Page 36 of Hunter’s Harvest

Somewhere a few walls over, Mari giggled.

Then I noticed Var’n’s costume. “You’re a shark!”

He grinned, showing a row of sharp teeth. “I needed to hunt a sea maiden. It was the best option.”

Then we were kissing, and I didn’t even mind the sharp teeth. I moaned into the kiss, my fingers tangling in his wiry hair. His arms were hard and possessive as he held me firmly against him, and I loved it. The thick ridge of his cock pressed against my stomach through the layers of his loincloth and my costume. I whimpered, my body arching into him, as heat pooled between my thighs.

“Eew! They’re doing the kissing!” were the disgustedly squealed words that had us pulling apart. Several kids made puking sounds as they turned the corner.

“I missed you so much,” I blurted out, ignoring the sounds of utter disgust. “I’m so happy to see you.”

“We’ll meet you at the exit,” yelled Mari from a few rows away. “I have to meet your mate after!”

Var’n stiffened around me. Then I remembered that I hadn’t told him my decision yet. He thought I was still unsure about our mating. He looked down at me, and I met his golden gaze.

“I know there are better hunters than I, and you were not looking for a mate. But I will spend the rest of my life proving that you are mine and I am yours. I also know humans do not form mate bonds, but I know you can love. I will not rest until I earn yours.”

“Var’n, I—” The tightness in my chest was so much that I couldn't breathe. I blew out a breath and tried again. “You don’t need to do that. I think I’m in love already. I was so scared I’d never see you again.” I inhaled, and it turned into a sniff. “I made the decision when we found Mari, and I realized that avoiding love was silly. I was going to tell you that I accepted our mate bond when we got back, but I didn’t have the chance. And then you jumped at the enemies and…”

The soft rumbling in his chest exploded, and his hands came to cup my face.

“You think you love me?” He sounded like he wasn’t sure what to believe, and the look on his face backed it up.

“Yes.” Then I shook my head. “Actually no. I don’t think so. I know I love you. I was so scared I’d never see you again. They were armed, and you weren’t.” It was hard to keep my voice from cracking, so I said no more. I just wrapped my arms around him like we had when the mate bond first started.

He snorted like he was offended. “You have too little faith in me. I can handle a few humans.” His voice softened. “Especially when I’m protecting my mate. You are my strength, my mate. This feeling must mean that I love you too.”

He said it like he was in awe of it. Like he’d never felt this way before.

“We are quite a pair,” I said with a sniff.

“We are. A shark and a sea maiden.”

That had me grinning through the happy tears so hard my cheeks hurt.

And just like before, Var’n scooped me up into his arms, and together we made our way out of the maze.

Epilogue: Var’n

One year later…

The dry husks of the cornstalks scraped against my arm as I moved through the maze. They’d changed up the layout from last year, but that wouldn’t slow me down.

I was hunting. But not for the scourge.

I was hunting my mate.

And this time, she was no sea maiden. She was dressed up as a “fair-y.” And I was a “drag-on” which was a giant fire-breathing reptile that had never roamed the planet. I wished I could breathe fire whenever I wished. That would make hunting the scourge so much easier.

Last year, when I'd hunted for her in the maze, our bond had been new, and I hadn’t been sure she wanted me. We’d spent the last year together, her doing her trade missions across the continent and me escorting her and her team as they flitted from settlement to settlement.

Many humans needed the vitamin inside the orange fruits her group of survivors grew, and together we’d explored the continent.

Vince had practiced long and hard and was a surprisingly good pilot. I taught him to fight too in case he needed to protect Mari and Nellie on his own. He was currently on a “date” with a female here in New Franklin.

Hess’n often joined us on our trips too. Just as I’d expected, he’d shown up at New Franklin later in the cold season to look for his female. He hadn’t found her, since Mari was with us down in “floor-a-da.” He finally found her again when we came back for our Christmas run.

I scented the air. My Nellie was close.