He didn’t go any further. That was an explanation for another time. Instead, he guided them toward the door and to where his car waited by the sidewalk. They piled in and he immediately set off toward the University. His heart was pounding in his chest as he tried to come up with the right words to say to Jem, to explain to him why he wanted to get in touch with him. Finally, he opened his mouth and simply let the words tumble out.
“I received a tip that an unauthorized shuttle appeared at the University and then another vehicle, technology that isn’t recognizable, showed up as well. I have reason to believe that they are from Uoria.”
“What do you mean ‘unauthorized shuttle’?” Angela asked.
“The shuttle was marked for a different voyage and there was no plan for it to return to the University at that time. The crew didn’t report to the transportation department or give notice of their purpose for returning to Earth. They’re currently missing.”
“And the other vehicle?” Jacob asked.
“It’s something that no one has ever seen. It doesn’t look like any type of shuttle or ship that even the University has or is in the course of planning. It landed outside of the University laboratory building. I’m assuming it couldn’t access the bay. The crew and passengers of that ship are missing as well.”
“What is the University doing about them?” Angela asked. “Have they moved them?”
“No,” Rilex said. “I went there before I heard the announcement over the police scanner. I wanted to see them for myself. The unknown vehicle has protective technology that prevents anyone from getting inside, but if the wrong people had access to it, I’m sure that it wouldn’t last very long. I hid them to make sure that no one would be able to find them.”
“How did you do that?” Jacob asked.
Rilex took a breath.
“I just did,” he said. “But it’s not infallible. They can’t stay hidden forever, which means that we need to get there and figure out who brought them there and why before someone else does.”
“Why do you think that the vehicles are from Uoria?” Jem asked.
It was the question that Rilex had known was going to come, but that he was at the most loss to answer. They were speeding toward the University and he knew that he had only limited time to explain what was happening and the urgency that he felt to get them there and figure out what was really going on.
“Since meeting you I’ve been devoting more of my research to Uoria and the Denynso. I wanted to understand your kind and what has been happening on the planet since first contact with the humans. I uncovered some information that might indicate that there are problems on Uoria.”
“Problems?” Jem asked. “What’s happening.”
“I’m not absolutely sure,” Rilex said. “But I feel that these vehicles have something to do with it.”
“If you think that there’s something wrong, why didn’t you just call the University and let them know?” Angela asked. “Wouldn’t they be the ones to help find the people who brought those vehicles to Earth and why?”
Rilex shook his head.
“I’m not exactly permitted to access the areas of the University that I have, and some of the research that I’ve been doing borders on unethical at best.”
“And at worst?” Angela asked. “Illegal?”
“Deadly.”
“So, you didn’t call the University to protect yourself?” Jem asked, his voice angry and accusatory. “There could be countless lives at risk, but you are too afraid that you are going to get in trouble for your research that you didn’t ask for help?”
“No,” Rilex said. “That’s not it. There are countless lives at stake so I didn’t reach out to the University. You never know who you can trust. Sometimes the people who you think are the most on your side are actually the ones who are the most dangerous. I didn’t want to risk that. I don’t fully know what’s happening, and I don’t want to put anyone in more danger than they already are. The only one who can really help me is you.”
“I don’t understand why they would come without the authorization of the University,” Jem said. His voice was softer now as if the anger had disappeared and given way to the fear and anxiety that he was starting to feel at the thought of his beloved home planet being in danger. “There is an alliance. There’s a connection between the University and the Denynso. If my kind needed to come here for some reason, they would reach out to the representatives for the program at the University and get clearance to come.”
“Maybe it doesn’t have anything to do with the program,” Rilex suggested.
“There’s something wrong,” Jem said. “The Denynso operate by duty and regulation. Laws and rules are binding. They wouldn’t break the agreements made with the University lightly. Something very serious has to be happening for them to make that move.”
Jem’s words confirmed everything that Rilex had feared and made the urgency within him even more intense. He pushed the car faster, knowing that every single second mattered now and they needed to get to the University and to whoever was waiting there as fast as they possibly could.
****
Eden became aware of her heartbeat before she knew what was happening around her. Her eyelids resisted as she fought to open them, but eventually she dragged them open and was greeted by faint, hazy light. Pyra’s face appeared above her and she saw a relieved smile come to his lips.
“Hey,” he said. “Are you alright?”
Eden tried to sit up, but he pressed against her shoulders to ease her back down against the pile of blankets and pillows that had been propped behind her.
“Where’s the baby?” she asked weakly.
“Don’t try to sit up yet,” Pyra said. “Ciyrs gave you something that he said would help you rest. It will probably make you a little dizzy for a while. Lysander is fine. He’s with Zsilvia.”
“I need to take care of him,” Eden protested.
There were so many questions running through her head, but it seemed that they were so twisting and complex that she couldn’t focus on them. All she could think about was Lysander and making sure that he was properly cared for.
“He’s fine,” Pyra said. “We changed him and I held him to you so that he could eat. Don’t worry about him. You need to rest.”
Eden settled back and let her body relax. She drew in and released several breaths until her heartbeat normalized and she felt the trembling from deep inside her ease.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“We’re deeper in the hospital,” Pyra said. “When you collapsed Ciyrs told us that we needed to get you somewhere to rest. We kept going until we found this room. Jonah says that it looks like one of the preparation chambers that used to be in hospital buildings. It seems to have served its purpose. There’s bedding, clothes, emergency supplies, and even the rations are still safe after all these years. We decided to stop here for a while. We could all use something to eat and some sleep, even if it’s just for a short time. We’re a few floors down from the examination rooms.”
Those words made a thought suddenly occur to Eden. Her eyes opened wider.
“Jonah,” she said. “Where’s Jonah?”
Pyra looked down at her and nodded.
“I’ll get him.”
A few moments later Jonah came to her side.
“Jonah,” she said. “You said that the Nyx 23 mission was clandestine, and that’s why each of you had to come in for your examinations separately.”
The man nodded.
“Yes,” he said. “Only part of the department was involved. The others didn’t believe that the threat on the prison planet was enough to justify action.”
“If it was a secret mission, why was there such a swift response by the Earth military?”
“What do you mean?”
“Everything I’ve read about the Nyx 23 mission points out that the response from the Earth military was swift and fierce. They went to the planet to try to find a trace of
the crew, didn’t find one, and wiped it out. That’s when they named it Penthos in honor of you.”
“Right,” Jonah said, “but like Ryan said, that’s not what really happened. The military didn’t wipe out the Valdicians and free the prisoners. The general absorbed them and brought them back to Earth to use for the beginning of the breeding experiments.”
“There’s no memorial,” she said quietly.
“What?” Jonah asked.
“No memorial,” Eden repeated. “Don’t you think that’s strange?” They had talked about it before, but now that they were back on Earth it really sank in how out of character it was for there to be no memorial erected on Penthos for the lost team. “It is Earth’s way to make memorials to honor people who have died and give others a place where they can go to pay their respects. So, an entire team goes out into the galaxy to try to fight against a rogue race that has created an illegal prison compound and goes missing, but when the military supposedly destroys the species that did it, they don’t do anything?”
“What specifically did you learn about Nyx 23? What’s in the textbooks?” Jonah asked.
“We learned that the team had identified a threat on a previously unnamed and unexplored planet. Under the belief that there was an illegal prison compound operated by a non-ally species, a small team set out on a mission with the goal of freeing the prisoners and pushing the enemies back. Mission control lost contact with the team and they didn’t return as planned. A second team was then sent to the planet in an effort to find the team and understand what happened, but when they arrived they only found the prison and the enemies. There was no sign of the team. War units were deployed and the compound was destroyed. That’s when they named the planet Penthos. The Nyx 23 team became martyrs, a symbol of devotion and the ultimate commitment to the quest for understanding, knowledge, justice, and protection.”
“But there was never a memorial set up there? Nothing that our families could visit? Nothing even for the prisoners?”
“No,” Eden said.
“Wait,” Jonah said, his eyes widening slightly. “Ryan said that the general of the Earth military, his ancestor, teamed up with the Valdicians to start the breeding experiments. They were in on it.”
“Yes,” Eden said. “They shared the desire to breed the ultimate military force made up of hybrids, bred for their different powers and characteristics.”
“So why did we end up on Uoria?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Why did we end up on Uoria?” Jonah repeated. “The Valdicians supposedly aligned with the Covra and sent us to Uoria after we raided the planet so that they could enslave us and use us in their plan to take over the Universe.”
“Right,” Eden said. “They had already sabotaged your ship and sent you to Uoria before the military units arrived on Penthos, though. They wouldn’t have had any way of knowing that the war units would come and they would decide to go to Earth to participate in the breeding experiments.”
“They wouldn’t?” Jonah asked. “If they suddenly decided that they were going to go to Earth and start these complex experiments that they didn’t want anyone to know about, don’t you think that they would have mentioned to their new Earth allies that they had sent this mysteriously missing crew to another planet?”
“Why would they do that? Maybe they just figured that it didn’t matter anymore and that they had a new venture.”
“Three groups planning on taking over the Universe at the same time, specifically through the use of slaves curated from other planets and other species that have characteristics and abilities that the others don’t. But they don’t have anything to do with each other? Doesn’t that strike you as a bit too coincidental?”
“The Covra,” Eden said, her mind seeming to clear. “They wouldn’t just let it go. If the Valdicians had made an agreement with them and then they reneged on it, they would retaliate.”
“Exactly,” Jonah said. “But they didn’t. They waited. Then things went wrong and our ship crashed in the wrong place on the planet. Even then, the Covra didn’t turn against the Valdicians. They waited for another generation to come so that they could continue the plan that had been put into place.”
“It was designed that way,” Eden said. “The entire thing. You were meant to go to the planet and confront the Valdicians. It wasn’t a fluke. They didn’t suddenly decide to send you to Uoria. It was all by design.”
Jonah nodded.
“But whose?” he asked. “And why was my file still in that room?”
Chapter Eight
Oro stepped through the narrow doorway into the second preparation chamber and looked around. His eyes finally fell on the faint, almost imperceptible glow that was coming from one far corner and he moved toward it.
“Ariella?” he said gently.
The glow flickered slightly and he moved closer to his mate. She was crouched against the wall, her knees pulled up to her chest and her wings tucked in against her sides. The glittering light that emanated from her was weak, tremulous as if expressing the thoughts and emotions that she was going through. The warrior lowered himself to the floor beside her and rested his back against the wall. For a few moments, he simply sat with her, allowing his presence to give her strength and reassure her that she was safe. He knew that he would do absolutely anything to protect and take care of her. His own safety wasn’t even on his mind. What mattered to him was guarding his mate and fulfilling his duty to his kind.
“How will we get out of here, Oro?” Ariella asked quietly.
“We will,” Oro assured her.
Ariella looked at him, staring directly into his eyes.
“You really believe that,” she said.
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, an acknowledgement of the emotions that she could feel coming from him. Oro nodded and brought his hand up to tenderly cup the side of Ariella’s face. She was so beautiful. She was delicate and ethereal, softer than any woman he had ever seen. He had known from the moment that he saw her that she was crafted to be his mate. It was an honor to have been granted a mate so lovely, and he knew that he would spend his life devoted to giving her all the love, passion, and protection that she deserved.
The warrior leaned down and rested his lips to hers. It was a tender kiss at first, soft and reassuring. Soon, though, Oro felt Ariella’s mouth press to his more insistently. Her lips parted and the tip of her tongue touched his, seeking hungrily. He responded in kind, giving over to the need that built within him every time that he was near her. The shimmering glow around Ariella strengthened the deeper that he kissed her, and Oro tucked an arm around her waist so that he could sweep her up and onto his lap. As soon as she settled onto his hips, Oro could feel his body respond to her powerfully. She rolled her hips subtly and the growing warmth of her core nestled against his already hardening erection.
Their bodies spoke to each other without their lips ever having to say a single word. They reached out to each other through the fear and uncertainty that surrounded them and urged them to find comfort and security in each other. Oro felt Ariella’s soft, fragile hands come to the front of his shirt and dip into the gap at the neckline. Just the hint of their skin touching each other was enough to push him nearly to the edge of his control, but Oro didn’t want to rush. He didn’t want these moments to go past him too quickly. He wanted to savor every touch of her skin, taste of her mouth, and sound of her breath rushing through her plush lips.
Oro swept his hands lightly over her breasts and then ran them around her waist until they reached the tie of her dress just beneath her wings. Tucked defensively against her sides when he first saw her, they were now standing out from her back, their glow brighter and the shimmer more visible. Oro released the tie of her dress and eased the fabric down her ribs until it pooled at her hips. He groaned softly and lowered his mouth to one of the taut pink peaks of her breasts. Her skin felt cool and velvety against his tongue and he indulged himself by swi
rling the tip around her nipple until he felt it harden even further. His hand came up to cup around the other and knead into the flesh, the pad of his thumb nurturing her other nipple. Ariella’s gentle whimpers made everything else around him disappear and Oro felt thirsty for more of the sound. He brought his hands down to her hips and gripped their full, feminine swells. Applying gentle pressure, he guided her up to her feet so that he could ease her dress the rest of the way off.
The angle granted him perfect access to her core and he could smell the warmth of her desire for him. Oro helped her step out of the dress and tossed it aside, then gripped the back of her thighs and led her slightly forward so that she stood straddling his stomach. He kissed her belly, running his tongue along her skin briefly before lifting his head and blowing a stream of cool air along the newly dampened path. Ariella’s fingers buried themselves in his thick white hair and he felt them tenderly pulling as if guiding him down. Oro happily took the invitation and continue the path of his kisses down through the valley between her hipbones and toward the downy apex of her thighs.
When he reached his destination, Oro hungrily lapped his tongue through her folds. Ariella’s grip on his hair tightened and she arched her back toward him. Oro drew his tongue through her again, then slid his hands up the backs of her thighs to the juncture between her legs and hips. This new positioning of his grip allowed him to use the pads of his thumbs to carefully part the wet petals of her core to reveal the tightened peak he had coaxed forward. Oro swept the broad portion of his tongue along the vulnerable pearl and then concentrated the very tip on it until he could feel Ariella’s body trembling and shaking beneath his hands.
The sound of her whimpers told Oro that she was struggling to muffle the sound, trying not to allow the others to hear them. He continued to urge her forward, swirling and flicking his tongue masterfully. As she moaned deep in her chest, Oro moved one of his hands away from her hips to untie the cords at the front of his pants. He needed to release the surging erection that was pressing almost painfully against the fabric. His cock sprung out of his pants and Oro wrapped his hand around it. Slick fluid was already forming at the tip, but it wasn’t enough for him. Closing his mouth over her clit to suck it between his lips, Oro dipped his fingers into her. Gathering the hot, silky fluid onto his fingers, he brought them back to his cock and rubbed it into his skin. He wrapped his hand back around his shaft and began to stroke, mimicking the movements of his mouth on her with his hand on himself.
The Alien's Return (Uoria Mates IV Book 1) Page 6
