by S. E. Smith
“Stand ready with your weapons on stun. We cannot kill them but if they have changed into another form and attack I want you to be ready,” Jarak ordered, looking at the gold symbiots of the men standing nearby to help should they need them. “I want you to be ready for anything.”
The men positioned themselves in the narrow corridor. Jarak pulled his weapon and nodded to one of the men to open the door. He started forward only to jerk to a stop in disbelief, the hand holding his weapon fell to his side as he looked around the tiny living space.
“What the…?” Jarak asked as his eyes widened in amazement.
The room was crawling with Maratts and Grombots. Both were considered a rare, delicious delicacy to Valdier dragons. Just the sight of them had his mouth watering. His eyes swung to where the female called Ariel was sitting on the narrow bed rocking one of the creatures in her arms, surrounded by a dozen more. There were creatures hopping out of the bathroom and on every available surface. A Grombot was wrapped around her shoulders, peeking through her wild tangle of hair. His eyes moved to the short haired female who was feeding pieces of fruit to a couple of the creatures on the small table.
“Go away!” Ariel snapped out in fear. “You get your greedy little eyes off my babies!”
Jarak didn’t think these females could confuse him any more than they already had but he was wrong. Now, the long haired female was claiming one of their most sought after delicacies as her babies. He closed his eyes and fought back a groan which came out more as a growl from his dragon. The damn thing wanted to gorge itself on the tasty creatures.
Not now, control yourself, Jarak muttered to his dragon desperately.
I want to eat! Taste good. Want now! His dragon fought back, drooling.
Ariel and Carmen’s eyes widened as they heard a rumbling of growls fill the corridor starting with the head of security. All the creatures in their room started bolting for cover. Ariel looked frantically at Carmen who was shooing the creatures into the bathroom as fast as she could. Ariel handed Carmen the one in her arms.
“Protect them,” Ariel whispered to her sister while she picked up one of the towels and began twirling it around until it was twisted.
Carmen nodded and finished getting the last ones into the bathroom. “I will.”
“Where did you…? How did you…?” Jarak stammered out through a partially shifted face.
He was having a hard time controlling his dragon. It wanted to chase after its favorite snack. He stumbled when several of the men behind him pushed forward as their dragons fought to get to the creatures as well. He was about to lose control of the situation if he did not get his men and the females out of the room as soon as possible. Then, he was going to find out how the damn things got on-board the V’ager and string the warrior up by his balls!
Jarak’s train of thought was brought back to the situation at hand when he felt a sharp sting on the tip of his nose. “Get back…you…you monster! You are not going to harm a single hair on any of these poor, sweet creatures, do you hear me?” Ariel growled out snapping the rolled up towel painfully at Jarak who was being pushed into the room.
“Get back!” Jarak growled out to the men behind him as he fought to get away from the snapping towel. “Blast you, get back!” He yelped as Ariel popped him on the tip of his nose again.
The men fell backwards into the corridor fighting for control of their dragons. Ariel moved forward snapping the towel with the ease of an experienced warrior wielding a sword. She snapped at any of the men who were close enough to reach. She had learned this little trick from Trisha and they often had towel fights growing up.
Jarak put his hands up in surrender. “Little human, I do not know where you got the…” Jarak paused, trying to think of the best way to handle the situation. “…Maratts and Grombots from but I will not harm them if you put down your…drying cloth,” Jarak said in resignation.
Ariel stopped snapping the towel long enough to look at Jarak warily. “Do you swear? On your life?” Ariel added with a dark scowl.
Jarak nodded his head in despair. He really couldn’t wait to get rid of the females. He was more than ready for a nice pirate ship or rebel Curizan warship to attack them. At least he knew how to handle those threats. These females continued to confuse him and drive him insane. He hoped the royal family knew what they were doing.
“I promise,” Jarak responded. “The commander has requested that you and your sister be brought to the transporter room. We are in orbit around Valdier. The other females will be there as well.”
Ariel lowered her towel slowly. “Okay,” Ariel said reluctantly. “But, I want your word that you will transport all these animals down with me to the planet.”
Jarak looked at Carmen who was standing in the doorway trying to keep the Maratts and Grombots from escaping. Shaking his head, he replied firmly. “I will need to place them in cages first,” he held up his hand when Ariel started to protest. “So they can safely be transported to you. I will have them delivered to your living quarters at the palace,” Jarak said as he fought back a grin at the payback the royal family was about to face.
It would serve them right for finding the irritating but fascinating females in the first place. He would need to visit the palace to see how things worked out. He might also be interested in finding a mate for himself. He had to admit, his life had never been so interesting or exciting as it had since the females were brought aboard.
Ariel looked at Carmen who stood in the doorway to the bathroom. Carmen shrugged her shoulders letting Ariel know it was her decision. Ariel looked back at Jarak who was blocking the doorway leading into their living quarters. An occasional soft growl was still coming from the corridor behind him.
“You promise?” Ariel whispered.
Jarak took one look at the huge, dark brown eyes looking at him with her heart shining in them and knew he was doomed. What was it about these damn females that tore a hardened warrior up and made him weak? Was this what Zoran, Trelon, and Kelan felt when their mates looked at them? Jarak studied the deceptively delicate female in front of him and knew at that moment he would do everything he could to make her happy.
“I swear on my honor as a Valdier warrior, my lady,” Jarak said quietly.
Jarak was stunned when Ariel flew across the room and hugged him tightly to her. “Oh, thank you,” she whispered against his chest before rising up on her toes to give him a light kiss on his cheek.
Jarak touched his cheek as Ariel pulled away with a huge smile on her face. Jarak groaned inwardly. He might be the next warrior in medical because he was seriously thinking of trying to see if this little warrior was his mate. He half thought about calling to his symbiot to see if it would accept her. His dragon seemed to love her as it was pushing to rub up against her. Either that or she smelled like the Maratts and Grombots.
“Turek!” Jarak growled out.
“Yes sir,” Turek said pushing to the front.
“Pick two other warriors to help you cage these damn creatures. No one is to eat any of them, do you understand? Prepare them for transport to the palace,” Jarak said gruffly before turning to Ariel and Carmen. “Please follow me to the transporter room. All of them will be cared for until you arrive,” Jarak promised.
“Thank you,” Ariel said softly moving pass the crowd of warriors who were looking longingly into the room.
Carmen came out growling at the warriors. They pushed against each other in an effort to get away from her. “I don’t want my big sister upset, do you understand? I’ll rip every man’s dick off and shove it down his throat if one of those creatures is missing, capisce?” Carmen said elbowing some of the men who didn’t get out of the way fast enough.
Chapter 6
Mandra bit back a snarl of frustration. Zoran contacted him two nights ago wanting him to set up a dinner for the females. He asked that Mandra also have their mother, Morian, help plan it by inviting males desiring to mate. Mandra assumed the females must be havin
g an exceptionally difficult time with the transition from the strained look on all of his brothers’ faces. He shook his head wondering how their people were ever to survive. His brothers’ true mating with a species that was so fragile they were causing his brothers to worry and fret could not be good. He was thankful that Zoran suggested he invite others in a hope of helping the two remaining females find their mates. Perhaps, if his mother could find two males who could protect them it would help them with their transition on Valdier.
He did not know what his brothers would do if the females didn’t survive. Just the thought of them not making it tore at Mandra. Normally, if one true mate dies, then often the other soon followed. The idea of losing three of his brothers because they true mated with a weaker species worried him greatly. He would need to speak with his mother about being there to help the females as much as possible. Perhaps he could request they keep the healers on call at all times.
In addition to this worry, the thought of him and Creon as the only males of the royal line who would more than likely be responsible for the continuation of their family felt like a heavy weight upon his shoulders. There was one other way a Valdier warrior of his lineage could produce offspring…he could mate with another royal like his parents did. Unfortunately, the one female that came to mind drew a shudder from him. Clarmisa was beautiful but about as desirable as a rock. There was no way his symbiot would ever accept her. Hell, his dragon shuddered every time she touched him. Mandra suppressed a shudder of his own wondering if he could even force his shaft to stay hard long enough to mate with her.
“Why the heavy frown, Mandra?” Creon asked coming up beside him as he walked down the corridor to the transporter room which was based inside the palace.
“I was just thinking of Clarmisa,” Mandra said with a grimace.
Creon’s face distorted with distaste. “Why would you be thinking of her?”
Mandra glanced at Creon with a shake of his head. “If the females are as weak as we suspect, the responsibility for breeding will fall to you and me. If we cannot find a true mate, our only option is to mate with another of the royal line like mother and father did,” Mandra said calmly.
“Gods and Goddesses!” Creon said with a shudder. “Surely they cannot be so cruel?” Creon forced out.
“I hope not but do not have much faith. You have talked with Zoran, Trelon, and Kelan. What do you think?” Mandra asked as he focused on the path ahead of him.
“I think I am ready to go start a war with the Sarafin,” Creon muttered under his breath. “It would be more enjoyable than being mated to Clarmisa.”
Mandra chuckled. “I think I’ll join you.”
“Where are you headed?” Creon asked suddenly frowning as he followed his older brother.
“Trelon says there has been a slight problem getting a couple of the females off of the V’ager. He asked that we meet him in the transporter room. It appears the two females are very protective of the tiny one he has claimed and he is worried they might become very upset when he takes her,” Mandra muttered. “I just hope they are not crying. I hate dealing with emotional females.”
Creon shuddered. “I think I would much rather start a war with both the Sarafin and the Curizan than deal with that. Maybe I can talk to Ha’ven about having a mock war until the last two females are mated.”
“Well, you are going to have to deal with it because they are going to be here before you can create your make-believe war. There are two of them so I need help and you are it. One is bad enough! Two is more than even I can handle,” Mandra said grabbing his brother’s arm when he moved to turn around. “Besides, you owe me.”
“Not enough to deal with a whining female!” Creon complained remembering the last time Clarmisa had visited. She had cried every time she had a hair out of place or the food wasn’t to her liking or it was too hot or too cold. “You are going to owe me for this one, brother.”
..*
Ariel watched Cara closely. She could see the shadows in her tiny friend’s eyes. Something had happened that had hurt her friend deeply. Ariel’s eyes narrowed on the huge male trying to catch Cara as she moved around the transporter console asking a million and one questions. She knew Cara well enough to know when she was trying to put on a good front. Ariel glanced at Carmen whose mouth was pressed together tightly. She had recognized it too and was pissed. Not a good combination.
Ariel walked over and gently touched Cara’s shoulder. “You okay?” She asked.
“What? Oh, yeah… just miles away is all,” Cara responded with a sad, forced smile.
“Don’t worry,” Ariel said as she walked with Cara toward the platform. “We’ll figure out a way to get home,” Ariel whispered and glanced at Carmen as she came up silently on the other side of Cara. She smiled when Carmen nodded her head in agreement.
Cara nodded, throwing a glance at Trelon who was staring at her grimly. “Okay,” she agreed with quiet determination.
Ariel wrapped her arm around Cara and hugged her before stepping back as one of the guards responded to Trelon’s nod. Ariel threw the huge male a nasty glare warning him he was treading on thin ice. She was ready to kick his ass for messing with Cara’s emotions. Cara had been through enough without some sorry-ass alien thinking he could jerk her around.
..*
Trelon desperately hoped Mandra got his message. He hadn’t been very clear, just that he needed help distracting the other two females while he spirited Cara away to his living quarters long enough to get her to listen to him and forgive him. The looks the two females were giving him right now promised he would be spending the next couple of days in medical if he didn’t move fast enough.
He was still in shock after finding out about their latest escapade from Jarak. How on Valdier they could have a fortune worth of Maratts and Grombots inside their living quarters was beyond him. Jarak didn’t even know how they were able to get them since it appeared they never left the tiny room assigned to them. His brother Kelan suspected one of the warriors snuck them aboard during their brief stop on the Madaris Spaceport but he couldn’t be sure until he or Jarak had a chance to review the acquisition forms. Right now though, that was the least of Trelon’s concerns. He needed to get Cara somewhere she couldn’t escape, at least for a little while.
Trelon nodded to the two guards standing beside the females. The short haired one turned and snapped her teeth at one of the guards who looked like he was half in love with her. Ariel looked at the one who moved toward her and rubbed a fist into the palm of her hand. The man’s step faltered for a moment before he sighed and stepped back.
Ariel looked at her sister then at Cara letting her know as soon as they made it planet-side they were taking Cara under their wing. Carmen nodded silently in agreement. Ariel stepped up onto the transporter platform and turned to look in stony silence at the men looking at her and Carmen with a combination of lust, admiration, and resignation. Then, everything blurred.
..*
Ariel swayed for a moment as everything came back into focus. She found herself in a large room filled with almost a dozen men. She looked around for just a moment trying to get her bearings before she moved. Her head turned sharply when she heard Cara’s startled squeal.
“Hey, let her go!” Ariel yelled when she saw the huge male called Trelon snatching Cara up and carrying her off the platform at almost a run.
“Son-of-a-bitch!” Carmen cursed out behind her.
“Grab them!” Trelon shouted over his shoulder as he carried a struggling Cara out before the women could stop him.
..*
Mandra had walked into the transporter room listening as one of the men explained Zoran and his mate had already departed for their living quarters. Mandra nodded distractedly. He wanted to meet Zoran’s mate in person but could understand Zoran’s concern for his mate’s health so he wasn’t necessarily surprised he missed them. He was delayed by some new, disturbing information he received from one of his informants about
the attack on Zoran. He would have to share the information later with his other brothers. He preferred not to tell them over the V’ager’s communication system for fear of it being intercepted as it appeared they had a traitor among them.
He glanced over to where Creon was talking to several other warriors. His brother was very good at getting information and was probably trying to gauge how much trouble the new females would be. He saw his brother’s look of astonishment followed by a look of doubt. Whatever he was being told it must not be very good.
Mandra walked toward the transporter console. He stopped when he saw his brother Trelon and the three females he had asked him to come meet materialize. One of the females was so small she wasn’t much larger than some of their youth. Mandra was shaking his head in disappointment when Trelon suddenly erupted into motion startling him. Mandra reacted without thinking when his brother yelled for him to grab the other two females.
Mandra moved to intercept the female with the long golden sheath of hair hanging down her back while his brother moved to catch the other one. The moment his dragon caught sight of her, it erupted into a wild frenzy inside of him, pushing at him to get out. Mandra stumbled for a moment not expecting his dragon’s sudden demand to be set free. He reached out an arm to grab the female as she came toward him but she swung around at the last moment in a sudden move that left him stunned. Mandra felt his head snap back as her booted foot connected with his chin sending him flying into several other men. He fell backwards looking up in stunned disbelief as she dashed past him and through the door after Trelon.
“My Lord, are you hurt?” One of the men asked startled.
Mandra jerked loose of the arms holding him with a dark snarl. He glanced at his brother who was circling the short haired female. His eyes widened as she suddenly attacked his younger brother using lightning fast moves he had never seen before. Mandra rubbed his aching chin and pushed off after the other female with a grunt to the men looking around him in confusion.