Free Catching Alicka by Dakota Dawn Page B

she tasted from going through his mind. Catching Tor’s knowing look, he quickly got back to the task at hand. “Promise me you’ll stay here where it’s safe.”
    “Because I’ve never seen one up close, I’ll stay here and be lookout. Do you guys have a quiet way of talking to each other when you’re on the ground?”
    “We just use our wrist-comms set on vibrate. Since the room is almost soundproof, all your comm needs is for the tone to be lowered.”
    Slanon had given her the comm device two months ago when she’d started working with him so she knew it well. Pushing a few buttons, she quickly lowered the alert tone. He was proud of his mate for catching on to everything so fast. She was a joy to work with and it looked like she was going to be a good hunting partner as well.
    A frown wrinkled her brow. “The pictures showed gorrcans to be all kinds of colors. Why is that?”
    “They are chameleons. The only time they aren’t is when they are producing the chemical, yoryal, which makes them taste so good and changes their fur into a silvery color.”
    “What do you do with the fur?” she asked as her gaze darted around the woods.
    “We remove it and put it in a processer that cleanses, cures, and softens it. Once it’s ready, we either use it to make many things or we sell it at the market,” Xander answered, never stopping his gaze from scanning the woods around them.
    “I see one,” Tor called out in a hushed tone.
    Alicka tugged on Slanon’s arm. “You never told me how well they see, hear, and smell.”
    “They don’t see very well, but they have an excellent sense of smell. Their hearing is medium.” He moved to the only cabinet in the space and pulled out a can.
    In quick movements, he sprayed himself and then handed the can to Xander. As each brother covered their scent, the other two watched their prey and looked for more.
    Alicka gasped when she finally spotted the gorrcans Tor had pointed out. The thing was eating an animal it had obviously just killed. “What’s it eating?”
    The animal the gorrcans was feasting on was so mutilated and half-gone that Slanon could see how she’d be wondering about its prey. “That’s a newhain. They are abundant in this area. Newhains are similar to deer on Earth. Only the meat is too tough for us to eat. Their fur is yellow and orange. Some of our visitors love newhain and will hire a guide to take them out to hunt them.”
    “Let’s go while he’s busy.” Tor headed for the door and Xander followed.
    Slanon turned to Alicka and quickly bent to kiss her. Once she was thoroughly kissed, he pulled back. “Stay here, sweetling. I’m the only one allowed to eat you.”
    Her eyes widened before a sexy grin curled her full lips. “I confess I appreciate your method. Now go, before your brothers leave without you. Be careful.”
    “I will, sweetling. Give me a call if you see one we aren’t already visibly after.”
    “What if one comes up the stairs and tries to get in here?”
    “They won’t, because the metal we use on all of our stairways shocks them. We’ll be back soon.” As he went to meet his brothers, they gave him the signal to circle right.
     
    * * * *
     
    Alicka watched Slanon go right while Tor and Xander went left. At one point, Xander and Slanon stopped and Tor went on a bit further and then stopped as well. The brothers had formed a triangle around the feasting gorrcans. Blood was running down the beast’s mouth and hairy chin as it devoured its catch. She couldn’t stop staring at the blood-coated claws on the massive animal.
    Fear for her new family slithered up her spine and circled her neck. The pressure choked her. This is not their first hunting trip, she repeatedly reminded herself to calm her nerves. Getting herself together, Alicka started scanning the woods around all three men.
    A silent scream caught in her throat when she saw one sneaking up on Xander. With shaky hands, she pushed Slanon’s button on her