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The Hyrrokin male cracks open his jaw and shoots a flame at the beast and singes its body. The animal shrieks with pain, runs away and disappears into the jungle.
I scramble backwards.
There’s now only me and this male.
Is he sent here to kill me?
I lay, panting on the ground. He’s saved me. But is this so he can take me back to the mansion and claim a reward?
“I’ve got you, female,” he says with a deep, gentle tone. “I’m taking you to my ranch to tend to your wounds. I will protect and care for you.”
He scoops me into his massive arms, and I promptly faint from both panic and exhaustion.
Please gods, let this turn out okay.
Chapter 2
Mica
My eyes blink open and my mind registers the fact that I’m now in a comfortable med bed and no longer in pain.
The wildlands, the rain, the mud and the deadly predator are all gone. No more buzzing insects and prickly plants.
Thank gods.
A full-on medical unit surrounds me. Very high tech and new looking. I’m half covered by a retractable, translucent surgery shield. A lighted wand runs over my body, beeping and analyzing my condition. I have no idea where I am or how much time has passed.
I glance down at myself, taking inventory. I’m still dressed in the same clothes and generally filthy, but my hands and face are now clean. Both of my shoes are off and my feet, which were once extremely painful from blisters and cuts now feel back to normal. One of my pant legs is torn open so they could fix my bleeding wound, but my skin underneath is healed. My broken wrist no longer throbs with sharp pain and feels fine.
And the last thing I remember is…
A large, vicious, red-skinned Hyrrokin male shifts in a chair nearby. Oh hell. He’s the same guy who scooped me into his arms, right before I must’ve fainted.
My eyes dart around, looking for an exit. “Where am I?” I rasp.
He leans forward. “Do not be concerned, small human. I will not harm you. You are safe here. You are still on the planet Tarvos and I’ve brought you to the med lab at the Flagstone Fire Ranch. My name is Thorn Flagstone.” His voice is as soothing and deep as I remember, the opposite of his scary appearance. He wears heavy work pants that look dusty and serviceable. No shirt or shoes, like all Hyrrokin males. There’s no hat on his bald head because two shiny horns erupt from his forehead. “You were injured,” he continues. “I found you on my property and brought you here to be healed.”
On his property? How sad is it that I’m wondering if he’s lying? He says he’s the owner of a ranch that I must’ve stumbled onto during my trek through the wildlands. There’s no reason to think he’s not telling the truth, but I’ve learned the hard way that these Hyrrokin aren’t trustworthy. “Maybe you brought me here to heal me up and so you can sell me to someone else,” I grumble.
He looks confused. “Who would I sell you to?” A growl rumbles in his chest. “Female,” he repeats. “I don’t know who you’ve had the misfortune to tangle with in the past, but you are safe with me.”
My eyes roam from his monstrous face down his bare chest and back to his kind dark eyes. There’s something about this male that is different than the others. His ferocious, satanic-looking features look proud instead of evil. And his bare chest and red muscles are more distracting than I can ever remember on anyone else. Black horns that burst from either side of his forehead are sharper and taller than I’ve seen so far. Those massive arms could easily wrestle a beast to the ground. He looks rough and rugged compared to the sleek men and women Imet at the mansion. This male must truly live around here in the wildlands.
“How did a human end up lost and alone on my property?” he questions. “You have no flame, fangs or claws. I am amazed such a defenseless being made it so far. I’m happy I arrived in time to chase away that loctal before it could attack and drag you back to its den.”
A whimper escapes my lips because I’d almost forgotten that harrowing experience.
“You’re lucky you weren’t traveling during the middle of the rainy season. It was the end, but dangerous because freak storms can still roll through. All the sentient and non-sentient beings on the planet shelter during that moon cycle. Why were you out by yourself in the wildlands?”
I purse my lips.
“Female, you can tell me the truth. I want to help you.”
I crook an eyebrow. “I’ve been told that before during my time on this planet only to find it completely untrue.”
A puff of smoke escapes his nostrils. He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. “You have met up with other Hyrrokin on Tarvos who are not honorable, this is possible, but that is not how I operate, nor do any of the males on this ranch. I’ve never met a human before and I surmised the reason for you being lost and alone on my property must be important. You looked scared, like you were running from something for a very long time, and it wasn’t just the predators migrating through the ranch on that corner of the wildlands. I found unusual bruising and scratches on your arms that I know didn’t come from the predators around here. I didn’t want to call in the authorities until you’d healed and I could speak to you directly and you could tell me with your own words what you need. Maybe you need off planet instantly. Maybe you need me to facilitate contact for someone to come and help you. Maybe…you requirehelp from peacekeepers with protection. Let me know what you need and I will do that for you.”
My heart melts because it’s the sanest thing I’ve heard any Hyrrokin say since I arrived on this planet. Maybe I’ve found someone I can talk to? I tap my fingers against my thighs and nibble at my lips with indecision. But then I quickly realize there are no other options. I’ve got to give this a try. “My name is Mica Roberts,” I admit. “I originally arrived prior to the rainy season from my home planet, New Earth.”
