Knadyn: A Terraneu Novel (Book Six)

by McKnight, Stormy

  She squirmed inside at how accurate his perception was. She had never felt any true connection to any of the males she had met before. Jeromy had been a good fit in theory, but she couldn’t make herself settle for him. The rest of the men that had come and gone from her life had all ended up as friends. When she thought of going to Earth and only seeing Knadyn every six months, or less, a part of her shattered.

  Seeing her face crumble her father drew her into a tight hug, “Ava … we have always been there for each other, trying to survive. It’s time that we do more than that. We need to start living again. You will be able to do anything you want here, not forced into doing what the community requires of you. If you do a lot of soul searching you will find what will make you happiest and that is what you can devote yourself to. Imagine the possibilities … I know you were only following my work because it was expected that you would replace me, not because of any great desire for the subject.” Ava swore she could feel tears falling on her shoulder. “I want you to be happy Ava my girl. I want you to grab this chance and make your mark in this universe. Stop holding back and jump in with both feet!”

  Ava felt a burning in her chest and a sudden wetness on her face. She was crying…and she couldn’t stop. She sat there in her father’s arms and let the tears flow. She cried for the loss of her mother, her childhood, and the suffering of so many of her friends. Her father just held her, his own tears wetting her shoulders. Ava had never let herself see that her father had lost as much, if not more than she had. All of her life she had focused on the hardships she had suffered. Now sitting here in his arms, she felt all the pain he had been holding inside wash over her. He had lost the love of her mother, forced into the life of a single father living life in a bunker, threatened, and used for his mind. Getting this second chance would give him back his purpose and feeling of accomplishment. He would be appreciated and respected like he should have been these last thirty years.

  Just as suddenly as she had started crying, she started laughing. The people of Terraneu were going to help make everything right again. She knew the survivors would vote on a new leadership when given the opportunities for new lives. The existing government leadership would need protection from the angry mob if they tried to block what the Terraneu council was offering. Laughing so hard her sides hurt, she took deep gasping breaths until she finally calmed.

  “I love you dad.” Ava held him tight, “You are right … about everything. I understand your decision and want you to know I will always be here for you.” She patted him on the back and eased away wiping the remaining wetness off her face. “I have to go. Come to Hu’lani before the next mission to Earth, with one of the food deliveries if you want. Knadyn won’t be in danger of a reaction to you, and I want you to get to know him. Stay with us for a couple of weeks.” She stood up smiling brightly, “Keep me informed when a final decision is made.” Before he could answer, she hurried down the path to the transport room. Knadyn was waiting for her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Knadyn was swinging in the hammock, waiting for Ava to get back from her meeting in Terraneu. He was frustrated with the lack of progress in their relationship, but he understood Ava’s position. How was he going to get her to change her mind, when she was going back to Earth? He knew this was one of the “things” she didn’t want to talk about for fear he would have a reaction. Every time he tried to talk about it, she would change the subject.

  When he had asked his father to find Ava, his family knew what that meant, even if she didn’t. He wanted her to come to Terraneu and stay, not to return to Earth in six months. He also knew that her father had to be another reason for her reticence. Ava and her father were as close to each other as any of his family. Her father agreeing to live on Terraneu might be the only way to get her to stay as well.

  There were so many variables in making a life with Ava work and he didn’t care how long it took or how hard it got. He was going to find a way to be a part of her life. If she wanted to live on Earth, he could see her every six months. It would be hard being separated for half of the year while he healed on Terraneu, and he wasn’t sure what the constant trauma would do to his life span. However, Ava was worth it to him. He would do anything she asked if it meant they could try to be together.

  He was so wrapped in his thoughts he didn’t hear Ava until she was standing at the edge of the patio.

  “Knadyn?”

  Startled, he rolled out of the hammock, landing clumsily on his backside and hurried to jump up and right himself. “Ava. How did the meeting go?”

  She ran across the patio and threw herself into his arms, “We can talk about that later.” Before he could ask her what was wrong, she was kissing him. Not a soft and gentle, “Hello, I missed you kiss” but a passionate, “take me right here on the patio” type of kiss.

  Their mouths meshed and tongues clashed. As much as he wished he didn’t have to, he broke their kiss. He couldn’t take advantage of her this way. With his breathing heavy he asked, “Are you okay?”

  Far from being deterred, Ava started placing kisses on his chin and down his neck. His whole body shuddered, “Ava … you have to stop …” He couldn’t hold out much longer, her mouth was making him crazy. “I do not understand the change of heart.” She had caught his earlobe between her sharp teeth and was alternating between nibbling on it and sucking. Her hands had been busy, moving down his stomach and into his shorts. His eyes crossed and he was quickly teetering into losing control.

  “It’s okay Knadyn.” Her hands found him hard and more than ready. Looking into her eyes he saw desire and something else shining in their bright hazel depths, “I know you are trying to be honorable. We can talk it all out … later.” She gave his shaft a hard squeeze and he gave up the fight.

  “Later.” He agreed and fused his mouth to hers once again. One hand in her hair to feel the silky strands, the other against her back he pressed into her, trying to get her to step back. Instead, she just leaned into him and he felt her nipples rubbing hard against his bare chest. He needed to get them somewhere more comfortable … but where? They could try the hammock, but he pictured them flying off and landing on the hard patio. He didn’t want this to end with broken limbs. How about the beach? No. It always seemed romantic until you were cleaning sand out of every orifice. How about a chair? Yeah, Knadyn…that’s really romantic for your first time with the woman you want to spend your life with, he chided himself.

  Well, that left his original plan to get to a bed. Releasing his hold on her hair, he moved both hands to her butt and lifted her against him. Problem solved. Taking a step, he realized this might not have been the best plan. Ava had wrapped her legs around his hips. Her dress was bunched around her hips and he groaned loudly…she wasn’t wearing underwear. His shorts were no barrier since they were unfastened and halfway pushed off. With every step, he was rubbing against the perfect wet vee between her legs. He might embarrass himself if he didn’t hurry. Kissing her almost savagely now, he rushed toward their dome.

  Even though it was only seconds, it seemed to take forever to get there. Reaching out frantically he opened the door. Turning with Ava still in his arms, he bounced her against the wall and hit the door lock at the same time. Recovering his footing, he stumbled toward the hall. Would she want him to invade her personal space or should he use his bedroom?

  Sensing his hesitation she broke their frantic kissing, “My bedroom. Hurry.” Then digging both hands into his hair, she resumed her passionate attack on his mouth. Her hips moving against him.

  He hurried. Making it to the bed, he wanted to laugh with relief. They had at least made it this far. He sat her on the edge of the mattress, but she kept her legs around his hips. Pulling his mouth from hers he gasped, “I want to make this perfect…” he leaned back and taking the edge of her dress went to pull it over her head.

  “It will be perfect when you are inside me.” She wrenched her dress over her head and dug her nails into his back.
“I want you too badly to go slow.” Urging him over her with her legs pulling at his back she begged, “Now Knadyn. We can do it slow next time.”

  Pushing his shorts off his hips and letting them fall to the ground, he gave in to Ava’s plea. They would go slow next time. With his knee on the mattress between her legs, he helped her scoot back on the bed. Getting a quick look at the wet curls between her legs, he paused. That was a novelty he would examine more closely later. Spreading her legs wider to accommodate his hips, he pushed forward. He didn’t need to go slowly, he was soaked from rubbing between her legs, but he went slowly anyway. It was a tight fit, and felt like heaven. Her passage was squeezing around him and when he pulled back, she jerked her hips forward.

  “Stop teasing…” she groaned loudly, her nails biting into his back.

  “I am going to enjoy this…” he pushed forward again and she flexed her hips to meet his thrust. It was his turn to groan. He had partnered with different unattached women on Terraneu before, but he never felt this kind of electric connection with them. “You are not making this easy.”

  “I want you deeper.” She met his next thrust, “and harder.” He adjusted his hands to better prop himself off her slight frame, angling his hips harder against her.

  “Like that?” he ground his hips in a circular motion while buried as deep as he could go. “Is this deep enough.”

  “Yes.” Ava was gasping and clawing at his back, her hands moving to his hips. “Like that.” She lifted her knees to press them into his sides and he was suddenly deeper still. Groaning loudly he couldn’t stop himself. Against all thought for her smaller frame, he was pounding against her mindlessly. Their gasps and grunts echoed around the room. His body was screaming for release and at the same time, he could feel Ava writhing against him, reaching for the same fulfillment. Their bodies slick with perspiration, sliding and grinding against each other.

  Then Ava tensed against him, her whole body stiff one second then shuddering the next. Her channel sheathed his shaft so tightly the pleasure was almost painful and he couldn’t stop his climax. It burst from him with a shout, during the next two thrusts and then he was spent. Exhausted and exhilarated at the same time.

  Making sure not to crush Ava, he rolled and tucked her against his side.

  When he had caught his breath he asked, “Now can you tell me why the change of heart?” Knadyn moved his fingers in a tight circle on her upper arm. Her skin was tanned from the sun and she had gained a healthy sheen. She had made statements that led him to think she was still unhappy with her appearance. How many times had he told her it didn’t matter? She had always shrugged off his compliments. She was perfect to him and he wouldn’t change a thing. From her quirky laugh, to her sense of loyalty, to the way she stubbornly refused to give up when facing a challenge.

  Knadyn had thought Ava was asleep and hadn’t heard his question. Therefore, he was startled when she blurted out, “When everything is settled the council asked me if I would like to stay on Terraneu instead of returning to Earth.”

  Knadyn’s breath froze in his chest. Trying to sound nonchalant he asked, “What do you think your decision will be?”

  Knadyn felt her pulling up to look into his face, “I haven’t made a final choice.” He could hear the teasing in her voice and her eyes were flashing with humor. He could feel her fingers playing with his stomach and his body responded. “It will be a…hard decision.” Her fingers had reached lower. Was she trying to kill him?

  Flipping her onto her back he smiled, “Now who is being a tease?” He gently moved some of the hair that fell across her forehead, “I do not want to assume anything Ava. I have to ask. Is your change of heart about our relationship, your way of saying that you will be staying here on Terraneu…with me?”

  “We will need to take things slow Knadyn, but yes. I will be staying on Terraneu, and in whatever capacity you want me in your life.” She answered and his heart burst with happiness.

  ~*~*~*~

  It was no fun teasing Knadyn when he took everything so seriously. She supposed she couldn’t blame him. She had made him wait a long time to take their relationship to the physical level. Now she was the one waiting to see what he would say. She would be staying on Terraneu, with him if he wanted her.

  “Ava, how could you doubt that is what I want?” he went to place fleeting kisses all over her face. “I have been waiting so long to be close to you, to hear you say that you want to stay here. I was beginning to give up hope.”

  Ava grabbed his face between her hands, “I may have to go to Earth on the next mission to help, but when that is over I will be coming back.”

  “You are going to Earth on the next mission?” he didn’t look at all happy with that statement.

  “I might have to go.” Ava assured him. She was ready to get away from the serious talk about Earth and back to their closeness from a moment ago. “We can face that when the time comes. Right now there are more important things to think about.’

  “What could possibly be more important? Ava—”

  She just raised her eyebrow and lifted her face to place a kiss on his chin. “You could not possibly—” she placed another kiss on his jawline closer to his ear. “Putting yourself in danger—” she found the sensitive spot on his neck and bit softly. “Never mind. You are right…more important things.”

  Laughing softly she pulled Knadyn into her arms.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Her father showed up with a few weeks left before the next portal activity. Ava had gone into the transport room expecting to see her food and instead a stranger was standing there. She had been about to ask who he was and what he wanted, when she noticed his eyes. Well they were her eyes in a way too, since she had gotten that feature from her father.

  “Ohh my…” she was speechless. She had never seen a photograph of him when he was younger but this was unbelievable. “You look so…great!” She had laughed and then threw herself into his arms. He did look young…and healthy! Whatever they had done to him, her father now looked to be in his twenties. His hair wasn’t as pale as hers, but a more muddy blond color. The lines around his eyes and mouth were gone. His body was lean and fit. If this was something they were going to offer the people of Earth, the government faction didn’t have a chance of holding onto power.

  “Thank you my girl.” He kissed her on the cheek and handed her the basket of food. “This is what the change does. Takes what your genetic blueprint had planned and makes you the perfect version of it. Kneus did a modified ‘fix’ on me. I can’t eat solid food anymore, and I won’t live as long as those here on Terraneu, but it is enough. I have myself back Ava.” He had laughed and pulled her along out of the teleport dome, “My brain is working like it used to. I don’t have to search for the right word and I can do the equations in my head. It’s all back.” He looked at her and his smile was blinding. “Before we get to Knadyn I have to tell you. They have agreed to have a presence on Earth. The community voted and the next portal activity their demands will be taken to the leaders of both the rebels and government leaders. For now, we can keep this information between the two of us.” He patted her hand excitedly. “Enough about that stuff, how are you doing?”

  “I’m good dad. I have decided to stay on Terraneu.” She led him along the path to the patio where Knadyn was sitting waiting for her. “Knadyn.” She called out and he turned toward her with a huge smile on his face, “This is my dad.” She saw Knadyn start in surprise that they had company, then recovered and hurried to join them.

  “Steve…that is Mr. Howard.” He talk hurriedly in his nervousness, “It is so nice to finally meet you officially. Ava has told me all about you. Well not all about you, just the nice things.” Looking horrified he blurted, “Not that there would be not-nice things. I am sure that—”

  “It’s okay to breathe Knadyn. You can call me Steve.” Her father went and patted him on the back. Then shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.” Looking at he
r trying to hide her laughter and Knadyn choking on embarrassment her father seemed to stand even taller. It was as if a weight had lifted and she knew it was concern for her happiness that he had been burdened with. Now he was letting his worry for her future go. “I can see why my daughter is so happy.” Looking around the patio and out to the beach he smiled. “How about we enjoy some sun and sand, then I have to be going.”

  “But dad you just got here!” Ava protested.

  “Sir you should stay. There are plenty of domes. If you prefer one of your own, they are easy to turn on. If you would like to stay with us in our dome, there is plenty of room.” Knadyn offered quickly before Ava could become upset.

  “I don’t know.” He eyed them questioningly, “Let’s see how it goes. If I do stay, I will insist on a dome of my own. Where are you two staying?” Both she and Knadyn pointed at their dome. “That one over there will do.” He pointed to the opposite side of the beach. “So what is this I hear about surfing? I am a proficient swimmer now and have heard all about this sport. What do you say Knadyn? Feel like teaching an old man how to surf?”

  Ava just shook her head and watched the males walk off. “I will be busy too. I will see you later for dinner.”

  Ava had been trying to think about when to do the change. After the last blissful weeks spent with Knadyn, she realized she was ready. He would accept her no matter what she looked like. Getting the change was a way to prove her commitment to Knadyn more than a way to change her physical appearance. Once she had it in her mind, she figured there was no time like the present. Her father was here to distract Knadyn and she could be back before tonight.

  Racing to the teleport dome, she pressed the button to Terraneu. Arriving in the teleport dome, she knew the medical dome was attached, so ran through that doorway. She was happy to see Gwen working on a console.

  “I want the change done.” Ava blurted out. “How long does it take to recover?”