by S. E. Smith
The woman on the screen flushed even rosier. Paul was mesmerized by the classical beauty of the woman glaring back at him. Her gold eyes met his defiantly, almost challenging him. Her face was framed by long, thick black hair that hung in glossy waves over her shoulders and down her back. His arms tightened around the baby cradled against him. His fingers itched to thread them through her thick hair. His eyes moved down to her lips when she spoke again. He desperately wanted to know what she tasted like. When his eyes moved back to hers, the heat in them must have warned her that he was not immune to what he saw as the words died on her lips and her eyes widened in alarm.
“Dola?” Kelan asked when she didn’t respond to his answer. “Did you hear me? I said Trisha is doing well. She is tired. The healers have told me that is not uncommon. Bio is with her now, healing her body. We’ve named the baby Bálint.”
“Oh,” Morian replied vaguely, dragging her eyes away from Paul. “Tell her I cannot wait to see her again. “ Her eyes shifted away from Kelan’s face as he leaned over Paul’s shoulder to gaze lovingly down at his son. “He is beautiful, Kelan,” she said softly as her eyes gazed tenderly down at the small face of her newest great child. Now, only Carmen was expecting at this time.
“He is a miracle,” Paul murmured staring down at the bundle in his arms again. “When the doctors told me Trisha would never be able to have children it broke my heart for her,” he said looking up into Morian’s eyes with a smile. “I knew the joy of having her in my life and knew how much Trisha wanted children. Your son has given me a priceless gift. He has given me back my baby girl and a beautiful grandson.”
Morian blushed again as his eyes met hers and she knew without a doubt that it was desire burning brightly in them as they gazed back at her. She didn’t even remember what else they discussed. Kelan finally signed off when Bálint started fussing. He gingerly took him out of Paul’s arms with a quick apology that he needed to get back to Trisha.
“I look forward to meeting you,” Paul’s deep voice said as they said goodbye.
Morian’s hand moved to her throat as she tried to swallow over the lump in it. “Yes,” she muttered, before disconnecting the connection.
“Morian, are you okay?” Ariel asked, suddenly concerned. “You look a little flushed.”
Morian’s head jerked up and she forced a smile to her face. “Yes…. yes, I’m fine. I think I’ll take the little ones back to my living quarters and see if they are ready for a nap.”
Mandra laughed as he looked down at his little nephew who was squirming, trying to get away from the two little girls who were looking at him as if he was their new favorite toy. Zohar was beginning to whimper as the girls tackled him again. Even the little creatures the symbiot was creating to distract them weren’t working. The girls were both focused on their slightly bigger cousin.
“I think Zohar is going to need it after the twins get done with him,” Mandra said picking up a squirming Amber and tickling her stomach. The minute she squealed, Jade was trying to crawl out of the golden carriage. All three adults started laughing when Jade growled out at Mandra.
“I think Trelon is going to have his hands full with these two,” Ariel said scooping Jade up into her arms. “I’ll walk back with you to your living quarters and help you get them down. I think Zohar needs a break.”
Morian’s eyes turned to her oldest great-child and she chuckled as she saw he had already fallen half asleep now that he was safe. Her symbiot had formed a light layer to act as a cover and had wrapped it snugly around his little body. Zohar gave out a soft sigh, stuck his thumb in his mouth and was gently sucking on it as his eyelashes fluttered closed.
“Give me this little bundle of terror,” Morian said holding her arms out for Amber who was busy rubbing slobber in Mandra’s hair. “I would appreciate the help, Ariel. Mandra, get some rest. I’ll return your mate to you soon.”
Mandra stood up and wrapped his arm around Ariel pulling her and Jade into his arms. He whispered something into Ariel’s ear that caused her to blush and smile up at him before they both caressed Jade’s silky red hair. Morian watched for a moment before understanding dawned and a small smile curved her lips. It looked like the royal house was about to get even fuller.
*.*.*
Paul stood in his living quarters on board the V’ager staring out into deep space. It still felt unreal that so much had happened in such a short time. He didn’t regret one minute of his decision to leave everything he had ever known behind. He had accepted a long time ago that life was too short to waste on regrets. His thoughts turned to the dark haired beauty he had seen earlier. The fact that she was Kelan’s mother did not distract him from his interests. She was a very beautiful woman and there was something about her that called to him. He hadn’t felt such an intense emotion since – Evelyn.
Paul frowned as he tried to understand how just hearing Morian’s voice and seeing her on a viewscreen could have more impact on him than all the women he had met and known since his wife died. He hadn’t been a saint during the years that had passed. He was a healthy male with an even healthier appetite. It was just none of the women had stirred more than a passing fancy. Hell, the longest relationship he could remember had only lasted three months. That had ended the moment the woman started trying to show him dresses in the latest wedding magazines. He ran a hand over his face in aggravation. He might not be a young man anymore but he still had the same hopes and desires it would appear. A calculating smile curved his lips. He would need to be careful. The last thing he wanted to do was to have an affair with his son-in-law’s mother and end up in a sticky situation on a world where the men could roast his balls if he pissed them off.
No, he thought as his mind went through each scenario in an effort to determine the best possible move. I’ll have to wait until we meet to know for sure which course to take. Once I know if the feelings I felt are genuine or not, then I'll know what to do. Hell, it could be it's been a while and I just need a little companionship to ease the ache. But, if the feelings are genuine, he thought with wary smile, if they are, I don’t give a damn about what anyone says. I’ve waited for this moment for almost thirty years. If she fills the emptiness inside me, she is mine.
Satisfied with his decision, Paul turned to go check one more time on Trisha and his grandson before he settled down for the night to go over the geography, demographics and cultural makeup of the Valdier world. He liked to be well informed and he still had a lot to learn before they arrived in a couple of weeks. The fact that it was an alien world where the men could turn into dragons and their weapons were advanced wasn’t something he would ignore but he would not be intimidated by it either. If he knew what he was up against he could overcome any obstacle. If this Raffvin was still on the loose, he was not going to let his guard down either. From what he had learned during his conversations with Kelan, the man was a threat to his family and as far as he was concerned, that was not acceptable.
*.*.*
The next few weeks flew by. Paul spent part of his day with Trisha and Bálint before meeting with either Kelan or some of the other warriors for training. He had become good friends with Palto and Kor and two other men who were Curizan, not Valdier. Jaron was a healer for his people and Terac was his best friend and an accomplished pilot. Both men spoke with a quiet respect as they described their awe at Trisha’s abilities as both a warrior and her skill and knowledge at surviving in the wild.
Paul’s heart swelled with pride at his baby girl’s abilities. He was also thankful for being there to give her the knowledge she needed to survive. He had talked to her at length one afternoon while Bálint slept protectively in his arms. She blushed as she admitted that she had gotten frightened not long after Kelan had taken her to his world. She explained she had knocked out one of the guards and escaped into the forests. It had taken her five days and a long talk with her dragon to come to terms that she was not part of some weird government experiment.
She told him
of her tagging the guys. She giggled when she later told him about how Kelan had to help her call forth her dragon and her dragon tossing him in the mud for his arrogant attitude. Paul watched as her face glowed with happiness as she talked about her mate. The whole time, the huge symbiot she had nicknamed Bio laid protectively next to her not letting its eyes move from her or the baby. Paul felt confident that while Kelan might be the most unexpected man he would have chosen for his daughter, he was the perfect one for her.
Late the next day, he finished packing for his trip down to the planet. They had arrived in orbit around Valdier a couple of hours ago and preparations for disembarkment and resupplying were well under way. He had to admit he was anxious to get down to the surface. He had only talked to Morian on two other occasions during the past couple of weeks and each time made him want more. He had been shocked by the heat and need to touch her that increased whenever he heard her husky voice, saw the flush in her beautiful cheeks, or saw the shyness in her eyes. He had begun to wonder if he would explode from spontaneous combustion if he couldn’t touch her to see if her skin was as silky as it looked and the thought of kissing her….
Paul looked up when the door of his living quarters chimed, jerking him out of his reverie. He shook his head in amusement at his own thoughts as the computer identified Terac was at the door. He called out the command giving Terac permission to enter.
Straightening up, he looked startled when he also saw Lodar standing in the corridor with a small female next to him. “Hey Terac, I was just finishing up,” he said as he slung his duffle bag over his broad shoulder. “Who is the girl?”
Terac looked over his shoulder with a small smile. “Our mate,” he replied looking at Paul with cautious eyes. “Her name is Kei.”
Kei’s eyes flashed at Paul. “And she can speak for herself,” she snapped out.
Terac grimaced, fighting back a growl of frustration when Kei glared up at him. “Hi Paul,” Lodar sighed. “Do you need help with anything or are you ready to head to the transporter room?”
“I’ve got it,” Paul replied biting back a grin as Kei moved closer to Lodar when he walked out of the room. “Hello Kei, my name is Paul Grove,” he said holding his hand out.
Kei hesitated a moment before she slipped her tiny hand into his larger one. Almost immediately, she pulled back and stepped back between the two men who towered over her. Paul studied the small female who shyly slid her hand into Lodar’s larger one.
“I thought you only kidnapped women,” Kei responded looking between Terac and Lodar with a confused frown.
Paul’s eyes jerked up to Terac who moved protectively in front of Kei as Lodar pulled her back against his tall frame. “What the hell?” He snapped out, looking at Terac with dark cold eyes. “Did you kidnap her? Are you holding her against her will?”
Terac’s jaw clenched and he stared back at Paul. “This is between us,” he said. “She is our mate.”
Paul let the duffle bag on his shoulder slide down off his shoulder and drop to the floor. “I’m making it my business,” he replied through clenched teeth. His eyes swung to Kei’s beautiful dark brown eyes. “Are they holding you against your will?”
Kei’s eyes softened as she felt the hard body behind her stiffen, waiting for her answer. A soft sigh escaped her slightly parted lips and she shook her head, sending waves of silky black hair swaying around her tiny head. She bit her lip before she looked up into Paul’s thunderous eyes.
“No,” she whispered. “They are not holding me against my will. We just have things we need to work out,” she answered, her exotic eyes turning to gaze up at Terac’s shuttered eyes. “I have a problem with holding my temper sometimes,” she admitted. “When I get scared I sometimes say things I don’t mean,” she added before bowing her head and letting her hair cover her face.
Paul watched as Terac’s face softened as he stared tenderly down at the small Asian-American female. “We will talk once we are on the surface. Lord Kelan has offered both of us accommodations and a position aboard the V’ager.” Terac turned to look at Paul before continuing. “No harm will come to her, I swear this on my life,” he said, looking Paul in the eye to let him know that he would also fight to the death if necessary to prevent anyone from taking Kei away from him.
Paul studied the three figures standing quietly before he gave a brief nod. “Good. I’d hate to have to kick your asses if you didn’t,” he added before bending down and grabbing his duffle bag. “Let’s get off this flying boat. I’d like to see what in the hell I’ve gotten myself into,” he added with a grin.
Terac and Lodar nodded silently. Both men led the way with the tiny female tucked between them. He fought back a grin when he watched the small woman slide her hand timidly into Terac’s. This was going to be a very interesting experience. He had a feeling from what he had been reading that many of the different species, Valdier, Curizan, and Sarafin, were not accustomed to independent, outspoken females.
His thoughts turned to Morian. He had a hard time believing she would be the submissive type. The fire in her eyes that she tried to hide spoke of a passion that burned beneath the surface. He cursed as he felt his body harden for the hundredth time at the thought of having Morian in a submissive position under him.
Damn it, he thought as he fought the urge to adjust his cock that was rubbing painfully against the front of his jeans. I hope to God she isn’t as hot in person as she is on the viewscreen. If she is, there might be hell to pay with her sons because I’ll be damned if my control is going to last long at the rate I’m going.
Chapter 7
Morian nervously ran her hand over her already smooth hair. She had pinned it up in the neatly controlled chignon that she normally wore. She stood to the side of the transporter waiting for Kelan, Trisha and Bálint to arrive. She refused to acknowledge that she was also waiting breathlessly for her first meeting with Paul Grove.
It didn’t seem to matter how much she scolded herself, her dragon or her symbiot about not thinking about the huge human male it was an impossible endeavor to ignore her excitement, restlessness, and hope. She couldn’t even sleep at night without dreaming about him. She swore it was a conspiracy between her dragon and her symbiot, though both acted innocent when she confronted them.
She wiped her hands on the slim folds of her gown. She had been tempted to wear something less formal but thought she would appear more in control if she wore the royal gowns distinguishing her position as a Priestess. The long white gown flowed around her in shimmering waves, thin gold stitching catching the light and making it sparkle. The bodice of the gown was strapless and showed off the delicate curve of her shoulders. She wore a gold pendant formed by her symbiot in the shape of her dragon. As a Priestess, she was one of the few females who had a symbiot of her own. It was necessary to protect her and her dragon at all times.
Morian let her fingers drop to touch the golden figure by her side. If she’d had any fear that her symbiot might not accept him it was fast dissipating. The symbiot had taken on the strange form of an animal from Earth known as a dog, much like Carmen and Creon’s symbiot. It had thought the form would be more welcoming to Paul. The damn thing had been spending time with Abby, Cara, and Ariel, sorting through one shape after another. Cara had laughingly called it Darwin’s grab bag as it kept switching until Ariel had assured it that Paul absolutely loved dogs and it was much easier to have one of those around than a grizzly bear, horse, cow, or the other dozens of shapes it shifted into.
Now, the three of them stood waiting nervously for the man who had been an aggravating pain in her head and heart for weeks. A small smile curved her lips as her symbiot sent her a wave of nervous warmth. Even her dragon was shifting around inside her with nervous energy.
“He will accept us,” she murmured as much to calm herself as her dragon and symbiot. “He has to accept us.”
He might not like dragons, her dragon fretted. He might not think me pretty.
He’ll
think you are beautiful, Morian assured her dragon.
Her symbiot sent an image of him not wanting to touch it. Morian fought the urge to roll her eyes. Both of them were acting like this NOW?
She was the one who had finally come to terms with the idea that if the human male was her true mate that it would be ridiculous to fight it. Instead of fighting, she would control it. She would only let a small part of her open up to him. She could protect the rest of her. Just because he might be her true mate didn’t mean she had to really love him. She could just be affectionate toward him. She wouldn’t have to open herself to the pain of loving and losing again. She could keep her heart safely locked away. Once she had decided to do that she had felt more confident that she could handle whatever the gods or goddesses threw at her. She really believed that – until the moment she saw him in person. Then she knew her heart would never be safe again.
*.*.*
Paul blinked as his eyes adjusted to the new location. A slight sense of disorientation stayed with him for a few seconds after the transporter beamed them down. It was weird to be on a warship in space one minute than in a strange room on the surface of an alien planet the next. His brain needed a moment to process the change in environment.
His eyes quickly scanned the area and categorized everything in the room. He knew where every male was, where a possible threat could come from, and how he would react if a threat did appear. Once he had assessed his current situation, he gave into the desire to return his eyes to the female standing regally near the console of the transporter. His eyes swept over her. Fire flamed inside him as he took in the neatly captured black tresses of her hair.