Details of the Hunt Laura Baumbach

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

his body recessed a few inches, just high enough to break the surface. The smell of Barlow
was too near for him to relax completely.
The entire council rose as one, bowing to Talos, fists over their hearts. Honor and
compassion, Talos of Menalon.
All twelve let out a small, oddly pitched hiss, each acknowledging Talos s change in
status from single male to mated partner. One or two were marginally slow in coming, but all
were given freely.
Honor and compassion. Talos respectfully bowed and saluted. Shifting his feet to
widen his stance in a preemptive battle move, Talos added a low, sharp, challenging hiss of
his own to the ritual greeting. The spikes on his arms and back rose fractionally, letting the
other males know he would battle any that objected to his change of status. No one answered
his challenge and a thread of elation ran through the hunter. This was the first big step to
having his unusual choice for a mate formally accepted by his people.
The thrill of the moment dulled slightly as Talos detected the stench of Barlow coming
up behind him. He turned and his faintly wild, hormone-induced, possessive glare bore
down on the antiquities dealer, making the man abruptly stop several feet away.
Doing a fair job of hiding his insecurities, Barlow smiled and shrugged. No hard
feelings, I hope. A tiny band of sweat beads on the man s forehead and a distinct change in
his scent told Talos the man was unusually uneasy in his presence, more so than Barlow had
been during the last council meeting.
Talos s natural suspicions were awakened and he had to wonder what the devious
human was up to now. You giving up just like that?
I don t see that I have much of a choice, have I? Barlow s smile turned hard, then he
abruptly pivoted on one heel and stalked away, nearly colliding with his own aide who stood
waiting to one side as he always did.
Details of the Hunt 103
I m truly sorry ... about ... all of this. Please remember that. Sherman flashed an
apologetic look at Talos, then hurried after his employer, throwing several conflicted glances
over his shoulder at the watching hunter as he walked.
Talos s thoughts on Sherman s odd behavior were interrupted when his elder brother
approached him, a wry, faintly concerned look on his expressive face. I hope you know
what you re doing. This is going to be a difficult joining to maintain.
The ritual called to me. That single sentence justified everything. No Oracan warrior
refused the call of their instinctive, biologically motivated drive to bond when their finely
tuned systems came in contact with a suitable mate. Guided by scent, taste, and their body s
chemical response to these factors, a decision to take a ritual-chosen mate was
unquestionable.
Ah, I see. Then the cache will welcome your pirate. Father will be pleased to have
another in his domain. Zeban studied Talos for a moment, then quietly added, The cache
has missed having a troublesome little brother in its midst since Bakus s death. Your young
pirate will be an interesting addition.
Pain flickered across Talos s face then disappeared. He has spirit. His soul is that of an
Oracan, he fiercely proclaimed. The he sighed and admitted, It s his morals that need
work.
Suppressing a smile, Zeban asked, He really is a criminal then?
Talos shrugged. Pirate, rogue, pickpocket, flirt, thief, drunk --
Amused, Zeban interrupted. I understand. He rested a reassuring hand on his
brother s shoulder, tactfully avoiding the still protruding spikes. And I look forward to
meeting him. When will you present him to the cache?
Soon. I need to ... talk to him about a few things first. He s ... unused to the current
way of life and completely ignorant of Oracan society. Talos gave his brother a tolerant grin.
Aidan has a tendency to steal everything bright and shiny he comes across. We need to ...
reach an ... understanding before I let him loose in public.
Ah, domestic chores. Zeban let out a low, trilled chuckle of understanding.
Still hyped and wary, his mental readiness always partially in hunter mode, Talos
relaxed marginally, at ease in the accepting presence of his brother. More like finding a
leash and collar.
Glancing around the slowly emptying meeting chamber, Zeban lowered his voice, eyes
suddenly serious and bright. Does he still wear your band?
Nodding, Talos reluctantly said, Not happily, but yes.
Zeban gave an abrupt nod of approval and removed his hand from Talos s shoulder to
tap one finger on the hunter s chest, just over his heart. It is for his protection. Given the
circumstances of his bounty status, he will undoubtedly need to wear it all of his life.
Talos s voice grew rough and slightly resentful. He sees it as a sign of slavery.
104 Laura Baumbach
Surprised, the older Oracan frowned. That s an interesting and complex way to look at
it. It is meant to be a mere labeling system, to prove ownership of an item if it were to
become lost.
Well, he s lost most of the time, but he definitely doesn t like being owned.
Then you have much to attend to, my brother. Zeban saluted and bowed. Honor and
compassion.
Talos returned the gesture and hurried away from his brother and out of the chamber,
ignoring the remaining Oracans who boldly scented him as he passed.
* * * * *
Dr. Jaclyn Rice s bedroom was moderately large and very comfortable. The room was
decorated in pale shades of pink and red, with a modern artistic touch to all of the paintings
and furniture. A slim bedside chair was covered in discarded clothing of a decidedly
masculine cut and a pair of heavy service boots lay askew on the floor at the bottom of the
bed s platform.
Under a thin layer of dusky pink sheets, Marius and Rice were sprawled together, their
nude bodies comfortably entwined in sleep.
Slowly awakening, Rice blinked away the early morning fog and groggily focused on
the sharp luminous green 0700 that showed on the time meter built into the bedside stand.
Slipping out from under Marius s resisting arm, she wiggled out from under the sheet and
leaned over to grab her robe off the end of the bed.
Eyes still closed, Marius snagged her arm and pulled her back for a long and lingering
kiss, a satisfied and appreciative moan coming from deep in his chest.
Rice hummed a response and drew back, her hands making light circles of contact on [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki