by Ravenna Tate
When the time they’d been gone reached five hours, she sat on the sofa, knees drawn up, and tried not to cry. She’d been in that position about five minutes when a noise outside reached her ears. At first she ignored it. It wasn’t unusual to hear spacecrafts during the day, and she knew what they sounded like when they were simply flying overhead. But then she realized the sound of this one was getting louder, and she jumped up.
She started to run outside, but Jakara caught her arm. “Let them land first. We have to make sure who gets off the ship.” She stared at him with her mouth open. He had a rifle, and it was slung over his shoulder.
This time, she couldn’t hold back the tears. It had never occurred to her that whatever he’d heard over an hour ago might have been fake, and the Tyranns were on their way right now to ambush him, Callie, and her.
“Get inside with Callie,” he said quietly, fixing her with a dark gaze.
She obeyed him this time as understanding finally dawned on her. Callie placed an arm around her shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze “Don’t worry. It will be okay. He’s a good shot.”
But there was only one of him, and who knew how many Tyranns on the ship.
Chapter Twelve
Marianne heard Vaughn’s voice inside the quarters first, and she ran toward the sound. To hell with what Jakara said. Vaughn wouldn’t sound so damn happy right now if he’d been escorted here by Tyranns.
She cried out at the sight of his face, and then she was in his arms and River was next to her. He pulled her close and held her, too, and then they both turned her around. Marianne had to blink away tears before she recognized her Aunt Betsy and Uncle Blake. They were so thin! And both looked used up and worn out. Uncle Blake sported a horrible scar on his face that hadn’t been there two years ago.
They both held out their arms, and she collapsed into them one at a time, kissing their faces and blubbering through her tears. When Vaughn and River were finally able to pull her away, reminding her that her aunt and uncle needed food, a nice hot bath, and sleep, she held each of her men again, not wanting to let them go.
“That was the longest five hours of my life,” she said.
“Ours, too,” said River. “We both kept your beautiful face in our thoughts to keep us going.”
“I can’t ever thank you enough for this. There’s nothing I can do or say that will repay this debt.” A horrible thought occurred to her. “Are we safe? I mean, did you get away cleanly?”
“There’s one guard dead,” said Thane, “but they won’t know who killed him. And a cell phone signal they probably intercepted, but they can’t trace it here.”
“Oh…”
Vaughn kissed her. “Don’t worry. We’re not staying here, just in case.”
“Where are we going?”
River brushed a finger along her face. “How do you feel about the ocean?”
“I love the ocean. Why?”
“Jakara and Callie have been offered the use of a very large house about an hour from here. It has plenty of room for the four of us, plus your aunt and uncle. And it has underground cables for the Internet.”
She smiled so wide her face hurt. “Are you serious? We’ll all be together?”
“Yes. And less than two minutes from an Addonian base, so you’ll hear planes flying overheard in addition to the sound of the surf. But we’ll be safe and well-protected. What do you say?”
She gazed into River’s eyes, and then into Vaughn’s. Then she linked each of her hands in one of theirs. “As long as I’m with you two, I’ll go anywhere you want.”
Vaughn gave her a look filled with love and lust. “I was hoping you’d say that. Because you’re stuck with us, you know. Forever.”
“And we’re never letting you out of our sight again,” said River, giving her an equally loving, lustful look. “Not for the rest of our lives.”
Marianne was sure her heart would stop from the joy filling her entire body. “Then I’m the luckiest girl on any planet. I love you both so much.”
“And we love you,” said Vaughn.
“We will both love you for the rest of our lives,” said River.
She embraced them each again, letting the fear and doubt melt away as they held her. She was here now, and safe, with Vaughn and River. They’d saved her, and they’d rescued her aunt and uncle. And soon, she’d be with them in a new home, and she’d have the rest of her life to repay this debt to them. She’d have the rest of her life to make sure they both knew how very, very much she loved them.
The End
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Other Books by Ravenna Tate:
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