Hunting by moonlight, p.1
Hunting by Moonlight,
p.1
Also by Leona Windwalker
Mates of the Mylos
Braevan
Ramjin Alien Warrior Mates
Claimed
The Ilyirzi Scions
Hunting by Moonlight
Standalone
The Bastille Sphere
For Mama, who first introduced me to mysteries with a copy of Evil Under the Sun and vampires with old reruns of the original Dark Shadows. I will always remember for the both of us.
HUNTING BY MOONLIGHT
LEONA WINDWALKER
Copyright © 2021 by Leona Windwalker
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Editing by Buckley’s Books.
CONTENTS
1. Kelly Townsend
2. Pilar of House R’jil’yae’k
3. Kelly
4. Pilar
5. Kelly
6. Pilar
7. Kelly
8. Pilar
9. Kelly
10. Pilar
11. Kelly
12. Pilar
13. Kelly
14. Pilar
15. Kelly
16. Pilar
17. Kelly
18. Pilar
19. Kelly
20. Pilar
21. Kelly
22. Pilar
23. Kelly
24. Pilar
25. Kelly
26. Pilar
27. Kelly
28. Pilar
29. Kelly
30. Pilar
31. Kelly
32. Pilar
33. Kelly
34. Pilar
35. Kelly
36. Pilar
37. Kelly
38. Pilar
39. Kelly
40. Pilar
41. Kelly
42. Pilar
43. Kelly
44. Pilar
45. Kelly
46. Pilar
47. Kelly
48. Pilar
49. Kelly
50. Pilar
51. Kelly
52. Pilar
53. Kelly
More Sci Fi Romance from Leona Windwalker
1
KELLY TOWNSEND
Richard sighed as he hung up on the caller. From the sound my deputy made, I knew it wasn’t yet another call from old Macklin complaining about the kids making a racket by running a stick along his fence slats again this morning on their way to school. No, it was more of an unspoken ‘fucking hell’ sound of resignation.
“We’ve caught another one,” he said, already reaching for the kit bag.
I swore under my breath. “And they’re sure it’s an omega?” I hated the vaguely hopeful edge to my tone, but damn it, if I had to deal with a dead body, I was hoping it wasn’t another omega.
“Yup,” Richard replied. “The earring is plainly visible. Thankfully, they haven’t touched the victim and I asked them not to so the evidence is kept preserved.”
I pulled my duster on then, jamming my hat on my head, I asked: “They know who it is?”
Richard shook his head. “The vic is face down and naked as a jaybird, just like the other two.”
Fuck! I’d hoped that the first one was a one-off and the second a copycat. It was bad enough having two murder victims, but a potential serial murderer? Yeah, no one wanted that kind of trouble.
“We’re going to need to ask the Council for support,” I replied heavily, going out the door first. My mount, Winnie, nickered at me softly from where he was tied up just outside, ready to go at a moment’s notice. Richard’s mount studiously ignored him as always, even after he untied him. Kilroy instead lowered his head down to the rough grass and began eating.
I smirked as I got onto Winnie’s back, wondering if Kilroy was going to do that thing again where he sat down as Richard tried to get onto his back. Kilroy could be unpredictable like that and I’d lost count of the number of times I suggested he get another beast for work and keep Kilroy for personal use; all to no avail. Both rider and beast were stubborn as hell.
“Where we headed?” I asked, mildly disappointed to not be treated to Richard getting dumped on his ass once more. It was funny as shit, no matter how many times I saw it, and today, it sure looked like I could use all the levity I could get.
“Down by Riker’s Creek. Face down on the bank, head down in the water, right by the landing site marker. That’s what the caretaker said, anyways.”
I winced. “Seriously? At the park where school kids and visitors to the area all go to see where humans first landed on this rock? Well, somebody sure wanted to make sure this poor guy was found quick sharp.” I turned Winnie about to head in the right direction, knowing we’d have about a twenty-five minute ride to get there.
“Yup. Guess they didn’t like how long it took for folks to find the other two,” Richard agreed.
I grunted in reply. The first body had started to bloat already when it was found at the town dump. The second victim had likely actually been the first as it was partially ossified by the time local hunters found the poor sod inside a hunting hide. The door had been ajar already when they went to take shelter from a storm, only to make the grisly discovery of the partially gnawed on and dismembered corpse as animals had gotten inside.
We’d only known it was an omega thanks to the earring, a tradition we’d adopted from the native inhabitants of this planet. The Ilyirzi gifted their omegas with an ornate earring upon presentation, which they wore ever after. The higher the social status the omega was, the more ornate the earring. Upon mating, they gifted the omega with a matching circlet to wear upon their head and once the first child was born, a coordinating necklace.
Once the human children born here all turned out to have mutated in utero to conform to the alpha and omega genome prevalent on this world, and we had no means to research why it was happening or to correct it, we simply adapted and that included taking on the custom of the omega jewelry. It had become the industry, along with wedding bands and such.
Both of our earlier victims had worn quite simple earrings and neither had on a circlet or a necklace. They had also not had any clothes or other personal items nearby and, oddest of all, no one local had reported a missing omega, nor had anyone from any other human settlements we’d contacted. Now, there were some pioneering types who liked to live out in the wilds and only occasionally came into a settlement when in need of something they couldn’t make themselves; but surely if such a family had an omega go missing, they’d have alerted someone.
It was odd that not one, but two people within our limited population went missing, turned up dead, and no one knew who they were or seemed to be concerned about their whereabouts. Richard and I were puzzled as hell. Who were the victims, where had they come from, and why had someone wanted them dead?
Richard and I rode along discussing the few facts we had about the deaths so far, falling into silence only as we came up on the sign indicating the turn off into Marner Township where the park was. Marner had grown up around the landing site and while they had a deputy, I was the sheriff for the entire region. Which wasn’t as grand as it sounded, being that there was our smaller town, Freedom Rings, and about five or six other townships of equal size to ours scattered within the size of what I’m told was the size of some place called Texas back on the old home world. Plus about a dozen or so itty bitty two-beast places, plus any of the pioneering sort of family settlements deep in the lorgash pine woods.
So, yeah, I was pretty well much it, along with a bunch of deputies and the occasional local constable. Why me? Because during my schooling, I’d shown the most aptitude and the Council selected me when the old sheriff fell off his beast one night after a few too many at the tavern, and broke his fool neck, that’s why. Didn’t matter where I lived, just that I’d had the scores and hadn’t committed any major fuck ups. Though if I had a serial killer living right under my nose, it might be time to reassess that bit.
News had traveled fast as it always does when there is something going on and folks were out and about, standing around talking in groups and openly staring at me and Richard. I ignored them, urging Winnie to pick up the pace so we could get to the park before someone accosted us, hoping for a tidbit to sell to the local papers. Winnie obliged and Kilroy kept up, albeit with a bit more jostle than was strictly necessary. That beast really did like giving Richard hell. He didn’t hate Richard, he just was ornery as all get out.
We came to a stop several minutes later as we reached the entrance to the park and saw the local head deputy waiting for us.
“Sheriff,” he greeted me, inclining his head. “Good to see y’all.”
“I wish I could say the same,” I replied evenly. “But circumstances being what they are…”
“Yeah, murder isn’t a great social occasion,” the man agreed.
“Ya think?” Richard muttered under his breath.
I could tell that the other deputy had heard him by the way he suddenly flushed. “Anyways,” he said, “body’s this way, just yonder.” He pointed down the path behind him.
“I reckoned,” I replied drily, making a mental note to check this guy’s performance scores. There might need to be a bit of a shake up in this department, even if it was just requesting
Richard and I dismounted, leading our beasts to a nearby tree where we tied them. Richard opened his pack and took out the foot coverings and what not we needed to begin the forensic examination.
“How many have been down there?” I asked the other deputy. I really should have known his name, but I really was shit with them. I made a second mental note to send out a bulletin requiring name tags. It wouldn’t only benefit me, but folks would more easily be able to identify which officer they’d spoken to.
“Nobody,” came the surprising answer. “Jensen, who found the body, stopped as soon as he noticed it and I moved along the bank trying to see as much as possible without contaminating the scene. I stopped once I saw the glint of the earring and realized what it might mean.”
Okay, so this guy wasn’t as clueless as he first appeared. Good to know.
“That’s great, Hank,” Richard said. “The sheriff and I will take it from here, so if you can just keep everyone else away, that’d be awesome. Only let the coroner on down.”
“He’s on his way. He had a call out to the McDougal farm early this morning. The old man there had a heart attack or something and the doc called him out because he saw evidence of a still.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Lord help me, I did not need to have to deal with the deaths and permanent disabilities caused by someone peddling badly made moonshine on top of everything else!
“Oh boy,” Richard said, going down the embankment. “Kelly, you’re not going to like this.”
I hurried down to join him, finding him kneeling next to our victim, having lifted and turned the head gently so that he was looking them in the face.
“Oh, shit.”
“You know who it is?” Hank called down at us.
“Yep,” I called back up. “It’s Councilman Roe’s youngest.”
Hank gave a low whistle. “Shoot, that’s gonna kick up a huge fuss.”
It sure was, as if having a possible serial killer wasn’t horrific enough.
2
PILAR OF HOUSE R’JIL’YAE’K
My sword clanged against Miljack’s, making me smile. I’d nearly had him then.
“Call it a draw?” he asked me.
We had been sparring long enough for us to both be drenched in sweat, the other Hunters who practiced in the ring having long since finished. As always, we were the last, so evenly matched in swordsmanship that it was rare for one of us to be able to disarm the other.
“Fine, if you’ll buy the beer tonight,” I offered.
Miljack grimaced. “Okay, deal,” he replied grudgingly. My twin never did like conceding. “I’ll buy the beer if you fetch our clothes from the laundry.”
I laughed, knowing full well why he didn’t want to be the one to do that particular chore. “Limnia still angling for a repeat?” I asked, lowering my sword.
He did likewise, looking chagrined. “Worse. One tumble and he’s decided it means we’re ready to sit down and plan a bonding ceremony!”
I guffawed, bending over double. Only my brother could manage to find himself in such trouble.
“It’s not funny!” he huffed. “What am I going to do?”
I wiped a mirthful tear from the corner of one eye, straightening up. “Instead of fucking around, maybe find someone to actually court?” I suggested. “Limnia would surely get the message then that you weren’t interested in anything long term.”
“He should have bloody gotten the message when all I did was let him suck me off behind the tavern, thanked him, then left while he was still jerking himself off.”
I shook my head. “You really can be an asshole,” I informed him.
He shrugged. “It’s kept me from becoming entangled thus far,” he said. I stared at him pointedly. “Okay, until now,” he amended sheepishly.
“Pilar!” a voice bellowed.
I turned, recognizing the voice.
“Shit, what does the Hand want with you?” my brother asked me worriedly.
“I have no idea,” I answered, my voice low. To be truthful, I was worried. This was the man serving directly under our Master while I was still a low-ranked Hunter. For him to come looking for me personally, well, let’s just say I was busy racking my brain trying to figure out what the hell I’d done to get his attention. “Sir!” I called out, hurrying over to what was no doubt my doom.
His lips curved into a small smile as I skidded to a stop before him. He tilted his head, regarding me. “So it’s true,” the Hand said. “You’re an omega.”
Of course that was what this was about. No doubt when last week’s promotion list came out, some offspring of one of the higher lords had complained that an omega had ‘stolen’ the title of Hunter from him. Every quarter, there was a competition to see who merited the title and only three would be chosen from the dozens who tried. This time, both my twin and I had made up two of the three. I was the first omega to ever achieve the honor within our House and only the third ever to do so in our kingdom.
“A very good looking one, as well,” the Hand mused, causing me to stiffen further, trying to quell my sense of outrage. “That bodes well.”
Wait, what?
“Bodes well for what, sir?” I asked carefully.
He waved his hand. “For your assignment,” he replied, his eyes sparkling. “It’s all very exciting.”
“It is?” My twin placed his hand on my shoulder. “What is our task?”
The Hand pursed his lips. “Oh, no. You’re not both assigned. I know as the alpha, you usually work with your twin, but this is a special case. A very special case indeed. In fact, the High Lord has specifically said that you’re to depart immediately.” He wrinkled his nose. “After a shower, of course.”
Miljack looked mutinous. “Surely the High Lord does not suggest my brother work alone! He’s strong and skilled, but what if he comes up against more than one person?”
“He should be fine. The humans asked for a Hunter, not a team of Hunters and you know how rattled they must be if they have asked for our assistance.”
That was the understatement of the century. When their colony ship arrived here a few centuries ago, they’d been shocked to discover that yes, indeed, they were not the only sentient beings in the universe. They decided to land anyway as their generation ship was coming to its end of useful service, and a deal was struck giving them some land.
That sounds fine and dandy, doesn’t it? Only it turns out that when they met some of my kind in person, we freaked them out. It seems that we closely resemble some mythical creature they call a vampire. Fangs, drink a bit of blood, heightened senses, faster movements, oh, and we can do a bit of what they consider magic. It’s not magic, of course, it’s a mental manipulation of the etheric field that surrounds everything. They can’t sense that or manipulate so, ta da, magic.
Add in the facts relating to our reproductive system, and nope, they didn’t want to have much to do with us. Not until they started having omegas born, that is, more and more of them until no more female offspring were birthed that survived. First they accused us of having done something to cause the issue. Then they accepted the cause was something on the planet that caused the adaptation and expected us to ‘fix it’. Of course, we had no idea of how to reverse it, and the etheric fields around the surviving offspring showed them to be normal.
