by Celia Kyle
Given the cramped nature of Ikkim’s residential areas, the transport was forced to land three blocks away from his dwelling. In the midst of wider byways and with a decreased chance of being blocked in by an enemy force.
During the brief march, he held Rhea close, all senses alert and his body prepared to defend her from any threat. It wasn’t until the transport came into view that the threat manifested—two human males and a dangerous Rargar near their destination.
A strangled gasp escaped Rhea and she clutched his hand. “How did they even know we were leaving?”
The nearest warrior answered her question. “Word of our arrival must have spread quickly.”
Erudan caressed her palm with his thumb, rubbing soothing circles as he projected what calm he could muster. He lowered his lips to her ear. “I know you believe the guards perhaps betrayed us and accepted bribes from your father, but that is not the case. These males are honorable and loyal to the royal house—to our house.”
Rhea stopped gnawing her bottom lip in order to smile faintly. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “You said ‘our.’”
With a start, he realized she was right, but there was no time to contemplate the ease with which entwining their lives and becoming Teon was returning to him. While he and Rhea talked, their escort had continued to press forward until they could go no further.
The transport was so close. Close enough for him to see the interior beyond the open door—if he peered over the heads of Rhea’s father, the Rargar, and the pitiful excuse for a male who had harmed her heart so badly.
The short, round human Rhea called “dad” drew himself up and thrust out his chest—and belly. “Rhea, I can see you hiding behind that… man. Get over here. I’m taking you home.”
“That male is her mate.” Erudan bit off every word. “She will not be going anywhere with you. Vialea is her home. Step aside.”
Her father mouthed the word “mate” and his face paled. Unfortunately fear only seemed to make him more foolish. While the other human and peacekeepers shifted uneasily, her father attempted to make himself look even taller and larger. “She is human and my daughter. She belongs with me.”
The Rargar muttered something and took a large step away from Rhea’s father. Some of the peacekeepers did as well. Good. They should all be second guessing their stupidity.
“On Vialea, a mate’s claim comes before a familial claim. You have no authority over Rhea. She came to Vialea by choice. We mated—by choice—and now you will stand aside by choice or I will force you to do so.” He paused, letting the words sink into the human’s mind. “Further, I grant you one standard hour to depart before I take further action. Because you are her father, I will refrain from banning you from the planet entirely so you might know our children someday. Might.” Erudan would not allow someone such as Rhea’s father to use his young. “You have used my mate for the last time. Your actions going forward will determine whether I trust you to interact with our young.”
Erudan shifted his focus to the human Calvin and bared his teeth. “You, however, are permanently banned. Vians do not suffer fools.”
Rage rolled off Rhea’s father in a heavy wave, making his eyes wild and the top of his bald head shiny and red. “Do you know who I am? You can’t treat me this way. As if you could ban me from the planet.” He scoffed. Sneering at Erudan, he stepped aside and looked past him. “Rhea, stop this foolishness. You’ve caused enough problems. We’re leaving. Now.”
Rhea shuddered and her scent changed. She had carried an air of uneasiness since they had left his dwelling, but now the stench of fear washed over her.
Enough.
He reached out and tapped three members of their escort and signaled them to form a shield around her. The warriors moved without a word and he released his mate’s hand. He fought to project a calm reassurance through his mounting fury as he strode forward to confront her father.
Towering above the human male, he allowed the full force of his presence, the practiced haughty attitude and cockiness he’d perfected over the years as Teon.
His voice dropped low, menacing, and for the human’s ears only. “I do not care who you are. Your human status means nothing on Vialea. You should only concern yourself with this—” He thumped his chest. “I am a Vian warrior who has claimed his female. I would destroy worlds for her. Do you believe I would balk at killing one human to ensure her happiness?”
Around them, Erudan sensed the human’s entourage shrink away, removing themselves from the danger zone. Her father was not that intelligent.
The soft male sputtered. “Threatening a foreign official—“
Behind him, Rhea whimpered in distress and Erudan… snapped.
He grabbed her father by the front of his jacket and hauled the male up to eye level, leaving the older human’s feet flailing in the air.
“Do not attempt to claim power on my world. There are only two males with that right and only one ranks higher than me. My brother would not condemn me for destroying you. He would commend me and host a parade in my honor!”
His muscles quivered with the force and heat of his rage, making the human’s teeth chatter. The human’s eyes widened and exposed the whites, sending a wave of satisfaction through him. Yes, he quite enjoyed scaring others. Especially those who sought to harm his mate.
Erudan sensed Rhea an instant before her small hand came to rest on his back. A growl rose in his throat and he pushed it down. Whichever of the guard permitted her to move closer to a threat…
“Hush, Erudan, look at me.” She spoke in a whisper, but he heard her so clearly. Almost as if she spoke into his mind. He held her father at arm’s length, so the male could not reach his daughter, and shifted his gaze to Rhea’s.
“You should return to the safety of our guard,” he urged.
Her lips curved and she petted his arm as though stroking a cat. He would not admit to how good that felt. “And I’d rather stay right here with you.” She tipped her head toward her father. “Will you let him go? I’m not afraid of him. He has no power here.”
Rhea continued to caress him, his tunic blocking her from his skin, yet he could imagine the sensations of her palm on his back. He shuddered as she lulled him back from the killing edge, soothing the worst of his fury until the need to fight fled. He dropped her father to the ground and ignored the human male’s blubbering in favor of pulling Rhea into his arms.
Nestled against his side, she addressed her father and the younger male—the cowardly younger male who had remained silent and retreated from the confrontation.
“Dad.” Rhea took a deep breath. “Calvin. You should both do as you’ve been told and leave immediately. I’m happy here and I won’t be going back with you. Erudan is my mate and if you keep fighting that fact, you’ll cause an interplanetary incident. I’m pretty sure Vians are strike first and ask questions later when it comes to their mates. I love you, Dad, despite everything. It’s best if you go.”
Her father shifted uneasily, one hand rubbing his throat. “Rhea— “
“No.” She held up her hand to silence the male, and Erudan had never been so proud. He sensed her heartache and pain, but she stood strong in the face of emotional agony. “There’s nothing more to talk about. Maybe in time I’ll forgive you, but right now you need to leave.”
Rhea’s voice remained steady to match her resolve, but Erudan sensed what she didn’t allow anyone else to see—his mate’s pain at losing her family became his own. He held it close, attempting to shield her from whatever he could.
In that moment—as her father and his contingent backed down—Erudan resolved to be the family she had lost. He would surround her with his own. He would give her a brother and sister in Vroe and Jassa, a niece and nephew, and eventually, they would have their own young.
Provided Vroe welcomed his return.
Thirteen
“That’s…” Rhea leaned forward, fingers clinging to the arms of her seat as though she would
fall through the viewing panel. She nibbled on her bottom lip and glanced at Erudan out of the corner of her eye. “That’s some tree. This is where we’re going to live?”
Erudan reached across the space that separated them and tugged her close. He did not like the way she trembled or the worry in her gaze. “The royal hewo tree is the high warlord’s dwelling. It was always my home before my disgrace. It is convenient and easier for the guards to protect us if we remain in the same dwelling. If I resided elsewhere, the guard would be divided between Vroe and me.”
Rhea snuggled against him without hesitation. “That makes sense. Do you want to keep staying here, then?”
He considered how to answer since it truly depended on the reception they received from Vroe and Vrya Jassa. It was difficult to think past the churning unease in his stomach.
“Hey, it’s going to be fine.” Rhea stretched and pressed her soft lips to the side of his neck.
Air left his lungs in a rough wheeze. Often females automatically provided reassurances even if they were not believed. Such was not the case with Rhea. He could sense her utter conviction that all would be well.
What he could not understand was why she believed so strongly that Vroe and Vrya Jassa would receive them without hesitation.
“How can you sound so certain?”
“Oh, Erudan.” She laid her head on his chest and reached around him to give him a gentle squeeze. “I’m sure everything will work out because there’s no way your brother ever stopped loving you regardless of your mistake. People can’t help but love you.”
He froze for a moment, unable to truly believe her words. He cupped the side of her face and angled her head so he could look into her eyes. “Including you?”
Rhea turned a soft pink and lowered her stare.
He kissed the spot above her brow. “Do not speak, then. I do not need you to voice the thoughts and feelings I can sense already.”
“Ugh.” She buried her face against his shoulder and grumbled. “That’s so invasive.”
He scowled. “You do not welcome our bond? It allows me to know important things about my mate. Like how best to pleasure you.”
That had her lifting her head and glaring at him while her blush deepened. Whatever his mate said—or did not say—he knew she loved him. He could feel her caring wrapped around him as surely as he felt her arms. He focused on projecting his own feelings to her and looked forward to the time she was prepared to exchange the words in their hearts.
The warriors were as efficient as they were fierce. They brought the transport to a smooth halt and moments later, Erudan escorted Rhea to the base of the hewo tree. His skin prickled with awareness, the eyes of others resting on him though he could not see the Vians who watched them.
Rhea tipped her head back, stare following the trunk of the tree higher and higher. “Uh… that’s high. Super high.” She nudged him. “I can wait for you here.”
Erudan suppressed a smile as he recalled the day Vroe brought Vrya Jassa home. Vroe had made a display of strength and awe by scaling the tree using his talons while Jassa clung to his body. He would like to impress Rhea in a similar fashion but did not believe she was ready for that kind of show.
Yet.
“You will not be aware of the distance once you are on the walkways.” Erudan ushered her into the lift compartment on the other side of the trunk. He soothed her with slow, gentle strokes along her spine as they ascended. If only a simple touch from Rhea would soothe him. The higher they climbed, the worse his stomach gurgled and twisted.
Far too soon the lift drew to a halt and the doors parted. Erudan took one step toward the exit and then froze at the sight that awaited him.
Vroe, flanked by his mate, their adopted son Priut, and a gurgling infant safely tucked within Jassa’s arms.
Erudan’s feet became glued to the ground as he catalogued every detail. He did not process the presence of Vroe’s wide smile until his brother was nearly upon him.
“You have returned.” Vroe pulled Erudan into a hard hug, thumping his back twice before retreating to look at Rhea. “And with a mate. Welcome home. A meal has been prepared in honor of your arrival, and we will hold a homecoming feast at another time.”
Erudan nodded while his mind fought to absorb his brother’s words and the happiness that rolled off the other male. Erudan had stood on the sidelines on many occasions, watching Vroe welcome honored visitors and state officials. Vroe was a warrior first, but could play the diplomat when the occasion called for such a demeanor. He was a high warlord, a ruler. Neutral pleasantry was expected from his brother.
But there was nothing neutral about Vroe’s welcome.
One quick glance at Jassa—her fond, amused smile purely sincere—confirmed that Vroe’s joy was not only out of the ordinary, but genuine.
Just as Vroe’s curiosity regarding Rhea was genuine.
Rhea. She needed him to help her navigate these new circumstances. Reminded of her presence, Erudan shook off his shock and drew her forward for introductions.
“Vroe, Vrya Jassa, I present my mate…” He hesitated, searching Rhea’s face for clues. Did she wish to follow tradition and use her title as her name? Recalling Jassa’s distress upon the threat of losing her identity—becoming only Vrya forevermore—he decided to err on the side of caution. “My mate, Taems Rhea Lux.”
Vroe gave him a knowing smirk, Jassa beamed, and Rhea gazed at him with such love he was momentarily speechless.
With a gentle squeeze of his hand, she turned her smile on his family. “It’s nice to meet you Vroe and Vrya Jassa. I’ve heard… uh, not a lot, honestly, but everything I have heard has been good. I’m thrilled to meet you both.”
“Not as happy as we are to meet you.” Jassa passed the infant to Vroe and came forward, wrapping Rhea in a warm hug. “We’re thrilled you’re here. Teon has been waiting a long time for you.”
“I’ve been waiting a long time for him, too.” Rhea’s reply was whisper soft, but Erudan heard her words.
By unspoken agreement, they all drifted away from the lift. Vroe fell into step with Erudan while the women traded gossip about Earth.
“She is human,” Vroe murmured.
“Yes.” Erudan nodded. “We were matched by Celestial Mates.”
Vroe shifted his daughter from one arm to the other. “I did not realize you had completed the application.”
“Because I never did.”
“What? I will contact Celestial Mates to investigate.” Vroe the High Warlord assured his brother with that simple statement.
But Erudan shook his head. “No, do not. It no longer matters. I have my mate. I love her, and whatever Celestial Mates’ involvement, I would not change anything.”
Fourteen
If Erudan could disappear from the homecoming feast, so could Rhea. Especially if she went off searching for him. Her mate had retreated sometime earlier, an introspective look in his eyes.
Helpful direction from a couple of warriors, combined with her inner mate radar—which became more sensitive with each passing moment—led her to the balcony off the suite she and Erudan shared.
She joined him at the railing and took a deep breath of the sweet cool air. The forest around them was dark and peaceful, a gentle hush of rustling leaves breaking the night’s silence.
“Hey,” she whispered. It seemed right to respect the forest by using a soft voice. Her whisper paid reverence to the ageless trees and forest that the Vians called home.
Even though they’d mated in Ikkim, something about being by his side in his true home brought a deeper meaning to their mating.
Her mate didn’t speak with words, but rather welcomed her by lifting his arm. Accepting his invitation, she tucked herself into his embrace and leaned in, cuddling against his side.
They shared the intimate view a while longer, listening to the forest and the distant music of the feast, before she ventured to speak again. “Are you happy to be home?”
He ex
haled but didn’t answer right away. Rhea rubbed her cheek over his heart, waiting patiently. She could sense his happiness down deep, especially when they were alone, but there was something…
Erudan stroked his hand down her arm and linked her fingers with his. “Yes, but the actions of my past have not been erased. They plague me.”
Rhea craned her neck in order to look at his face. Waiting until his gaze shifted from the trees to meet hers, she squeezed his hand. “You’re not the same man you were then. You’ve built yourself into a strong, honorable person with respect and love for your family and the people of your world. Everybody can see that.”
“Not everybody.” He looked out into the dark again. “I am still deeply ashamed of my behavior with my brother’s mate.”
Taking a deep breath, she left her position at his side and squeezed in to stand between him and the rail. “Look at me, please.”
He closed his eyes briefly but then opened them and tipped his chin down.
Rhea took his face between her hands. “Erudan, you are my mate. I am yours. You don’t love Jassa. You love me. Just as Vroe and Jassa love one another, happy with Priut and baby Avani. Nothing you did or said changed the course of their future—while everything you did changed the course of yours. Every action you took brought you to me, and now life has moved on. It will continue to move on. There’s no reason to hold on to that anymore. Don’t let the past paint your—our—future with its dark brush.”
He parted his lips but no sound came out. Smiling, Rhea traced her thumb across his bottom lip, the way he sometimes did to hers.
“You’re home here. We’re home. This is where we are meant to be. You’ve changed and learned so much, and now we can do things for your people you couldn’t have done a year ago.”
He swallowed. “We?”
“Mmm-hmm. We. Because I’m going to be right by your side every step of the way.”