Sarai

you are.”
The catman raised his hands slowly as iftrying to reassure a frightened child. He murmured something in alow tone and moved closer.
Jamie shookhis head; he had no idea what the creature was saying and franklyhe didn’t care. His lungs were on fire; his head was spinning andhis ribs hurt like the devil himself was dancing on their brokenends.
“I’mgetting in the truck,” he informed the catman ina matter of fact tone, as if the creature could understand him.Lifting a bloodstained hand, he curled it round the truck doorhandle then screamed in agony as glass remnants drove themselvesdeeper into his torn flesh.
He was tooshocked to register the flurry of movement that brought thecreature to his side. Faster than he could comprehend, it grabbedhim, pulling his injured hands away from the door, holding himimmoveable against a broad, leather-clad chest.
Jamie tiltedhis head upwards, dazed, feeling his heart fluttering like a birdcaught in a trap. The hands holding him were gentle, butunrelenting; gleaming blue eyes stared down into his.
For amoment, he almost stopped trying to drag more air into histormented lungs, fascinated by the creature holding him, astonishedbeyond belief at what he was seeing.
Slantedalmond-shaped eyes, pupils elongated and vertical; a thin nose,straight and perfect; a chiseled, shapely mouth; a mane oftawny-gold hair falling thick and glorious to its waist. He was amixture of GQ masculine perfection and other-worldoddness.
Not a cat,he realised dazedly, not covered in plush soft fur, but pale goldenskin marked with delicate black stripes that lapped around its eyeslike a mask to join above its eyes in a beautifully formed“M”.
But itsears…mesmerized, Jamie found himself reaching up with his otherhand to stroke the one nearest him. A purring sound was his reward,and then the creature bent its head closer, letting Jamie trace hisbloodied fingers along the velvety softness from base towhite-tufted tip.
Jamie sighedin amazement. As if encouraged, the creature breathed deeply; itslips making an odd sort of movement as if tasting Jamie’sscent.
The airmomentarily seemed to glow around them, a soft golden light flowingsoftly and weaving an intricate web of warmth and comfort aroundthem both. A warm tongue, raspy and rough-edged, gently lickedaround Jamie’s chin, tidying away some of the ash and bloodbedecking it. It was hypnotically soothing and Jamie felt himselfrelaxing, leaning weakly into the creature’s embrace. He felt oddlyat peace after the trauma of the past while…he jerked himself away,staring at the creature in shock.
What thehell was wrong with him? He was being held by something that wasn’thuman while not fifty metres away his home was burning to theground.
“No,” hesaid sharply, struggling against the creature’s firm hold. “Let mego, I have to get help.”
The creaturefrowned, its eyes narrowing as they stared down at Jamie intently.Something flickered in their azure depths and Jamieshivered.
“I have togo.” He tried to twist his way free of the creature’s hold, hisstruggles intensifying as the grip tightened instead ofeased.
The creatureshook its head. Was that gesture universal? Was it refusing to lethim go? Jamie wondered. It seemed so — the creature ignored hisefforts to escape. Its big muscled arms wrapped around Jamie,pulling him tightly into its embrace.
Pain fromhis ribs ricocheted through Jamie. He whimpered and felt his legscollapsing beneath him. The creature held him upright, but its holdloosened slightly; its frown deepening as it studied Jamie closely.Two fangs, longer than the rest of its canines, slowly descendedfrom its upper jaws.
Jamiewatched fascinated as drops of clear liquid gathered on the tip ofeach hollowed fang. Momentarily distracted, he had no time to reactbefore the creature pounced, driving those sharp tips into histender throat.
He couldfeel venom pouring from the puncture sites, spreading toward hisheart, his brain. He wanted to scream, but pain and fear alike bothreceded instantly. His eyelids were too heavy to lift and his mindretreated seamlessly into unconsciousness.
He didn’tfeel anything as the strong arms hooked under his knees and hoistedhim possessively into a protective embrace.
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ALEKYNSTUDIED THE SMALL creature in his arms. He shivered as heremembered the glow that had swirled around them, the golden glimmering signaling his perfect mate, hissarai, and irrevocably uniting them.
He felt hislips forming a smile, his heart filled suddenly with intense joy,his small bundle in his arms was his destiny, his love for as longas they lived. He was now a Sarat, a master to his little sarai,and he would spend his life ensuring this little creature’swellbeing.
Most of itsbody was covered in some sort of material, and soft black haircurled over its head. The small creature’s face was lovely,dominated by darkly lashed green eyes, but its ears, set low andhard against the sides of its head were distinctly odd. The poorthing had no canines to speak of, no obvious defenses.
Alekyn would need to look after it verycarefully.
He smoothedhis hand over the creature’s head, brushing soft curly locks fromits forehead, and ran his fingers gently over its smooth cheeks. Itwas hurt, bleeding from small wounds all over its body. Itsbreathing was ragged, coming in short pants, and when he’d pulledits delicate form back into his close embrace, he’d felt severalribs shift. No wonder it had yelped.
The littlething needed medical care. His first duty as a Saratcalled.
It weighs solittle, he thought as he made his way back to where Tig, stillengrossed in his e-tab, stood. He grunted and Tig looked up, hisabsorbed expression rapidly changing to comprehension as he sawAlekyn’s burden. He tucked his e-tab back into his belt and lopedover to Alekyn.
“They wereafter this one.” Alekyn tucked the creature’s head against hisshoulder protectively. “It’s been hurt and is having troublingbreathing.”
Tig was hispard’s medic. He huffed, peering at Alekyn’s burden; Alekyn felthis muscles tighten protectively, his fangs descendingautomatically. Tig eyed him curiously.
“Eled saidit was pretty,” he said. “He was right. You bit it?”
Alekynnodded. “It was in obvious pain and panicking. I thought it best tosedate it.”
“Hmm. Put itdown so I can examine it.”
Alekynreluctantly obeyed, watching uneasily as Tig carefully lifted thebloodstained material covering the creature’s chest, cautiouslyfeeling the broken ribs, gently examining its fine but tornfingers. He listened carefully to the ragged breathing,frowning.
“The ribsneed healing. I’ll bind them now. We’ll have to get the glasssplinters out