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Even the swelling in Hruk’s leg was diminishing, all thanks to Jagga’s poultice.
Serenity relaxed a little. Hruk was going to be okay.
Between dribbles of ksh broth, she reached down to stroke his dark beard as she studied his supremely masculine features—stern brow, angled nose, gleaming white tusks. God, he was every bit as handsome as the others.
Inevitably, her thoughts drifted to the previous night. The rough, almost animalistic way he had rutted her. The way she had felt so small beneath him, simultaneously helpless and protected. The way she had climaxed again and again on his skillful fingers and on his dominating cock.
And then the way he had turned cold all of a sudden.
What had that been about?
Serenity still didn’t understand. Sure, she had seen men act like that before back on Earth. They would promise you the world, then turn cold and distant once they got a quick fuck out of you…
But if Hruk really didn’t care about her, then why had he protected her from the zlorge? Why had he risked his own life to save hers? And what was that he had said last night?
It is important that I do not get close to you, human. It is for your own safety. I cannot say more than that.
Serenity sighed and brushed a stray shock of hair back from Hruk’s forehead.
“What happened to you?” she whispered.
She tipped the bowl again, feeding him a few more drops of the ksh broth.
Jagga came back to check on Hruk from time to time, testing the unconscious ukkur’s vital signs. He seemed satisfied that the recovery was proceeding favorably.
Grodd also poked his big bearded face in almost as much. He was being possessive. Reluctant to leave Serenity alone with another ukkur.
Even when Jagga and Grodd were not checking in, she could still hear the two ukkur friends outside talking as they worked on the fire and other things around the camp. Jagga’s voice was smooth and beautiful, like a guitar. Grodd’s was deep and rumbling. Those voices filled Serenity with a warm sense of security. She knew that she was safe and protected.
But there was still the matter of the nith and their planned invasion of the canyon. She needed to talk to Jagga about that soon. Outside, the light was already beginning to dim as dusk descended over the forest.
Finally, Serenity finished feeding Hruk the last of the ksh. He looked much better. The healthy color was returning to his face. She bent to press a kiss to his mouth, then she crawled out of the tent, taking the empty bowl with her.
The other two ukkur had a pretty good fire going. Already, its orange light was brighter than the fading sunlight, and it cast a warm glow on the surrounding forest. The hardwood logs gave off little smoke, but they filled the air with a spicy, comforting aroma. The wood crackled and popped in the licking flames. Beyond the protective circle of light, in the deepening shadows of the forest, strange creatures hooted and alien insects trilled like cicadas.
Now that night was approaching, Serenity was more grateful than ever to have these two strong ukkur here to protect her.
Jagga was cutting up some raw meat on a crude cutting board. He pointed his stone knife toward the bowl in Serenity’s hands.
“All gone?”
She nodded and set the bowl down. Then she removed the translator device and held it for Jagga to take, which he did, fixing onto his ear.
“Jagga, there’s something important that we need to talk about.”
He nodded. Meanwhile, Grodd sat nearby, his brow furrowed with confusion at her strange human language.
Serenity went on. “I told you before that I’ve been living with a tribe of ukkur and other humans, right? Well, the tribe is in big trouble…”
CHAPTER 27: SERENITY
By the light of the campfire, Serenity told Jagga all about the nith and their plan to invade the canyon and attack the ukkur-human tribe by surprise. Of course, she left out some details. Like Patrick, for example. She shuddered when she thought about that creep, what he had tried to do to her, and how he had met his end. Jagga did not need to know about that. But he did need to know about the danger to the canyon tribe, and Serenity explained that to the best of her abilities.
Jagga listened silently, nodding now and then. His handsome features were lit from below by the orange glow of the campfire. Beside him, Grodd listened too, his bearded face scrunched with confusion since he could not understand anything Serenity was saying. Occasionally, Jagga would fill him in with a brief summary in their ukkur language.
Strangely, Jagga did not seem very concerned about anything Serenity was saying. She realized he was not part of the canyon tribe, but surely he felt some instinctive loyalty to his species, right?
But it didn’t seem that way. He just went right on preparing the food.
