Modoalm stood. “Sounds like there is a beginning of a plan for your removal from the city, at least for now. Dade, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done for my family—without you, many more of our people would have died. Whatever you need, it’s yours. I’ll send along several guards and whatever equipment Larede needs to study these micro nanos. But, when you’re better, I want you back here. I believe you’re right when you say this is not over.”
I could see Yaseke struggling not to speak. He’d made no secret of the fact he didn’t want me to be a soldier anymore. I didn’t want to be one, either, but how else could I protect my family?
“Whatever I can do to help, I will.” I hid my wince when Yaseke locked his hand around mine, and his claws dug into the back of my hand. He glared at me.
Modoalm chuckled. “Your tziu is not happy with me. Or you, now.”
I sighed, glancing at Yaseke. He shifted his glare to the Toleral like the man wasn’t the ruler of the entire planet and capable of… well, anything he wanted.
“Dade has given enough, paid the price enough, for a lifetime of peace.” His hum was angry enough to match his glare.
Modoalm remained quiet. Ovrumi had remained sitting when Modoalm stood, but he rose to his feet after Yaseke snapped at his isit.
“I think you should let him finish before you assume you know what Modoalm was asking.” Ovrumi’s hum was gently reproving.
Yaseke flushed. That small reminder sank in and he closed his eyes. “I apologize.”
“No, Yaseke. I understand, believe me.” Modoalm smiled at him. “The war had ruined so many lives, and cost so many people more than they dreamed they’d have to pay, including you and Dade. I want you to have some time for yourselves, but if Larede can ensure the nelhos’ tampering with your male is neutralized, I want him to come back… and become part of the asheksi.”
Silence fell like a blanket over the entire room. No one spoke; no one even breathed.
I was floored. “But… but… I’m just a soldier.”
“You have led men before. You know violence and war, and obeying orders, yet you don’t act blindly. I believe you have the experience we need to understand what we’re facing with the humans—both these new ones and the Central Council ones you speak of. You have power, yet you don’t use it unless you must. You temper action with wisdom of when and how much is necessary.
“I will use every resource at my disposal to protect Caeorleia. You can help me do that.” The Toleral stood before me, every inch a ruler assured of his choice.
I pulled my hand out of Yaseke’s lax grip and stood up. “I’m honored.” It was all I could say through the lump in my throat.
Modoalm smiled. “Good.” He looked down at Larede. “Anything you need, anything you ask for, and I’ll instruct the doctors to provide. Now, I have a council to inform and reconstruction plans to help approve. I’ll leave you to plan out the details.”
I sank down in my chair, still stunned, as Seral stood up. “Thank you for coming, Father.”
“Thank you for lunch.” They hugged. Ovrumi pulled Seral into a hug when they were done and then bent down and hugged Ryker.
“So what now?” Nicklaus hadn’t spoken during the entire meeting. “Yaseke, Dade, and Larede all leave for who knows how long?”
“It’s necessary,” I said.
“Who are you sending as guards?” Nicklaus barely glanced at Fieo, but we all saw the look. The tension between them had grown even more palpable since the attack on the city.
“Fieo and I will discuss who is best suited.” Seral sat down beside Ryker.
Nicklaus looked confused. “What does that mean?”
I snorted. “He means sending guards who aren’t afraid of me.”
Seral inclined his head toward me. “I wasn’t going to be quite so blunt, but yes. I know that you are more than capable of protecting your family—”
“I’m not going to turn down backup,” I said, interrupting him. “I can’t be everywhere.”
“Good. I can have everything ready for you by the morning.”
That was our cue to go. I knew they were going to discuss things I couldn’t be present for, and I needed to speak to Yaseke privately before we picked up the kids anyway. He was going to yell at me, I was sure of it. He’d barely looked at me since Modoalm offered me a seat on the Council.
“Thank you, again.” Yaseke and I stood up. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
The halls were noisy and full of Caeorleians working to repair the residence or going about getting life back to normal. I couldn’t help the tension building as I tried to avoid everyone from habit, but the few people I brushed against barely registered emotionally. I’d have to practice and see if I could control the influx.
When I wasn’t spending time with my tziu.
Yaseke had walked beside me the entire way but hadn’t said a word. I was bracing myself for an explosion when he entered our suite ahead of me, but as soon as the door shut he wheeled around and slammed into me. He held me close, his arms squeezing me tight, his face buried against my shoulder.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I’d expected him to yell about making plans for him, not hold on to me like he was afraid I was going to slip away.
“You’re going to become an asheksi.” His voice was quiet, the hum muffled, but I managed to make out what he was saying.
“Yeah, I guess.” The magnitude of the honor hadn’t really hit me yet. It was like a field promotion…. I’d worry about it later and do what needed to get done now. And at that moment, my tziu needed me. “That’s okay with you, right?”
“Yes! You’ll be safe.”
I reached for Yaseke’s face, tilting it up by his chin until I could look into his wet eyes. “Hey, now… you were really scared, weren’t you?”
“I thought you were going to volunteer to find the Collectors, and then when you said—” Yaseke cut himself off, shaking his head. “I can’t say it.”
“I’ve never been that self-sacrificing,” I said. “And I don’t want to be on the other end of a weapon again, not if I can help it. Modoalm’s right—there’s a lot I can share with the council about human tactics. Even if we defeat Tubinsfor and his cronies, there are the other human planets to deal with. It’s time I learn how to be your isit first, though. I want to be a family with you, Pira, and Maerit. I want to watch them grow up, and I want to make sure you’re never unhappy again.” I rubbed my thumb along his jaw. “I’m done fighting, but I’ll never stop wanting to protect you.” I leaned down and captured his lips. “I love you.”
Yaseke melted against me. “I love you too,” he hummed. I didn’t need to feel his emotions to know it was true.
I held his face still so I could plunder his mouth and dragged his body closer to mine until we couldn’t get any closer while still clothed. My fangs ached as I scraped my tongue against the sharp tips of his. The kiss went on and on. When I pulled back, desperately trying to drag in enough air to keep from passing out, I couldn’t look away from my tziu.
His lips were swollen from our kisses. His isitziu were dark, his face pale as his heart pounded hard enough for me to feel against my chest. I was hard, and I could feel Yaseke’s answering response to my arousal against my hip.
“It’s been a roller coaster since we joined,” I said. “And I know it’s not a real vacation like you wanted, but we’re going to be nearly alone, in the mountains. Lots of time for us”—I rocked him against me with one hand on his ass—“because I feel like it’s been forever since we had time to be together without worrying about anything else.”
Yaseke’s eyes darkened to a burnished amber, his gaze burning as he stared into mine. He panted as I stroked his ass, running my hand down the crevice between his cheeks. He arched, pushing his ass into my hand.
“I can’t wait to be inside you, or have you inside me. I need you,” I whispered. “How about we start our vacation now?”
Other Books by Alicia Nordwell
Series
Saving Caeorleia
The Experiment
Adverse Effects
Cosmic Inception
bonded by the yume
Maze for Three
Individual titles
Heated Blood
Burden of Secrets
Picked at the Peak
Pricolici
Protecting Bear
Maze for Three
Disastertastic
Alicia Nordwell is one of those not so rare creatures, a reader turned writer. Striving to find something interesting to read one day, she decided to write what she wanted instead. Then the voices started…. Yep, not only does she talk about herself in the third person for bios, she has voices in her head constantly clamoring to get out.
Fortunately for readers, with the encouragement of her family and friends, she decided for her own sanity to keep writing. Now you can find her stories both free and e-published! Oh yeah, she’s a wife and a mom of two, and lives in the dreary, yet ideal for her redhead complexion, Pacific Northwest. Except for when she disappears into one of the many worlds in her head, of course!
She can also be found quite often at her blog, where she has a lot of free fiction for readers to enjoy or working hard, or maybe hardly working, as an admin on GayAuthors.org under her online nickname, Cia.
Author Links:
Blog: http://www.ciasstories.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciasstories
Twitter: @AliciaNordwell
E-mail: [email protected]
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