Bronto's Revenge (Barbarian Lust, #2)
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.