Berrr's Vow (18 page)

Berrr growled deep in his chest, literally vibrating, and turned his head to glare at his son. “Get them out of my home now. They leave as they are and they take nothing of what I have given them.” He moved as he spoke, gently sitting Shanna down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t care where they go or to what kind of house they end up in. I want them gone and I want guards posted to protect Shanna in case they try to come back for vengeance. Do it now, son.”

Rever gave a nod. “I would do the same.”

“I’ll kill them if I ever see them again,” Berrr snarled.

“I’ll make sure they know that.” Rever walked away, leaving the room quickly.

Shanna stared up at Berrr, astounded that he’d get rid of his house helpers for her and knew it was because of what they’d done to her that he was kicking them out of his house. He turned his head to stare into Shanna’s eyes and his hand lifted to gently caress her cheek.

“No one will ever hurt you again, my Shanna. Let’s get your clothes off so I can see where they harmed you. A healer is on the way.”

A thought struck her. “What about your guests arriving tomorrow? If you get rid of all of your house helpers—”

Berrr snarled, cutting her off. “You are all that matters. I will deal with that mess later. My concern right now is making sure that you aren’t hurt severely.” His thumb brushed over the curve of her cheek softly. “Are you really unharmed?”

Damn
, Shanna thought, feeling her heart melt even more.
I’m in love with you without a doubt. How can I not love you?
You’re amazing.
Smiling even though she was experiencing a little fear at being in love, she nodded.

“I’m much better now that you’re here with me, Berrr.”

“Then I won’t leave you alone again.”

Chapter Ten

Berrr really wasn’t planning on leaving her side. Shanna forced a smile the next morning while standing in the living room with Berrr’s hand gently curved around her back. She tried not to gape at the four large Zorn men who walked into the front door. These were the
Vartas
and they weren’t what she’d imagined in the least. She’d expected dignified, perhaps leather-outfitted military types, but never the males who walked in the front door.

One of them looked old enough to be Berrr’s grandfather and it was a shock to see a white-haired, huge male, bent with advanced age, who obviously was once a kick-ass warrior. The guy barely wore clothing, just a loincloth wrapped over his waist, and all of his body hair was as white as his head. He came forward first to greet Berrr, his bright green gaze fixing on Shanna, who lowered her own gaze to the floor just as Berrr had instructed her to do. Zorn women did not stare into men’s eyes or it was an invitation to get friendly in a sexual nature.

“Hyvin Berrr,” the older warrior rumbled when he spoke, his voice rough and raspy. “Is this a human from Earth?”

The hand on Shanna’s back tensed before it slid to her side, tugging her back a good foot, putting Berrr more in front of her than next to her. She glanced up and saw the other man had lifted his hand to touch her but now she was out of his reach. A low growl issued from Berrr.

“Yes and do not touch her.” He took a deep breath. “Shanna, I would be honored to introduce
Vartas
Yatgo. He watches out for the Eastern Forest.”

Glancing up, Shanna nodded at the man who was intently staring at her. She looked away, getting a case of the creeps instantly since the guy was openly leering at her. It might be his advanced age but she was more prone to thinking the drool at the corners of his lips was from looking at her than a sign of failing health.

“No one said you had brought a human into your household. Are there more of them?”

“No,” Berrr growled softly. “Shanna is the only one.”

Movement caught her eye so Shanna turned her head to watch one of Berrr’s brand new house helpers move forward to welcome the old letch and show him to his room. The six new house helpers who had arrived after dawn were a bit older than the last ones had been and Shanna had gotten to meet them when Berrr had insisted she be there when he explained what their duties in his household were. Touching and sleeping with Berrr weren’t on their chore list. He’d also told them why he’d gotten rid of his last house helpers, shown his anger clearly over the incident while he warned them to never harm Shanna in any way.

The next man moved forward, this one unlike anyone Shanna had seen before on the planet, and she had to remind herself to not stare. The guy had flaming red hair, matching red eyebrows and body hair and had incredibly bright blue eyes. She’d never seen a redheaded Zorn yet and the fact that his skin was a dark mocha color really set off his eyes and hair color. If a guy could be muscular and really beautiful, it was this guy, despite his weird outfit, which was a tight black tank top showing off a lot of skin and super-tight matching leather pants.

“It is good to see you, Vinlotti.” Berrr grinned, looking sincerely happy to see the man. “Meet Shanna from Earth.”

Shanna looked up into the man’s eyes. He really was striking with his starkly contrasting coloring and the tank top shirt revealed a lot of that alluring dark skin and massive amounts of muscles. He was really good-looking and she had to remind herself to look away from his intensely gorgeous eyes. She nodded at him before she dropped her focus to his black boots.

“It’s nice to meet you.” She was proud that she’d kept her voice level and calm.

“A human, Berrr?”
The man spoke softly. “I thought it wasn’t permitted to have one for a house helper. Did I miss a policy change?”

A soft growl tore from Berrr. Shanna didn’t miss that this man called Berrr by name, something she hadn’t seen anyone do yet but her. Everyone called him Hyvin or Hyvin Berrr unless it was one of his sons who called him Father. Berrr’s arm tightened around her, pulling her against his body.

“She may have the title but not the duties. Are you understanding of me, Vinlotti? My circumstances are unique. She is not available to you or to any other male to touch while you are a guest in my home.”

The man had a deep chuckle when he laughed. “I knew that already from the very possessive way that you keep her to your side. I have to admit I was hopeful.”

Shanna glanced up at him, finding a pair of gorgeous eyes locked with her own, and the man winked suddenly at her before turning his full attention on Berrr. He grinned widely and put his hand up to grip Berrr’s shoulder on the other side.

“I am glad you are no longer alone and you have what you deserve, my friend. You should watch your other guests vigilantly and keep your woman close to you while they are here. She is very tempting and you don’t have the law on your side to kill if one of them touches her. If you have to go somewhere without her come get me to guard her in your absence. You know I will honor your request to never touch your treasured human.”

“Thank you, my pack friend. I might take you up on that.”

The man gave a nod before turning his eyes on the five waiting house helpers. He frowned. “You changed them? I was looking forward to spending time with Aya. She was my favorite of your house helpers.”

Berrr growled low and deep. “They attacked my Shanna last night, intent on harming her for her human ways, so I sent them all away. If you desire Aya so much I can ask where she was taken and have her shipped to your home where you may keep her.”

Vinlotti looked shocked as his head snapped back to stare at Shanna and then shifted his attention to Berrr. “They attacked her? What were they thinking?”

“They were thinking they could bully me into telling Berrr to fuck them,” Shanna said before she could stop herself.

Red eyebrows arched high as gorgeous blue eyes locked with Shanna. She met his eyes, not looking away. She didn’t do silent and demure well. She arched her eyebrows back at him, ignoring the low growl from Berrr.
This Vinlotti guy is a friend of Berrr’s and he seems really cool
, she thought. He also was obviously loyal to Berrr.

“I’m not interested in you in any way but I’m not the stare-at-the-floor type either. Where I come from it is rude to not have full eye contact.” Shanna hesitated and then held out her hand. “We shake hands of friends and obviously you and Berrr are close.”

The redhead grinned, glancing at Berrr for permission first, who nodded at him before the guy carefully took her smaller hand. He didn’t shake it as much as feel it. He chuckled deep, his thumb rubbing against her wrist and the back of her hand. His amused gaze went back to Berrr as he released her.

“I like her and she is very soft.” Vinlotti hesitated. “I don’t suppose you could send me to Earth to find one of my own?”

Berrr hesitated. “It would be a long trip.”

The smile fell from the redheaded man’s lips as his face tightened into tense lines. “I guess not since I can never leave for more than a few days.” He sighed. “It was just a thought I had.”

“Perhaps if I come across one in need of a home I will send her your way if I think she would be to your liking.”

The grin returned to the man’s features. “I want one like yours, with spirit.”

“Shall I have Aya sent to you at home?”

Vinlotti shook his head. “I do not want a woman who can’t follow orders in my home.”

Shanna laughed, drawing attention from both men. She met Vinlotti’s stare. “Then don’t ask for a human because we live to break rules and resist bossy men.”

Vinlotti threw his head back, a deep rambling laugh sounding through the room before he grinned at Berrr. “It would be a joy to have one of them in my home so definitely send one to me if you come across a stray.”

A house helper moved forward, smiling at Vinlotti with her head down demurely to lead him away. “
Vartas
, if you will come with me I shall see to your needs after such a long travel.”

The third man was a bear of a guy, literally, and Shanna had to not stare at the hairiest man she’d ever seen in her life. The guy just wore shorts, no shoes, no shirt, and thick, matted black hair covered where skin should be from shoulders down to the top of his feet. When he spoke it made Shanna startle, literally jumping a bit.

“Hyvin Berrr,” the man boomed loudly. “Good to see you, my old friend.”

“Ssshal, always good to see you.”
Berrr didn’t sound happy about it at all. “I am glad you could make it to our meeting.”

The other man growled low. “We have had a lot of wild activity in our dwellings lately and something needs to be done about it.” The man paused. “What is this?”

Berrr’s entire body went rigid against Shanna’s. “She’s a human from Earth.”

The other man growled again. Shanna glanced up at him and regretted it instantly, glancing into a pair of eyes that were terrifying, black and looked downright evil to her,
a
sight she could compare to glimpsing into two big orbs of nothingness.

“I’ll take her. Earth woman, take me to my room, strip down and then I will mount you.”

Shock and horror washed through Shanna, causing her to gasp and step back, literally putting Berrr between her and the hairy guy.

“Not her. Pick another house helper,” Berrr snarled.

“You don’t honor me as a guest in your home? Did your bound die, Hyvin Berrr? She is a house helper, is she not?”

“She’s human and different from a house helper. She is not an offering to my guests.”

Ssshal snarled. “You insult me this way? How dare you!”

“Ssshal,” a deep voice growled, “I am sure Hyvin means no insult. Look at the puny off-world alien who is not sturdy enough to satisfy our warrior lusts.” The new voice barked out a laugh. “We would break that little woman before the pleasure even began.”

Peering around Berrr, Shanna took in the last of the four men with a glance. He was a blond male with his hair cut to his shoulders with dark eyes, almost black, but not evil-looking. He never glanced back at Shanna as he kept his full attention on the man he gripped.

“Zapal, it is good to see you and you are correct, humans are not sturdy like our Zorn women.” Berrr was really
tense,
his body moved back, touching Shanna to keep her behind him as his hand gripped her hip to keep her in place. “I offer you my house helpers but the human is not available due to her frail health.”

A deep growl tore from Ssshal. “So you do not mount her? What is her purpose then? Why is she in your home under your protection, Hyvin? To not mount a woman is not natural.”

Taking a deep breath, Berrr softly growled. “She is human and they are a species that only takes one male into their bed, a careful male, and I am that male.”

“I will be careful then. Send her to my room for mounting. I will try not to break her but I am curious.”

Berrr snarled, releasing Shanna. “I said she is not available due to her frail health. Be a good guest in my home and do not test me.”

Zapal, the blond, took over, gripping the hairier man and pulling him away. “We are honored to be your guests, Hyvin Berrr, and you have provided us with excellent house helpers with beauty as always. Look at the selection, Ssshal. Take your pick of these fine Zorn women to find your pleasure with.”

Shanna watched the men pick two females from the remaining house helpers and walk away with them. Pity hit Shanna for the unhappy-looking brunette Zorn woman who was gripped by the hairy guy who was an asshole and a brute. Shanna was sympathetic for what lay in store for that woman if his conversational skills were any indication of him as a lover. Berrr watched them go and then turned, staring down at Shanna.

“I am sending you to one of my son’s homes while there are guests here. Five more arrive within hours and I don’t believe you will be safe, my Shanna. I will send you to Rever’s home since you met him last night. Rever is very loyal to his bound so he will have no desire to touch you while you are safely under his protection.”

“But—” Shock rolled through her.
He’s sending me away?

Berrr suddenly grabbed her, yanking her against his body to stare down at her intensely. “I couldn’t give you bound status so you are in the terms of the law a house helper and therefore while I can protect you against males harming you, I can’t protect you against invited guests in my home from touching you as long as they do you no harm. Do you understand me?”