A Civilized Mating Read Online Free

Some odd strain of offworlder must have been introduced to Talzec’s line ages ago, because the Ussed barbarians were dark and gold.
    At the thought, he asked, “Why do we not engage offworlders for sex?”
    Talzec blinked, but not put off by Xav’s blunt change in subject, he answered, “Because Mextahn decreed we steer clear of them.”
    “When he ended his disastrous mating. But that was two hundred years ago. And I’m talking about sex, not mating. I think the time has come to revisit the past.”
    Talzec grunted.
    “Of course, you know I’m thinking of Maht and that mess.”
    “Hell. Have you tracked him down yet?”
    Xav nodded. “He’s at the yernax point, outpost four. He’s still got the offworlder with him.” One of the two trackers he’d assigned to keep an eye on Maht had reported back recently. “Apparently they might be truly mated. Zhen said the pair have been copulating for hours without cease. And the female’s most striking.” A little too much enthusiasm in Zhen’s tone, but Xav would address that later.
    “We have to fix this. If Maht’s truly mated to her… We’ll cross that if it comes to bear. But taking an offworlder from the resort could be considered a breach of the treaty. If that’s the case, we have a large mess to handle. The Tribe won’t stand for any clan ruining the East-West Treaty.”
    Normally the feelings of the West didn’t matter much to the Tribe, though their clan had always abided by them. Most other clans didn’t think the West mattered. No one wanted their lush, much-too-vulnerable land. Not when the eastern world held so much promise. But Xav knew Talzec had plans to increase trade with the West, especially with the xechelln pelts seeming to be so much in demand.
    “Want me to handle this?”
    Talzec nodded. “Quietly. The fewer who know of this, the better. Take Zhen back with you. Lore is there as well?”
    “Yes. He and Zhen work well together.” They’d also bonded, a fact Talzec no doubt knew, because he sighed.
    “Fine. You three should be able to escort Maht and his alien female back here. Or should I send a few more men to help you?” The arrogant ass raised a brow.
    “Funny.”
    Talzec grinned.
    “I can handle Maht on my own.” Xav frowned. “Why did you insist on Zhen and Lore helping anyway? I could have tracked Maht down myself.”
    “Because I needed you here more.” Talzec’s smile faded. “The Nasuhl are building for a raid. I can feel it.”
    “We should destroy them.” Xav had been saying that for years, but their old clan leader had wanted peace.
    “We will this time.” Talzec didn’t show any emotion, but Xav knew how he felt about their rival clan…and about their clan leader, Daveen. Daveen—the man who had butchered Nalla, his own sister, for daring to love outside her clan.
    Xav stepped up to Talzec, took his alpha by the shoulder, and squeezed it. “Yes, we will.”
    Talzec seemed to snap himself out of his mood. “Good. Now quit fucking around and fix this problem with Maht.”
    “What if the female doesn’t wish to return with us?”
    “ I will decide if she stays or leaves us.”
    Xav grinned. “Yes, great leader.”
    “You’re still here?”
    Xav shot his leader an insulting hand gesture, to which Talzec replied with a chuckle. Then, in a much better mood than the one he’d arrived with, Xav left to search out Zhen and find their rebellious Maht.
    He could only hope that in bringing the female home, they wouldn’t be ruining relations between themselves and the West. Especially if the offworld female had truly mated one of their own. At the thought, he smiled. 
    Imagine the possibilities…

Chapter Three
    Skye had spent the past two days tromping through the mid-center line of the Tribe boundary into the East. With just her course-finder, her pack, and her unerring sense of direction, she’d drawn closer to the third outpost on Mandy’s list. The first two hadn’t panned out, but perhaps