Page 58 of Lost Treasure
Ven smiled.“When they are grown, we can get them a male partner or two.”
Hara gasped.“The rescue.”
“Correct. Theyhave two males who are a year and two years older than theseladies.” She smiled. “They will have a stable population back herein two decades.”
Kekoa smiled.“It’s good. It’s nice to have other predators on the island. Wewill do a photo shoot with them and put them in our tourismcampaigns.”
Hara looked athim. “What will the price be for stealing or poaching them?”
“Two millionfor being caught with any trace of them.”
Ven nodded.“Good. They are chipped and trackable. If they leave this island,we go on the hunt.”
Narro nodded.“I will find them. Hunting is what I do. Well, that anddancing.”
Hara couldthink of something else that he did well, but Syar gave her aknowing look.
One of thelittle beasties in question tumbled out of the house and stumbledup to Hara. The tiny squeak made her smile, and she picked thelittle one up, filling both arms. It was a teen, but the feet werehuge, and the teeth were going to be very dangerous when the jawsfinished matching.
“Aw, Precious,you are going to be huge, baby.” She rocked the kitten from side toside slowly.
Ven chuckled.“The instinct is weird, huh?”
Hara paused andthen rocked the huge kitten again. “Some things can’t be subdued.Isn’t that right, Precious?”
The kittenheadbutted her, and her sister wandered out with a large somethingin her mouth. “What do you have there, Princess?”
The item wasdropped at Hara’s feet. It was one of the fowl. “Oh.”
Princessheadbutted her and let out a plaintive meow.
Ven chuckled.“Do you need to learn how to gut a bird?”
“Yeah. Thatwould be great.”
“Put down yourbuddy, and come with me. The kitchen is going to hate this.”
Preciousprotested as she was set down, and Ven led the way to show her howto treat one of the royal fowl. Hara had smelled feet atcompetitions that were worse than the scent of a fresh kill, so shegot going, and Hara showed her how to prepare it in the easiestway. Frying. Roasting was also explained, but having the fowldredged in seasoned flour made it more fun somehow.
They finished,and Hara eyed the platter.
The housekeeperwas looking at Hara warily. Hara had been using her gold hand tomove the fowl around in the pan.
“Anyway, thewhole bird tastes like drumsticks. You will get used to it quickly,and if the kitchen stops cringing in the corner, they can prepareit with appropriate gloves during prep. I mean, they might not beable to manage it. They can barely make enough food for two, letalone three. If they ever skimp on your meals once you arepregnant, come to us. Our housekeeper knows how to treat those wholive under our roof.” Ven looked around and sneered at the staff,who kept their gazes down.
Narro wasleaning in the doorway and smiled. “I will make sure that you areattended to, Hara. That is what alphas are good for.”
Hara carriedher platter past him and went up on her toes. He came down for akiss. “That and other things, Narro.”
He chuckled andwaited until Ven was headed toward her mates before he said, “Iwill be right back.”
Hara sat down,washed her hands in one of the wide bowls, and dried her hands on atowel. She started eating and groaned happily. It was the firstsolid food she had had in a few days. Breakfast didn’t count, andneither did snacks.
She torethrough the bird in under five minutes. The cats came up behind herand purred.
Ven laughed.“Well, this is synching your system to one of your pack. No ideawhich one. For me, it was Reynaldo, but the next time was Syar. Thenext time, it was me, but I did that on my own.” She chuckled.“Thankfully, no babies on that one. Was a lot of fun, though.”
Hara chuckled.“To be frank, I am looking forward to having sex without an agenda.No marks, no fixing mistakes, and no re-dos. I haven’t tried sexjust for fun yet.”