The watcher made a few notes on the reader, and looked up, memorizing the people at the table, male and female. The man seemed to being paying a bit more attention to a small, curvy redhead than to the other women. Casually finishing the drink and snapping the holoreader shut the watcher stood and left the room unnoticed.
Chapter Seven
Thea yawned and stretched lazily, then rolled onto her belly. The room was empty except for her. She absently scratched her hip and looked around blearily. “Coffee.” Smacking her lips, she grimaced. “Toothbrush.” Dropping her chin back onto the bed, she stared blankly at the wall while her brain struggled toward wakefulness.
One thought stood out in her head. She wanted coffee and she wanted it now. But, just thinking of yesterday’s offering almost brought tears to her eyes. “I want a triple shot caramel latte!” she whined softly to herself. “I’m from the Pacific Northwest, damn it! How the hell am I supposed to survive without a coffee shop on every corner?” she pouted. Visions of biscotti and scones danced in her head.
She rolled herself off the bed and shuffled into the bathing area to brush her teeth, still whining under her breath. She was not a morning person. Digging through the shelf she had seen Daeshen take her shampoo from she quickly located her toothbrush and paste. Moments later she had a froth of foam in her mouth as she busily scrubbed off what felt like an entire fur coat from her teeth. Little twinges of pain reminded her of all the unfamiliar activity her body had been subjected to in the last few days. And, to add insult to injury, her butt itched.
Still scrubbing her teeth she turned and looked down the length of her body. She glowered. No decent coffee. Kinky sex maniacs. Funky body piercings. And now she had some weird rash on her ass! It was more than any woman should have to bear.
Bending, she spit out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth. Looking at her reflection balefully she noticed two tattoos just off center of the base of her throat. Great. Piercings AND tattoos. Maybe I should change my name to Candy and buy a freakin’ Harley! She snarled at her reflection and stomped back into the bedroom.
Daeshen stood in the center of the room holding a steaming mug and covered plate. “Good morning, darling!” He smiled brightly at her.
She growled at him. Ech! A morning person.
He blinked.
Her eyes focused on the mug with predatory interest. She sniffed the air like a cat scenting a particularly juicy mouse.
He extended the mug warily. “I got this for you. Shana said it’s Colombian dark roast.”
She snatched the mug from him with a muttered thank you and cradled it like the gift from the Goddess it was. Taking a cautious sip she almost moaned in pleasure. It was rich, full bodied and redolent with the taste of cream and sugar and just a dash of cinnamon. “Ohhh yesss ...” She shivered, almost feeling the caffeine infusing her veins. Plopping down onto the bed she cradled the mug between both of her palms and ignored the bite of toothpaste mixing with the coffee and took another sip of heaven.
Daeshen cautiously sat down next to her. He had a look on his face that suggested he was a little surprised by her surly attitude this morning. By the time she had finished half of the coffee she no longer felt it was necessary to keep giving him evil little looks of warning. She eyed the plate he was offering to her.
“Umm, this is for you, too,” he said, scooting a bit away from her when she took it.
Thea decided she was human after all, and maybe she would not kill Daeshen for being a morning person. Maybe. She took the plate and set her mug on the bedside table. Peeking under the cover she found a blueberry bagel with cream cheese. “Ooooh yeeeeaaaahhhh.” Looking up at her husband she smiled with pleasure and kissed him softly. “Thank you.”
Daeshen relaxed. “What is it?” He peered at the plate.
“It’s a bagel,” she said in a reverent tone of voice. “With cream cheese.” She offered him a bite, apparently feeling generous with the bearer of coffee and breakfast.
Daeshen chewed thoughtfully. “Mmm, this is good.” He watched his little mate munch with her eyes closed and a blissful expression. An idea formed in his mind and he made a mental note to speak with Kyrin about it this evening. He wrapped an arm around her when she cuddled against his side and offered him another bite of her bagel.
Thea looked at him from under her lashes and offered him a drink of her coffee. He sipped cautiously, not wanting to try it, but not wanting to offend her. He hummed in startled pleasure over the taste. It wasn’t horrible!
“Good, huh?” she asked with a grin.
“Uh huh. Much better. Is this what it’s supposed to taste like?”
“Yup.” She recovered her cup and took another long swallow. “Oh, yeah, much better.”
Her nose twitched. Hmmm ... Vanilla ... She nuzzled Daeshen’s neck. It was him. Nice! She inhaled deeply, he smelled like vanilla and musk. Yum! Not just for girls anymore! She set down her now empty cup and curled her arms around his waist and nibbled on his neck.
He laughed softly and slipped free of her hold. “Time to get dressed, we have an appointment in medical in about thirty minutes.”
Pouting, she heaved herself off the bed and into the other room to clothe herself.
* * * * *
Corvin neatly placed a small bandage over the area he had just drawn blood from. His assistant carried all the samples and implements away on a tray. “That should take care of it. I’ll com you as soon as I get the results from the tests.” He gave Thea a small packet. “This is a general antihistamine; if it is an allergy these should calm the symptoms down until we find out what’s causing it. Take one each morning.”
She nodded and tucked the packet into a pocket. “Thanks, Corvin.” She hopped off the examination table. Looking up, she caught the intense, dispassionate gaze of Corvin’s assistant. She smiled. Flustered, he looked back down at what he was doing, his dark green hair knotting up behind him in agitation. Her smile faded as she watched him. He looked up again, locking gazes with her. Shadows passed across his eyes. Thea felt her own gaze chill slightly. Something about him wasn’t right. The assistant looked away again and quickly left the room. She watched him with uneasy curiosity.
Daeshen caught her hand and drew her to his side. “Please join us for dinner tomorrow night, Corvin,” he said warmly. “Thea says she has some more recipes she wants to try.”
“I’d be delighted!” came the reply. “What are you two going to do today?”
“I’m going to introduce Thea to Shana, Whist’s mate, then we are going to look for a coffee pot.”
“Ahhh ... Well, I believe they have several in the galley.” He turned to Thea. “What did you have planned for dinner tomorrow night? I quite enjoyed the pizza.”
She smiled shyly. “Roast and vegetables.”
He grinned. “Delightful, I believe I had that in the galley not too long ago.” He walked them out, still chatting about the different foods he had tried. They left a few minutes later after exchanging farewells.
Corvin returned to his office and left a list of the tests he wanted his assistant to run on the samples. That completed he contacted the asana, priests, attending the Balance Temple and asked them to begin interviewing the human women regarding their careers. Once that list was completed he asked them to send the report to the captain, along with a list of any volunteers who would like to assist in helping to place the women in positions.
* * * * *
Thea strode happily back into their quarters carrying her new coffee pot. She had enjoyed meeting Shana. The woman was intelligent and had a cutting sense of humor. With short sun-streaked brown hair, lively hazel eyes, and a slightly plump figure she had an appealing aura that drew people to her. She had just sold her bakery in Northern California before she had been brought aboard and had been planning to move to a small town on the Washington coast to open another. Suffice it to say that her plans had been changed for her and now she was drifting while she tried to decide what to do.
Daeshen had left the two of them alone while he went on his quest to find a coffee pot for Thea. It had been an interesting chat. She smiled wryly to herself thinking about Kyrin’s claim that she was going to be kept isolated until she was pregnant.
Shana was worried that there was no place on the ship for a woman with her skills since the Ta’e’sha did not seem to focus on food the way so many humans did. While they enjoyed good food it was not an area they spent a lot of time expanding. Several of the other women felt the same way she did about their own skills and careers.
Thea set her pot on the kitchen counter. She trailed her fingers along the clean steel edge of the small sink. It seemed she was luckier than she had known. Kyrin and Daeshen had gone to a great deal of trouble to make her comfortable, although it seemed that the Ta’e’sha made every effort to bring as many of the possessions of the women they brought aboard as possible. But, really, that’s all they were. Possessions.
She drifted through the rooms, toward her new workshop. Leaning against a wall she studied the looms. Scanning the room, she took in the drafting table, skeins of yarn peeking out of boxes and pads of graph paper.
Seating herself at the table she drew a pad of paper to her. Taking a pencil she began to work on a new design for a tapestry. She let her thoughts work their way out with each stroke of her pencil. Every curve and line eased the pressure building. No matter how hard she tried to accept everything it still overwhelmed her sometimes. I guess I should expect that, though. It’s not like there have been a few small changes ...
* * * * *
Daeshen sat on the corner of Kyrin’s desk and finished outlining his idea. “So, if we make space next to the galley we could possibly set up a restaurant or two and a coffee shop. I think it would give several of the women a project and also a place they would be comfortable spending their time. I was also remembering several members of the science team saying that it would be nice to have a few more recreational places since we are spending longer periods of time traveling than we have in the past.”
Kyrin smiled. “That’s an excellent idea. As soon as the asana have completed the interviews we’ll start implementing it. But for now we can start making space for the new areas. I’ll see to it this afternoon.”
Daeshen slid off the desk and stole a quick kiss before turning to leave. “Oh, by the way, Corvin said that Thea’s name mark is ready. We can have them placed this evening, if you wish.” He was referring to the tattoos the Ta’e’shians had placed around their throats to denote their married status and the name of their mate or mates.
Kyrin grinned and nodded. “Sounds good.”
He returned the smile and left. He decided to stop and see how things were proceeding with his science team before he returned to his quarters. Humming softly to himself as he strode down the hall he absently decided on lunch and dinner menus and sent a com to the galley to have them delivered at the appropriate times.
* * * * *
Two hours later Thea stared down at the sketch she had made. It featured several nude women at the edge of a cliff. Some cowered in huddled balls while others crouched in defensive positions. A few screamed their defiance, backs arched and heads thrown back. And a single figure stood serenely at the very edge of the cliff, face upturned to the storm that raged around them all. Two other women knelt on either side of her, reaching toward something at the bottom of the cliff. Faces swirled through the dark clouds and peered down at them. Bare, grasping branches of dark trees seemed to reach for the women. At the base of the cliff several mermen reached toward the women beseechingly from the foamy, storm tossed waters, their eyes dark and sad.
She blew out a breath and nodded to herself. Turning to her loom, she started threading it in readiness for the new tapestry. She did not know what she would do with it, but she knew that she had to make it.
Chapter Eight
One week later ...
Thea looked around curiously, not recognizing where she was. The vast area surrounding her was a black void; some buried instinct warned her that she could walk forever and not come to the end.
Strange little swirls of iridescent mist danced alongside her, just out of reach, casting off a pale wispy luminescence. The faint sound of singing drew her attention. Turning, she followed the sound. The air felt strange here, as if she were pushing her way through water.
As she drew closer she could begin to distinguish different voices in the song. Deep male voices added a rumbling bass that she felt vibrate along her spine, while silky female tones shivered along her nerve endings. Suddenly, several of the swirls danced madly around her; she stopped, gasping as the light disoriented her. Closing her eyes she reached out as vertigo struck, making her sway as her balance became uncertain. The song ended abruptly. A moment later a large warm hand grasped hers, holding her steady. Her eyes opened and she stared up at the imposing face several feet above her.
The man looked as if his face and form had been carved from the finest white marble. Heavy masses of thigh length, snowy white hair writhed along his body, which was covered in glowing white scales from his waist to the tip of his huge fantails. His skin had just a hint of color and was tattooed; at least she assumed they were tattoos, with soft, glowing white filigree. Pale gray eyes smiled down at her, his hand squeezed hers reassuringly for a moment before he released her. A woman who could have been his twin flowed up to them and curled her tail around his. The movement seemed completely unconscious, as if they could not be standing near each other without touching. The woman smiled down at Thea, reaching out to stroke her cheek gently.
“Hello, niece, we’ve been waiting for you,” she said in a soft lyrical voice.
Thea gasped as the woman’s voice washed over her, echoing along each muscle and bone. She felt like harp strings being absently plucked. It brought to mind all the tales of the power in a mermaid’s voice. How a song could enchant a sailor to jump overboard, only to drown seeking to hear it again.
The woman smiled gently. “I am Byasuen, this is my mate, Ecoha. We would ask your permission to use your voice to address Our children.” Behind her several more of the tall, ethereally beautiful people floated closer, forming a semi-circle around the white couple. There were four more couples, each a matched set in shades of red, gray, black and aquamarine.
With a start Thea finally recognized them. They were the Gods and Goddesses of the Ta’e’sha. Daeshen had started to tell her about them just the day before. “Umm, yeah, I guess so,” she mumbled softly, feeling overwhelmed and wondering why they wanted her. And why they were calling her “niece.”
“Thank you, niece, We will not take long. Nor will We hurt you in anyway, but best We hurry. Your mates are becoming concerned for you.” Byasuen laughed softly. “My, they are protective, one would think they were Your sons, Kashka.”
The black Goddess grinned wickedly. “As it should be, all mates should feel the warrior rise at a possible threat to their mate.” She winked at Thea slowly with a pure black eye. “Especially when that mate carries life. And such beautiful life, but you’ll understand soon, niece.”
Kashka kissed Byasuen on the cheek. “You’ve chosen well, My Sister. She is giving and sweet, I agree with Your request, such an addition of gentleness could only benefit all Our children. So many of My children forget those qualities, I can only hope one notices and wishes to bask in her sunlight.”
The men laughed, their deep voices rolling gently across her like distant thunder. The aquamarine one, Mo’aton, if Thea remembered correctly, spoke. “Oh, I think there is no doubt that some will wish to ‘bask’ in her.” He winked at her playfully, making Thea blush profusely as she caught his meaning.
As one they began to hum softly, the sound oozing into her and making her dizzy. Gentle hands eased her to the ground as the world went dark.
* * * * *
Daeshen looked up from his holoreader and frowned as a soft sound came from the bedroom where Thea was taking a nap. He and Kyr
in were worried. The rash on her legs, abdomen and face seemed to be even more swollen and raw this morning. Thea had awakened exhausted from her restless night. After working on a weaving project for a bit she had come to tell him she was going to take a nap and try to catch up on her sleep. Daeshen was hoping Corvin would contact them soon with some idea what the problem was. Hearing the sound again he stood and walked quickly into the bedroom.
His mate was writhing slowly under the light sheet she had pulled over herself before going to sleep. As he reached the bed her cheeks began to ooze tiny drops of blood where the skin had peeled and broken. Worriedly he looked down. The sheet had small, growing spots of crimson where more blood was beginning to cause it to cling wetly to her legs and stomach. Moaning softly with fear he sent a mental picture to Kyrin and ripped the sheet off of her. Tiny drops of blood continued to well up. He sent a com to the CM asking him to come to their quarters immediately. Taking her hands in his he called to her softly, trying to wake her up.
She did not respond other than to mutter under her breath in a language he did not recognize. It sounded like his own, but different. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she stared blankly up at the canopy of the bed for a moment before closing them again, now leaking tears of blood. Almost in tears himself he pulled her into his arms and cradled her nude form gently against him as Kyrin burst into the room.
Kyrin quickly assessed the situation. Daeshen had never handled dangerous or stressful situations well; he stopped thinking and only reacted. Checking his com to see how quickly the medics would be arriving, he slowly approached his mates. He carefully crawled onto the bed and checked Thea over, while Daeshen sang softly to her, trying to comfort them both.
A soft chime announced the entrance of the medics. Corvin bustled into the room, looking worried. “Computer, begin log: medical emergency, captain’s quarters, input date and time. Visual and audio, please.” Another medic followed behind him. A deep, threatening growl erupted from Daeshen’s throat as they approached the bed, bringing both men to a quick stop. Not taking his eyes from the growling male Corvin spoke softly to Kyrin. “You need to bring him down so we can help her. I’d rather not have to sedate him, but his eyes are bleeding to hunting black, Kyrin.”
The Ta'e'sha Chronicles: Daughters of Terra Page 9
