Unpausing, she listened to the rest of the message. “Drones with wings become pregnant through parthenogenesis. They have a whole section of the database where you can go to learn all the details but the long story short, their reproductive system spontaneously activates in the presence of female pheromones. The babies are always male and look very similar to the father. They carry eggs in a sack in their side and release them to be incubated. Anyways, here’s where the process gets complicated. The exception to this system is queen makers. They have wings and baby making equipment and get you pregnant as well as get pregnant. They were bred to be breeders for their queens and the only ones who can spawn female offspring. Remember I just told you all Vraden’s sons were queen makers. You are poised to clan with the one of the eleven queen makers on this world.”
The woman paused, clearly giving her a chance to let that little bit of information settle in for a bit. In other words if she ever wanted to have female children, hanging onto Haroc needed to be part of that plan. As weird as it sounded, that was critical information and she was grateful for the plain spoken woman for bringing it to her attention.
“I just wanted you to be aware that Vraden’s entire family has been living in fear of being selected by one of their own queens, who are crazy control freaks who see drones as highly expendable. Even if you don’t decide to join their clan, if you could be extra nice to him, I’d really appreciate it. He’s really a wonderful person and would do anything for a woman. I’m worried that if this doesn’t work out, he’ll stop trying.” Looking embarrasses, she sucked in a deep breath. “That’s really all I had to say. Sorry the message is so long. Com me back when you get a chance.”
Without thinking, she hit reply to leave a return message. Instead a Maruvian male’s face appeared, looking down from an upward angle. “Greetings Ember. You are even more beautiful with your eyes open.”
Bolting up, she choked out a reply. “What…what do you mean with my eyes open?”
Tara edged into the frame and smile jumped onto her face. “Haroc sent everyone an image of you sleeping. Arac’s right, you are prettier with your eyes open.”
Letting out a nervous laugh, she shook her head. “Thanks for saying. I don’t think of myself as very pretty…”
“You have the charming dots on your face.”
Shifting her eyes back to Arac, she informed him curtly. “They’re called freckles and before you ask, they don’t wash off.”
Tara spoke softly. “Maruvians are obsessed with read headed women with freckles. I’m guessing that’s something they’ve been exposed to, so they see it as exotic and beautiful.”
Making a little fist pump, Ember grinned. “Finally, a world where people won’t be thinking I’m belligerent because of my hair color, or any of the other stupid thing people think. I feel like all my years of generating good karma is finally paying off for me.”
Tara laughed, then stopped abruptly. “It looks like you are in a medical bay. Are you injured?”
Glancing around, she realized they could see Dark from their angle. “I don’t know that I should say.”
Arac sounded panicked. “Is my brother well? Please, I must know.”
Clearing her throat, she stated calmly. “My brother was shot by a rowdy mob of humans when he escorted me to the Maruvian ship. They put him in stasis and brought him along with me. I hope they don’t get into trouble for saving him. He’s my only family.” Glancing away, Ember felt herself tearing up.
It was Arac who spoke. “Though it is highly irregular, we will do what we can to intervene with the queen in this matter.”
Swallowing thickly, she sniffed back a sob. “I would honestly appreciate anything you can do on our behalf.”
“Consider it done. I must attend my young. Enjoy your conversation.”
Stepping away, Tara watched over her shoulder and then stepped closer to the screen.
“Try not to worry. I’ll speak to the queen myself. She’s pretty easy going, but they probably won’t tolerate your brother trying to take any of their women.”
“I don’t know that he would try anything like that. He’s spent his whole life trying to keep us alive, so he hasn’t had much time to waste on chasing women.”
Tara smiled faintly. “The transport ships normally do three stops in the area before landing on our home world. If you like I can meet you in my shuttle and bring you all straight home. Haroc’s father is a healer and could take better care of your brother than any other medical professional.”
“I would love that, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Not at all. I love flying. I’ll coordinate with Haroc when you ship is within range.”
“Thanks for everything. It was nice of you to make contact with me. I was feeling pretty isolated.”
“Aren’t Haroc and Valic spending time with you?”
“They’re both great. I mean, I’ve only known them a day but they brought trouble on themselves they probably didn’t need to save my brother so I have a lot of respect for them both.”
“Those two are great. They were battle buddies for years before they decided to join Talon’s clan.”
“What’s he like, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“He’s the queen’s actionator and he’s a hottie.”
“I guess I’ll see when I get there.”
“You don’t sound very sure.”
“I’m keeping my options open. I’m getting attached to Haroc and Valic, so if I want them, I’ll have to give Talon a chance.”
“My little sister is wild about Talon, so he can’t be all bad.”
Ember grinned, thinking of a little girl following an insectoid around. “I’ll let you go. Please give my greetings to Haroc’s family, most especially his father.”
“I would be surprised if you don’t have a message in your cue from him.”
Feeling excitement slam through her gut at the thought of hearing from Haroc’s father, she perked up. “I’ll look for it. Thanks again.”
“My pleasure.”
Scrolling through her messages, she was surprised that she had several more. Tapping the one from Vraden, she watched his image jump to life. “Greetings and welcome to our new home world, Ember. My son has informed me you are considering him for clanship. He has also informed me of the situation with your brother. Rest assured that we would welcome your drone into our family, should you chose to accept my son as your queen maker. He will be accorded all due respect and a place in our society.”
“We’ll take that deal.” Dark’s voice croaked from his medical platform.
Jumping up, Ember rant to him. Pressing him back down onto the platform, she murmured. “Don’t try to get up yet.”
“You. Will. Get. Yourself. To. My. Queen. Now.”
“Get your ridiculous snout off my bottom.” The indignant healer kept jumping forward out of the Dargon’s reach.
Swiveling her head around, Ember palm smacked herself in the forehead.
Dark stated weakly, “Now that’s something you don’t see every day.”
“Dargon, please leave the nice healer alone.”
Falling back onto his bottom on the floor, one paw came up to scratch at his neck. “He was taking too long to attend to your spawn mate. You are weak and need me to force him to attend to his duties.” His tongue hung out of his mouth after he finished talking, making her think he needed to drink something.
The healer grumbled under his breath, “This is why the Golugua were never allowed to roam free on the ship.”
Feeling a white hot fire flame to life in her gut, she asked calmly. “What do you mean by that?”
Without allowing the man to finish, Dargon growled. “They locked us in cages in the bellies of their ships for a thousand years, trying to breed us into becoming vicious monsters.”
Looking from the healer to Dargon, she couldn’t believe that was true. It was telling that the healer, cringed b
ut didn’t dispute the creature’s assentation. “You are not putting my sentinel in a cage.”
Chapter 9
Training Vessel
~ Ember ~
Music Mix
Haroc’s voice sounded off from the door. “My potential clan mate is correct. You will not touch our sentinel.”
“Calm yourselves. I meant no disrespect. However, I vehemently object to being shoved across the room by the vicious beast.”
Haroc’s wings unfurled in a breathtaking show of dominance. Taking a step closer, his voice dropped an octave. “Dargon is neither vicious, nor a beast. Get out and send another healer. I don’t want you anywhere near my clan.”
Huffing out an exasperated breath, the man scrambled away. Stalking over to a huge holographic monitor, he glammed his hand down onto the scanning plate. His father’s face came up. “What is wrong, my son? I have never seen you thus.”
“I am far from our home world with a queen to protect and Valic messaged me from the bridge that there a Maruvian training ship was seen shadowing us briefly. It has cloaked but we both know that only mean one thing.”
“How many are in danger.”
“Including my bride, one hundred and fifty-seven.”
“Your ship is carrying over three hundred drones and a training vessel can only carry two hundred and fifty.”
“We would be out gunned.”
“Then you will have to use all your skill and cunning. Protecting our new human queens is your primary responsibility.”
“As you have said, there are two hundred and fifty of my brethren under her heel.”
“The human queens are a priority over rescuing drones, my son.”
“The queens aboard this vessel or the millions Earth? I cannot be a coincidence the Maruvian queen aboard that vessel is so near the only planet providing queens for our drones.” Haroc went stock still, before slowly turning to Valic. His elite fighting partner, didn’t back down. “You know what is say is true.”
Vraden jerked to attention. “We must call upon our allies to protect Earth. Only young and impulsive queens are given command of the training vessels. She will wipe the planet clean of females, enslave the human drones and destroy the planet to harvest the heart stones.”
Dark’s voice rang out. “Fuck that. We fight.” He was on his feet before Ember could get turned around.
With little other choice Ember came to her feet. “I have no idea how much danger one vessel could pose to an planet the size of earth, but I’m with Dark and Valic. I say we don’t give her chance to hit Earth’s atmosphere.”
Stepping back from the viewer, Haroc spoke. “My clan has spoken.”
“I’ll send our second vessel…”
“No, you will advise Queen Carolyn to keep it orbit around our home world. We know not how the new queen slipped into this dimension. There could be others. Perhaps this is a ruse to weaken our defenses. You must protect Queen Carolyn at all costs.”
The older man swallowed hard. “Understood. I wish Raec and Arac were at your side.”
Haroc glanced at his fighting partner. “I have no need for older brothers. I’m better off with Valic, for he knows my mind when it comes to making war. Now, is my opportunity to join the rank of exalted warrior like my brothers before me.”
A look of pure male pride fell over the older man’s face. “You are queen maker and a warrior, like your father and all our line. I have every confidence in your abilities.”
“Expect me to be far too filled with self-importance to be content ferrying junk around the planet with Queen Tara upon my return.”
His father actually laughed. “The days of being shiftless and wayward are behind you now, my son. You are now coming into your own. Fight your battle and call your queen liked the drones of old.”
Haroc took in a deep breath and seemed to double in size before her very eyes. Of course it was just that he lifted his chin, puffed out his chest and stood tall and proud. God, it looked really good on him. The moment he turned to face them, the screen went blank.
He screeched out a loud command to the healer. Something about bringing a dose of serum. A healer came running in wearing the blue jumpsuit that identified them as medical professionals. He had a huge hypo spray in his hand and approached Dark.
“What the fuck is that?”
“Do not curse in front of our queen. It is the first of five shots. They are given each morning and night for five days. It is what turns our adolescents into warriors.” Tilting his head again, he intoned. “It is safe for human drones.”
“Are you saying that if I take ten of those, I’ll bulk up like you guys?”
Nodding, Haroc replied seriously. “And it energize you for action right away.”
Waving his fingers at the medic, he stated without hesitation. “Bring it on.”
“I am compelled to alert you that these shots are packed with drugs that will increase your longevity.”
“Stop blabbering and inject me. I have to protect my sister.”
“The fiery queen is now mine to protect.” Dargon’s growly voice got louder as he approached. Ember was surprised he managed to stay quiet this long. “I am her sentinel. You are just a weak human.”
Backing up, Dark bumped into the floating healing platform, making it kilter off balance. “What the hell is that?”
Taking a step to Dargon, she scratched him behind the ear, before turning back to her brother. I suppose introductions are in order. Dark, this is Haroc and Valic. They are my clan. Dargon is our protector. Turning to her clan, she stated politely. Everyone, please say hello to my brother, Dark.”
Haroc jerked her forward and looked down into her startled green eyes. “You accept our clan?”
Shaking her head, she murmured. “I accept you and Valic. Talon maybe, if I like him. I like Dargon for our protector, if he likes us.”
Preening a bit the Golugua, growled happily. “I do like of you Queen Ember. I hereby offer the services of my line to serve yours for all times.”
Bending down, she cupped his face and kissed the top of his snout. “Don’t worry, as long as I’m around, you’ll always get a vote in all clan decisions.”
The creature’s eyes went perfectly round and he licked up the side of her face apparently too shocked and happy to speak.
Haroc pulled up backwards flush with his body and Valic pressed forward, like he was wont to do. “We have lured the most beautiful and loyal queen in the ‘verse.”
“Looking up from one handsome face to another, she murmured. “You’ll have to survive the coming battle to enjoy me, but yes, I’m all yours.”
“That’s going to be a neat trick, considering we’re apparently out gunned.” Her brother’s voice cut through their moment of intimacy like a knife through butter.
Stepping from between the males, she approached Dark. “Are you certain you want to take the alien drugs?”
“Are you kidding me? You know I’ll do anything to heal faster and become stronger. This falls in the category of a no brainer.”
The healer stepped forward and pressed the injector against his neck. She watched the serum slowly empty from the clear cylinder. It will take an hour or so to kick in the first time.
Spinning on her heal, she looked at Haroc and Valic. “So what are we doing about the crazy Maruvian queen on that training vessel?”
“My brother’s wife was successful using a wide spectral beam to knock out all electronics on Queen Kabelda’s shuttle. Then she used the ship’s exterior grappling to rip her from her ship.”
“That sounds really dramatic. Can’t we send some drones to capture her?”
Valic explained. “Maruvian queens are nothing like our drones. They are two to three times our size, and bred to be intelligent, vicious and cunning. They are extremely difficult to kill in battle. Their armor was designed to fend off any Maruvian weapon invented. They have access to weapons we are not allowed t
o touch. I am certain the disparity between their weapons and our own was to discourage all thoughts of revolt.”
“Does this vessel have any queen weapons?”
“Certainly, but we may not touch them.”
Shrugging at Dark, she stated flatly. “I’m a queen and I demand to see the queen weapons.”
“All will be as you say, my queen.” The warm sensual quality to Haroc’s voice made her feel achy and hot down below. Closing her eyes, she thought of a hand reaching out to pick the last bloom on Earth. It was the saddest image she could pull up at a moment’s notice. Her eyes began to tear up and she felt her arousal ebb. Almost allowing a humorless laugh to escape her lips, she realized the strange mental acrobatics she forced herself to do, in order to keep from activating her queen maker.
She’d skimmed the information in the database as Tara described it to her. If she became aroused, her pheromones would activate Haroc mating scent if she was his one. When that happened she wouldn’t be able to resist having sex with him. There was no way in hell Valic would leave her side during a mating. All the pheromones flying back and forth between her and Haroc would ignite parthenogenesis for Valic. The bottom line was, they’d probably all end up pregnant, the two drone for sure.
“Are you well my queen?”
Opening her eyes, she saw Valic looking down at her with a worried look on his face. Taking a page from their book, she replied honestly. “I’m trying really hard not to become aroused around the two of you, cause I don’t Haroc to do his thing.”
A soft smile slipped onto the man’s face. His antennas jerked around happily on his head, in what could only be described as a little victory dance. “I see the wisdom in your actions and I am pleased to know you must battle your own natural urges to mate us. When the time comes for mating, the wait will make running my tongue over your tender body all the more pleasurable, my beautiful queen.”
Battalion's Bride Page 5
