Page 6 of Guardians

“I hope the stubborn humans figure that out soon,” Kane grumbled. “I honestly thought Lexie would be here by now.” Six days. It had been six endless days. He’d expected it to take maybe three. The weather had cooperated beautifully. It had been utterly miserable out. “If Lexie keeps this up, I’m going to go get her.”

“No you’re not,” Zion said firmly. “They must come to us. We offered them an opportunity, but it’s their choice. I will not allow this to be forced on anyone.”

Kane didn’t like it, but he didn’t argue. Zion was right. The females must come of their own free will or they were not true mates.

“I’m dying to see her,” Malik said with a groan. “I’ve always been partial to blondes.”

“She’s lovely.” Kane couldn’t hold back his smile. “But her beauty is irrelevant. She’s smart and spirited, andours.” A heated shiver raced up his spine, stirring his blood and hardening his cock. The longer she resisted the inevitable pull, the more he wanted her. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my life. She will belong to our coalition.”

“Do you have an exact number of the potential mates?” Zion stood beside Malik with his hands clasped behind his back. The situation couldn’t be any more casual, but he remained vigilant, ever watchful. It was part of what made Zion a good leader. He was always ready for anything.

Thinking about Zion’s question, Kane shook his head. “There are four hundred and sixty-eight scientists. One hundred sixty-six are male. I estimate about fifty of the females are too old to produce children.”

Zion shrugged. “They can still offer companionship and comfort to our older coalitions. Make sure they understand that the offer is extended to them as well.”

“I will,” Kane assured him. He’d volunteered to act as an emissary between their village and the humans. He knew the humans better than anyone because they fascinated him. He’d spent much of his free time lurking in the woods observing their struggles and marveling at all their bad decisions. Their camp was made up of some of the most intelligent and highly educated minds on Earth and yet they couldn’t successfully complete some of the simplest tasks.

“That leaves approximately two hundred and fifty young, healthy females?” Malik figured, drawing Kane back into the present.

Kane nodded then quickly reminded, “They still have to agree to bond with a coalition. The concept is new and controversial to humans. Attitudes about sex are not nearly as regimented on Earth as they once were, but monogamy is still the norm.”

“This isn’t Earth,” Zion insisted. “It’s Rydaria and we are a village of coalitions. If the females want the security and comfort we can provide, they will accept our offer as it stands.”

“There are no exceptions,” Kane and Malik repeated their leader’s favorite phrase and Zion rewarded them with a rare smile.

CHAPTER 2

It took about an hour to hike from the human encampment to the feline village. Both settlements were located near the same river, but it was easier and faster to cut through the forest than to follow the steep and rocky banks. Lexie set a brisk pace, trying to ward off the chilly wind. Beams of sunlight filtered through the trees, providing light but very little heat. Tara trekked along beside her, uncharacteristically quiet.

Lexie slept very little the night before. She’d stared up at the flapping tent searching in vain for an alternative to Kane’s proposal. Without technology, all her education and scientific knowledge meant little. She was in an unfamiliar environment and had no way to analyze its plant life or minerals. Animals still fascinated her, but most of the species they’d run across so far were savage, even deadly. Besides, everyone was much more interested in survival than learning about the habits of the local fauna.

Which left two possibilities: manual labor and sex.

“You’re hoping Kane claims you, aren’t you?” Tara finally spoke.

Lexie looked at her sharply, but realized her defensiveness was telling. “If I have to be claimed, I wouldn’t mind ending up with Kane. But that isn’t?—”

“It won’t just be Kane,” Tara cut in. “It will be Kane and his coalition. Are you ready for that?”

“It’s my intention to find a way around the ultimatum.” Both women had donned multiple layers of clothing hoping to stay warm. Even so, Lexie’s face was numb and her hands were stiff and achy.

“Without our instruments, our skills are useless. They’ve been here longer and know the planet better than we do.” She tugged on Lexie’s sleeve, urging her to stop walking. “I think we should go back. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“We don’t have a choice. If we don’t strike some sort of deal with the cats, Bianca will die. And she’ll be the first of many. You know it and so do I.”

“They could pass us around like party favors.” Tara shook her head, gray eyes wide with fear. Framed by wisps of reddish blonde hair, her face was tense and wary. “These males have been without sex for years.”

Tara’s fear was valid, but Lexie couldn’t allow herself to be caught up in it. Lexie had volunteered to protect her camp against the impending disaster and that was what she intended to do. “If they wanted to hurt us, they would have raided our camp months ago. The wolves didn’t hesitate.”

“I know you’re right,” Tara finally relented. “This is just harder than I expected it to be.”

Lexie chuckled, needing to release the tension inside her before facing the challenge awaiting her. “That’s the difference between you and me. I knew damn well this was going to suck from the very beginning.”

Tara responded with a smile and they started walking again.

The cats had chosen the location for their settlement with defense in mind. The village nestled in the bend of a steep mountain ridge. The semicircular formation created an impenetrable fortification on three sides of the village. All they’d had to do was build a wall to enclose the circle. The river poured over the ridge, creating a massive waterfall in the back section of the village. Not only was it stunningly beautiful, but the arrangement also prevented the cats from ever being deprived of food and water, even during an attack. Inside the fortification, the cats had built groupings of cabins almost like small neighborhoods. Lexie didn’t know if the layout was random or if there was some meaning to the arrangement. She’d only been in the village twice and hadn’t thought to ask.

They were stopped and questioned at the gate. The guards seemed reluctant to admit them without permission from someone with more authority than themselves. One of them used a small comm-unit to speak with someone remotely. It was hard not to resent the technology the cats had been allowed. Solar generators and power tools would have changed everything for the people in her camp.

---