by K. D. Jones
She reached out to gently touch his hand. He allowed the touch. “The Morins used all of you against one another to keep control of you. They are at fault. Our father felt helpless to protect you and mother. He should have comforted you though. None of what happened was your fault. ”
“She would tell me that whenever she was returned with bruises, but I still feel like I failed her. Did Krosis hurt you?” His young face looked at her with scrutiny.
“I am fine, really. I’m grateful that I found you and father.”
He looked away feeling shy. His eyes caught those of a strange male staring at his sister. “Is he your mate?” the boy asked.
AriELa looked to where her brother pointed. TarAK stood at the door watching her intently. Seeing him there made her heart rate speed up. “No, we are not mated.”
“Then I will make him stop staring,” her brother growled.
“No! I mean, it’s okay if he looks.”
He looked at her cautiously, then he began to pick at his food. He was tentative at first but then started to shovel food in his mouth before he had a chance to chew and swallow the previous spoonful.
“Easy, little brother. If you eat too much too fast it will make you sick.”
He paused with a spoonful at his lips. He looked around at how the rest of the people were eating. They all seemed to be taking their time.
“I have to store it up in case it is a while before they give us more food.”
AriELa tried not to show her emotions on her face. It tore her heart in half to hear about the abuse the young suffered. Separated from his father, watching his mother deteriorate and being repeatedly abused. After their mother died, he was pretty much alone.
“We eat three meals a day in the Meal Rooms. The Meal Rooms are kept open at all times of the day. If you get hungry, we can come back any time.”
“Really?” he looked like he didn’t quite believe her.
“I promise. But if you want, we can get some of this to take back with you for later.”
“Where will I stay? In the holding room?”
She shook her head. “You’ll stay with me.”
“For how long?”
Forever was what she wanted to say. But she didn’t want to scare him. “You can stay with me as long as you want. Do you want to stay with me?” she should have asked him that first. Maybe he would want to stay with their father, though it didn’t look like they were getting along earlier.
“Yes, I would like to stay with you.”
Chapter Seventeen
She got her brother settled in bed and it took a while, but he finally fell asleep. Something had been bothering her about her father’s behavior and she needed to speak with him. She didn’t want to leave her brother alone in her sleeping quarters, but she had to see her father. It had been years. She had a difficult time recognizing him. He had lost a tremendous amount of weight.
LanER stayed behind to guard her brother while AtOM escorted her to her father’s sleeping quarters. She was nervous. Her hand shook as she reached up and knocked on the door. No one answered. She knocked a little louder. He might be resting.
“Go away!” an angry male’s voice shouted from inside the room.
“Father?” AriELa yelled back in question.
A few seconds later the door was slid open. Her father was now showered and changed into a warrior uniform. He towered over her.
“AriELa?”
She waited for him to take her into his arms. He used to give the best hugs. It always made her feel safe when she was within his arms. However, he just stood there staring down at her, not making a move for her at all.
“May…may I come in so we can speak in private?”
He shuffled to get out of her way. She turned to address AtOM. “I need to speak to my father in private, please wait outside.” He didn’t look happy about it, but he nodded his head. She entered and closed the door behind her.
Nothing looked touched at all. Not even the bed. She saw a sheet lying on the floor bedside the bed and cringed inwardly. He must be resting on the floor. When she looked up at him, he had seen what she looked at and blushed from embarrassment.
“I am no longer used to soft surfaces. Do not feel bad, the floor here is much cleaner than anything I have grown accustomed to.”
Oh Goddess, help me to not cry. “I’m sure there will be many adjustments to be made for both of us.”
“Would you care to sit?” He pulled up a chair for her.
She sat down, disappointed again that he had not taken her into his arms. All these years she had longed for him. Now, she sat in the same room with him but could not even find the words she wanted to tell him. Neither spoke for what seemed like a really long time. He finally broke the silence.
“You look so much like your mother,” he sounded pained by the idea.
AriELa looked down at her hands feeling inadequate. Her mother would know what to say. “I may look similar but…I am not her.”
“I am grateful to see you well. I had worried for years that I didn’t get the pod released quickly enough. Then I worried the Morins had recovered you anyway. They taunted me with that over the years.”
AriELa tried to reach out to comfort him, but he moved away from her touch. It was a slap in the face. Why did it seem like everyone in her life pulled away from her? Why could they not love her?
“As you can see, I am fine. KydEL found me. Aunt SandELa took me in and raised me.”
He nodded his head looking relieved. “I thank the Goddess for that. How did the Morins capture you? Was Katiera attacked?”
“I traveled to Kiljor to discuss a possible mating between myself and the Kiljorn Prime Leader KadEN. The Morins attacked Kiljor and took me off planet.”
“Have you mated with the Kiljorn Leader?” He had only seen the Security Liaison TarAK watching her. He had not seen the Kiljorn Leader on board.
“No. We were not destined to mate. He found his bond mate in an Earth female named Lindsey. They are planning their mating ceremony as we speak.”
He perked up at the mention of the Earth female. “Lucy is an Earth female as well. Are all the females from Earth warriors?”
“No. There are only a few that I have seen so far.”
He didn’t say anything. He picked up a digital tablet and used it to search for something. He didn’t ask any questions about her life at all. He hadn’t asked about her brother either. Did they mean so little to him?
“The young will stay with me.”
He nodded without looking up. “That’s good. You will be good for him.”
She stood abruptly. She had to leave before the tears started falling. “I will see you around.”
“See you later,” he commented while still looking at the digital tablet.
*****
TarAK went to check on AriELa. He meant to find a private moment so he could apologize for his behavior. But now that her brother was staying with her, it would be more difficult to be alone with her.
He realized standing in the holding room watching AriELa reaching for her brother, that life was too short. She was his bond mate and he was pushing her away for no good reason except for feelings of inadequacy. He may not be able to give her power or financial rewards, but he would give her his love and protection for all their days. If she would forgive him again.
“She is not here,” LanER told him as he approached.
“Where did she go?”
“She is off with AtOM.” He didn’t elaborate.
“Where did they go?”
LanER didn’t answer him.
“When will they be back?”
The male shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure.”
“Why are you still here then?”
“I am watching over the young. He is staying here with AriELa.”
TarAK grunted and glared at the other male. “Then I will wait here with you to guard the young.”
“There’s no need…” LanER tried to object,
but TarAK took his post on the other side of the door.
TarAK wasn’t going anywhere until he spoke with AriELa. He hoped she would accept his apology. If she didn’t, he planned to seduce her and keep her with him in his bed until she agreed to mate with him. Out of anxiousness he paced up and down the corridor looking for any sign of her.
*****
After saying goodbye to her father, AriELa walked down the corridor with slow steps. “Kitana!” The tears started streaming down her face.
“Prima? Do not cry.” AtOM looked almost panicked. He looked around but found no one to help him with her emotional outburst. He took her into his arms to give comfort. This was not how he fantasized taking the female in his arms. In his fantasies the Prima was passionate and demanding of his kisses. This sobbing female was anything but what he had dreamed of. He felt helpless.
AriELa was grateful for at least one male in the whole galaxy that welcomed her into his arms. Even though she could tell his discomfort, he went out of his way to console her. Why couldn’t AtOM be the male for her? She wrapped her arms around his neck soaking in his warmth.
He patted her back. “It will work itself out. You’ll see.”
“I hope so. Right now I feel like I am shattered into a million pieces and may never be whole again.”
The male held her tighter in his embrace saying soothing words. There was a growling noise behind her. That was the only warning she got before she was suddenly whirled around and ripped from AtOM’s arms.
Dazed and confused, she looked back around to find an enraged TarAK holding AtOM by the throat suspended in the air. Kitana! She had no idea he was that strong.
“TarAK! What are you doing?” She ran to his side and tried pulling his arm away from AtOM.
“He touched you,” he growled with a deep voice.
She had never seen him like this. “He was comforting me. I was upset and crying.”
TarAK actually bared his teeth at the other male. AtOM paled as he struggled to breathe. “You made her cry?”
“Of course he didn’t. I had just seen my father and things didn’t go well. I started crying and AtOM was being my friend and comforting me. That’s all.”
TarAK loosened his grip on the other male as he lowered him to the ground. He turned to AriELa and breathed in her scent. Mine. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to his sleeping quarters. He was obsessed with needing to get her away from the other males.
“Let me go, TarAK!” She pushed at his arms and chest uselessly. He was in protective mode and was not going to be reasoned with. It was a scary sight. Males in the corridor jumped out of his way.
With his long legs it didn’t take long to reach the quarters he shared with another security liaison. When he entered the room, he looked at the other male. “Leave now!” he ordered him.
“Oh Kitana!” The other male practically leaped across the room to get out the door.
“Was that necessary?” AriELa asked as she was dumped on top of his bed.
“I plan to rip every piece of clothing from your body, then lick you from your toes to your eyelids. He needed to leave before that happened.”
Sexual images bombarded her as he described what he was going to do to her. Her breathing became heavy and she felt her lower lips quivering in need.
“Oh Goddess,” she whispered.
*****
ConEL wanted desperately to hold his daughter, but guilt ate away at him. She would never forgive him when she learned the truth. He could have escaped so many times over the years. He remained a prisoner to look after his mate and his son. When his mate died, a part of him died as well. His will for living was gone, but he continued for his son. He couldn’t leave him. AriELa would be devastated to know he chose his son over her.
AriELa, my Goddess she was so beautiful. Just like her mother. Except, she had his blue eyes. His son had his dead mate’s beautiful, green eyes. Tears no longer fell from his eyes. They had long ago dried up. Tears didn’t help anything. He could only pray to the Goddess KatieRI that whichever male claimed AriELa, they would give her the comfort and love that was no longer within him to give.
He worried about his son. What damage had the years of captivity done on someone so young. He was glad to know that AriELa would take him in. The young was safe with her.
A sound from his digital tablet alerted him that his query was found. It was time to make his enemies pay.
Chapter Eighteen
“Another male had his hands on you. I need to be inside of you.” He jerked out of the uniform top exposing his golden skin beneath.
AriELa licked her lips. She should say no. Make a dash to the door. At least stop watching him as he bared more skin. Oh Goddess, he was perfect in every way. She struggled to keep a coherent thought. “Why are you suddenly interested now? I have been pushed away so many times.”
“I ask for your forgiveness. I have been stubborn and less than confident that I could give you what you deserve. I am but a lowly Security Liaison and you are a Prima.” He paused to look at her with sad dark gray eyes.
“Did I ever treat you differently?” AriELa asked him angrily.
“No. You treat everyone with kindness and equality. It was my failing, my insecurity.”
“Do you still feel insecure? What if tomorrow you decide that I should be mating a Prime instead of you? Will you push me away again? I can’t take any more heartbreak,” her voice cracked with the release of her tears.
He bent down onto the bed and took her into his arms. “I am sorry more than words can express. I feel a deep love for you. I have since I was just a gangly kid and you followed me around. I only wanted what was best for you. You are my Goddess, my bond mate. I am lost every time I look into your blue eyes. I plan to worship every inch of you and show you how much I truly love you.”
She stopped crying and looked up into his dark eyes. “You love me?”
He wiped the tears from her face. He hoped to never cause her to cry again. But his father told him when he was younger that all mates fight at one time or another. He nodded. “I love you more than anything.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
He bent his head and took her lips in a gentle kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. He trailed kisses down her neck nibbling along the way. His hands worked fast at taking her simple one strap dress off. He leaned back to gaze at her completely naked. “So beautiful,” he growled with need.
One hand grasped one of her breasts and his mouth took her other nipple inside its deep warmth. He latched on it and sucked. AriELa moaned with pleasure. It felt so good. She ran her hands over his wide shoulders and across his back. She was aroused to the point it was almost painful.
“Please…” She needed him inside of her. It felt like forever since they had last been together.
He roughly unhooked his pants and shoved them down. There was no time. He needed inside his mate. He released her breasts and used his hands to spread her smooth thighs apart. He kissed her lips again as he massaged her feminine folds with his rough fingers. He slipped a finger inside and found her warm and wet. He moved his finger in and out of her. He added a second then a third. She grew even wetter. He wanted to taste her, but he didn’t think he could last that long. He positioned his staff at the entrance to her then paused.
“Do you accept me as your mate?” he asked with a growling voice.
“What?” She wasn’t sure she heard him right. She looked into his dark gray, beautiful eyes. Eyes shining down at her with all the love in his heart.
“Do you accept me as your mate?”
“Yes, TarAK, I accept you as my mate,” she said with tears coming down her face.
He plunged deeply to her core. He paused there, looking down into the face of the female of his dreams. “You are mine.” Then he began a slow, deliberate pace. He made sure he hit all the right places within her. She was so soft and delicate. He growled. He pulled out of her and fl
ipped her onto her stomach.
“On your hands and knees, my love.”
She scrambled quickly to get into position. She needed him back inside her. She was feeling the build of a large release and she wanted it, needed it with a desperation. “Hurry, TarAK!”
He rubbed the round globes of her shapely ass. She was perfect in every way. His thighs brushed the back of hers and he put himself in position. He entered her slowly from behind. Oh Goddess. He got a deeper penetration in this position. He smoothed her long, dark hair to the side, baring her graceful neck.
“Faster! Harder!” AriELa moved back against him, trying to take more of him.
He reached down with his hand to tweak her. When he gently bit her shoulder, AriELa growled as she began to release. He had never heard of a female growling before and it turned him on big time. He started to drill into her harder, grounding her into the mattress. He felt the pressure building and running up his legs and centering in one place as he shot his seed into her womb. He kept releasing over and over. It was almost endless. When he was spent, he collapsed on the bed beside her and took her into his arms.
It took a few minutes for them to regain their breath. “That was amazing,” he said as he kissed to top of her head.
AriELa looked up into his face with a question in her eyes. “You released inside of me?”
“You agreed to accept me.”
“I know. I’m just…so happy.” Tears appeared in her eyes.
“My love, do not cry again. I cannot bare it.” He took her into his arms. Had he been too rough with her? Kitana. He was an inexperienced male and probably hurt her without knowing it.
“I’m happy, filled with so much joy that I cannot hold it within. Unfortunately my tears seem to be the outlet for my joy,” she reassured him.
“I did not hurt you?”
“You would never hurt me.”
He smiled and kissed her softly. “You make me lose control. I was afraid I would hurt you.”
