Chapter 4

4

The thick forest and heavy underbrush gave way to new terrain as they reached the first rise of hills. Vengeance caught glimpses of the sky more often, and the ground was open and easier to traverse. Vengeance upped his pace yet again, despite the fact they were now headed uphill.

Tomorrow's trek would suck harder than a black hole. They'd have to hike up the mountains to reach the far side and the crash site. There was an easier route, but his brothers had taken that one. This way was faster.

The sky was darkening with the first signs of twilight sooner than he wanted. As much as he wished they could press on, they couldn't risk moving at night. It would be too easy to injure themselves in the unfamiliar terrain or cross paths with a predator they hadn't seen before.

They'd have to make camp soon. The thought rankled him despite all the reasons it had to be this way. He wanted to keep going. His mood soured as resentment churned in his soul. He flexed his hands as he ran, extending his claws in time to his stride.

Only the view helped him to stay in control. The sky was full of color, the golden light so thick he thought he might be able to reach up and carve out a piece of it to keep for himself. The forest below stretched out like a river of fire, the yellow and orange foliage adding to the illusion.

In the back of his mind, he started to compose lyrics to describe it all. It was something he'd always done, though he'd never admit it to his brothers. His music was a private thing, a way to find solace in the suffering he'd endured before they'd finally escaped to this beautiful but dangerous planet.

Thoughts of danger made him wonder how the survivors would fare. He hoped they were smart enough to protect themselves until his brothers arrived. As lovely as Hope had been, he had sensed she was far too gentle to survive for long on her own. Would the other females be like her? Probably. He'd never met anyone like that before. The verexi were cruel, distant, and often afraid of their creations. His brothers were loud, proud, and fierce. Bysshe was… Vengeance paused. Bysshe was Bysshe. Firm. Wise. Steadfast.

What kind of person would his female be? If there was one for him. If they weren't too late already. If any female would ever look at him the way Hope had looked at Menace… with adoration and not a hint of fear.

Havoc slowed and then stopped. A second later he pointed to a spot above them. "Tell me that's what I think it is."

Vengeance stopped to look and saw it immediately. Metal gleaming in the light, a symmetrical object too perfect to be natural. "A ship!"

"It's some kind of vessel," Havoc agreed, "but how long has it been there? Bysshe said they only saw three escape pods on the scans, and this isn't anywhere near where the big ship went down."

Vengeance heard the hesitation in his brother's tone. Oh no. Not again. No more plans! "You're too fucking cautious," he growled.

"And you're both too focused on finding females. It's a ship. That means possible supplies and salvage," Risk said.

Havoc barked out a short laugh. "You're hoping it can still fly. Aren't you?"

Risk tugged on one of his horns and shrugged. "Maybe. We should still check it out." Then he turned and pointed at Vengeance.

"But slowly. If females are around, charging in there will scare them. Especially if yours is the first face they see."

Vengeance feigned indignation even though he knew it was a joke. "You calling me ugly?"

Havoc laughed. "Not ugly, my brother. Terrifying."

"That's better." Then he spun on his heel and sprinted toward the ship. They could stay and make plans if they wanted to. He intended to scout out the vessel… and any females that might be on board.

"What happened to slow?" Risk called after him.

He didn't bother answering. The time for talking was over.

For all their talk about taking it slowly, his brothers didn't take long to get into position. They used the same formation when hunting dangerous game. Vengeance took the lead, Havoc covered their flank, and Risk circled around behind. Vengeance drew his largest blade, the well-balanced weight feeling good in his hand. Havoc had a short spear in one hand and a small blade in the other. Who was he trying to impress? It took Vengeance only a second to answer his own question. Females .

It wasn't until the wind shifted that he finally caught the scent the others had already detected. Food . Several meals were involved, each with a unique scent profile. There were proteins he didn't recognize, some familiar seasonings, and a chemical smell that stung his nose. The food might be strange, but that scent told him the meals were prepackaged and made to last a long time. The scrawnies had provided something similar on the journey to their new home. They could be emergency rations or the kind of thing soldiers consumed when out in the field. He'd have to get closer to know which it was.

A minute later, he knew. The evening breeze strengthened, carrying new information to his sensitive nose. There were three of them. At least one was armed with some kind of energy weapon.

There .

He broke into a jog the second he sensed it—a scent he'd only encountered once before when he'd met Hope. All three of the new arrivals carried the same scent markers, probably something to do with the ship they'd all traveled on together. The ship full of human females.

In a matter of seconds he was through the tree line and into a clearing. Two strides forward were all he managed before an energy pulse slammed into the ground nearby.

"That's far enough," a female voice rang out. Steady, clear, and full of authority.

For the first time in his life, Vengeance didn't mind being told what to do. He froze and tried to keep from grinning. They'd found females!

He could see two of them. Both were in the entryway to the ship, one standing with the other lying prone at her feet. The prone one had a blaster trained on Risk, who had just stepped into view. Vengeance ignored her. All his attention was on the female aiming a pulse rifle at him. She had a warrior's confidence and enough skill to know how to use the hull of the ship as partial cover. Admirable. Her short hair was the color of clouds on a summer day, and her eyes were a deep shade of green.

His cock stirred as the wind carried her scent to him, and it told him all he needed to know. She was his .