where you were created?”

“We do but they’re different in composition and coloring,” he said. “And the sea life the reefs support differs of course. Did you bring your breather?”

For an instant she was confused by the question. “I won’t need it.”

“You’re sure? If you needed it in the lake you probably would want it here. The reefs I wanted to show you today are a couple hundred feet down, on a huge ledge jutting out from the side of the sea mount. I can ask Vindy to fly me to camp and see if I have a breather in my medkit.”

“There’s no need. I’ll be fine.”

Hainn seemed dubious but gave in and about half an hour later the flyer dropped the two of them off at a slightly different point than where the surfers assembled.

“Call me when you’re ready for pickup,” Stonor said as they stood at the edge of the ramp ready to slip into the water.

Hainn gave him a wave and then the flyer lifted up and away. Jezari motioned for Hainn to go first so he took two extra deep breaths and submerged. She followed closely behind as he descended toward the coral, which was a myriad of colors from red to orange to pink and surrounded by flowerlike growth and schools of fish. Jezari was enchanted by the tiny world of the reefs and could immediately see why the South Seas men were so dismissive of the freshwater lake.

Careful, there’s a small cave in the coral on your left and there’s a bad tempered sea snake who lives there. He likes to make sudden appearances, Hainn warned, guiding her a bit more to the right. One of our guys got bitten on a recent trip and it took him three days to heal, even with my help. Not fatal to a Badari but probably would be to a human.

Jezari gave the ominous spot a wide berth, figuring the poison the snake could inject with its bite might be bad for the tiny baby she was carrying. She watched a large variety of colorful crawling reef dwellers moving here and there, some carrying big whorled shells with them. Seeing her interest Hainn scooped up an empty shell and presented it to her with a flourish.

A souvenir, he said.

She tucked it into the mesh bag hanging at her waist, pleased by the gift.

Do you need to surface yet?

I’m fine, she answered with a mental laugh. But if you need to go up I can keep you company.

Giving her an incredulous look, he shook his head . I can stay here at least another hour.

He directed them to a patch of the reef where mollusks lay cunningly buried under a sandylike ‘beach’ and they harvested enough for the dinner, using their talons and digging carefully not to stir up the sand too much. Jezari estimated there were thousands of mollusks in the bed so the quantity they were taking would hardly make a dent. Ushandirr certainly was rich in natural resources. Her mesh bag was dragging now because it was so full.

Let’s surface and give these to Stonor , Hainn said. I need to hunt big fish next .

She was amenable to the idea as long as it wasn’t because he thought she needed air. Lazily they swam to the surface and found the flyer overhead waiting. Stonor plucked the mesh bags from their hands and sent another set. So what are we hunting, Jezari asked as the flyer rose and zipped away. Vindy and Stonor sure were earning their keep on this trip.

I saw a couple of schools of big fish while we were down there. If we can catch one of them we’d have enough meat for the entire group. We’ll need to cut one out of the group. I’ve done this before so I’ll take the lead . Hain took several deep breaths and dove.

Her inner predator was excited at the prospect of a hunt. Jezari didn’t object to Hainn being in charge since he had the experience. She arrived at the reef for the second time and indulged herself in a few lingering glances at tiny fish and crustaceans going about their lives in colorful fashion. At the edge of her peripheral vision she saw a large school of fish drift by and Hainn signaled her to follow him.

The fish were a dizzying spectacle to behold, probably fifty of them, giant creatures with iridescent blue and green scales in patterns which mimicked the pattern of the ocean water and shadows. The effect was hypnotizing if she stared too long and she narrowed her eyes to concentrate. There didn’t appear to be a leader but the group moved in perfect unison, wheeling and spinning and randomly going in a complete circle at intervals for no reason she could see. They’re fast. How are we going to catch one of those with no bait?

We sneak up on the school and when it veers away, we’ll cut one out from the others and catch it. Hainn sounded confident.

Bare handed? She asked. No net?

He flashed his thick, curved brown talons at her. I’ll hook it with these.

The first attempt they made to get close to the school resulted in the whole group doing one of their precision maneuvers and scooting away.

We need to wait, Hainn said, not sounding at all upset. The school is feeding on the tiny fish and crustaceans living in this kelp bed so they’ll be back. I don’t think fish have the brightest intellect in the ocean — they’ll forget the danger we present.

Maybe if we hid at the edge of the kelp bed we could surprise them. Jezari didn’t much like the idea of going near the slimy, entangling kelp but the idea made sense to her.

Hainn agreed and they swam slowly to position themselves. The school of fish wandered back as he’d predicted and resumed their meal. He indicated the one he wanted, which wasn’t the biggest but somewhere in the middle of the range. Jezari estimated the fish probably weighed two hundred pounds or so which would yield plenty of delicious filets for their feast.

When Hainn gave her the signal she moved in unison with him, getting between the fish and its relatives. She got buffeted by several of the other fish and got no sense they were trying to hurt her or to defend their now cutoff brother, but were focused only on escape. She extended her arms and kept the fish turning as Hainn made his assault. He sank his talons into the gills on the sides and hung on as the fish bucked and dove and twisted in an attempt to throw him off. Jezari admired his athleticism and determination as he hung on and wore the fish out.

A worthy opponent , he said when the battle had been won. We need to thank the goddess for this creature’s sacrifice and honor it.

Assuredly. Jezari followed him and his trophy to the surface. She was struck by how the school of fish moved right into their feeding spot and resumed their own meal as before. The loss of one member of the group didn’t affect the others. Nature in its purest form was cold.

Hainn was applying his power to the fish a bit as he rose through the bands of water. What are you doing? Healing it? She asked in puzzlement.

No, merely taking away its pain and fear. It will sleep and not suffer. We’re hunters but we’re not animals despite 800 years of the Khagrish attempting to label us as such and force us to behave like it.

Jezari found herself pleased by his reaction. As she treaded water on the surface with him and waited for the flyer to pick them up, she said, “I enjoyed this afternoon immensely. Thank you for showing me the reef and including me on the hunt. I’ve never done anything quite like it.”

His face lit up. “I was hoping to give you new experiences so I’m glad to hear you had fun. It was my privilege to be your guide.”

“The only bad thing is now the poor lake isn’t going to seem adequate to me again,” she said with mock sadness. The careless remark reminded her of the real reason she was avoiding the lake now and she suppressed the pang of sadness over the alien woman trapped forever in the cold watery tomb.

“Now you can understand how my brothers and I feel about it,” Hainn responded cheerfully. “And this place, while it has its own beauty of an austere sort is nothing like our own South Seas.”

“I hope I get to see them someday,” she said with genuine enthusiasm.