Hunter 2

Chapter 9

"Confession"

Backing out respectfully from the High Eldress's chamber, I made sure to keep my head low and eyes downward with respect. Once outside the chamber I bumped into Fire Blood. He stared down at me for a moment and rattled, but said nothing. Casually he turned and began to lead me out of the grand hall of the High Eldress.

Only when we reached the outside did he finally speak, "So…she rejected your request?"

"No."

He stopped dead in his tracks and faced me, "WHAT? She said YES?"

I nodded.

The huge Predator snorted in shock shaking his masked face, "I…I can't BELIEVE she granted your request! That…that…" He couldn't find words for it.

"I don't believe it myself…I was sure she'd reject me. But she didn't. She wants to see what I can do." I explained.

"More like she wants to see you die," he growled in a low tone.

My eyes met his fearsome Celtic mask, "I didn't know the High Eldress was Hunter's daughter."

"You didn't KNOW?" he asked incredulously.

Shaking my head, I continued down the path with the Second in Command. "I…I just wish Garv were here. Do you know where he is Fire Blood?"

The towering spotted giant snorted again, "I'm not his keeper Little Fighter." He must've seen my worried frown and continued, "But…if I got in an argument with one of my females and was really pissed…I'd go out and kill some things. Spill some blood…break a few skulls."

I stopped, "Garv…would do that?"

Fire Blood nodded, "Sure. Males who want to expel a little…rage…kill things to get rid of the tension. Makes us feel better."

"So…he IS mad at me." I whispered, emotional hurt tightening my lungs.

The Second in Command fell silent and snarled softly after a moment, "Oh Cho't! I need to stick to PLEASURING females…I'm GOOD at that. Not talking…"

Biting my lip to stop any burst of emotion I said quietly, "Thank you for helping me Fire Blood. I don't think I would have gotten this far without your help. Bye…" Without a further explanation, I raced away back toward my home.

As I fled, I head Fire Blood hiss, "Now I need to kill something."

………………

The next day at peak sun position…

Somberly, I sat on the expansive empty bed that Garv and I had shared so many times after our pairing. I stroked the heavy soft tihm-shi fur that covered both of us. Remembering our hunt together, I lost myself in the wonderful memory of it. The respect and love in Garv's eyes for me. There was no hint of anger or displeasure toward me and that's what I held onto. He'd been gone for two days now and my entire frame ached for him. I wanted to feel him…his broad muscled chest, his thick strong arms, his distinct triple heartbeat. I wanted to smell him. Feel him. See him. My chest tightened harder as silent tears dripped down my face. Why did I cry? It was an Ooman emotion I wished I didn't express…I fought to suppress it whenever possible. Now…I couldn't…it hurt too much to hold it in.

Garv was part of me and to have him away from me like this hollowed me out. No…to have him angry with me hurt worse. I lived to make him happy and please him…honor him. Had I broken my blood oath? Did I dishonor him by asking and then demanding to go on the First Hunt?

Then I heard the sound…the sound of the lower door in the dwelling hissing open. Someone had entered. Garv? I leaped to my feet my heart racing. For some reason panic filled me rather than pure joy. All I wanted to do was hide and not face him. What if he was still angry? What if he too didn't want to see me? With barely conceived thought, I raced into the expansive bathing room and hid behind a metal pedestal in the closest corner. Keeping still and silent I listened as heavy footsteps ascended the metal stairs with an unhurried pace. Then the door to our room slid open…a rattle. It was Garv. I knew that rattle by memory. Footfalls across the room toward the bathing room. I held my breath as the door hissed open and I watched as Garv entered.

My eyes widened when I viewed him. His flesh was slathered with at least four different colors of blood…purple, blackish red, pink, and even a bit of glowing green. I could barely see any of his original skin tones or patterns the blood was so thick. Caked on his hands in thick sticky globs and spattered across his chest, legs, and face he was almost terrifying to behold. Painted in the grisly blood spatters of his killings, he silently made his way to the stone pool bath. He rattled hollowly with steady breaths until he stepped into the refreshing water. I watched him as he splashed his face with water, turning the water around him several bloody colors until it mixed into a nasty dark brown color. Fire Blood had been right…he HAD gone on a rage killing…because of me. My eyes moistened again but I kept quiet.

Dipping his blood-caked arms into the pool, he scrubbed vigorously with a cleansing sponge to rid the gore from his flesh. He dipped his dreadlocks, washing them too. With a quick shake, he threw his wet dreadlocks hard, slinging water everywhere. A slow soothed rattle came from him as he cleansed.

At last, I couldn't stand it any longer. Standing very slowly I padded across the floor on bare feet holding my hands at my sides and my head dipped. I didn't know what he would say…and for that matter, what I would say, but I couldn't just hide in the shadows. By the time, I reached the edge of the pool Garv turned very slowly, looking at me with his intense yellow eyes. I blinked and bit my lip without saying a word. He blinked too…standing knee deep in the pool. We stood and stared for less than a minute, but it felt like years. Slowly I knelt down, picked up a different cleansing sponge, and dipped it in the water.

"I…can get your back for you." I said with little emotion.

Garv paused but finally nodded without a word. Kneeling down on one knee in the water, he scrubbed his right shoulder as I waded in beside him. I pressed the sponge to his back, without actually touching him myself, and made small circles across his broad shoulder blades.

We didn't speak…just washed away the blood. Words didn't seem to fit.

My throat was tightening so hard I thought I'd suffocate. I stopped my slow circles and squeezed the water and blood from the sponge.

Finally, I let out a ragged breath hissing in a desperate whisper, "Please Garv…please don't hate me anymore."

His entire back rippled as he stiffened. He faced me fast, "What?"

I couldn't look into his eyes, "Please…please don't hate me."

He hissed very hollowly and turned from me, still on his knee "I…don't hate you."

Suddenly I became so angry I lashed out at him, punching his back, "THEN WHY? Why did you leave? Why did you go on a rage killing? You ARE mad at me! Don't deny it!"

I hit him repeatedly tears dripping from my eyes as I did.

Suddenly, he turned and caught my hands in his. I growled at him baring my teeth and struggling to strike him again. I threw my weight into him but he didn't even move as I fought his grip.

"I…don't hate you," he said deeply.

I continued to push and try to lash out at him, "THEN WHY?"

He flicked his mandibles in a nervous manner as if he didn't want to say what was in his mind.

"YOU DO HATE ME!" I screamed.

His grip suddenly tightened and he snarled, "I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!"

My struggles stopped in an instant and so did his grip. He lowered his head as if ashamed and growled softly saying in a subdued tone, "THAT is why I went on a rage killing…I didn't want you to go on the First Hunt because…I knew you'd die. I got mad…because I wanted to stop you…save you from this…but you wouldn't let me."

I stared at him dumbly unable to speak.

"I never hated you…EVER! I just…I just don't want to lose you." he stated with difficulty.

A great emotional weight lifted from my chest. He DIDN'T hate me…he was…worried for me. How could I have been so blind?

Snarling he slapped the water, "I am WEAK!"

My eyes narrowed and I touched his shoulder, "How DARE you even think such a thing? Garv! You are NOT weak!"

"Exposing my emotions…revealing my thoughts…it is NOT becoming of a warrior!" he growled standing up.

I seized his thick wrist in my hand, "You are strong…you are the most honorable warrior I've ever known…and you are the most loyal and loving mate any female could dream to have. Garv I'd DIE if I didn't have you!"

….

This is a fair warning…MATURE READERS!

……

His hand gripped my wrist in turn very gently and his other hand curled by my waist. The look in his eyes was unmistakable and my soul yearned for him.

I hissed sensuously, leaning close, and nipped at his toned abs. He rattled softly stroking my lower back. The past two days of empty loneliness retracted back into the pits of forgetfulness as our bodies found one another again. Breathing in short eager bursts, I reached for my mate's pride beneath his loincloth and caressed his already engorging length. He purred very deeply as I anxiously pulled his undergarments away, throwing them down into the pool without pause. Sexual hunger burned from my eyes as I touched him again.

Suddenly, his own sexual hunger overtook him and before I knew it, Garv made me sit down on the pool's ledge with his hands straddling my body. I passed my legs over the sides of his thighs, arching my body in provocative waves to encourage him. He growled and suddenly seized my bikini style top in his teeth. Then, with an abrupt jerk, he ripped the garment off! I gasped for a second as Garv spat the shredded garment to the side and began massaging my pert breasts with his mandibles. Closing my eyes, I gasped again when he tore my undergarments away and caressed my womanhood. Heat and pleasure consumed my tissues immediately. I leaned back purring.

With a deep rumble, he slipped out of the water, dripping cool droplets to my burning flesh. I wanted him…I wanted him so much. I mimicked a rattle of pleasure and seized his dreadlocks, pulling him to my chest aggressively. His strong arms encircled my body as he picked me up from the floor. Clenching his dreads tightly I breathed deeply as he teased the erogenous part of my throat with his mandibles, exciting me even further. He held me up and very gradually made his way to the bedroom.

Impatient for him I ran my lips over his sensitive collarbone and nipped it gently. He rattled sharply to indicate he like that. Thrusting my hips forward I rubbed my sex against his body, just above his groin area and hissed aggressively biting his neck. This set him off like a bomb. Forcefully he put me on the soft furs of the bed, his eyes almost glowing.

"You are mine…" he growled edging his entire bulk over me. "No other…" he hissed throwing my legs apart. "I will kill to keep you."

Lunging forward he entered me, filling me completely. My legs flared as I accepted his massiveness with pleasured moans. Starting gently he gradually increased his speed. He thrust forward …but harder this time. I felt my body push back against the blankets. He thrust again…even harder. This time it hurt. I clenched the furs and winced a second. But he didn't slack off. Again, he surged into me, drawing a cry of discomfort from me.
"Garv…"

His eyes were on fire and his breathing became ragged with animalistic sexual aggression. He thrust harder again and this time I shouted.

"GARV! Gentle! Gentle…"

For a moment, he didn't seem to hear me then all at once, he slowed down, his eyes dimming down. Retracting from me, he growled deeply trying to regain his breathing composure.

"I'm…sorry. I was too rough." He managed to say after a moment. "Are you alright?"

I nodded trying to manage my own breathing and I smiled. "I'm VERY alright. I missed you so much Garv."

He purred, "I've…wanted to do that to you every moment I was gone."

After a few minutes, lying together, I sighed lightly, "You know the High Eldress…"

"Yes. I heard she accepted your request."

Nodding I looked over at him, "She said I'd need extensive training for at least a rotation (year). Will you train me?"

Garv was silent for a moment then conceded, "Yes…yes I will train you for the First Hunt. But you must also receive training from a female."

"A female? But what female would be willing to train me?" I asked.