Bay's Mercenary [Unearthly World Book 1] (13 page)

“Then you better
hope I find him before another does.”

To Bay, her words
sounded ominous.

* * * *

Zane could hear
the sounds of mating everywhere; he was trying to stay focused but it was so
hard. His cycle was high, especially with the female
Zargonnii
arriving. Their presence sent shock waves through the male domain, but because
of Bay, he was able to control his hormones. He had to find
Draven
;
the air was charged with fear, lust, and eager anticipation. Zane tried to
focus on the scent of fear; it wasn’t a normal scent during this Holiday. Those
out and about wanted to be there. The scent of fear was unusual. Zane winced
when he came across a dead
cyron
; it was shredded to
pieces—some female wasn’t happy. The scent of fear was high where Zane stood,
but it wasn’t from the dead
cyron
; the creature had
no emotion.

Hmm.

Farther into the
jungle he went, calling to
Draven
. Zane could scent
his son, he had been there. A low growl caught his attention. A female
Zargonnii
was circling him. Zane stayed his small size,
hoping the female would find him unattractive. She was beautiful and close to
eight feet, a young one, perhaps her first mating. She was looking at him as
though he didn’t exist. Some young ones were cocky, thinking they could take a
male on who was near to her size, and others were looking for an easy conquest.
Zane was certain she found him uninteresting.

The female was
sizing him up, distractedly, as though he wasn’t real and Zane began to walk
away. The female howled in rage, obviously thinking she was being dismissed,
and Zane realized his mistake too soon. He hadn’t meant to insult her by
refusing her—she must be thinking he thought her to be not worthy of him.

Zane had no choice
when she came at him. He grew large and the battle began. Males and females of
their species had hard flesh that was almost impossible to penetrate. The
female’s claws were longer, her teeth sharper and she was strong. The second
the confrontation began, he could feel the female’s wariness. Zane was charged.
He was looking for his son—Bay was being hunted by a
Castian
,
and power to get to both of them flew through his system.

The cocky female
was soon breathing hard and fighting for her life. She had no idea if Zane
would kill her, especially since he had tried to walk away. Now, she had made
him angry. Zane remembered being rough with Bay; it was laughable compared to
what was happening now. He sliced at the female, snapping her head to the
side—the blow would have killed Bay. Just thinking of how vulnerable she was
without him made Zane furious. He picked the female up and smashed her into a
tree; she howled and Zane knew he smelled fear.

Her blows, now
frantic and wild, bounced off him. The fight was coming to a close and Zane
stopped using brute strength; instead, he used muscle and power to subdue her.
If he kept smashing her into the trees, he would kill her with his rage. She
was here because of her cycle; he didn’t want to kill her or maim her. The
female faltered and she fell to the ground. Zane was on top of her, pinning
her. He roared his victory while the female made worried sounds from under him.
Zane had proved dominant. The female waited, making louder anxious sounds,
wondering what her first mating would be like—although, Zane had no doubt she
probably hadn’t pictured this.

He kept her pinned
beneath him for a few moments while he caught his breath; she felt small,
vulnerable, but it only reminded him and increased his need to find
Draven
and return to Bay. Zane had no intention of mating
with the female beneath him, all he wanted was Bay. The
Zargonnii
female looked so confused when Zane stood up. The female had shrunk to her
normal size, making Zane look bigger. Words from behind him were spoken and
Zane spun to meet a new advisory. It was
Draven’s
mother.

Vala
spoke to the young female curled
on the ground. The female looked surprised, then nodded. She scooted away and
once gaining her feet—ran. Zane held up his hands, he was winded and he knew
Vala
would beat him if he took her on.
Vala
pointed at him, words were useless as neither understood the other. But she
surprised him.

“
Draven
, Bay.”

Zane sucked in a
fast breath, how did she know?
Vala
pointed again and
said their names once more. An idea came to Zane. Bay had come looking for
Draven
who had come looking for his mother. There was no
doubt if
Vala
was here she would sense
Draven
and would be drawn to him. The
image
of the dead
cyron
came to mind—never mess
with
a female
Zargonnii
child, female or male, especially
if its mother is around.

Vala
pointed once more and moved off.
She had no intention of mating with Zane, and Zane was relieved. It was obvious
Vala
was more concerned with her son’s safety, and if
Bay was outside too…

“
Shit
.”

Zane took off for
home. If the
Castian
was there,
Vala
wouldn’t attack if it only wanted Bay. The warrior would have no interest in a
male
Zargonnii
child—unless his little
Draven
attacked it. The idea was terrifying. Zane was a
proud warrior; he wouldn’t hurt a child—but this species was new to them, the
Castians
may not know
Draven
was
only a child. And what if the
Tonan
had gotten word
to other renegades of Bay’s existence? She could be in double jeopardy.

The fear Zane felt
built to rage and he practically flew through the jungle. He encountered
another female, but Zane snapped at her, positive he could eat a
cyron
alive. Strength radiated from him, and she backed
off. The females were calling to one another and Zane wondered if
Vala
had declared him hands-off. The next female he
encountered, looking to dominate, might not get off as lucky as the last one.
Zane’s emotions boiled. Killing a female
Zargonnii
was extremely rare but not unheard of. Primal, ancient power engulfed Zane; it
was like nothing he had ever experienced, but his need to protect his child and
mate became a driving force. That thought astounded him.

Filled with power,
Zane jumped his back fence and raced through the looking glass. With relief,
both Bay and
Draven
were scooped up into Zane’s arms.
His large size remained and the two were picked well up off the ground.
Blu
entered a few short moments later.

“Damn,
it’s
nuts out there,”
Blu
complained.

“I told you to
stay with Bay,” Zane said on a low growl. He lowered his son and Bay to the
ground.

“I had thought she
was a pet. Even though I know she isn’t now, my nephew is more important to
me,”
Blu
yelled back.

“Father, Bay tried
to take on a
cyron
,”
Draven
said excitedly.

Zane shuddered.
“Until the cycle is over, no one leaves this house.”

“But the
Castian
…”
Blu
said.

“The damned
Castian
can wait or come here,
Blu
.
I won’t let Bay or
Draven
out of my sight.”

“Fine, but I’m
staying here until the cycle is over. I ran into a female who had to be nine
feet tall, thank heaven she wasn’t interested in me. She sniffed me all over
and pointed towards your home,”
Blu
said annoyed.

“
Vala
,” Bay muttered. “She walked us home and helped us over
the fence. She was nice and very interesting to talk to.”

“You spoke to
her?” Zane and
Blu
said simultaneously.

“Yes,
Draven
taught me their language while he taught me yours.
She seems very bright, she said this would be her last mating—she’s hoping for
a daughter. Poor thing, she’s had only sons and has had to give them all up.
She grieved over each one, but told me the other females wouldn’t allow a male
child to go near their offspring. If a male is around a female, his cycle stays
with him and the
Zargonnii
females get nothing accomplished.”

Zane frowned
feeling annoyed. “What else did
Vala
say?”

“Oh, some things,”
Bay said evasively.

“We are going to
have a long talk tonight,” Zane said and gripped Bay’s chin.

Chapter 9

The Holiday was
over. Things had returned to a relative normal—if you could call Zane’s world
that. Zane had kept Bay close, but had little time to talk openly with her;
Blu
and
Draven
were always
underfoot. Bay hadn’t minded; she’d grown to like
Blu
even more, and she loved
Draven
with all her heart.
Now, the time had come to face her fears. Bay studied the
Castian
warrior who stood about three feet in front of her; Zane wouldn’t let him
closer. The warrior did resemble a human man. His dark-haired, dark-eyed looks
were handsome. He was as tall as Zane, but his chest wasn’t as broad; he was
virtually hairless and had no nipples on his chest. Bay knew under his skin he
possessed an impenetrable armor. The warrior, when in battle, would be covered
over in an ebony shield and be virtually indestructible. Like the
Tonans
, his feet would become
clawed,
his fingers long talons and he would grow fangs. The difference between the
Castians
and
Tonans
were armor
color and the tails
Tonans
grew because of the lies
they told.

“I want to be
here,” Bay said firmly.

“There is no
danger on my planet; I can protect you better,” the
Castian
said.

Zane growled low
in his throat, and Bay knew he took the statement as a barb to his ability to
keep her safe.

“I was kidnapped
on
Ulsy
. I was sold as a pet. Zane has let nothing
hurt me since I have come into his care. I want to stay with him.”

The
Castian
sniffed the air and, for a fleeting moment, Bay
wondered if he was scenting any misgiving in her, or dishonesty, coercion or
fear. The
Tonan
always knew when she was afraid, even
when she pretended not to be. The
Tonan
liked it best
when she cried. Finally, the
Castian
nodded.

“The female may
stay,” the
Castian
said, although he looked
disappointed.

“The human females
of the universe don’t belong to you,” Titus said; his words were harsh.

Bay had been
surprised Titus had insisted on being at the meeting, but she had warily
watched as another
Castian
held back in the room and
Bay remembered seeing
Castians
always appeared in
twos.
Tonans
traveled
alone,
at least that was her experience of the beings. Perhaps Titus felt it important
to supervise the actions occurring on his vessel.

“Human females are
safer with us,” the
Castian
replied.

“I will not have a
Castian
dictate to me,” Titus said on a snarl. “I
will not have you show up every time my warriors find a female. Otherwise, we
will show up on your planet every time you find one. I’m certain we can both
make nuisances of ourselves, or come to a collective agreement.”

“Which is?” the
Castian
asked.

“Find your own
Earth females and we will find ours. Then leave us alone with the females we
find. Otherwise we will wage war.”

Titus grew to his
great height of over eight feet and the
Castian’s
shield snapped into place, his two long fangs grew, his talons for hands and
claws for feet sparkled razor sharp. Bay thought she might throw up. Both
species were nothing less than awesome to gaze upon. It would be a nasty battle
for certain. The two powerful beings regarded one another, the air hung thick
with aggression.

“Agreed.”
The
Castian
nodded.

“Do you really not
hurt women and children?” Bay was compelled to ask the
Castian
.

The
Castian
took a deep breath and his armor absorbed into his
skin. “A real warrior would never harm a female or child.”

“The
Tonan
called himself a warrior. He beat me, starved me, he
would have killed me if Zane’s brother hadn’t traded for me. He was the
cruelest being I have ever encountered. The
Zargonnii
warriors don’t hurt females, and their children are well taken care of. Hate is
such a cruel word, but when I think of that
Tonan
.
it’s
the only word that comes to mind. He hates and is
hated.”