by KD Jones
LarIS cleared his throat, “Mmm … excuse me, but though I find everyone’s thoughts quite entertaining, it might be helpful to focus on why we are here.”
The females blushed which was very becoming, but the males growled their displeasure. KadEN spoke, “Right, Commander TylOR and AshOR are organizing the rescue teams. We are preparing the Colonial Transport with warships and a team of medics. The Katieran Transport will remain here to guard over Kiljor until the defenses are back up to one hundred percent.”
Lindsey looked at KadEN worriedly, “Are you going to go on the Transport?”
KadEN shook his head, “No, I will be remaining here. Commander TylOR and his brother will be going in my place. Leader LarIS and Prime Commander KydEL will also be going on the Colonial Transport.”
Jaxon stiffened in KydEL’s lap. “And where will I be while you are on the Colonial Transport?”
KydEL sighed, “You will be with me. I knew you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Damn straight.” Jaxon gave him a look that said there would have been serious repercussions if he had left her behind.
“When will they be leaving?” Lindsey asked.
“Another forty minutes,” KadEN told her.
The tension in the room was palpable. Everyone was worried over what was happening to the prisoners. Would they get to them in time?
“How is everyone else doing? Prime Leader RendEL? Prima Cassie? The twins? My family?” Lindsey asked.
“You haven’t heard?” Jaxon asked in shock.
“Heard what?” Lindsey asked. The hairs on Lindsey’s arms stood up.
Jaxon gave her a devilish look. “You haven’t talked to your father lately?”
Lindsey looked at Jaxon as if she lost her mind. “Uh … no, I have been on an entirely different planet for the last few weeks.”
Prime Commander KydEL looked uncomfortable. “Jaxon, I don’t think this is the time.”
“Why not? Lindsey should know what is going on with her father.”
“Know what? What’s going on with my father?” Lindsey’s heart raced. She was worried that his cancer came back. KadEN squeezed her hand to give her comfort.
Jaxon looked like she was having a grand old time. “It seems that a certain person’s father has been doing the nasty with another certain person’s mother. Their secret affair was discovered in the most … unusual way.”
“What’s the nasty and affair?” KadEN asked looking very confused.
“They are both Earth terminology. Both mean sexual relations except that ‘Nasty’ is more crude,” Leader LarIS informed him.
Everyone turned to look at LarIS in surprise. He shrugged his shoulders. “I read it from Miss Carreli’s mind.”
Lindsey ignored the fact that LarIS had been reading her mind. She knew Jaxon was talking about her father and SandELa. Obviously, there was more going on than what she thought. “Okay, I get it. My father and … Prima SandELa. What aren’t you telling me?”
“You knew about this?” KydEL asked.
“I found out right before I returned here to Kiljor.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” KydEL demanded her answer.
KadEN growled, “That is my mate you are talking to.”
“It was my father’s personal business. I may work for the Katieran Nation, but my personal life is my own, that includes my father.”
KydEL puffed up his chest, “When your personal business involves my mother, I have the right to know about it.”
“Oh please! You and your brothers have been so busy with your own lives that none of you thought one bit about how lonely your mother must be.” Lindsey defended her father. She may not have been on board with this relationship from the beginning, she wasn’t going to let anyone take away her father’s chance at finding happiness.
“If your father was interested in my mother, he should have approached her sons to get permission to pursue her.” KydEL stated.
Lindsey would have rebuked him but Jaxon spoke up first, “They are both adults and do not need anyone’s permission.”
“I did tell my father that he and your mother should let you and your brothers know about their relationship. I left it to them because it was their relationship to defend,” Lindsey admitted.
“None of this matters anyway, they are a done deal,” Jaxon said nonchalantly.
“What do you mean a done deal?” Lindsey asked.
“They are mated, officially.”
“They had a mating ceremony without me being there? When did this take place?” Lindsey was hurt that they would not wait for her to come back before having a ceremony.
“It took place last week. A small ceremony. They had no choice.”
“What do you mean by no choice?” Lindsey asked.
“Can you say shotgun wedding?”
Lindsey looked confused. “They were forced to get married, or mated?”
“Yep.”
“Why?” Lindsey didn’t ask by whom. She glared at KydEL knowing he had a hand in this.
“Your father knocked up Prima SandELa.”
Oh, shit!
Chapter Eighteen
KadEN was lost. The conversation was totally confusing. He turned to Leader LarIS. “Shotgun wedding?”
“A short, speedy mating ceremony,” LarIS told him.
“Knocked up?”
“Lindsey’s father bred with Prima SandELa.’’
“Oh.” KadEN sat back and looked at Prime Commander KydEL’s red flushed face. Then he laughed. The laughter was infectious. Everyone in the room joined in, including KydEL. It was exactly what they needed to release some of the tension.
“I can’t believe Prima SandELa is pregnant,” Lindsey commented.
“Better get used to it. Oh and you better start calling her mother now.” Jaxon added.
Lindsey wasn’t comfortable with that. “Just because she mated my father doesn’t mean …”
“She sort of adopted you and Lisa.”
“What? But I’m an adult.”
“You remember how RendEL renamed Cassie and then claimed the twins for his own?” Jaxon waited for Lindsey to nod her head. “Well, the same thing happened. Prima SandELa named your father her new Prime and his daughters as her new daughters, Primas.”
“I’m a Prima now?” Lindsey was shocked.
KydEL, no longer angry, gave her a devilish smile. “Welcome to the family … sister.”
*****
Forty-five minutes later, Lindsey and KadEN escorted KydEL, Jaxon, and LarIS to the landing platform. The shuttle was ready to take them up to the Colonial Transport ship. Commander TylOR and AshOR were already awaiting them.
“Please be careful.” Lindsey hugged Jaxon. The other woman had come to mean a lot to Lindsey. Just like AriELa. She prayed to her God and said a quick prayer to the Goddess KatieRI to help bring the prisoners home safely.
“You stay safe too,” Jaxon told her as she boarded the shuttle with KydEL following behind her.
Lindsey looked down as KadEN took hold of her hand. They moved away so the shuttle could take off.
“Do you think they’ll find AriELa and the others in time?” she asked him.
“I hope so. Combining forces with the Katierans and Colonists will give us an edge. The Morins won’t be expecting retaliation so soon. Come, let’s head inside, I have a surprise for you.” KadEN led her into the lift to take them back inside the Prime building.
“What kind of surprise?” Lindsey asked moving into his arms.
“You’ll see.” He didn’t say anything else as he led her back to the operations room.
She was curious about what was going on. There was a large viewing screen set up. When they walked in, KadEN got on his comm link, “Lieutenant, open communications for fifteen minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
There was static on the viewing screen and then when it cleared up, Lindsey could see her father’s image moving around asking if something was on yet. L
indsey had tears in her eyes.
“Dad?”
“Lindsey, there you are, my girl. I was wondering how long this thing was going to take to start up. It’s nothing like a TV in my opinion.”
She laughed. “I hear there’s a congratulation in order.”
Her father ran his hand through his hair. “Didn’t mean things to happen this way, but I’m not sorry for it. I got the girl, finally!” He reached to the side and pulled Prima SandELa into view. He held her in his arms despite her struggling to get loose and planted a big smooch on her cheek.
“Leo, she wants to see you, not me,” SandELa reprimanded him giggling when he tickled her.
“Hi, Prima SandELa.” Lindsey watched as her father and SandELa laughed. They looked like two happily mated people.
“Please call me simply SandELa. We’re family now.”
“You are right, we are family, and I hear that our family will be expanding very soon.”
SandELa blushed. “Yes.”
Lindsey’s father puffed up his chest. “I still got it.”
“Is it a girl or boy? Or is it too soon to tell?”
SandELa looked at Leo with happiness showing on her face. “We’re having a little girl. My life couldn’t get any better. I have three sons and now I will have three daughters.” She gave Lindsey a guarded look.
“I’m thrilled to be part of your family.” Lindsey reassured the older woman causing her to smile with relief.
“When are you coming home?” Lisa, her sister, asked from the side. She kept trying to lean sideways to peer into the viewing screen.
Lindsey looked at KadEN. They hadn’t really discussed this. “Um … I’m not sure.”
“I’m sure that after AriELa is rescued you will be able to travel home again,” SandELa said.
KadEN stepped up beside Lindsey. “Lindsey will visit, but her home is here on Kiljor with me. I plan to mate her as soon as the rescue mission retrieves the prisoners.”
There was a long pause. Then SandELa asked, “What of the mating with AriELa?”
“It was never officially announced. AriELa was aware that I had feelings for Lindsey and she encouraged us to pursue those feelings. In doing so, we discovered that we are bond mates.”
“Bond mates? Are you positive?” SandELa looked ready to cry on AriELa’s behalf. But the mention of bond mates had her tears on hold.
“Absolutely. Lindsey is my bond mate and I will have no other,” KadEN said forcefully.
Just then two of the council members came into the Operations Room. They frowned at his comment.
“I will let RendEL know.” SandELa didn’t sound very happy about it. Lindsey knew for a fact RendEL was going to blow a gasket.
“Dad, I have to go. They’re keeping communications down to short periods of time because of the Morins.”
Leo looked into the screen. “Are you happy, Lindsey?”
Lindsey looked at KadEN who had walked over to speak with the council members. A huge smile spread across her face. “I am. I finally got the guy.”
Her father chuckled. “I love you, stay safe.”
“I love you too. I will see you soon.” The video feed ended. Lindsey missed her family. She had hoped when KadEN said that she was his bond mate, that she would be able to move her father and sister to Kiljor. But now that her father was mated and expecting a new baby, he and Lisa would remain on Katiera with SandELa.
She turned her attention to KadEN who had been arguing with the council members over something. She picked up on the last bit.
“We need someone to help organize the relocation of those whose homes were destroyed in the attack. Our cleanup crews cannot clear up the debris with our people hanging around getting in the way.
“Assign somebody to the task. Why are you bothering me with this?” KadEN looked frustrated.
“Can I help?” Lindsey asked as she stood next to KadEN.
The two council members snubbed their noses at her. “This is a task that requires a higher level of thinking.”
“DedrIC, did you just insult my mate?” KadEN looked ready to hit someone. Lindsey put her hand on his arm to keep him from attacking.
“It’s okay. I offered because I have experience in organizing events and am excellent with details.” Lindsey blushed from having the two council members staring at her.
She knew when word had gotten to the High Council that KadEN would mate Lindsey instead of AriELa, they had a small outbreak that required security to intervene. She didn’t want to cause friction between KadEN and his people.
“I apologize, Prime Leader, on behalf of my co-council member,” the second council member said. He looked at Lindsey. “We would appreciate any help that you can give us. Perhaps I could take you to some of the areas we are having problems with, you could get ideas on what will need to be done first.”
“That’s a great plan.” She looked at KadEN. “You said that you were meeting with your second commander and some of the liaisons about security measures. Why don’t you do that while I go with …” Lindsey looked at the other man questioningly.
“I am MasON,” the council member responded. He was around thirty years old with brown hair. He gave her a gentle smile.
“Right. I’ll go with MasON so he can show me around.”
“I don’t know …” KadEN was worried that someone would say or do something to hurt Lindsey. She was his whole life; he wouldn’t tolerate anyone being unkind to her.
“It will be fine. Let me do this for you, for your people,” Lindsey begged.
KadEN sighed. “They are your people too now.”
“Then let me do this for our people.”
He gave MasON a stern look, “I want a security detail with her at all times.”
MasON nodded, “Yes, Prime Leader.”
KadEN turned to DedrIC. “You will accompany me.” DedrIC looked apologetically at Lindsey but he didn’t say anything else.
KadEN gave her a lingering kiss, which made the other two men clear their throats to remind him that they were not alone. He reluctantly released her with a dazed expression on his face. “I will meet you in your suite in a few hours.” She nodded her head.
*****
Time seemed to go by slowly. Lindsey was shown some of the destroyed buildings, homes, and businesses. She asked which buildings were full to capacity and which ones had vacant rooms.
MasON was taken aback when she requested to be taken to the Medic Wings to check on the injured people. She went to each bed, and spoke to those who were conscious. She held the hand of those who were not conscious. She asked each one what they needed the most. She was upset to find out that a lot of them had been sleeping on the floors of the Medic Wing. She then turned to the Medics and asked if there was something that they needed.
“MasON, I would like to put some of these people in my suite. We can bring extra cots in to accommodate them.”
He gave her a questioning look. “I do not believe that Prime Leader KadEN would want to have you staying with strangers, most of them would be unmated males.”
Lindsey smiled at him. “I’m moving in with KadEN, so there won’t be a problem.”
MasON laughed. “No, no problem then.”
Lindsey looked at the digital tablet that MasON had obtained for her some time ago. She had been entering data and numbers. “There are enough places available within the Prime City of Kiljor to accommodate about half of those whose homes were destroyed. I recommend KadEN send out a request for people to open their homes to those in need. We may need to look outside of the Prime City as well.”
“Excellent, we can relay that to the Prime Leader. He asked on my comm link earlier for me to bring you to his, now your, suite.”
Lindsey nodded. “I’m ready to go.”
On the way to the Prime Floor MasON asked, “Is your family going to move to Kiljor?”
Lindsey shook her head. “My father mated with Prima SandELa and they are breeding.”
&nb
sp; MasON stopped walking causing Lindsey to turn and look at him. “Is there something wrong?”
“Your father mated Prima SandELa?”
“Yes.”
“Did they have a mating ceremony?”
“A small one.”
“Did she rename him?”
“Yes, she named him as her new Prime.”
“What of you and your sibling? Were you two included in any part of the ceremony?”
Lindsey frowned, “My sister Lisa and I were renamed as Primas. Why?”
MasON gave her a warm smile. “Nothing is wrong, Prima.”
Lindsey shook her head. “Hearing me being called that is just too weird.”
He escorted her the rest of the way to the Prime suite where he then excused himself saying he had council matters he had to attend to. Lindsey thanked him for his help.
The moment the door was shut, KadEN lifted Lindsey into his arms and gave her a soul-stealing kiss. When he released her, she was slightly dazed.
“Wow, what was that for?”
“I missed you.”
Lindsey smiled, “I missed you too.”
“How did things go?” he asked as he ushered her inside to a table with food on it.
“We found enough rooms to house half of those homeless. But I was going to see if you could request all of Kiljor to open their homes to the remaining homeless.”
“Of course. I will do that right now. You keep eating while I go take care of it.” He stood and walked to the balcony. He used his comm link to speak.
Lindsey dug into her food with gusto. She was hungrier than she thought. She immediately thought of those down in the Medic Wing. She was grateful when MasON had reminded them to go to the Meal Room as usual.
“All done.” KadEN returned to the table and ate a few bites of his food. He couldn’t stop looking at Lindsey.
“You are so beautiful.” His eyes with the gold pupils gleamed.
“You are too.”
KadEN stood from the table and walked the few steps that separated them. He leaned down to take her lips in a searing kiss. He knocked the food off the table. Glass broke, but neither cared. They were too busy trying to pull, unsnap, and unhook their clothing.
