Travlr (The Mating Games series Book 2) Read online

  Snuggling in, he tried to sleep but his brain was going a mile a minute and refused to slow down. He wanted reassurance that the right female was out there waiting for him but he couldn’t be sure. All he had was a deep seated belief that she was. No rhyme or reason behind the belief, just that and nothing more. When he finally went to sleep, dreams of a lovely chestnut haired vixen filled his dreams, but Narcissi was there too.

  Waking, he was covered in sweat his blankets soaked. His mouth was dry and his cock shriveled which told him the dreams had not been sweet. Desperate for a shower, he knew better than to take one and could only hope the heavy sweating had been normal for after a cleansing. This needed to go perfectly, he wanted the mate he was meant to have.

  “Wondrous day to you, Travlr.” Horlar said with gusto the way he did everything.

  “Same to you my good friend. I’m just here to check in. “Travlr said as he signed his name to the list and noted the time they were to take off on the hunt.

  “This hunt will be more interesting than the last. There are nearly five hundred females this time with one being added as late as yesterday. Know anything about that?”

  “No more than you do. She is Lista’s sister and she wanted to be in the hunt. Maybe she’ll be lucky and get one of the mating groups.”

  “Does she desire that?”

  “No, but she will need many mates to keep her happy.”

  “I see.” Horlar said and Travlr believed he really did. A mating group would suit that female. As far as he was concerned not having her would suit him. He sat with Horlar until it was time to head out. Energy raced through him. A predator whether he looked it or not, he was dying to take off on the hunt. Holar would make the call and he blew on the horn. The sound made every males blood boil with the need to chase, capture, and claim.

  Travlr held himself back as the horde of Mazlans ran screaming into the desert. Some of them caught their females right away and those mates were terrified and it would take a good amount of time to calm them. Travlr started off walking working his way through the pairs and groups of found mates somehow knowing his mate was far ahead. As he walked past the latest group, he heard a familiar voice shrilly berating her mates. It seemed he was right, Narcissi was part of a mating group.

  That news made him move faster so he was gone before she had a chance to see him and ask him to interfere. Not that he would or even could prevent the claim those males had from becoming legal. Once out of sight he stopped and took a deep breath to see if he could pick up his mates scent. There it was, sweet and spicy and very faint. His mate would make him earn the right to claim her. It would have been nice if he had seen her so her image would be in his mind but he hadn’t.

  Taking a sip of water, he resealed his bottle putting it up and started out at a steady pace. It matched hers and he started out that way picking up speed slowly as he went. This hunt had started out in the afternoon and the day had been overcast. The heat was still high and desert still dangerous even though they had crews out rousing animals especially predators from the area. After what had happened with Razar’s mate, when they were attacked by a giant desert cat, no one wanted to risk having predators in the hunting area.

  An hour later, Travlr stopped, took a drink, sniffed the air to make sure he was still on her trail, and stretched his neck briefly before picking the pace up some more. He was glad she was heading right across the desert and not hugging the mountains as Lista had. It should minimize the danger and make catching her easier. He was now three hours behind her and dawn was breaking. If she stopped to rest, she would be in his hands in hours. If not, maybe a day or a little longer. No matter what the female did, he intended to have her before the Next dawn.

  His pace was a trot and the ground was rapidly falling past him. He stopped twice an hour for a drink and to stretch. The importance of not pushing himself too much and keeping his muscles stretched wasn’t lost on him. It occurred to him that for a small female, she was making good time. Maybe she was one of the tougher females that Earth had? A strong mate he wanted but he liked a female that could be soft and caring too. Whatever she was like he would deal with it. The goddess wouldn’t match him with the wrong mate. It just didn’t happen.

  Chapter 3

  It’s Hot in the Desert

  Tammie took off at a high speed. She didn’t run all out, that would be foolish. Instead she paced and she stayed alert. It hadn’t been her choice to come here, Earth had passed new laws regarding debt. Her father had died after a long illness and the cost in the hundreds of thousands had been passed on to her as his only child. Paying on it as she could, she’d not really worried too much.

  There was a small estate that would be sold to go toward the bill and an insurance policy. It never occurred to her that a hundred thousand dollars would be left owed and that payment would be demanded immediately. Few people could cover that expense so everything she owned had been seized and she had been sold to the program that provided alien brides. Slavery was alive and well on Earth now.

  Tammie wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. She wasn’t a soldier or a survivalist, she worked construction, mostly carpentry although she was a good all-around worker. Her mom had died when she was young and Dad had raised her like a son. She played sports and went hunting and fishing as a youngster. Delicate, she might look but she was tough as nails. Good thing too under the circumstances.

  Stopping for a drink and to stretch her aching neck, she also pulled out some jerky and bit off a piece. It might not be a bad thing to find a mate, it just depended on who it was. Earth was no longer a place she felt safe. Things were getting funky there, someone was manipulating laws and rules in order to make money. It would be a good bet her fellow citizens had no idea what had happened to her. Tammie had just slipped through the cracks and there was no telling what her few friends, boss, and coworkers had been told about her.

  Wetting a piece of cloth, she wiped off her face. It was time to go now or she would be caught. Setting out at a slightly faster pace, she stayed to the straightest path to her goal. Even if she decided to mate, he would have to prove himself by catching her first. He already had a home field advantage so she would make him expend some energy to catch her. It was the least he could do. It wasn’t long before the streaks of light announced the arrival of dawn. All she needed was the sunlight beating down on her. She heard sounds in the background but none came close.

  There were nonparticipating hunters patrolling the field on the lookout for predatory animals not allowed in the area. Something had happened during the last hunt they wouldn’t allow to happen again. At least no one had died. Tammie had felt like killing the officers that had come after her to escort her to the bridal ship. A few had been nursing wounds, she had always been a bit of a brawler. It was true she fit in better with the men she worked with than with women. Once they got to know her they treated her like one of the guys.

  Speeding along over the sand, Tammie’s mind kept jumping along going over the past as she tried to sort out what the future might bring. They had all been assured that if they were selected for this hunt which was a Mazlan mating game, a mate would be on their trail. That meant someone was following her hoping to bring her to heel. Poor dumb smuck didn’t know she’d be more trouble than she was worth if he caught her. There were mountains to the left and more mountains to the right. She was headed right through the flat sandy middle at the fastest reasonable speed she could go and someone was coming up on her ass as fast as he could. Good times, if you wanted to get caught.

  The decision was still being argued in her head. Maybe she was stubborn or contrary, she just didn’t want everything to turn out for the best when she’d been forced into it. She wanted to return to earth like an avenging angel of destruction and hunt down everyone involved in what had happened and punish them. It was no more than what they deserved and it would save females in the future from being mistreated in this way.

  What the hell was she thinking? It wou
ldn’t happen, she would be caught, mated, and end up barefoot and pregnant. She was tired, maybe that was what was making her so damn depressed. Even though she was in good shape, this was one hell of a march. There was no place to hide unless she traveled to the mountains that were a far ways out of her path. Faster was the only thing that would help her and that might not be enough. The sunlight was currently hitting her right in the eyes.

  The heat was slowly rising and the sweat running down her back was turning into a damn river. Tammie thought one of her toes had developed a blister but it felt like it had popped. There was also a rash on her arm that itched like crazy. The top of one boot had rubbed a raw spot on her ankle and a bug was buzzing her around her nose. With her luck the damn thing would probably bite. Her lips were chapped and soon they would crack. Her eyes felt like sand was in them but she didn’t know if it really was or if they were just tired and dry. This day was starting out on a high note and just getting better. Not!

  It was time to stop for a drink and she dug out the native version of chapstick. It was her own fault that her lips cracked since she’d forgotten she had it and hadn’t worn any. She rubbed some on her ankle too and pulled out a cloth to slide into her boot to cover the raw spot. Things weren’t too shabby now but the blister would just have to heal itself. It was time to hit the road again. Tammie wondered what kind of man, no, they wanted to be called male, was on her tail. Was he strong, smart, and handsome? Would she be glad when he caught her or would she turn and fight wishing she could get away?

  There was almost no sounds around her at all. She had outrun the other females and therefore all the males were behind her except the one or maybe more than one that chased her. The extra hunters looking for predators had probably not expected any of the females to get this far. Now she would have to look for other predators not just the one behind her slowly catching up. If only she could fly. This world would look so beautiful and be safer from the clouds above. It was a dream she had when she was young. To turn into an eagle and soar on the winds that circled her town. Instead she was just an everyday girl with nothing special to make her stand out.

  In a world with two females to every man, if you wanted the white picket fence you had to be more. At least here on this planet she was special. There was still almost nine males to every female. That would change soon, but until then women were treasured here. Sweat collected between her breasts until it rolled down her abs and stained her shirt. Damn it was hot now. Last night hadn’t been half this bad but today was testing her ability to deal with the bright sunshine in her eyes and the heat not only hitting her from above but coming off the ground in waves.

  Tammie stopped and finished the last of her water. If it wasn’t a mirage in the distance, it would be a water stop. Probably the last one she would find but luckily for her she had three bottles to fill. If she kept going like she had been she would be out of the desert in a day. The last day of the trek would see her going through a mountain pass and then downhill all the way to the check in station where she would claim her freedom. If she made it that far, what the hell would she do? No money, the creditors had taken every dime, and no place to live.

  There was no doubt in this world where the population was about to explode that she could find a job. Her problem was what to do until then. She could survive without a roof over her head. The weather wasn’t bad on most of the planet but she had no food, no clothes, and pretty much nothing else. Dangers also existed here in the form of predators she had no hope of fighting off. The water had the most dangerous ones but the desert had big cats and recently they had discovered some kind of wolf bigger than an elephant. Tammie knew if she didn’t find a way to either find a mate she could be happy with or someone to help her settle here, she might not last long.

  A mournful howl rang through the air and visions of giant wolves filled her head. She picked up her speed needing to get out of the wolf’s area. The picture she’d seen during the class they’d been given about the plants and animals on the planet had been of a huge purple beast that resembled a wolf except for its size and its color. The expression on its face had been friendly as it looked at a male the book called its owner. Its mouth had hung open showing off some sharp looking fangs that identified it as a predator. If she met one that was hungry she might not see his friendly side. Her speed increased a little more but she was close to running all out. Tammie wanted to save some energy in case she needed to try to run from a predator.

  Her heart was pounding and her legs felt weak. The truth was she couldn’t keep this up much longer. Any time now she would fall into a heap unable to go on any farther. The mountains were much closer now as the strip of desert between the two mountain ranges had gotten narrower. Maybe she should head that way and hope to find shelter. Even without making the conscious decision, she was heading to the right and the closest mountain. It would be alright because with a little rest, she would be good as new.

  The mountain was close now and she could see an opening that might lead to a cave. She headed straight to it now as fast as she could go. By the time she reached the opening, she was so weak she collapsed in a heap just inside it. There was some kind of light inside and she could make out a huge cavern but the details were hard to see. In a minute she would get up and explore.

  A loud noise woke her up and she realized not only had she fallen asleep but the loud noise had been a snore. Usually she didn’t snore, only when she was ill or extremely worn out. It was obvious she had gotten exhausted and unable to go on. She wished she could say she was all better now, but she ached all over and still felt tired. Pulling off her boots, she examined her feet and saw the first blister was a bloody mess. Other blisters had popped up on her feet too and none of them looked good. There was a pool nearby and she picked up her boots and her pack so she could move to it.

  She stuck her finger in hoping it was safe to soak her feet in. No way to be sure, but when her finger was undamaged she washed her feet off with a rag. Her feet felt better immediately. Maybe that mineral that had the anti-aging effects could also heal? It was being used as a cosmetic when it might possibly be a medical miracle.

  Chapter 4

  Where Did She Go?

  Travlr was gaining on his lovely mate until she sped up. Stopping, he looked around trying to figure out what the hell spooked her. He saw no signs of danger and it was beyond his ability to determine what scared her. All he could do at this point was match her increase in speed. At least she stayed in the center between the mountain ranges where travel was easiest. Travlr could shift and catch her in no time but he was reluctant to do so. One reason was he didn’t want to risk her seeing him in his demon form. The form was called daig by his kind but all others who had ever seen it called it demon.

  He’d read about demons and could see the similarity in looks, but his kind were not evil. None of them that were here on the planet ever harmed anyone purposefully. The old emperor might be seen as evil but Travlr thought he had simply lost his mind. He had outlived his ability to think clearly and when he had lost his mate he had gone crazy. Normally a daig was put down when that occurred but the emperor had too much power and he’d protected himself. Why anyone would want to live just to make others miserable, Travlr didn’t know. If he ever got to that point he hoped someone would end his pain.

  At least the emperor was gone now but it was a shame a whole world was gone with him. When his parents had told them stories of their home world, he had always hoped someday to see it. That would never happen now. He pushed all thoughts out of his mind except the thoughts of his mate. She was making good time for a human and he needed to catch her soon. If she got away, he would have to wait a year before he could participate in the hunt again. For the sake of his younger brothers who because of an old family custom couldn’t mate until he did, his own personal sanity because he was tired of being alone, and his right hand had developed entirely too much strength, he needed to catch her soon.

  The scent was
suddenly fainter, almost as if she had veered from the chosen path. What a tricky female fate had chosen for him. She had left the main path and he would have to backtrack to find her. Either his mate was sneaky or she had no clue what to do. Either of those things would make this an interesting hunt. As long as it ended in success, he would enjoy the chase. Once he backtracked a short ways, he smelled where she’d started to head to the mountains. Nothing had changed as far as he could tell so he wondered why. He would know once he caught his female.

  It wasn’t far before he hit the mountains and as he closed in the path became rougher. At the mouth of a cave he found a spot where his female had stopped and he could see she’d taken off her shoes and he smelled her blood. Upset that she was injured, he was more determined to catch her quickly so he could care for her. Her dedication to out running him made him wonder why she was so opposed to mating him. Most mates came here for a better life hoping to find a good male that would love them with time and that they could have a family with.

  His brother Razar’s mate had also been an exception to that rule. Maybe the males in his family were just always going to get the wild and capable ones. They would have females that would test their abilities, the females that were smarter, stronger, and the most able. Travlr saw the pool and the water she had dripped when she washed with it. He hoped she knew better than to drink from untested pools. Even bathing with the water could be dangerous. Her trail led him into the cave. It was an interesting path that he would enjoy exploring if he wasn’t on a hunt for his mate. There was light coming from rocks and some from the ceiling. It helped him to find the way his mate had come.