Man Hunt Page 3

  “My people say men are like wild animals. That they cannot control themselves and only cause harm.”

  Ayden didn’t answer straightaway. When he did, it was as if he chose his words carefully. “Some men are. In fact, I think most men used to be. But we’re learning to be more like your kind.”

  “What do you know of my kind?”

  “I have been with women before.”

  A strange sensation weighed in the pit of her stomach at his words, a disconcerting feeling of possessiveness.

  “But none as beautiful as you,” he continued.

  “They also say that men can use words as charms to make a woman do as they wish.”

  “What we did earlier, making love … I would have done anything you wished,” Ayden corrected her.

  Leah remembered the expression on his face as she had touched him. He had been the one under her power, her spell, just as she had willingly made herself vulnerable to him.

  “It is a strange thing, this coming together. It is not the same as what I have felt before.”

  “Men and women were made for one another. We fit together.”

  “I have a lot to think about,” Leah said. “For now we need to get some sleep so we can try to figure a way out of here in the morning.”

  Ayden moved to hold her, but she backed away.

  “No. That is over. You are my mark and my prisoner.”

  “It’s still cold down here. I promise to behave if you’ll let me keep you warm.”

  Leah shook her head and told the man if he was cold he should lie by the fire. She lay down, opened her wings and folded them over her head, nestling herself into a warm cocoon. But there would be no sleeping that night with Ayden so close. Not now that he had been inside her, that she had felt his essence and shared his pleasure.

  When he finally did come up to her and gently pushed her wing behind her back, she pretended to be asleep, letting him snuggle up close behind her until the shared warmth of their breath lulled her into seductive dreams.

  Leah woke with a start. There was a new smell in the cave, and she knew exactly who it was. Ayden was still fast asleep, his arms wrapped tightly around her, and the only light came from the dying embers of the fire. Leah shifted and Ayden groaned. He opened his sleepy eyes and raised a hand to stroke her hair. As his manhood hardened, pushing persistently against her leg, Leah struggled to maintain her composure. She tried to push Ayden away, muttering the word “no,” but he pulled in closer.

  Then he shifted his weight and moved quickly on top of her, his intentions clear.

  “Not now,” Leah said through gritted teeth.

  “You know you can’t resist me,” Ayden pressed.

  They were being watched, she could sense it. If Leah didn’t act fast, both she and Ayden could be in terrible jeopardy.

  “You have got to get off me,” Leah reiterated, shoving him with all her might.

  But Ayden stayed exactly where he was.

  “Say that like you mean it,” he teased.

  “You heard the woman,” came a voice from behind him. “Get off her right now, or I’m going to blow your head off.”

  Chapter 4

  Ayden quickly hoisted himself to his feet, his arms held high over his head.

  Just as quickly, he summed up the blonde woman standing before him. She was cute, well-toned, and a touch on the short side. But her face was hard, and there was something about her expression as she looked at him that made his insides curl with disgust.

  “Leah, come here,” she ordered, a power laser pointed firmly at Ayden.

  Ayden opened his mouth to speak, but Leah gave an almost imperceptible shake of the head. She moved slowly to the woman’s side. He was unable to read the expression on her face.

  “Are you hurt?” the blonde asked, her gaze still firmly on Ayden.

  “No, Britha, I’m fine,” Leah assured her.

  “How long has that creature held you prisoner?” Britha asked, looking at him with contempt.

  Leah brushed herself off. “We have been here for the night. But you stand corrected— he is my prisoner.” A flash of anger crossed Leah’s face.

  “It was about to attack you.” Britha nodded toward him. “I saved your life, and the bounty is mine.”

  Britha moved forward and placed a hand on Ayden’s chest, her other hand still holding her laser deadly steady.

  “I have never seen one of these beings.” She squeezed his arm. “It is true what they say. He is strong like a beast.”

  Then Britha looked down and undid his loincloth. As it fell, she reached forward and touched his manhood.

  To Ayden’s annoyance, it seemed to have a life of its own, responding quickly to her touch. He wanted to kill the woman, but having her touch him with Leah only inches away, brought heat to his body that made him want to make love to Leah all over again.

  Britha laughed as he hardened in her hand, a harsh laugh that almost caused Ayden to wish he didn’t have to pretend to be so meek. But he needed to think. If Britha caught on to how he really felt about Leah, she would report back to the High Court and from what he knew about Azaria’s rules, both he and Leah would likely be executed. If he overpowered Britha now, she would wonder why he was acquiescing to Leah. No, he would have to bide his time. So he simply stood and let Britha continue her investigations.

  She slid her hand down his shaft, reaching lower.

  “Britha,” Leah spat out the name, her face tightening.

  “Uh huh,” said Britha, still staring at him.

  “Nothing,” said Leah.

  *

  Leah felt a growing sense of anger and resentment. She realized, to her horror, that what she was feeling was jealousy. But it made no sense. Joining with the man, Ayden, had been good, and she had done what she needed to do to be able to focus. That was all. She didn’t feel anything for him. That was impossible. It would spell disaster for herself and shame for her family.

  Britha ran her hand around Ayden’s backside and he grew even bigger.

  He looked at Leah with pleading eyes.

  She moved over to where Britha and Ayden stood.

  “I have seen how the man works. It is a simple release of anger and tension.” Leah convinced herself those words were true for herself too.

  “Show me,” said Britha, looking desperately curious.

  “Vasha will be waiting,” said Leah.

  Britha nodded reluctantly. “Get dressed,” she ordered Ayden.

  Then she pulled some chains from the backpack over her shoulder and wrapped them around the man’s hands and over his neck.

  “Is that really necessary?” asked Leah.

  Britha turned and yanked Ayden’s neck in response. She headed toward a tunnel at the back of the cave. They followed it for some time, winding their way up to the surface until they finally reached fresh air.

  “I am surprised you didn’t find this way out,” said Britha. “That fire looked as though it had burned all night. That should have given you plenty of time.”

  Leah wondered herself why they hadn’t tried to find the way out, but she wasn’t ready to answer that question.

  “I have missed you, Leah.” Britha stopped and stroked Leah’s cheek.

  “Now is not the time,” said Leah, pulling away. She continued walking, Britha alongside, Ayden behind them.

  Britha eyed Ayden scornfully. “You know the stories about these creatures. They only think of violence and their own needs. It doesn’t matter what we say. He will not be able to understand our ways.”

  Not wanting to arouse any suspicion, Leah finally answered. “Yes, I have missed you too.”

  “I am coming into estrus. It is time for us to join in bliss.”

  Leah didn’t notice as Ayden walked a little faster, loosening the pull on the chain, allowing him to move closer to the women in order to hear better.

  She wanted to scream. She had felt something wit
h Ayden that was so much more than the practical release most Azarian women experienced with their sexual partners. They were expected to join for six months at a time with a woman of the High Court’s choice who matched their social class. This had been a tradition ever since the last man had been seen on their planet. It was an effective way to keep a happy, healthy society, free of stresses and frustrations. She had never liked Britha much, but she had desires like any other Azarian woman. And for Leah, that meant satisfying her sexual needs. Britha was a fellow bounty hunter, and thus had the same heightened senses, so she knew what Leah needed. The arrangement had suited them both. At least initially. But the more she was with Britha, the less Leah liked her. Leah hoped she would not have to honor her last joining.

  “We have a task to complete, Britha.”

  “And I always feel so much more ready after a job well done. Let us hand over the man and then we will have plenty of time to make our last joining one to remember,” said Britha, as she hung her arm over Leah’s shoulder, squeezing her breast.

  Leah pulled away. “You forget that I will be disgraced when we return. I did not complete the mission. I will be punished and my family shamed.”

  “What are you looking at?” Britha spat as she noticed Ayden listening to their conversation. He pulled back and she turned her attention back to Leah.

  “Oh, I think we can manage to fix that,” said Britha. “Everybody knows how strong and fearful the male creature is. I don’t think one other woman on Azaria would dare to come as close as we have without him being firmly restrained. All we need to say is that it took both of us to overpower him. We will have our names in the history books. We have caught the first man to be foolish enough to enter our world. Nobody is going to make you eat rats,” she laughed.

  “And what are you going to want from me if you tell this lie?” asked Leah, thinking about her birth mother and the disappointment this would spare her.

  “The bounty,” she said without hesitation. “And another six months of your body.”

  Britha stopped walking then and stroked Leah’s face. She leaned in and kissed her. A hard, bruising kiss that showed Leah exactly who was boss.

  *

  Ayden balled his hands into fists. He was finding it difficult to control himself. He had a mind to show Britha exactly what a man was capable of, but as Leah looked over Britha’s shoulder and her gaze met his, she gave another small shake of her head and he continued plodding behind them.

  The three of them walked in silence after that, until the dense forest finally gave way to an open clearing. It was several hours before they reached the city gates. As the gates opened, the women of Azaria stopped what they were doing and stared at him: the mythical creature that had come alive before them. Their eyes wide, they gravitated toward him as he walked in chains, head held high, behind Leah and Britha.

  Before long, the three of them had a mob behind them, some of them daring to touch him, others hissing at him, and some turning their children away from the vicious beast.

  Britha gloried in the attention, waving her hands in the air and smiling from ear to ear. At last they reached the High Court. As the heavy doors of the court closed behind them, Ayden was relieved that the greater public were not allowed to follow. It had been a new experience for him being the target of scorn and disgust. He felt dirty and terribly sad for what could have been.

  “Organizing Secretary, we need to see the judges,” Britha said to the woman who came quickly to meet them. The woman took one look at their prize and went through to the courtroom. She was back within moments and indicated for them to go in.

  Britha yanked on Ayden’s chain, and he allowed himself to be led into the room.

  “I see you have completed the task, Britha,” said the distinguished-looking, gray-haired woman in front of them. “Let us deal with the man first, and then we will decide Leah’s fate.”

  “Maybe not, Vasha,” said Britha, a challenge in her eyes.

  “What are you talking about?” asked a younger judge, curling her lip in annoyance.

  “Leah had her part to play, Wentiesh.”

  Britha nodded toward Leah to elaborate.

  *

  Leah turned to look at Ayden, everything in her being wanting to simply release him from his chains and let him hold her in his arms. She noted the expression of triumph on Britha’s face. There was no way Leah would be able to keep up the lie. She could not stomach the thought of joining their bodies for one more moment, let alone six months, not now that she had been with Ayden.

  “That is not true,” said Leah.

  All the women in the room stared at her.

  “How so?” asked Esplana.

  “The man is not what you think he is. There was no need to overpower him. He overpowered me, yes, but not in the way you think,” Leah continued, trying to find the right words for the intense feelings brewing inside her. “Our bodies, we…”

  At that moment, a loud clang and a primal shout came from behind the two women. Ayden had broken his chains and grabbed Britha around her neck.

  A part of Leah was fascinated by the display of strength before her, another part alarmed at what would come next.

  “Ayden, what are you doing?” Leah asked.

  “That woman lies!” Ayden roared, looking directly at Leah. “I used her to satisfy my needs and she had her revenge. She gave me a sleeping potion so I would be weak when the blonde one arrived. If not for her I would not be here.”

  “Explain yourself!” demanded Vasha.

  “I thought I was using her, but she was the one using me.” Ayden folded his arms.

  “I did not give you a potion,” Leah protested. “You fell asleep. You came to me. We lay together.”

  He locked eyes with Leah.

  “And I get a double blow because not only did she trick me into being caught, but when I lay with her it was disgusting. I thought it might be a way to escape, but I could not wait for it to be over. That woman revolts me!” He looked her up and down and shivered with disgust. “It was all I could do not to push her away. Then she drugged me. Now, I have no reward and I still feel unclean. I finally understand why the last men left your planet.” He tightened his grip on Britha as he spoke. A small gasp escaped her throat.

  Leah felt as though he had kicked her. She was close to tears and understood now that all the stories were true. He had used his words as charms. He was every nightmarish fairytale she had ever heard, come to life.

  Vasha stepped down from the podium and walked straight to the man. She was not afraid. She held his gaze and gave a small nod.

  “So Leah was the one responsible for you being caught.”

  “You heard me!” swore Ayden, throwing Britha aside.

  “Then she must not be punished,” Vasha confirmed.

  “Not by you,” he said, his face contorting into a disgusted grimace as he looked at Leah.

  Wentiesh pointed a triple phaser at Ayden.

  “Britha, shackle him again. Use the double chains on the wall.”

  Britha happily did as she was told.

  “Leah, what do you have to say about all this?”

  Leah stood tall, her emotions and heart hardened. “Take the man. Do what you will with him. And give the bounty to Britha. I do not want any reminders of this twisted creature.”

  “Britha, hand Leah the chains,” Vasha ordered. “Leah, secure the man in the dungeon. We will decide on his fate later. There is not sufficient order here now. Besides, I think it is important that all our people have a proper chance to see what a man looks like so it will be forever imprinted on their brains.”

  Leah took the chains and headed toward the stairs, not for one moment looking back at Ayden, who now followed meekly behind her.

  They walked down the concrete stairs to the dimly-lit dungeon. Leah was acutely aware of Ayden behind her, his large form, his warm breath, and that heady scent that threatened to drive her to
distraction. But as she thought of what he really stood for, she began to feel intense shame at having shared her body with him. She shoved Ayden in the cell with the butt of her laser and turned back toward the heavy gate to make her way up the stairs.

  “I hope you rot down here,” she said.

  “Leah, wait,” called Ayden. “There’s something you need to know.”

  Chapter 5

  Leah turned to him, her eyes locking with his. “That you find me repulsive? That my body taints yours? I heard it all, Ayden.”

  He walked toward her, talking softly. “You were about to tell them what happened between us.”

  “Yes, I am not one to hide my feelings. I do not act a part.” She looked at him with disgust.

  He held his ground and her gaze. “I heard what you said to Britha.”

  “You think I want to be with Britha?” she spat.

  “No, the other part, about what would happen. How you would be shamed and punished. I can’t let that happen to you.”

  Ayden took her hand and pulled her to him. Despite herself, heat pulsed through her at his touch.

  He headed to the camera mounted in the wall beside them and twisted it to face an empty wall. He kept his voice low as he spoke. “Leah, listen to me. When the last men were killed on this planet, there were a few who survived, who left Azaria to start new lives. They found a new planet, began to treat the women there with kindness, and children were born—naturally. They became families and the men began to see the error of their ways. Together they became a good nation. They were my ancestors, but that world is dying now. There was never enough water to sustain more than a few generations. I have been tasked to find a new home for the few who are left.”

  “So you are here to find the best way to conquer us? And you have discovered, thanks to me,” she spat, “that our bodies are our vulnerability.”

  “No, I already knew that together our bodies are our strength, that to join with you would mean to finally bring our worlds back together in peace. You, Leah. Not just any woman. Your ancestors, your family line were the only ones who helped the last men to escape. They saw something good in them and they offered compassion. They were the ones who showed them how real men should behave. I’m not here by accident. You were not sent to hunt me by accident either. There is something in our energies, in our destinies that had to join us. It is written in your prophecies. Through our coming together we will eventually bring men and women back together on this planet as it was meant to be.”