Predator: SVU

Title: Predator: SVU

Author: Prairiefire

Chapter: Sixteen: A New Partner

Fandom: Predator AU

Rating: M/R

Warnings: Adult Situations, Controversial Subject Material, Graphic Violence/Gore, Rape, Sexual Situations

Orientation: Het

Pairings: Human Female/Male Predator, Female Predator/Male Predator

Summary: Two hunters separated by species and lightyears are about to team up.

Disclaimer: I do not own Predator, nor do I make earn any monetary compensation for the stories I write that feature such characters. However, all my original characters are just that, original. That makes them mine, and they cannot be used without my express written permission.

Feedback: Please. I will respond to all signed reviews on ffn, aff

Word Count: 4549

The next day weighed heavily on both Cass and Vek’rin’ka. He had been prepared to follow Cass to the funeral until she had asked him to stay away. At first Vek’rin’ka insisted on trailing her, not telling her that he hoped one of the Bad Bloods would show up so that he could deal with them. Nor would he admit to the concern her felt about what would happen to her if she was caught alone.

Only Cass’s stubborn insistence and the threat of new tears convinced Vek’rin’ka to heed her wishes. He didn’t, however, tell her that he would be constantly monitoring her. The small measure of her tracking device did not satisfy the protectiveness he had felt toward the small female but it would have to do.

So Cass had left in the morning with the male that had been in the room the night before, a male that Vek’rin’ka decided he did not like in the least. It may have been Cass’s tenseness around the man she called Adams, but Vek’rin’ka already detested the ooman. Still, Cass had promised to return before nightfall so Vek’rin’ka stayed close. Before leaving the rooms he set up a small proximity alarm to send a signal and video feed up to his ship telling him when Cass returned.

Climbing up to the roof of the building took little time and Vek’rin’ka entered his ship unseen. The previous night, like many others, had not brought any rest with it, not that he would have let his guard down anyway. With Cass in the care of another Arbitrator, albeit one that he didn’t like, Vek’rin’ka felt it was safe enough to allow himself some sleep. When he awakened he would be fresh and he would finally bring his prey’s skull to his wall.

The pelts and warmth in his quarters were a welcome change to the sullied textiles and chill of the ooman rooms. By Vek’rin’ka’s own count he had been awake for almost a minor lunar cycle. The ooman’s own moon had gone through half its phases and the fatigue was beginning to catch up with him.

Unlike the night when questions plagued Vek’rin’ka’s mind, sleep claimed him easily. With the ship secure and all sensors operating properly he could relax his guard slightly. He woke only once during the mid-day when the cleaning aseigan entered the room below. Vek’rin’ka grumbled quietly under his breath as he turned off the monitor and threw the pelt back over himself. He only woke again to the beeping indicating his proximity alarm had been tripped again. A quick look out the view port showed the sun to be setting just before Vek’rin’ka activated his monitor again.

The feed showed Cass in her rooms once more, before moon rise as she promised. Vek’rin’ka quickly went back to his room to pull his armor on. He stopped at his mask, holding it before him. Cass had never seen him without it and he wondered at what her reaction would be to his face. Would she be terrified as many of his trophies had been when they saw his face? He doubted it. She had seen his talons, felt his hide, both so unlike the puny nails and delicate skin of her own kind, and still she had accepted him

He quelled his questions as he placed his mask on and began to attach his weapons. He would show her his face tonight and he would answer her questions. No longer would he hide anything from her, his partner, his friend.

XXXXX

Vek’rin’ka had expected to find Cass resting on the bed when he finally finished climbing down the side of the building. Instead he found the room empty except for the garment she had worn that day lying on the floor. The washing room was dark as well. He walked through the bedroom to find Cass sitting on the long cushioned seat. She clutched one of the head pads from the other room to her chest as her legs were pulled up to it as well. She remained oblivious to Vek’rin’ka as she muffled her sobs in the pad, only noticing him when he sat on the edge of the seat beside her.

“I thought you left,” Cass strained to say as she looked up into Vek’rin’ka’s face. He could see her trying to fight down the tears glistening in her eyes.

“Not leave Cass, wait near,” Vek’rin’ka told her. He purred at her look of confusion. “Stay in ship for day, no ooman find.”

“Then I guess it’s good that the department ended the guard at the door.” Vek’rin’ka raised a brow ridge under his mask. There was no ooman guard for Cass anymore. She would be vulnerable now until the child killer was caught and dealt with. More over, Vek’rin’ka would not be able to hunt for either Bad Blood without leaving her unprotected.

When Cass leaned over to lay her head on Vek’rin’ka’s arm his other brow ridge rolled up in surprise. She had not gotten this close to him in the days since the first night. At every turn she had tried not to show her grief and rely on her own strength, sometimes failing, but always trying.

With a heavy sigh Cass asked the questions Vek’rin’ka had been dreading from her, “Vek, why are you here?”

Cass felt Vek’rin’ka tense beside her and knew that she probably would not like the answer she was about to get. As he would do in any fight to avoid a debilitating strike Vek’rin’ka dodged.

Instead of answering the question how Cass had obviously meant it, Vek’rin’ka gave her an answer that might stall her while he thought of the best way to tell her. He just didn’t know how to tell her that his clan hunted oomans for sport, and that that is why a dangerous Bad Blood had come to the planet.

“Self hunt Bad Bloods. Cass hunt Bad Bloods. Hunt as pack. More victory.”

Cass let out a haggard sigh, “That’s not what I meant.”

Vek’rin’ka turned his head to look at Cass’s small form. When he had first seen her this close she had looked so small and fragile. In the ensuing days after that first horrid night, though, he had seen her strength and spirit trickle back. Now, with her again leaning on him for support, all the progress had disappeared. Her spirit was all but gone and he wondered if his next words would crush what was left.

Lifting Cass’s face to look into his Vek’rin’ka, took one final deep breath, “Vek’rin’ka Yautja, you ooman. Yautja warriors, hunters. Fight for honor, show skills, strength.” He paused to gauge Cass’s reaction to his words. Her brow was furrowed as she either tried to comprehend the broken ooman speech from the translator or work something out in her mind.

“Your people hunt humans.” It was a statement not a question and the tone was emotionally flat.

Vek’rin’ka nodded before continuing, “Ooman great trophy. Bring great honor.”

Cass pulled back and leaned against the back of the couch. She eyed Vek’rin’ka warily. “Is that why you’re here? Were you…”

“Mo,” Vek’rin’ka interrupted before Cass could finish. “Vek’rin’ka not hunt oomans, not hunt Cass. Hunt Bad Blood hiding.”

“So there is another yaootjah on Earth,” Cass said. “He’s dangerous, isn’t he?”

Vek’rin’ka leveled the emotionless eye pieces of his mask at Cass. “Very dangerous.”

Quietly, almost not wanting to know what would make a yautja a Bad Blood in a society that would hunt people, Cass asked her companion, “Why is he a Bad Blood?”

“The s’yuit-de attack female. Force her to accept him.” Vek’rin’ka stopped when he felt Cass grab his arm.

“He raped her, didn’t he?”

Vek’rin’ka used the hand not being held by Cass to cup the side of her face. “Yes,” he told her dejectedly. “She die as she fight. A young female, near first breeding. Not strong to fight pack of males.”

“So you are going to kill him?”

“Yes,” Vek’rin’ka growled turning his face away from Cass.

“There’s more. He did something to you.”

Perceptive little ooman, Vek’rin’ka thought to himself, probably what makes her a good hunter. “He kill Arbitrator Esh’ta. Sire.” Cass was silent after the revelation and Vek’rin’ka took the opportunity to try to steer the subject away from his own Bad Blood hunt. “Why not run when meet?” Vek’rin’ka patted his chest to indicate himself. “Not angry for hunting oomans?”

Cass reached up to turn Vek’rin’ka’s face back to her. “Did you kill children?”

“No hunt pups,” Vek’rin’ka barked at Cass causing her to pull her hand back and press herself deeper into the couch. Realizing he startled her, Vek’rin’ka continued more calmly. “No hunt pups. No hunt females. Only warrior with weapons.”

“Those are the rules of your hunting?”

“Yes.” Vek’rin’ka could see Cass mulling over the information in her mind. She was adapting to it better than he had though she would. Still, he remembered, she had not answered his questions. He didn’t know what her reasons where and he wanted to find out. “Not angry for killing oomans? Not hate?”

“If I were to hate you I would have to hate myself,” Cass told him leaning forward to lean her head back on his arm. “Besides, you’re my friend and you’ve helped me. And you saved that little girl. Why?”

Vek’rin’ka though for a moment, recalling the anger he had felt seeing the small pup being abused. “Pup innocent. Need be guard from Bad Bloods. Many ooman Bad Bloods. Dame not there. Arbitrators not there yet. Bad Blood going to kill. Stop him.”

“But not kill him. That’s another rule, right,” Cass said remembering the talks about killing Burns from the past couple days. “You can’t take another’s prey.” Vek’rin’ka didn’t bother to answer verbally and instead nodded his head letting his dreadlocks cascade over his shoulders.

“I want him dead Vek. I don’t care anymore. I can’t let him breathe when he has taken so much. I didn’t protect Sonya when she was alive, but I can stop him from hurting anyone else.”

“Not your hunt you say. Your Leader punish for hunting?”

“Probably more than just Adams if they figure it out, but I don’t care. I can’t do this job anymore. Not after seeing Sonya lying in that casket.”

Vek’rin’ka was stunned into silence. He had known Cass was hurting, but he had not expected her to let go of what she admitted to being the last worthy thing in her life. Especially after how vehemently she had clung to it just a short time ago. “I teach hunt yautja way. You hunt, kill Bad Blood. Not punished.” Vek’rin’ka could not believe the words that were coming past his mandibles even as he said them. If he did this he would not be able to leave her here, at least alive. She would either die fighting the ooman Bad Blood or he would have to remove her. His last thought rang clearly in his head. She truly would be beyond the punishment of her own kind.

Even as Vek’rin’ka second guessed himself Cass was looking up at him, waiting. Finally she asked, “Why wouldn’t I be punished?”

“Not find,” Vek’rin’ka reassured her. He didn’t elaborate that it would be her that the ooman Arbitrators would not find. Cass leaned closer into Vek’rin’ka, using his arm in place of the pillow that had been abandoned on the floor.

“Why were you following me anyway? Since you said you weren’t hunting me.”

Vek’rin’ka moved his arm to encircle Cass as he answered. “Curious. Female warrior. More curious when find out pup.”

“Why,” Cass inquired without looking up, more concerned with finding a comfortable and preferably unarmored place to rest against. The stress and heat of the day were finally catching up her, exemplifying her exhaustion.

“Female warrior rare. Ooman males good prey. Females rare fight. Cass have pup care for. If hurt, die, who care for?”

“The state. A foster home probably,” Cass said sleepily. “Do your females fight?”

“Females fight protect pups. Not hunters.” Vek’rin’ka looked down at Cass to find that she had slipped into sleep as he was speaking. Not wishing to disturb her, and finding an unexpected contentment in her nearness, Vek’rin’ka simply leaned back on the couch and allowed her to stay. The wooden frame creaked under the weight and Cass leaned in harder. Vek’rin’ka wrapped his arm around her small body to lend his warmth and strength, preparing to spend another night idle. The next day the hunt would begin.

XXXXX

Vek’rin’ka stayed awake all night watching over Cass’s sleeping form. Near dawn, as he gazed out the window, he had thought he saw the heat pattern of another yautja. It flitted across the roof and was gone before he had a chance to focus on it.

Vek’rin’ka tightened his grip around Cass’s shoulders subconsciously. If Al’brk’vix knew where she was then he would have to get her ready. She had no weapons or armor with her. Cass would have to decide where she was going to get them. When, Vek’rin’ka was certain it would be a when, not an if, Al’brk’vix attacked Cass she would need to have weapons she knew how to use well and trusted. Vek’rin’ka knew he could train her with a staff or a blade, but she would be a novice and at a severe disadvantage when it came to physical strength. Such a situation would earn her a quick death at the hands of the Bad Blood.

Cass moved against Vek’rin’ka, turning herself to face his abdomen. He let her settle again, listening to the soft whimpers of her talking in her sleep. The sun had not been up long and it would be sometime before Cass would wake. When she did they would get weapons and begin the hunt for her Bad Blood. Vek’rin’ka would also keep an eye keen to the presence of Al’brk’vix. Vek’rin’ka was not about to be surprised by him, and he was not going to let Al’brk’vix get anywhere close to Cass. The Bad Blood had taken his father, he would not allow Al’brk’vix to take Cass away from him.

A low, possessive growl erupted from Vek’rin’ka as he tightened his grip on Cass. She hummed as she buried her face against his stomach before pushing herself up. Vek’rin’ka watched her blink sleepily as the world came back into focus. Her dark hair was a mess of tangles around her face, one side of which was bright red from having been slept on.

Vek’rin’ka pulled his arm back as Cass spoke to him, still half asleep, “Fell asleep on you again, huh?” A chuffing laugh was all that told her it was true. “Sorry,” she said as she turned her head from side to side cracking her neck.

Vek’rin’ka stared at the way the muscles moved under Cass’s skin. She may have had a tiny form, but there was strength hidden there. As she lifted her arms over her head to stretch her tank top’s strap fell to the side showing Vek’rin’ka another thing her body hid.

In Cass’s shoulder, just above her collarbone was a scar. It was not fresh but Vek’rin’ka recognized the pattern that was carried proudly by many warriors returning from this planet. Someone had harmed Cass with an ooman burner.

With lightning speed Vek’rin’ka grabbed Cass’s arm and pulled the shirt further away from the wound. Cass pulled away from Vek’rin’ka and tried to free her arm. It was no use trying to fight the grip he had on her so she pulled back her foot and kicked him in the soft spot she had previously be using as a pillow. Not expecting the force behind the hit Vek’rin’ka let go of Cass’s arm allowing her to scramble backwards until she hit the arm of the couch.

“What the hell are you doing,” Cass yelled when she didn’t have anymore room to retreat.

“Who hurt Cass,” Vek’rin’ka growled as he reached for her again. He managed to grab her again and hauled her to her feet as he stood up. Cass fought the grip on her wrist that held her. When she didn’t answer him, he repeated more forcefully, “Who hurt Cass?”

Vek’rin’ka had every intention of killing the ooman that had harmed her when Cass finally yelled back at him, “A dead man!”

Vek’rin’ka let Cass’s arm drop but she didn’t retreat from him this time. She stood her ground and stared straight into his eye pieces. “Ooman dead,” Vek’rin’ka asked more calmly but just as seriously.

“Ya, I killed him,” Cass’s voice was a deadly hiss. Vek’rin’ka stood before her, looking back into her eyes.

Slowly, Vek’rin’ka put his hand on her shoulder, “Good hunt.”

Cass’s steady stare never left Vek’rin’ka as she said, “Damn right.” Only then did a sly grin break the tension on her face.

Stepping back Vek’rin’ka pulled out his spear. “Hunt now. Kill Bad Blood. M-di h’chak.” Cass’s stare finally broke from Vek’rin’ka as she eyed the collapsed ki’its-pa. “Cass need weapons.”

“I know where to get them. But…” Cass said as she suppressed a shudder. Vek’rin’ka waited for her to continue. “Not before breakfast. I’m starving.” As if on cue her stomach growled its agreement. Vek’rin’ka nodded his ascent before moving to stand by the window.

Cass looked him over form behind, “Well the restaurant isn’t an option, so I guess it’s room service.” Vek’rin’ka tipped his head as he listened to Cass use the communication device to order food brought to her room. Until the food came, Vek’rin’ka stood at the window scanning the roof tops. He had not forgotten the signature he thought he saw near the sunrise. It was possible, even probable, that Al’brk’vix had found the ship if he had crawled out of his hiding place. Vek’rin’ka would not be caught off guard when that coward showed himself.

When a knock sounded on the door Vek’rin’ka quickly ducked into the bedroom while Cass answered. There was the clatter of ooman eating tools and trays being set down then the door closed again.

“All clear,” Cass called, letting Vek’rin’ka know he could rejoin her. He came out of the room and found Cass sitting back on the couch with a tray of food. Only the thin strips on the plate were identifiable as meat. The other two things Vek’rin’ka could not recognize. One was a yellow mash that smelled like poultry eggs, the other looked like some kind of cooked plant material. There was also a large bowl of fruit, native to the planet, if not the region.

Vek’rin’ka stood back and watched Cass eagerly ingest most of the strange food. “Do you ever eat,” she asked.

The question pulled Vek’rin’ka out of his silent examination. “Yes,” he grunted as he cocked his head to the side to silently ask why.

“Well, there’s plenty of food here if you’re hungry.” Vek’rin’ka didn’t know what to make of Cass’s offer. It was tradition, in both cultures as far as Vek’rin’ka had observed, for the males to provide food for the female, not the other way around. Her next comment eased his thoughts and explained her strange offer to him. “It’s not exactly good manners for me to sit here and shovel my face and not offer you anything.”

Being invited, Vek’rin’ka moved to kneel across the low table from Cass and studied the offering. All of the interesting smelling meat was on Cass’s own plate and he had not intention of encroaching on that. The bowl of fruit was near him and from previous trips to the planet he knew he would be able to eat it.

Reaching up to detach the power and air supply to the mask, Vek’rin’ka caught Cass staring at him expectantly. She tricked him, Vek’rin’ka thought. Offer the food to see my face without my mask. He trilled quietly as he laughed.

“Tricky ooman,” Vek’rin’ka said as he finished removing the lines. Purring reassuringly he lifted his mask away from his face. His tusked mandibles clicked on each others as they stretched from the confines of the helmet.

Lowering the mask Vek’rin’ka held it just below his eyes allowing Cass to see their red flecked gold for the first time. Cass, for her part, had put down her fork as she watched Vek’rin’ka with a wide grin on her face. She hadn’t become a damn good detective for nothing.

She took in the scar running vertically over his left eye knowing there had to be a story behind it, a story that he would have to tell if he wanted to hear the story about her scar. Still her eyes were drawn to the gold eyes flecked with pin drop points of red. There was a fierce pride there, along with the strength acquired with wisdom.

Vek’rin’ka finished removing his mask and set it down on the table revealing the four articulate mandibles surrounding a fleshy mouth. Ringing the mouth on what would have been lips, though lacking the mobility of those on humans, were small, pointed, undoubtedly sharp teeth. Vek flexed each mandible at Cass trying to draw a reaction from her.

Cass watched as each mandible curled and uncurled paying close attention to how they moved. Despite having used the being across from her as a pillow she had no inclination to reach out and touch that part of his anatomy. When she again shifted her gaze to his eyes Vek’rin’ka curled his lower mandibles and spread his upper ones wide in his own grin.

“What look’n at,” Vek’rin’ka said in a close approximation of an old ooman slang term.

“Nothing,” Cass said innocently. “I was just wondering what you looked like under there.” Finishing her explanation she resumed eating, only occasionally glancing at Vek’rin’ka.

Vek’rin’ka purred at his companion’s entertaining remarks. At least, after days of moroseness, she seemed ready to challenge the world. He picked up on of the pieces of fruit and held it near his mandibles. Cass watched discreetly, trying hard not to stare as the mandibles reached out to take the fruit and move it past the outer ring of teeth at his mouth. From what Cass could see he didn’t chew the fruit with any interior teeth but used the fleshy parts to crush the fruit. She also saw what she guessed was thin tube-like mobile tongue that he would use to stop any food from falling out of his mouth.

Both Cass and Vek’rin’ka ate quickly, knowing that there was a full day ahead of them. Vek’rin’ka finished off the entire bowl of fruit before Cass and immediately asked Cass the question that had been nagging his curiosity.

Pointing to Cass’s shoulder Vek’rin’ka demanding, “Tell story scar.”

“Well,” Cass said swallowing the last of her breakfast. “About 6 years ago I was part of another unit. This unit’s focus was on stopping the drug dealing in the city. Because I looked so young we decided to set up an undercover operation.” Vek’rin’ka had been listening intently until Cass said ‘undercover.’

“What ‘undercover’ mean,” he interrupted.

Stopping just as she was going to continue, “Undercover means that I am given a fake identity and act that role to gain the trust of the criminals, the Bad Bloods, that I’m investigating. We do them so we can get enough evidence to prove to the courts that these people broke the law.”

“Sound dangerous, challenging way to hunt Bad Bloods. What happen if Bad Bloods find out Arbitrators?”

“Well that much is pretty obvious,” Cass replied gesturing to her shoulder. “The night this happened was supposed to be the take down. The team was in place and there were just waiting for my signal to move in. It was going perfectly until one of the backup team gave away his position. Then all hell broke loose.

“A couple of the Bad Bloods lookouts started firing on the team. Both the dealer I was with and his contact started accusing each other of working for us. Then the contact shot my target.

“I pulled my weapon and identified myself. He fired on me and I fired back. I hit him dead center in the chest and he got my shoulder. He died, I didn’t.

“And that’s the story. Not much else to it.”

Vek’rin’ka had listened to the whole story fascinated with the different approach to catching the Bad Bloods. “Very tricky ooman,” he said finally.

“I am what I am,” Cass said with a shrug. “And I’m good at what I do. What about that scar on you eye. Gotta be a story behind that.”

“Warrior not tell own stories. Others tell.”

“I don’t see anyone else here to tell them.”

Trilling another laugh Vek’rin’ka gave in to Cass’s reasoning. “Fought other warrior when young. Fight for female. Victor find female favor. Fight honorable. Many hits prove to female both strong. Challenger hit with talons, make scar. Leave open throat, no defense. Punch throat, challenger falls. I win. Nain-desintje-de.”

“Congratulations,” Cass replied with a slight roll of her eyes. Changing the conversation away from the discussion of their scars lest Vek’rin’ka ask about the one on her face again she continued, “So, now that breakfast is out of the way I think its time to get outta here.”

“Need get Cass weapons,” Vek’rin’ka nodded in approval. “Where get them?”

“I have to go back to the house.” The last statement had lost the easy calm from earlier. “I have a gun locker there. No one would have been able to get into it.”

Vek’rin’ka didn’t know if Cass’s home had been cleaned of the blood, both from the murders and his battle there. Seeing her pup’s blood on the ground may push her back into her depression, but she did seem resolved to the task at hand. Either way, if the dwelling was where her weapons were, that would be where they must go.

“How get there,” Vek’rin’ka asked. For Cass to walk to her home from the temporary dwelling would take most of the day. A short flight in his ship would take them there.

Before Vek’rin’ka could propose that course of action, however, Cass spoke up, “Adams left my truck in the parking lot. Are you planning on riding with me?”

Vek’rin’ka thought back to the times when he had ridden in the cargo area of her vehicle. The hold he had had to keep to prevent himself from being thrown almost convinced him to meet her at the dwelling.

Shaking away the uneasiness that accompanied the thought of another voyage in the terrestrial vehicle, he said, “Go with Cass.”

“Great. Just give me a minute.” Cass turned and quickly made her way into the bedroom only to emerge scant minutes later in another set of the seemingly endless supply of the MDPD sweats. “Ready to go?” She stood relaxed with the keys aloft.

Vek’rin’ka nodded crisply and engaged his camouflage before going back through the bedroom and started his climb down the building.

“Time to get this show on the road,” Cass muttered to herself as she walked out of the door.