by S. E. Smith
“I thought she had a symbiot,” Paul said.
Morian turned in his arms and looked up at him. “She did but she sent it to me,” Morian whispered. “My symbiot was too small to protect me. She ordered her symbiot to take me to safety. It did and that act cost my mother and father their lives.”
Paul drew her against his bare chest, holding her close at the pain he heard in her voice. “What happened?”
Morian wrapped her arms tightly around Paul’s waist and breathed his scent, finding comfort in it. “Her symbiot took me to the Queen of the Hive. As my mother died, her symbiot dissolved before my eyes and turned into the form of the Juuli, what you would call the Gods’ Revenge. The Goddess’ Arosa and Arilla, in the guise of a great flying serpent warned me that if the clans did not cease their fighting the blood of the Gods would be taken from them and all would perish. To prove that they meant what they said, every symbiot was absorbed into the soil of Valdier and returned to the Hive to wait and watch. If a way was not found before the next twin moons were full, then the death of our people would soon follow.”
Paul looked over her head as anger swirled inside him that a young girl was burdened with so much responsibility. His arms tightened around her protectively. He couldn’t imagine what it must have been like to be so young and have the weight of the world on his shoulders while grieving the senseless loss of his family.
“What did you do?” He asked huskily.
Morian pulled back and looked solemnly up at him. “I did want I was expected to do. I swore I would stop the wars between my people and I would protect the Hive with my life. I returned to my clan and explained to my uncles what the Gods had told me. It was decided I would mate with the son of the leader of the clan who had taken my mother. Raffvin was the eldest but my uncles refused to give me to him. They saw the greed in his eyes. My symbiot and dragon tried to attack him. It was Jalo’s gentle touch that calmed my symbiot and dragon. It was said to be a sign of the Gods that Jalo and I were to join and he would rule,” she said with a serene smile. “I fell in love with the man,” she added looking up at Paul with a sad smile. “He was not my true mate but he was a very good mate. He gave me five beautiful sons and he was a good friend. I miss him still.”
Paul felt his stomach knot for a moment as a taste of jealousy washed through him to be replaced with understanding. Jalo had been the love of her youth just as Evelyn had been for him. Her love for her mate had shaped her into the beautiful strong woman she was today. He also reluctantly admitted if it hadn’t been for her son, he might never have found her.
He tenderly brushed her hair back from her face before he leaned down to brush her lips with his own. The tender, comforting kiss turned to something entirely different once he had captured her lips though. A hot wave washed through him again and the mark on his neck burned fiercely. He groaned as he felt her answering response as her lips parted for him.
“I want you again,” he murmured hungrily.
Morian wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her. “You are my true mate,” she breathed out as she pressed her lips against his neck. “I love you, Paul Grove.”
Chapter 11
Paul held the wiggling body of Amber while Mandra made faces at her making her squeal in delight. Trelon was carrying Jade who was doing her best to bite him on the ear again. From the drool hanging off of his earlobe, he suspected she had already been successful. Zoran carried Zohar who was babbling away while Kelan held a sleeping Bálint. The guys decided to take the kids out for a walk while the women spent time with Carmen who had given birth earlier that morning.
“Creon couldn’t have cut it any closer if he tried,” Trelon said wincing when Jade grabbed his hair with both of her tiny fists and jerked his head close enough to latch onto his ear. He sighed loudly when she growled and started shaking her head back and forth. “I feel for him if his girls are anything like these two,” he said tiredly. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so exhausted as I have since I met Cara,” he admitted grudgingly.
Kelan laughed as he rocked his tiny son in his arms. “At least she can keep up with them so you can get a few hours of sleep. Bálint is already sleeping through most nights,” he bragged.
“Rub it in,” Zoran growled out. “Zohar still wakes at least twice a night. Abby has started making me get up so I can bring him to her. The only good thing is since she is awake I can take advantage of the time to spend it with her practicing to make more babies,” he added with a wicked grin.
“TMI, Zoran,” Paul said with a laugh as he hung Amber over his shoulder and tried to nibble on her toes. “That was way more information than we needed to know.”
Mandra reached over and scooped the squealing baby off of Paul’s shoulder and into his arms. He held her upside down and growled teasingly at her. Amber’s delighted giggles were enough to distract her sister who wanted to know what was going on. Jade released her father’s ear that she had been chewing on to gaze eagerly at Mandra and her sister. Trelon breathed out a sigh of relief as he shifted her to his other arm. The sigh turned to a grimaced as he tried to dry his ear off on his shoulder.
“I heard Creon passed out when Carmen went into labor,” Trelon said with a chuckle. “I’ll have to tease him about that. He has always said he could handle any situation.”
“Just remember he wasn’t the only one to hit the floor,” Mandra reminded him. “You couldn’t even handle finding out Cara was expecting these two bundles of energy. I wonder if my daughter will be like them.”
All the men stopped to stare at a grinning Mandra. “Congratulations, Mandra,” Paul said with a huge smile. “But, I don’t think you should be worrying about if your daughter has as much energy as Amber and Jade so much as if she has the love of animals like her mother. You might be in for an adventure if she does.”
Mandra paled as he thought of all the creatures running around his home already. Hell, if he wasn’t careful they often ended up in his bed as well. This morning he had woken up to see a Slithering, or snake as Ariel called it, staring down at him from the canopy of their bed. Ariel had giggled when they started hissing at each other. She said it had escaped from its container a few days before and she had wondered where it had gotten to.
Paul listened as the brothers shared more horror stories with Mandra about diaper duty, baby puke, and how all the warriors were going to be wanting to date his beautiful daughter. He chuckled even as his eyes searched the shadowed edges of the forests. They were not far from the palace having come to a large park area where they could let the little ones crawl and play. He enjoyed spending time with the four brothers and looked forward to meeting Creon. Any man, or alien, that could love and heal his surrogate daughter, Carmen, was alright in his book. Ariel and Carmen had lived at his and Trisha’s house almost as much as they had lived in their own. Hell, after their parents were killed in a car accident, Carmen had spent her senior year of high school with him. Less than a week after she graduated he had walked her down the aisle.
His throat tightened as he remembered how beautiful she was and how her first husband, Scott, swore to Paul he would always love and protect her. When Scott was murdered it had almost killed Carmen. He knew the last few years she had been focused solely on seeking revenge against the man responsible for Scott’s death. He was glad that Creon had found her and that she had finally found happiness again. She had suffered enough loss in her short life.
Paul’s eyes moved to the symbiots that were playing together. He chuckled as they bounced and rolled around in the grassy meadow. The symbiots here were smaller as they had divided in half so that part could remain with the women while the other part followed the men and the children. Each child had their own symbiots, even Amber and Jade, though they were very small.
Paul turned when he heard Trelon telling Mandra about how one of the girls spewed what she had eaten all over the front of him the night before. He was about to tell them about Trisha doing the same thing when the hair o
n the back of his neck suddenly stood up in warning.
“Stop!” He barked out sharply.
All four men froze, recognizing the warning in his voice. “What is it?” Zoran asked, pulling Zohar protectively to his chest.
“I don’t know,” Paul said, shifting his feet into a defensive stance. “I feel something.” He nodded toward the symbiots. “Look, they sense it too.”
Kelan cursed as he looked around. Bálint woke with a whimper as his father’s arms tightened around him. He called out for his symbiot to come to him. Within moments, a small golden skimmer formed. Kelan leaned forward and laid Bálint down in it.
“Put the children in Bio,” Kelan said harshly even as he reached for his dragon.
“Paul, protect them,” Zoran said as he placed Zohar next to his cousin.
“Amber, Jade,” Trelon said sternly looking at his daughters as he set Jade down next to Amber whom Mandra was gently lowering next to Zohar. “No biting. Be good,” he whispered, running his fingers over both of their chubby little faces. A smile tugged at his lips as Jade growled menacingly while Amber looked at him with big, bright shining eyes filled with warmth and laughter.
Paul stood back as he watched Bio seal the babies within its protective shield. He nodded to the four men who were now in the shape of their dragons. A cold calm settled over him as he scanned the darkened area. His gaze jerked up to the sky when it suddenly darkened. What looked like hundreds of skimmers filled the air even as dark-clad warriors shimmered and formed all around them.
“Son of a bitch,” he swore under his breath as he pulled his long hunting knife out.
The roars of the four brothers shook the ground as they surrounded the golden capsule holding its precious cargo. Paul looked up again as enemy fire began raining down on them like hot spears of lightning. He knew the men would not be able to fight like they needed to as long as they were trying to protect their young. Forces from the palace would be here soon but not soon enough to save his sons if he did not remove the obstacle holding them back.
“Let’s even the odds a little,” he growled out before jumping on top of Bio. “Form grips,” he commanded.
Bio immediately shifted, forming hand and foot holds for Paul. “Remember the cavern we were at last week?” He asked. A grin formed as he felt the answering shiver. “Let’s go.”
Bio shifted slightly, becoming longer and sleeker. In a burst of unexpected speed, the golden figure pushed forward through the empty space created by Kelan’s dragon as it communicated its intent. Paul clung determinedly to the weaving golden form. It burst through into the dense woods surrounding the large park leaving behind the roar of the dragons and the sounds of battle.
Four skimmers broke formation to follow him. Paul glanced over his shoulder as one fired on him. With a quietly muttered command, Bio dipped down under fallen trees before turning on its side to squeeze through the narrow opening between two huge trunks. Paul felt the muscles in his arms and legs tighten as he held on. He tucked his head close to the body of the symbiot in an effort to keep it attached to the rest of him as they passed through the narrow opening. The skimmers were forced to go up and around the trees if they didn’t want to crash. He would head to the palace using the underground passageway he had discovered during his research. It would appear one of their ancestors enjoyed sneaking out for a midnight swim. He had shown the hidden passage to Zoran and the others after he determined it could be dangerous if the enemy ever discovered it.
Paul mentally ran through each scenario. He had to trust that the brothers would survive. His gut twisted at the thought of losing any of the ‘boys’ as he thought of them. He recognized deep down that he thought of them as the sons he never had. His main focus needed to remain on protecting the precious cargo contained inside Bio. A warmth spread through him as gold bands wrapped around his arms and legs, securing him to the skimmer.
He glanced over his shoulder and saw the skimmers behind him reforming into formation. His eyes flickered back and forth until he saw a large grouping of trees up ahead. A plan began to form in his mind. He sent a mental image to the symbiot of what he wanted it to do. A shudder of furious denial shook the symbiot but Paul was determined that it would follow through with his plan. The children had to be protected no matter what. It was only when he sent his own assurance that he would be careful that Bio reluctantly agreed to release the bands around his arms and legs.
Paul waited until the last minute before he rolled off the top of the symbiot and landed on a large moss-covered branch. He watched for a brief second as the symbiot sped off. Turning and crouching, he gripped the long hunting knife in his hand and waited as the first three skimmers passed under him. He counted under his breath the speed of the skimmers as they passed so he could time when to jump. By the time the fourth skimmer passed under him, he was ready. He dropped down, landing behind the pilot. His feet slid on the slick outer surface of the skimmer but his hands held tight to the back of the seat. The pilot of the skimmer turned, revealing a dark purple face.
Paul grinned nastily before he reached up with his right hand and pulled the surprised purple pilot out of his seat by the back of his jacket. The alien’s hands and feet flew over the side as Paul tossed him out. Unfortunately, the skimmer tilted at the same time. Paul glanced up with a curse as he saw it was heading straight for one of the mammoth tree trunks. He flung himself off it, hitting the soft fern and moss covered ground. He rolled several times before he came to a stop.
The loud crash of the skimmer resonated through the dark forest. Paul rolled over onto his belly and saw two of the other skimmers turning back around. He immediately pulled back deeper into the chest-high ferns and began weaving to the west. He caught a glimpse of movement to his left and knew that the pilot from the skimmer was up and moving around as well. A dark smile curved Paul’s lips. He needed a skimmer – fast. He would not take a chance of those bastards hurting his grandbabies.
Moving like a ghost through the undergrowth, Paul slipped further into the shadows as the two skimmers landed and the pilots disembarked. A moment later, the pilot from the third skimmer walked within inches of where he was standing inside a tangle of hanging vines.
“What happened?” A slender purple male asked.
“The male on the golden creature jumped me from behind,” the pilot grumbled. “He is somewhere close.”
“Let’s find and kill him. Raffvin said he wanted all but the Leader of the Valdier killed,” a feminine voice replied. “I do not like his plan but I like his credits. Let us get done with this.”
“Where did Pehr go? We could use his help,” one of the men asked.
“He chased the golden symbiot. Raffvin wants one of those as well. How he expects us to capture one, I don’t know. Pehr can try all he wants. He never was very smart,” the female replied with a toss of her head.
Both men chuckled. “You do not sound like you want him as your lover any longer?” One of them joked. “I could kill him for you.”
The female moved to stand closer to the tall slender male who had spoken. “If he doesn’t die here, then I accept your offer,” she purred. “Now, let’s find and kill the one that attacked, Keebe.”
Paul decided certain alien females should not be considered off limits when it came time to attack or kill them. That had been the hardest thing for him to overcome when he was training the soldiers who came to him. The realization that some women were as deadly and dangerous as any male was a hard lesson to teach. Everything inside him was programmed to protect and care for a woman above all else. Trisha had demonstrated to those training under him just how lethal a lone female could be in a given situation.
Paul waited until they had walked by him before he moved again. Keeping low to the ground, he quickly cut some vines hanging down. He decided he needed to capture and bound at least one of them for interrogation. He decided since he didn't like the idea of killing a female, he would choose her as the one he would keep alive.
“Keebe, go to the left,” the female yelled out about twenty yards ahead to the northwest. “Keebe?”
The slender male turned in a slow circle. “Keebe!” The male called out harshly. “Where did he go? You do not think he returned to the ship do you?”
The female snorted. “You are almost as stupid as Pehr!” She growled out raising her pistol up. “He wouldn't dare leave. He knows I'd slit his throat.”
Paul waited until she turned back around before he rose up and threw his knife. He had disappeared again by the time the slender male's finger squeezed on the trigger of the laser rifle he was holding. Paul crawled quickly through the ferns making sure he didn't give his position away as he moved stealthily through the dark coverage. The female was alone now. His hunting knife was buried to the hilt in the middle of the male's chest. He came up behind a thick tree and glanced around quickly. The female was holding the pistol up as she reached down for the laser rifle. He could hear her cursing under her breath.
“You are dead, Valdier,” she yelled out viciously. “Why don't you and your dragon come play?”
Paul quickly wrapped a smooth rock around each end of one of the pieces of vine he had cut. Twirling it over his head, he stepped out from behind the tree just as the female stood up. Her eyes widened when she saw how close he was to her. Before she could turn either weapon on him, Paul released the modified sling he had made. The female's curses were cut off as it wrapped around her neck. One of the rocks struck her in the chin with a loud pop. She teetered for a moment before collapsing backwards from the blow. Paul moved swiftly toward her, pulling more pieces of vine from his pocket. He quickly bound her before removing the tight fiber from around her neck. He had already wasted precious minutes dealing with these three. He could only hope that Bio was able to shake the other male who had been pursuing it.