Page 22 of Tomlin

The knowledge that they were bound by blood as well as affection would have soothed that part of him that was so hungry for a connection. The part of him he’d forced himself to bury.

His thoughts continued to circle and he finally decided to leave the rolling land of the foothills and head into the mountains hoping that the more demanding terrain would help quiet his mind.

He was halfway up a steep incline when an unfamiliar scent caught his attention. An unfamiliarmalescent. His Krythian side immediately bristled, disliking the idea of a strange male so close to his female, but he forced it under control. He’d traveled a good distance from her lab.

But even if she were in no danger, these mountains were primarily unpopulated. What was someone doing out here?

He slowed his pace, testing the air as he finished climbing. When he reached the summit, he followed his senses to a wooded area at the base of another slope. The stranger was seated on a boulder at the foot of a rocky outcropping. He was sitting quietly and blended in with the background so well that Tomlin suspected he wouldn’t have noticed him if he hadn’t already scented his presence.

He was several years older than Tomlin and he most definitely was not human. A thick mane of hair surrounded a face with apronounced nose and jaw. His eyes were green with horizontal pupils and when he spoke, Tomlin saw the white flash of fangs.

“Good morning,” the stranger said calmly in a deep, pleasant voice. “I would ask if you were lost, but you do not appear to be the kind of male who gets lost.”

“Indeed,” he agreed, attempting to match the other male’s composure. Although he tried to wrap himself in his usual cool persona, he had a feeling he was not entirely successful. “Is this your territory?”

“To an extent. No one actually owns the land, but we have a claim on it.”

The words triggered a memory, and he suddenly recognized who he was speaking with - a Vultor.

The Vultori were not native to Cresca, but like the humans, they had established colonies here. Most humans disliked and distrusted them.

They had a reputation as vicious predators, but since the same could be said about his people, - with perhaps more justification, he thought bitterly - he was not unduly alarmed. He was, however, concerned that Vultori territory should be so close to Etta’s lab.

“How far does your territory extend?” he asked as politely as possible, but the other male gave him a far too discerning look.

“To the Wainwright Ranch to the west. To the sea in the east. And to the base of the mountains, both north and south. No further,” he added, the emphasis unmistakable.

“I see. Then I apologize for intruding on your territory.”

The other male shrugged.

“As I said, no one owns the land, no matter what some members of my pack would prefer to believe.”

The weariness in his voice was unmistakable, and Tomlin nodded. However, he was also still concerned about any possible threat to his female.

“My name is Tomlin. May I join you?”

“Please.” The male gestured at one of the other boulders. “I am Seren.”

“Do you live near here?”

He tried to keep the question polite and conversational, but Seren shot him another one of those discerning looks.

“Is that important?”

He forced himself to shrug.

“I simply noticed that you weren’t carrying a pack.”

“If only that were true.” He appeared to be talking to himself more than Tomlin and didn’t wait for a response. “But to answer your question, no, I don’t live near here. Our village is further south. Village is such a human term,” he added thoughtfully. “My pack comes and goes as they please, although there is comfort in community. Don’t you agree?”

“I do.” He had spent a good deal of his life searching for that community, for a place where he belonged.

“And where do you live, since you are also not carrying a pack?” When he hesitated, Seren smiled. “You do not need tobe concerned about revealing the presence of the human female. We are already aware of her residence.”

“Why?” Even he could hear the growl underlying his words. “She is of no concern to you.”

“I did not imply that she was. I was only confirming that we were aware of her presence - as we are aware of most human activity close to our territory. It is for our protection.”

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