by K. D. Jones
They held each other for what seemed like hours. AriELa dreaded having to leave. She sat up and looked at him. “I need to go back to my sleeping quarters.”
He shot up grasping her to him. “No!”
“TarAK, I have a brother waiting for me. He needs me there with him. Especially since our father has shown no concern for either of us. We are all we have.”
“I understand, but you also have me. If you need me to help with your brother, I am happy to do that. After we have our official mating ceremony, he will become my brother, too.”
She looked at him in shock. “You want a mating ceremony?”
When he nodded, she smiled a beaming smile at him. “My brother and I are lucky to have you.” She threw her arms around him. He kissed her. One kiss turned into two. Two kisses turned into three. They were on their way to making love again, but AriELa remembered she had to check on her brother who still had no name.
“We can’t right now. Come with me to check on him.”
He grumbled, “I hate that you have to cover your beautiful body.”
She giggled as she sat up and looked around for her dress. “I could always walk around naked.”
He growled, “Not in front of other males.”
She bent down to give him a quick peck on the cheek. “Of course not. Being naked is only for you in private.”
How he loved this female. She was everything to him.
*****
ConEL made his way to the docking bay. He nodded at people as they passed him by. It hurt to see the pity in their eyes. He knew he was no longer the male he once was, but he still had some pride and honor left in him. Everything male in him demanded he hunt down his enemies and deliver justice for what had been done to his family.
He stopped and waited until there was no one around. Then he grabbed a flight suit and put it on. He entered the docking bay and climbed into the nearest warship. He entered an old code that still worked, firing up the engines. He didn’t hesitate. He signaled for the docking bay doors to open and then shot out of the transport.
*****
“Why did he have to wait outside my quarters the whole time?” TarAK asked with frustration as they walked back to AriELa’s quarters. The male in question, Lieutenant AtOM, followed at a few paces behind them.
“Shhh! AtOM can hear you. He was just doing his job.” She blushed at the realization that AtOM probably heard everything that they had done in TarAK’s quarters. However he was honorable enough to not say anything. AtOM was just doing his job by guarding her.
As they approached AriELa’s quarters, LanER looked at them with relief. “I am glad you are back, Prima. Your brother woke about an hour ago and has been asking for you. He is convinced that we did something to you.”
Just then the door slid open and her brother ran out and straight to her, clasping her around her waist. “The male wouldn’t tell me where you were. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
“I’m fine.” She hugged him closer and noticed that he was sniffing her. He scented TarAK on her. She felt him stiffen.
“TarAK and I are mated now.”
“Did he force you?”
TarAK growled a response, “Of course not. I would never force a female.”
Her brother refused to release her. “The Morins did, at least the ones that could function properly did.”
Oh Goddess, the things her brother must have been forced to witness. She hugged him tighter to her.
TarAK knelt down so he was eye level with the little boy. “Katieran males treasure females and would never force one against their will. I have much love for AriELa and am overjoyed that she accepted me. It pleases me that you already feel protective over your sister. I will need you to train with me so you can help me protect her.”
“When can I start training?” the little boy asked, looking excited for the first time.
“As soon as we reach Katiera.” TarAK stood back up and kissed AriELa on the top of her head.
She had never been more proud of TarAK than she was at that moment. Thank You, she mouthed to him. He gave her a nod.
“I’m hungry. Let’s go see what we can find in the Meal Room.” They didn’t get far. The emergency lights began to flash and the alarm went off.
“What’s going on?” AriELa asked TarAK. He hit his Comm Link and started talking.
“By the fires of Kitana!” TarAK yelled over the Comm Link.
“TarAK?”
He ended communications on his Comm Link and turned to look at her with a worried expression.
She held her brother’s hand tightly. “It’s father, isn’t it?”
TarAK nodded his head. AriELa felt her heart squeeze and if not for her brother’s presence, she would have fallen to her knees.
“Prime ConEL has taken a warship,” TarAK told her as he gave instructions to the other two Lieutenants.
“Why did he do this? Where is he going?” AriELa asked all three males.
“I do not know. Once you and your brother are secure in the sleeping quarters, I will go to the Control Center and find out.”
“I want to go with you,” AriELa told him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You need to remain here and watch over your brother.”
“I want to go, too,” the little boy spoke up.
“No. The both of you should remain in your quarters where you will be safe,” TarAK told them with authority.
AriELa looked down at her brother. Then they turned simultaneously and started to march off down the corridor leaving behind a growling TarAK, “AriELa!”
She didn’t turn around but held her brother’s hand and headed for the Commander Center. She could hear her cousin long before she saw him.
“Where is the blasted female now? Get her on her Comm Link!”
Wow, he only got this upset when Jaxon did something dangerous. What had Jaxon done this time? She entered the hectic Control Center and found KydEL pacing and acting like a crazy person. To her surprise, Jaxon stood at the main viewing screen. If Jaxon was here, who was the female that had her cousin bellowing? She made her way over to stand by Jaxon.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Your suicidal father took a warship out and is heading in the direction of a Morin Transport.”
“What? He can’t do that! One warship cannot hold against a transport ship!” She let go of her brother’s hand so she could move closer to the viewing screen. Sure enough, she could see her father’s warship and it was indeed heading toward the enemy. There was another Katieran warship directly behind her father and further away were five more.
“Who’s following my father?”
“Second Lieutenant Daniels is closing in on him,” Jaxon informed her.
“We have tried to reach your father, but he refused to accept communications from us. When Second Lieutenant Daniels discovered that your father took off on a warship alone, she was the first one out after him. He won’t return willingly.”
One of the Lieutenants got KydEL’s attention, “The female warrior is almost in range, sir. She wants to know if she has your permission to proceed.”
“Damn it! Give her the go,” KydEL barked out his orders.
AriELa was grateful when TarAK came to stand behind her. She felt his strength giving her support.
“In range for what?” she asked.
Chapter Nineteen
ConEL refused to answer the communications from the Kiljorn Transport or the warships he knew were following him. He needed to find his enemy and destroy him.
“Prime Commander ConEL, are you tracking us?” the Morin Leader Krosis called over communications.
ConEL accepted the connection. “Krosis, I plan to kill you slowly when I finally get my hands on you.”
“You are very funny this day, ConEL. I thought you had lost your sense of humor. Maybe you have gotten it back now that you are reunited with your daughter. What a lovely creature she is. I cannot wait to get a taste
of her. I wonder if she will be anything like her mother. Hopefully she will last longer.”
“You do not go near my daughter!” ConEL lost his temper as he yelled across the communications.
“After I taste your sweet daughter, I will take the Earth female with the dark skin next. She is very exotic is she not?”
ConEL growled.
*****
“Prime ConEL, answer your communications,” Lucy called out to the infuriating man.
She had gone to his quarters to check up on him. She knew what it was like to be held against your will and she worried about his mental state. When he didn’t answer his door she entered anyway. She found his digital tablet, which displayed a location of the Morin Transport. She knew he would go for a warship first thing, that’s what she would do. She hadn’t made it to the docking bay before he left. She grabbed a warship of her own and went off after him. She relayed to the Control Center what was happening. Prime Commander KydEL had tried to reach ConEL but he had refused all their attempts, but for some reason, he did respond to hers.
“Go back to the Katieran Transport, female. This is no place for you.”
“Get over your chauvinistic attitude. I am a warrior just as you are. You need to return with me. You have a daughter and son that need you.”
“I have already failed them as I failed their mother. I must exact justice now.”
He refused any more communications from her. “Damn man!” If only there was a tractor beam or a teleportation device that could beam his ass back to safety. Wait, didn’t Jaxon say that there was some way to connect two ships when one has was damaged? She looked around until she finally found the white button that Jaxon told her about.
“Control Center, I seek approval to connect the two ships so I can tow the Prime back to safety.” She would give Prime Commander KydEL a say in this, but she would do it anyway. AriELa and that little boy with no name would not lose their father again. Not if she could help it.
“You have a go, Second Lieutenant. Use caution. You fly directly above the Prime’s ship and align them before you press the grappling button.”
“What are you doing, female?” ConEL asked opening up communications.
“Oh, now you want to talk. Just like a man. Talks whenever it suits him. Well I have nothing to say to you right now.” She ended communications knowing it would piss him off. Good, a pissed off man was a living, breathing man.
She flew her ship over top of his and had to work hard to get the alignment correct. He could no longer see her and she had to act quickly before he figured out what she was going to do. As soon as she hit the white button there was a definite clinking as the two ships were brought together. She felt her ship drag down a little with the weight. It took a few seconds before all power reverted to her ship and she was able to pull it back upright leveling it out. She was in control of both warships.
“What have you done, female?” he asked in rage.
“Time to head home, Prime,” she said over the communications, ignoring his yelling and fussing.
*****
AriELa didn’t wait for her cousin or TarAK to tell her to remain where she was. She left the Control Center heading straight for the docking bay. What was her father thinking? He had obviously planned to attack the Morins knowing full well he was outnumbered and they would kill him. That was unacceptable to her.
“AriELa!” both KydEL and TarAK yelled after her.
She stopped just outside the docking bay by the large viewing screen. Her brother came up beside her. He looked worried, too. She watched with bated breath as the female warrior flew the two ships into the bay. It was a rough landing and they ended up skidding into another warship docked. Thank goodness no one was inside the docking bay during all that.
Everyone cringed at the small damage the two double decker ships caused. KydEL was going to explode. He would have if Jaxon hadn’t been there.
“Well, it’s not one of her better landings, but she got the job done,” Jaxon commented with amusement.
*****
Once the air was pressurized and the docking bay door was secure, the two pilots climbed out of their ships. Lucy jumped down from the top ship. ConEL then immediately confronted the female. They were yelling at each other, neither hearing what the other said.
“Enough!” KydEL yelled. He turned to his Lieutenants. “Secure Prime ConEL in the holding room until further notice.” He then addressed Lucy, “Second Lieutenant Daniels, you are to report to the Control Center. You have a lot to answer for.”
AriELa wanted to protest on her father’s behalf, but KydEL was right. Her father was a danger to himself and possibly others. “Wait.”
“AriELa, it is not up for debate,” KydEL told her.
“I know. I just want to say something to him first.” She walked up to her father. Even though he had lost muscle and weight, he still was an imposing figure. She reached up with her hand and then slapped him hard across the face making his whole body move backwards.
“Damn,” Jaxon said in awe.
“AriELa…” Her father rubbed his cheek in surprise.
“You want to die and leave us without a father? Fine. I have gone without a father for seven years. I can go a lifetime without one if need be. But don’t do that to your son who needs you. I won’t have you tearing his heart apart as you have done to mine!” She turned to leave, stopping to reach for her brother’s hand. He took her hand without hesitation. They both walked away. All eyes following her as she left.
TarAK was furious. His sweet and gentle bond mate, who had never hurt anyone in her young life, was suffering a broken heart and reduced to acting out in violence. All caused by the one male who should have been her protector. He growled at the male not caring that he was threatening a Prime.
“That is my mate that you have hurt. You are lucky that you are Prime,” he told the male with fury blazing in his eyes.
KydEL looked just as angry. “TarAK, I give you my permission since you are AriELa’s mate.”
That was all that TarAK needed. He hit ConEL on the side of his chin knocking him onto the floor. The male didn’t try to get up realizing that he deserved that, and a lot worse. TarAK wanted nothing more than to lift the male back to his feet so he could knock him right back down again.
“Okay, okay. I think he gets your point, TarAK. How about you go take care of your female? We’ve got this.” Jaxon had stepped in between TarAK and ConEL, who was still on the floor. TarAK stormed out after his mate.
Prime Commander KydEL looked at his uncle while he gave his orders. “Take him to the holding room. He is to have someone watching him until further notice.”
“Yes, Prime Commander.”
*****
AriELa was shaking so bad. She had never hit anyone in her whole life. She could feel the sting in her hand. She hit her father really hard. She was devastated that she had resorted to violence against her father, whom she had grieved over for seven years. She actually hit him. She sat down on a chair, covered her face with her hands, and sobbed.
“It’s okay, AriELa.” Her brother was there trying to comfort her.
“I’ve never hit anyone before.”
“People do things that they normally wouldn’t do when under emotional duress.” This came from TarAK, who walked into the room. “He deserved that. Maybe it will be what he needs to get his head back on straight.” He knelt down in front of AriELa, wiping the tears from her beautiful face.
“Is he okay?” she asked with tears on the verge of falling again.
“He is fully recovered from your light slap. It will take longer for him to recover from the hit that I gave him.”
“You hit him?” she asked in disbelief.
“He will be fine.” He looked into her beautiful, blue eyes that darkened with her pain. “I could not let him get away with hurting my mate.”
“Why would he attempt to go after the Morins on his own?” she asked.
“I do not und
erstand it either. Perhaps your cousin, SydEL, will have more insight. You and…your brother should get some rest. We’ll be arriving at Katiera in just a few hours.”
“Where will you be?”
“I have to check in with Prime Commander KydEL to see what my security responsibilities will be. I will come back for the two of you later.”
“So we’re just supposed to sit here and do nothing?”
He looked over at the little boy. “You could work on coming up with a name. We can’t keep calling him brother, boy, young, or child.”
When he stood AriELa stood with him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. He pulled her tightly to him and growled with instant desire. They would have continued if her brother hadn’t slammed the door as he walked into the bathroom. They quickly broke apart.
AriELa blushed from the embarrassment of having lost control in front of her brother.
TarAK touched her face making her look up at him. “Do not be embarrassed. It is the way of mates to be affectionate with one another. We will pick this up once we are alone on Katiera.” He gave her a quick peck on the lips and left.
*****
Katiera. It felt like she hadn’t been home in years. She was nervous and anxious. What would her brother, with no name, think of his new home? Her Aunt SandELa was going to love the little boy. He looked so much like their mother.
She was anxious to see her Aunt SandELa. KydEL and Jaxon told her about her Aunt mating with Lindsey’s father, Leo Carreli. That wasn’t the only surprising news. Her aunt was also breeding. This was highly unusual for someone SandELa’s age. However, on Earth it wasn’t uncommon. It would be good for there to be other young for her brother to be around.
A few minutes later her brother came back out of the bathroom. He looked around and seemed relieved that TarAK was no longer there. He came to sit on a chair next to her.
“I do not know any Katieran names.”
