Bek, of course, immediately volunteers to join us with our traveling party. No doubt he will see this as time to spend with his human lover away from the overcrowding of the cave.
I don’t blame him; it’s why I shadow Kira. In addition to protecting her, I secretly hold out hope that one of my flirty barbs will hit the mark and she will melt in my arms.
I’m less pleased that three other hunters are volunteering to go with us. They do not care that our party is supposed to be small, only that they might get the opportunity to spend some exclusive time with the unattached human women.
“After all,” Harrec says. “Is that not how Raahosh resonated to his woman? He kept her away until she gave in.” He nods at the women preparing their packs nearby. “I would not mind having time alone with one of the women. Perhaps I can convince their khuis that I am ready for a mate.”
I frown at his words. “This is not about mating the females.”
“No? Tell Bek that. He thinks the tiny one with the small voice is his property, for all that they are not properly mated. I’ll stay away from her, though.” He shrugs. “Either one of the others will do for me. The one with the shell in her ear has nice eyes.”
A hot surge of possessiveness blasts through me. “You can go next time,” I lie. “Haeden is coming.” When Harrec starts to protest, I add, “He has to check his traps.” And I storm away, furious that he thinks to approach my Kira.
He just wants a mate – he doesn’t care that Kira’s eyes are sad or that she feels alone. He’s not right for her.
When the other two hunters ask when we are leaving, I give them the same excuse – our party is full. And then I approach Haeden and tell him that I wish for him to join us. My surly friend is not amused.
“You volunteered me?” he asks, sharpening the head of his favorite spear with a stone. “Why?”
“Because you are the only one I trust not to think with your cock when it comes to the human females.” I cross my arms and watch him, trying to keep my voice casual.
He grunts and glances up at me. “You wish to keep them away from the one you picked out, you mean.”
I laugh, because Haeden has always been able to see through me. “Perhaps. But can you blame me?”
The look he gives me is sour. “Which females are going? Is Joh-see?”
“No, she is not.”
“Good.” He stands and blows the bone-dust off of his spear tip. “Then I will go.”
“Did you want her to go? I can speak to Kira…” My voice trails off into a chuckle at the scowl he gives me. “No? Joh-see is harmless.”
“She talks incessantly,” he says in a curt voice, placing a small, leather protective case over the tip of his spear. “Regardless of whether or not I am interested in hearing her words.”
Amusing. “Perhaps if you spoke to her instead of ignoring her, she would realize what an unpleasant fellow you are.”
“And perhaps I should tell Harrec you changed your mind.”
I raise my hands in surrender. “No need to get testy, my friend. Will you join us? We leave in the morning.”
He gives me a quick nod. “But if Joh-see shows up, you are going without me.”
KIRA
As I pack my bag, the translator in my ear makes it impossible not to hear Aehako’s conversation with Haeden. A hot flush covers my cheeks. He’s chasing the other hunters away because he wants to be the one to spend time with me. I’m flattered, even though I tell myself I shouldn’t be. Aehako has no claim on me.
I just…wish he did.
But now the aliens are coming back, and I guess it’s a good thing that I’m alone.
At my side, Harlow makes a face as she tests out one of her snowshoes she’s made. “This one’s splitting, I think. The wood isn’t green enough. Or, um, pink?” She pulls the shoe off and examines it. It’s made from leather straps and the wood from the pink, whippy eyelash trees clustered outside of the caves. “I need a new branch.” She gets to her feet and dusts off her soft leather pants. “You guys want to come with me? We need to make a pair for Claire anyhow.”
I stand, abandoning my pack. The guilty part of me wants to continue to listen in on Aehako’s conversation, but I shouldn’t. “I’ll go with you.” I already have shoes but Claire rarely leaves the cave, so she does not.
“I’ll stay inside,” Claire says in her small voice, and she busily works on repacking her bag. A quick glance around shows Bek hovering nearby. Ah. I shrug on my fur cloak and a pair of mittens, and then get bone-handled knives for myself and Harlow.