If they needed to take her out of the mountain, they would take her to their spacecraft. She wasn’t their prisoner, but she was the prisoner to the planet of Hades.
He folded his wings inward, and they seamlessly melded back into his body. Now, all he had to show of them was the dark ink that marked his back. He moved into the cave and sensed his brothers and their female move up behind. Brawn made his way through the long, winding tunnels that led deeper into the monstrous rock.
The temperature started to decrease, and the farther he descended, the cooler it became. It was still warmer than what Minka was probably used to, but it wouldn’t be uncomfortable for her, and she would grow accustomed to it.
He could hear her breathing heavy behind him, maybe a little unsure of the tight, dark, and sharp confines, but when the tunnel opened up into a bigger cavern, he heard her start to breathe easier. She would need to be hydrated, because even the flight to the cave through the heat would have sucked the moisture from her.
Brawn wasn’t used to the feeling of wanting to protect and care for someone. Yes, he cared for his brothers, but they were just as brutal as he was, and the emotions they shared were nothing like what he felt for Minka.
It was most definitely the breeding need inside him that opened up his feelings like this, but he also knew saving her life created a bond between them. It was something that rarely happened, especially in terms of the savior being the one to feel this deep-rooted connection to the person he rescued, but Brawn was most definitely feeling it.
Rock sconces lined the walls, and the oil that kept them lit was from the Fetta that was deep inside the jagged rocks. It was oil that had an endless supply and came from the energy of the molten lava that flowed beneath them.
He sensed her grow more comfortable, maybe because there was no more darkness surrounding her, but either way, he was grateful her unease was leaving.
“This is where you will live with us, Minka,” Brawn said once they entered the main common room of their mountain home. He had spoken in his native tongue, and although she couldn’t understand him, he needed to rectify it.
They spoke English, but they would need to inject her with a translator chip so she could understand their language. That was what they would be speaking since they lived on Hades, and the sooner they got her accustomed to their way of living, the easier she would acclimate to everything.
“We should hunt for some Kathena meat. It will be better on her stomach until she can transition and is used to the food we have here.” Lukin was the one to speak. “I will also grab some more Monel sticks, because although you two think it is just to get high, having her become at ease will also help, especially when the time comes to breed her.”
They all glanced at Minka, who was looking at the items in the living quarters. Surely everything was so strange to her, but how would she react once they claimed her... at the same time?
“I think we should get her some Monel, or even some Bacca juice,” Thorque said, and his voice was strained. They were all on edge, and until they had her, that edge would grow fiercer and harder until they couldn’t stop themselves from taking her. Brawn didn’t want to do that, because surely she would fear them then.
“This is your home, little human,” Lukin reiterated and moved closer to her. He cupped her cheek with his hand, and the red tint of his brother’s skin against Minka’s light human-colored flesh was a stark contrast. For several seconds, Lukin just stared at her, and Brawn could see the almost dazed expression on her face.
She may be afraid of this situation, but there was no denying she felt the arousal pounding through her too. Lukin moved back, and then he and Thorque left them alone.
Brawn didn’t tell her about the beasts they would hunt, because although they were predators and were the highest in the hierarchy on the planet, there were creatures that would be able to smell her human weakness and take advantage of that. He would need to explain all of that soon enough, because she needed to be prepared, but one thing at a time.
“I must put a translator chip in you, so you can understand the Hades language,” he said evenly and watched her reaction.
She swallowed, looked around the room, and then faced him once more. “Okay,” she replied softly.
Brawn nodded. “How about you sit down and get comfortable. The translator won’t feel like anything but a little pinch, and then we can speak in my native tongue.” He walked up to her and then led her over to the hides that covered the rock benches.