by Kate Pearce
“I don’t understand your point, Senator.”
“It is quite simple. There is another amendment within the agreement that specifically addresses the individual cultural mating habits of all species in the Trios System.”
“And what does that have to do with your science officer’s inability to follow orders and her immoral conduct?”
“Immoral?” Ash raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Frey and Einarr who were still holding hands. “Ah, of course. As you are not a telepath, Judge Trallis, you would be unable to sense the complex bond that exists between mated couples.”
The judge blinked. “You are suggesting that Science Officer Frey is mated to this Viking?”
“Aye,” Einarr spoke up. “She is my female by right of blood and heart.”
Ash turned to Frey. “Can you confirm that, Science Officer?”
She stared into Einarr’s blue eyes and took a deep breath. “Yes. I believe Einarr Bloodaxe is my mate.”
The expression of disgust on Judge Trallis’s face was something to behold. “You expect me to take the word of a telepath? On my world, they aren’t even given full citizenship.”
Ash stood and inclined his head a frosty inch. “Not just the word of a telepath, Judge, but my word as the head of the Pavlovan Senate. They are not lying. I can clearly sense the bond between them. I am quite willing to swear to it on oath in a court of law. If you don’t adjust the sentence, I will personally ensure that the next thing you judge will be the annual wild hildabeasts contest out on Wraxon Five.”
The judge subsided back into her chair, her face white. After a long moment, she looked up at Ash, the set of her jaw rigid with fury. “I refuse to change my verdict. I prefer to resign from this travesty of a court system.”
“As you wish.” Ash bowed. “We will arrange for a new trial for Science Officer Frey and erase all records of your ruling.” As the judge rose to her feet, Ash continued talking. “You will also agree to keep this matter between us. If I hear any unsavory rumors about Science Officer Frey’s reputation, I will pass all the information I have about you to the Trios System Legal Council. I’m sure they’ll be in touch with you shortly afterward.”
“Telepaths should never have been allowed into positions of authority,” Trallis sneered. “Government becomes meaningless when run with emotion.”
“You are entitled to your opinion, Trallis Verchon.” Ash took a step to the side. “May I suggest you allow my ambassador to see you safely on your way to Etrusca before the two Vikings, who are also telepaths, decide to take justice into their own hands?”
With a last scathing look in Frey’s direction, Trallis swept out of the room with the Pavlovan ambassador right on her heels.
“What an extremely unpleasant individual,” Ash murmured. “I suspect the entire Trios System will rejoice at her unexpected retirement.”
There was the sound of raised voices at the door. Even as Einarr stiffened, Brown went to see what was going on. He spoke over his shoulder to Ash. “Senator, the representatives from FREN and the TSA wish to speak to you.”
“I’m sure they do. Tell them to wait quietly, and I’ll talk to them in a moment.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ash turned back to Einarr and Aki. “You are telepaths, aren’t you?”
Einarr met his stare. “If by that you mean we can mind-talk, then aye we are.”
“Was it common in your day?”
“Nay, only a few families had the honor of being connected to our Gods with such magical powers.”
“And how strange and miraculous is it that you come back to life and met a female who can read your mind as well?” Ash said softly.
“She called to me through the ice. I fought my way out to her.”
“It also had something to do with the eclipse,” Frey added, still flustered by the appearance of such a legendary telepath and the leader of the senate. “We’re not quite sure how.”
Ash nodded and slid a hand through his long, fair hair, pushing it back over his shoulder. He looked tired. “When you and Aki feel ready to move on, you would be most welcome to reside on Pavlovan. We are always interested in meeting new telepaths and learning from each other. You both have such interesting minds.”
Einarr nodded. “Your thoughts shine like the sun.”
“You can sense me?” Ash smiled. “I am considered to be quite a powerful telepath.” His expression sobered as he looked from Einarr to Frey. “If you wish to be together in the end, you might have to deal with some time apart in the present. Einarr needs to stay here with Aki to acclimatize to our world, and Science Officer Frey…”
“Is supposed to be going to prison,” Frey muttered.
“I suspect house arrest for a period of weeks will be required,” Ash finished after her. “I still need to speak to the FREN rep.”
“She’s after my blood, too.”
“So I heard.” Ash beckoned to Brown. “Let Gron and Mitzi Lahm in, please.”
“You know their names?”
Ash winked at Einarr, and for a moment Einarr wondered what it would be like to share a bed with a man of such beauty and such power. “It took me quite a while to get here. I read up on everything my cousin Elli sent me on the way.”
He stood as Mitzi erupted into the room followed by Gron.
“Good morning.”
Gron saluted. “Senator, I wish to offer you my apologies. When I heard the trial verdict, I realized that TSA protocol had been violated. I was already in communication with my superiors to overturn the sentence.”
“So I heard, Gron.” Ash paused. “It’s a pity that you didn’t think of that sooner, but I appreciate the effort and you may stand down.”
Gron sank into a chair. Mitzi stared at Ash as if he were a god come to life. “You are here. It’s true!” She pressed her hand to her bosom. “It is such a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Please take a seat.” Ash waved her into a chair. “Judge Trallis has resigned and rescinded her verdict. We will conduct a new trial of Science Officer Frey.”
“But—” Mitzi tried to laugh. “How can that be? She deserves to be punished. She—”
“Science Officer Frey found her mate and protected him to the best of her ability,” Ash said firmly. “If you were a telepath, you would’ve done the same thing.”
“I…would have?”
Einarr wanted to smile at Mitzi’s confused expression, but Frey’s grip on his hand was still so tight that he’d have her nails imprinted in his skin for days. Not that he minded—although he’d prefer her cat scratches on his back…
Beside him Aki snorted. “Careful, brother. Guard your salacious thoughts. You have a room full of mind talkers around you.”
Frey’s color rose even higher, and she determinedly wouldn’t look at him or his twin.
Mitzi’s gaze sharpened. “Are you suggesting that a Pavlovan finding their mate, if that is indeed what happened here, carries more weight than a crew member who disobeys or fabricates orders from their superiors?”
“I’m simply saying that it changes the nature of the perceived error.”
Mitzi folded her arms. “I’m not willing to accept that.”
“If that isn’t a sufficient reason for you, then I’m sure FREN will be willing to publicly accept responsibility for their own failures during this mission.”
“Hold up,” Mitzi said. “What failures?”
Slavin stepped forward and handed Ash a white tablet, which he accepted with thanks. Behind Einarr, Aki stiffened. His gaze fixed on Slavin.
Ash glanced down at the tablet. “I have the highest security clearance possible in the Trios System. I recovered several top-secret security transmissions from FREN to the science officers on both ships. These messages confirm the orders both science officers insist they received and carried out with such disastrous effect during the eclipse. Orders that FREN denied sending in court today. “
Ash contemplated Mitzi’s furious face. “If
you don’t believe the desire to find their mates made the Vikings emerge from the ice, then you have to believe that the orders from FREN to change the settings on the internal probes within the ice worked with the unknown effect of the eclipse to accelerate the defrosting process. I believe those codes were sent out by you, Mitzi.” Ash held out the tablet. “Do you wish to see your messages?”
Mitzi audibly swallowed. “You…can’t have accessed FREN channels. You aren’t authorized.”
“I am now.” Ash met her gaze. “If you wish this information to remain private you must agree to accept a lesser sentence for Science Officer Frey.”
Einarr could almost hear the frantic workings of Mitzi’s mind as she scowled down at the tablet.
“All right!” she snapped. “I’ll go along with this farce.”
“Thank you.” Ash retrieved the white tablet. “I will speak to the head of security on Alpha Three, FREN and the TSA and make certain that we are all agreed. Does anyone have any other questions?”
Mitzi stormed out, followed quickly by Gron and a grinning Brown, leaving Ash contemplating the Vikings. Frey finally let go of Einarr’s hand and went over to the senator.
“Why?” she whispered. “Why did you do all this for me?”
His smile gentled. “Because no one should be deprived of his or her mate. I almost lost my female once, and I would not wish that on anyone.” His mouth kicked up at the corner. “And, I owed my cousin Elli a favor from when we were children. I’ll leave it up to her as to whether she tells you what I did.”
Aki bumped against Einarr’s shoulder. “I wonder if Ash would consider sharing our bed? I suspect he would make a worthy mate.”
Ash looked up and caught Aki’s appreciative gaze. “Alas, I am happily mated to both a male and a female who would not take kindly to my bedding you both—but if I was single…believe me, I would be honored.”
His gaze fell on Slavin. “Don’t be too downhearted. I suspect my cousin would appreciate the opportunity to meet you, Aki.”
Without another word, Aki pushed past Einarr and converged on Slavin who clutched her tablet to her chest and stood her ground. A flash of something visceral passed between them, and Einarr discreetly raised the shields in his head.
He strolled toward Frey and nodded to Ash. “My thanks, Ash. I do not understand exactly what you did, but you vanquished my female’s enemies and for that I am grateful.”
“You are welcome, Einarr. Your mate will have to return to Pavlovan for a few weeks to serve out her sentence, but after that she will be free to visit you here and bring you home to Pavlovan if you are so inclined.”
“You will allow me to leave Alpha Three?”
“If you wish to.”
“Mitzi said I would have to stay here and be tested by your healers.”
“Mitzi was wrong. After the initial reintegration sessions, you can go wherever you please.”
“I will go where Frey is.” Einarr glanced over his shoulder at Aki who was still talking intently to Slavin. “I suspect my brother will favor Pavlovan, too.”
Ash bowed. “I will be leaving Alpha Three tomorrow morning. I will take Science Officer Frey into my custody. I suggest you make the most of your time together tonight.”
Einarr went down on one knee and kissed Ash’s hand. “I am your man for life, Ash. Yours to call, and yours to command. I pledge you my loyalty.”
For a fleeting moment Ash’s hand came to rest on his head. “I accept your oath, Einarr Bloodaxe.”
Einarr stood, grabbed Frey’s elbow and walked her toward the door. If she was leaving him tomorrow, he wanted to enjoy every last moment with her behind a closed door.
12
Frey allowed Einarr to lead her out of the courtroom and back down the hallway. As he seemed to know where he was going, she didn’t argue, her mind still too busy trying to come to terms with what had happened. She’d heard Senator Ash was an exceptional man, but she hadn’t expected him to turn out to be her own personal savior.
“Here.” Einarr guided her through a door and shut it behind them. “Can you secure it against everyone?”
“Yes.” She pressed her hand to the security panel and realigned the locks without really thinking and realized they were back in the room they’d shared before Aki had woken up.
Frey sank down on the side of the bed and closed her eyes as Einarr disappeared into the attached bathroom. She heard water running and then he was beside her again, kneeling on the floor, a cloth in his hands. He carefully washed her face and then let the cloth fall to the floor.
“Frey?”
She stared down at him. “I am so glad you are with me,” she said simply. “When I realized that I might lose all knowledge of you, I…” She shook her head. “I realized how stupid I’d been, and how cowardly and—”
He put his finger on her lips. “You are no coward. You fought for me in your own way.” He sighed. “I am the one who should be apologizing. I could not save you. If Ash hadn’t arrived, the guards would probably have shot Aki and me, and you would be on your way to prison. But when you called out to me…despite everything, I could not stop myself from coming to your aid.”
She reached down to cup his cheek. “And I couldn’t stop calling out to you to save me. I realized I would rather die alongside you than be taken away to die alone.”
He turned his face into her palm and kissed it. “Then we are both fools.”
“I think we’ve already agreed on that. Will you be okay? I mean all right when I’m in Pavlovan?”
He grimaced. “I will miss you greatly, but I will survive the separation if I know you will return to me.”
“And what if you change your mind and realize I’m not the right person for you?” Frey took a deep breath. “We hardly know each other really, do we? And you might feel differently when you are more familiar with this world.”
“Frey.” He held her gaze. “I know you.”
“Only for a couple of Earth weeks.”
“Weeks? Don’t you understand, my love? I’ve been waiting for you for four thousand years.”
“Oh,” she breathed.
“I was barely aware when I was trapped in the ice. Sometimes, I felt a wisp of emotion, or a sense of someone, but when I felt you…” He let out a breath. “I had no choice, but to force myself back to life. For you…”
“I don’t deserve such devotion. I’m just a plain, boring old science officer with nothing in particular to be proud of.” She paused. “Apart from the way I shouted down that judge at my trial, and when I saved you on the ship and—” She looked down at him. “Maybe I’m not such a wuss after all.”
“I am not sure what a wuss is, but you are the bravest woman I have ever met.” He pressed a kiss to her knee. “May I make love to you? If we are to be apart, I wish to have good memories to keep me strong.”
She opened her arms wide, and he came down over her, pushing her onto the mattress, his big solid body covering her entirely. With a soft sound, he drew her arms over her head and held them at the wrist in one easy grip.
“Will you think of me when you are at home?” He nudged her knees apart with his thigh and resumed his position between them, the hard ridge of his shaft now wedged against her sex.
“Yes.”
He rocked his hips. “Will you dream of me?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her nose and then her forehead before making his way down to her mouth and possessing it. She responded immediately, her body aroused and her mind reaching out to his. This time she had no barriers or self-doubt. He was her other half, or was that her other third? And be damned to all the problems they would undoubtedly face. They would meet them together.
He released her hands and started to undress her, placing kisses on each piece of skin he uncovered until she was rubbing against him and demanding more. When she was completely naked, he rose over her and stripped, throwing his clothes to the floor to join hers in an untidy heap. As she watched hi
s strong body emerge, she shivered with need. His skin was scarred from battles long past and his muscles bulged and flexed as he moved. She raised a languid hand and traced the black pattern of the tattoo that ran up his left arm.
He lowered himself over her and she caught the scent of leather and the sea and moaned out loud as he licked her nipple into his mouth and caressed the other one between his finger and thumb.
“My woman.”
His hand slid between her spread thighs and he murmured his pleasure as his fingers encountered her slick readiness.
“You want me.”
There was a hint of dark satisfaction in his voice that didn’t offend her at all. Despite being thrust into a completely new world, Einarr had known what he’d wanted from the first moment he’d seen her. One had to admire that in a man and especially in a life mate.
“Take me inside you, then.”
The crown of his cock nudged her clit and then slid downward and inward, filling her so completely that she sighed with pleasure and brought her legs high around his hips. He pushed deep and held still, the throb of his shaft mimicking the beat of his heart and the sensation of him inside her head.
She angled her hips, inviting him deeper, and then gasped as he started to pump harder, each thrust nailing her to the bed. She wrapped herself around him as tightly as she could, absorbing his movements and opening herself up to him. His scent filled her nostrils and she licked his throat and then bit him, sending a shudder through his frame and increasing his frantic pace.
“Come for me.”
His fingers slid between them and he stroked her clit with his callused thumb until she forgot everything but the pleasure and the need in a shattering climax. Even as she tried to relax, he cupped her ass in his big hands and angled her higher against the roll of his hips. Each stroke of his cock pounded against her clit until there was nothing but a thin blue light of ecstasy connecting and reforming them into one entity that could never be broken.
