Page 19 of Jewel of the Alien Bandit
I was willing to risk it for my clan, but maybe he didn’t realize the difference between mating, and a mated pair? When an estreld released their mating loh, it was for life. It’s why I ran from the bounty hunter, and why I needed more time to decide.
My mating loh released with both of them… Either I had to learn to control my loh, preventing it from releasing during the mating ceremony, or I would surely bond with one of them.
Trent stopped, having heard me to reply, “I’m fully aware of what your mating loh means, Luan. We would succeed. Why you?” He repeated my question with a smile, and those golden eyes glowed when he answered, “because only a queen will do, and you’re the only estreld who dared to research ways to destroy us should negotiations not play in your favor. You are kind, but you are also a warrior at heart. Even your mating loh are beautifully deadly in their pursuit of a mate. You are perfect.”
While I clutched at my chest, he turned to leave me there, alone with my racing thoughts. My mating loh burned with their glow for him, for my enemy, for the krelin who was both passionate and patient. Then why was I so hesitant?
Because you haven’t mated with anyone, let alone committed yourself to a single male ever. It was different when Ithought it was only physical, a compatible chemistry for mating. Now that I knew I didn’t have control over my essence, bonding was serious, it was permanent, and I couldn’t take it back. Was this how the clan felt when they mated? Were the females that mated successfully with offworlders bonded and suffering from their absence?
Shame cooled the heat in my body, making me feel clammy. They did it for the future prosperity of Estreldez, and so should I. Trent was already gone, and I rushed from the garden to find my mother. I’d choose who was best for my clan.
But not before bumping into Bayle. He mumbled his apologies. It wasn’t like him to be so flustered, then again neither was my haste. I looked around him for the mate he was assigned to, but found no one.
“Who is your offworlder?” I demanded, to turn the attention away from my own actions and on to his. I should have been more understanding, but I was about to give up my dream of traveling to be a hive mate.
Bayle stood taller and accepted his consequences for not being with his assigned male. “Vareo of Sholonus.”
My eyes widened, and worry creased my brow. “Why are you not with him? Has something happened?”
Every muscle tensed up with a feeling I wasn’t used to. Without thinking I grabbed Bayle’s shoulders and itched to run as soon as he let the words leave his lips, but I forced myself to still.
“I left him to the transport terminal. He was added to the next ship for males without tarnpul offerings.”
That was impossible, he was dripping in tarnpul from willing females. He couldn’t be leaving. My loh flared to life behind me, rage burned through me that he would touch me and skip the planet without so much as a goodbye. Bayle watched me, stunned, but lucky for him did not say a word as I stormed off.
When I made it to the transports they were already headed to the moons where their ships orbited.
I entered one of the individual pods, and searched the available ships still connected to our moons. Placing my palm on the scanner to gain access, I flipped through until I found what I was hunting for.
The only ship registered from Sholonus, didn’t even have a proper connection to our moon. Either the ship was old, or they were hiding something. Or both.
I didn’t care.
The only thought on my mind was he would not leave me.
He was mine.
As I finally heard the words in my mind I stared at the blinking controls that waited for me to launch towards the ship before it was allowed clearance to leave thinking I had already chosen without realizing it.
I had chosen him.
Clicking the launch acceptance I strapped in and as the seconds dragged on I winced. I had chosen the one male that didn’t choose me too. What was wrong with me?
I shook my head trying to convince myself this had nothing to do with being rejected. He was the only one I knew of that had direct access to knowledge which could save my clan. He knew of a planet that had science capable of answering our food shortages and our mating declines.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Vareo
THE DISMAY ONher face when I mentioned never letting her go was enough to tell me that it wasn’t my place to go help her defend against the manipulation of a krelin. Bayle only stayed behind long enough to see the shuttle ship launch off with the unaccepted males.
The very transport I was meant to be on. There were enough offworlders to disappear into, and sneak off. Loric was something else, being able to round up the mate candidates so quickly, he had this planned well before he informed me. Sneaky bastard, I thought as I made my way to the gardens I’d passed on the way there.
I’d laugh to myself, but didn’t want someone to question why I was without my escort.
Luan wasn’t hard to find. Her legs were wrapped around the krelin, and my temper flared imagining tearing him from her, and claiming her for myself in front of everyone. I stalked through the rock garden, hiding behind black stone, and easing my way closer before I stood off to the side glaring him down.
The krelin must have felt my invasion into their space, he peered from between her wings searching the garden before easing her down to her feet. His wings folded back, and he took a step away. I smiled victoriously, he couldn’t know where I was,but there was a reason Sholonus was targeted all those years ago… shols were a natural predator to the krelins, he could feel it.
