Moonlight Mist: A Limited Edition Collection of Fantasy & Paranormal)

by Nicole Morgan

  He wondered if that translated to how she was in bed or if she was the demure type. Riodan smiled. He wanted to experience both. He easily imagined her in-between him and Piele while they gave her the loving of her life. He couldn't wait to feel her mouth on his cock. It twitched in excitement and he had to shift his thoughts. He didn’t have time to take care of himself before attending to his tasks.

  Riodan sighed, glancing one last time at the room. He wanted desperately to mirror his bratha and search for their delectable captain. But instead, he turned down the hall, searching for the younglings.

  Now that they were safe aboard Sparks Fly he could relax a little. There wasn’t much trouble that they could get into on the ship in the short amount of time they would be aboard. He doubted Captain Sparks would be happy if they managed to somehow damage it. That would be sure to dampen the bratha’s attempts.

  The trip from the Gateway to Redemption to Pyloto was less than a Redemption Standard Week at the high speeds of the Intergalactic Super Highway. The IGSH made travel through the galaxy of Redemption at incredibly high speeds possible and safe. The beacons that created the IGSH allowed navigational systems to lock onto them and created a map of the galaxy They make it possible for a large amount of space to be traveled in a short amount of time. The distance that was covered in a week could now be covered in a day.

  However, Riodan never made the same mistake twice. Getting comfortable led to disaster on the last ship. He thought he had been watching the younglings on the first luxury liner. He had been so naive. His awareness of the little hellions was flawed. He had trusted them, it took him far too long to realize they were working together to keep him occupied. Enabling Destiny to sneak off to meet with Myelard Fonetergut.

  By the time he figured it out his temper flared. He was already angry when he came upon the older male lip-locked with Destiny in a dark corner of the luxury liner. He should have just pulled the male off Destiny and left it at that. But the punk swung at him. That ignited his already simmering temper and he proceeded to teach Myelard Fonetergut a lesson on the age of consent.

  Unfortunately, by the time his lesson was done with Myelard Fonetergut wasn’t in any condition to receive any further lessons. Now if only he had known about the damn camera crew. He didn’t know that Myelard Fonetergut was scheduled to be featured on Intergalactic Mating Destination.

  The damn vid was airing all over the galaxy and Intergalactic Mating Destinations was running non-stop promo as his matra told him.

  Myelard Fonetergut’s fiancée, Amber Smythe-Rykka, was proclaiming loud and wide how her husband-to-be was the victim of a vicious attack and that his attacker needed to be brought to justice.

  Her story might have been credible if the camera crew hadn't caught Fonetergut in the same embrace Riodan had. Though they didn't release Destiny’s name they had no qualms about releasing her age, money-grubbing bastards.

  Fonetergut was already being labeled as a pedophile all over the galaxy. The stocks in Fonetergut Luxury Cruises were dropping like the temperature on Pyloto in the winter. Below freezing didn’t even begin to describe the drop.

  He entered the galley to find his four teenage charges raiding Sparks Fly stores. Leave it to younglings to find the food as soon as they touched a ship. He had to admit that the four of them were adorable. Their Redemptite heritage shown in their skin which ranged from dark brown to light brown with a couple of colors in between.

  Each of the females’ personality differed. They were distinctive. Destiny, the outgoing and fearless one. Her superior brain remembered everything.

  Elise was just as fearless as Destiny. Where Destiny accepted every challenge, Elise examined every action. Formulated a plan of action then charged in. Complete opposites. Her desire to serve in the Intergalactic Militia lead her to spend hours talking with Riodan and Piele about their time serving.

  He made it a point to only share the good memories with her. The shore leaves that lead the duo to get thrown into the brig or how they ended up standing in the middle of the street on leave in only their underwear. Things to make her smile and laugh.

  It was obvious that Elise missed her patra. The way that she wanted to know everything about being on a mission, how often they were allowed to send out comms. Even if they were served proper meals. Riodan would contact some of his friends to find out if there was any information about Elise’s patra. The IGM had classified the information surrounding his last mission, but Justin Steele was a premier hacker. He hadn’t found a computronic that he couldn’t hack and given enough incentive he would hack the IGM to get Riodan the information he sought. After all, friends that hacked together stayed together.

  Besides he needed to talk to Justin about a way to tag his mate. A way to keep track of her is something that may come in handy at some point. Of course, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to mention this to her.

  He thought about Octavia’s burning desire to follow in her matra's footstep. She dreamed of becoming a botanist. Every plant she touched bloomed with life. Her love of growing things brought joy to those around her, and a medium for her revenge.

  Then there was Ember. Their resident hacker. She was the reason they got kicked off the second luxury liner. Ember had hacked into the safety program that monitored the luxury liners engine and upgraded the system that prevented an overload of the same engines.

  The captain of the luxury liner didn’t appreciate being shown up by a teenage youngling and order them off the ship at GTR. Riodan made sure that before they left that a patent was put through on Ember's program. He wouldn’t let them benefit from her brilliance.

  “Alright ladies,” he spoke to the three younglings present. They looked up from stuffing their faces. He wondered where Destiny was? Knowing her up to no good. “Please try to keep from destroying Captain Sparks ship the little time we are on it. I am going to guess that she would not be happy with any damage done to it.”

  “You can count on me, Piele” Elise sweetly answered.

  “Riodan.”

  “Sorry.” Riodan gave her a sideways hug as she sidled next to him.

  “It’s not us you have to worry about?” Ember stated as she buried her face back into her computronic. “It’s little Miss Hotpants you need to talk to.”

  “Where is Destiny?” Riodan looked at the three younglings who ducked their heads instead of answering his question.

  “She is right here,” Zayda entered the gallery with Destiny in tow. Destiny wasn’t sporting her usual contrary expression. As a matter of fact, Riodan would classify her as subdued. He wondered what had been going on between the Captain and Destiny for this to come about.

  “We are about to launch. You need to strap.” She looked at Destiny when she next spoke. “Make sure you get something to eat before strapping in.”

  Super sexy and nurturing. Riodan liked a confident female. The super sexy confident female made his dick hard.

  “Go get strapped in I will be there shortly.”

  Riodan watched them leave before turning to face his mate. Captain Sparks was the most beautiful female he had ever seen. He found himself more tongue-tied then he ever been in the past when confronted by a beauty. He took a deep breath and jumped right in.

  “I would like to thank you for transporting us on your ship.”

  She gave a slight shrug avoiding his gaze for some reason, “It okay. Your bratha is paying me handsomely for the privilege.”

  “Well, I just wanted to let you know that so far what I have seen of it it is a beautiful ship,” just like its owner.

  A huge smile of pride came to her face at his compliment. She quickly looked at him, before looking away. He didn’t get the feeling that it was shyness that was keeping her from looking him in the eye. It was something else. Something unspoken.

  “Thank you. I love my ship. It has been my home for a number of years. I just can’t image living anywhere else.” Riodan felt that there was a hidden meaning behind that statement. He w
ondered what she would think of his and Piele’s home on Pyloto. Would she be interested in visiting it?

  He resisted the urge to reach out and force her to look at him. He didn’t understand this aggressive urge that overcame him. This was something that Piele would do, not him. He was the thoughtful twin. Females always commented on how kind and caring he was, compared to Piele’s rough ways. It must be the fact that she was his mate that was making him aggressive. He wanted to dominate her. To bend her over the table and show her that she belonged to him. He wanted to hear her moan in pleasure as he pounded her with his cock. Scream in ecstasy as she orgasmed on his cock.

  He released a slow breath at his thoughts. “If I can be of any assistance to you during this trip, please don’t hesitate to ask,” especially if it involves my dick in your ass, he silently added. By the Purple One, he hoped she was into twins.

  She finally looked him in the eyes. “If there is anything” she emphasized the word, “I need I will let you know. Now please get strapped in.” She turned on her heels and left as quietly as she arrived.

  Chapter Eight

  Zayda sat in the pilot seat of Sparks Fly inputting the coordinates for Zinthuria.

  “I can’t believe you actually let non-related males on your ship,” Maud her X-MONT III sentient companion remarked. “And younglings. You don’t like younglings.”

  “I was desperate.”

  “Is that what you are calling it these days?” Maud chuckled, “So two mates, huh?”

  Zayda groaned. She knew she couldn’t hide anything that happened on this ship from Maud. “Did Doc Myrtn tell you?”

  “Just because Doc Myrtn is on the ship for this trip doesn’t mean that I neglect my duties. When she is not here I am responsible for the health and welfare of everyone that is on board. I scan each and every person for potential health issues each time they board the ship, that includes you.” Maud loftily informed her. “I noted your elevated temperature from your mating fire and both your mating ring and seed sack.”

  Before Zayda could deny what Maud was saying they were interrupted.

  “Captain.”

  Zayda looked up from her console to see one of the twins entering the bridge. Not one of them. Piele. The first Mr. Hot Body.

  “What can I do for you, Piele?”

  She was amazed that she could tell them apart. She was usually lousy at social interaction between people. Mostly because she didn't care about social niceties.

  It was little subtle differences. Like the fact that Riodan’s eyes tilted up a little more at the corners then Piele’s. Or that Piele’s nose had a slight bump in it as if it had been broken in the past. Oh, she also noticed the similarities. They both had asses that bite worthy. She sighed in appreciation.

  “Just wondering if I may join you for departure.” He tried to keep his tone casual hoping to not give away the lust raging through him at being in her presence. She smelled delicious. A deep hunger for her was slowly consuming him.

  “Are you a pilot?”

  “In my spare time.”

  “Fine, consider yourself the co-pilot for this trip. If your skills are up to par, then you can run second shift.”

  They silently continued the preflight check when the comm pinged.

  “Sparks Fly.”

  “Sparks Fly this is the Gateway to Redemption Command. You are cleared for departure.”

  “Thank you, Gateway, to Redemption.”

  “Captain Sparks we have a message for you,” the controller at the Gateway to Redemption Command stated instead of cutting communication.

  “Shoot Gateway to Redemption Command.”

  “And it reads: Zayda see you at the Celestial Ball. Matra.”

  Zayda sighed.

  “Thanks Gateway to Redemption.”

  “And I thought my matra....” Piele let the comment trail off at the look of death in Zayda’s eyes.

  He cleared his throat, it wouldn’t be a good thing to piss off his mate. The information was instantly obvious to them when they touched, but it didn’t work the same way in all species.

  He hadn’t paid attention in his interspecies mating class while he was a youngling in school and so he wasn’t familiar with Redemptites mating rituals. That meant that he and Riodan were going to have to proceed with caution. Something that he wasn’t used to doing. Riodan was the planner of the duo. “Engines are at optimal levels we are a go for departure.”

  “Secure for departure,” she announced on the intraship. She launched Sparks Fly moments after she received a response from the main cabin in Riodan’s deep voice.

  “Secure.”

  “We will reach the Intergalactic Superhighway in just a few moments,” she informed Piele. “Have you ever traveled the IGSH in a ship that wasn’t a luxury liner?”

  “Yes, my ship, the Burning Duo is an XLT similar to this one, though it seems you have the upgraded version.”

  “Why were you traveling on a luxury liner if you have your own ship? It would take the Purple One returning to bless us all with his divine presence to get me on a ship filled with beings,” she shuddered in horror at the thought, “why would you purposely subject yourself to that kind of environment?”

  Piele grimaced at the memory, “Our ship was a victim of the hellions.”

  Zayda cut her eyes sideways at him when he didn’t explain further. Piele heaved a sigh, speaking as if it was a heartbreaking event.

  “Nobody warned us that Elise suffered from space sickness. I allowed her onto my bridge because she wants to be a pilot in the Intergalactic Militia. I swear that it is physically impossible for someone that small to vomit that much.” Piele shuddered. Distaste tinged his voice as the memory of what happened replayed in his mind. “We managed to limp to Station Nine. Unfortunately, the repairs to the Burning Duo required time to replicate the parts. We need to be on Pyloto before the solar flares occur and the planet is locked down.”

  Zayda sat silently thinking about her reaction if something like that happened to Sparks Fly. Bodies everywhere. If anything happened to her precious ship, the carnage would ensue. She admired Piele’s fortitude in not murdering Elise. His strength of character amazed her especially in the face of such devastation.

  If anything had happened to Sparks Fly she didn’t know what she would do. Sparks Fly meant freedom.

  Freedom to explore.

  Freedom to fly at high speeds and feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

  As long as she was the captain of her own ship and providing a living for herself she wouldn’t be expected to return to the family business. To be coddled and treated like a child because she was the youngest.

  The thought of being at her matra’s beck and call was even more horrifying than being trapped on a luxury liner for a trip from Station Nine to Pyloto. At that point, she would commit some crime to end up in jail indefinitely.

  It took a strong person to hold back from committing harm to a being who damaged his ship. The pride he felt was evident in the way he spoke the name of the Burning Duo. His voice softened on every syllable, lovingly caressing the name. She shivered, how she would love to hear him say her name like that. She shook that thought off, no time to daydream.

  Especially not about one of her mates.

  “We will reach Pyloto in plenty of time. We will only have a short stopover on Zinthuria to drop off Doc Myrtn and then be on our way. Have you flown on any other ships than the …Burning Duo?”

  “Yes, I flew on the large battlecruisers of the IGM. They were huge. Capable of taking out a planet with their firepower or to invade one. They were so large that it would take years to visit every nook and cranny on the ship. The battlecruisers that I flew on were the equivalent of a small flying city. It was divided up into smaller sections that could detach and fly off on missions. All of the technology that made it possible to live on GTR in a mobile environment.”

  “Oh, you served in the IGM?”

  “Yeah, both Riodan and I did
our mandatory service in the IGM. Did you serve?”

  “No, my matra is a little over-protective so I did my mandatory service in the Civil Corps helping to transport disaster relief supplies.” She turned her focus to the galaxy around her, deftly maneuvering the ship around garbage floating beyond the barriers of her ship.

  Piele admired the smooth way she handled her ship, with experience and understanding of the nuances of movement. She didn’t force it as some captains did, she moved with the flow of the shift, her hand guiding with a gentle seriousness he couldn’t help but admire.

  Her skills belied experience beyond that of just transporting aid relief, which was usually protected by the active combat units, so their focus was just… supplies and care. “Is that where you learned to fly?”

  “No, my matra actually taught me. She did her mandatory time as a pilot in the IGM before she retired. Though she never stopped flying, she loved it. So, she taught me and my sistahs.”

  “Nice.”

  “I cherish our times together,” a small smile crossed her face at the memories. Shaking her head, her curly hair fluttered around her face. “What do you and your bratha do now?”

  “We work for the family business.”

  “Which is?” her gaze swept back and forth, between him, and the environment outside the ship. She was interested to know about him. Things that weren’t contained the files that Maud had gathered on her mates. Things that he considered important. Funny. Worth remembering and sharing with others. Things that he held close to his heart.

  He laughed, surprised. It was a rarity, finding someone who didn't know his whole history. He wasn’t one to brag, but his family was well known in certain areas of the galaxy.

  Though he guessed that since most of that area was disreputable maybe he wasn’t all that surprised. Captain Sparks didn’t look like the type of person to participate in criminal activities. She may not walk the straight line of the law, but he didn't think she crossed over into criminal activities.