The Ta'e'sha Chronicles 2: Shards of the Mind

by Theolyn Boese

  They all jumped when a black clad figure materialized out of the shadows.

  Sya’tia stared at Ruri with icy black eyes. “Do not ever strike her again.” Her wrist spines sheathed themselves with a soft hiss. “Your manner shames your people, your mate, and your Gods. My husbands-to-be have attempted to be your friends and have swallowed your scorn. I have accepted your barely hidden sneers because Thea counts you as a sister. But know that I will not tolerate her being abused. She has suffered enough.” She turned and faded back into the shadows without another word.

  Thea jumped to her feet to follow Sya’tia. She had to smother a chuckle when Cristabel’s voice rang out behind her. “Wow, Ruri. You have an amazing talent for pissing people off. Have you thought about going into politics?”

  * * * * *

  Sya’tia listened to her betrothed crash through the bushes as she tried to catch up.

  “Sya? Please wait.”

  She stopped and turned. Her gaze slid over the mark on Thea’s cheek. It glowed with color to her heat sensitive eyes. She suppressed the urge to go back and beat some sense into Ruri’s stubborn skull.

  “How did you know?” Thea asked her softly.

  Sya’tia looked away. She couldn’t meet Thea’s eyes as she made her confession. “I knew something had hurt you, and when I checked, you weren’t in your cabin so I came looking. I felt her striking you, just as I felt it when Barik took you. I didn’t know what it was then so I did nothing. If I had paid more attention perhaps you would not have suffered so.” Her hair fell forward to hide her face. She didn’t want Thea to look at her. “Maybe you wouldn’t have lost your child.”

  Thea’s palm cupped her cheek. She looked back at her love sadly.

  Thea sighed softly and caressed her cheek. Her eyes were dark with grief. “Sya’tia, you can’t live your life on ‘maybe’ or ‘if I had.’ It happened, and it wasn’t your fault. None of it was your fault. Kyrin and Daeshen were so sick they had to be sedated. Do you blame them?”

  Sya’tia shook her head, looking back at the ground again.

  “Then how can you blame yourself?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. I just should have done more.” Thea’s fingers tunneled through her hair and tugged her head up again.

  Thea smiled gently. “Silly woman, you’re not a Goddess.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed her nose. “Let’s go cuddle with our men.”

  Sya’tia grinned. “Just cuddle?”

  Thea giggled softly. “We may be able to talk them into something else…”

  Chapter Nine

  Thea peered around curiously as she cautiously took the last step off the Dark Queen and placed her foot on the soil of another planet for the first time. The port was clean, but dusty, and people milled about like ants. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Huge ships filled the area in neat rows. Each was as big as a small town. A bright yellow sun glared warmly in a deep cerulean sky.

  The breeze carried the scent of the sea and she inhaled deeply. After months of being cooped up on the ship, it was a relief to be under the open sky and breathe air that hadn’t been recycled. She turned to look back up at the Dark Queen. It was an awe-inspiring sight. She sat like the queen she was named for as maintenance crews swarmed over the outside like cleaner birds on a hippopotamus.

  Thea took Kyrin’s hand and smiled nervously up at him. He had told her they would be docked for several months while the ship was cleaned and maintained before their next launch. They would be staying with Kyrin’s family since he and Daeshen didn’t keep a house planet-side.

  The trial would be held in the capital city because of Barik’s rank. While they were there, they would stay with Daeshen’s family. She was feeling very apprehensive about meeting her new in-laws. Hopefully, they would like her.

  Sya’tia stepped up beside her and took a deep breath. Kyrin released Thea’s hand as she turned to smile up at the taller woman. “Happy to be home?” she asked quietly.

  Sya’tia nodded, looking around the dusty docking bays with a contented expression on her face. “Yes, I am. If we have time, I’d like to have the three of you come home with me to meet my family. But it’s planting season, so we should probably plan on doing it after the trial. That way we won’t be in the way.”

  “What does your family farm?” Thea asked absently as she watched Kyrin being greeted enthusiastically by a large group of people.

  “Sea ferns,” Sya’tia replied. “It’s a staple for us much like your wheat is. My family has held their land for over seven hundred years,” she added proudly.

  Thea jumped as Daeshen popped up behind them and threw an arm around each of them.

  “What are you two doing standing here? Don’t you want to meet Kyrin’s family?” he inquired brightly.

  Thea gulped as he started towing them toward Kyrin. She started tugging at her skirt and self-consciously straightening her blouse.

  The group’s chattering died down as they reached them.

  Thea shifted from foot to foot as several pairs of eyes studied her and Sya’tia curiously. She darted a pleading look at Kyrin who winked and pulled the tall woman standing beside him forward. It was very obvious she was related to him by her amber hair and dark skin.

  She had a broad face with tiny lines around her mouth and eyes as if she smiled often. Her dress was loose and flowing, a pale yellow-green that complemented her coloring.

  “Mother, I wish to introduce my mates and betrothed to you. You know Daeshen, who has consented to join my house as husband.” He took Thea’s hand and placed it in his mother’s hand. “This is Theadora Auralel, our first wife.” Next he took Sya’tia’s hand and placed it over Thea’s. “And this is Sya’tia Osan, our betrothed.”

  Kyrin’s mother stared at them impassively for a moment and Thea felt her heart sink. Suddenly she smiled widely. “I am Vashka and welcome you to the House of Auralel.” She hugged both Thea and Sya’tia hard and placed gentle kisses on their cheeks before turning to beam at Kyrin. “Not only do you bring me two daughters, but both Chosen! Well done, my son, in catching two such beautiful ladies!” She turned back to Thea and said, “I have borne no daughters and am deeply honored that you took my family name to carry on our line.”

  Thea smiled in return before slanting a look and raised eyebrow at Kyrin, who flushed faintly. “It is an honor to accept your name and I thank you for your gracious welcome.” She wasn’t sure what else to say, so she shut up.

  Vashka laughed happily before turning to Sya’tia to exclaim over her marriage veil. “Oh, how beautiful! May I touch it? I have never seen such cloth!”

  Sya’tia, beaming over the warm welcome, hurried to untie the veil and show it to Vashka. Both women’s heads bent together as they inspected the cloth. Two of the men who had greeted Kyrin drifted closer so they could look as well.

  Kyrin pulled Thea over to meet a small, delicately boned male with translucent sea green hair and pale green skin. “Darling, I would like you to meet my father, Tosaa. Normally, Mother would introduce you, but I think it will be a bit before she remembers to.”

  Tosaa took Thea’s hands in his and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Welcome, wife of my son. Our family rejoices in your presence in our lives.”

  Thea smiled shyly and murmured a soft thank you. She leaned against Kyrin, who curled an arm around her waist. The men talked quietly, exchanging news. She watched Daeshen cuddle closer to Sya’tia and point out another detail in the veil. It was a relief to find Kyrin’s parents so accepting. It wouldn’t be hard to think of his parents as hers. And it would be nice to be part of a family again.

  Watching Vashka made her realize just how much she had missed her own mother. Maybe that void would be filled a little now.

  Someone tugged on her hair and she turned. A young man, the spitting image of Tosaa, smiled shyly at her from under the heaviest set of lashes Thea had ever seen on a man. His hair was much shorter than she was used to seeing on a Ta’e’shian. It barely bru
shed his shoulders. “Hello, Theadora,” he mumbled.

  “Hello. Are you Kyrin’s brother?” she asked gently.

  He nodded, still peeking up at her shyly through his lashes. “I’m Craedor.”

  Thea offered her arm to give him the traditional Ta’e’shian greeting. His face lit up and he ran his hand from her elbow to her fingertips. The greeting was usually only used when adults greeted each other, but Thea had always treated kids as adults and had no intention of changing that now.

  He sidled closer to her. “I’m twelve and I’m going to be a captain like Kyrin!” he announced.

  She grinned. “I see. I’m sure you’ll be a very good captain.”

  He beamed at her and began talking a mile a minute about his career plans, his pet octopus, and something called corgans. As near as she could tell, it was a motor that helped propel the Ta’e’sha through water at great speed.

  She noticed that Vashka kept glancing around and targeting Craedor for a moment before returning her attention to the conversation going on around her. Thea suspected that the talkative young man beside her had a tendency to disappear on his mother.

  Suddenly his chatter trailed off, bringing Thea’s wandering attention back to him. Sya’tia had walked up to them and Craedor was staring up at her in awe. She grinned inwardly. “Craedor, have you met Sya’tia?” she asked gently.

  He gulped and shook his head, still staring.

  “Sya, this is Craedor, our little brother,” she said.

  Sya’tia nodded gravely. “Greetings, little brother. You favor your father.” She offered him her arm.

  Craedor smiled shyly as he caressed her arm. He shifted from foot to foot for a moment. “Can I see your fangs?” he finally blurted out in a rush.

  Sya’tia laughed softly and winked at Thea before opening her mouth and slowly extending her fangs. They gleamed in the sunlight for a moment before she retracted them again.

  He stared at her in awe.

  “You look funny,” he stated after a moment.

  Sya’tia’s face fell.

  “Kinda like the Goddess, Shaysha,” he mumbled shyly, not noticing how Sya’tia had started to draw back. “She’s my favorite because she’s the prettiest. But don’t tell the other Goddesses I said that,” he added hastily. “They are pretty too.”

  His face took on a crafty gleam. “If you wait a few years you could marry me instead.” He blinked flirtatiously up at her from under his lashes. “I’ll be even handsomer than Kyrin. Promise. And you’d be first wife.” He ended his proposal with a sly smile.

  Sya’tia laughed with delight and hugged him tightly. “Such a tempting offer, my handsome one, but then I wouldn’t have my beloved Thea and I don’t think we could pry her away from your brother.”

  He sighed theatrically. “I guess.”

  Craedor immediately launched into another round of excited questioning, reminding Thea of Kati. As Sya’tia patiently answered him, Thea wondered where her pink-haired friend was. She hadn’t seen her for several days; the rush to prepare for going planet-side had taken over everyone’s lives.

  Minutes later, they were all being bundled into a craft that hovered above the ground before speeding off. Craedor wiggled between Thea and a Sya’tia, still chattering happily. They landed half an hour later at a large house on the outskirts of the city. Thea was slightly disappointed they didn’t have time to stop and look around, but Kyrin had assured her they would visit the city later.

  Vashka showed them into a suite that had a separate bathing area and a huge bed. The room was decorated in shades of rose-gold and tan. She hugged each of them again. “I’ll have your luggage sent up directly. Dinner isn’t for several hours, so please relax and unpack. Kyrin knows where everything is.” She beamed happily at them for a moment before leaving.

  Thea explored the room curiously while Sya’tia flopped down on the bed tiredly. There was a large glass tub set in one corner. It was filled with pale blue water and had a large curved lip along one side. It reminded her of an old style Victorian bathtub. A case filled with books was set within arm’s reach. “What’s this?” she asked curiously.

  Daeshen came to stand beside her and swirled his hand through the water. “It’s a therapeutic reading bath.” He sniffed his fingers then offered his hand to Thea.

  Thea inhaled lightly. The water had a spicy scent to it. “Wow, are the books waterproof?”

  He nodded. “Kyrin was always spraining something so Tosaa finally had one installed in his bedroom. I guess they moved it in here when Kyrin commed them to tell them we were coming.”

  Thea grinned. “Well, he hasn’t changed in that. Which reminds me: we’re getting low on his therapy salts.” She glanced behind her and saw Kyrin leering at Sya’tia. “Sya’tia’s been kicking his bootie at practice.”

  She jumped when two hands grabbed her butt and squeezed.

  “Mmm bootie,” Daeshen breathed into her ear.

  Thea turned around and looped her arms around his neck. Her lips feathered lightly across his. “I thought you would be worn out from this morning.” She nipped his nose. “You were in rare form.”

  He smirked down at her. “I’ll never be too tired to fulfill my duties, my love.”

  She shivered as his nimble fingers started inching her skirt up. The proof of his statement was pressing into her stomach.

  Daeshen leered. “Wanna play ‘tentacles’ again?” He succeeded in getting his hands under her skirt and quickly slid them into the panties she still insisted on wearing. He hadn’t told her, but he had sent off a com to one of his favorite tailors and asked if several new sets could be made out of lace for both her and Sya’tia. He and Kyrin had high hopes of a fashion show when the order was delivered.

  Thea giggled against his throat. “No tentacles, but maybe later.”

  He grinned and nuzzled her hair. During one of his searches through the movie database, he had run across some animated movies from Japan. Curious, he had pulled one up to watch and nearly had the skin singed off him. He had serious concerns about the minds that had created some of them. They barely scraped erotic and went straight on to creepy. He loved that term. It was one he had picked up from his wife. But he had discovered that Thea liked some “anime,” as she called it, and was rather delighted by the “tentacle” possibilities of her husbands’ hair.

  He slid his hands out of her panties and under her butt and lifted her against his muscular frame. Catching her mouth with his, he walked them toward the bed and fell back onto it with Thea under him. He shivered when she nibbled on his neck. Sliding her panties down her legs he stole a kiss.

  Kyrin’s weight landing beside them made the mattress bounce lightly under them. He turned his head to watch his husband passionately kiss Sya’tia. He turned his attention back to Thea, who was lazily untying the laces of his shift. Humming softly in his throat he tossed her panties across the room and attacked the buttons down the side of her skirt. It continued to delight him that his little wife enjoyed wearing skirts, because, after all, they were so easy to get her out of.

  He rolled her on top of him and pulled the now loosened skirt free. Thea pulled her mouth from his and sat up, straddling his lap. Her hips swayed, grinding against his erection as she wiggled out of her shirt. It joined the rest of her clothing on the floor. His hands slid up her belly to cup the full weight of her breasts. He stroked her velvety nipples, delighted when they immediately hardened to sharp points.

  Soft noises beside him made him turn his head. Kyrin was stretched out on Sya’tia. Their mouths fed lazily on each other. It caused the flame in his groin to leap even higher. He loved watching Kyrin make love to Thea and Sya’tia.

  He looked back up at Thea who was watching Kyrin and Sya’tia with heavy eyes. She was rocking herself back and forth against the length of his cock. Her hands came up to cup his cock and she purred softly, rolling her head languidly.

  He freed his hands and started wiggling out of his clothing, making her gi
ggle softly. He succeeded in getting his shirt off, but had to tickle Thea to get her to move so he could shimmy out of his pants.

  Thea slid back onto him and smiled down at him. Her arms stretched out above his head as she lowered her mouth to brush her lips across his lightly. He slid his arms around her and cradled her hips, gently massaging the firm muscles under her silky skin. He and Kyrin had been much gentler with Thea since the attack. They were uneasy about playing their tie-me-up games and risking another black eye or bloody nose. They didn’t want to trigger another panic attack. Their dainty wife had a wicked right hook.

  A thump beside them made him look over quickly. Kyrin squawked as Sya’tia neatly flipped him onto his belly and pinned him down. Sya’tia leaned down to scrape her fangs across the back of Kyrin’s neck. His husband went motionless the moment those pearly white teeth touched him.

  Thea cuddled closer and watched as well, her fingers tunneling into Daeshen’s hair to massage his scalp. He hummed with pleasure. He loved that; it made shivers break out across his whole body. Her smooth fingers moved in slow circles and her fingernails scratched lightly along the thin muscles of his hair.

  Sya’tia pulled Kyrin’s shirt down his back, lapping slowly at the exposed honey brown skin. “Think you can take me, big man?” she whispered against his skin.

  Kyrin rumbled under her.

  Daeshen smirked. Kyrin had tried his dominant games when Sya’tia had first joined their bed. It hadn’t turned out quite the way he’d expected. Before he knew it, he had been tied up, on his back, straddled, and “ridden like an unbroken horse” as Thea had stated with awe.

  He had found Sya’tia to be an enthusiastic and passionate partner. She melded well into the rhythms of his family and matched Kyrin for aggressiveness and sheer stubbornness. Sometimes it felt as if she had always been part of their family.

  He rolled onto his side and guided Thea until her back was against his chest and they could both watch the play between Sya’tia and Kyrin.

  Daeshen pulled Thea’s leg back over his and slowly pressed the head of his cock into her now wet sheath. He sank easily into her, savoring the slick muscles twitching around him. He stilled and cupped his hand over Thea’s hip, holding her motionless. After a moment, she wiggled her hips. His hand tightened, holding her still. Moisture seeped from her, wetting his thigh. He loved how wet she became. He withdrew and thrust hard into her again.