Page 79 of Theirs to Crave

“You like them?”

My Teterayuh vocabulary was growing by the day, and I’d even started thinking in it sometimes. But with my attention caught by the masterpieces that made up our home, I responded automatically. “No me gustan, me encantan. ¡Son muy bellas!”

I finally dragged my eyes away to find Litha watching me intently. There was such a weight to her stare. I looked from the intricately woven walls to her, and my eyes widened. “Did you make?”

She nodded.

“Yes! I like them!” I took her hand in mine, pressing it to my cheek in amazement. There wasn’t a chance in hell I’d ever be able to make something half that nice. I could have a lifetime of practice and I still wouldn’t come close.

I’d seen the scars beneath the fur, so I knew Litha had been born with two arms. I didn’t know if that had changed before or after she’d made these, but she could have had eight arms like an octopus, and I still would have been utterly blown away.

“Thank you, Lelesha.” Pleasure deepened her voice. Her tail wrapped gently around the back of my knee, petting.

Muffled thuds from outside announced someone’s arrival, and with a smile Litha turned and ducked beneath the door curtain.

I lingered—admiring the beautiful lines of the woven art wall—but when I realized I was avoiding whoever was out there, I sighed and followed.

I didn’t think it was possible, but Zaf looked more uncomfortable than I felt. His fur was actually standing up, a line of tension waving at his back like an anxious flag.

I walked straight to him, buried my face in his stomach, and wrapped my arms around his waist.

He twitched and made a guttural, startled sound. But when he bent, returning the embrace, his purr was thunderous.

“I no understand, in village. I understand now,” I whispered, knowing his keen ears would hear just fine. “I’m sorry.”

I was a little glad my vocabulary was so limited. Any other apology I could have given would have been dangerously close to a lie. I wasn’t sorry I’d teased him. And I wasn’t sorry he’d been upset.I’dbeen upset, so it only seemed fair. I still wasn’t entirely sure what all the growling had been about, but it’d made me feel like shit, and though I was willing to forgive him...nothing said I couldn’t torture him a little bit. After all, it would be scientifically important to discover whether or not the Teterayuh could experience blue balls.

“No, Lelesha.” Zafett hummed. The stroke of his hand down my hair and along the curve of my spine took a lot of the spark out of my revenge plans. “I hurt you. I’m sorry.”

Aw, maaan. “Eres tan dulce,” I muttered, nuzzling his abs—freaking washboard abs—beneath the soft fur. How was I supposed to hold onto a mad when he was so...nice?!

???

Zafett was pulling the last bits of dinner from the fire when Revik finally sauntered into the palapa. I crossed my arms, cautious. I’d made my peace with the others, but I wasn’t sure where Revik and I stood. He wasn’t exactly communicative on the best day.

Today—he’d been gone so long, longer than any day since I’d been here. And he’d left without saying good morning, or having breakfast. After the epic misunderstandings of the day, my emotions were one throbbing bruise and I didn’twantanymore turmoil. But it was hard not to feel like he was avoiding me...and that sucked.

He unstrapped his packs and grunted something that might have been “smells good” as he went to rub cheeks with the others. Litha spoke to him as they greeted each other—too fast and quiet for me to hear—and when he lifted his head, he looked right at me.

I tried not to squirm.

“Good...hunt?” I asked, dying for something to shift his focus. He was so intense, and I could never make out what he was thinking. Sometimes he did things like braid my hair or try to kill me with that tongue thing. Other times he glared, and growled, and acted like my existence wasn’t worth noticing.

Some other day, I would have found the mystery delicious. I was a sucker for dramatic tension. But today I was fragile, and the uncertainty felt like a threat.

He nodded, those uncanny bright eyes telling me nothing, and took three long steps back to his haul. He selected a smallish sack, lifting out a mess of leather and rope. Revik offered the bundle to me, his big hands hiding most of it from my view.

“Ahhh...” My face spasmed as I tried to figure out what the hell it was without looking ungrateful.

Revik’s head pulled back like I’d slapped him. His eyes narrowed to slits as he snorted out an unhappy breath and turned away, taking the mysterious straps with him.

Smooth, Estrella. I caught him by the tail. Not ideal, but it was drooping low behind him, and I couldn’t reach anything else since I was sitting and he was a freaking giant. Short people problems.

“I’m sorry. Please?” His fur was so sleek. I couldn’t help the lingering stroke I gave his tail before extending my hands—palms up—for my gift. Whatever it was.

Revik’s head whipped around. Finally—his eyes still narrowed in suspicion—he crouched.

Cradled in his broad palms was a stone knife in a leather sheath. The sheath was attached to some kind of harness—and although I couldn’t tell from looking how it was meant to be worn—it was beautiful. The sheath and harness were rich black leather, the handle wrap and trimming worked throughout a vibrant red.

---