by KD Jones
AshOR sighed. “I’ll talk to Leader LarIS and ask him to put his say in the council and to remain open to helping those who are innocent.”
StrykER was surprised to hear that the male from the Colony would be so willing to help. It made him curious. “Why would you do that?”
“I met a Morin who was hunting me not long ago. As he was dying, he got real talkative. It made me realize that there were some people who weren’t given choices. They had to follow their leaders whether they agreed or not. It just resonated with me for some reason. There was no saving that male or those he followed, but if there’s a way to save people from being punished for something that was beyond their control.”
“I appreciate it. I need to go find Melody.”
“Try the meal room. My mate took her some clothes and was going to share the next meal with her. I have to go find my team to prepare them. See you in a few hours.”
StrykER hit his comm link but Melody’s assigned one wasn’t answering. He tried to contact Lieutenant MayER.”
“Sir?”
“Where is Melody?”
“She is in the meal room, singing.”
He couldn’t help but smile. Of course she would be. Singing was a huge part of her. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
*****
Melody couldn’t resist. She had just finished eating when she borrowed Ava’s digital tablet. She was able to upload a musical program that would let her create sounds of a drum, guitar, and a piano. It was just enough to allow her to set a background rhythm.
Ava insisted she sang something for everyone at the table. Before she knew it, they had arranged a chair on top of a table for her to sit on and crowds of warriors surrounded her to watch. She sang a few of her old songs and then her new ones.
When she finished singing her most recent work about the Katieran nation, she looked up to find everyone staring at her. Ava was wiping tears from her cheeks and if she wasn’t mistaken, the warriors had glistening eyes. Then Ava started clapping. It was clear that the warriors were confused but they quickly caught on and began to clap as well.
She felt emotional from so many coming together and joining them. This was why she sang. It made her tear up herself. She looked over to the entrance and locked eyes with StrykER. She felt a magnetic pull toward him. They were connected in some way.
She watched as he walked through the crowd and stopped at the edge of the table. He lifted his arms and she went to him without a second thought. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Hi.”
He kissed her right there in front of everyone. When he pulled back she couldn’t formulate any words. He smiled at her as he carried her out of the meal room. Everyone else faded in the background; she only had eyes for him.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Back to bed.”
She was fine with that. She nuzzled his neck. God he smelled so good. She licked and then gently bit him without drawing blood. He stumbled a little, growling with need.
“You’re tempting my control. I am trying to get you to our quarters before I take you.”
Melody loved that she could make him lose some of his tightly wound control. It made her want to push his limits to see if she could break that control. What would he do? She didn’t worry that he would hurt her. He never would.
“I don’t want to wait.” She licked and bit him again.
She felt the rumbling in his chest and knew he was close to breaking. He swiftly walked to the end of the corridor and opened a door. The room they entered was dark at first, and then the computer sensors registered a presence and turned the lights on automatically. She was able to see they were in some kind of storage closet. Shelves lined the walls with blankets, towels and pillows. Clothing was also folded neatly and organized.
“Computer dim lights twenty percent and secure the door.” StrykER set her on her feet.
The lights dimmed and she heard the click of the door locking. “You’ve got me all alone, now what?”
“Take your clothes off.” He told her as he quickly removed his uniform and kicked off his boots.
She stood there watching him reveal more and more of his skin. He was truly a gorgeous man; big and strong with no fat on him anywhere.
“Melody, remove your clothes or I’ll tear them off to get to you.”
She smiled. “I’m tempted to let you. It’s hot to have your clothes ripped off in the throws of passion. But, since I don’t have a lot of clothes to spare, I’ll remove them.”
Now it was her turn to be watched and she had to admit, she kind of liked it. She moved her movements slower and really ramped up the sexy. She was rewarded when she heard his breathing growing heavier. She turned her back to him and bent over as she removed her pants. She wore no underwear so her ass was bare.
Her only warning was a rumbling growl then his hands were on her waist lifting her and turning her to face the wall.
“Put your hands on the wall and bend over slightly.”
She did what he told her to do, so ready to feel him inside her. She could feel her arousal leaking from her pussy. He hadn’t really touched her yet but she was already fully aroused.
“StrykER?”
She felt his fingers reaching between them, testing her entrance. “You are so wet. Is that all for me?”
“Yes.”
“I want to taste you, but you’ve pushed me past my limits. I need inside you more than I need air to breath.”
She felt the exact same way. “Please, I need you too.”
StrykER rubbed his hand down her spine then patted her rounded ass. She felt his tip at her entrance teasing but not fully penetrating. She let out what sounded like a growl that only made him chuckle.
He entered her slowly, pushing until he was all the way in. She moaned at the pleasure of being filled. Then he moved out, only to return with a forceful thrust. It sent sparks all the way through her entire body.
“Oh God, yes!” She pushed against him trying to get as much of him in her as possible. Sweat was beading on her brow.
StrykER was still fighting for control but the way she pushed against the wall was preventing that. She felt him wrap an arm around her, lifting her up and away from the wall. He held her completely as he took her over and over. Her arms were restrained but she didn’t care. It amped up her passion.
“Yes…yes…oh, StrykER.” She was about to come. He bit her shoulder and it was all she needed to scream out her pleasure. Then the most amazing thing happened. She felt him release inside her. His semen was warm and felt good. She felt herself about to orgasm again.
“StrykER!”
“Mate! My mate!” StrykER moaned grounding her down on him. Once his semen slowed down, he moved them to lean his back against the wall. He raised her up and his cock popped free. He held her against his chest trying to get their breathing under control. Then was when it dawned on her what he had done.
“You claimed me didn’t you?” she asked, but without anger in her voice.
“Yes. You have been mine since the moment we met. I was trying to give you the time you needed to want me in return. I don’t regret it.”
She turned to look up in his eyes. “I don’t regret it either. You’re mine, too.”
“Come, let’s get dressed and go back to our quarters. I only have a few hours before I have to leave.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll tell you when we’re alone.”
She looked around the closet. “We are alone.”
He pointed his thumb at the door. “We’ve gathered a small crowd out there.”
She felt heat rise to her cheeks, realizing that they had been really loud. She quickly dressed. Taking a deep breath and releasing it, she plastered a smile on her face as StrykER opened the door and exited first. She grabbed something off one of the shelves and followed him.
She saw the warrior faces look confused and a little envious. She held up a towel. “Excellen
t linen closet. One of the best I’ve ever seen.”
StrykER shook his head in humor and smiled at her. They held hands as they walked past the small crowd and heard chuckles from the other warriors. She would have been more embarrassed, but StrykER wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her close. It didn’t matter what anyone else thought. She was StrykER’s mate and he was hers, which was all that mattered.
Chapter 19
Three Hours Later
Melody walked with StrykER to the docking bay. She insisted on seeing him off. She hated that he was going back down to the luna. She had a really bad feeling about it, but she fought the urge to beg him not to go.
She couldn’t do that to him. StrykER loved serving his people, keeping them safe from their enemies. Their relationship was brand new and they still had a lot to learn about each other. She would not be the type of girlfriend who interfered with her boyfriend’s job. No matter how much she worried or how much she loved him.
She stopped walking in the middle of the corridor as the realization of it hit her. She was in love with StrykER, completely and utterly in love with him. He was about to go off to dangers both known and unknown and she hadn’t had a chance to tell him.
“Melody? Are you okay?” Stryker was standing next to her and stroked her cheek in concern.
Warriors passed them, staring. She didn’t care about anyone else. She needed to let him know. She looked up into his handsome face.
“I love you.”
He blinked like he hadn’t heard her so she said it again. “I love you.”
Then he smiled, took her into his arms and kissed her. “I love you too, my beautiful Melody.”
She wasn’t sure how long they stood there kissing each other and whispering their love. Finally, Stryker pulled away, keeping his arm around her shoulders. “I have to go.”
“I know.” She wiped away a tear that had escaped. Melody was determined to be strong for him. She could do this.
“StrykER, we’re boarding the shuttles now.” AshOR called out from the entrance of the docking bay.
Melody looked over and watched as Ava and AshOR said their goodbyes. She didn’t have any feelings for AshOR at all except for respect. She turned to StrykER. “Promise me that you’ll be safe.”
“I promise I’ll do everything that I can to come back to you safely.”
She watched him walk off to the bay where all the warships and shuttles were located. He was getting in the same shuttle with AshOR, which made him frown. She couldn’t help but smile. Those two were never going to be friends. Unlike she and Ava.
Ava came to stand next to her. “They’ll be all right.”
“I know.”
“So, you finally told him that you loved him, huh?”
“I know it might be too early in the relationship to say it but…”
“If you feel it and mean it, then you should be able to say it,” Ava told her without judgment.
“When did you know that you loved AshOR?”
“Pretty much the first time he told me to get my ass back on his ship and I refused.”
Melody laughed. “Yeah, my first meeting with StrykER didn’t go over so well.”
“You mentioned something about him interrogating you while we were at lunch. I bet that was frightening.”
She stared out as the docking bay doors opened and the shuttles and warships started to exit. “It was nothing compared to what I’m feeling right now.” Please God, keep him safe.
*****
StrykER didn’t like that it was too quiet as they approached the luna. Where were the Purists’ warships? Surely OrIN has detected their shuttles by now. The pilot got his attention.
“The leader of the mining community is trying to communicate with us.”
AshOR frowned. “It took them long enough. Something’s up. Tell the leader that we’re coming for an early inspection. Also, have half our warships circle around the other side of the luna. I don’t want any ships leaving without my approval.”
“Yes, sir.”
AshOR looked back at StrykER. “What do you think?”
“OrIN knows we’re coming for him. I think he’ll make a run for it. I’m concerned about all the people on the luna who will suffer if things go badly.”
“I don’t know exactly how your abilities work. Leader LarIS can read minds from a bit of a distance. He was able to connect to his mate while he was on my transport and she was on a Morin transport.”
“I have to be closer than that. I have to be able to cause an emotional response in someone so that they project images. If they are already experiencing the distress, I could detect something.”
“Just keep your senses open. Maybe you can pick up on something. Our presence alone is going to have emotions running high. How heavily armed are they?”
“The community members themselves are civilians and don’t have weapons. OrIN has his own small set of warriors. They are the only ones with weapons.”
“How many warriors?”
“I didn’t see them all, but I’m estimating maybe twenty-five below ground and five to ten above ground. I didn’t get a chance to get a good look when we were escaping.”
“We’re entering the luna’s atmosphere. Expect to land in about five minutes,” the pilot called out.
StrykER checked his weapons.
“I’m curious, why did my brother agree to supply weapons to the Purists? It seems like a pretty stupid move to give the enemy more to use against us,” AshOR asked curiously.
“The weapons were older and a ruse, a way to get OrIN to buy into my being on his side. Once I found out all I could, I would leave their base and we would be able to activate a tracking signal on the weapons. If all else failed, we had them rigged so that once a weapon is discharged, it will self-destruct.”
“We should just get the weapons to self-destruct and be done with these crazy males.”
StrykER shook his head. “There are innocents involved. Whole families are in those mining communities.”
“They’re harboring threats to the ruling nations. They have attacked the primes with their words and their actions and have gone against the Goddess herself by harming a female—your female.”
StrykER growled and glared at AshOR. “I know what they did to her and yes, she is mine! I will kill anyone who would dare try to take her from me. I want OrIN to pay for what he has done more than anyone else.”
“We’re landing now, sir.”
Both StrykER and AshOR gave their full attention to the viewing screen, watching as the pilot landed the small shuttle.
“Everyone be on the alert for anything suspicious.” AshOR ordered.
“Commander, I think I should wait here,” StrykER said.
AshOR looked at him as he stood up. “Why?”
“They don’t know I’m with you, but the moment they see me, they might attack.” He hated the idea of staying behind, but if he could keep people from dying, it would be worth it.
“I need you with me so that you can use your abilities. Wear a warrior’s helmet.” AshOR pointed to the helmet one of his warriors was about to put on. It would shield enough of his face to disguise his features.
“Fine. Just don’t go in shooting first. I don’t want there to be a bloodbath.” StrykER grabbed the helmet. He was a warrior and had seen many battles but when innocent lives were destroyed, there was nothing worse.
He followed AshOR and the other warriors out of the shuttle. He kept toward the back of the group of warriors to try to blend in. AshOR spoke to him using their comm links.
“Do you see anything out of order?”
“They look scared, but I’m not picking up any images yet. That’s their leader approaching. I didn’t meet him personally but some of the miners that were forced to join the warriors spoke of him a little. He’s a weak leader but not a bad male. He just couldn’t protect them from OrIN.”
They stopped talking on their comms as the leader reached them.
A few of the other members of the community came out with him.
“I’m Leader TarIS. I wasn’t told about an early inspection.”
“I’m Commander AshOR of the Colony.”
“Why is the Colony coming to a Kiljorn-run mining community?”
“I was asked to come here by Commander TylOR. I heard there were some problems with security in this area.”
StrykER could sense the male’s distress as AshOR questioned him. He moved a little closer and got images. Two females, one older and one younger, being dragged away. One word kept vibrating through the male’s mind: “Mate!”
He turned his back so no one would see and hit his comm link. “Commander, the leader’s family was taken hostage. I got the images from his mind. We need to get him somewhere private.”
AshOR moved closer to whisper so that no one else could hear. “Leader TarIS, I need to speak with you privately.”
“If you follow me, I’ll show you the surplus shed first then we can show you the mines if you like.”
“Very well.” They followed him to a nearby line of metal buildings. “You two warriors stay with me. The others stay outside.”
The leader looked around worriedly as some of the other members of the community suddenly disappeared.
“Inside here.” The leader opened the door and walked inside the building.
Chapter 20
AshOR took in every detail inside the building. This could be a trap of some sort. Shelves and pallets held supplies, food, and clothes. He looked around quickly. No weapons were included in the stockpiled items, and no cameras were visible. It was just the four of them inside the building. The leader turned to plead with them as soon as the door was secure.
“Please, I beg you to save my people. We didn’t ask for any of this.”
“You allowed OrIN to take over the community and use this luna as his base to launch his attacks on the three nations!” AshOR growled furiously.
“Easy, Commander, we don’t want anyone hearing this,” StrykER warned him.
Leader TarIS was shaking. “I didn’t have a choice. OrIN landed under false pretenses over a year ago. For months, he preached his words but most weren’t buying into it. Some of us did follow freely, but not all. He threatened my people and when we tried to revolt against him, he took our families as hostages. My mother and my mate were taken. They keep them separated from the rest of us in a compound and treat them no better than animals. We’re allowed to see them once a week. I get to be with my mate one day a week, that’s it.”
