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LENGTH: Long Novella
SENSUALITY: Carnal

Cover art (c) Eliza Black 2007
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The Sha-Shiri have split into three warring factions--those who are determined to cross-breed with humans in search of the ability to shift at will from Sha-Shiri to human; those who will kill to prevent such an 'abomination'; and those determined to protect the purity of their race and preserve the rights of other races.

Victoria has longed her entire life to meet her father's people, the Sha-Shiri. She never expected to find herself captured by them to be used as a breeder. When she is captured and awakens aboard an alien vessel, she is informed that Kash-Koori has been chosen as her designated breeder and her cooperation will be appreciated, though it isn't required.

Like hell she's just going to let them use her as a breeding mare!

Rating: Contains graphic language and explicit sexual content.

HUNTER'S MATE

By

Bernadette Gardner

© copyright by Bernadette Gardner, July 2007

Cover Art by Eliza Black, © copyright July 2007

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Chapter One

“The hybrid female can be found in this area, here....” Captain Sirris pointed to a dense, woodland area on the holographic map that hung suspended above the central navigation console on the bridge of the Katavarri.

On the opposite side of the glowing map, Kash-Koori focused his gaze on the spot and mustered a glimmer of false enthusiasm.

With a flourish of his foreclaw, Sirris continued. “The population in this sector is much lower than the surrounding areas. Our chances of finding the female alone are excellent.”

“And if she’s not alone?” Kash gauged his question carefully, forcing himself to sound casual and curious rather than argumentative. Sirris’s plan was foolhardy and ill-conceived, but Kash had no choice at this time but to go along with it.

The captain’s sapphire blue eyes flashed in irritation, just as Kash had expected. Sirris disliked being questioned. “Minor casualties are expected. Any human males in the vicinity will be rendered inert, by any means necessary. Other females, however, should be captured for future study if possible, though it’s not mandatory at this time. Once we’ve studied the hybrid female’s genome, we can determine if future cross-breeding will be worth pursuing.” Vague disappointment colored Sirris’s sibilant voice. “There are still unknown factors, but I have every confidence in our mission. Don’t look so pensive, Kash. Your future mate will be on board and at your disposal within hours.”

Kash let out a breath to calm his inner turmoil which was intensified by Sirris’s unctuous tone. It took every ounce of his considerable will not to tell the captain just what he thought of this abhorrent mission. “I’m going to check the holding cell again, Captain. I believe our plan will have much greater success if we do all we can to keep our guest comfortable.”

“Of course, Kash. I admire your attention to detail.” Sirris saluted, raising one clawed hand to his chest to cover the brilliant blue jewel that adorned the center of the leather harness he wore.

Kash returned the gesture, touching his own amber jewel, then turned to leave the bridge. With his back to Sirris now, he allowed his features to curve into a ferocious grimace. Soon he would not have to answer to Sirris, and his true mission would begin.

* * * *

“I’m fine, really. You don’t have to cut your trip short, Dad.” Victoria Cambridge balanced the telephone receiver under her left ear while she rummaged in the back of the freezer. Behind the ice cream and frozen waffles she found her objective, a thick, porterhouse steak. She set the meat on the kitchen counter to thaw and dusted ice crystals off her hands while her father, Adam, counseled her long distance from Australia.

“Be sure to call Chief Walters and tell him you’re there so he’ll send a patrol car around now and then. And prime the generator every forty-eight hours just in case there’s a power outage.” Her father’s unusual accent crackled through the line for a moment, then the connection cleared and his voice came through as clearly as if he were standing right next to Victoria. “Just say the word and we’ll be on the next plane home.”

“Dad. Honestly, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m twenty-six years old. I’m perfectly capable of rattling around the farmhouse by myself for a few weeks.”

Victoria was not only capable, but anxious to be alone for a while. The solitude of rural Pennsylvania would do her a world of good after what she’d come to consider her final, miserable winter in New York City.

A disappointing foray into the refrigerator turned up no fresh vegetables or much of anything to go with her dinner. She hadn’t expected much since her parents had left for their long-anticipated trip Down Under a few days ago. Victoria’s mother, Alliana, would have cleaned all the perishable food out of the house in preparation. She would have to settle for canned green beans from the pantry and instant rice as side dishes for her first home cooked meal in a month. She bustled around, collecting ingredients while her father relayed their itinerary, moment by moment.

Victoria raised her eyes ceilingward and said a quiet ‘thank you’ when he finished the exhaustive list of activities and flight schedules he and Alliana had planned. “I’m putting your mother on,” Adam said, his lecture voice softening. “Remember, if you need us, just call.”

“I will. Hi, Mom.”

A thread of worry laced Alliana’s normally cheerful voice when she greeted her daughter. “It’s not like you to come home and lick your wounds, sweetheart. I’m worried about you.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “I’m not licking my wounds, Mom.” She set a kettle on the stove and plucked a tea bag from the ceramic canister on the counter. “I’m just taking some time to regroup before I start my new job.” A job I don’t have yet, Victoria mentally added with a rueful sigh.

Ah well. When one door closes ... her mother was fond of that adage, among others. Every ending is a beginning. Never say never and all that.

“You’ll stay until we get home, won’t you? I want to have a chance to visit with you before you jet off again.”

Victoria hunched her shoulders and dangled the tea bag in an empty mug from the cupboard. “I’ll be here for a while. We’ll have plenty of time to talk, so you two have fun. Please, don’t spend your vacation worrying about me.”

“I don’t like to think of you sitting alone for three weeks.”

“I’ll be fine. Right now I’m going to make myself some dinner, take a walk, and then I’m going to just relax. I brought a ton of books with me from New York and I’m going to enjoy lying in Dad’s hammock on the back porch reading. It’s going to be great.”

After her parents passed the phone back and forth for goodbyes, Victoria hung up and let out a long, exasperated breath. She’d be lucky if the elder Cambridge’s didn’t cut their trip short on her behalf. Wonderful as her parents were, their over protectiveness often ran to the extreme, which was why she’d been deliberately vague about her reasons for coming home. She’d only told them that she’d resigned her position at Beck & Donnelly Advertising over a personnel issue. She hadn’t yet explained exactly how personal a personnel issue it was. Of course, they’d understand and support her decision to leave a job and a lifestyle that made her miserable, but she didn’t want sympathy right now.

Victoria felt like a failure and she wanted time to get over that before her parents returned. After all those years of school and climbing the corporate ladder to earn the assistant vice president position she’d wanted, she’d found out she couldn’t handle it. Being on top hadn’t made her happy, as she had always believed it would. Now she had to decide what would make her happy and why she hadn’t been smart enough to figure it all out sooner.

Admitting this to Adam and Alliana was going to be horrendous and she needed time to build up her resolve of good cheer and stiff-upper-lip or she’d melt into an insecure puddle when faced with their loving understanding. One thing Victoria Cambridge couldn’t stand was appearing weak and ill-prepared, even in front of her parents.

She surveyed the steak which was still frozen solid and decided she wasn’t as hungry as she thought. Maybe after a walk out back, she’d feel like eating. Right now, the gnawing in her gut came from restlessness and the need to put her mistakes behind her rather than lack of food.

She grabbed a light jacket from the mud room and headed out the back kitchen door into the spring twilight.