AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, I was just getting a bit of, uh, dirt off his back.” I dust my fingers over I’rec’s back as if to hold up my lie and step out from behind him with a bright smile.
My khui, activated by that quick touch, purrs long and hard and loud, and all eyes are immediately drawn to me.
I’rec grimaces, rubbing his chest as his sings even louder than mine.
“Well,” Vaza says slowly and rubs his nose. “That explains the scent.”
T’chai smirks, and I’m horrified. I lean closer to I’rec, sniffing, because humans don’t have the senses that the aliens do. Sure enough, he smells heavily of sex. I probably do, too. Great. We probably reek and no amount of finger-combing our hair will hide the fact that we’ve been going at it like wildcats. Well, that and I’ve lost my pants. My tunic is decently long enough and covers me to my thighs, but I feel naked as hell.
“It is resonance,” I’rec says, voice stiff. He pulls me behind him again, stepping forward and blocking my view. “That should be obvious.”
“Very obvious,” T’chai murmurs. “Come, kits. Let us find the trail again. We cannot be distracted from the hunt by other scents. Who has it again?”
“But they smell real bad,” Aayla complains. “How are we supposed to smell anything when they’re stinky like that?”
If it wasn’t me this was happening to, I’d be laughing my ass off. As it is, I’m mortified but still trying to smother a few giggles. I’rec’s tail twitches, and he clearly doesn’t find this as funny as I do.
T’chai chides Aayla, his voice receding as they walk away. “A good hunter will always discover the scent trail. You can find it again. Come on.”
More footsteps crunch, and I lean in closer to I’rec, drawn to his body. He’s not wearing a vest like he normally does, and his back is exposed and ripe for the touching. I want to drag my fingertips all over him and especially those dimples at the base of his spine, just above his thrashing tail. Leaning in, I let my breath whisper over his skin, and I know he feels it, because he tenses, his tail going still.
Vaza clears his throat. “Shall I head back to camp ahead of you both and tell the others?”
“Why?” I’rec’s tone is full of irritation.
“You are both clearly still caught in resonance.” Vaza chuckles. “You will not want to talk to anyone until it is done, I imagine. And when I resonated, it took three days before my mate’s chest stopped singing her mating song. During that time, I wanted to tear apart any male that looked in her direction. Some males get possessive when they resonate. Are you handling it well or shall I help out?”
I’rec is silent. I glance up at him, and he automatically puts a hand back as if shepherding me behind him once more. Yeah, I’d say he’s getting possessive. “It might be a good idea,” I call out over his back. “Just in case.”
Vaza chuckles again. “Ah, I remember my resonance. What a good time that was.”
I’rec shifts his feet impatiently. “Let us hear the story some other time, my friend.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” Vaza replies. “I will head back ahead of you and clear the way. Shail will fix you something to eat so you do not have to emerge from your hut until you are finished.” He gives a breezy sigh. “Ah, resonance. It always has such odd timing. There will be nothing for turns of the seasons, and then a flurry of new matings. First S’bren and Puh-nee again, and then Day-see and O’jek. Now you both.”
I nearly fall over, panic hitting me hard. Stepping out from behind I’rec, I stare at Vaza. “Wait, what do you mean, Daisy and O’jek? They resonated? Just now?”
“Yesterday,” Vaza says, his voice as proud as if it was his own resonance. “Ash-tar went looking for them and discovered them in a cave down the shore. They will not be back for at least another day, I do not think.”
I let out a moan of horror. “Oh god. This is bad. This is so bad.”
I’rec gives me an odd look. “Why is this bad? You are not happy for them?”
I smack his arm. “Are you serious? Siblings cannot marry in the same year! That’s bad luck!”
He blinks at me. Once. Twice. Tilts his head. “I am not O’jek’s sibling.”
“You’re his clan brother. It’s the same thing!” I press a hand to my forehead, moaning. “We’re cursed. It’ssukob. Any good luck we would have had is now going to be split with them.”
“Bah. I do not believe in curses,” I’rec says, and puts a hand on my shoulders, tugging me close. He settles me under his arm, offering me the comfort of his body, and even though my khui jump-starts and wants nothing more than for me to stick my hand down his pants and jerk him off, I’m comforted by his solid presence. “You said A’tar found them? Where is he?”
“Ash-tar? Or O’jek? Your Shadow Cat brother is busy with Day-see,” Vaza says, grinning slyly. “And Ash-tar left camp this morning to go and retrieve Tia from Croatoan.”
I’rec stiffens.
“You see?” I cry. “We’re fucking cursed. Bad luck all around.”
ChapterSix
