“I am not the spirit of your dual-birth sibling. It would not be kind of me to allow you to think that is a possibility. You must declare Rena dead and accept her departure as a truth. It was her wish to pass from this world in all but memory. It was my fault she was forced to return to it at all, but some good came of that additional time here. Her spirit is much more at peace.”
“This is madness. How am supposed to accept this?” Seta demanded, lifting her hands in pleading. “How could Rena just give her body to you and leave me alone here?”
Angel bowed her head before raising it again. She forced all the kindness she could into her gaze. “You are not alone in your corporeal journey, Seta Trax. You just haven’t accepted that anyone can have a sincere compassion for you. Trusting will be hard, but you must still learn to do it. If you don’t, you will not keep the darker parts of Zorinda under control. Either you rule her or she will rule you.”
“This cannot be truth. I don’t want to hear anymore,” Seta said, running around Malachi and the newly named Angel to escape.
***
After Seta’s abrupt departure, Angel turned to face the wicked creature at her side. “Why would you give me a name that you know I detest?”
Malachi shrugged. “It suits you. And it suits me to call you that. It means the same thing as ‘emissary’ in Earth English terms.”
Angel glared, her blue gaze flashing. “Why didn’t you just name me ‘It’ or ‘Her’? Those are Earth English terms as well. I refuse now to tell you the origin of your true self, even though I know your complete history. If it is retribution for petty misdeeds you crave to dispense, I can return the favor to you with no remorse.”
“How interesting it is to know an emissary can deal out retribution without regret. Now why would that be allowed by the Creators? I bet they sent you to me as a punishment, didn’t they? Yes, of course, that’s got to be why you are here,” Malachi declared, snapping his fingers.
When she raised her hand, Malachi saw the evil in her gaze and grabbed her fingers tightly to keep them from curling. He smiled at the anger in her eyes because he had read her intentions.
“You are purposely making my task more difficult while I have been trying to find the redemption in you that has been proclaimed,” Angel declared.
Ania whistled through her teeth gaining the attention of the quarreling couple. “Back to Seta’s problems, please. You two can quarrel later,” she ordered, turning to see her mate’s stern face in deep reflection. “How are you handling this turn of events?”
“Only slightly better than our shocked lieutenant. The reality is a bit overwhelming to take in,” Synar said. “Rena was rather timid. The emissary is not.”
Ania nodded. “No, she is definitely not.” She looked at the emissary and Malachi. “Come sit with us—Angel. Tell Synar what your purpose is on our ship. I would prefer he hear it directly from you.”
Angel walked to the conference table. Sighing, she reluctantly took the seat Malachi held out for her. “You’re smothering me with affection. Is this a trick to gain my cooperation?”
Malachi smiled as he took a seat beside her. “You said we might become mates. All the males on this ship treat their preferred females this way.”
“No, they do not. You misunderstand them as much as you do my motives,” she replied, turning her attention away from one Norblade male to another. “Captain Synar, I have been sent to be a tutelary protector to your first two children.”
Angel turned back to glare at Malachi. “The rest of my purpose among your crew is to be conducted at my discretion. I had thought to assist with the demon’s changes. My intentions are proving more worthy than the reality.”
“Well, you didn’t seem that reticent about the reality when you were grabbing my crotch earlier,” Malachi said.
Ania smacked a hand on the table, making a loud enough sound to echo through the space. “Enough.” Silence fell in the room, but somewhere within it, Ania heard Synar laughing. She swung a deadly look to him. “Dealing with your birth parent cannot be worse torture than dealing with these two beings.”
“Maybe not,” Synar admitted, chuckling at how fouled up everything had become. It was either laugh about it or start launching all quarreling beings out the laser weapons ports. “I just have one question. Is there a chance in Earth’s hell that these two can help me find the Allurean?”
“You have already found her, Captain. The Allurean is here on your ship,” Angel said.
“She is?” Synar exclaimed, leaning forward. “Are you sure? How do you know?”
“Because she is meant to be here. You will offer the Allurean asylum among your crew and work out a deal so the Peace Alliance cannot hold her hostage anymore.”
Synar shook his head at another orchestrator of chaos in his life. “No. Our job is to return her to Kefira’s safe keeping. Kefira will take her back to the Peace Alliance.”
“No,” Angel said. “Your job is to save her so her species can continue.”
Synar snorted and put his head in his hand. “Why me? Why my ship?”
Angel looked at Malachi who was staring at her and not saying a word. “Why are you looking at me so strangely?”
“I just figured out why I like you so much. It’s the way you talk. You cleave right through the drama all corporeal beings create and state the bold, bald truth that most avoid. I do that myself. It’s painful, but quite refreshing. I’m so glad you’re here,” Malachi said.
Angel looked at him. “When I’m in this body, I’m trying to discern meaning from words. I feel it will help me blend in better with the crew. Was that diatribe meant to be taken as a compliment?”
“Yes. That diatribe primarily means I think you’re hot. It secondarily indicates that I badly want inside your host body. These are subtleties I’m sure you will learn in time.”
Malachi laughed when her eyes blazed with anger again. It really was true, but he could see it was going to take some time to convince her of it. He was glad. He liked the idea of wooing her. He would ask Zade for some pointers. No, maybe Chiang. Chiang was actually more experienced than the Siren at wooing reluctant females.
“I wish you to cease your speculations. You’re making me nervous with your staring,” Angel said.
Malachi smooched the air with a kissing motion, delighted when her eyes flared again.
“I don’t know how much more of this I can take without binding both of your physical bodies to separate locations on the ship,” Ania exclaimed. She was emotionally exhausted. Worse, she was tuned to Malachi’s carnal desires for the emissary’s host body no matter how hard she tried to block his feelings out. Weary, Ania laid her head on her arms on the table.
Synar lifted his head from his hand to look down at his mate in sympathy. “Have they been like this all day?”
“Yes. Sometimes they have been worse,” Ania said, moaning.
“Then may the Creators have mercy on us all. Simple creatures were never meant to endure such torment,” Synar said.
“I’ve arranged for Zade to talk to both of them tomorrow—and separately,” Ania declared. “I’m leaving it to him to sort out their—relationship. I’m not up to the challenge.
Synar dropped his hand and looked at Angel. “Are you willing to point out the Allurean? It would save me so much time and trouble.”
“My apologies, Captain. No, I am not willing,” Angel replied. She glanced over to see Malachi grinning at her refusal. The demon seemed to enjoy her discomfort at having to be honest.
Synar chuckled and shook his head. It didn’t really surprise him that the emissary wasn’t going to be helpful. He should have known that she’d adhere to her own plans. “May I ask why you won’t help me?”
“Of course you may ask. The Allurean’s fate is bound to another’s on this ship. That connection must work out in its own way. Please don’t question me further. I have told you all I can.”
Synar shook his head in wonder. “Why did I even bot
her to ask anything at all? Go. Both of you. Get out of my sight for a while. I want to talk to Ania alone.”
Malachi stood and waited for Angel to rise and come with him. When they got to the door, he paused with his hand on it, halting their exit.
“So do you want to go to my quarters and experiment with my bonding organ again? I really enjoyed that this morning. You have no idea how many females I passed up asking for such things while waiting on you to come back. And have I told how glad I am you chose the physical host body my host body likes most? Thank you very much for considering my preferences.”
“Move out of my way, demon. I can’t look at you right now. I have to go meditate. This body is in turmoil. We will talk about future arrangements when I no longer detest you,” Angel said.
When he still didn’t move, she raised her hand. He opened the door immediately, but laughed at her as well.
“Why do you intentionally confuse me?” she asked.
“I’m just returning the favor,” Malachi said, waving goodbye to his stunned keepers.
He smiled as he closed the door behind him. Liam and Ania couldn’t be anymore surprised than he was, but the bleak world he occupied always got way more interesting when the emissary was with him.
And this time, something told him she intended to stay.
***
“Liam?” Ania raised her head from her arms and sat back in her chair. “I hate this, but I need to tell you something else that makes this situation even more complicated.”
His swearing in Norblade brought a smile to her face. Maybe it was just good to know she wasn’t suffering alone.
“Let me guess. The emissary is telling the truth,” Synar said, guessing.
“Well if I choose to believe the three other messengers who came to visit me—yes, she is telling the truth,” Ania said.
“Other messengers? As in more emissaries? Did they hurt you?”
“No,” Ania said, shaking her head. “They just tormented me with pronouncements and predictions. I’m starting to feel as skeptical as Gwen. I can tell you for sure that Helios really will freeze over before I let that creature that just left help raise our children.”
Synar nodded. “We are of one accord about that at the moment. Angel is being most unhelpful about the Allurean.”
“No, she was right about the Allurean,” Ania said, shrugging at her mate’s sour look.
“Are you telling me you also know which female she is?” Synar demanded.
“Not yet—not exactly—but the emissary’s words about the Allurean resonated within me as truth. I think I could figure it out if I needed to. Right now I wouldn’t point her out either,” Ania said.
“Shades of Kellnor, why? This ship is tied to us finding her, Ania. Our very livelihoods rest on returning the Allurean safe and sound to the Peace Alliance. Returning her so she can be guarded will be saving her.”
“Will it?” Ania asked.
Synar rose and paced. “Okay. Maybe I’m not completely sure about that, but I am sure that we’re going to have to turn her over.”
“Let’s go with believing one of your females really is her. The Allurean doesn’t seem willing to step up and return to them on her own. Don’t you think that’s rather suspicious?” Ania demanded.
“She’s elderly. I thought we’d just frightened her. I thought she might be depressed or confused,” Synar said.
“Fine. Why has she not regenerated and reversed her aging then? Wouldn’t it make sense to stay in top condition if you were fighting for your life?”
“What are you saying, Ania? Speak your thoughts. I have no time for guessing games,” Synar demanded.
“The Peace Alliance is using her, Liam. The Peace Alliance keeps her in a gilded cage, but it’s still a cage. If she was kidnapped as they claim, then why is it that she doesn’t want to go back? Why is she hiding from the people trying to rescue her and make sure she is safe? I don’t think she was ever safe. I think the Peace Alliance has been holding her prisoner.”
Synar sighed in resignation. “So is Kefira lying then?”
“I’m not sure. She’s certainly not telling us everything,” Ania said, drumming her fingers on the table. “What I don’t understand is what part the emissaries are playing. They’re in and out of Kefira all the time. Usually they use her to make changes. Now they’ve put one of their own openly in the middle of us. Why are the Creators intervening to that degree?”
Synar ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know the answers. And I don’t know what to do about the Allurean. Frankly, I’m so freaking tired right now that I can’t think clearly about anything. Do you think all this can wait until I’ve slept in your arms one more time? I don’t think I’ve slept more than a few hours in several days.”
Ania rose and walked to stand close to her exhausted mate. She peered into his caring eyes. Liam might be obstinate and slow to make decisions, but he was also one of the best males she had ever known. He honestly cared about doing what was right even though he walked a curvy path to finding it at times. “I am glad my children have such a good-hearted male for their sire.”
When Liam opened his arms to her, Ania stepped in and hugged him tightly. His arms pulling her closer had her burrowing against him in welcome.
“I really did miss you while you were gone, Liam. It was a bad time for you to have to be away.”
“I missed you too, Ania,” Synar said.
“We’ll figure this out. We always do,” she said.
“Aye,” he said. “We always do. But I don’t know how I’m going to save the Allurean from the people who pay our living.”
Ania hugged tighter. “Let’s pray a way will be shown to us.”
Chapter 22
Hours after Seta had gone to her reckoning with the Captain and Ania Looren, Ji was still angry and still worried. Worse, he couldn’t bring himself to drink the Rylen ale and find temporary relief from at least part of his torment. He ached in body places he had all but forgotten could long for a female. He ached in lonely parts of him that only the disrespectful Ethosian had ever reached. Every memory of their time on Norblade brought his anger back until he wondered if he would ever know a peaceful moment again.
“I guess the answer is definitely not today,” Ji grumbled, going to answer the pounding knock on his door. He opened it prepared to glare at a rude visitor, but anger dissolved into concern when he was confronted with Seta’s tear-streaked face. “Seta? What’s the matter?”
He barely remained upright when she flung herself at him, clawing to get closer. Hoisting her up into his arms, Ji pulled the madly weeping female around him as best he could before kicking the door closed with his foot, not bothering to lock it.
Swearing at himself, he saw now that he should have gone with her to hear whatever news she received, regardless of her wishes. Praise the Creators, Seta had come to him. He carried her to his sleeping platform and sank down with her in his arms. He could feel grief raging through her, so he rocked her while she wept. It was all he could think to do.
After a few minutes, the weeping turned to sniffling. He hoped that meant the worst of the grief was at least partially cried out.
“Sorry. I’m a weeping mess,” Seta said.
“It’s okay. I don’t mind,” Ji said. Cradling her close, he kissed her forehead, and then her closest pointed ear. All his anger at her was forgotten. Her pain was too large to expose her to any emotion that lacked comfort. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Seta sniffled again. Ji felt a swift pain slicing through her.
“Is this about your sibling?” he asked.
Seta nodded against his chest. “Yes. Rena is truly gone—not just from the ship, but gone from this life. Some strange creature has taken over her body. It was like—it was horrible, Ji.”
“I see,” Ji said quietly. “And you are sure of these things? Grief can cause you to invent situations to ease your suffering.”
Seta pushed back and looked up i
nto Ji’s clear blue gaze. She saw no real judgment of her meltdown there, only concern. “I don’t blame you for not believing me. I can barely believe it myself. But I spoke to the new creature. Her eyes blaze with light like a demon’s. It was not Rena in her form.”
Ji rolled them both until they were lying side-by-side on the bed. “I’m sorry for your loss then. I’ve lost people I loved before. It was a terrible experience each time. Whatever help you need from me, all you have to do is ask.”
“Why are you always so kind to me when I am hurting? I cannot be that kind back to you. I don’t seem to have those easy emotions in me anymore,” Seta said.
Ji ran a hand through hair the color of morning light on Rylen and used his fingers to tuck it behind one of her very attractive ears. “I’ve experienced the moods of all kinds of females. I think it must be your sexy ears that keep me coming back even though you do nothing to encourage my interest and everything to discourage it.”
Seta snorted at his teasing. “My ears? You jest, but I appreciate the effort. After I joined the cadet academy, I considered having the points removed. I got tired of standing out among the other species. Apparently, my pointed ears make me resemble some sort of mythical creature from Earth stories that everyone somehow seemed to know.”
“What creature would that be?” Ji asked, pleased to see her weeping had almost stopped.
“I don’t know,” Seta said. “I refused to look it up. I suppose I could ask Commander Jet. I’m sure she would just love to tell me what I look like to her. She doesn’t understand the meaning of rude.”
Ji laughed. “True, but I rather enjoy the commander’s abruptness. Gwen Jet is not an easy being to spend time with, but I like her no-nonsense style of command.”
“You like her because you are like that,” Seta stated.
“Really? Was I a bad captain then?” Ji asked.
“No,” Seta said, shaking her head against his pillow, “just a demanding one. Everyone wanted to be loyal to you. And you were compassionate in every situation where you could be.”
“I confess I have high expectations about everything. Does that worry you? I can tell you quite honestly that you never disappointed me until you made your decision to serve on the Liberator.”
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