Kept: An Erotic Anthology (39 page)

“What now?” she demanded.

“Look,” he whispered.

“I don’t see anything.”

“What is that hideous thing? Is it deadly?”

Cali gazed to where he his dumbstruck look was settled. She sighed. “It’s a frog.”

When she looked behind her, her nose inches from his, and gazed into his face all she could do was shake her head. Altair was six-two and at least two hundred and twenty pounds. Somehow she had become his babysitter.

This creep is supposed to take care of me for the next millennium? I don’t think so.

“You do realize if you try and drag me back to your planet, everyone is going to get an earful of the great and powerful scientist.”

Altair looked appalled. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me,” she drawled.

“I will be happy to see the last of you.”

“That makes two of us.”

Cali disengaged Altair from her and stood up; she went further upstream and helped herself to the freshest water she had ever tasted. It appeared Altair wasn’t ready to see the last of her just yet, he trailed closely, ever watchful. Cali took stock of what they had and what they needed as she made her way back to the cave. They had shelter and knew where to find water. Two major problems solved. They did need food. Cali could easily start another fire. She wondered if she should start a fire and leave Altair the mouse to tend it while she, the lioness, went hunting. The idea made her chuckle.

“I’ll start a fire and we can gather some kindling to keep it going while I hunt,” Cali said.

“You’re leaving me alone? Out here? By myself?”

“That was the general idea,” she said.
If he starts crying I’ll whack him
. “I can’t hunt with you trying to crawl all over me.”

“I’ll stay out of your way, I promise.”

Altair continued to plead his case as Cali restarted the fire and left the cave to gather wood. She piled Altair’s arms full, then gathered more until she was loaded down. Altair dropped everything and screamed. Cali heard a startled scream in reply. It would have been comical, she supposed. Altair was cowering behind her while a female Neanderthal cowered behind her male.

The two short stocky humanoids were beautiful in a way. Each had dark black hair and deep dark eyes. The male was holding a spear; the female had dropped a basket. The male’s hips were covered in a fur pelt as was the female; her breasts were bare. They looked so young and yet so wise. Cali was certain she gazed into her past.

“Altair,” she whispered. “Is this Earth?”

“No,” he whispered back.

A woodpecker was making a racket behind them for food, pounding on a tree. Until Cali determined the noise was actually Altair’s knees knocking. The male holding the spear shook it at Cali. Cali determined to show no fear, neither would she humble herself. She nodded at the male and demanded Altair pick up the wood he had dropped. While Altair was kept busy, the young male Neanderthal ordered his female to retrieve her basket. Altair fumbled with each piece of wood until Cali herded him along back into the cave.

Once inside Cali dumped her burden onto the ground while Altair dropped his directly on the fire insisting they build it up to keep any weird creatures away. Cali sat for a second ignoring Altair.

“This planet must just be starting,” she mused. “Thousands of years prehistoric to Earth. The Neanderthal must be thirty-five thousand years old, if not older. If I stay, that would make me the next beginning to the era. This is amazing, it’s impossible. Cro-Magnon. Would that make my children Cro-Magnon? Wait, when did children get involved?”

“Well don’t look so surprised,” Altair said. “Earth was young once. A good place to study at one time, before you all turned into lunatics.”

“Said the man afraid of frogs,” she replied. “And I thought you knew nothing of Earth.”

“Universe hunters know nothing of Earth; I’m a scientist. You know those humanoids are too curious to stay away from us. They will be back and there will be more.”

Cali knew that. She wondered if they would try and communicate with her and Altair or kill them. The male was smaller than her but like Deimos he was solidly built. The male could probably throw her as far as his spear. Thinking of Deimos hurt too much to ponder. He and Blazar had abandoned her. It was best to think about her own needs. They still had to find food. Altair would never let her leave without him; he would no doubt follow her regardless. For a second, only a second, she felt a little sorry for him. Altair looked as bewildered and as lost as Cali had been when he had taken her. Then she reminded herself it was Altair’s fault she was in this mess.

“Come on,” Cali said. She rose to her feet and with determination strode from the cave.

Their surroundings were that much more impressive to Cali. Foliage was in abundance. Trails they followed she determined were animal made in some parts. She had no weapons and snapped off a few long sticks thinking she might remember how
to make a bow and arrows, spears—thicker branches would make clubs. If she were to make this home, she would need to be prepared. She would need skins for clothes, bedding. Her mind was racing with ideas.

Each item was handed over into Altair’s care. Cali needed her hands free. A sharp squawk had her looking skyward. A large bird stared at them from a huge nest.

“Give me the club,” Cali whispered to Altair.

“What club?” he whispered back.

Cali turned to look at him, his arms were empty. “Where the hell is all that stuff I gave you,” she demanded.

“I was supposed to keep it?”

“Damn you, Altair. You’re useless.”

“It was a bunch of sticks.”

“For a scientist you have to be the most stupid person I’ve met.”

“Are all humans as disagreeable as you?”

Growling, Cali glanced around wondering if the bird would take flight. If it was defending a nest of eggs it might stay and fight. Thoughts of roasting that plump chicken-like bird made her saliva flow. The bird squawked again and ruffled its feathers. Cali grabbed a large stick off the ground and began to scale the tree.

“C’mere little drumstick,” she crooned. “Come to mama, dinner. It wouldn’t be lunch without you, tasty morsel.”

“Must you do that,” Altair grouched. “The noises in my guts seem to be increasing.”

The bird cocked its head sideways when Cali got close enough. She grinned and raised her stick. Using all of her strength she struck down towards the birds head. Last moment, the bird caught the stick in its beak and dragged Cali closer. The eyes on the bird turned a soulless black. Cali gasped and Altair screamed.

“The Gars.” Altair turned and fled.

Cali dropped the stick and leapt to the ground. The bird made a horrible noise and as Cali staggered to her feet a tremendous commotion came through the foliage at her. It was the massive bird from the river. The nesting bird flew gracefully towards the larger bird and settled into a wing. Cali noted what she hadn’t before. The bird wasn’t one giant fowl, it was at least a hundred smaller birds creating one.

Spinning on her heels, Cali took off. “Holy Kentucky fucking fried,” she yelled.

The bird was gaining on her. A beak snapped at her ass and she yelped. The loud clomping of its three-toed claws made the earth beneath her feet shudder. Cali fell. The bird was on her, a huge foot pinned her chest. The large beak stabbed at her face, missing her by inches. Cali thrashed and screamed. A spear landed on the side of the bird and one dropped to the ground to squeal in agony.

To Cali’s left stood six Neanderthal men and six more to her right until they surrounded the beast. Spears were thrown from all angles but managed to hit only one bird at a time. Using its large claw the bird-beast pinned Cali harder, pressing her into the dirt until she couldn’t breathe. Using its beak it grabbed one of the men by his arm and threw him, arms flailing wildly, into a bush. The man howled in pain. Cali was slowly slipping into unconsciousness from lack of oxygen. The Neanderthals must have been hunting this creature. They would lose and civilization on this planet in its infancy would cease. Cali felt her heart would break at her conclusion.

Out of nowhere came a bundle of fury. Cali saw Deimos in his human form attack the bird. If he were in his light form he would have been forced to burn Cali with her close proximity. Another thought hit her, Deimos was wearing clothes. Even half unconscious, she couldn’t help admire her hero’s ass in black jeans. The look on his face would have scared a rabid grizzly.

Feathers were flying everywhere. For the life of her, Cali thought she was in some crazy pillow fight. The Gars had no choice but to release her. Cali rolled away and found herself in Blazar’s embrace.

“Do something,” she yelled. The air and ground were a mass of feathers and ripped wings. Bird heads were tossed like snowballs. Innards were now outwards.

“Why?” Blazar asked, he was smiling.

The birds which made up the long gangly legs were ripped apart. The creature’s chest exploded as it hit the ground, smaller birds were now everywhere. The Neanderthals joined the fray, dispatching single entities. Deimos had one bird left. Cali gagged as he took both hands and ripped open the creature’s chest. Deimos was covered in blood when he turned to look at Cali. His eyes were blazing when he next settled his vicious stare onto Altair who had stepped out from behind the tree he was hiding behind.

“This is how you take care of her?” Deimos’s words were a snarling growl. Altair’s gums were flapping but it was apparent he was too scared to speak. When Deimos took a threatening step towards the scientist you could hear the man whimper.

“Stay calm, Deimos,” Blazar said.

Fists balled Deimos looked as though he could slaughter anything that moved. Cali thought it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop but with all the tension hanging in the air she doubted anything could move. Deimos cast a glance around noting the terrified looks in his direction. The others who had come to Cali’s defense tried to appear unconcerned, they were no doubt after all powerful warriors of their tribe. Deimos took a calming breath and unclenched his fists. It was as though they all took a collective sigh.

One of the tribe’s men grunted and nodded to his fellow hunters. The Neanderthal-looking people began gathering the dead birds. Cali’s tummy rumbled thinking they had a good idea. Cali searched for the gutted bird Deimos had ripped apart—its innards lay on the forest floor, then snapped it up off the ground and headed back to her cave. Deimos raced to her side.

“Cali, we never should have let Altair take you. Our society puts our scientists first because they keep our people alive. I was deemed a hunter at creation. As was Blazar. I have always trusted my instincts, except when it came to you. After you were gone, and I took my light form, I felt so lost without you. I learned the true meaning of feeling desolate. As did Blazar.”

Cali didn’t want to listen but had no choice. Deimos, Blazar and Altair followed her into her cave. Ignoring him as best as she could, she began plucking the dead bird. She concentrated hard on not vomiting as the feathers landed on the ground. She wasn’t certain if it was fowl or Gars she would be eating, but at this point didn’t care.

“What are we doing following this human? We need to get off this planet,” Altair said, finally finding his voice. “I must regenerate. You must take me home. This human form is unpleasant.”

“Shut up,” Deimos bellowed. The scientist went pale and pressed his lips together.

“Just go,” Cali said to Deimos.

“We won’t leave you here.”

Cali could see Deimos and Blazar were in earnest. “You forget I’m dead on Earth. I won’t, can’t, go to your planet. I’ll die there.”

“You are needed on our planet as universe hunters,” Altair said, his words somewhat subdued. “I realize how arrogant I am. But Deimos is right about one thing, scientists are important to our species’ survival. So too are our hunters to keep the balance of the cosmos in-line. Deimos I can see what you are thinking, you wish to stay with the human—with Cali. Your own people need you.”

“My people use me to hunt.” There was anger in Deimos’s tone. “I live to hunt. Now I have found something else I’d live for.”

Altair sighed. “Give me your ship. I will return to the council and discuss your predicament. But you must give me something to barter with.”

“Tell them to give us a ship,” Blazar said. “Tell them we will hunt, but only when necessary.”

“If you stay, you will alter the lives on this planet,” Altair said. “I’ll go and give them your terms but the choice is the council’s.”

“The choice is ours,” Deimos said.

Altair looked none too happy with Deimos’ obvious threat. Deimos stood with his eyes blazing yellow in their intensity. Cali wondered what was up. There was more to what was going on, she was positive.

Chapter 5

Deimos paced the confines of the cave. He looked like a restless tiger.

“Everything will be fine,” Blazar said.

“I can’t go back to our planet,” Deimos said.

Blazar placed a hand onto Deimos’s shoulder. “Then I will never go back. No matter what the council says it’s out of their hands.”