Alien Redemption [Clans of Kalquor 06] (22 page)

“I’ve been under a lot of stress, but I haven’t thought of leaving the clan for several weeks ”

he told Hupsan. “Clan counseling is still probably a good idea.”

“I see I’ve given you a lot to think about. Will you call me in a week and let me know how things are?”

“Of course. And if I don’t, please com me just in case I’ve forgotten.”

“Because life keeps happening,” Hupsan chuckled. His understanding smile was exactly the same that had soothed a younger overwrought Conyod so many times.

* * * *

High Commander Akrij hadn’t hesitated for a moment when Erybet begged for an audience.

“Come in immediately,” the Nobek had told him.

Now Erybet sat opposite Akrij, facing him across the table that the officer used for a desk.

Despite his advanced rank, Akrij never put on airs. He was content with sitting cross-legged on seating cushions on the same level as his visitors. No other furnishings crowded his office, making it spacious. The only sign of his superior standing was the fact he had a real window in his office instead of the usual vid monitor. It overlooked the training grounds, on which squadrons of Nobeks ran drills.

Erybet and Sletran ran the same drills every day, keeping a military routine as best they could during their enforced leave. Nonetheless, the last months of inaction had left the Dramok feeling adrift. For Sletran, it had to be a thousand times worse. An idle Nobek was a troubled Nobek. The breed simply wasn’t suited for sitting at home and relaxing for more than a couple of hours of waking time.

Erybet had fretted over leaving Sletran alone with Rachel for the time it would take to meet with Akrij. But Sletran had seemed fine when the clan leader left, contentedly making lists of the beautiful Earther’s favorite meals and the ingredients the recipes required. And the fierce protectiveness that had been such a major part of the Nobek’s makeup for all the time Erybet had known him was very much in evidence as he kept near Rachel.

Akrij had been on a com call when Erybet was welcomed into his office, and he waited quietly, watching the soldiers outside as they practiced hand to hand combat. It made him wish for happier days, when he would be directing such drills. He, Sletran, and his other group commanders would pace the lines, barking out orders and encouragements. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they’d done such things.

Akrij ended his call. He immediately gave Erybet his complete attention. “I apologize for keeping you waiting. The administrative part of my position is my least favorite and seems to take up the most of my time.”

Erybet nodded. While the prestige of advancing was every man’s source of pride, the responsibilities of a more boring nature grew. “I completely understand. Not only do you prefer to fight on the front lines, the men under your command love to have you at our sides.”

“It beats sitting behind this desk. I should never have let them promote me. I think it’s made me soft.”

Erybet’s eyes widened. “You, Commander? Not a chance.”

Akrij snorted. “Enough about me. I’m surprised to see you again so soon, Erybet.

Something has come up?”

The Dramok drew a deep breath. “It’s Sletran, sir. I’m truly concerned for his wellbeing.

New Bethlehem is preying on his mind and –” Erybet’s eyes lowered. The words tried to stick in his throat and it took real effort to get them out. “I think he may be experiencing a breakdown.”

A trickle of a growl escaped Akrij. At first, Erybet had a jolt of horror as he thought the high commander’s expression of disgust was for Sletran. But Akrij’s scowl wasn’t aimed at his Nobek after all.

“That place destroyed a lot of lives. I don’t know of anyone under my command who hasn’t been affected by the tragedies there.” The spark of anger was replaced by concern, and Erybet relaxed as Akrij leaned toward him. “Is it lost sleep? Violent outbursts?”

“He loses time. He has periods where he leaves our home and wanders around without realizing what he’s doing. You saw how he hacked off his hair. Our Imdiko is concerned he could do something even more harmful to himself.”

Akrij frowned. “You haven’t told your Imdiko what happened, have you Erybet? I can’t impress upon you how adamant the Imperial Commander is about keeping the events of New Bethlehem quiet. The potential damage such information could do to public morale would be devastating. Things are already at a low what with the rebellion growing worse.”

Erybet wasn’t about to share how close he’d come to telling his worried clanmate everything. “Conyod knows nothing. Commander, I’m desperate. I really think Sletran is in serious trouble that a year’s respite from his duties won’t fix. There has to be something that can be done to help him come to terms with what happened.”

Akrij sat, looking at Erybet with quiet compassion. He’d always been thoughtful of his troops. Erybet knew he weighed every order carefully, determined to do the best by the men under his command.

Finally he nodded. “Erybet, I am not about to dismiss your concerns. Nothing is more disturbing than seeing one of your men suffer. And when it’s a clanmate, the agony can take over your life.”

“It’s been very difficult,” Erybet said, his voice quiet.

“Excuse my bluntness, but you are in some difficulty yourself, aren’t you?”

Erybet jerked. True, he had frequent bouts of nightmares, lost sleep, and an urge to take out anger in inappropriate ways sometimes. He’d buried it under his drive to find an avenue to make Sletran better. The Dramok had thought he was hiding his own problems from everyone but Conyod, who knew him too damned well to let him get away with the farce.

But sharp-eyed Akrij, ever vigilant for his men’s difficulties, had seen the truth too. Erybet could only nod, dropping his gaze once more.

Akrij sighed. “You and Sletran are my very best. If you two are doing that badly, I must find a way to help. Do not doubt for a second that your welfare is a priority to me.”

Erybet detected no censure in his tone, and he relaxed. As a Dramok in an army made up of more than 90 percent Nobeks, he had more to prove than most. That Akrij didn’t think less of him for his weaknesses – that he considered Erybet to be one of his best – went a long way to making him feel better. He’d truly been fortunate to have Akrij as his commanding officer.

Akrij turned to his computer and tapped out something. “Give me a few days to speak with those in higher authority. I’ll impress upon them your and Sletran’s complete loyalty to Kalquor and your flawless records before New Bethlehem. I’ll push for you to receive the assistance you need until it comes through.”

It took all of Erybet’s pride to not sag in utter relief. “Thank you, Commander. Thank you so much. Not so much for myself, but I’ve been worried for Sletran. Whatever is needed from me to make things right for him, I’ll do without hesitation.”

“He’s going to be all right, Erybet. We’ll end that war for him once and for all.”

Akrij’s confidence gave Erybet strength. His gratitude to the High Commander knew no bounds in that moment.

* * * *

Rachel watched Sletran with some concern. The man simply couldn’t seem to stay still. He paced like a caged lion even as he taught her how to speak simple Kalquorian phrases. While patient and unfailingly polite, his expression was grim. She also didn’t miss how he kept his distance, which really bothered her.

Finally, she couldn’t take the strained atmosphere any longer, and in true Rachel fashion, she decided to confront the big man flat out. She typed out her question, stood up from the balcony’s seat she perched on, and moved right in his path.
Why won’t you come near me?

Startled, he read the handheld’s display, and then looked at her with a combination of worry and anger. He ground his teeth and struggled for a moment, as if he was the one with the speech impediment. Finally he growled, “I am afraid of hurting you, Ray-Ray.”

It was her turn to be surprised. She asked,
Do you want to hurt me?

Sletran shuddered all over, and he hunched his broad shoulders. “It’s the last thing I want.

You are beautiful, and you make Conyod and Erybet happy.” He stared into her eyes. “You make me happy.”

He struggled again, obviously wanting to say more but not able to for several seconds.

Rachel waited, knowing the Nobek would not want her sympathy or assistance. More than ever, she felt a special kinship with Sletran.

At last he spoke again, spitting the words out like bullets. “I was affected by the war with Earth. I saw and did things…”

His voice died out then, and his expression went blank. The complete lack of emotion was somehow much worse than the desperate fury he’d worn the instant before. Now Rachel reached out to touch his arm. He blinked, and awareness flooded back into his face once more.

She quickly typed out,
War makes us do things we wouldn’t ever conceive of in our normal
lives. War can bring us face to face with our worst selves, selves we never knew we were.

Sletran looked at her and nodded slowly. Compassion warred with torment for possession of his emotions. “Sometimes I think the man I was, or thought I was, is gone forever. With you, he comes back.”

Rachel smiled.
See? You won’t hurt me.

He shook his head. “I wish I could believe that. I lose hours of time nearly every day. I don’t know where I’ve been or what I’ve done. What might a man be capable of when his mind is no longer under his control?”

I haven’t known you long, but I do know one thing, Sletran. You will not hurt me.

She gave him time to read her words. When his eyes went from scanning the display to focus on her, she laid the handheld down. She stepped close to him and reached to wrap her arms around his neck. One hand went to the back of his head, and she tugged his stormy face towards hers.

Rachel kissed the Nobek, letting her lips drift lazily over his. Her tongue peeked out to run over his lower lip, tasting the sweetness of his mouth. Sletran’s lips parted, and his tongue darted out to meet hers. His arms closed around her, drawing her close, letting her feel his growing desire.

The Nobek’s tongue abruptly plunged into her mouth, stroking her tongue with demand. He tasted of the coffee they’d had with their breakfast, and of unadulterated masculinity. Rachel moaned and rubbed herself against that granite body pressed to hers. The sharp scent of his arousal washed over her, and her body responded automatically. Her pussy seemed to pulse with sudden, acute need, and her panties dampened in a rush of fluid.

Sletran broke the kiss with a feral growl. In a blur of motion, he scooped Rachel into his arms and carried her into the sleeping room. Rachel found herself beneath the huge Nobek, pressed down onto the sleeping mat’s surface under his weight.

“
Eryi, eryi
,” she whispered to him as he lifted up to pull her dress off over her head. Yes, yes. She tugged at his loose, sleeveless shirt, wanting his hot skin against hers. He swept it off and covered her again with his body, his mouth on hers, devouring her in his hungry kiss. His tongue tasted her with ruthless need.

Rachel writhed beneath him, rubbing her demanding sex against his lower belly, her hands sweeping over his shoulders and down his back. How could a man have so many muscles, muscles that undulated in a sinuous dance beneath her fingertips? Every inch of Sletran was a delight to feel, and she arched a little to rub her breasts against his hard wall of a chest. Her sensitive nipples swelled at the contact, sending slivers of heat straight down to her aroused pussy.

Sletran rumbled a warning deep in his chest, and he reared up. His hands captured her wrists to pin them over her head. The anger in his expression was gone, replaced by brute lust.

“You are so eager, my beautiful warrior female,” he said, his eyes dark and narrowed. “And proud. You know the word for
please
in my language. I would hear you beg me for pleasure. I would hear you scream for it.”

Rachel’s breath caught. The Nobek looked savage and her body responded with a burst of pure need. Her legs surrounded his hips, and she yanked hard to pull him as close to herself as she could.

Sletran chuckled. “Oh, this will be a delightful struggle, Matara. One I think we might both win.”

He rubbed his groin against hers, stimulating her clit so that she gasped. His erection strained against the slick fabric of his knee-length pants, feeling like twin rods of steel against her mound. At the same time, his hand closed over one breast, squeezing it just shy of pain and making the tip engorge with blood. His tongue scraped over the stiff flesh. Rachel groaned as heat sizzled through the mound.

“You enjoy a touch of intensity, don’t you? Let’s try a little more,” Sletran said. He bared his flat teeth, and they closed over the tip of Rachel’s nipple. Again, the pressure increased until Rachel trembled on the threshold of hurt. Then he flicked his sandpaper-rough tongue over the captured flesh, sending a thick wash of desire down to her belly and straight into her pussy. A strained warble broke from her throat.

He released her breast from teeth and hand, possessing it with his mouth. Sucking in hard, he enveloped half the lush mound in stroking wetness. Rachel arched, as if she would shove even more into that erotic kiss. Sletran withdrew the luscious embrace, much to her disappointment. Then he gave her a feral grin, one in which his fangs came into sight. Rachel gasped.

The Nobek’s head darted down, and he impaled her upper breast with those needle-thin teeth. He held her still, careful despite his ferocity to not let her jerk and tear her flesh against those twin darts. The bite lasted just long enough for Rachel to feel the beginnings of intoxication.

Then Sletran moved his brutally delicious attentions to her other breast. This time he sucked in another mouthful, and slowly withdrew, letting his flat teeth scrape achingly across her skin.

Rachel groaned, her head tossing from side to side. She ground her crotch hard against his rigid length, so tantalizingly close yet kept terribly separate from her by his pants.