He ran his hands lovingly up and down her upper arms. “It’s an important Zarkstormian custom that in some regard has not been practiced the way it should be, but now, we must start again. You are not a Zarkstormian, but you are a Warrior in my eyes, and you are my mate and the mother of my child. You’ve earned it.”
Any resolve that Jayme had was gone. She leapt into his arms, squeezing him so tight. She shuddered, the emotions running raw and deep. The whole thing seemed like a wild dream, but no, this was all real. She could feel the coolness of the diamond against her flesh as she pressed into him, then melted to his touch upon feeling his hand over her hair.
“Uthe Majure Kilreo Cxero Itne… That means, ‘The mother of my child, the Queen of my heart.’ Jayme, that’s what you are, and that’s what you will forever be…”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Xzion couldn’t help but smirk at Jayme’s expression. The poor woman tried to keep her repulsion at bay, but she’d failed. On huge platters, the staff placed down almost completely uncooked animals that he was certain she’d never seen, some with the hearts still bleeding. It was a bloody muddle, considered by all Zarkstormians to be a true feast. He’d already arranged to have a special menu arranged for her, but tonight, he’d allow his son to eat the way he and his people ate. Curious, Zachary gravitated towards the gory mess, just as he and all of his predecessors had when they were children.
Jayme remained politely quiet as he kept staring at her, the magnificent eye-catching magnet that she was.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered in her ear, causing her to blush.
Soon, a domed platter arrived and was set before her. She seemed to brace herself and veer back as it was uncovered. But then she smiled and sighed with relief once a baked chicken dish with wild rice and string beans was revealed.
“Ahhh, thank God!” Xzion teased, speaking what he knew was in her mind. Her tawny skin caught a reddish hue and her lips cracked into a smile. “There’s plenty more food to your preference available, so eat up. You can order almost anything you wish; they’ve covered most bases. They made sure you had the comforts of home in advance…pies, cookies, you name it. Our top chefs studied the recipes I sent them in advance and I must admit, they more than likely cook even better than I do for you.”
Quiet chatter surrounded them at the table while elegant music played. Jayme sliced into her meal, took a small bite and rolled her eyes in pleasure.
“Oh boy, this is so good!”
“Wonderful.” Xzion sat up and sliced into the well presented animal before him. Removing a delicate portion, he placed it onto his plate then passed it to their son who sat on his left. Jayme tried to spy him out the corner of her eye. She grimaced as the boy picked at the morsel then popped it into his mouth and squealed with delight.
“Don’t knock it ’til you try it.” Xzion patted her back, only to be met with a resounding, ‘No, thank you.’
Cxeza made her way through the crowd wearing a golden gown and a smirk fit for a bird that had swallowed a canary. Jayme popped up from her seat and gave the woman a hearty hug and kiss on the cheek. Cxeza hugged her stiffly. Xzion imagined she didn’t know how to respond, but was doing the best she could.
“It’s so good to see you!” Jayme’s face flushed.
“It’s good to see you, too. I’m so happy you were able to make it. I’m sitting down at the other end, here.” She pointed down the long table that was at least sixty yards in length. “But I needed to come down here and say ‘Hello’ in person. My parents are looking forward to meeting you as well so before you leave, please join us for some after-dinner refreshment.”
“Of course!” Jayme smiled as his sister walked away.
The evening was going so well, he began to question their good luck. No one said anything off the cuff, though the stares were abundant. He expected that. Jayme was treated with the utmost respect and Aton, dressed in his royal best, a black suit with a matching cape that caused his silver hair and eyes to pop and shimmer, was a sight to behold. He stood at attention and raised his glass in the air. As if on cue, everyone stood as well. Jayme took a bit longer as she wasn’t accustomed to such things. She got to her feet and held up her glass as Aton prepared to give a speech.
“It is with great honor that we, the Zarkstormian people, welcome Xzion Khrome and his family. His mate, his bride, Jayme Khrome and their child, Zachary Khrome. We’ve made history with this event. Never has a human been invited to Zarkstorm. You will have to excuse some of the curiosity surrounding you, Mrs. Khrome.”
Jayme smiled pleasantly in response.
“Many of these people have never laid eyes on a flesh and blood human being before, and more importantly, you are the mate of a vital person of our clan and the mother of our salvation. So, I raise my glass to you. Zarkstorm is not from which you were born, but you are considered amongst family, from this point forward. Cheers!”
Everyone yelled, “Cheers!” except Zachary who was still too busy sucking on the bloodied meat and wiggling around happily in his chair.
Xzion wrapped his arm possessively around Jayme’s shoulder as people came and went, introducing themselves to her and offering her gifts. That was customary, and he expected nothing less. For a quick spell, he drifted into a daydream. Everything seemed so surreal. No one could have told him, five years previously, that he’d fall in love with an Earthling, procreate with her, find a cure for their illness from the blood of that child, and then bring her to Zarkstorm to have a visit, break bread and fellowship. He looked at Zachary who was now enjoying a special tapioca pudding the chefs had made for him, his large eyes bouncing from person to person as he stuffed himself. He ran his hand over his son’s hair and smiled at him, falling in love with him more and more each second.
Then, before he could come out of his trance, he spotted Aton staring at him. The man was sitting erect, his face stern around a stiff smile, and though Xzion wasn’t certain, a hint of sadness lingered in the depths of his eyes. Maybe he was seeing things or imagining them, or maybe he was missing Zachary. Aton had taken it rather hard when Zachary returned back to Earth after leaving protective custody. The man would never admit it, but he wished both Xzion — who he regarded as a son — and Zachary to stay with him forever. Aton was battling something that no Zarkstormians ever acknowledged under any circumstances: he was lonely. He’d given his entire life to the military and running their planet. A natural leader, a fierce fighter and one of the most intelligent men Xzion had ever met, he had been groomed for leadership since birth. But that simply wasn’t enough…it rarely is.
Aton raised his glass towards Xzion and gave a gentle nod. Xzion followed suit, and both men sipped their drinks in an acknowledgement of one another. It was as if their thoughts had merged, and they were swimming inside of each other’s minds, but no brain, no mind, no thought processes, new scientific formulas or discoveries could replace the one thing that meant the most. The thing that Xzion found on Earth simply by accident. Jayme would disagree with the notion of a coincidence, but he’d stumbled upon her, all the same. Such a thing wasn’t available right there where he grew up with his family, yet it was the one thing that had turned his life around and made him question his mission, who he was and what he was doing. He’d had to stop and evaluate it all and that thing was…love.
****
Jayme couldn’t believe it, but she wasn’t looking forward to leaving, even after all the time spent there. She theorized that after a few days she’d become home sick, but nothing could be further from the truth. Being on Zarkstorm was like being surrounded by the most brilliant people in the world, only, they were practically flawless, their housekeeping skills impeccable…and they could kill someone in a nano-second, then turn around and watch a television program like nothing had happened. Such a strange place…
She did miss her fellow officers and Jayson — hell, even her parents — but this could not be her first and last trip there. Besides, she had to return
to check up on her handiwork.
The first night, during the dinner, she watched her husband and his mentor, ruler and friend stare each other down. Jayme had once had mixed feelings about Aton, but realized he possessed a good heart. That was the only way she could have trusted the man with her child. Regardless of his motives, she had no doubt he wouldn’t allow her boy to be harmed.
She saw something in his eyes that night, however, that perplexed her. It was strangely human. In those odd, silvery pupils was a sense of unhappiness, grief, or mourning. It was the same look Xzion had given her when he tried to explain things to her about the FBI. A look had come over him that screamed: ‘If this woman doesn’t believe me, I’ll be just miserable.’ That had been the first time in their interactions that she questioned her beliefs regarding him, wondered if maybe there was more to the story, to the puzzle of this man who had kept her captive in his home. She sensed he needed something from her, and she found out later that was more than true.
Jayme considered herself a pro at judging body language and, though the Zarkstormians were stiff and stone faced more times than not, every now and again, she’d see a glimmer of something she could relate to, something she could clutch with both hands. At the end of the dinner, a stunning woman with fair skin, raven hair that hung in thick ringlets and piercing lavender eyes had entered the room. Everyone turned to her. She had a serious show-stopping presence. Standing at least six feet, she commanded stares.
Jayme soon found out she happened to be an ambassador of a small area of Zarkstorm designed specifically for the elderly who had no living relatives to help tend to their needs. A high-ranked official, Ambassador Pali spoke on behalf of Zarkstormian senior care. Jayme thought it remarkable that a huge area was dedicated specifically to geriatric maintenance. According to Xzion, it was top-notch and the patients were treated with the utmost respect. Unlike Americans, the Zarkstormians gave allegiance and respect to their elderly members until they drew their last breath. There were never any reports of elder abuse and such.
Xzion had stood and shook her hand, spoke with her briefly then made his way down the table to converse with various people. Only Jayme and Zachary remained seated in that corner of the room, and by then, a small huddle of Zarkstormian children had gathered around the child. Their eyes were full of wonder as they glared at him and asked him questions in their native tongue that the poor little guy couldn’t understand. Or maybe he did…he’d surprised her so much. Then, they preceded to hand him gifts and cart him away to a section of the room to play games. The little boy was in total bliss. She turned back towards everyone, and then, she saw it… The stunning woman, built like a slender Coca Cola bottle, was staring longingly at Aton.
I wonder if she’s married? I don’t see a ring on her finger… They wear wedding rings, too…
Jayme stood, made her way through the crowd and tapped the woman’s shoulder, forcing her to turn around. Her flowing hair seemed to move almost in slow motion, reminding her of a hair shampoo commercial, as she faced her.
“Hello, Officer Khrome!” the woman exclaimed, her purple eyes shining eerily and the pupils changing shapes right before Jayme’s view. “I’ve come a long way to meet you. I was just on my way to introduce myself. So good to see you.” The woman’s accent sounded French, though she was pure Zarkstormian.
“It is very nice to meet you as well… Uh, your dress,” Jayme stood back and looked it over, “is gorgeous, I love it.”
“Why thank you, Officer Khrome.”
There was an awkward pause after which Jayme blabbered, “Uh, you know, my husband is quite fond of Aton.”
The woman gave her a puzzled look, but nodded in agreement.
“Yes, I believe that to be true,” she replied.
“Aton has been great with our son, Zachary.” Jayme turned and pointed to the boy, still huddled with the other children.
“Yes, I’ve heard that President Riutulivite has taken great measures to ensure the child’s safety. That is imperative.” The woman placed her cool, long fingers on Jayme’s shoulder. “You have my word, as Ambassador of Huertoz,” she said seriously, “that we’d never allow anything to happen to your child while on Zarkstorm.”
“Well, yes.” Jayme smiled nervously as she pushed her thumb in her sweaty palm. “And that’s just it. I am in debt to Aton. He was a wonderful caretaker. On my planet, we’d never expect a president to babysit. But that’s exactly what he did. He is such a…kind man.” Jayme knew that kindness wasn’t necessarily respected on Zarkstorm, but she didn’t know quite what else to say. Ambassador Pali’s expression showed that she was indeed mystified.
“Oh, the hell with this!”
The woman’s eyes grew a bit wider.
“Look, I think you two should go out on a date,” Jayme blurted, crossing her arms. When she got no response, she went on, “What? Zarkstormians don’t date? Xzion said you all do.”
Ambassador Pali kept her stone face…but her eye twitched.
“Well, Officer Khrome, yes, we do date but this is rather unconventional, don’t you think? I didn’t expect to hear such declarations from you. Since you’ve broached the topic, I will address this. I’m a traditional woman. You see, I do not approach men, as our newer generation does. I was raised differently.”
Jayme sensed a judgmental tone, but it didn’t deter her.
“Are you married? Do you wish to be? How has that worked out for you? You know, not being the first to say ‘hello’?”
The woman’s lips parted ever so slightly. She must’ve been taken aback by Jayme’s bluntness, though she hid it fairly well.
“No, I am not married. My desires to be married, or not to be, I do not wish to discuss at this juncture. I’m not in attendance this evening to discuss my private life.” The woman swallowed. “You are an odd Earthling, Officer Khrome, but I think I like your candor. Thus, I will extend the same.”
“Well, good. I know you just basically told me to mind my business, but I can’t in good conscience just leave the situation like this. Are you a lesbian? If that’s the case, then I will apologize and leave you alone. I assumed you weren’t, and I shouldn’t have, but I did, because you were, well, looking at him in a way that I thought you may have found him alluring.”
“No, I’m not a lesbian. I wasn’t aware I was gawking. I do find Aton attractive, powerful and knowledgeable. Regardless,” the woman huffed in exasperation, “men are intimidated by me. It’s been an ongoing issue most of my adult life.”
Jayme had heard that before during her single days, more than she’d like to admit. She also hated it when anyone who realized she didn’t have a boyfriend or husband, saw her height and knew her occupation assumed she was gay. She was sorry she’d gone there, but she needed to cover all bases. Regardless, this conversation was uncloaking some old wounds. She’d lived this prejudice actually, and felt a sense of kinship with the woman at that admission. Both of them towered in height, and yes, the woman had a way about her. Her personal truth came as no surprise. She had beauty, brains and brawn. Not only was she striking, Ambassadors were killers and this woman was undoubtedly no exception. Anything that threatened their terrain or the safety of their people was annihilated. Jayme wasn’t certain if she was Warrior or Intellect blood but, in any case, she was drop dead gorgeous, poised and honest.
“I believe you, Ambassador Pali, but something tells me Aton isn’t intimidated by anyone. I’m not sure what his story is, but it is time it had a great ending. At this point, I consider him an old friend and would like to re-introduce you two. That way, you can still stay traditional and I can open a door for Aton and you to get to know one another better. Deal?”
The woman’s lip curved ever so slightly.
If that’s a grin, I’ll take it.
She took the ambassador by the hand and marched her over to Aton, who was on his umpteenth glass of something bright blue and bubbling.
“Aton,” Jayme said as she stood before him, knockin
g him out of possible wayward thoughts. As if buried in his own little world, he hadn’t seemed to noticed them approach. She followed his gaze before he shifted it her way. He’d been staring at the children.
“Ambassador Pali, this is President Aton Riutulivite, as you know. I was so impressed with the tour of the countryside here, I thought maybe you could show Ms. Pali the same.”
And then, Jayme walked away, leaving the two in a state of perplexity no doubt. Aton got to his feet and placed his drink on the table. As she disappeared, she heard their awkward conversation commence, and then, like butter, it smoothed out. Aton was going to give her an excursion. He invited her to stay the evening in his guesthouse so that in the morning, he could treat her to a royal breakfast. He moved fast at the opportunity, ripe for the picking. The timing was perfect!
Jayme took her seat and smiled wide.
My job here is done…
CHAPTER TWENTY
Three days later…
“Is Aton going to ever return our son? He has had him for the entire day.” Jayme grinned as she placed the dirty plates smudged with fried egg remnants in the sink.
“Housekeeping will get your dishes, Jayme. No need to trouble yourself with that.” Xzion stood behind her, ran his hands up and down her shoulders and nested his nose behind her right earlobe. She smiled as she looked down into the kitchen sink, feeling his nature rising against her back.
“Well, uh, I guess you can show me around since Aton still has Zachary. I’ll just go get my bag and —”
The Tale of the Blood Diamond Page 36
