Page 14 of Clan and Crave

“Squad Leader Sletran!” A young Nobek hurriedtoward him, stopped a few feet away, and bowed. “Sir!”

Someone had a message for him, and Sletrannoted the soldier had been waiting for his return to base. Hechecked the time. He was reporting fifteen minutes early, so hewasn’t in trouble for being late. However, something important wasup if he was being summoned so urgently. It helped to chase theimages from the night before off. “Report.”

“Group Commander Erybet needs you to reportto his office immediately.”

“Thank you, soldier.” He hurried to hiscommanding officer.

The aide sitting at the desk outside thegroup commander’s office waved him in immediately. Sletran hurriedto stand in front of Erybet’s desk and bowed.

“Squad leader Sletran reporting, asordered.”

“At ease, soldier.” The other man’s tonebetrayed no sign of stress despite the urgency of the summons.

Sletran stood up straight and met his eyes.He wondered when he’d stop being struck by Erybet’s looks. Aftermore than a year, he should be used to his commanding officer’sappearance.

Erybet was, in a word, beautiful. His blackhair flowed photogenically over his shoulders and back. His eyeswere hooded, but so slightly he looked sexy rather than sleepy. Hisnose was straight, his jaw strong, his lips full and sensual. Hewasn’t as muscled as Sletran, or even Conyod, but he was strong,and his fighting prowess had been well established. Sletran hadnever met a more stunning man in person.

The Nobek understood such a lovely face andphysique had made it difficult for many to take Erybet seriously asa soldier and commanding officer of his rank. The fact he was aDramok instead of a member of the warrior breed hadn’t helpedmatters.

It wasn’t that there weren’t Dramoks in theground troop ranks. The men who tended naturally to leadershipamong Kalquor’s males numbered less than an eighth of the fightingpopulation. They rarely remained part of the army past a singleenlistment term, however. Nobeks saw the ground troops as theirterritory, their proving ground. Dramoks were given hell for daringto step on Nobek turf. For Erybet to have stayed and risen to hisrank meant he was one hell of a tough customer.

For that reason, Sletran had been among thefew to avoid challenging or disrespecting Erybet. It was obviousthe Dramok had proven himself. Sletran treated him as he would anyNobek group commander and obeyed his orders without a secondthought. He saw Erybet’s rank as no threat or insult to his ownstrength as a soldier.

“I’m sorry to have called you in as if theempire was falling down, but it may as well be,” Erybet began.“High Commander Zyrf has sprung a surprise challenge on us. We’reto run war games this afternoon.”

Despite the sudden change in the day’sitinerary, Erybet didn’t sound upset in the least. He also offeredno comment about Zyrf, though the high commander seemed to think itwas his life’s mission to make Erybet’s command challenging.Sletran thought he detected a hint of pleasure in his superior’svoice, the same pleasure singing in his own heart at the news. “Whoare we up against, sir?”

“Commander Binmej’s battalion.”

Sletran allowed a grin. “A worthychallenge.”

“Indeed. I expect us to win.”

An interesting side effect about being partof a Dramok’s company was the troops had a tendency to fight harderto prove they weren’t weak due to their commander’s breed. TheNobeks under Erybet’s command had made it a point of pride to kicktheir competition’s collective ass as often as possible.

“We’ll win, sir.”

“You’re dismissed to ready your squads.”

Sletran bowed and rushed out. A fight againstfierce opponents after incredible sex with a gorgeous Imdiko? Hecouldn’t imagine life getting any better.

Chapter Four

Conyod was finishing his morning rounds as anintern in the hospital’s psychiatric department and heading to theemployee lounge for lunch. He’d drawn the Imdiko wing for hisseasonal rotation and found it demanding despite being an Imdikohimself. His breed, natural caregivers and nurturers, tended to setaside their needs in deference to those of family and clanmates.They often ignored warning signs of emotional stress or mentalillness until they reached severe crisis. Even on the brink ofcollapse, they usually continued to insist they were fine.

Conyod was coming from a session with such apatient, who’d attempted suicide a few weeks prior. “I was justoverworked and tired. Exhaustion made my life seem worse than itwas,” he’d told Conyod and the presiding doctor who was monitoringthe intern’s work. “I’m better now. I’m ready to return to myclan.”

“The situation at home hasn’t changed,”Conyod had pointed out. “You’ll be returning to your clan’s elderlyparents who need care, your job, and your Dramok’s nephew who liveswith you. Until you have a plan in place to delegate duties andhire in-home assistance and respite care, you’ll end up overworkedagain.”

“Assistants will only add to my tasks sinceI’ll have to check everything they do. I’m the only one who takescare of my family properly. They need me.”

It was the mantra of too many Imdikos. Theurge to take care of others and fix everyone’s problems drove anumber of them to therapy sooner or later…most of them kicking andscreaming along the way.

Conyod wondered if he’d end up the sameshould he join a clan. He hoped knowing the danger signs would keephim out of trouble…but he knew one’s own mental state was thehardest to diagnose.

The employee lounge was in sight when hispersonal com went off. He checked the frequency and managed to fendoff a groan. A spike of anxiety stabbed his gut. He consideredturning the com off.

There was no hope for it. If he didn’tanswer, she’d continue to com until she was frantic. Then she’dcall his supervisor, demanding to know what tragedy had befallenConyod to keep him from responding.

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