by S. E. Smith
“My Lord, your father and the council request your presence immediately.” The man gasped out.
Borj ran his thumb over the image one more time before he nodded briskly to the man. Perhaps now he would finally get an answer to the requests he and J’kar had made for one of them to return to the female’s planet.
Borj tucked the image in his breast pocket and followed his father’s elderly assistant down the numerous corridors to the council’s chamber. As he entered, he bowed deeply to the twelve men who sat along a curved table and then again to his father who sat in the center. Straightening, he looked up and was unable to contain his surprise at the look on his father’s face. Borj frowned as he approached the high table. Never had he seen his father so relaxed before. Normally, his father was filled with barely suppressed impatience and an abundance of energy. He was known for his short temper and stern, often harsh manners. Now, while he looked impatient, it seemed for a different reason. Gone were the harsh lines of stress…in their place was a barely suppressed grin. Borj looked into his father’s eyes and actually took a step back at what he saw. Was that a twinkle in his eyes? Borj shook his head. He must have finally lost his grip on reality if he thought his father had a twinkle in his eye! Perhaps he should speak to the healer…
“Borj.” Teriff ‘Tag Krell Manok said in a deep voice.
Borj shook his head in an effort to clear his mind and return it to the matters at hand. Bowing again, Borj replied. “My lord, you and the council requested my presence?”
“Yes. It has been brought to our attention your brother’s bond mate has need of her family to be with her. The healer has mentioned this might help her during her breeding.” Teriff could not keep the grin off his face as he looked around at the council members who looked at him as if they had never seen him before. “I am to be a grandfather to twins and I will not allow anything to prevent this from happening! The council has agreed with me that you should return to the female’s planet and bring one of her family members back.” Teriff finished, looking sternly at Borj.
Borj stared at his father for a moment as his heart leaped at the idea of bringing the female in the image back with him. He almost howled out in his excitement at the thought of seeing if the female was as responsive as his brother’s mate. She would surely attach herself to him the same way his brother’s bond mate did. She would be unable to keep her hands off of him. She would wrap herself around him and …
“Do you agree?” Teriff asked again.
Borj looked in confusion at his father for a moment. What the hell did he just ask? Borj’s head was not on what his father was saying but on the idea of burying himself balls deep inside the delicate female. Borj flushed as he realized his father and the council was waiting for his answer. Uncomfortable at asking his father to repeat his request, Borj nodded his head in agreement. The only thing he cared about was he finally had permission to return to the planet where the female he wanted lived.
Later that day, Borj looked again at the items Tink was telling him about. She was giving him so much information at such a rapid speed his head was spinning. Did she always talk so fast? The translator was having a difficult time keeping up with everything.
“These are jeans and you are wearing a t-shirt and leather jacket. You would stick out like crazy if you wore that uniform-thingy you guys always seem to wear. We really need to get you guys some new outfits although I have to say the form fitting on the pants is oh-la-la, if you ask me! I can always tell when J’kar is horny and the curve of his…” Tink was saying.
J’kar let out a low growl and turned Tink around rapidly in his arms sealing his lips to hers in a deep kiss. “Enough!” J’kar growled softly under his breath. “You are…” J’kar drew in a swift breath and his face flushed as Tink turned back to Borj with a mischievous grin.
Borj bit back a groan when he saw the reason for his brother’s sudden discomfort. Tink was running her hand over the hard length stretching the front of J'kar's pants though she was trying to hide it. Borj watched partly in envy and partly because he couldn’t take his eyes off the erotic sight of a female responding so passionately without even having to be bitten. In all his years, Borj had never seen a more passionate female.
On Prime, females were few and far between and coupling only occurred to relieve built up aggression or to produce offspring. Before either could occur, the males would bite the females releasing a chemical into the females to increase their desire to mate. It normally required many times before the chemical would build up enough for a female to become fertile enough to receive a male’s seed. Their scientists believe this might be one reason the birth rate had begun declining, especially the births of females. Another problem was only bond mated couples could reproduce. Each Prime male and female was required to attend a Mating Ceremony when they came of age. Prime males were matched to their mates though a mating rite ceremony; and, if no match is made, life for the unattached males meant a solitary existence. The mating rites were a chemical reaction that occurred when a Prime male had a physical and emotional chemical reaction bonding them to a female. The males become overwhelmed with feelings of possessiveness, protectiveness and sexual desire. A mating mark, a series of intricate circles denoting the unbreakable bond between mates, appears on the palm of the male and matching female when they come into contact with each other. Each mark is as individualized as the bonded pair.
The Prime, a proud warrior species, were desperate to find a species that the larger population of males could bond with. That was one of the reasons Borj had been on the warship. Borj was acting as an ambassador for Baade, their home world, hoping to find out if any of the men on board would react to the females in the nearby system. Despite meeting hundreds of females, none formed a bond mate much to the relief of some of the males on board. Many of the males had almost revolted at some of the females paraded before them. Borj couldn’t really blame them. He had fought back panic himself when presented with females who were larger than he was, had green scaly skin and far more limbs than he was comfortable with. The only other choice was one with more hair on its body than some of the creatures found on Prime. Neither represented a desirable choice. But, if it meant a bond, the male would not care what the female looked like. Borj found out his brother Mak’s trip was just as unproductive.
They were returning from the nearby galaxy of Grus on a trading and fact-finding mission when they received an emergency signal from a passenger starship. The starship turned out to be a decoy to lure in unsuspecting ships. Instead of passengers, it contained a savage race of species known as the Juangans. They were a cannibalistic species known to feed on their own kind if no other food source was available. It was on this journey that Tink suddenly appeared through a portal device created by a male of her species. Tink had saved his youngest brother, Derik’s, life. When she first appeared on the bridge of the warship, all of the males were enchanted by her delicate beauty. But, it was when she touched J’kar and the mating mark appeared that all the males on the bridge realized an overwhelming hope for their future. When the male from her world appeared on their warship and took Tink away, J’kar become inconsolable with rage and anguish. Fortunately for all of them, Tink had left two valuable pieces of her behind…RITA, the artificial intelligence program she used and a miniature portal device, both allowed them to travel to her world. Now, Borj was preparing to return to the ‘warehouse’ where Tink lived and meet with her friend, Cosmos. Borj had not met Cosmos yet but between what J’kar. Brock, Lan, and Derik told him and what Tink was telling him, he felt confident he would not have any problems with the human male helping him
“And you promise to tell Cosmos I’m okay, right?” Tink was saying.
Borj flushed as he realized he had been lost in his thoughts again. He didn’t know what was wrong with him but he needed to pay better attention. He looked down at the tiny female looking up at him with her big, dark brown eyes and smile softly.
“I promise to le
t him know you are well.” Borj said raising a hand to touch Tink’s pale cheek. He ignored J’kar’s low growl of displeasure. “I will return soon.”
“With Hannah?” Tink asked with a huge grin.
Borj’s eyes flashed with amusement as he glanced up at J’kar who moved closer to Tink and was drawing her back against him. “…With Hannah.” Borj said softly letting the female’s name roll over his tongue.
Borj walked to the room that was now designated for traveling back and forth through the portal device. Brock and Lan were in deep discussion over a control panel. Brock looked up when Borj entered the room and nodded. Lan turned to watch as well, his eyebrows raised as he took in Borj’s appearance.
“You look…different.” Lan said as he let his gaze travel up and down Borj’s length.
Borj grinned as he saw the skeptical look in both men’s eyes. “The clothing of the human men is actually quite comfortable.” Borj said.
Lan looked at Borj in amusement. “How is Tink doing? She was pleased you are going to bring her mother here?”
“Her mother?” Borj said with a frown. “I am not returning with her mother. I will bring the female called Hannah…her older sister here.”
Brock burst out laughing. “Isn’t that the female you and Mak were fight over?”
Borj’s frown deepened as he looked back and forth between the two men. Something wasn’t right and he could tell they knew it. “The image contained all three females. Mak wants to claim the other one. I believe Tink called her Tansy. I plan to claim the one called Hannah. She is the one I am going to retrieve.”
Lan was shaking his head back and forth. “Your father requested you return with the mother. Your father specifically requested she be the one brought here.”
Borj grunted in frustration. “Why…” He began only to be interrupted by the man in question.
Teriff hurried into the room waving the two guards following him away impatiently. “Good. You have not left yet. I need to speak with you.” Teriff glanced at Brock and Lan but did not seem concerned they were in the room.
“I want you to bring Tink’s mother straight to your mother and my living quarters when you return.” Teriff said in a hushed voice looking back over his shoulder.
Borj was frowning at his father. He had never seen him this agitated before. And when did he seem so nervous about making a request before? His father was never nervous…demanding, yes…nervous never!
“I am not bringing her mother. I am bringing her sister.” Borj said determinedly.
Teriff drew himself up to his full height and glared at his younger son. “No, you will bring the mother!” He demanded.
“I don’t want to bring the mother.” Borj said in frustration ignoring the snickering of the two men standing next to him. “I want the daughter!”
“You will bring the mother!” Teriff roared ignoring the startled looks from his son, Brock and Lan.
Borj was confused. What did it matter which family member he brought as long as he brought at least one? “But…why?” Borj asked.
Teriff flushed and looked over his shoulder again to make sure the guards were far enough away so he could not be overheard. Borj looked at the determination in his father’s eyes. He was definitely missing something. Both Brock and Lan seemed to know what his father was about to say from the looks on their faces and their barely concealed attempts to keep the laughter from escaping.
“Why?” Borj demanded more forcefully.
Teriff’s face turned red before he drew in a deep breath before responding. “Her mother knows all kinds of things about human females and their sexual likes and dislikes. Your mother…” Teriff couldn’t keep the grin from breaking free. “Your mother has learned a lot from your brother’s bond mate and she said her mother knows a lot more. Your mother demonstrated some of this new knowledge on me last night. I want her to learn more.”
Borj took a step back and stared at his father in disbelief. He looked just like a young warrior having his first taste of release. Borj was already shaking his head. He was supposed to give up the possibility of a bond mate so his mother could learn better ways to pleasure his father?! Oh, Goddesses no! His father could just wait.
“No. I will bring the one called Hannah back. She is the oldest sister. She will have much knowledge and can share with mother.” Borj growled out stepping up until he was almost chest to chest with his father.
Teriff raised his eyebrow at his younger son’s stringent refusal. “You are refusing a direct order from your father?”
Borj gritted his teeth before nodding. “Yes.” He said.
Teriff looked carefully at the determination in his younger son’s eyes. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps the older sister would have just as much knowledge as the mother would. After all, it was the responsibility of the mother to pass such knowledge on to her children. Tink proved she had some of this knowledge and if the other girl was older perhaps she knew even more. Teriff frowned as he weighed which female would be more beneficial.
Borj watched as his father contemplated his refusal. Borj glanced at Lan who nodded to Brock who slipped the portal device into Borj’s hand with a small grin of encouragement. When Borj looked at both men in surprise, they just shrugged their shoulders and stepped back. Borj didn’t ask twice if everything was ready. He pushed down on the top of the device and watched as a shimmering doorway appeared not two feet away from him. Teriff jerked back in surprise as Lan and Brock each took up a position between him and the doorway leaving Borj a clear path to it.
“Safe journey, my lord.” Brock said with a grin. “Bring us news of other likely females.”
“…And additional images to choose from them.” Lan added with a grin.
Teriff couldn’t suppress his chuckle as he watched his younger son disappear through the shimmering doorway. After having tasted the delights of unrestrained…and delightfully restrained…passion, he could understand his son’s resistance to his command and his eagerness to find the younger female. Teriff adjusted the front of his pants which seemed to be staying in a perpetual state of tight discomfort since he first tasted his mate’s sweet essence. With a grunt to Lan and Brock for him to be notified when his son returned, Teriff decided he had worked enough for the day. He believed his mate promised him some additional lessons on how a female could receive pleasure if touched just right.
Chapter 3
Hannah dropped down wearily into the chair in Tink’s living room on the third floor of the warehouse. It had taken her a little over a week to get to Calais, Maine. Things had gone to hell in a hand basket almost from the moment she hung up with Tink. One of the nice things about being in the middle of nowhere was the privacy and solitude. One of the bad things was trying to find a flight out of it. The first order was to get to a town big enough to have an airport, of any size. The closest one was over two hundred miles away as the crow flies. Unfortunately, the Land Rover didn’t. So, the trip ended up being more like five hundred miles across very rugged terrain. Three hundred miles in the Land Rover overheated. Abasi was able to patch it to get them to another small village but it took some creative maneuvering to get it repaired. It seemed the water pump was acting up, as well as the thermostat. There was a supply truck that came through ‘sometimes’ once a week. If Hannah gave a message to one of the men, he would run to the next village where another man would give the message to someone else, who would then go to another village and so on. It took four days before she found out the truck would bring the needed parts. Normally, Hannah had some spare parts on hand, but it just so happen, the last part to break was the water pump and she forgot to get another one thinking it wouldn’t go out again so soon. And that, she thought tiredly, was what she got for thinking.
Abasi, in the meantime, discovered a sudden attraction for one of the women in the village. Hannah laughed as she watched the two of them fumble around like a couple of teenagers. Even as dark as Abasi’s skin was she couldn’t help but tease him when h
e turned a brilliant red as the woman’s family teased them both. When it was time to leave, Hannah smiled at her dear friend as he promised profusely that he would return for the hand of the lovely maiden with gifts for her family in return for her hand. Hannah shook her head at how quickly they seemed to fall in love with each other. She brushed aside all of Abasi’s attempts to apologize for his lack of control when they finally reached the small town where Hannah was able to hire a pilot to fly her to Cape Town. Hannah calmly handed over the keys to the Land Rover with a kiss to her friend wishing him good luck. Abasi watched sadly as the amazing woman who became more than a friend walked away. Raising his hands to the sky, he asked the great Earth to see her safely home and grant her happiness; for if anyone deserved it, she did.
Flights from Cape Town to a variety of other cities around Europe with a multitude of layovers followed before she was finally able to get one into Bangor, Maine. Throughout it all, her internal warning system was making the Richter scale for a major earthquake look like a kiddie ride at the carnival. Hannah tried calling from every stop. The first few days the only answer she got was from RITA saying Tink and Cosmos were not available and she couldn’t tell Hannah when they would be. Hannah came to two decisions while she waited…first, she was going to short-circuit RITA the first chance she got and second she was going to beat Cosmos to within an inch of his life if someone didn’t tell her what was going on! Finally, late last night Cosmos had returned her call right before she was about to board her last flight for the night. Hannah tiredly tried to remember his exact words.
“I think Tink is okay.” Cosmos had replied to Hannah’s question as to why Tink had not returned any of her calls.