“Prince Taelon,” Sodu said, his voice almost irritatingly calm compared to the turmoil that made her heart race. “We are being hailed.”
Taelon straightened, his face grim. “Let me hear it.”
Sodu touched his screen. “Repeat communication.”
A deep male voice filled the room. “In trouble again, are you? What the drek have you done now?”
Taelon’s face lit with a smile. “Janwar? What are you doing way the srul out here?”
“Looking for your spoiled royal ass.”
Taelon laughed. “Then don’t keep me waiting.”
An expletive carried across the line.
Taelon monitored the swift approach on the viewscreen. “Looks like you’ve been busy while I was away. Acquired a new ship, have you?”
“Yes, I have. And it’s a thing of beauty. Permission to bring you aboard?”
“Permission granted.”
The communication ended.
“Who is it?” Lisa asked, relieved by Taelon’s reaction.
Ari’k straightened. “The Akselian rebel.”
Taelon nodded as he turned to her. “He’s a friend.”
Ari’k arched a brow. “Some would call him a pirate. Your father doesn’t trust him. With good reason. He has a reputation for subterfuge.”
Taelon shrugged off the Yona’s concerns. “My father doesn’t know him.”
“And his reputation?”
Taelon hesitated. “Might have been duly earned. But he only deceives and steals from those he doesn’t like.” He winked at Lisa. “And he likes me.” He pressed a kiss to Abby’s cheek, then wrapped his arms around Lisa and hugged them both close. “He’s the one who discovered Amiriska was on Earth. I never would’ve found her without his help. I trust him. He won’t harm us.”
She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. “Good.” She meant that more than ever when she peeked out the window and saw the size of the rebel Akselian’s ship.
There was no way they could survive a battle with something that big.
A wide beam of light encompassed the transport, then drew them inside a docking bay even larger than the one on the Kandovar. The transport set down with barely a thump.
A minute passed.
“What’s happening?” she asked, nerves rattling despite Taelon’s assurances.
He smiled. “They’re closing the docking bay doors and preparing to greet us.”
The Yona warriors prepared, too. Every one of them—with an astounding swiftness that bespoke years of habit—donned numerous weapons. Blasters. Blades. And things that looked like grenades or flashbangs.
Taelon ignored them. “I should probably warn you that Janwar’s crew can be a little… what’s the Earth word… eccentric?”
“Eccentric how?”
“Well?” Janwar called outside. “Get your royal ass out here.”
Taelon grinned and started toward the exit.
Ari’k stopped him. “He’s a privateer. How do you know he doesn’t intend to capture you and hold you for ransom?”
Taelon shook his head. “He isn’t going to ransom me. He knows he’ll lose my business if he does. Lower the ramp.”
Ari’k did as ordered but insisted on standing in front of Taelon. Yihrus stood shoulder to shoulder with him so he was in front of Lisa.
“Still using Yona guards, I see,” Janwar drawled.
“Lower your weapons,” Ari’k commanded.
“If I wanted the Lasaran prince dead, I would’ve blown him to pieces instead of hailing him and inviting him aboard,” Janwar responded in beleaguered tones. “Besides. He’s no use to me dead. I can’t afford to lose his business.”
Taelon laughed. “Step aside, Ari’k. That’s an order.”
Once Ari’k moved, Taelon strode down the ramp. Lisa followed, Ari’k on one side, Yihrus on the other, and Abby in her arms.
When she got a good gander at Janwar and his crew, her steps slowed and her eyes widened.
Don’t gape, she lectured herself but feared she failed miserably in that endeavor.
The man Taelon approached with a smile was about six and a half feet tall with a slender, athletic build like an Olympic swimmer. His skin was tan with a distinct reddish hue that matched his eyes. His hair was jet-black and drawn back from his face in cornrows. The rest fell down his back and over his shoulders in a combination of thick waves and tight braids, a few of which were decorated with beads of some sort.
Though his handsome face was by no means feminine, his black eyelashes were long and thick. A closely cropped mustache and beard added to his piratical look, as did the loose shirt and tight breeches.
Holy crap, she thought. It’s Jack Sparrow.
To his right stood a man equally tall with a little more muscle whose features bore a hint of feline. His nose was a little flatter and wider. His irises were large like the Yona’s and amber-colored. His face and exposed arms were covered in black tattoos or markings that reminded her of a tiger’s stripes. And his hair fell down his back in a thick wavy mass that featured multiple shades, ranging from tan to black.
A man who looked as if he could be the cat man’s twin stood beside him but lacked the dark markings. Instead, scars marred his handsome features and exposed arms.
On Janwar’s other side stood a man who shared his race. He was about the same height and boasted the same tan skin with the reddish hue. His long black hair was pulled back in similar braids, some of which ended in beads. But his irises were a little redder, and he lacked the beard and mustache.
Next to him stood a man who must be almost seven feet tall and was built like the Hulk. His skin was gray with a strong hint of turquoise. His short raven hair had patterns cut into the sides. And his eyes were so dark she couldn’t discern the pupils from the irises.
The last man looked like an ordinary human or Lasaran. He was tall like the rest—that seemed to be the norm out here in space—with a slender but muscular build, short dark hair, and a strong jaw covered with stubble.
Janwar shook his head as Taelon approached him. “It’s been a long time. Everyone thought you dead, my friend.”
Taelon gripped the rebel’s arm and drew him into a man hug. “I thought so myself a time or two.”
When they parted, Janwar’s gaze strayed over Taelon’s shoulder and lit upon Lisa. His smile slipped away. “That’s not your sister.” He met Taelon’s gaze, his face grim. “Was my intel wrong? Did the Earthlings kill her?”
Taelon shook his head. “Amiriska is alive and well and bonded to an Earthling. She opted not to return with us.”
Janwar’s eyebrows flew up. “In truth?”
“In truth.” Taelon motioned Lisa forward and rested a hand on her lower back. “I, too, bonded with an Earthling. This is Lisa and our daughter, Abby.”
Janwar studied her. “A lifemate and an heir. I see you’ve quite a story to tell.” He rested a hand on his chest over his heart and bowed deeply. “Princess Lisa, it is an honor to meet you.”
The others followed suit.
“Thank you.” She offered them a tentative smile and a half bow as they rose. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
Taelon whispered in an aside, “You aren’t supposed to bow back.”
Sighing, she murmured back, “I know. But it seems rude not to. This whole royalty thing is just too weird.”
Janwar laughed.
The other men’s lips twitched.
And she could’ve sworn she glimpsed fangs on the cat man.
Janwar relaxed. “I believe I’m going to like you, Princess.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Please, call me Lisa. On Earth, princess is sort of a pet name some adults give little girls.”
He grinned and shook his head. “As you wish, but whatever are you going to do once you reach Lasara?”
“I have no idea,” she admitted.
“Well, you’ve some time to figure it out. If you’ll follow me, I will show you to your quarters.”<
br />
“Thank you.”
Taelon kept a possessive hand on her back as they followed Janwar across a cavernous bay. Ari’k and the royal guard fell in behind them with Janwar’s crew bringing up the rear. “How did you find us?”
Janwar nodded toward the cat man. “Srok’a had a vision, said we needed to get here fast. Didn’t know why until we arrived and received word that the Kandovar had been destroyed in the qhov’rum. We’ve been looking for you ever since.”
“Do my parents know?”
“That Gathendiens attacked and destroyed your ship? Yes. They’re both furious and terrified.”
“Do they know I’m alive?”
“No. You can inform them yourself, but only using our most heavily encrypted comms. Word has it Gathendiens are searching for the survivors.”
Lisa’s stomach sank as she thought of Eliana, her fellow Earth women, the Lasaran crew members, and the Yona soldiers who had been so kind to her. “Are there other survivors?”
“You’re the only ones we’ve encountered personally. But every member of the Aldebarian Alliance has sent ships out searching. A few escape pods have been recovered with survivors intact. The rest of the pods, however, are scattered over many vast sectors of space, most of which see little traffic because there are so few advanced nations with whom to trade out here.”
Taelon frowned. “Are the Gathendiens out to kill or capture the survivors they find?”
“Unknown.”
“Do my parents know why they attacked us? Did the Gathendiens resume warring with Lasara while I was gone?”
“No. That’s the puzzle.” Janwar placed his palm on a small reader by a wide door, then typed in a code. The door slid up. “The Gathendiens have kept their distance in your absence. They’ve been lurking closer to Earth than to their usual haunts. No one can guess their reasons for attacking.”
Abby grew restless and began to squirm.
Lisa patted her back. “Could they have targeted the Kandovar because Taelon was on board? Would they gain anything from killing a Lasaran prince?”
Srok’a snorted. “The only thing that would gain them is a full-scale assault by the might of the Lasaran fleet. They barely survived the last one. I see no logical reason they would risk another.”
Taelon’s lips tightened. “And yet they have.”
Janwar nodded. “As I said, it’s a puzzle.”
Abby’s restlessness progressed to fussing.
“Shhh,” Lisa crooned. “It’s okay, baby.”
Abby only fussed more, her little face reddening and scrunching up as she squirmed and kicked and waved her arms.
Taelon glanced down at them. “Do you want me to take her?”
“No. It’s okay. I think she’s just hungry.” And the heaviness in Lisa’s breasts told her it was time to nurse her.
Abby abruptly quieted.
Lisa glanced down at her in surprise. Usually when Abby was hungry, she just got progressively louder if she wasn’t instantly fed.
Abby giggled.
Lisa looked over her shoulder to see what had grabbed her attention.
Ari’k walked behind her, his hands covering his face. He opened his hands and mouthed the word boo.
Abby giggled and kicked, this time with glee.
Lisa smiled and faced forward once more, only to find Janwar watching them with astonishment.
The rebel Akselian shook his head. “This is going to be a fascinating tale, I think.”
Chapter Twenty-One
They arrived at Lasara only a month later.
Taelon smiled when he saw his homeworld for the first time in four years.
“Welcome home, Prince,” Janwar said from his position in the commander’s seat on the bridge. “Feel good to see it again?”
“Very good,” he admitted. For the first time since the Gathendien attack, he felt like he could breathe easy. Here on Lasara, Lisa and Abby would be safe, surrounded by his family and his people without fear of further assaults. “How much would it cost me to get my hands on that new tech of yours that allows you to travel even faster than the qhov’rum?”
“Ah, that tech is not for sale, my friend. I paid dearly to obtain exclusive use of it so I would have an edge over you law-abiding folk.”
“You wouldn’t need that edge if you obeyed the laws, too.”
Janwar snorted. “Ignoring some of those laws is far more profitable.”
Taelon laughed.
“I would, however, be willing to hire out my services. Should you wish to reward me for any survivors I find, I might be willing to return to the place I found you and perform a thorough search of nearby sectors.”
“Do so and you will be highly rewarded,” Taelon immediately agreed. While more escape pods had been recovered, an alarming number were still unaccounted for.
Janwar extended his arm. “Then we have an accord.”
Taelon clasped it.
“Since your father bears little love for me, I will leave as soon as you disembark.”
Lisa spoke for the first time from a seat in front of an unused control screen. “Really? I was hoping you would stay for a while.” She fidgeted and adjusted the wrist cuffs of her shirt, reached up to smooth her hair. All the clothing on Janwar’s ship had dwarfed her. So Lisa had cut the sleeves off a couple of their shirts, belted them at the waist, and worn them as knee-length dresses. But today she’d donned the clothing she’d been wearing on the Kandovar when the Gathendiens had attacked.
Janwar sent her a kind smile. “Nervous about meeting the king and queen, are you?”
“Very,” she admitted.
Ari’k sat on the floor beside her, little Abby in his lap. Abby grabbed both of his index fingers and hoisted herself up to stand.
Taelon blinked. Had Ari’k’s lips just twitched?
Abby flopped down on her bottom, then began to crawl across the bridge.
Taelon kept an eye on her as he spoke to Lisa. “You’ve no reason to worry, dashura. My parents already love you.” They had communicated with them almost every day since Janwar had come to their rescue.
“They seem to like me,” she said slowly.
“They do like you.”
“But I’m not good with the whole royalty thing. These guys all treat me normally. That I’m comfortable with.”
These guys referred to Janwar’s small crew, all of whom were present.
Abby reached Srok’a. Grabbing his pant leg, she pulled herself up and leaned against his knee. The cat man patted her head.
Abby babbled something, then dropped down to crawl over to Srok’a’s brother, Kova. Again, she used his pants leg to pull herself up. When she wobbled, the quiet, scarred warrior reached a hand down to steady her.
Kova spoke little and smiled less, but he was always gentle with the baby.
Abby plopped down on her bottom, then crawled toward the largest warrior present. Soval’s huge gray-green body barely fit in his seat. He glanced down at Abby, who stared up at him somberly without touching him. Abby stuffed two fingers in her mouth and sucked on them.
Soval winked at her.
Abby grinned, then crawled over to Janwar’s cousin, Krigara.
Krigara drew his long braids forward, then leaned down and dangled them in front of the baby.
Abby giggled and reached for the brightly colored beads. As soon as she released Krigara’s knee, she started to topple backward.
Krigara caught her and held her upright while she played with the beads, then gently lowered her to the floor.
After giving his braids a final tug, Abby crawled across to the last man present.
The Segonian warrior smiled at the baby as she pulled herself up and clung to his leg. Bending down, Elchan picked her up and settled her on his lap.
Abby stared at him expectantly.
Elchan’s skin changed color, camouflaging him so well that if he weren’t wearing clothes, he would’ve blended perfectly into the console behind him.
A
bby giggled and bounced and waved her hands.
“That is so cool!” Lisa exclaimed. “I wish I could do that.”
Elchan’s skin returned to normal as he sent her a wry smile. “It doesn’t always work as it should.” Which was why he was part of Janwar’s crew. The Segonian military had rejected him for not having total control over his camouflage. Just as Kova had been rejected for lacking the traditional markings of his people. Janwar’s crew all boasted rather tragic histories. It was what had drawn Taelon to them when he’d first met the group. They hadn’t chosen to be pirates. That role had been thrust upon them.
“We’re here,” Janwar announced.
Taelon glanced up and realized the ship had reached Lasaran orbit. He and Lisa said their goodbyes.
Lisa managed to put off leaving a little bit longer by hugging each member of Janwar’s crew goodbye. Taelon watched her with a smile and didn’t care that it was improper. He knew she bore no amorous interest in them. She was simply comfortable with the hardened warriors, every one of whom had been kind to her and Abby. Even Kova and Soval. And this was the customary way for her people to show it.
“Thank you again,” she told Janwar.
The handsome privateer winked and kissed the back of her hand. “It’s been both an honor and a pleasure, Lisa. Should you ever grow tired of the royal life…”
Taelon sighed, unruffled by the unspoken invitation. “Stop flirting with her, thief.”
“Not on your life, Prince,” Janwar retorted with a laugh. “I’ll send you updates on my search for survivors.”
“Thank you.” Holding Abby with one arm, Taelon wrapped the other around Lisa.
His lifemate tried to drag her feet as they left the bridge, but she was no match for Taelon as he rushed her along to the royal transport they would take to the surface.
Ari’k and Kuxa took the controls and guided the transport to the coordinates he gave them.
Relief filled Taelon as he stared through the clear crystal windows. His parents had abided by his wishes. Good. He’d known how nervous Lisa was about this first meeting and had asked his mother and father to refrain from making what Lisa would call a big to-do. No large gathering of the people to greet their prince. No huge celebration to commemorate the arrival of his lifemate and his heir. No servants fawning over Lisa and bowing to her.
The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance Book 1) Page 33
