"Yes! Yes, Kadran, nothing would make me happier. Yes, yes, of course I'll marry you!"
Tears filled my eyes and I flung my arms around him, heedless of our wounds. He gasped, arms clasping me to him as he stood and swung me around before setting me back on the deck.
Together, we turned to the priest. He stared at us, shaking, and I realized what a sight the two of us must make. We were both injured, my beautiful white dress was stained with blood, and I carried an energy sword in my hand. There had perhaps never been a less likely wedding party.
The priest swallowed and forced himself to speak. "This, um, it's irregular. You will need a witness..."
"I, Athazar of Kordiem, stand witness," Athazar said at once. "If you need more, I can drag out some of the humans hiding at the back. Get on with it, man."
Swallowing nervously, the priest glanced past us and at the small number of guests remaining. Then back at me, at Kadran, at the sword in my hand. Any other objections melted away.
"Very well," he said, clapping his hands and drawing a deep breath. "I've already given the sermon, so we shall move straight to the vows."
Kadran and I both nodded eagerly, and he squeezed my hand.
"Do you, Amy Kelland of Earth, daughter of the Silent Empress, wed this man?" the priest intoned for the second time today. This time, I looked up at my husband-to-be with giddy love and adoration.
"Yes," I breathed. Then again, louder and clearer. "Yes, I do."
"Do you, Kadran..." the priest hesitated, then pushed ahead. "Do you wed this woman?"
"In the sight of the Blessed Stars, I do," Kadran said, firmly and proudly. His hand squeezed mine, and the priest laid his own hand on top of ours.
"Your vows are witnessed by those present, and by the Silent Empress herself," he intoned. "Let her eternal light preserve this bond as long as the stars shine."
Something tickled my hand, a strange buzzing sensation, and then the priest raised his arms skyward. "It is done. You are wed in Her sight."
I blinked as I saw my hand, a beautiful swirling pattern marked on the skin. Kadran's hand had an identical mark, and I felt giddy with joy at the sight of them. Somehow that seemed right, perfect.
Kadran's smile was wide and happy, a mirror to the one I felt on my face, and he pulled me to him in a kiss that knocked the breath from me. I melted against him, holding him tight and gasping as we clung to each other. For a moment there was nothing but us and our kiss.
"I hate to rush you, but there's still the matter of escaping our certain death," Athazar said, loud enough to get our attention. I groaned, frowning at him as Kadran set me down, but I didn't argue.
I wanted to live long enough to enjoy married life, after all.
25
Kadran
She's my wife. The thought wouldn't leave my head all the way back to the docks. Amy Kelland of Earth had married me.
It was enough to make me weep tears of joy. Our hands were marked with our wedding bond, and I could scarcely believe my fortune. Even if I died now, I'd have counted myself the luckiest man amongst the stars.
Of course, I couldn't let myself die. That would mean abandoning my mate, my wife, to find a way out of here on her own. For her sake if not for mine, I had to survive.
It was important to remember that, given how much blood I was losing. The battle had been fierce, the most dangerous that I'd ever been through, and I was almost surprised I'd survived. But with Amy depending on me, I'd fought harder and better than ever.
Maybe I should recommend that to the Ikarna Temple, I thought. Fighting alongside your mate to improve your ability.
Even in jest, though, that idea made me shudder. Seeing Amy in danger was the last thing I wanted, and if it never happened again I'd be happy.
The journey through the Lament's corridors was dangerous, but no one wanted to get too close to the three of us. Perhaps they recognized us, perhaps not, but we looked fearsome enough to discourage anyone from making trouble. Amy still clung to her stolen sword, waving it at anyone who came too close. Athazar and I simply glared.
It was enough.
The docks were chaotic even by the standards of this broken place, news of Prince Xeraxis's death spreading like wildfire through the ship. It seemed like everyone here shared our desire to get away, and no wonder. Whoever inherited the Lament for Battles Unfought might not have the same forgiving view of smugglers and other illicit traders that Xeraxis had held.
There was a pleasant irony to this. I'd begun a mission to bring down one crew of slavers, but instead we'd wrecked an entire slave market. A warm feeling of contentment spread through me as I looked at the panic that surrounded us. Maybe I hadn't done what I'd set out to, but this was better.
One ship sat quiet amongst the chaos, and I thanked the Hungry Stars for its presence. The Golden Fury was guarded by a half dozen men, hard eyes and large weapons discouraging anyone from getting to close.
Their leader spotted me, waved me over, then did a double take as we pushed through. I recognized Captain Illaz vaguely, we'd met... somewhere. My memory was as hazy as everything else, blood loss wrecking my ability to think.
It was enough that I knew him and could trust him.
"Burning sand, Kadran, what in ten hells happened here?" he asked as we staggered closer. "When they said I needed to pick you up on my way home I knew there'd be trouble, but this...?"
I grinned as best I could, unsteady on my feet. Holding up my hand, I showed him the bond mark. "Can't you recognize a wedding party when you see one?"
His eyes widened and he shook his head. "I'll hear the details later, once we're off this cursed ship. But I will hear them, understand? I want to know the story of how you ended up married to a human with an energy sword."
"You will," I promised, the world going grey around me. Amy was safe now, with a captain of the ASP. I could rest. "I'll tell you after I have a little sleep..."
I hadn't even finished the sentence when the darkness closed around me.
* * *
Wakefulness came slowly. First I heard distant voices, and wished they'd shut up and let me rest. Except for one of them — her I could listen to forever. Amy, I remembered, and felt a smile on my face as memories started to resurface.
Amy, my mate, my wife, my heart.
I dragged my eyes open with an effort. We were in a medical bay, white and shining, and medical drones hovered overhead. That wasn't a good sign: a decent medical facility only needed to deploy those in an emergency.
Either the Golden Fury didn't have a good medbay, or my condition was worse than I'd feared. Or, possibly, both.
My worries vanished as soon as I turned my head to the side and saw Amy watching me. Her face lit up and she reached down to grab my hand, squeezing it tight.
"If I died, then this is paradise," I said, trying to pull myself up. It didn't work very well, and the hovering drone made an irritated noise.
"Do not try to rise," it said firmly. "You have lost a lot of blood in addition to your other injuries, and it is taking time to synthesize adequate transfusion supplies. You are lucky to be alive."
Not luck, I wanted to say, but I knew that the machine wouldn't understand. Fate would not separate me and my mate so soon.
Arguing was pointless, so I lay back and gazed up at my beloved. "I take it we're safe?"
"Yes," she said with a concerned smile. "Or, well, safer. We're still aboard the Golden Fury, headed for Ikarna. You've been unconscious for days, though, and nearly died. I was so scared."
"Do not be," I told her, looking into those beautiful eyes and willing her to feel safe. "Even if I die, you will be well looked after by the ASP and by my temple kin. You have nothing to fear."
She half-laughed, half-choked, and hit me on the shoulder hard enough to make the drone beep in concern.
"I'm married to an idiot," she said, squeezing my hand. "I was scared because I don't want to lose you, you ass."
"Then I will make sure that
you don't," I promised. "I will not leave you, Amy. Not ever."
"If you mean that promise then you will rest," the drone said. "You have much recovering left to do."
"Foolish machine, you will not rob me of conversation with my wife," I said, glaring up at it. But darkness was creeping in at the edges of my vision, and everything was starting to hurt. Maybe if I just shut my eyes while we talked? That would be better.
The next time I opened my eyes, the room was different. A warm breeze brushed over me carrying the scent of cerrix blossoms and the song of distant birds. The room was small, dim, but comfortable for all that. And I had the strength to sit up.
"Good morning," Amy said stretching in a chair across the room. She'd changed into a simple robe of dark cloth and looked almost as tired as I felt. But when she looked at me she smiled, and this time there was no worry in her expression. No drones hovered over me. I took that as a good sign.
"Morning?" I asked, looking around. Golden sunlight peeked through the curtains and the gravity felt real in a way that spaceship gravity never did. Familiar, too — I knew this place better than even my homeworld. Ikarna, the temple I'd retreated to. "How long has it been?"
"It's been three days since we arrived," Amy said. "But the doctors said you needed the rest."
Three days? Longer than I'd expected, and that explained how much better I was feeling. And how much I ached. After that long in bed, I needed a shower badly.
"I'm glad you're still here," I said, stretching and smiling.
Amy shook her head, standing up coming over to me. "Where else would I be, Kadran?"
I shrugged. "Heading home? I assumed you'd want to go back to your Earth as soon as possible, and that you'd have talked the ASP into making an exception for you. You can be very persuasive."
And we killed an Imperial Prince. The diplomatic issues of keeping us... I shivered at the thought, and Amy put her arms around me.
"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, holding me close. "I wouldn't have married you if I was planning on running away."
"I will not keep you from your home," I said, standing and lifting her. My muscles were still weak, but not so weak I couldn't carry my mate.
I needed to wash, but I would not be parted from her. Not now, when we might not have long together. Amy's breathing quickened as I carried her through to the bathroom and set her down. Face flushed, she looked up at me.
"Don't be silly," she said. "My home is with you."
My heart fluttered at those words, hope I hadn't dared let myself feel shooting through me, and a huge smile split my face. "Do you mean it, beloved? If you stay with me I will do everything I can to make you happy, but I cannot take you to Earth."
"Your work is too important to stop anyway," she said, pressing a hand to my chest. "Kadran, you asked me to marry you, and I said yes. Of course I want to stay with you."
"I thought I was dying," I admitted. "And I thought you did too. Not that you would be giving up anything by agreeing."
"Kadran, are you saying that you didn't plan on living long enough to get sick of me?" Her words were harsh but her tone playful, and I knew I was being mocked. Amy grinned up at me, raising her free hand to strike my arm again. I parried without thinking, trapping her hand in mine and laughing.
"I will never grow tired of you, even if we live until the stars grow cold," I told her, drawing her closer. "But you, my darling, you might not want to be trapped with me."
"I'm not trapped," Amy said, stepping closer again. Her body pressed against mine. "I'm choosing this, and you, and I would always choose you. Always."
She stood on tiptoes to kiss me, her lips soft and yielding on mine, and I knew that she was telling the simple truth. She would choose me just as I would her, and nothing would stand between us. Nothing.
I growled into the kiss, feeling Amy shiver, and lifted her again. Her robe came free as I pulled on it, and she tugged at mine as I carried her into the center of the room. Water began to fall around us, gentle and warm, as we undressed each other hurriedly.
Her naked body pressed against mine and we kissed more urgently, sending a wave of need and desire through my body like wildfire. Every part of me ached for her, and the way her fingers dug into my back made it clear that she felt the same way.
We were both panting as our lips separated, and the flush that spread over her skin made me growl again. Hungry Stars I wanted her, wanted her more than I could imagine wanting anything at all.
The water pounded down harder, and she grinned, grabbing the soap from a hollow in the wall. I let her rub it across my body, exploring me as she went. A little shiver ran through me as she worked her way down, soaping my chest, my stomach. Leaning in, she kissed my skin as the waters washed me clean, moving ever downward.
Her delicate fingers caressed my cock, stroking its hardening length. A tremor ran through Amy and I looked down into her eyes as she deliberately lowered herself to her knees. The mischievous look she gave me made me groan with need, and then her lips touched my cock.
An inarticulate groan escaped me as Amy kissed gently, tongue darting out around me, tentative at first and then with more confidence. Her lips parted and she took me inside her mouth, moaning as she sank onto me eagerly.
Almost without me willing it, my hands slid into her hair, guiding her gently. The sensation was incredible, and it was an effort to keep control. Amy's hand stroked and teased me, sending wave after wave of sensation down me.
If this carried on for much longer, I knew that I would lose control. And that would not do, not when I still had Amy to please. Gently but irresistibly I lifted her head, pulling her back off me. She looked up, meeting my gaze.
"Come here," I growled. Her flush deepened and a delicious shiver ran through her as she got to her feet again. My body was on fire for her touch, and I could hardly restrain myself.
Amy tried to say something, but no words came out. Biting her lip nervously, she squirmed as I advanced on her, slid my arms around her, lifted her. Held her to me.
Water pounded down on us as I kissed her again, my mouth covering hers, her lips parting under mine. Her whole body shuddered against me as I slid a hand under her and lifted her up, her legs wrapping around me as I positioned her over my hard cock.
Amy's eyes went wide as I lowered her slowly, so slowly. The head of my cock pressing against her entrance.
I could feel her heart pounding, fast and strong.
"I need you," I growled, and she nodded wordlessly. Eagerly. Hungrily.
That was all I needed to see. Pushing her down on me, I thrust into her and felt her squeeze around me. Her arms and legs gripped tight, but not as tight as her wet pussy, and I gasped with pleasure. Holding her steady against me I fought for control, sliding deeper into her as she clung to me, water running over our joined bodies.
She shivered against me, her body tensing as my free hand stroked across her skin, exploring her wonderful body. Running over her curves, enjoying every inch of her. Little moans escaped her as I kissed her neck. Teased her.
"Please, Kadran," she whimpered, finally finding her words again. Her body pressed up against me, arching, and I couldn't bear to wait any longer. My need was as strong as hers, stronger than I could resist. I lifted her, nearly withdrawing from her, and she whimpered again, a pleading look in her eyes.
I grinned, savage lust overwhelming me.
Pressing her against the wall, I thrust hard into her, slamming myself all the way back in. She cried out, clutching at my ass, pulling me deeper as I thrust again and again. I pulled her to me, thrusting faster and faster as I felt the last of my control slipping away from me.
Lifting my head, I looked into Amy's eyes. They were wide with wonder and passion, and her body writhed around me as I slammed into her again. Her pussy tightened around me and my cock vibrated as she pushed me close to the edge. Amy's mouth opened wide in a cry of pleasure at that and she shook as an orgasm flooded through her. Then another as I fou
ght for control, my body aching with the need for release.
"Please," Amy whispered, voice hoarse as her fingers dug deep into my skin. "Come, please Kadran."
Her urging was all I needed to push me over the edge, and I exploded inside her. Amy's eyes unfocused as she came again, the two of us tumbling into a wildfire of ecstasy together. My legs gave out as I roared with passion, and together we tumbled to the floor, water running over us as we gasped for breath and clung to each other.
At last my breathing returned to normal, and Amy managed to lift herself enough to look down into my eyes. She was grinning and trembling, wet hair framing her flushed face, and I would swear that no one had ever looked so beautiful.
"Maybe next time we can actually make it to a bed?" she whispered, and I laughed, holding her tight.
"I'm sure we'll manage eventually," I answered, kissing her gently. "As well as everywhere else we can think of."
Amy's grin widened and her blush deepened. "We have plenty of time to experiment. The rest of our lives."
26
Amy
There were plenty of opportunities to experiment as Kadran and I set up our household together. For a while I wondered if we'd ever get anything else done. Not that I had any complaints about the distraction — quite the opposite!
Kadran needed time to recuperate, though. The medical technology out here was amazing, but it still had limits and Kadran had been close enough to death that it was a miracle he'd recovered at all. But the temple was a perfect place to recover, beautiful and serene, and I didn't mind spending time there while he rebuilt his strength.
We practiced together every morning, and slowly I learned the basics of the Ikarnan war dance. The one punch Kadran had taught me had turned out to be useful enough that I was determined to learn more. Besides, time spent close to Kadran was never wasted. Though it did lead to more distractions.
One of the temple's monks even took me aside to show me how to use the energy sword properly. I hoped that I'd never actually need that skill, but that was no reason to turn down training. More importantly it showed that I was accepted in the temple. That was something I'd treasure.
Stolen by the Alien Raider: A Novel of the Silent Empire Page 16
