by S. E. Smith
He cleared his throat and gave Kelan a small smile. “Well, son, my daughter once promised me if she ever went to the stars she would take me with her. When do we leave?” He asked gruffly.
“Oh, Daddy,” Trisha breathed out, looking up at him with a huge, relieved smile.
“How about we go into the house?” Paul asked hesitantly. “I could use a cup of coffee and you can tell me about what happened.”
*.*.*
Paul sat back in his chair and sipped his tepid coffee. After they had returned to the house, Trisha had explained that Kelan would need to insert a translator behind each of his ears so he could communicate with him. Paul had sat perfectly still, his fists clenched as Kelan pulled out a slender metal tube and pressed it behind each ear.
“Can you understand what I am saying?” Kelan asked quietly.
Paul’s eyes jerked around, narrowing as the deep, slightly accented voice washed over him. He knew the words coming out of the other male’s mouth were not English but in his mind, he could understand him. He gave a short, curt nod before clearing his throat. His eyes went back to Trisha when she reached over and squeezed his hand.
“What happened?” He asked huskily. “When I found out you were missing, I joined the search. I found the cabin the Shelby Sheriff, Clay Thomas, used. He had killed four other women. When….” He paused to draw in a deep breath. “When I found the first grave I was terrified it was you. With each grave….” He broke off again as the memory washed through him.
“Cara, Ariel, and Carmen are fine,” Trisha assured him. “Cara and Carmen saw the Sheriff kidnap Abby. Carmen took off on her motorcycle after them while Cara hotwired Abby’s truck so we could follow. The Sheriff stabbed Carmen when she tried to stop him.” Trisha’s voice broke as she remembered Carmen’s battered body lying on the muddy road.
Kelan immediately placed his hands on Trisha’s shoulders in support before looking down at Paul. “My brothers and I were also in pursuit of the male. Abby is my brother Zoran’s mate. He felt her pain and fear. We arrived but not before Carmen was mortally wounded. We had no other choice but to transport all of the women to our warship. Zoran would not have left without Abby and the other women had seen too much.” He looked down tenderly at Trisha and smiled. “My dragon and I knew the moment we saw Trisha that she was our mate. I would not have left without her either once I saw her. I could not.”
“Your dragon?” Paul asked, his eyes narrowing in disbelief before he remembered the scale tucked safely in the front pocket of his shirt. He reached up and drew it out, carefully unwrapping it. “Is this yours?”
Trisha bit her bottom lip as she looked back and forth between her father and Kelan. She felt Kelan squeeze her shoulders in reassurance. He nodded briefly before letting her continue.
“Kelan is a dragon shifter,” Trisha began hesitantly. “He, and now I, can transform into dragons.”
“The scale you have belongs to my brother Zoran. He is the leader of the Valdier since the murder of our father,” Kelan added.
Paul’s throat worked up and down as he stared back and forth between his daughter and the male standing protectively behind her. His mind worked through all the information he had gathered during his investigation. The unusual scale that appeared to belong to an unknown creature, the heat and precision of the fire that burned the body of Clay Thomas and the trees, the tracks that he had not shown to the investigators, and what Edna Grey had told him were all adding up to a clearer picture.
He looked down at his empty coffee cup before looking back up at Trisha. “Are you happy with him?” Paul asked, staring intently into his daughter’s dark brown eyes. “Are you sure you want to stay with him?”
A low growl escaped Kelan at Paul’s questions. His eyes narrowed dangerously as his dragon and he sensed that the big male across from him would not hesitate to fight him if Trisha wanted to remain on her world. The gold symbiot on his and Trisha’s arms moved restlessly as the tension mounted. Kelan sent a command to his symbiot to come. He wouldn’t kill the male because he knew that would hurt his mate but he would not let him take Trisha away from them either.
“Kelan,” Trisha murmured softly in rebuke before turning back to her dad. “I’m very happy with him. I told you, he makes me feel complete – whole. I can’t remember ever feeling this way except when you and I are out in the mountains. Even then, it is nothing like what I feel now. And yes, I do want to stay with him. I love him very much.”
Paul relaxed back into his seat with a nod. His eyes swept over Trisha, stopping on her rounded stomach again as the fear for her health came back. “The baby?” He asked looking at her before turning his eyes to Kelan. “The doctors told me it would be too dangerous for her to have children. That it could kill her and the child.”
Kelan was about to respond when the back door to the kitchen snapped open sharply, hitting the wall and a huge, golden creature pushed part way through the entrance. Paul rose fluidly out of his chair and swirled around to face the door and the unusual intruder. His hand was wrapped around the huge knife he kept in a sheath at his waist. He made sure he placed his body between the creature and Trisha.
“Bio!” Trisha called out sharply, standing up behind her dad. “Be nice! This is my daddy. You are not to hurt him,” she said firmly, placing her hand on Paul’s back.
The huge golden symbiot, in the shape of a Were Bear, shivered for a moment before it pulled back its lips to reveal sharp, golden teeth as a warning to Paul. Paul slowly stood up straight, a look of amusement on his face as he studied the creature standing in the middle of his kitchen door.
“She named you, did she?” Paul asked the symbiot warily. “If she named you, you’ve been claimed.”
Bio snorted and pushed the rest of its large body through the door, lumbering up to Paul and rubbing absently against his leg before circling around to where Trisha had sat back down in her chair. It put its massive head as far as it could on her lap and purred as she gently stroked its head.
Kelan’s lips twisted in amusement before he looked at Paul who had turned silently around to watch the display of affection. “She has my symbiot wrapped around her fingers. Even I cannot get close to her if I upset her without it protecting her. My symbiot has the ability to heal me and my mate. There is no danger to Trisha or our son,” Kelan reassured Paul. “I apologize for the surprise.”
Paul sighed heavily as he picked his empty coffee cup up and walked over to the counter to pour more into it. He turned, leaning back against the counter and watched as Kelan moved to sit down at the table next to Trisha. He smothered a grin when the male picked up Trisha’s other hand and threaded his fingers through her slender ones. Since he met him, Kelan seemed unable to go more than a few minutes without touching Trisha.
“It looks like I have a lot to learn,” Paul admitted. “When do you plan on leaving? How is it you are able to visit our world without the military being all over you? How far and how long will it take to get back to your planet? And what in the hell did you mean, your brother is now the ruler since your father was murdered?” He shot out. “Have you caught the bastard who did it and is my little girl in any danger from him?”
Kelan’s eyebrow rose at the last question. Everything in him wanted to deny that Trisha was in danger but he knew couldn’t. He looked at his mate with worried eyes before turning his head back to Paul.
“The man who murdered my father is still at large. He is very dangerous. Before we traveled here, he had kidnapped Trisha and planned to murder her. To kill the mate of one is to kill the other,” Kelan replied honestly.
Paul’s face tightened in concern as he looked at Trisha who had drawn Kelan’s hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “What happened?” He asked tightly.
Kelan stared tenderly into his mate’s eyes for a moment before replying. “My uncle underestimated the training of my mate,” he said lightly before looking at Paul with amusement. “It would appear her father trained her w
ell. She killed three of the men holding her and helped two others who were with her survive on a planet most could not have until I arrived. She is a very skilled warrior.”
Paul couldn’t contain the chuckle as he watched Trisha’s cheeks turn rosy with embarrassment at Kelan’s compliment. “You couldn’t ask for anyone better to be by your side,” he admitted. “You said your uncle was responsible?” He asked as he moved to sit back down at the kitchen table.
Paul, Kelan and Trisha spent the next several hours discussing everything that happened. They went over from the first moment Trisha picked Abby up until their arrival into Earth’s orbit several days before. Paul fixed them all a quick bite to eat while they talked. At one point, he had to excuse himself to take care of a few matters when Samara came to let him know a new foal had been born and his ranch manager, Mason Andrews, came by to go over a few things. Trisha, Kelan and Bio took the time to go upstairs. Trisha wanted to show Kelan some of the things she had saved when she was growing up and start packing items she wanted to take back to Valdier with her.
*.*.*
“Your father has surprised me with his acceptance of what has happened,” Kelan admitted reluctantly as he looked around the small bedroom. “I had expected him to resist more.”
He walked over to pick up a picture of Trisha when she was twelve. She was standing in front of a large group of men dressed in varying shades of green and black. He could tell they must be warriors of her world. She was holding a large bowed weapon in her hands and was dressed just the same as the men. She had a huge smile on her young face while most of the men looked back at the camera with pained expressions on theirs. He sat down on the bed and pulled another book with a picture on the front onto his lap. He opened it and began slowly looking through the images. Each one was of Trisha at different stages in her life. In all of them, she appeared to be the happiest when she was dressed in the dark green and brown clothing and surrounded by thick forests.
Trisha smiled over at Kelan where he sat on the edge of her old, full size bed looking through her picture album. “My dad loves me,” she said simply. “He has always supported me in my decisions, even when he didn’t think they were the right ones.” She turned back to the box of stuff her dad had moved from her apartment after her disappearance.
“Does he think you are making the wrong decision now?” Kelan asked tentatively, looking up at his mate with darkened eyes. His blood heated every time she bent over.
Trisha looked over her shoulder at Kelan in surprise. “No, he likes and respects you. I can tell from the way he talked to you. He never had any respect for Peter. He was always polite but he never opened up to him the way he did with you in the four years I was married.”
Kelan’s lip pulled back in a snarl at the mention of Trisha’s ex-husband. “I want to find this man who hurt you,” he growled out in a deep voice.
Trisha stood up and turned around with her hands on her hips. “You will most certainly not go find him. He is history and doesn’t deserve a second thought,” she said in exasperation. “He lost the power to hurt me a long time ago,” she added.
“That is not true,” Kelan said setting the photo album back on the nightstand. “I saw your fear when I first wanted to claim you. I saw the hurt in your eyes,” he growled out. “I just want to kill him, that is all,” he said with a persuasive grin.
Trisha tried to keep from laughing at his obvious enjoyment at the thought of terrorizing Peter before he killed him. She couldn’t quite hold back the chuckle because at that moment he looked like a little boy hoping to get to play with his favorite toy. She just shook her head and walked over to him.
“You can’t kill him,” she said, laughing softly. “But I have to admit it is kind of fun thinking about scaring the shit out of him.”
Kelan wrapped his hands around her expanded waist and looked at the opened door to her bedroom. “How long do you think your father will be?” He asked huskily.
Trisha slid her hands up Kelan’s chest, shivering with desire when it began to vibrate with his and his dragon’s purr. “I think if the door is closed he’ll think I needed to rest for a bit,” she whispered, reaching up to run her tongue along the seam of his lips. “Pregnant women need lots and lots of rest,” she murmured.
Kelan picked her up in his arms, turned and laid her gently on the bed. He pulled away long enough to hurry over to the door where he closed and locked it. He turned back around; reaching for the weapons on his hips and began loosening the clasp that held them there. His eyes burned with gold flames as he slowly stalked toward her with a grin on his face.
“I think I need to make sure you get plenty of rest,” he said, letting the strap holding his laser pistols slide from around his waist.
“Oh my,” Trisha breathed, growing hotter by the minute. “Have I ever told you how sexy you are when you take off your weapons?” She asked with a giggle before their lips met. That was the last coherent thought she had for quite some time.
Chapter 4
Paul looked up later that evening as Kelan came quietly back down the stairs. He had spent most of the afternoon talking with Chad Morrison, his childhood friend and attorney. He had also met with Mason. He hadn’t known Mason as long as he had Chad but they had become good friends when Mason had trained with him almost fifteen years ago. Mason had retired from the Special Forces five years ago after taking a bullet to the back that almost killed him. He decided to call it quits after that. He realized that there was more to life than dying young. He wanted to be there for his wife, Ann Marie, and he wanted to be there to watch his two teenage daughters grow up.
He had debated if he should tell the two men the truth or not and finally decided if what he and Kelan had talked about this afternoon while Trisha slept was to come to fruition, then he was going to have to bring a few trusted ‘humans’ into the secret. Kelan had reluctantly agreed that the ranch would make the perfect ‘home’ base of operations. Paul had listened carefully, asking questions, and making notes as Kelan explained in detail to him the need to find females for Valdier. Kelan swore that only those who were true mates would be taken back to his world and only if they agreed.
“You realize that if anyone finds out about you, even suspects what you are, there will be hell to pay?” He had asked Kelan.
“We are aware of the risks,” Kelan responded softly. “It is one we are willing to take. I have already spoken with my brothers. If there is a chance other warriors can find their true mates how can we deny them? To do so would be to sentence them to a life of increasing pain and torment.”
“I’ll do what I can to set everything up so the ranch is a safe haven for your people to come to,” Paul said. “It is going to take me at least a week to get everything organized, maybe two. Will that be a problem?”
Kelan smiled as he sat back in the soft leather cushion of the chair he had settled in. “No, it will not be a problem,” he replied, pausing for a moment before deciding on what he wanted to say. “I need your help. I have something I wish to take care of while I am here,” Kelan suddenly said with a small twist of his lips.
“What do you need?” Paul asked, puzzled.
“The location of the one called Peter who hurt my mate,” Kelan had responded with a sharp tooth grin.
Paul’s own face slowly broke into an amused grin. The asshole who had hurt his daughter had actually had the gall to call him several times over the past six months demanding to know if Trisha was alive or dead. Paul had found out his ex-son-in-law had taken out a huge life insurance policy on Trisha and was hoping to cash it in. He had already planned to visit Peter after he found Trisha. The idea of having Kelan visit the bastard with him made the planned trip even better.
“I’ll do you one better,” Paul said with his own devious smile. “I’ll take you to the bastard.”
*.*.*
Two days later, Trisha stood glaring at her father, Kelan, Mason, and Chad. “Why do I have to stay here?” She demanded. “
Where are you two going and why can’t I go with you?
Kelan reached out to soothe his irate mate but she stopped him short with a growl. “Trisha, mi elila, we will not be gone long, just a couple of hours. Mason and Chad will stay to make sure you are safe.”
“Why are you taking Bio?” She asked suspiciously. “Daddy, what are you doing?”
Paul grinned at Trisha and raised his eyebrow. When she turned ‘the look’ on him and talked to him in that tone she sounded just like Evelyn used to when she knew he was up to something he didn’t want her to know about. Hell, he felt like a teenager again getting drilled for trying to sneak out.
“Honey, Kelan just wants to get a good look at the ranch,” Paul lied smoothly. “I was hoping you could keep an eye on the new foal. Samara could use a hand with feeding it since its mother is refusing to.”
Trisha’s eyes widened in concern. “The mare is refusing to nurse it?” She asked worriedly.
Paul nodded in relief, knowing his daughter couldn’t resist a baby animal in need. She was almost, not quite, but almost as bad as Ariel when it came to animals. He knew the minute her shoulders relaxed that they would be able to escape for the few hours they needed to take care of Peter.
“If you are sure,” she asked doubtfully. “I would love to see the foal,” she admitted grudgingly.
“I think that is a wonderful thing,” Kelan said moving to rub his hands up and down her arms. “Promise me you will not over do it while I am gone. I have made your father’s friends promise they will protect you with their life. Kor and Palto are here as well. They will not leave your side.”
“Okay,” she agreed reluctantly. “You two are just going to check out the ranch, right?”
“Of course, baby girl,” Paul assured her with a wink. “I just want to share a little bit of the beauty of the place with him.”
Trisha sighed and nodded. “I’ll go see how the foal and Samara are doing. I can’t wait to see her. She can fill me in on all the good gossip that has been happening in town. Her older brother is always getting into trouble.”