Bronto's Revenge: 2 (Barbarian Lust)

  Bronto’s Revenge

  Jennifer LaRose

  Barbarian Lust, Book Two

  Momma warned Ivy to stay away from the bloodthirsty Barbarians but only a Barbarian can show her true love. Bronto’s compassion, affection and gentle touch overpower his fierce nature. She places her heart and future in his hands as he introduces her to a life of passion while protecting her from the deadly creatures overrunning her planet.

  Aliens. Mutants. Dinosaurs. What the hell kind of planet has the government sent Bronto to? He tolerates the creatures lurking around every corner but not the alien abduction of Ivy. He’s just begun to introduce her to the ways of lust when she’s taken to be used for their brutal experiments. Bronto never believed he could fall for one of Helixis’ “primitive” humans. But now he can’t imagine life without Ivy. He’s determined to save her and destroy the invasive species before they leave her to rot in their lab.

  Inside Scoop: Some Barbarians live up to the name. Contains brief nongraphic scenes and descriptions of rape.

  A Romantica® sci-fi erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

  Bronto’s Revenge

  Jennifer LaRose

  Chapter One

  “Psst. Chieftain, may I have a word with you?” Bronto muttered in a low voice from outside Vulcan’s hut. Friends or not, he’d never barge unannounced into the Barbarian leader’s home. Especially now, since Vulcan had taken Wisteria as his woman. Falling in love surely altered a man’s life. In a good way of course.

  “What is it?” Vulcan asked, his voice riddled with impatience.

  Under the circumstances Bronto understood his annoyance at the intrusion. They’d returned a little while ago from bringing Wisteria and Ivy back to camp after the women had run away together. Vulcan was either utilizing his authority and spanking her ass or making love to celebrate their reunion. Either-or, it was important Bronto spoke to him briefly minus any prying ears. “Out here please.”

  Minutes later the chieftain opened the door flap and stepped into the torch-lighted yard in his loincloth, where Bronto stood with his hands behind his back, rocking heel to toe.

  “What’s so important that you feel the need to disturb me in the middle of the night?” Vulcan asked, narrowing his lids, seemingly assessing Bronto from a friend’s perspective rather than a leader’s.

  “I took Ivy to the shelter to show her some of our technology.”

  “Don’t tell me there’s been an accident,” Vulcan said with urgency.

  “No.” Ivy was a very inquisitive woman, much like her sister Wisteria. If Ivy hadn’t asked so many questions regarding the guns and ammunition, he would’ve been at Vulcan’s door much earlier. Nah, probably not. Bronto entertained her as long as he possibly could for selfish reasons but not as long as he would’ve liked. What could he say? He’d wanted to keep her nearby. As it stood he had an internal battle beating the shit out of his innards ever since he’d tucked her into bed in Jade’s hut and left. He’d found it difficult to leave the dwelling and walk away. They’d just met a couple days ago but during that short period of time infatuation struck like an incurable disease. He had to admit, when Ivy’s oval, turquoise eyes locked on him, everything and everyone disappeared.

  “Then get to the point. I’m busy.” Vulcan grinned despite his grouchy demeanor.

  “I sent Commander Sumner an email.”

  “And?”

  “I explained that we won’t be returning with the rest of the unit.”

  Vulcan’s brow rose. “We?”

  “You and I.” When Vulcan declared earlier he wouldn’t be leaving Helixis, Bronto knew it’d also be impossible for him to leave. The planet had a way of growing on a man. Plus he could never abandon his best friend of nine years. They’d watched out for each other during prior government missions on and off the battlefield.

  Vulcan placed a hand on Bronto’s shoulder. “Bronto, you don’t need to do that.”

  “There has to be an ending to this madness somewhere. I’m getting too old to shuttle through space. I need stability. A future. A family.” Kids were a big part of his dream. Two or three or four would be a perfect number. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life planet-hopping to destroy any threats against Earth. And you know that’s exactly what the commander has on his agenda.” He’d practically admitted it to Vulcan when he’d said the hostile alien species intended to take over the entire solar system to increase their power before conquering Earth. Who else besides the Special Forces did he have to wipe out the species before that happened? No one. Zilch.

  For years Bronto sought the thrill but at twenty-eight he was too old to play hide-and-seek with aliens. That type of activity just didn’t appeal to him. Maybe having encountered the chameleon species altered his thinking, or maybe the old man in him just wanted to settle down. Or maybe Ivy had something to do with it. Pretty much, the latter summed it up.

  A deer raced by and stopped at the tree line. It turned, facing Vulcan and Bronto. What a brazen animal to stand in the open, becoming a prime target. The horses whinnied at the silent intruder but quieted within minutes.

  “Are you sure you’re not staying here for other reasons?” Vulcan asked.

  “Of course I am,” Bronto replied with a friendly nudge to Vulcan’s chin with his fist. “You need someone to help destroy the aliens and protect the baby dinosaurs.” Dinosaurs? Yeah, that was a story all in itself. He hadn’t seen a dinosaur since…never. Then to witness a real-life T-Rex stomp into their camp… Unbelievable. He had no words.

  Vulcan chuckled. “Reasons beyond those?”

  “Maybe just one.”

  “I understand.” He draped an arm over Bronto’s shoulder and gave him a masculine squeeze. “Those sisters are hard to resist.”

  “So, what’s our next step?”

  “We wait.”

  “Wait? That’s a fabulous idea.” They’d already waited two years for something to happen on this planet. What was another undisclosed amount of time to wait for the species to invade?

  In a matter of seconds the deer dropped to the ground. As it slowly began to vanish, a short green alien manifested in its place.

  “What the hell!” Bronto bellowed. “That didn’t take long.” Not long at all.

  The creature shot into the trees, obviously startled by his voice.

  At least they knew exactly what they were dealing with now. If the species already knew how to shift to conceal their identity, it was only a matter of time before they mastered the dinosaur shift—the aliens’ so-called weapons of mass destruction. According to the commander they needed human DNA to combine with dinosaur chromosomes to master said experiment. Yeah, that would cause a few hairs to stand on the back of Bronto’s neck.

  “It could get interesting,” Vulcan said. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.” That unsettled him somewhat because eventually, hopefully later than sooner, they’d have to act against Vulcan’s wishes and destroy all dinosaurs to prevent the extraction of their genes. And until the unit discovered how to identify the true-blooded aliens from the imposters, they’d have to obliterate all animals as well.

  “If we can’t destroy the aliens in a reasonable amount of time, we’ll get rid of the eggs. Our unit wants to go home,” Vulcan stated. “Let’s beef up security around the camps.” He peered at the mountaintops where they merged with the moonlit sky. “Bring it on, you bastards.”

  “No need to personally invite them. They’re doing a fine job of making their own way.”

  Vulcan turned slowly, assessing the forest border. “We need a man outside each woman’s dwelling in case the species breaks through t
he guards.”

  Bronto nodded. “Agreed.”

  “Come morning, we’ll gather wood and reinforce the huts, starting with the mothers and children. We should’ve jumped on that after the last invasion. Stay here while I increase the security around their camp. Kill anything that moves.”

  “Got it.” Bronto patted the sheathed knife beneath his arm for reassurance as Vulcan lit a hand torch, then trotted across the yard in the direction of the parallel camp where the children resided with their families.

  At least he and Vulcan had insight now. The commander said the species might shift into animals as a way to approach their victims. Until this point the tribe had no proof of his theory. It at least gave them a clue what to look for. Not that it was going to be easy by any means to identify who was who.

  He unsheathed his knife and ambled down the row of huts, stopping outside Jade’s, where Ivy slept inside. He inhaled sharply, imagining her sweet scent.

  “Vulcan?” Wisteria called.

  Bronto spun around just as she stepped from Vulcan’s hut. Before she drew unwanted attention to herself from any abnormal creatures lurking in the trees, he rushed forward. “He’ll be right back,” Bronto replied, lowering his voice to a notch above a whisper as he closed the distance between them to a few feet. “He’s tightening security around the secondary camp.”

  “Is there a problem?” she asked, folding her arms across her tummy.

  “He’s being proactive.” If Bronto wasn’t studying her features he would’ve sworn she was Ivy. They shared many physical attributes and mannerisms. Though she topped Ivy by a couple of inches, standing with her long black hair concealing her breasts and arms crossed at her belly, she projected a striking image of her younger sister. Yeah, he knew why Vulcan had fallen for her because Bronto was falling just as easily for Ivy.

  “I don’t understand,” Wisteria said softly.

  Bronto smiled. Why couldn’t he remember these women weren’t familiar with many words from his vocabulary? “He’s working to prevent any disruptions.”

  “From the aliens?”

  “Yes, unfortunately.”

  Her eyes rounded. “Have they started causing trouble?”

  “Not yet but they’re becoming braver. Vulcan wants to make sure everyone is safely tucked away in case they do.”

  Her gaze lowered to the ground and she chewed the inside corner of her bottom lip. “Wouldn’t it be easier to combine both camps? I mean,” she blinked and glanced into his eyes, “it’s none of my business but I think it makes more sense.”

  “Your customs from the Peaceful Clan are much different than ours. The Barbarians have always separated the combatants from the families. Their daily functions consist of raising children and harvesting crops. In this camp we train to fight. While they produce the food and clothing, it’s our duty to protect them.”

  She nodded as if his explanation pacified her enough to drop the subject. “Don’t worry, Wisteria,” Bronto assured her, rubbing the outside of her arm. “Vulcan is also going to increase security around this camp.”

  “I’m not worried about me but please protect my sister.”

  “I promise I’ll guard her with my life.”

  “And please,” Wisteria pleaded, “don’t break her heart. She knows you’ll be leaving Helixis soon. Don’t give her false hope.”

  “I would never hurt Ivy.” Not in this lifetime. He shook his head and grinned. “I’m not leaving, Wisteria. I’ve decided to stay behind with Vulcan.”

  Her face brightened with a smile. “You have?”

  “Yes. I belong here. Besides, there are so many complicated things happening, I can’t leave knowing the dangers to the people.” Aliens. Mutants. Dinosaurs. What the fuck?

  He watched as another deer emerged from the trees into the clearing. Very slowly it began to approach. Bronto scooted Wisteria behind his back and squeezed the knife in his fist. “Don’t move, Wisteria,” he warned in a low voice.

  “It’s a deer,” she whispered.

  “Vulcan and I just encountered one that had the audacity to shift into an alien right before us.”

  Wisteria lowered the hand holding the knife to his side. “No. Look at its eyes. It’s real.”

  Bronto turned his head sideways but kept his gaze locked on the animal. “How would you know that?”

  “It’s sad.”

  “That’s a great observation but not necessarily the truth, I’m afraid.” Maybe he should believe her. He’d already suspected she had some sort of mystical powers. What if she also had the ability to detect the shifters from the full-blooded animals? If it were true, he’d rather not hinder said ability by his ignorance, but neither was her theory feasible without proof. “Relying on sadness as a differential isn’t being realistic.”

  “Could you repeat that in my terms?” Wisteria asked.

  Bronto smiled. “My apologies. I don’t believe sadness is proof that the deer is really a deer, not an alien shifter.”

  “Deer look sad when they’re scared. Would a shifter act afraid?”

  Good point but he didn’t know. “I’m not sure.”

  “I’ve seen many deer at the golden lake and fed them berries from my hand,” she explained, stepping to Bronto’s side.

  I bet you have. He couldn’t dispute animals were attracted to her for one reason or another. The baby dinosaur or whatever it was, which she’d named Birmon, followed her around like a pet. To further prove the special-ability theory, she swam around the lake on the back of a two-headed snake. Even the Mountain Slayers and Flesh Eaters avoided the area for fear of the serpent. Ivy, her own sister, had no idea how or why she’d captivated the animals.

  Would she also mesmerize the aliens? It could be beneficial but he sure hoped not.

  “They had approached me cautiously, just as this one is doing to us,” Wisteria continued as if to say, “See, I told you.”

  Bronto turned his head and focused on the animal. It hesitantly inched forward, its ears stiff and tail poised upward in alert.

  “It’s a young male,” she said. She took a small step forward. “Those little nubs on his head will grow like tree branches.”

  “Those are his antlers,” Bronto offered in case she didn’t know their proper term. He’d like to believe the animal was harmless based on her theory. It’d make his tribe’s job a lot easier. He’d also like to test it by letting the deer close the distance but he couldn’t jeopardize Wisteria’s safety. If something happened to her he’d never forgive himself. Hell, he wouldn’t have to. Vulcan would kick his ass from one side of the planet to the other. “Please, just stay back,” Bronto said, raising his arm in front of her.

  “He’s not a threat, Bronto.”

  “I’m not taking any chances.”

  “Wisteria, back up,” Vulcan shouted behind them.

  The buck turned and darted into the trees. Bronto spun halfway around, acknowledging Vulcan. Wisteria jumped.

  Shit. Bronto inwardly cringed. “Sorry, Chieftain. I tried holding her back.”

  Vulcan nodded as he handed Bronto a bow and a handful of arrows. “I know.” He pulled Wisteria into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You can’t trust the wildlife right now, sweetheart,” he conveyed. “You know that. You heard the commander’s explanation earlier tonight.”

  “I swear, it was harmless,” she insisted.

  “Possibly,” Vulcan replied. “But for now, we must assume all animals are corrupt.”

  “That is not fair,” she said, stomping her foot.

  “I know, but I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do.”

  “Fine.” She wiggled from his arms. “Good night.” Without a second glance she fled into the hut, disappearing behind the flap.

  Bronto spun around, whistling and rocking heel to toe. “I suspect someone will be sleeping on the floor tonight.”

  Vulcan playfully punched his shoulder. “I sleep on the floor every night.”

  “Alone on the f
loor,” Bronto clarified. “She looks good. It appears she survived your wrath.”

  “What did you think, I’d beat her?”

  “You were mad enough.”

  “I would never hurt her. I’m savoring my frustrations to expel on a certain someone from a weaker gender.”

  “I suppose that would be me.”

  Vulcan laughed and rustled Bronto’s hair. “Go post yourself outside Jade and Ivy’s hut. I’m sure you feel no one else is worthy of the job.”

  Well put, since it was plain and simply an understatement. He trusted the tribal men’s abilities but their testosterone-driven actions—not at all. He was comfortable with Zypher, Trice and Tyran, the other Americans in their unit, but he kept a close eye on the full-blooded Barbarians. One in particular, Grunt, spent most of his time wiping drool off his chin whenever he was in the same vicinity as Ivy. Bronto couldn’t put a stop to that overtly sexual response. Not until he claimed her. In the meantime she was up for grabs. If Bronto had taken her captive she would’ve already been marked as his. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case.

  Bronto shook his head while sauntering along the huts. He knew Pearl and Ruby’s were vacant because both women refused to leave the underground shelters after the T-Rex stormed into camp, wreaking havoc.

  He sat down outside Jade’s hut and leaned against the corner support beam, laying the bow on his lap. It was too weak a weapon to injure an actual dinosaur but Tyran, the unit scientist, suspected an arrow could drop a dinosaur shifter quicker than a blink of an eye. As it would drop a sneaky alien, which they were determined to kill. And hopefully before they achieved shifting into such a humungous subject. Every single person on Helixis was in jeopardy of being captured and drained of their blood for that experimental purpose.

  For a brief moment Bronto closed his eyes and rested his head against the beam. In the distance an array of groaning sounds echoed from the foothills. He sat up and gazed toward the mountains. The noises didn’t appear human, nor had he heard such reverberations before. They weren’t sounds of distress but hums of contentment. The horses didn’t seem to mind. Other than an occasional stomp of a hoof, they hadn’t made a peep.