END of LINE: Humanities Last Stand - part 3

by John Short

  “She must be a hero to your people.” Satrina commented.

  “Maybe at one time. There are very few prueblood humans left now and most only know about Jon because of the stories in the history books. To most who live here now, the name Jill Saunders has no meaning at all. Even though she gave her life to save all of them, she never became the hero that they turned Jon into.” he answered. “He was said to have a dragon's image on his back that covered his battle marks. That image had the same colorful markings as the coverings all Connell women wear now. He did not even know about the boy until one night it was dropped at his house soon after he and Leadora returned from ending the machine race threat and reuniting the Lexonian peoples. It is that pure human child's blood that flows in my veins. So, because I carry not only the Jon Connell’s genetics, but also the genetics of Jill Saunders, I’ve studied everything I could find about her and her life.

  Our half Lexon cousins each have their own families and long happy lines. Even they have very little human blood left in them. One of them is a shuttle pilot with my company here in this system. We rarely speak though as they prefer to keep away from the purely human branch of the family. We are all giants you see, and so the smaller ones shun us. Our side has always made sure that they never lacked for anything because our shipping business has made us extremely rich. It is said we have more credits on account than even your father.” Jon kidded with her.

  “Everyone who owns just one credit has more in their own personal account than our family.” Satrina told him seriously. “We live in grand style, but it all comes from the Kingdom's banks, nothing actually belongs to us.”

  “I wasn't aware that was how it worked.”

  “Most people aren't. It is the grand lie of being the King. He has no personal finances. Our family will live off the state's funds until father either retires or dies and my brother becomes King. Then it will be his family that lives in the Palace for as long as he reigns.”

  “Where does that leave you?”

  “Only in the event of the death of the Prince will I become Queen, otherwise I become just another Lady of the Court. I’ll become just a pampered Princess who will be mated to some ranking member of the household. It will be that male's responsibility to provide for me then. I would rather plow the fields beside a farmer that I loved than lay in the bed of a rich male I detest. Such a man's line would die with him because I would never open my womb to his seed. Besides, I have already been shown who is to be my husband. That is how it is with our kind. The female often knows before the male. I shall love him and he shall love me. I will wear his family colors proudly and present him with many strong healthy offspring.” That the females of the Lexonian race controlled when and with whom they had children was not widely known. Jon only knew because his aunt had taught him many things about both the humans and the lexonians.

  “You're pretty sure of yourself on that, aren't you?” Jon asked her.

  She winked at him and told him that she was.

  “Well, I wish you many cycles of happiness with the lucky male who is your chosen. Right now I think its time for me to be leaving. Thank you for sitting with me while I ate. I've enjoyed your company.” Jon told her as he finished the last of his waffles and stood up from the table.

  “May I come visit your home Jon Connell? I would like to see the home that the Jon Connell of legend built.” Satrina asked him.

  “I have no objections. You may visit me anytime I'm at home. Maybe today isn't a good time though.” Jon told her. “Isn't it forbidden for you to be in the house of an unmated male without a chaperon?”

  “I am also forbidden to leave the Palace grounds. Right now I'll wager the entire Royal Guard are out searching for me.” she told him.

  Waving to the cook and the waitress he waved his personal wristband over a scanner to pay the bill and walked outside. Once out of the diner Jon turned and looked at the Princess. “I would very much like it if you came to visit me. You can come right now. I'll drive nice and slow so you can keep up.” he told Satrina.

  “Where you lead, I shall follow Jon Connell.” she replied with a smile that made Jon's heart skip a beat.

  Jon smiled down at her and then jumped over the doors of his small hover craft and started it up. Soon both craft where skimming the roadway at a reasonable speed. Partly so that Satrina could keep up and partly because Jon needed time to think. Right now he had two big concerns. If the Royal Guard were indeed out looking for her, having her hover craft parked at his home could spell disaster for his military career. Secondly, what would he say if his house disgusted her? This female was used to the extreme luxury of the Royal Palace, not the rustic simplicity of his well-maintained mountain home. “You’ve really stuck your foot in it this time youngling.“ he scolded himself using one of his uncle's favorite sayings. “Too late now, here's the turn off.” he remarked to no one but the wind.

  Chapter Four

  Jon turned into the long driveway that lead to his house and the closer to the actual building he got the faster his heart beat. He was starting to feel like he had as a child when he had snuck out after dark to see if there really were snipes in the forest at night. He had stood with his pillowcase and a flashlight all night waiting, but nothing had shown up. His uncle had assured him that if he stood very still and shown the light through the pillowcase, it would attract the snipe and one would run into the pillowcase. All he had gotten was bitten by every insect in the forest and a bad case of the sniffles. It wasn't until aunt Gala had treated the insect bites and scolded him for going out at night alone that his uncle told him he had used the wrong light. Snipe were only attracted to green lights. Jon decided his uncle was having fun with him when aunt Gala punched his uncle in the stomach hard enough to pick herself off the floor and uncle Billy had just laughed. Every memory Jon had of the three of them together here was a good memory. Always filled with love and laughter.

  “Pull your craft under the port over there. That way if they are out looking for you they won't see your craft from the air.” he instructed Satrina as he pointed to the covered landing pads beside the house. She nodded her head and moved her hovercraft as he'd suggested. She had her mate alone now and did not want the Royal Guards breaking the door down to get to her before she could claim him.

  Jon opened the front door and held it open for Satrina to walk through. For once Satrina could be herself without all the pomp and circumstance that went along with being a Royal at the Palace. Here she was just a regular female and her giant, while he could never be “just a male”, was at ease and not stiff or afraid to say or do the wrong thing. She carefully took the two steps down from the door to the floor of the spacious living area with its huge fireplace and comfortable looking furniture. She was most impressed by the way the house was designed to start wide at the bottom and angled up to a point at the top. Then there were all the exposed beams of real wood, likely cut from the forest near here many cycles ago.

  “The kitchen area is straight across and back up two steps, then on the upper level is the sleeping chamber, relief chamber and bathing area. Down those stairs there is another space where my uncle added a hidden room as an office. He called it his den, but it’s really an office. With a desk and chair, several comfortable chairs and a lot of paintings that family legend says were brought here by the first Jon Connell. They supposedly were found in a magic cavern not far from here.” Jon gave her the five second tour. “There are also two more sleeping areas and a full relief chamber down in the lower level complete with a bathing unit. One of them was my room when I was growing up here. Jon and Leadora added the lower level when they needed the extra room for their offspring.”

  It didn't take long to let her investigate each of the rooms as he explained some of the things she had never seen before. Then as they were about to climb up to the sleeping area so Jon could show her the view from the deck, Satrina quickly went ahead of Jon and up two steps before turning and leaping into his arms. Oh Goddes
s, the male was like a mountain! So massive and strong. So hard and still soft and warm. She had never felt so safe in her life as she did at this moment with his arms wrapped around her.

  She threw her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to her mouth before kissing him firmly on the lips. As she felt him begin to relax she explored his lips with her tongue until he opened his mouth. Quickly she stabbed her tongue into his mouth and began to swirl her tongue around his until he pushed back and rammed his tongue into her mouth. That is when her body reacted of it own accord and her essence began to flow. As a thirsty man gulps down water, Jon took every drop of her essence without even stopping to breathe.

  Jon was totally unprepared for Satrina's leap. Somehow he had managed to catch her tiny body to prevent her from falling, but what happened next was the real stunner. Everywhere her body touched his, he felt the heat of desire even through their clothes. When she kissed him his mind exploded! She tasted so sweet. Just as he remembered from that innocent introductory kiss on her hand, she tasted of wild honey! Jon drank her in like a dying man drinks down life giving water. Somewhere in the far reaches of his brain he remembered his aunt teaching him about Lexonian female’s mating essence and how it was delivered. However, he was too busy enjoying the kiss to focus on such things as his aunt’s history lessons.

  After several seconds they broke the kiss and each tried to speak only to find themselves breathless. Jon recovered first, “Rina, what have you done to me. My head is still spinning. That was a great kiss. You taste so sweet. You are like the wild honey I learned to find and take from the bees as a boy. Do you sting like they do?”

  “I don't think I sting, shall we find out?” she questioned him looking suggestively up at the bedroom upstairs.

  “Rina, I don't think that would be a good idea. I am only going to be here for a few more days and then I have to return to the Peacekeepers.” Jon wanted nothing more than to carry this beautiful female up those stairs and make passionate love to her, but he knew he could not. Hell, considering the difference in their size, he would probably split her apart if he tried to rush their lovemaking. No, to do it right would take several hours of careful teasing and playful efforts. “I cannot use you and then leave you while I go fulfill my contract. What would happen to you should I become injured or worse yet even die? I know how you Lexonians put so much value on your females remaining chaste until they are properly mated.”

  “My heart doesn't care, it wants all of you right now, but my head knows your words are true. I must have my father's blessing before I can fully mate, but know this Jon Connell. I, Crown Princess Satrina of the Lexonian Confederation claim you as my mate, now and forever! I shall keep myself only for you. No other male will ever touch me or have me! I shall proudly wear your house colors and bear your offspring in due season.”

  “I'm not sure I'll say the right words, but here goes. Know this Satrina, Crown Princess of the Lexonian Confederation, I, Jon Connell, accept your claim on me and offer my own claim back upon you. I shall keep myself only for you. I shall give my life to protect you and keep you safe. I promise this now and forever.” Jon waited a few seconds before asking, “Did I say the right things?”

  “Yes. But now I must also accept your claim on me. I freely accept your claim Jon Connell. “With her voice shaking and tears filling her eyes Satrina told him. “Please, just hold me now.”

  Cradling her in his arms like a small child, Jon walked to one of the couches and sat down with her in his lap. Not a single word was said by either of them for a long time until a low growl could be heard near the sliding backdoor to the house. Satrina looked up at Jon with fear in her eyes. “What was that?”

  “That was Talga, my tiger. He must have sensed the smell of a stranger in the area.” Jon told her. “Can you learn to love another giant? This one has been my friend for many cycles. I trust him with my life and he trusts me with his.”

  “If he loves you only a tiny bit as much as I do, I already love him.”

  “Let me up then and I'll introduce you to my one true friend.” Jon told her. Then taking her tiny hand in his much larger one he led her to the door where nothing but a thin sheet of clear plastisteel separated them from a huge solid black saber-tooth as it paced back and forth. Seeing them through the clear panel, Talga stopped his pacing and sat looking first at Jon and then at Satrina. To Satrina, it seemed as thought the massive cat's fierce green eyes pierced straight through her and she trembled before wrapping her arms around Jon's waist.

  “THAT'S ONE OF HAVEN'S TIGERS!” she exclaimed. “I don't think your friend likes me.” she next whimpered.

  “He is taking your measure, trying to make up his mind if you are friend or foe. Come my tiny tigress, time for you to meet my brother.” Jon effortlessly lifted Satrina off the floor, slid opened the backdoor and carried her over to a chair where he sat placing her back in his lap. “Ignore him and look only at me. In fact, kiss me again.” Jon instructed. Satrina was a fast learner. She wasted no time at all in curling herself into a tight little ball in her giant's lap and kissing her male with all of the passion she dared to release with her clothes still on and a wild tiger watching. Except for the huge cat behind her, this was how she wanted to spend her days. Wrapped in the warmth and safety of her giant. His rock hard body with its strong muscles and tender touch, her thoughts only on him and her entire being on fire with love was all she'd ever need for real happiness again.

  Soon Talga grew impatient with this new animal sitting in its human's lap. He remembered how he had once sat in that same lap, in that same chair, when he was still a helpless kit and how safe it always made him feel. He had curled into a small ball just like this being was doing. He had slept for many bliss filled hours in his human's lap. Was this then some frightened new animal come to take his place? Did it need to be protected just as had he? Will he have to share his milk with it? What are they doing with their mouths and why is it taking so long? What are those moans coming from the new animal? Is that how it purrs? It seems happy enough to be with his human. Enough of this! He will not be ignored!

  Talga walked over and lowered his massive head to gently bump the new thing. After the third bump it finally responded.

  Jon felt Talga bumping Satrina so he held her tighter to let her know not to move yet. After the third and before the fourth bump Jon broke their kiss and smiled at her. “You taste so sweet to me. I could drink your kisses forever.” Jon truthfully told her. “Stay in my lap, but turn around and look at him.”

  Doing as she was told, Satrina gasped at the size of the beast. Sitting in Jon's lap had the big cat's head in line with her own. “Does he always look so scary?” she asked.

  “Only when he's thinking. You're something very new around here. You are the size of aunt Gala, but you don't smell like her. Now, after that kiss and because you've been wrapped against me, you also have my scent on you. He knows you are neither Aunt Gala nor me, so what are you? Get ready, I'm going to call to him and he will move closer. Just stay still in my lap and do not show any fear. Be strong my tiny tigress.” Jon warned her and she nodded to let him know she would try, but he felt the fear inside her at being so close to a wild beast.

  “Talga, come here boy.” Jon called and lifted his hand for the cat to come. When Jon laid his hand, palm up, directly in Satrina's lap, Talga warily rested his head in Jon's palm. “Good boy.” Jon soothed the cat as he gently scratched the side of its face which made the cat let its head rest directly on Satrina's lap. She could feel it purring! “Talga, this is Rina. She is going to visit us here sometimes. Rina is going to rub you behind the ears now aren't you my tiny tigress? Go ahead, he likes to be scratched behind his ears. Remember, he's a big strong tiger and doesn't need to be treated too gently, a little rough is OK.”

  Satrina reached out and at first just placed her hands behind his ears then as she became more comfortable with being this close to one of the deadliest wild animals known to roam Haven, she began
to scratch him.

  “Talga, you must listen to me my friend.” Jon told the cat as it rolled its head in ecstasy, “You must protect her as you have aunt Gala and me. She is a very special part of us now. Without her we are weakened. She has become my mate. Do you understand my old friend?” Talga shook his head away from his humans. Yes, he now had two again. Taking a step back he sat and looked at Satrina before walking to a place several feet away and sitting down again with a low drawn out growl.

  “He needs to taste your scent to lock you into his mind. You should stand a few feet away from me, but not too far, he needs to know that your scent is always mingled with mine.” Jon suggested and Satrina went to stand where he pointed. Talga allowed his lips to curl upwards exposing massive teeth and took several long sniffs before shaking his head, sneezing, and repeating the sniffing process a second time. When he had tasted her scent enough to know it from miles away, he stood on all four legs and padded over to her where he pressed his head into her stomach. “He wants you to get his scent on you. Scratch him under his jaw and then on his cheeks. Go easy on the cheeks. That's his one and only tender spot.” Jon told her and she obeyed. “Speak softly to him. Tell him what a handsome tiger he is.”

  “You're such a fine male Talga. My giant is a good friend to share me with you. We are his only friends so we must work together to keep him happy and safe. Can we be friends?” Satrina asked the huge animal as she softly stroked its cheeks. Talga had no idea what this new being was saying, but its voice was soft and its scent was sweet. He would help his human protect this being that was so much like the one called aunt Gala. They both had the smell of their kinds females and that of his human, but also something that wasn't his human's scent either. He had sensed this smell before and it was only on these two females. The scent was much stronger on this one than on Gala, but it was the same. Perhaps their kind traveled in herds, for this was no predatory pack animal. Both the one called Gala and now this Rina were too weak to hunt.