by S. E. Smith
No, they were not warriors in the true sense but they were warriors when it came to protecting those they loved and cared about, Jazin thought as he watched Star’s lips part in a deep sigh. They fought with an ingenuity and skill that belied their delicate forms.
“I don’t know,” Jazin replied, momentarily frozen in the fact that he truly did not know much about his mate or her world.
Shavic shrugged. “It does not matter. They are all incredible. Go get cleaned up, Lord Jazin. I will watch over your mate until you return,” he said with a hint of compassion.
Shavic recognized that Jazin needed time to deal with what had happened. He could not blame him. If he had a mate as beautiful, fierce, and loyal as Jazin did, he would have reacted the same if anything happened to her. Shavic sank down wearily into the chair next to the bed and studied the delicate face of the human female. Since his first encounter with them, he had been fascinated by their differences to the known species he had treated. There were over twenty galaxies in the Alliance. Each galaxy had their own unique species, some like the Kassis and some vastly different like the Tearnats. The human females were the first that were closely related in features to their own. He gently picked up the delicate hand laying on the edge of the bed and turned it over to study her palm. Her fingers twitched as his light touch. A wave of envy flooded him. To feel hands like these on his body, running their tips….
“I will stay with her now,” Jazin’s hard voice said from behind Shavic.
*.*.*
Jazin kept a tight rein on his emotions. He had taken a brief shower and changed into clean clothing as fast as he could, not wanting to be away from his mate’s side any longer than necessary. A deep fear gnawed at him that he had only dreamed that Star would be alright. When he had returned, a dark jealousy swept through him at seeing Shavic tenderly holding Star’s hand. He had watched Shavic’s face intensely for a moment while the healer caressed it. Emotions of confusion, envy, and desire flowed across the man’s face unhindered by the normally calm mask he wore.
Shavic gently laid Star’s hand back down before he stood; the mask of impassive calm once again on his face. “My lord,” he responded quietly before bowing and leaving the room.
Jazin watched through narrow eyes as Shavic left the room before turning back to his mate. He moved over to the bed and swiped his hand over the panel above it. The bed shifted, expanding until it was large enough to accommodate his larger frame. He pulled back the covers and lowered himself onto the bed, making sure he didn’t jar it any more than necessary. He carefully lifted Star’s body so he could pull her against his long length. He marveled at their difference in size and how she fit perfectly against him. He lowered his head until his chin rested against the sweet smelling strands of her hair. Taking a deep breath, he drew in the scent of wild flowers and sunlight.
He would never get enough of her. From the first moment he saw her on the Tearnat’s warship, he knew he was lost. His eyes drifted shut as relief, mixed with exhaustion from fear and battle, washed through him. His body relaxed as Star turned into his warmth, seeking the safe haven of his arms even in her unconscious state. It had been her beautiful eyes that had first caught his attention. They spoke of love and laughter. Of hope, wonder, and curiosity. Of power and strength. Of peace and forever.
Sleep called to Jazin as he continued breathing in the calming scent of his mate. His mind drifting to the first time he saw her coming out of the darkened corridor. A tiny warrior who would touch not only his heart but his entire world.
Colors and images swirled and solidified as his dream formed. It was as if he were an apparition reliving a moment in time. They had been on a diplomatic mission with the Krail, the current Chancellor for the Alliance. Their shuttle was on its way to intercept Torak’s warship when a rebel group of Tearnats fired upon them, taking out their engines.
Trolis, the leader of the rebel group and second son of Madas and Gril Tal Mod, had killed the chancellor and taken Jazin, Torak and the other eight warriors’ prisoner. Trolis planned to kill them all, starting with Jazin. He wanted to set an example for the other members of the Alliance by eliminating two of the most powerful royals of Kassis.
Jazin remembered waking up, chained between two bars used for interrogation. Progit, a Tearnat warrior Torak had disfigured during the war, came in. Jazin buried his nose deeper into the tantalizing scent of his mate’s hair. He remembered the feel of the sharp blade as it caressed his cheek, cutting a line down it. Progit was bragging about how he was going to kill him. He was going to cut him apart one limb at a time. Jazin had been sure it was his time to die. He had braced himself for the first blow, determined to die a warrior’s death and not give the Tearnat the pleasure of hearing him scream in agony as he was dismembered. Instead, it was Progit who collapsed at his feet…. a knife between his eyes.
Jazin moved restlessly in his sleep, drawing the body pressed against him closer. Star… He had learned her named from the dark haired female that captured his older brother’s attention. River Knight had killed the three Tearnats in the room with several well-thrown blades. She had approached him first to see how badly he was wounded. While she had captured his attention due to her unexpected and unusual appearance, he didn’t feel anything more than curiosity. Nothing had prepared him for his first glance at the one she called Star, though. He remembered the feeling well. It was as if someone had punched him in the stomach. Even now, he still had the same reaction as the first time he saw her.
His lips curved as he remembered her petite figure coming to stand in front of him. She had been hesitant to touch him and had glared at him in warning to not try anything. He had been so mesmerized by her pale beauty that all he could think was she was his!
She had cleaned his wound, trying hard not to touch his skin. He, on the other hand, had craved her touch from the first moment he looked into her light blue eyes. Even then she had glowered at him defiantly. She had a stubborn tilt to her small, delicate chin and a look in her eyes that dared him to mess with her even as she gently cleaned the blood away from his wound. He knew it wasn’t bad. It stung but he had received worse injuries during the war. Progit had merely been teasing him with what was to come.
He had fought to reach for her but couldn’t with his arms still shackled to the bars holding him. She had whispered quietly to him. Four simple words but he would never forget them.
“You are safe now,” her husky voice whispered, burning into his soul as if it was lit from within.
She had disappeared shortly after that. The females had done the unthinkable. They had set Jazin, Torak and the other warriors free and disabled the huge warship, giving his brother, Manota, a chance to overtake it. Star had worked her way through the warship disabling the exits to the living quarter levels, trapping the Tearnats so they couldn’t fight. His heart had clenched in fear when the time passed for the females to appear in the docking bay. He had been surprised to find Manota had not traveled alone. Gril Tal Mod, Trolis’ father and leader of the Tearnats, had come with his own warriors. He was furious, but not surprised, that his second son would disobey a direct order. Trolis had tried to kill him at one point towards the end of the war when Gril wanted peace for his species. Trolis had escaped and built a small but impressive army of mercenaries, disgruntled warriors unhappy with the peace, and loyal supporters. He had died on the warship when he attacked Torak and Gril. Another victim of the sharp blades his new sister loved to carry.
One dream after another flowed in an endless spiral through time. Star on board his brother’s starship, her face when she appeared in the docking bay before the councilman who would later betray them, the moment when she had felt deceived by him for having his House filled with women. One memory after another floated through his mind. Even her outraged face when he threw her over his shoulder and claimed her officially as his before his people. She had only begun to warm to him before tonight. She was afraid of something. She refused to tell him but he coul
d feel the hesitation whenever he held her and murmured words of need. Scene after scene filled the next several hours as he held her tightly in his arms before he drifted into the realm between the worlds of dreams and wakefulness.
Jazin jerked awake when he felt a presence entering the room. His hand moved instinctively to the laser sword next to him under the covers. His eyes moved to his Captain of the Guard as Armet came in. He frowned, shaking his head. Armet bowed and motioned that he would remain outside. Jazin glanced down at the warm figure in his arms and nodded.
He waited until Armet left before he slowly disentangled himself from the body now lying more on top of him than beside. He brushed a soft kiss over Star’s forehead before he carefully rose out of the bed and tucked the covers securely around her. He glanced at her once more before he turned to leave the room. Her face was flushed a dusty rose and a slight smile curved her lips. He wondered what she was dreaming of and could only hope it had something to do with him.
Chapter 3
“Armet,” Jazin said as he quietly closed the door behind him.
“My lord. Please forgive my intrusion,” Armet bowed respectfully. “Your brothers and father wish for you to meet with them. They expressed their regret but new information has come to their attention that they feel you should know about.”
Jazin’s mouth tightened. He glanced at the door. He had only been asleep for a few hours but it had been enough to refresh him. Still, he was hesitant to leave his mate. His eyes moved to the door as it opened. Jo, Star’s sister, and River walked through the entrance talking quietly. They both paused, looking anxiously at him.
“Star?” Jo asked in a husky voice.
“She is sleeping peacefully and looks much better,” Jazin replied. “I would thank you to let her rest as long as possible. Shavic said it is the best thing for her at this time.”
Jo rolled her eyes. “I figured that. I was just worried she….” Jo drew in a deep breath and smiled tearfully at River who wound her arm around her waist in support. “I was just worried.”
Jazin relaxed slightly as he noted the pinched look around Jo’s mouth. He knew she loved her little sister and was very protective. That was evident the few times he had seen them together. In fact, he saw how all three were very supportive and protective of each other. His thoughts flitted to his own father and brothers and he had a deeper appreciation for his own relationship with them. He had never thought of it much before now. Thinking of his father and brothers reminded him that they were waiting for him.
“I trust you ladies to stay and watch over my mate until I can return,” Jazin said. “I am needed in a meeting. Armet will stay outside the rooms if you should need anything.”
Armet looked startled for a moment before he nodded. He had grown attached to the little female who had taken over the Third House of Kassis, also known as the West House. He had to admit it was much easier to maintain since she had come. He would have never complained but he and several of the warriors under his command had their hands full at times dealing with the females who used to live in the West House. Those remaining now were either mated, children, or older couples. The little female often visited each of the families to see how they were doing and if they needed anything. He was also fascinated by some of the things that she could do. He had never seen anyone move the way she did in the training room and some of the things she created were not only innovative but useful.
“I will return as soon as possible,” Jazin was saying.
He gave a sharp look to Armet. Armet nodded to show he was aware of the unspoken command; protect all three females with his life. Armet spoke quietly into his comlink and moved to stand by the door as Jazin cast one last, longing look at the door leading to the room where his mate slept.
“Protect them,” Jazin muttered under his breath as he walked out the door.
“With my life, my lord,” Armet said with a glitter of pride and respect in his eyes. “With my life.”
*.*.*
Star woke up in stages. The first stage, she became aware that there was light filtering into the room. The second stage, she became aware of the soft sound of voices murmuring beside her. The last stage and the most important one was she became aware that she didn’t hurt…. anywhere. She flexed her toes back and forth before moving her legs. When she still didn’t feel any pain, she moved her fingers before turning her head toward the voices and opening her eyes.
Twin sets of eyes, one an unusual dark blue and the other a set of light blue like her own, stared at her with worry and love gleaming from them. Star slowly smiled before she whispered in a husky voice.
“Hi,” she murmured.
River grinned back. Jo opened her mouth, closed it, and promptly burst into tears. Star’s eyes widened as she watched her older sister’s shoulders shake as she cried. River was pressing a small towel into Jo’s hands and hugging her.
“Is she hurt?” Star asked, her voice raspy from being dry.
She struggled to sit up so she could comfort her big sister and was surprised that it wasn’t that easy to do. She finally made it into an upright position, balancing herself on her arms until her head stopped spinning.
“Wow!” Star muttered, raising a trembling hand to her head. “Head rush.”
“You dope! You shouldn’t be sitting up yet,” Jo bit out between hiccupping sobs. “You were dead almost twenty-four hours ago. You shouldn’t even be…. be…. be able to sit up.”
“Water?” Star asked with a grimace, rubbing her throat.
River reached over and picked up a small cup of water that was on the table next to the bed. She held the cup while Star took several small sips from it before she set it back down on the table. Jo’s sobs slowly became quieter until she was just drawing in deep, calming breaths. Jo wiped at her reddened cheeks with the soft cloth that was clutched in her fist in aggravation.
When she felt like she finally had a small semblance of control back, she glared at her little sister. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” Jo snapped out, wiping at her still damp cheeks.
Star chuckled as she weakly collapsed back against the pillows. “It’s not like I planned to get hurt,” she said. “Jazin?” She asked fearfully.
“He’s safe,” River assured her with a smile.
“What happened?” Star asked looking back and forth between River and Jo. “Was anyone else hurt?”
River bit her lip and looked at Jo who nodded. “Yes,” River began quietly. “Eighteen people were killed in the banquet room. Most were women on the stage and several of the men who were sitting close to it. Thirty men who attacked us were killed. Javonna was working with them. She is dead, as well,” she said quietly.
“What about the councilman? Tai Tek?” Star asked, playing with the covers nervously.
Jo shook her head. “He escaped,” she said, her lips pressed into a tight line of frustration. “If I ever get my hands on that bastard, I’m going to barbeque his ass over an open flame.”
Star laughed at Jo’s fierce scowl. “Was anyone else hurt? Ajaska? Manota? Torak?” She asked biting her lower lip in concern.
River reached over and gripped one of Star’s hands. “Torak was hurt when he fought one of the Tearnat’s guarding Tai Tek but not seriously. None of the others were hurt,” she assured.
“Jazin was frantic when he saw you….,” Jo’s voice choked up again.
“We came very close to losing you, Star,” River continued. “You scared all of us, especially Jazin. He really does love you.”
Star sniffed and looked away. “He’s never said he does. He just says I’m his and I should do what he tells me to do,” she grumbled under her breath. “Fat chance that is ever going to happen.”
River giggled. “I can always lend you my knives if you need them. Once I pinned Torak to the door with them, he’s been very careful about his ‘I’m the man speech ever since,” she giggled.
Star’s lips turned up in a smile. She looked at her sur
rogate sister with a twinkle in her eye. The thought of pinning Jazin to the door brought up some interesting ideas. She just might have to take River up on her offer if he became too overbearing again.
“So how long have I been out and what’s happened since everything went fuzzy on me?” Star asked tiredly. “And why in the hell do I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck?”
“It wasn’t a truck but a laser blast to the back,” Jo snapped out. “It’s a miracle you are even moving right now. If Madas hadn’t gotten you to medical as fast as she did, you wouldn’t be here,” she gritted out as tears filled her eyes again. “Damn it! Now I’m crying again.”
*.*.*
Three weeks later, Star was seriously thinking about borrowing River’s knives. Jazin had ordered all the guards to make sure she was protected at all times when he couldn’t be with her. He was busy working on some ‘top secret’ defense system most of the day. From the little bit she had been able to gather, which wasn’t much, Tai Tek was preparing for another attack. This time, he had approached another alien galaxy outside the Alliance’s jurisdiction. The species wasn’t well known as they kept primarily to themselves. Rumors, or Intel that was coming in, stated Tai Tek had promised unlimited access to the planet’s energy crystal mines in exchange for help in defeating the Houses of Kassis.
Jazin had been working with Manota on a defense system to protect not only their planet but their warships. While Manota’s shield worked at protecting the four royal houses, Jazin’s would protect their fleet of warships during battle. In the meantime while he was busy, he had ordered Star to rest as much as possible. River and Jo came over daily to visit but she was not allowed to even set foot out of the West House. Hell, even the healer that saved River came to her. When she had asked why Shavic wasn’t still caring for her, Jazin’s eyes had turned a darker black and he had said that Shavic had been reassigned back to the warship.