He waited while Kyrin reached out to stroke Daeshen’s neck gently to draw his attention. The amber haired man bent over Daeshen and spoke softly in his mate’s ear, reassuring him that the men were going to help Thea, it was safe to let her go. Slowly the growling faded away.
Daeshen drew in a shuddering breath. Still cradling her restless body close to his he turned to look at the medics. “My apologies, kyen.” He gently laid Thea down and moved out of their way, staying close to Kyrin.
Keeping a wary eye on the blue male, Corvin checked Thea’s pulse and temperature. He knew that he had to be cautious and not set off Daeshen’s instincts again. Ta’e’shian males would attack anyone they deemed a threat to their mate if he or she was wounded or ill. “I believe this has something to do with the conversion process. It seems to be affecting her more than it has the other women. I’ve pulled her samples from before the conversion and have started testing them for anything that may be causing her to react adversely.”
He kept his voice low and soothing, adding a touch of lilt. Song was a very powerful tool for a healer. It would calm them, and if he sang full out it would nearly sedate them. He wiped away some blood and opened her eyes, checking the dilation of her pupils. Frowning, he listened to her. “What’s she saying? It sounds familiar, but not.” It reminded him of some of the ancient chants his people sang millennia ago. He hadn’t heard anything similar since classes he had taken in his advanced schooling years.
Her back suddenly arched as she drew a harsh gasping breath. Slowly letting it out she eased back onto the bed, her breathing slowed and eased. A strange vibrating chant breathed from between her lips as the blood absorbed slowly back into her skin, not leaving a single trace that it had ever been present.
She sat up and opened her eyes. She was staring at something they could not see. As they watched the raw patches faded from her face, leaving faint scars. The scars began to scroll across her cheekbones; they paled and began to shimmer gently with a pale iridescence. More markings began to appear. Leaves and starbursts appeared along the back of her hands and circling her wrists. Stylized flames traced their way along her breastbones and over her shoulders. Locks of hair near her temples deepened to a blue-black that absorbed light, and finally, a setting sun blazed across her forehead and between her eyebrows. They all blinked in amazement. Those were the marks of the Gods and Goddesses. The markings faded into the same pale iridescence, matching the colors associated with each set of deities. As they continued to stare she opened her mouth and began to speak.
“Bring Our temple keepers to Us now, We would speak to them.”
Kyrin and Daeshen blinked. Her soft voice had been replaced by the sound of ten people speaking as one. There was no doubt as to whom was speaking through her mouth.
Shaking, Corvin commed the temples and asked the attending asana to join them in the captain’s quarters. He cut off their questions and protests and told them that they needed to come immediately.
As they waited, Thea’s eyes turned to her mates. “She will be fine, no sickness harms her. Our markings had to fight to appear since they were not formed on her in the womb, as is customary.” Her otherworldly gaze now turned to Corvin. “Please dismiss your assistant, Our words are not for him, and silence will be required. See to it, son of Iliria and Mo’aton.”
Corvin bowed and dragged his assistant, Barik, into the other room and, after listening to several protests, ordered the man’s com to remove the information. It did so and beeped when new information was ready for input. The CM edited the reason they came, leaving only the information that the captain’s mate had an allergic reaction to the bath salt oils, and that it had worsened during the day to the point of her skin breaking open and bleeding. The man stared blankly for a moment before his eyes cleared. Corvin told him he was staying to speak with the captain for a few minutes and sent his assistant back to the medical area.
Returning to the bedroom quietly, he watched the trio on the bed. The men were gently clothing their mate, in preparation for the company they were expecting. Her eyes held far more knowledge than any mortals should as they watched. He suppressed a shiver; he had heard how it felt to have the eyes of the Gods touch you and always thought that it was exaggerated. Now he knew it was not so.
Several minutes passed before the door chimed softly, announcing the arrival of the temple asana. Kyrin went to meet them. He did not comment as they grumbled and muttered their way to the bedroom. Because of the time of the day the senior priests and priestesses were at the temples, and several lower level asana accompanied them.
Thea’s head turned toward the door, tilting slightly as if she were listening intently to every word being said. Her eyes began to swirl with color. The white disappeared as colors began to bleed out from the center, leaving them pitch black with fans of gray, white, red and aquamarine spreading and retracting as they spun in slow circles. The deep voice of the senior priest of the Soul Temple could be heard complaining loudly about the highhanded behavior of their captain. The softer voice of the senior priestess could also be heard shushing the priest. Several other members of the asana muttered and glared.
As the asana crowded into the room their voices stilled when they caught sight of Thea. Several members paled and dropped to one knee before the bed. Swirling eyes watched them dispassionately, slowly scanning over every face, pausing here and there.
She turned to Kyrin, who had moved to stand beside Daeshen again. “Thank you for graciously allowing this invasion of your triads privacy, mates of Theadora.” Ten voices echoed and rolled through the room. The vibrations made a glass bowl Thea had placed on a table sing out softly. Those disturbing eyes turned back to the group kneeling before the bed. “Our children come before Us, but in a saddening way. We do not require service of Our Chosen, the gifts are bestowed and used as seen fit. Those who have chosen to be in Our service do so with the humbling knowledge that it is for the good of all, that they will become the servants of both their God and Goddess and their people as a whole and as an individual.”
Thea’s hair lifted on an unseen wind. “Those who have complained about coming here, those who have allowed their station to elevate their sense of self worth, will spend one hundred twenty-six hours cleaning the temples. Nine hours for each of us insulted, for We do not place Ourselves above Our children and will not allow Our children to place themselves above others. Each of you is aware of whom you are and that We will be watching. This cleaning will be done with only rags, soap and wax. Let this remind you that your life was given in service to Ta’e and the Ta’e’sha, from the lowest to the highest.”
Several of the chastened asana nodded.
“Another thing that upsets us is that you have taken human women from this planet as mates, yet, the attitude that they are less seems to be creeping among Our children.” Steely eyes fixed on them. “These woman have been taken from all they know and few were even asked. They have been told they are little more than breeding vessels and have been shown less and less respect as their population grows. You have taken the role of providers and protectors for them, and We expect you to treat them as the treasured gift they are. They will be the mothers of your children. They will be Our children as well. We should not have to decree that they be treated as such. See to it.”
The only sound in the room was the soft, fast breathing of the occupants.
The Deities’ gazes turned toward Corvin again. “Chief Medic Corvin, your tests will find that Theadora was reacting adversely to your conversion techniques because her bloodlines already carried a strain of Ta’e’shian genes. This information is not to be made public, if asked simply tell people that her change is the will of the Gods. There are several other women who have similar bloodlines, but we have halted the conversion. However, this is not what is causing the problems that the women in stasis are suffering.”
Now she turned to Daeshen. “We are pleased with the work that has been completed regarding the giving of life
to barren planets. The dead world of Shya and both of its moons are the first to be terraformed. We have chosen these planets because they are close to Ta’e and of sufficient sizes for our needs. One year after the terraforming is complete we will have further requests of you. Here is a list of the plants and animals we wish to have placed on Shya.” Several glowing sheets of paper formed in the air before him.
Daeshen quickly accessed his com and spoke into it softly as he read the list. He sent several instructions to his personal computer. “I do not recognize all the species on the lists, my Lords and Ladies.”
“Some still need to be gathered. Several of the women now aboard have useful skills that have not been noted, We suggest that you start with them for information.” Another sheaf of papers appeared. “These are for the first moon, Sha’ki.” Yet another sheaf of papers floated in the air, a darker color than the first two. “And these are for the third moon, Sho’bi.”
“Goodbye for now, children, We will return when you have completed your tasks.”
Thea’s eyes closed slowly; after a moment her hand came up and she rubbed her forehead. “Ugh, I feel like I’ve been on a five day binge.” Her eyes opened and she started. She quickly gathered the covers over her and looked around, seeing her mates she asked, “I take it the Godly Gang has finished addressing Their unruly children?”
The asana gasped at this disrespect. Several vibrating chuckles echoed in the air briefly, making Thea blush. “Well, at least they have a sense of humor.” She eyed the collection in front of her. “I like your deities. They are very warm and caring, unlike several of the Gods and Goddesses worshiped on Earth. You’re all very lucky.”
One of the younger priests cleared his throat. He had flaming orange-red hair and golden eyes that burned with bright curiosity and warmth. “What is a five day binge, if I may ask?”
She grinned. “Oh, it’s a phrase used back home. Sometimes after getting intoxicated humans wake up with an awful headache, generally the longer they are drunk the worse the headache.”
He grinned back at her. “Ohhh.” He was jostled several times as the asana filed out of the room. He scooted his way around the people leaving and looked at Kyrin and Daeshen for permission. When they nodded he stuck his hand out at Thea. “I’m Soren, nice to meet you, this is how you greet humans, yes?”
Thea laughed softly and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Soren. I’m Thea, and yes, a handshake is used to greet people in my country, but men are supposed to wait for a woman to offer her hand first.”
Soren grinned again and scampered out of the room. Kyrin followed him to speak with the asana. He informed all of them that he would like to have a meeting in two hours so that they could discuss the manifestation and go over the recordings of it. After sending them on their way he went to check his mates again. Corvin was just getting ready to leave, having examined Thea while he was in the other room.
Finally having a moment of privacy, Kyrin kissed Thea and Daeshen. A soft tap on the doorway brought his head up just as he was deciding that spending the next hour with their bodies pressed against his might reassure all of them. He glared at the slim figure standing in the doorway.
“My apologies, Captain, but may I have a moment of your time, please?”
He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. “Of course, Sya’tia, please come in and join us.” He motioned toward a chair set near the bed.
Daeshen crawled onto the bed and curled behind Thea, pulling her back against his chest.
Thea stared at the woman as she slid into the room like a shadow. She was probably one of the most exotically beautiful women she had ever seen. Huge almond shaped black eyes dominated her face. The lack of any white, iris or pupil was disconcerting and very compelling at the same time. Her cheekbones were high and sharply formed, leading down to a pointed chin, giving her a very fey appearance.
Thea was reminded of some of the older paintings of faeries and other forest spirits. There was something primal and predatory about the woman. She had a haunting stillness, like that of a great cat patiently stalking its prey and waiting for that single misstep that will give it the advantage.
White hair flowed down to her hips in several loose braids. Thea noticed that she had black banding in several strands along her temples and that her hair seemed thicker than that of others. Her skin was the pale icy blue of glaciers, deep and hidden just under a layer of pure white. The faintest traces of lavender shaded her lips and cheeks. The woman was easily as tall as Kyrin and as slender as a reed. Gently rounded breasts pressed against the front of her uniform. A narrow ribcage and even smaller waist flared into curvy hips. Thea licked her lips as warmth pooled in her belly. She felt the urge to twine herself around the other woman and draw her scent deep into her nostrils, memorizing it.
Daeshen glanced down at Thea in surprise as he caught an echo of her thoughts. He sent the information to Kyrin as he studied the security officer with new interest.
They had not thought of taking a second wife, but such a strong attraction should not be ignored. He was aware of Kyrin also studying Sya’tia. They sent a wordless flow of communication to each other over their telepathic bond. Daeshen saw Sya’tia’s throat vibrate slightly and knew that they were beginning to make her uncomfortable. He eased the intensity of his stare and told Kyrin, silently, to do the same.
Sya’tia slid into the chair and tried to hide her unease as all three of them studied her intently. She was used to being stared at, but it still made her uncomfortable. Being born with features that not only marked her as Chosen by the Warriors Temple, but were also considered a primitive throwback to hundreds of generations ago had always caught people’s attention and made them uncomfortable. Her wrist spines trembled in their sheaths in reaction to her nervousness. She straightened her spine and reminded herself that she was good at her job and loved by her God and Goddess. Let them stare, she had much to offer should someone see past her odd looks and the fact that she always saw the world through hunter sight.
Although she would probably be forced to take her best-friend up on his offer to join his family group if she ever wanted to have children. Most men were afraid that her children would look like her.
She sighed inwardly in disappointment. She had always liked the captain and Daeshen; they always treated her as an equal and never stared or acted like she was different. It was odd, and saddening, to her that they were behaving like this now. It had not surprised her that they chose a human mate. Same sex pairing was commonly accepted among the Ta’e’sha and called bavin, but most eventually asked a member of the opposite sex to join them for parenting purposes, creating a mated family. While Ta’e’sha could have up to six members in a mated family they rarely had that many members. Since mating was for life it was carefully discussed before a new member was invited. Occasionally, someone approached a mated set and formally asked to be considered, but it was more common for the set to make the first overture.
Daeshen and Kyrin were a different case, however. They had been together for several years and while they occasionally had others join them in their bed they had turned down several offers from mated families and single women. It was thought that they would not ever have children and they never discussed their choices with others, so why they had turned down all those offers remained a mystery.
Sya’tia had always held the belief that they were just waiting for the right moment and person or persons. Living on the ship limited their choices of mates. Many women on their planet would turn down a mating offer that required them to live so far from their planet. Also, Kyrin being captain of the ship made it difficult for him to approach anyone.
Deciding to ignore the staring, she studied their new mate. Sya’tia liked the hint of mischief she saw. She pondered the woman’s name. Theadora, what an odd name, but it’s pretty. She’s going to have them running in circles! She smiled, blinking when Thea returned it with a blinding one of her own. Looking at the three of them together mad
e her shift uncomfortably in the chair. They all complemented each other so well.
Kyrin grinned to himself. “We need to have a chat with our little darling, I think she just picked a fourth for us. Funny, I’d never looked at Sya’tia as a woman before, but really, she is beautiful. Either that or Theadora is having a greater impression on us than I thought. Sya’tia generally avoids getting involved with anyone, though,” he sent to Daeshen
“I think that Thea is just making us look at things we’ve always taken for granted in a new way. Sya’tia is a very strong, competent woman. And I have to admit, after seeing her the way Thea does, her eyes are amazing. We are just so used to seeing hunter black as a sign of danger that we never really looked at them. I always just let my eyes slide over her.”
Kyrin turned when Thea poked him in the back. “Yes, love?”
“Could you introduce us?”
“Of course. Theadora, this is Security Officer Sya’tia Osan, Sya’tia, this is our mate Theadora Auralel.” As Thea scrambled off the bed to offer her hand Kyrin asked Daeshen, “Why did I have to introduce them? She introduced herself to Soren without my help.”
“Dunno, I’ll look into human etiquette, or I’ll ask her later,” came the reply.
Sya’tia smiled as she tentatively gripped the delicate hand Thea was holding out to her. A deep hum started to burst from her chest and she hurriedly cleared her throat. Her people had not used song to attract a mate in over three hundred years and she did not want this lovely woman to think she was completely primitive. She was a bit surprised by her strong attraction to the woman. “A pleasure to meet you, Theadora, I wish you a joyous and fruitful mating. Welcome to the Dark Queen.”
The Ta'e'sha Chronicles: Daughters of Terra Page 10
