Think of the destruction and enmity he would cause among all the clans. He would have brother fighting brother. There would be no harmony. The females already mated would suffer the most,” Erup said, incredulous of his brother’s plan.
“I didn’t say things would stay that way. I said we will look acquiescent, not that we really would be. Let’s go. We’ve got work to do,” Dreab stated, his voice full of steel.
Chapter Five
Sandi regained consciousness just as Retep was coming in for a landing. Nothing looked familiar, but then, she hadn’t been able to explore any of the planet as yet. She held her body loose, still breathing evenly and deeply, with her eyes open to slits, hoping not to alert her captor she was awake. She must have given herself away somehow, because he started laughing at her again. The man definitely had a screw loose.
“You don’t have to pretend. I know you’re awake,” Retep said as his feet hit the ground and he retracted his wings. He grabbed Sandi, and instead of letting her down, he slung her up over his large shoulder.
Sandi didn’t say anything, but she did take the time to study the scar tissue near his shoulder blades. She knew it didn’t hurt to have wings come out through their skin and then go back in again, but she wondered if she could hurt him by sticking her hand into the cavity. She was about to find out. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her roiling stomach, Sandi shoved two fingers into the scar tissue and nearly vomited as her fingers sank into her captor’s body. She pushed harder and smiled with satisfaction as Retep yelled and began to pull her off his shoulder. She grabbed hold of a handful of feathers and held on tight. When Retep pulled her off him, using his brute strength, Sandi plucked a handful of feathers as she was thrown to the ground.
Sandi backed away, still clutching the large feathers in her hand as Retep stood over her, his face a mask of fury and pain as he roared at her. When she scrabbled through the dirt on her hands, ass, and feet, one of her hands landed on a large, sharp rock. She contained her cry of pain and picked up the rock. She watched as Retep stepped forward and hauled her to her feet. He drew back one of his large arms, his intention very clear. If he actually managed to hit her, he might kill her. The men on this planet were so much stronger than a human. Sandi didn’t stop to think. She ducked his flying fist, leapt back quickly, slammed the sharp rock against the side of Retep’s head, and got out of his way. She watched as he stood swaying on his feet before his eyes rolled back in his head and he toppled to the ground.
Sandi took off in the opposite direction and was thankful she had her flight boots and uniform on. Her uniform actually helped to regulate her body temperature when she was flying in space. It would be a great help since this planet seemed to be quite a few degrees hotter than Earth. And her boots were sturdy and would be up to protecting her feet from the rugged terrain.
She kept up a slow, steady jogging pace until she was too hot to keep going. Her face felt as if it was bright red, and her uniform was soaked with sweat. She headed to the tree line and sat down for a short rest in the shade. What she wouldn’t give for the hide flagon of water right now. She was so thirsty. Her deep, even breathing as she’d jogged along had made her mouth dry. She felt as if her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth, and her lips were dry and cracked. She closed her eyes for a moment against the bright glare of the sun, hoping like hell she had knocked Retep hard enough that he wouldn’t come after her again.
Sandi must have dozed off, because when she opened her eyes it was twilight. The stories Dreab and Erup had told of wild animals that roamed at night made her jump at every small rustle she heard. She quickly rose to her feet, stretched her tired, aching muscles, and set out once more. She kept her
“I didn’t say things would stay that way. I said we will look acquiescent, not that we really would be. Let’s go. We’ve got work to do,” Dreab stated, his voice full of steel.
Chapter Five
Sandi regained consciousness just as Retep was coming in for a landing. Nothing looked familiar, but then, she hadn’t been able to explore any of the planet as yet. She held her body loose, still breathing evenly and deeply, with her eyes open to slits, hoping not to alert her captor she was awake. She must have given herself away somehow, because he started laughing at her again. The man definitely had a screw loose.
“You don’t have to pretend. I know you’re awake,” Retep said as his feet hit the ground and he retracted his wings. He grabbed Sandi, and instead of letting her down, he slung her up over his large shoulder.
Sandi didn’t say anything, but she did take the time to study the scar tissue near his shoulder blades. She knew it didn’t hurt to have wings come out through their skin and then go back in again, but she wondered if she could hurt him by sticking her hand into the cavity. She was about to find out. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her roiling stomach, Sandi shoved two fingers into the scar tissue and nearly vomited as her fingers sank into her captor’s body. She pushed harder and smiled with satisfaction as Retep yelled and began to pull her off his shoulder. She grabbed hold of a handful of feathers and held on tight. When Retep pulled her off him, using his brute strength, Sandi plucked a handful of feathers as she was thrown to the ground.
Sandi backed away, still clutching the large feathers in her hand as Retep stood over her, his face a mask of fury and pain as he roared at her. When she scrabbled through the dirt on her hands, ass, and feet, one of her hands landed on a large, sharp rock. She contained her cry of pain and picked up the rock. She watched as Retep stepped forward and hauled her to her feet. He drew back one of his large arms, his intention very clear. If he actually managed to hit her, he might kill her. The men on this planet were so much stronger than a human. Sandi didn’t stop to think. She ducked his flying fist, leapt back quickly, slammed the sharp rock against the side of Retep’s head, and got out of his way. She watched as he stood swaying on his feet before his eyes rolled back in his head and he toppled to the ground.
Sandi took off in the opposite direction and was thankful she had her flight boots and uniform on. Her uniform actually helped to regulate her body temperature when she was flying in space. It would be a great help since this planet seemed to be quite a few degrees hotter than Earth. And her boots were sturdy and would be up to protecting her feet from the rugged terrain.
She kept up a slow, steady jogging pace until she was too hot to keep going. Her face felt as if it was bright red, and her uniform was soaked with sweat. She headed to the tree line and sat down for a short rest in the shade. What she wouldn’t give for the hide flagon of water right now. She was so thirsty. Her deep, even breathing as she’d jogged along had made her mouth dry. She felt as if her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth, and her lips were dry and cracked. She closed her eyes for a moment against the bright glare of the sun, hoping like hell she had knocked Retep hard enough that he wouldn’t come after her again.
Sandi must have dozed off, because when she opened her eyes it was twilight. The stories Dreab and Erup had told of wild animals that roamed at night made her jump at every small rustle she heard. She quickly rose to her feet, stretched her tired, aching muscles, and set out once more. She kept her
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