Soren's Bondmate

by Mardi Maxwell

  "Krystal won't kill an animal," Skye said, breaking the silence. "We interrupted its feeding and it knows we're in here. Its presence will also tell our pursuers where we are."

  The beast sniffed at the shelter and walked around it while rubbing it's armored sides against it and leaving behind streaks of it latest victim's blood. Its back was almost as tall as the shelter. It reared up, roared and placed its paws on the top and tried to heave itself up but slid down the slick surface.

  "Lower the roof and make it flat. When the creature crawls on top, make an opening for me and I'll kill it with my sword."

  "This creature's only vulnerable spot is on the top of its head and very small. Nearly impossible to reach even with a laser gun."

  "Then I'll have to get above it. When I tell you to I want you to make an opening for me."

  "Soren—."

  He pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick kiss. "No matter what happens stay here, or when I return you'll get a spanking you definitely won't enjoy."

  "You wouldn't da—," her voice trailed off when she saw the fierce expression on his face. She planted her hands on her hips. "You keep forgetting I'm a warrior too."

  "You are my mate first and then a warrior. You will obey me."

  "If something happens to me you'll survive," she reminded him.

  He grasped her by the shoulders and lifted her until they were eye to eye. "No, little one, I have come to care for you. From this moment on we live or die together."

  She reached toward him and he allowed her to wrap her arms around his neck. "Oh, Soren, you are so much more than I ever hoped my mate would be. I love you so much."

  He grunted, kissed her forehead, lowered her to her feet and linked their minds. "Do the warriors pursuing us have weapons other than the krystal?"

  "Laser guns most likely."

  He chuckled. "Good because they're about to meet our blood thirsty friend." He chuckled and sent her an image of what he wanted her to do.

  She smiled, took his hand, and the shelter wall closest to the boulders they'd just traveled through expanded back in that direction. Little by little they moved closer to the boulders with the creature tracking them until they were ten meters away. Skye waited until the creature moved between them and the opening in the boulders then she conjured a shelter around the creature, trapping it inside. "As soon as I move very far away from this place the shelter will disappear and free it."

  Her words surprised Soren. "How long before it's free to pursue us?"

  "Maybe a micro-unit or so."

  "So, when we're not at the cliff shelter it disappears and you recreate it when we return?"

  "Yes."

  "You need to tell me these things." Soren pulled her off-balance until she fell against his chest. He tugged on her braid, forcing her to tip her head back until their eyes met. Frowning, he thought, "From now on I'm staying in your mind until I know all your secrets. Now, can you tell me how many are pursuing us?"

  "I can only sense the conjurer." She cocked her head to one side and thought for a moment. "Her life force feels strong. Perhaps she is with them willingly."

  "Do you think it's Merykh?"

  Skye shrugged. "I can't see him being kind enough to sustain a conjurer. Perhaps those pursuing us are not enemies."

  "We have no way of knowing until we see them. We'll change our plan only when we know for sure."

  "I agree."

  "Will they know they've entered a krystal chamber when they leave the path between the boulders?"

  "The conjurer will. She could warn them."

  "We'll have to take that chance. Can you change the krystal so we can see when they arrive?"

  Her answer was a wave of her hand and the walls became translucent.

  Soren smiled as he watched the beast pace back and forth then suddenly stop, rise to its back feet and sniff the air.

  "As soon as they see the beast will they move the female to the back to protect her?"

  "Yes. They should."

  Soren grinned. "We're going to rescue her. Can you expand the chamber so it’s about twenty meters around and three meters high?'

  Skye pulled him out of the way, called on the elements and complied then sent him a questioning look.

  "Now build a boulder around the beast so they won't see him when they enter the clearing."

  Skye grinned and fulfilled his request. He grabbed her hand and began climbing onto one of the natural boulders.

  "Once the warriors enter the area let them move as far across it as possible before you release the beast. Hopefully they'll move her behind them while they're busy fighting the beast. When that happens I want you to make an opening in the roof above the female. I'll reach down and pull her up. Once she's free close the opening."

  "I'll also block the path so they can't retreat but if they've left other warriors at their ship they'll be able to contact them for reinforcements and they'll fly up here."

  "Then you'll build a shelter to shield our presence." Soren pulled her up close to him, slid a kiss across her lips then continued to climb until they reached the top of the highest boulder. He went to his belly and crawled to the edge until he could see where their pursuers would exit the boulder pathway. Skye moved up next to him.

  "The beast will even the odds between us and them."

  "How long can you maintain the krystal walls around the warriors while we check the female for injures?"

  "As long as I need to now."

  Soren smiled and stroked his hand down her cheek. She leaned toward him, accepting and encouraging his touch.

  While they waited the first two males entered the area. One by one, ten more warriors followed them and moved across the area unaware that they were trapped. Finally a huge grotesque warrior stepped into sight but didn't leave the protection of the boulders.

  Skye gasped and pointed. "That's Merykh. I can't believe he found me much less climbed all the way up here."

  "He thinks to take what belongs to me." Soren voice sounded like an angry cat's rumble.

  Before she could respond a small dark-haired female with a warrior on either side of her entered the area and stood in front of Merykh. She held two blanket wrapped bundles in her arms.

  Skye grabbed Soren's arm. "That's my cousin, Raina. She's had her babies."

  "Release the beast now. As soon as the battle begins make an opening for me on this side of the female."

  "What are you going to do?"

  "If I grab her she might drop the children. I'll drop down, deal with the two warriors first and then Merykh. While I do that place a wall between us and the other warriors and the beast."

  Skye nodded and released the beast. The warriors in the lead tried to run back the way they'd come but the beast moved faster and was on them within a nano-unit. It batted several away, its claws tearing into them before it pounced on another male. The others fired their lasers but the beam bounced off its armor plating. The two warriors by Raina moved to the side of the opening then stood in front of her to shield her.

  Skye made an opening and Soren dropped through it with a dark krystal in each hand. As soon as his feet hit the ground he threw the shard in his right hand and one of the warriors by Raina went down. The second warrior saw his companion fall and managed to turn and fire his laser, hitting Soren in the left arm. Soren threw the shard in his right hand. It shattered at the warrior's feet and several pieces flew through the air, hitting a couple more warriors. They all dropped to the ground and writhed in pain.

  Soren grabbed Raina and thrust her behind him just as Merykh threw a shard of white krystal at him. It hit him on his right arm, leaving a deep laceration. The pain was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. The shards not only cut into him but continued forcing their way into his body. He stumbled then regained his balance and shielded Raina when Merykh threw a shard at her. The shard hit Soren on the right side of his vest, bounced off and crashed against a solid wall of krystal that appeared between them.
r />   Merykh turned and ran back into the path between the boulders leaving his warriors to die.

  A nano-unit later a set of krystal steps appeared. Soren nodded toward them. "My mate Skye waits for you above."

  Raina hesitated a moment then scurried up them.

  Chapter Six

  Skye waited for Raina at the top of the stairs. As soon as she appeared she grabbed her and hugged her then helped her sit down. "I must go to Soren," she said but before she reached the opening Soren appeared. Closing the opening she waited until he stood next to her before beginning to heal the cut on his left arm.

  Soren placed his fingertips beneath Skye's chin and lifted her face to his. "You didn't tell me how painful being hit by this substance would be, little heart."

  "Oh, Soren, I'm so sorry."

  He grinned and wiped a tear from her cheek. "This isn't the first time I've been injured and it won't be the last." He looked at the area where he'd last seen Merykh. "He escaped."

  Skye nodded. "It's my fault. I waited to block the entrance because I hoped he'd move farther forward. I should've known better. He's a coward who makes his warriors do the fighting for him."

  "It was a good plan and it worked," Soren said.

  Skye waved her hands and a shelter appeared around them. "You and Raina must rest and eat something now."

  "You too." Soren sat down and patted his lap. "Here."

  Skye smiled and lowered herself to his lap. "What should I do about them?" Skye asked and nodded toward the males battling the beast.

  "Are any of them honorable, Raina?" Soren asked.

  Raina shuddered with revulsion. "No. They're all cold-blooded killers."

  "Then let them die," Soren said.

  "Raina, I must properly introduce you to my mate. This is Soren."

  "Greetings, Soren."

  Soren examined her. She was smaller than Skye with dark brown eyes and a white tattoo around her left eye that nearly glowed against her honey colored skin. "Greetings, Raina."

  The babies began crying and Raina tensed up. "I'm sorry. They're hungry."

  Soren grinned. "Then feed them."

  Raina swiveled around, laid one baby down and began to feed the other one. The sound of suckling and a hungry baby's cries filled the shelter.

  Soren chuckled. "Skye, give me the crying baby."

  Skye drew back, looking horrified. "I can build a wall so you won't have to hear the noise." She began to wave her hand but he stopped her.

  "No, give me the baby."

  "What are you going to do to it?"

  Soren frowned. "A better question is what do you think I'm going to do to it?"

  Before she could stop it an image of him tossing the baby out of the shelter flashed through her mind. Soren frowned, flipped her over his lap and swatted her bottom a couple times before he sat her back up. "Now, give me the baby."

  Skye picked up the baby and reluctantly handled her to him. "It's a girl," she said then asked Raina, "What's her name?"

  "Melodia," Raina said.

  Soren cuddled the baby with his right arm and spoke softly to her. Gradually, her cries faded and she watched him with teary eyes. He smiled and gently bounced her.

  Skye watched him for a few nano-units then picked up a piece of bread and fed it to him.

  "Drink," he said and she lifted a tankard to his lips. He swallowed and grinned at her. "I could get used to this. On Alteria the males keep female slaves who fulfill their every need." He sent her a lusty look. "Would you like to be my slave, Skye?"'

  "No, but how do you remember what they do on Alteria?"

  Soren froze for a moment then shrugged. "It just came to me when you fed me."

  Skye smiled. "Your memory is coming back."

  Raina turned and laid her son on Soren's lap before she took Melodia from him. "This is Kenril," she said before she put her back to him and began nursing her daughter. Soren picked him up, held him in the air above him and jiggled him. The baby burped then gave him a gummy smile. Soren laughed.

  Skye reached over his shoulder and tickled the baby's toes. "Raina, how did you get here?"

  "Right after the last time Berit visited you we were attacked by Merykh and his warriors. I was taken. He held me captive until I gave birth then he threatened to hurt my babies if I didn't tell him where you were." Raina began to cry. "I didn't want to tell him."

  Skye moved to her and hugged her. "It's okay. You had to protect your babies." She looked back at Soren. "It will be dark soon. Do you want to stay here or try to make it back to our cliff shelter?"

  "We'll stay here. Once it's dark I'm going hunting."

  "For Merykh?"

  Soren nodded. "Now, that he no longer has Raina he'll only have a laser gun. I have my fire sword. That makes us even."

  "Soren we have a saying on Krystali, 'Don't bring a fire sword to a laser gun fight.'"

  He laughed and hugged her. "You just made that up. You don't have fire swords on Krystali. I have to go after him or he'll find a place to ambush us." Soren handed the sleeping baby to Raina when she held out her arms. "How many warriors did he leave at the ship?"

  "Six," Raina said.

  "Did he have a communicator with him?" Soren asked.

  "Yes."

  Soren smiled. "He'll call for his ship to pick him up. When they do we're taking it."

  Skye laughed. "There's only one place large enough to land a ship up here. We can get to it from this side." She produced a new vest for Soren before she took one of the babies from Raina. "I've made chest harnesses for the babies so they'll be protected inside our cloaks." She slipped Melodia into the harness then closed her cloak and looked at Raina. "Are you strong enough to travel?"

  "Yes," Raina said as she tucked Kenril into the harness on her chest.

  Skye waved her hand and the shelter disappeared. "This way." She sat down and let herself slide down the side of the boulder to the next one then repeated the process until her feet were on the ground. She turned and saw Raina following her example but Soren jumped from boulder to boulder until he jumped down next to her and Raina.

  He examined the large chamber Skye had made. The beast lay in the center surrounded by dead warriors. "It's wounded and we can't take a chance on it coming after us." He turned and looked at Skye and she waved her hand and lowered the roof of the chamber. Soren climbed onto it and moved to stand over the beast. A nano-unit later an opening appeared and he put it out of its misery.

  "Tell me how to get to the landing place," Soren said.

  "We go this way." She pointed behind them. "When we reach the next group of boulders there's a small opening between them." She examined him for a moment. "You might be able to squeeze through. If you can then we only have a short way to go before we reach the area where they can land."

  Soren nodded and began to move in the direction she'd indicated. "How easily can Merykh reach the area?"

  "He'll have to climb over a lot of boulders to get there."

  Raina snorted and said quietly, "They'll have to send at least four warriors to boost him over the boulders and get him back to the ship."

  "That's to our advantage," Soren said.

  "I'm the only advantage you need," Skye produced nine dark shards and a leather pouch. She placed seven shards in the pouch and handed two to him. "I gave you extra ones in case you miss."

  Soren leaned down, nipped her bottom lip as punishment, and grinned before he motioned for her and Raina to follow him. "Give me several white krystal shards." She produced them and he took them and put them in the bag. "No more talking out loud." He glanced at Raina. "Unless it's urgent."

  They walked for five micro-units before Skye stopped him. "This is where we have to go through the boulders," she thought.

  Soren looked at it, nodded and turned sideways then began inching his way through the narrow opening. At one point he had to force his way through and leave a little skin behind that was scraped off by the stone.

  "Wait, Soren. I can
't get through with the baby. Can you take her?"

  "Yes, hand her through to me."

  When the baby appeared he took her and lifted her over his head then grabbed her with his left hand. "Take Kenril from Raina and hand him to me then both of you come through."

  A few nano-units later Kenril appeared and he took him then stepped a meter away and waited for Skye and Raina to appear. Once they reached a wider area he gave the babies back to them and led the way out of the boulders. At the edge he waited and surveyed the area. "Which way?"

  "We follow these boulders to your left about thirty meters then we have to cross a small clearing to reach another group of boulders. The landing area is on the other side of them."

  "Both of you stay in the shadows behind me." Soren kept his voice low. He slid out from between the boulders and moved along them until he reached the end. He felt Skye behind him but he kept his eyes on the clearing and surrounding area. "I want one of you on either side of me. Bend at the waist and run as fast as you can. Skye keep an eye on the area to our right. Raina watch the area to our left. Don't stop for anything. Understand?"

  "Yes," Skye thought.

  Raina nodded and slid behind Soren to his other side.

  Soren held up the dark krystal. "Let's go." He didn't wait. Instead he nudged both females and as they ran he kept them slightly in front of him.

  Once they reached the next set of boulders they stopped and Soren hid them in a small crevice where the shadows were deep. "Stay here and close off this opening with a krystal wall. I'm going to check the other side to see if the ship is there," he thought.

  Skye grabbed his arm. "No. If some of the warriors have gone to get Merykh and we can take the ship you won't have time to come back for us."

  Soren sighed. "I sort of planned on killing all of them. Especially Merykh."

  "Raina, how much krystal did you make for Merykh?"

  "Over a hundred shards. He armed all of his men with it."

  "Okay, let's go but next time I kill Merykh." While they'd crossed the clearing he'd seen a place where he could climb to the top and see what was on the other side. He glanced around then taking a chance he began to climb. Once at the top he crept toward the edge of the boulders, looked over and grinned.