by Regine Abel
“For the third and last part, discovering the existence of a surviving Veredian rocked not only our nation but all of the Western Quadrant. Amalia Praghan is not just a national treasure but a world treasure and even more so her son, Vahleryon Praghan, the first Veredian male to live in over one hundred and fifty years. Many nations, members of the Galactic Council, request that Amalia Praghan and her children – who both display significant Veredian traits – be remitted to an intergalactic scientific group of geneticists to help repopulate this near-extinct species. With this motion, we require instead that Vahleryion Praghan also be placed in the care of the Capital District Center for Advanced Sciences where such genetic researches can be performed.”
Wromhen carefully avoided meeting my gaze as he sat back down.
Coward.
The room exploded with shouts and discussions. I seized the opportunity to center myself and calm down before I addressed the Council. President Frebhin allowed the chatter to go on for a few more seconds then called everyone to order. As the room quieted, I began to rise from my chair, but Zhul Dervhen beat me to it.
“I request first word,” Zhul said, staring at the President.
Frebhin’s eyes widened at the unexpected request; it was common practice that a party directly affected by a motion would have first word. He cast a troubled look in my direction before nodding at Zhul’s request, as protocol stated first come, first served.
“You have the floor, Councilor Dervhen.”
“Thank you, President Frebhin.”
My heart hammered against my ribs, though I tried to keep my expression neutral. Zhul’s presence was undeniable and he knew how to keep his audience captive. He could do a lot of harm as first speaker, especially since some of the points from Wromhen had merit.
“Fellow Councilors, dear members of the public and the media, Councilor Wromhen makes a compelling case for placing an entire family in the hands of our most prestigious science center in the hope of curing the disease that has nearly brought our nation to its knees.”
At the sight of many heads nodding and whispers of approval, my heart dropped. This would be an even bigger uphill battle.
“To summarize Councilor Wormhen’s eloquent discourse, the question put before us is should we take away all rights and freedoms of the members of one of Xelix Prime’s most upstanding families and turn them into lab rats for the benefit of our nation?”
My jaw dropped as silence descended upon the room. Everyone exchanged baffled stares, not having expected his speech to take on this turn. Zhul’s eyes met mine for a second and for one weird moment, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. It was odd, as I had only experienced this before through my Geminate bond with Khel.
No, not calm… safe, protected.
“Amalia Praghan came to Xelix Prime seeking asylum from the life of oppression she had been subjected to from birth. Since then, she has mated two heavily Tainted males when no other females would have. This started a movement that had never happened before. Tainted males attending the Selection Ceremony now have a true hope of being chosen.”
Applause resounded from the balcony. The Tainted loved Amalia, not only because of what Zhul had just stated but for the kindness she showed them and for championing their cause.
“Amalia has indeed cured her mates, something completely unheard of. Since then, she has voluntarily submitted herself and her children to regular testing by the highly respected Dr. Minh Volghan. They hope to find a cure for the entire population. Dr. Volghan has generously shared these tests with the scientific community. Councilor Kirnhan and General Praghan have also both submitted to testing which is how Councilor Wromhen even knows of their enhanced status.”
Further nodding and whispers of approval rustled in the room. Wromhen’s shocked expression reflected how I felt inside, but his was also laced with anger. Speechless, I watched Zhul mesmerize his audience. His hands splayed on the table, he leaned on his fingertips as he made eye contact with each of the Councilors.
“As a Pearl on Xelix Prime, Amalia Praghan could settle for a life of comfort, not having to lift a finger while being cared for by her mates, as is their duty. Instead, she devoted herself to fighting for the cause of the Tainted and for Family Law. Just recently, she got two of her motions approved; the enforcement of the Minimum Wages Law and the Improved Health and Working Conditions for the Tainted.”
Loud shouts and applause resonated from the balcony while my heart swelled with pride. Zhul was laying out all the arguments I had prepared. But presented by an uninterested third party, they held even more power.
“So I ask you, my fellow Councilors and Citizens of Xelix Prime. Is this how we welcome someone who came to us seeking succor? Is this how we reward someone who has done so much already for our people with no obligations to do so? What will imprisoning this family provide us that they aren’t already freely giving? Are we not Xelixians? We do not abuse females or children, and least of all, experiment on them.”
The balcony roared while most of the Councilors knocked their knuckles on the table in support of Zhul’s statement. My eyes met Rhev Jormhon’s, who had a bemused look on his face. He was knocking on the table with the most enthusiasm.
“You all know I bear no particular affection for General Praghan,” Zhul said, when the room quieted, eliciting some chuckles from everyone. “But for all that, he is the best General to have ever led our army. Without him, these Blood Houses would still be in full operation. Without him, the last one will continue forever while we experiment on him.”
That knocked the wind out of me. It was like seeing Zhul for the first time. I didn’t know this male and couldn’t understand this sudden fierce defense of my family. What was going on?
“Last point,” Zhul said through the cheers, “Vahleryon Praghan is indeed a miracle, the future of an entire race that we, Xelixians, have the honor to shelter and nurture. His parents are Xelixian citizens and so is he. It is our duty to protect this child and treat him as a national treasure, not pawn him off to the Galactic Council as a lab experiment. For these reasons, members of the Council and Citizens of Xelix Prime, I request this motion be dismissed immediately.”
“I second this motion,” Bhek Zirthen promptly said.
“Third,” Rhev Jormhon said.
Agreements erupted around the room and my throat tightened with relief and gratitude. I didn’t understand what caused this reversal of situation but welcomed it wholeheartedly. With no opponent willing to present further counter-arguments, the vote proceeded. In the end, the result was eighteen to seven, more than enough to have the motion dismissed. The reaction from the public was mixed, but from where I sat, it seemed mostly pleased with the outcome.
The rest of the session brushed over various other topics of general interest. I only half-listened, still too overwhelmed by what had just happened. When it finally ended, I rushed to the exit, eager for a word with Zhul.
“Councilor Dervhen,” I called out as we exited the Chamber.
He paused and turned to look at me, his expression unreadable.
“A moment of your time, if you please,” I said, gesturing towards a more discreet corner of the main hall.
Zhul nodded, and followed me in silence. This was awkward to say the least.
“I wanted to thank you for your intervention today,” I said, as we stood away from prying ears, but unfortunately not prying eyes.
“There’s no need to thank me, Rhal. It was the right thing to do.”
“Rhal?” I asked, confused.
Zhul frowned, a troubled look crossing his face before he regained his composure. “I’m sorry, I meant Councilor Kirnhan.”
“I agree that it was the right thing to do. Still, it was unexpected.”
Zhul smirked. “You mean unexpected coming from me?”
I held his stare, unflinching. “Yes, to be truthful. I expected you to seize this opportunity to deal my family a severe blow.”
An expression tha
t might have passed as sadness flickered in his eyes so quickly I wondered if I’d imagined it.
“Councilor, although I have many faults and can be a bit of a jerk when the mood strikes me, I am and remain Xelixian. I do not abuse females and children, nor condone anything that would put them in such a situation.”
The message between the lines was obvious. I stared at him for a moment then nodded with a slight smirk of my own.
“No, I no longer think you do.”
He blinked, then snorted, shaking his head. “Things are rarely what they seem, Councilor. I am not the monster you think I am.”
With a nod, he turned around and walked away. I stood there, befuddled, watching his retreating back.
CHAPTER 8
Valena
If not for the trips to the Blood House, the past two days would rank as the happiest of my life. Zhul was nothing like I expected or feared. He was so gentle, respectful, and attentive with me. Whenever he was around me, he made me feel like nothing else in the world mattered to him but me. And his mind… his beautiful mind was a treasure trove to explore.
Guilt gnawed at me for traipsing about his thoughts, invading the most private part of him. But I was addicted. I tried to give myself a clear conscience by saying it was out of self-preservation.
That was a lie.
Countless times over the past few days, I considered telling Zhul about my ability, but every time my tongue turned to lead. Delaying the inevitable was a bad idea and would only make him feel even more betrayed. I would cross that bridge when we got there. For now, I wanted to enjoy everything about him and make sure I could fully trust him.
There was something off about his mind, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Part of him felt hollow, like some piece was missing. Yet, sometimes, especially when he was happy, something I couldn’t explain flared inside him. It was almost as if… No, that wasn’t possible.
I shrugged off the thought.
Every morning, Zhul would take me to the different rendezvous locations to hand me over to that day’s guard. I would remove my visual aid before getting off Zhul’s shuttle. It was disorienting and depressing, but gave me something else to look forward to every night. That is, besides Zhul’s enticing presence. I could feel his barely repressed anger every time he dropped me off. That made me feel warm inside. On the flights to and from the Blood House, I still had to put up with the disgusting wooing efforts of my assigned guard. However, I found myself playing the game, imagining it was Zhul instead, making the whole deal more palatable.
On the flight back to the house, Zhul would take his time so I could enjoy the view as much as possible. He wanted to fly me around Xelhen to show me the beauty of his district, but my tracker made it impossible. Straying from the authorized path would harm me. Instead, once we got home, he took me on tours of his property. Although I no longer needed assistance walking around thanks to the visual aid, I still seized every opportunity to hold on to him. It wasn’t just to read his mind, though that definitely was one of the main reasons. I just liked touching him.
Zhul didn’t understand his apparent instant attraction to me, but I did. It was one of the many traits the Korletheans passed on to the Xelixians centuries ago. Growing up in a breeding compound, I’d met a few Korletheans and was quite fascinated by some of the stories they would tell about their people. They were a beautiful race: tall, lithe, with golden skin a shade lighter than the average Veredian, with straight, long, black hair and razor-sharp retractable claws. Their faces were long, elegant with noble noses, delicately chiseled mouths, and almond-shaped eyes that would glow in the dark.
Before the fall of their empire, they had been avid explorers and scientists. Their presence on both Veredia and Xelix Prime greatly influenced the evolution of our respective races. It is from mating with them that Veredians first began showing signs of psi abilities. And it is because of them that some Xelixians today are born Geminates – one soul split into two separate bodies. It was commonplace in Korlethea, hence most of their family units were constituted of three or four people; either two Geminate pairs together or a geminate pair and their mate.
Korletheans believe love at first sight isn’t a myth, though the expression itself isn’t quite accurate. They called it the Tuning. According to them, every person’s soul vibrates at a certain frequency and any potential mate vibrates within the same range. Only your soulmate would vibrate at the exact same frequency as you. That explained why you could genuinely fall in love with a few different people that you could be in tune with, but you could only ever have that one special love with your soulmate with whom you achieved perfect harmony.
I didn’t know if Zhul was my soulmate. From the strength of our respective response to each other, if he wasn’t, he was at least very close to it. While watching an interview with Amalia and her mates, I thought the way they described their first meeting fitted the pattern of a Tuning. In their case, I believed they truly were soulmates. I envied them.
Casting a furtive glance at Zhul as we trekked through the forested area of his property, I wondered if he and I could one day have something similar.
“We’re almost there,” Zhul whispered, gesturing for me to be quiet.
I nodded, my heart pumping with excitement. When I’d confessed my love of animals to Zhul, he’d made it his mission to show me as much of the wildlife on his property, in their natural habitat, as possible. Some we had to look at from a greater distance because of their predatory nature. However, the ones we were now creeping up on were inoffensive herbivores called Bhirrats. The furry little creatures used the vise-like grip of their split bushy tails to strip bare berry bushes. Their faces reminded me of felines, apart from the protruding front teeth that allowed them to break and chew on nuts and some types of tree bark.
The female had recently given birth to a litter of six and they were only recently venturing out of their hole.
We crouched behind some thick bushes downwind from them and observed the tiny fur balls. They tumbled over each other under the watchful gaze of their parents on the lookout for any signs of threat. I couldn’t keep the huge grin off my face at the adorable spectacle.
“They are so lovely,” I whispered to Zhul, grabbing his hand. “I wish I could take one in my arms, cuddle it close, and smother it with kisses.”
‘I wish I could smother you with kisses and do many other things to you.’
A pleasant warmth spread in my belly at hearing Zhul’s naughty thoughts. They had been getting raunchier over the past couple of days and each time, he berated himself for their impropriety. I thought it was both cute and sexy.
Zhul chuckled, his expression showing none of the steamier wanderings of his mind. “Those things are fast. Catching them would be a challenge. While snuggling with them may seem like a good idea now, those teeth of theirs are quite sharp. They’d give you a nasty nip before hightailing it back to their hole.”
“Yeah, probably,” I sighed. “That doesn’t make me want to cuddle them any less.”
He gave me a strange look but didn’t comment. I didn’t need to ask what he was thinking. My face heated at the vivid image I glimpsed in his mind of him hissing with pleasure as I covered his naked body with gentle nips and the occasional more forceful bite. My mouth watered and I averted my eyes. We observed the creatures a few moments longer before heading back to the hoverbike.
Zhul loved speed, and to my surprise, so did I. The forest was too far a walk and a cavas ride would have taken a while. I couldn’t risk more than a slow trot right now until I became a better rider. The hoverbike became the perfect choice. All the better because I got to sit behind Zhul and wrap my arms around him. Even though he didn’t have bulging muscles, Zhul’s discreetly cut abs were firm beneath my hands. I fought the urge to let my fingers roam over his chest and pressed my own against his back instead. Leaning forward, I inhaled his scent. The gentle waves of his ebony hair tickled my nose.
He looked at m
e over his shoulder. “All set?”
“Yes,” I said, tightening my arms around him.
He set off at dizzying speed. The world became a blur around us, the wind whipping at us. Its whizzing sound mixed with the gentle hum of the hovercraft. I buried my face in his hair and held him even tighter. I felt his chest rumble with laughter beneath my hands as he increased the speed. Zhul took the long, scenic way back to the house – not like we got to see much really at the speed we were moving, but it felt incredible. By the time he stopped in front of the house, my blood pumped full of adrenalin.
I reluctantly removed my arms from around him before dismounting. Zhul parked the hoverbike, then escorted me back to the house.
“That was amazing, Zhul.” My voice bubbled with excitement and gratitude. “All of it! The animals, the ride, being able to see it all… These past couple of days have been the happiest of my entire life.”
His face flushed with pleasure. “I’m glad you are enjoying yourself. There is much more I want you to experience. And right now, it’s time for me to feed you. Come on,”
Without thinking, he extended his hand and I grabbed it. He froze for half a second, shocked by his own boldness, then decided to go with the flow and led me by the hand to the kitchen. He asked me to sit down at the breakfast table across the counter while he went to work preparing our dinner. I offered to help but he tsked me.
We made light conversation while he sliced and diced vegetables with expert hands and seasoned thick rhomak steaks before tossing them on the grill. The spicy aroma of the meat soon mixed with the sweet smell of the ryspak sauce and vegetable stir fry.
“I’ve told you much about my not-so-wonderful family,” Zhul said while turning the steaks. “Do you have any relatives?”
“My mother should still be in one of the breeding compounds. As far as I know, my father is alive, too. The male captives don’t stay in the compounds very long. There are too few Korletheans available so they move around a lot. I haven’t seen my mother in nine years, almost ten now. She had two miscarriages after me so I don’t know if she’s had other children since. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I had a sister now. On my father’s side, for sure I must have more siblings in the other compounds, but I’ll probably never know.”
