by Celia Kyle
Twelve
The two-way mirror between Sevith and their Oso was thick, the sort used to separate potentially violent beings from one another during Drokten interrogations. Sevith sat on the left side of a small table. Hiren sat to his right and that damn secretary sat across from them, droning on.
“. . . and we have concerns regarding security clearances after a background check,” the male was saying, “but municipal intelligence has given us digital dossiers on the various businesses and . . .”
Secretary Wells discussed security concerns that subordinates had already fixed, health precautions that were already taken care of, and administrative odds and ends that even the most elderly Drokten statesperson wouldn’t bother wasting breath on.
Like many human meetings, this was a waste of time.
Sevith kept an eye on Jenna through the mirror. She was seated in a corner in such a way that his view of her was blocked, only allowing him a visual of the back of the male aide who spoke with her. This wasn’t optimal. He’d much rather be able to see his mate completely, to know she was safe and happy. Especially since neither he nor his Bahn could fully sense her due to their lack of proximity and full mating bond.
He truly did not think any real danger could come to her here of all places, but he had an uneasy feeling that was difficult to subdue. If he focused on her with all his mind’s ability, he could almost pick up faint twinges of anxiety from Jenna. Was she anxious due to their separation? He’d promised her that she wouldn’t be placed into a cell again and she wasn’t in a cell, but in a conference room. He could visually see her, but still, they were separated, and he felt uncomfortable. Based on what little he could glean from his connection to Jenna, his Oso was uneasy as well.
How long do we allow this farce to continue? Sevith spoke to Hiren through their mind link.
Until we find a reasonable exit, his Bahn replied. But I am concerned as to why this fool is trying to keep our attention. He knows who we are. It isn’t as if he can simply take Jenna.
He would have my blade across his throat, Sevith responded, shifting casually in his seat, bloodlust burning for release.
Can you sense her? Hiren asked.
Sevith was closer to the mirror than his Bahn, giving him a slight advantage. Yes, but barely. I cannot see her fully either.
Hmmm. I will converse with the secretary. You keep watch on our female.
Yes, Sevith confirmed.
The human aide in the room with her still spoke to Jenna. Sevith couldn’t visually confirm either of their features or read their expressions. He felt a faint spike of fear from her and his nostrils flared. She was intimidated. Why would she feel this way? Now that she was about to be their Oso, she should never feel fear. Ever.
“Which brings me,” Wells changed his tone and leaned back in his chair, “to why I brought you both in here. I wanted to know whether you would be open to revisiting some of the potential mates we assembled for your consideration. I know you seem to favor that serving girl you found at the party, but believe me, other women on this planet would be a much better match.”
“No,” Sevith spoke without missing a beat, “that is not—”
Hiren shot Sevith a stern look with hard eyes and lips slightly turned down into a frown. It probably appeared to Wells that Hiren was giving him a silent order to reconsider. His Bahn, however, had other plans.
Indulge him, Hiren advised over their mental link. Keep the human thinking we’re interested in what he has to say long enough to see why he wants to separate us from Jenna.
Sevith clenched his jaw and glanced again at their Oso out of the corner of his eye, still unable to confirm her safety or fully understand her thoughts and emotions. He hated being cut off from her in this way. She was part of their triad, after all. They were no longer two, but three. All that was left was the final binding.
No, let’s end this travesty now, Sevith answered, ready to stand and walk next door to claim their female.
Wait for the prey to reveal its strategy and then strike and rip its head off when it thinks it is prepared to bite, Hiren countered. Then he said out loud, “You must understand that what you are asking is greatly complicated, Secretary Wells. We are not humans. We cannot simply ‘change our mind’ among our own kind. But it is also true that we do not know everything about human and Drokten mating. I find it hard to believe that you have a more suitable female, but we will listen to what you say.”
“Well, if suitability is a question,” Wells feigned delight and brought forth his tablet, “then here, let’s review some of these pictures of the other females we had lined up for you… Now, this first candidate is—”
He is obviously showing us trained human operatives he wants to plant in our midst. Does he really think the Drokten will fall for this rudimentary spying? Sevith mentally scoffed.
Yes, Hiren answered, he does. And now we know Jenna was being honest when she warned us about a faction of disgruntled humans deploying agents to spy on us.
There was another a faint disturbance from the next room, a spike in Jenna’s emotions that drew Sevith’s attention. Sevith looked over and eyed the aide that still talked to his mate. The male took something out and showed it to Jenna. Whatever it was, it distressed her deeply. She let out a visible gasp of horror.
Sevith threw his head back and let out a mighty roar.
No more.
He stood, causing the table to flip and roll aside.
“What in the name—” Wells barked.
Every cell in Sevith’s body worked in tandem. Protect our Oso. He leapt forward toward the glass and put his entire weight through the two-way mirror, launching himself through the barrier that separated him from their female. He crashed through the surface with ease, sending shards of glass flying as he landed in a tucked roll.
Someone screamed.
Deeper voices yelled in distress.
Sevith ignored it all, only having eyes for their Oso.
Sevith rose to his full height and found that Hiren was at his side, both Azi and Bahn prepared to fight together for the safety of their Oso. As it should be.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Wells shouted after them through the gaping hole in the mirror.
Sevith watched as Hiren took a shaking Jenna into his arms and cupped her distressed face in his claws. Her skin was pale, eyes flooded with moisture, and lips trembled. Unacceptable. “Are you hurt? Did this male injure you in some way?” his Bahn asked.
If he did, he would die. Slowly. Painfully.
“What? N…no,” she stammered, gently shaking her head still in Hiren’s careful grasp. “I’m okay.”
“Good.” Sevith answered, though he was not sure he believed Jenna’s words. “Because if you were hurt, this would be a kill strike.” Then Sevith strode to the male who’d dared upset his female. The male he’d left his Oso with, only for him to cause her distress. Couldn’t any of these humans be trusted to do the simplest of tasks? Sevith grabbed the human by the neck and lifted him clear off his feet. He advanced to the opposite wall and slammed him against the hard surface. Closing what little distance remained between them, he tightened his grasp.
“What did you do to her?” Sevith demanded, releasing the aide’s neck and holding him up by the collar instead so he could talk. “I saw you doing something to upset her. What did you say to Jenna? Speak!”
“I… I didn’t do anything!” the aide pleaded, staring desperately behind Sevith for support from the secretary.
“Espinosa!” Wells barked. “You’ve clearly upset the Drokten and our guest. I left you in here to watch over the girl and to make her comfortable. Yet the commander thinks you’ve upset her. Explain yourself!”
Sevith was surprised to hear Wells snapping at his aide instead of the two Drokten who caused so much damage to the building. This was unusual.
“I was just telling Miss Perry that her pay for the night she worked at Drokten Main was delayed!” the aide gasped, still s
truggling against Sevith’s iron grip in vain. “With this ordeal still in the works, it—cough—might be another week for the paperwork to process! Ask her!”
Sevith reached with his mind to connect with his Oso and felt something more interesting still.
Jenna was about to lie to him—to them. Interesting.
He wasn’t sure how he knew, but it was obvious the words about to leave her lips were not reality.
“He’s telling the truth,” Jenna said after a moment’s hesitation. “Mr. Espinosa said payroll would be tied up until they can clear me and release my pay. It was upsetting to me because I was hoping to get paid earlier and I have bills to cover.”
His Oso would not meet his gaze, her eyes firmly on the marble-tiled ground instead of him. What was wrong with her? Sevith opened his mouth to call out the lie, only to snap his teeth together when Hiren’s voice entered his mind.
No, his Bahn thundered. Don’t say anything. Yes, she’s lying to us, but let it go for now.
Sevith glared at him. Why?
True, he’d promised not to use their mind link and speak with Hiren without Jenna’s knowledge, but this was an emergency situation—for the safety of their Oso.
We can sort out her lies on the Avash, Hiren explained. We have to back her up for now, or this situation will worsen.
“… Fine,” Sevith said out loud after a moment and slowly lowered the aide until his feet touched the ground once more. “I will accept my female’s statement. But do not again cause her even a moment’s distress.”
The human rubbed his neck and skulked back to his place at Wells’ side, looking at Sevith as if he were a wild animal. In truth, when it came to their Oso, Sevith would act like the most feral of beasts to protect her.
“I apologize,” Wells said in a smooth tone, “not all of our staff have been properly trained in cross-cultural decorum. “Shall we… ah… see if another meeting room is available?”
Thirteen
Hiren opened the door to the conference room while Sevith scooped Jenna into his arms as if she were light as a feather.
“Ooh,” Jenna gasped, still completely unused to the way these two marched through life with the confidence of battle-hardened super soldiers.
She sensed the raw, brute strength of Sevith’s inhuman body as he carried her out of the room and down the hall. It was so effortless for him. The bulging muscles of his blue arms barely tensed.
She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face as the two Drokten completely ignored the secretary and left him in their wake. This whole crazy situation was like something straight out of a superhero action movie.
“I can’t believe what you did back there,” she said, wrapping her arms around Sevith’s corded neck.
“Believe it,” he gritted.
A snort escaped her lips.
Two impossibly huge Drokten warriors hurtling through a wall of glass? Unbelievable. She’d screamed with fright and then managed to calm down only when Hiren tenderly pulled her into his massive arms and checked on her safety.
So sweet. Sevith had use his unholy strength to yet again wipe the floor with some asshole daring to treat her like crap. These two were an odd combination of brute force and gentle compassion.
And then all the horrible shit that went down back in that room prior to Sevith’s grand entrance flooded into her mind and she bit her lip.
These two males were now so very concerned about her and her safety, but how would they react if they found out her fellow humans were blackmailing her, and she was contemplating betraying the Drokten in order to protect her brother and sister? If these two had lost their minds over sensing her tense conversation with the secretary’s aide… She shuddered to think how angry they’d be if she was truly forced to betray them. Would they still protect a “mate” who was leaking secrets to their adversaries? How would they react to that sort of news?
That question alone was enough to scare the hell out of her.
But for now, she focused on their destination rather than on the threats made by the aide. “Where are we going?” Jenna asked, peering up at Sevith’s stern face.
“To the Avash.”
She blinked. “We’re going to your battleship, right now? How are we getting there?”
“We have a transport at our disposal on the rooftop,” Hiren answered, his long strides easily keeping up with Sevith’s determined gait.
Jenna’s eyes widened at his response. They were on their way to a shuttle? She’d seen those awe-inspiring transports blasting off into the sky from the rooftop of Drokten Main a zillion times, but she’d never thought she’d be one of those rare people invited to actually be inside of one. “We can get there and back in time for me to be home when Noah and Bea get out of school this afternoon?”
“Yes.”
“Hold on,” someone yelled from behind them.
“Uh oh,” Jenna muttered. The secretary’s entourage was catching up quickly.
Sevith headed straight for the elevator, moving fast enough to put distance between their trio and the people trying to overtake them, but not so fast as to disturb any others milling about in the hallway. Hiren pressed the elevator call button and the slick metal doors parted, allowing them to hurry inside.
“Now, wait just a minute! We need to…” one of the secretary’s aides shouted, but his words were cut off as the doors shut.
Sevith held her tightly in his arms and against his bare chest as they quietly rode the elevator to the top floor. It was a position that she really, really loved—the steady beat of his heart under her palm—and she knew it pacified him, having her so near. The strong commander noticeably relaxed a little now that they were on their way, but she could sense that Hiren still burned with a frenetic, stressful energy that worried her.
When the doors parted, the two warriors strode briskly onto the open rooftop of Drokten Main. Sevith pounded across the wide expanse, still carrying her like a damsel from a tale of old. Jenna gaped at the clear sky arching overhead and the glinting skyscrapers spiking nearby. The wind whipped around them, picking up tendrils of Jenna’s long blonde hair so they floated around her face like a makeshift halo.
A small shuttle waited mere yards away, and her heart pounded as they rushed aboard. Sevith set her down on her feet and moved directly to the command center, scowling darkly as he set course.
Jenna looked around at the interior and noticed there were at least six seats to choose from.
Hiren reached out and firmly took hold of her hand. “Sit with me.”
She smiled in agreement and a delicious shiver raced down her spine as he gently tugged her down to sit directly beside him. He reached over and secured both of their safety belts.
She looked around and swallowed hard. It was so freaking high-tech and obviously “alien.” “I’ve never been in one of these shuttles before,” she admitted. She’d lived her whole life on planet Earth, never once leaving, or thinking she’d ever have the opportunity to go beyond the clouds. Boarding this shuttle was both exciting and frightening at the same time.
“I know,” Hiren answered. “Most humans have never left their home world, and very few of you have been aboard any of our ships.” He wrapped her small hand within his large claw and met her eyes. “But, don’t worry, my Oso, this will be a short trip. The Avash is orbiting the planet. My Azi and I are both happy for the opportunity to show you where we live. Thank you for coming with us for a tour of the place we hope you will find acceptable as the new home for you and your siblings.”
“Okay,” she whispered. Damn, they were getting so much better at convincing her to stay. They’d actually been listening to her and thinking of her needs.
And meanwhile, what were their needs? Had she ever taken the time to think of what would make these two men happy?
They’d been so focused on her, and she’d been determined to remind them of her dedication to Noah and Bea. But, what did Sevith and Hiren need from her? She supposed they�
�d need a wife who didn’t betray them. Duh. Which she wasn’t sure she could provide for them just yet.
Guilt washed through her. But what else did they need?
They’d come from a planet where most of the women had been wiped out due to disease, which was terrible. Horrific. Of course, having a wife and future children would be their priority—a dream come true for them.
And did she want the same?
Did she want Sevith and Hiren as not just boyfriends, but as her husbands and to become pregnant with their half-Drokten, half-human baby? Jenna exhaled as images of darling babies with blue skin danced in her mind. Yes, she did want that. She wasn’t opposed to it in the least. Not that she was ready to fully bear her heart yet to these two men… And also, how could any of this work considering she still needed to protect Noah and Bea from the secretary’s machinations by turning herself into a spy. She couldn’t join their triad while she carried the burden of these damaging secrets. “You’re welcome,” she smiled back, squeezing Hiren’s rough claw. “Thank you for inviting me and thinking of my brother and sister.”
Hiren narrowed his eyes at her and seemed to stare straight into her soul. She did her best to keep her face blank and her thoughts on kittens and puppies.
Meanwhile, the thrusters powered up. “Oh my gosh.” She placed her other hand on her stomach, which tingled as they began their ascent. She continued to hold on to Hiren’s claw with a death grip, and he didn’t complain once.
Finally, the shuttle’s speed seemed to even out and she relaxed.
Jeez, every moment spent in the company of these two offered new and exciting experiences. Her life had been overwhelmed with the minute details of mundane subsistence. After the invasion and the rebuilding afterward, there’d been no opportunity for college or the life trajectory she’d been thinking of prior to the attack by the Zignill. She’d instead rolled through life with blinders on, her attention firmly on the next bill coming due, the next paycheck, the next gig. Her schedule was usually so jam-packed with duties, responsibilities, and obligations that she scarcely had time to eat, sleep, and bathe on time. Much less consider the wild fantasies such as the one she currently rode out.