Mate- Level 8

by Heather Karn

  “You sure we didn’t just scare away every edible thing for a mile?” I grumble, tugging the wet strands out of my face.

  “They’ll come back,” he reassured me.

  “And while we wait?”

  He readjusted me, letting my legs go, but grabbing them back up with both hands and locking them around his waist so we were chest to chest. “I thought we could enjoy the water together, maybe float around a little bit. Maybe help you learn how to relax around me.” He chuckled that last bit and my cheeks heated.

  Leaning in, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and forced my body to relax in his hold. I trusted Ki. There was no doubt about it. But men in general? No, not with my physical wellbeing. And right now, my body and mind were at war on trusting Ki that far. Kissing was fun, but being so physically vulnerable right now was trying my nerves.

  “I will never allow him to hurt you again,” Ki murmured in my ear as I held onto him. We bobbed along in the water, the movement easing me and my tension. So did Ki’s hand rubbing circles along my back. “I will protect you, and I will do all I can to protect your mother once we arrive on Earth. You have my word.”

  “Thank you, Ki,” I murmured, hugging him tighter. “So, after the food comes back and we get what we need, can we do some swimming?”

  His eyes twinkled. “I’d love that. What else would you like to do today?”

  “Shouldn’t we be preparing for you-know-what?”

  “Preparing how? We have the few belongings we need ready, including Spock. What else is there besides waiting for the sun to set?”

  I shrugged. “Resting?”

  He grinned wide. “Only you would think of sleeping as preparation for a nefarious mission. I already got my sleep in when you slept, but if you need to sleep before we leave, then I’ll make sure you get it. Anything else?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Good. Now what do you want to do after this? I want you to experience as much of my world with me as you can before we leave.” A ghost of pain in his eyes allowed me to see what he didn’t dare say aloud. Once we returned, the chance of us having such moments as this would likely not happen. One or both of us would suffer punishment for what we were doing, and what we were doing was not something small we’d get our hands slapped for when we returned. This was serious.

  “I don’t care what we do, as long as I’m with you.”

  Ki made a happy sound at that remark and leaned in, placing a kiss at the hollow below my throat. “That’s not a safe statement around me, my love,” he murmured against my skin, planting kisses up my neck to my ear, which he tugged into his mouth. I wasn’t prepared for that as heat exploded through me.

  “Ki.” My voice came out breathless. “Concentrate. I’m hungry.”

  “So am I.”

  “Not for the same thing.”

  He leaned back and smirked. “I’m sorry. I let my feelings get away from me.” Yeah, he looked anything but apologetic. “Are you ready to learn to hunt-?” The last word of his question came out in his language, so I had no idea what the animal was called. He saw the frustration on my face and chuckled.

  “Yes, I’m ready. Show me.”

  Ki moved us into the shallows and set me down. While Ki was in waist deep water, the waves lapped against my thighs, and again I felt exposed. My mate did his best to keep his eyes on the water, but they drifted to me often.

  “Look into the water. What do you see?” Ki instructed, tugging me closer to his side.

  “Umm, nothing?” The water was almost crystal clear, but all I saw was algae covered rocks at the bottom. In fact, we stood on them.

  “Try again.”

  “Algae covered rocks.”

  “Good. Now, what we’re hunting feeds on that...algae. Hold still and don’t talk and they’ll come out of hiding.”

  We waited for almost ten minutes, me growing impatient as we stood there, until I finally saw movement near the base of the rock I stood on. Instinct would’ve had me slapping Ki’s arm with joy at having seen the animal, but that would’ve scared it away and I’d waited this long. I didn’t want to wait again.

  “You see it?” Ki murmured, and I nodded. “Good. I’ll show you how to catch the first one. You’ll catch the second.”

  He slid a hand under the water’s surface, barely disturbing it so the animal had no idea he’d moved. As it came out from its rocky hiding place, my jaw dropped open. If my eyes weren’t deceiving me, this creature was a mixture between a jellyfish and an octopus. While the head of it, if that’s what it could be called, was clear and bubble-like, the tentacles were that of an octopus, complete with little suckers on the ends. However, it was only a foot long from top of head to tip of tentacle.

  It wove around our legs, preferring Ki’s furred legs to my shaven legs. The next instant, Ki moved, disappearing under the water one moment and the next second reappearing, his prize in his hands. That part I understood. Ripping the head off the creature so it was two separate parts was not what I was prepared for and balked.

  Ki noticed my reaction and shrugged. “If you don’t kill them right away, they’ll retaliate, and that’s not pleasant.”

  “Oh.”

  He chucked the head to shore where it mingled with our clothes and tore off a tentacle and handed it to me. I stared at it long and hard before taking it from him. Then I stared more until Ki ripped one off for him and bit part of it off. Gawking at him, I let my eyes slide down to the tentacle in my hand.

  “What?” Ki asked, nudging me with his elbow.

  “Aren’t we going to cook it or something?”

  “The other part yes. It’s better that way. This part doesn’t need to be cooked. Try it.”

  Cringing inside, I stuck the rubbery piece of meat into my mouth and bit off a chunk. To say that it tasted like chicken was an understatement. It tasted so much better. Even uncooked and unseasoned, it was quite possibly the best tasting meat I’d ever put into my mouth. There were no words to describe it, and my starving stomach requested more right away, so I gave it what it wanted.

  Three tentacles later, I was full. Ki ate the rest, even though I wasn’t sure when he ate last. He probably didn’t need to eat yet, but he’d joined me anyway. Afterward, I’d enjoyed swimming around our portion of the lake, which was much larger than it appeared. Ki stayed by my side, and when I was finished with my fun, we grabbed our clothes and the other part of our meal, and walked back to our home.

  While I changed in the bathroom and dried myself, Ki took the bedroom. When I exited, he’d already finished, so I went in search of him. Since it wasn’t a big house, I found him lounging in his comfortable clothes and bare feet, reading on some sort of tablet.

  “Your race is far superior to mine as far as technology, but I still haven’t seen much of it, besides the ship,” I stated, settling down in one of the chair cushions.

  Looking up from the tablet, Ki grinned at me. “I promise, I’m not trying to hide it from you. The truth is, many of us who work with the technology often, like on the ship, prefer to distance ourselves from it when we return home. It allows us to stay focused on what’s important, such as those we love. And it makes life simpler in so many ways.” He shrugged. “But if we get to return here after our mission...I’ll install whatever technology you want.”

  “It’s okay. I was only curious about not seeing it.”

  “Then that’s why. Okay, how about a game?”

  By the time the sun was dipping toward the horizon, I was a bundle of nerves. I’d taken a short catnap around midday and hadn’t argued with Kilani when he’d climbed into the bed with me. I’d needed that comforting touch to help settle me enough to sleep. Once on the ship, I’d be fine, but I didn’t want to be tired going into this mission.

  With both of our wristbands in place, Spock around my neck, and Ki carrying a small bag of the drits’ belongings, we set out along the trail leading to the main path. Neither of us wanted to leave the house in full unifo
rm in case someone spotted us. We’d agreed to find a hiding place off the path closer to the ships...or when it became clear that I wouldn’t be able to see much of anything soon. Ki had insisted that the suit had a setting that would allow me to be able to see in the dark.

  Since it was around dinner time, we met few people on the main path once we exited off Ki’s trail. Most were still curious about me or too busy glaring at Ki. So, word had spread far and wide about what had happened. Too bad no one still seemed interested in knowing the truth, that I’d let him abduct me all over again in a heartbeat.

  About the time I started stumbling over my own two feet and any slopes in the ground, Ki lifted me into his arms and carried me deep into the forest around us so no one would see us activate our uniforms. Spock got stuffed in the bag with orders to stay hidden, and Ki placed the bag back on his back and we returned to the trail, careful that no one was around to see us.

  “You said this thing could help me see,” I growled when I tripped on an exposed root.

  Ki stopped, took my wrist and after punching a few buttons, adjusted my helmet screen to show everything as a bright green.

  “Cool, night vision,” I cooed in awe, staring around the space.

  “Sure, if that’s what you want to call it. Come on. Don’t act like a recruit or you’ll give us away.”

  Taking his gruff tone as him being back in Captain mode, I followed after him, more careful of where I put my feet. It was our luck that not five minutes later the heavens opened up and the rains descended. Anyone without shelter scurried past us as we kept up a steady stride, safe under the cover of our uniforms. We passed a few other uniformed men and we nodded in greeting and they returned it. Each time my heart had a series of palpitations until they were long past.

  When we finally reached the shipyard, or whatever they called it, I was ready to breathe a sigh of relief, but I held it in. I’d save that for when we were traveling through space and no one could stop us. Every nerve was jumpy. How could Ki be so calm. He hadn’t once lost his stride as we walked and appeared so at ease.

  “They’re on board,” one of the men at the ship’s entrance whispered into his comm unit the second we stepped past him. He then proceeded to close the door. My heart was ready to beat out of my chest.

  With the door closed, we reduced our uniforms to the normal style worn on board and Ki lifted his wrist to his mouth. “Maltak, get us out of here.”

  “Right away, Captain.”

  It warmed my heart as I followed Kilani at a jog through the halls that so many of his men still referred to him with his old title, even though he no longer held that position. Those we passed by stopped and either nodded or waved, all smiles to have us onboard.

  By the time we reached the deck, we were already approaching the planet’s outer atmosphere. I took Ki’s hand as we watched the surface grow farther and farther away. A series of shrill beeps from below caught my attention and a man stood from his station to address Kilani.

  “Captain, we’re being ordered back by the tower because we don’t have clearance.”

  Ki shook his head. “I’m aware we don’t have clearance, Credin. We weren’t expecting to have it.”

  “Yes, Sir, I know, but it’s my job to notify you of such things.”

  “I thank you for that.”

  “Should I give a response?”

  “No.” Ki squeezed my hand. “Men, can’t this thing move any faster?”

  A chorus of “Yes, Sir’s” echoed in the space and the ship’s speed increased. Maltak joined us, both men surveying the room around us. The nervous energy spewing from them now had me even more jittery.

  “Okay, what didn’t you all tell me?” I growled, sensing anticipation in the air.

  “If they want, they can blow us out of the sky,” Ki murmured back, squeezing my hand tighter.

  “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I screeched, earning a dozen eyes turned my way and then back on their tasks. “No one decided to tell me that fact before we left?”

  “Would it have changed anything?” Ki inquired, no longer bothering to keep his voice low since I was squawking loud enough for Mortan to hear me in the mess hall.

  “No, but I would’ve liked to have known that little fact going into this.”

  “Well, now you do.”

  Credin stood once again, panic written on his face and making his voice shake. “They’re threatening to attack if we don’t respond.”

  Every eye turned to Kilani. He took a deep, steady breath and tugged me with him down to Credin’s station. The young man moved aside, allowing Ki to take a seat in his place and I stood behind him, bending over so our heads were even. Placing a device in his ear, Ki spoke to whoever was in the “tower.”

  “This is Cap-...Kilani. I need to speak to Councilwoman Roosha immediately. No, we will not halt our progress. This is a matter of scientific urgency. Yes, I’m aware I’m no longer a Captain and have no right to command a vessel. Yes, I’m aware of that as well. Sir, send a message to Councilwoman Roosha to be expecting a video message in the next five minutes. Feel free to tell her what’s happening, and if she gives the order, I’ll order this ship to turn around.”

  Every eye within hearing turned to Ki and froze. Not me. I whacked the man upside the back of the head. Ki’s eyes flew wide as he took the earpiece out and ended the transmission.

  “What was that?” he asked when I couldn’t contain myself and whacked him again. Standing to face me, Ki ground his teeth together and arched a brow at me.

  “This isn’t just your mission and you go and tell him if your mom orders us back you’ll order us to turn around. That’s what that was for.”

  A grin split Ki’s lips and he shook his head at me. “Yes, that’s what I said, and yes that’s what I’ll do, but as you know, I’m no longer a captain. These men are under no obligation to obey a single thing that I say.”

  Several snorts filled the deck and Maltak snickered where he stood. I only eyed Ki, who was appearing much too smug about his loophole.

  “You deserve another smack for that,” I grumbled.

  “I know I do. Come on. We have to make a video call, and it isn’t going to be pleasant.”

  Ki led me from the deck and we scurried down the hallway. The lights had been turned back down, but by now I knew the ship well enough I didn’t trip over the ups and downs. I didn’t bother asking where we were going. There were only a few locations I could think of for this type of call, and we’d be there soon.

  Sure enough, we wound up at Ki’s old quarters. The room was devoid of all virtual realities, which finally allowed me to see what the space was like in its true form, before someone shifted it to appear like something else. The bed sat where it always did, but across the room was a large screen hanging on the wall and a desk which faced it.

  Ki moved toward the desk, but I gripped his arm, stopping him. “I have an idea. Do you trust me?”

  “Always.”

  “Then let me talk to your mom.”

  His eyes widened a fraction, but he nodded. “I’ll stay over here out of sight and walk you through calling her.”

  After I sat in the desk chair, Ki was as good as his word and walked me through the steps on the tablet built into the desk to call his mom. When she appeared on the screen, I was surprised not to see smoke billowing out of her ears. However, when she caught sight of me, she jerked, confused as her eyes softened a little bit.

  “Cammie, what is going on?” she asked me, more worry than anger filling her voice. “Where’s Kilani?”

  “He’s with me on the ship.”

  “I assumed so. What are you doing?”

  “Saving your people.” Her eyebrows shot up, and I continued. “I don’t trust the council, not after what happened with Kilani. There are several who feel this way at the moment, unfortunately. With that being the case, something caught the scientist’s eye on this ship and he brought it to our attention. I’m going to tell you in confidenc
e. Does that translate so you understand my true meaning?”

  Roosha nodded. “Yes. Tell me.”

  “On a whim, Yulaki tested the excess blood I gave when they tested my Mate Level. Apparently, something in it started destroying the virus inside of you all.”

  Clapping a hand over her mouth, Roosha shook her head in complete shock. “Female blood? Female blood did this?”

  I shook my head. “No. Well, yes, but not because I’m a female. Yulaki is going to test my blood again now, but I don’t believe it’ll work.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because the medicine that was in my blood when I was abducted is no longer in my bloodstream. If what we think caused the virus to be killed is the case, we can save your people, but we can’t let anyone know yet. It’s a mission so full of nothing but hopes and prayers that I’m right, because if that’s not it, then I have no idea. If I can get the rest of the medicine I was supposed to take and Yulaki can duplicate it, we may have a chance to stop this.”

  “But how will you know if it works on us and not just in a blood sample?” she asked. Her mouth tightened into a tight line when Kilani stepped into the video frame to stand beside me.

  “Because Maltak has already volunteered to test this medicine for us. He understands that there may be risks from a foreign medicine being given to him and there could be side effects, but he is willing to take that chance. Others have also volunteered. We will not give up until we find out what it is that destroyed the virus and how we can replicate it to disperse it to our people.” Stepping around the desk to the front, Kilani knelt and bowed his head to his mother. “I cannot and will not ask your forgiveness for yet another deed that will dishonor you and the family, but I also cannot let this opportunity pass by. This ship brought Cammie to us and it is we who wish to return with her to aid our people. If you wish to disown me or wish death upon me when we return, I will accept either without argument.”