The Tracker's Quest: (Forced To Serve #6)

by Donna McDonald

  Glancing at the female now sitting in the backseat, Ji climbed into the driver’s area. Seta sighed and climbed into the seat next to him. “Let’s get Ineid to the mining canton. Then I want to go home.”

  Ji laughed. “Home? Where is home located in that fascinating mind of yours, Sweet Joy?”

  Seta pondered the question. “When such sanctuary comes to mind, I tend to think of your quarters on the Guardian 13. Your sleeping platform is very luxurious. I know I still owe you a mating week and I always keep my promises. With my quest done, I am most anxious to complete our union to your satisfaction.”

  Ji smiled as he turned the vehicle and shot off through the dark. He would take one more double dose of Lira’s medicine, and then he was going to finish what had made him chase his Ethosian to this Creator-forsaken planet.

  “I will have to go hide in our quarters at the mining canton. Come take the edge off when you can. I will be waiting impatiently as always.”

  “Can you tell what I’m thinking right now?” Seta asked, smiling as she asked.

  Ji turned and looked her over. “No. I think it only works in more intimate circumstances.”

  “Just as well—considering we have a traumatized passenger,” Seta replied. “Ineid has had enough shocks about us. Seeing the mining canton will be the last she can probably take.”

  “I couldn’t sleep earlier when you did. Want to know what I discovered?”

  Seta favored her teasing mate with a look he knew by now meant she was in no mood for his arrogance. “If I must. Why did you learn?”

  “This vehicle can go much faster,” Ji said.

  He activated the acceleration and threw both females against the side of the vehicle while he grinned. “And I thought spaceships were fun. This is great. We’ll be back to the mining canton in half the time it took us to travel across the desert.”

  While Seta righted herself, she laughed at the delighted look on her handsome mate’s face.

  Chapter 20

  “Where’s the Siren? I figured he’d be trailing around after you making sure no males touched his property,” Garmon teased.

  Seta looked up at his face. “I asked Lira for a heavy sedative. The libido damper wasn’t working. Ji’s sleeping off the effects now. In his current condition, it’s not safe for him to be running around. He killed my father’s chief guard with his bare hands and without flinching. I couldn’t let him kill anyone here.”

  Garmon laughed. “No. I couldn’t let him do that either. Sedative, you say?”

  Seta nodded. “Yes. It should last for several hours. I will need someone’s help getting him to the shuttle that’s meeting us. I can lift Ji, but he’s too tall for me to carry any real distance.”

  “Raging fires of Helios—even I like the male well enough not let him be carried through the canton by his female. I wouldn’t wish such humiliation on my worst enemy. When the time comes, I will carry your Siren. It is things like this which make me glad you choose him over me, though the sight of you still stirs my body.”

  Seta shrugged. “You know I am not attempting to do so.”

  “Oh yes. I am well aware. But I figured I’d say it again anyway.”

  Garmon’s joking sent them both laughing.

  “So where is the new female you brought me?” Garmon asked at last.

  “I didn’t bring her for you. I brought her for Endara. Ineid is her birth mother, though they have never known each other. My birth mother died before I mated the first time. I was not allowed to interact with her much. She was kept with the suzerain’s females. Rena and I were kept with the progeny. It was deemed efficient, I suppose. Older siblings raised the younger ones. But that is not how families are meant to be.”

  Garmon rested an arm around Seta’s shoulders. “No. Indeed, it is not.”

  They stopped in front of the healing house. Ineid came out the door almost instantly.

  Seta smiled. “Have you adjusted to the wonders here yet?” She watched the furrows in Ineid’s brows smooth out. The female did her best to smile back. Seta reached out and rubbed her arm. “Give it time.”

  Garmon bowed. “Welcome to my canton, great mother of the rock dancer.”

  Seta laughed at Ineid’s puzzled gaze meeting Garmon’s laughing one. “His tongue is very poetic. It is how he gets his way with all females. Be warned, Ineid.”

  “Are we going to see. . .Endara?” Ineid asked.

  Seta nodded, her mouth twitching at Garmon’s charm falling flat. “Yes. I promised her I would say goodbye before I left.”

  “Must you leave so soon?”

  Though it was uncharacteristic of her to offer comfort, Seta linked arms with Endara’s frightened mother as they walked. “Yes. Ji and I have Peace Alliance contracts we must fulfill. But I will return to visit. Garmon has made this my home.”

  “Sister!”

  The singing call out had Seta laughing. She let go of Ineid to scoop up the running child.

  “The rocks dance higher now. Want to see?”

  “Yes, little sister. I do want to see, but after I must return to the stars,” Seta declared, letting Endara slide to the ground. “Look—I brought you someone to dance with you while I’m gone.”

  Endara looked at Ineid with a strange look on her face before stepping a little closer. She turned to Seta. “Big sister,” she said, patting Seta’s leg. She studied Ineid again. “Mother,” she pronounced softly, patting Ineid’s leg very gently.

  Then she glanced at Garmon for confirmation. The male was beaming. Seta bit her lip at his pride over the child’s every utterance. She couldn’t have been more his if he had sired her.

  “Once again you are right, Endara. This is your birth mother,” Garmon said, bowing his head to the amazing child.

  Endara’s gaze went back to Ineid. “Can you dance with rocks too, Mother?”

  Ineid looked at Seta in confusion. “What does she mean?”

  Seta smiled. “Endara always means exactly what she says. It is a trait we share.”

  Endara held out a hand to Ineid who took it cautiously. “Come,” Endara ordered. “I will show you how to dance with the rocks.”

  Seta ignored the pleading look Ineid sent her.

  Endara walked to her circle of gems and stones. “Like this,” she said, as she started gyrating. Soon all her limbs were wildly moving.

  Seta smiled as the rocks rose, and sure enough, some were as high as Ineid’s head. The little minx was practicing. Maybe it wouldn’t be long until Endara would be able remove the big ones from the mines.

  Staring around in wonder at the beautiful stones floating in the air, Ineid reached out one hand and plucked a green gemstone from its spot. Her laughter rang out as she curved her fingers around it and watched Endara dance. Hearing her mother’s laughter seemed to please the child greatly, judging from the even wilder movements she began making.

  Seeing mother and child getting to know each other was the most contented she’d ever felt outside of Ji’s arms. She suddenly hoped Rena’s spirit was watching.

  “Ineid has a pleasant laugh when she is amazed at something. Do you think she will heal enough to eventually take a mate from among us? She and some lucky male could even make more children like Endara. What a blessing that would be for us all,” Garmon said solemnly.

  Seta raised one eyebrow. “The poet speaks again. Do all females appeal to you, Garmon of Ker?”

  Garmon laughed as he dropped his gaze. “No. Only the special ones. I’m very particular.”

  Seta laughed at his statement. “I will miss this place when I leave, but I think I’ve done all I can do on Ethos. Has my father contacted you yet?”

  Garmon nodded. “Yes—actually he did—but I wasn’t sure how to react. He sent his best wishes for Endara’s happiness, and wants to make a special deal to supply females to the mining canton. Has Suzerain Trax gone mad? Or is this a trick?”

  Seta smiled, satisfied to hear the news. “I think you’re going to be dealing with
a different male next time you see him in person. His ideas about things changed a bit after he and I had our chat. I would still advise you to be on guard when you go to make your arrangements.”

  “Ethosian revolutionary. Exotic dancer. Alluring female. These are how all will describe Seta of Trax.”

  “Not all, at least not my mate,” Seta corrected, grinning. “Ji will call me a pain and tell me I need to work on being nicer because my name is now Seta Trax Warro.”

  Garmon laughed. “Didn’t you know what the Siren was like before you said yes to his mating offer?”

  Seta smiled. “Yes. I knew. I’m a contrary female, Garmon of Ker.”

  “Agreed, but I’ve never heard a contrary female admit it before. Oddly, I’m going to miss your brutal honesty,” Garmon said.

  Laughing, Seta turned her head. “Little Sister—come say goodbye to me. I have to return to my ship.”

  Ineid squealed, then laughed again as the stones, crystals, and gems fell in a cascade around her.

  Endara raced to where Seta knelt. Tiny arms wrapped her tightly and tiny lips pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Are you taking the pretty one with you?” she whispered.

  Seta giggled and nodded. “Yes. I have to take him with me. He is my mate.”

  “Okay. Be happy, Big Sister.”

  “You too,” Seta said, rising to her feet.

  Endara raced back to the stones, but halfway there she stopped and turned back to yell. “Thank you saving for my mother,” she said.

  Throat clogged with emotion, Seta nodded. Her response must have been enough for the child because she dove to hug Ineid’s legs before turning her loose to start dancing again. Around her rocks bounced along the ground, impatiently waiting for Endara to tell them what to do.

  Seta shook her head. “Endara really is a treasure.”

  Garmon rested his arm around her shoulders as they walked away. “Yes. And so is her big sister.”

  ***

  Kel paced to the boarding ramp, peering out into transition land where the desert became rock. He sighed, impatient to get back to the Paladin. “How late are they, Jor?”

  His pilot lifted both of his slanted eyebrows. “Since the last time you asked, or altogether, Captain?

  Kel growled. He hoped he never had to return to Ethos. Something about the planet viscerally disturbed him. He heard a vehicle in the distance and it seemed to be headed their way.

  “Look sharp, Jor. We have visitors.”

  Peering into the all terrain vehicle, he saw an Ethosian female dressed in part of a Peace Alliance uniform sitting in the back seat. She looked a bit like Lieutenant Trax, but he recalled her hair being much lighter. The driver of the vehicle was a male Ethosian, with yet another in the passenger compartment.

  The vehicle lowered to the ground. The two males promptly got out, with the driver saluting him. “Hail, Captain Hornex. I am Garmon of Ker. Your weapons are not needed here.”

  Kel slid his laser back into its holster while he watched the two males tugging Ji Warro from the back. The biggest of the two wrestled his tall friend over one of his broad shoulders.

  “Shades of Kellnor. What have you done now, old friend?” Kel muttered as he swiped a hand over his face. “Does Lieutenant Warro still live?”

  Free of Ji’s weight, Seta cleared the vehicle in one jump. She walked to greet their ride and bowed her head to the concerned male staring at Garmon with Ji slung over one shoulder.

  “Greetings, Captain Hornex. Ji is mostly well, but it was necessary to sedate him. He is under the effects of the Siren’s call. He’s already killed one male—fortunately an evil one. But I couldn’t risk him killing another.”

  “The Siren’s call?” Kel repeated, shocked.

  Seta nodded. “Yes, sir. The mating cord between us is completed, but as I understand it a rather large amount of bonding is required to energetically secure the connection in a permanent manner. Circumstances prevented us from doing so while on Ethos. If you could quarantine us on the Paladin for the trip back to the Guardian 13, I feel sure we could complete the process while en route.”

  Behind her Seta heard Garmon laughing. She turned to him. “What is amusing? Everything I spoke is a profound truth. This man is a captain and my mate’s best friend. Show some respect, Garmon of Ker.”

  “Everything about you is amusing,” Garmon said, fighting his mouth twitch over Seta’s formality. “But your Siren is heavy. Can I put him somewhere?”

  Kel shook off his shock. “Of course. Bring him aboard.”

  Seta watched Garmon disappear inside the shuttle with Ji. She turned to say goodbye to Crill and found he was holding a package out to her. “What is this?”

  Crill shrugged. “Knowing Zandala it is an obscene dancing costume. I’m sure your Siren will enjoy it.”

  Seta hugged the gift to her chest and heard the jingle of bells. The sound made her smile. “Tell Zandala I said thank you.”

  Crill bowed his head and walked back to climb into the driver’s seat. He’d lost the toss for driving before they left.

  Clutching the musical package in her arms, Seta started up the ramp just as Garmon was walking back down it.

  “No leaving yet. I insist on a goodbye hug,” Garmon declared.

  Seta felt herself lifted from her toes right off the ramp. The package with the dress jingled merrily between them and made her laugh. When Garmon set her down again, he leaned down and kissed each cheek in turn.

  “Don’t be a stranger,” he ordered.

  Tweaking the tip of one of her ears, Garmon strode off. She watched him vault into the front passenger’s seat and be thrown when Crill zoomed off at full speed.

  Shaking her head, Seta climbed the ramp and breathed a huge sigh a relief. She felt for Ji’s pulse, checked his crash restraints, and kissed his lips lightly before taking her own seat. After securing herself, she looked up to find Captain Hornex and his shuttle pilot peering at her in shock.

  “We’re ready to go now. Thank you for the ride home,” she said.

  “My pleasure,” Kel replied, shaking his head at the humming tracker’s caretaking of his friend. He supposed there were stranger mate pairs in the universe.

  Chapter 21

  “Please Ji—wake up. You’ve been asleep for too many hours. This is torturous. I need you to ease me,” Seta whispered, shaking her slumbering mate’s arm.

  A guttural groan later, Ji rolled on top of her, already primed. “You’re insatiable,” he whispered. “I like that quality in a mate.”

  Knowing he had not felt the passage of time as she had, Seta nodded as his lips caressed her ear. Her loud moan at the pleasure filled their secluded cabin.

  “There is nothing more pleasant than this, but we need to meet Kel, Seta. He is an impatient sort and might leave us if we fail to show up.”

  “Ji, we are already on the Paladin and headed home. We’ve been here a whole day,” Seta said.

  Her mate froze on top of her and stared into her face.

  “How did we get here?”

  “Garmon and Crill helped me.”

  Ji frowned. “You knocked me out?”

  Seta sighed. “Yes. I couldn’t let you kill my new family, Ji. I think Garmon is developing a crush on Ineid. He would be good for her. Endara could have a fairly normal life if it works out.”

  “You didn’t trust me to control myself. You knocked me out and did what you wanted with me,” Ji accused.

  Seta snorted. “No. I have not done what I wanted with you. I have been waiting hours for you to revive enough to put out the fire raging throughout me. I think I’m feeling the effects of the Siren’s call. I want you inside me more than I want to breathe. The longing is painful.”

  For a tenth of a nanosecond, he held on to his anger. “And if I refuse to quench the fire?” he asked.

  Seta was appalled when her lip started to tremble. The idea he would refuse hurt as much emotionally as it did physically. Tears were close—curse the male. Zorinda? she
called, but there was no answer. Apparently the demon was ignoring her needs too.

  “If you do not do as I ask, then I will excuse myself to the cleansing area and do what I can to put out my mate’s fire. Then I think I will send a note home to your parents so you can be properly shamed.”

  Chuckling at the threat he knew Seta would carry out without hesitation, Ji cupped her breasts in his hands and smiled when she moaned. “Will you plead and beg during appropriate moments? I crave your surrender as fiercely as you crave me.”

  “A Siren. What was I thinking in mating a Siren? Yes. I will say whatever you want so long as you finish your task,” Seta declared.

  “My task?” Ji repeated, laughing at her term for their lovemaking. “Making love with you will never, ever, in all our years together be merely a task. Who is this unromantic female beneath me who speaks of answering the Siren’s call as a task?”

  “The female beneath you is your mate, Ji Warro of Rylen. And she needs you badly. Please don’t make me wait any longer,” Seta whispered, happy when Ji’s mouth finally covered hers.

  # # #

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  ~ Donna McDonald

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