The Inquisitors (The Space Merchants Book 6)

by Wendie Nordgren

  “Stop snooping, or you’ll see much worse,” I warned him out loud.

  Unlike Zared who wore his hair long, Izaac and the other Laconian hybrids wore their hair cut short in the style of Parvac soldiers. However, Fitz had allowed his hair to grow a little, and I played with the ends near his ears.

  “Is my gift tied with a bow?” I whispered.

  “No, but I hope mine will be as soon as we have some privacy.”

  I laughed and kissed him again. He handed me a bag of my own. In it was a large straw sunhat. Grinning, I said, “Thanks.”

  “I was hoping you would wear that and only that for me. I’ve hired an artist to paint you. I’d like a portrait of you for my private bedroom on the plantation.”

  I laughed. “That sounds like more of a gift for you than for me.”

  Fitz feigned a thoughtful look. “Think of it as a source of continual inspiration for me to hasten my work and send me speeding back into your arms.” Fitz was poised to kiss me again, but Neema and Niklos were staring at us.

  “Um. Yes?”

  “Mommy,” Neema said in exasperation.

  “Mommy,” Niklos copied with a pout.

  “Neema and Nik want to go splash,” Neema said as my children both pulled me to my feet.

  Yukihyo’s eyes were sparkling white, and his gorgeous lips were curled up in a grin.

  I said, “Mommy wants to go splash, too. Do you think Peter wants to go splash?”

  Ember asked through her wrist communicator, “What is splash?”

  I said, “It is how Neema tells us that she wants to play in the water. It’s fun. You’ll see.” Eventually, we made it down to the transport bay and out of the ship. “What? No parades, reporters, and citizens lining the streets?”

  “No, Tavere insisted on this being nothing more than a family vacation,” Nico said.

  I grew thoughtful. Papa wanted to enjoy the trip as a family. He wanted to put us back together, to feel for the first time what our lives together should have been like, and what he planned for us to be in the future. “Zared, I want those of you without wives guarding Momma. I trust all of my husbands, all of whom are formidable warriors, to guard me. I want her to feel safe. It must be difficult for her to be here. She was on Thalassa when Felix took her. This has to be much harder for her to face than it was for me to face Earth.”

  Yukihyo covered my hand with his in silent support.

  “What happened on Earth?” Fitz asked.

  Yukihyo answered for me. “After our marriage, we returned to Earth to trade and sell. Teagan was afraid to leave Tora, fearful we would leave her there.”

  I snorted. “That was really stupid of me.”

  Yukihyo laughed. “You finally realize it, but your fear of abandonment remains a speck within you.”

  Shrugging, I squeezed his hand. We drove along the coastal road and past our family house. Soldiers were there unpacking our luggage.

  Fitz said, “Tavere did not forbid House Jiri from throwing a welcoming celebration.” He grinned and gave me a wink.

  We arrived in time to see Tracy race from a transport and throw herself into the arms of Andy Jiri. The clone spun her around in a circle and then kissed her cheek. Then, Jazon hugged it. I felt my jaw clenching and forced it to relax. “I’m surprised that didn’t make Jazon jealous,” I said.

  “Andy loves Tracy as you love Empress Neema,” Zared said.

  I kept my other comments to myself.

  Quietly, Fitz said, “Andy is nothing like him.”

  Once the transport doors opened, I reached for Niklos and got out with him. Fitz had claimed Peter, who held his little face close to Fitz’s. I sensed jealousy from Quaid. “Don’t worry. You’ll get your turn. There are plenty of diaper changes to go around.”

  “Daddy, splash?” Neema asked Yukihyo.

  “In a little while,” he said.

  I kept Momma under my own personal scrutiny for the duration of the party until she pulled me aside.

  “Darling, is there something you wish to discuss?”

  “No, Momma.”

  “Teagan, your father watches over me as do my Imperial Guards.” She wrapped her soft arms around me and soothed my fears through our bond. “We are here to enjoy ourselves and start anew.”

  I hugged her as fiercely as I dared. “I know. It’s just that…. I love you.” The ache the thought of losing her caused washed over me.

  “You will never be free of me. I will smother you with love and affection. I will give you and your life more attention and scrutiny than a young lady your age deserves, and not a week will go by that I don’t hold you in my arms as I do now, even if I have to follow you to another galaxy to do it. That young lady you thought to rescue from similar attentions will fare no better.”

  I looked quizzically into Momma’s eyes. She laughed.

  “Teagan, Victoria Dacia and I have socialized on more than one occasion. You have visited the Valen chateau on Naxa, have you not?” Momma gave me a playful tap on my butt. “Now, Teagan, I must warn you. If you continue to pay too much attention to your father and me during this vacation, you may learn a thing or two. So, leave it to my guards. I intend to take your father at every opportunity.”

  I snorted at her attempt to shock me. She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, please. You may be worldly and elegant, but you only have one husband who has very limited experience. I know many more ways to take a husband than you do.”

  “Oh, really?” she said arrogantly.

  “Yes, really.”

  “Prove it.”

  With a sneer, I leaned in and whispered a few things in Momma’s ear. She was blushing by the time I was done.

  “Floatation strips?” she asked in a barely audible whisper. I nodded smugly. “Well, then,” she said as she smoothed her hair and kissed me on the forehead. “You go and have fun with yours, and I will have fun with mine.”

  When we rejoined the party after our private tete-a-tete, every telepathic acquaintance, with the exception of Tracy, wore a deep blush. I grinned at Zared and directed my thoughts to him.

  “May I interest you in a refreshment, dearest one?” Drex asked.

  “No, I’m going for a short walk with Zared. Watch Thunderdrop for me. Oh, and Drex, this time don’t interrupt.”

  Quietly, he asked, “If I do, will I be disciplined?”

  I realized that Drex really enjoyed being ordered around during private husband and wife time. “Obey me, and you will be.” Never before had I noticed such a virile reaction from Drex.

  “I won’t leave this room until you return.”

  I gave him a kiss. Then, I strolled over to Zared. As we walked past Xavier, I said, “Make sure no one misses us. We’ll return eventually.”

  “Where are we going?” Zared asked as we stepped out onto the porch.

  “You know where we are going, or don’t you remember?”

  I ran my hands up Zared’s strong chest as I thought of the small cave-like overhang where we had given into our desires during a storm. Need and lust burned through me that were not my own. Surprised, I looked up from Zared’s chest and into his eyes. For the first time, I truly saw him for the warrior and not just the lover. He could control the minds of an entire platoon of soldiers, human, Parvac, or Laconian, with his own, had excelled in academics, and in hand-to-hand combat could easily defeat four elite Parvac soldiers. He was exotically beautiful, and he was mine. Zared grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together, and then, frustrated with my slow pace, picked me up and carried me through the jungle that passed as a yard. I giggled and kissed his neck, knowing I made him mad with desire and eagerly awaiting his response. Near the overhang where we had once sought shelter, he placed me on my feet, pushed up the skirt of my dress, unfastened his pants, and lifted me. I held onto his arms, feeling their strength beneath the fabric of his uniform, and wrapped my legs around his waist. Zared entered me slowly while staring into my eyes. He didn’t brace my back against any of the vine-covered tr
ees. He held me up solely with the strength of his arms. Then, he slowly began to move in and out of me, all while staring into my eyes, into my soul. Desire, humility, and love swirled within me as he stroked my inner walls.

  I shattered while calling out his name, but still he moved and willed for me to look into his eyes. I yielded and felt Zared bind me to him with an empathic bond that wove in and out of our souls with his movements. Zared gripped me tightly and held me closely as he found his release, filling me. My soul seemed like a stranger. It felt light, weightless, like sunlight and the freedom of space. Zared gently pulled himself from me and placed me on my feet. After we had adjusted our clothing, I looked into his eyes feeling as though only now had we truly married.

  Zared picked me up and carried me back to the house. I wrapped my arms around his neck. We didn’t speak. No words existed that could compete with or express the perfection of what we had seen in each other’s eyes.

  After the welcoming party at the Jiri Estate, we left for our family home. From down the coastal road, I watched the three-story white beach house come into view. The transport carrying Momma and Papa was ahead of us. When we parked, something happened to me, placing me somewhere else, somewhere I never thought I could ever be. Getting out, I ran past guards and servants into the house. Momma and Papa stopped mid-kiss to look at me in surprise. Laughing, I ran to them and tried to wrap my arms around them both.

  “This must be a dream, a beautiful dream, because I’ve never been happier.”

  “Neema! Neema, I have had a change of plans. Don’t wait up,” Grandmother said. We all looked at her askance. She had on lipstick and an airy blue kaftan. “Seyla, how’s my hair?”

  “Perfect,” Aunt Seyla answered.

  “Teagan, go get my great-granddaughter. I want my picture of us now before we all turn pink from the sun.”

  Papa kissed Momma in such a way that she had to hold onto his arms to keep her knees from buckling before he let her go. Then, Grandmother made Kane take pictures of us together on the beach until she was satisfied with the results. A few minutes later, Kane, Uncle Kagan, and I were trying to stare down the old man who pulled up in a chauffeured transport for Grandmother. Not one of us managed to intimidate him.

  Papa held his hand out to the male who had the appearance of someone who desired to defile my grandmother. “Retired Admiral Stayton,” Papa said in greeting.

  Aunt Seyla fussed at us. “Would you stop glaring at the man? Ettie has mourned General Valen and Neema for years. She’s ready to let go of the past and have some fun.”

  “She’s not going to…you know…with him. Is she?” I whispered.

  Kane covered his ears and left the house. Aunt Seyla shrugged.

  “Isn’t she too old for that?” I whispered.

  “Not as long as the flesh is willing,” Aunt Seyla said as she made her finger lift straight up.

  Uncle Kagan stared at the ceiling and shook his head.

  Overhearing us, Papa edged closer and quietly said, “My mother-in-law has orders to enjoy herself and relax while we are here, as do all of you. We are here to have fun.” With that, he winked at me, picked Momma up, and carried her off to their bedroom.

  “Mommy,” Neema pouted.

  Yukihyo laughed at her. She and her brother had taken off their clothing while we had been talking. They were eager to go play in the ocean. Pierce and Lorca laughed while putting them into their swim suits and safety strips. I giggled in my room while changing Peter. His swim bottoms were so tiny. Lorca carefully attached Peter’s safety strips for me.

  “Here, Lady Wife.” Yukihyo traded me Peter for tiny strips of black fabric.

  I rolled my eyes and humored him. The small black bottoms didn’t even come up to my hipbones. He waggled his eyebrows at me and flexed his pectoral muscles. “Give Peter back to me.”

  Nico walked around me. “Nice. Very nice.”

  “I’m so glad you approve. Now, would each of you please grab a kid? I’ll hold the smaller and more manageable of the three.”

  “Daddy! Daddy!” Niklos called as he toddled into the room. “Fix,” he said as he showed Nico his water blaster.

  “Oh, yes. Daddy knows how to fix this.”

  My heart melted into an even gooier mess as I watched the father and son together. Niklos was perched on Nico’s forearm and gazed down with a serious expression at his new toy.

  From the sitting room, we could hear Neema as she pounded on the door yelling, “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”

  Yukihyo said, “She reminds me of your mother.”

  Laughing, I said, “Yes, she is a bossy little thing, and now she might one day hold a rank as an Inquisitor.” I held my chin up as I followed my husbands and our children outside.

  “Aww, you’re wearing my gift, Cupcake. See, Tracy? It’s fine,” Phillip said.

  She held a towel around herself and gave Phillip an uncertain look. “Everyone will see my scar.”

  “Yes, they will see what you survived. After all of the work you have been doing, you can walk all of the way from this house and down to the beach without the use of Zared’s hover chair.”

  My attention went elsewhere, and I snorted with laughter. I had thought that Yukihyo and Nico had worn their tiny black swim shorts for my amusement, but every male within sight, with the exception of Gary and Eric who wore regular ones, wore them.

  “Check this out, Tracy,” Eric said as he showed off a long pale scar down his leg. “From the blade of an Eloneave while on Talpa,” he bragged.

  Phillip held his hand out for her towel and gave her a seductive grin when she handed it over. She narrowed her eyes at him. “From an assassin’s blaster while on Aurilius,” she said as she showed Eric the scar on the top and back of her thigh.

  Jazon held his hand out to her and walked with her across the sand to the ocean. Tracy’s skin was much paler than my own, and her blue swimsuit was just as miniscule.

  Meanwhile, Gary was trying to cover Sparrow, who wore a barely-there lavender two-piece. She stared at him in chagrin and pushed his hands away. “Daddy, most Parvacs wear nothing when swimming. Look.” She pointed far out into the waves at my naked parents and the guards who were attempting to give them privacy from the backs of their wave riders along the perimeters. Xavier grinned and followed her into the water.

  “But, baby girl?” Gary said as he followed after them.

  Terre walked from the house in a see-through pink kaftan. She stopped at the pavilion, placed her towel and kaftan on a chair, and walked in the nude to the water. Her dark skin gleamed in the sun. Phillip’s mouth hung open, but nothing else on him was hanging.

  Eric said, “What the fuck? You had better put that thing away. Do I need to show you how it’s done?” Eric’s shark grin dominated his expression.

  Angrily, Phillip said, “Back off, Alaric.”

  Eric shot him a look. “Or what?”

  “She’s mine.”

  “She doesn’t seem interested,” Eric countered.

  “Why would Terre want either of you when she could have me? You’re just a doctor, and you’re just a captain,” Kane said.

  “You’re both assholes. Have I ever stolen a woman out from either of you?” Phillip asked. He sounded hurt and frustrated.

  Both of my cousins said, “Yes,” at the same time.

  “This is different,” Phillip said.

  “Phillip, Terre is Parvacian. She will not be content with one husband, no matter what your level of prowess. Being monogamous would go against her instincts. If you pursue her, she will expect you to be faithful to her, but she will have other husbands and will be courted by males who wish to be accepted until late in life. Look at Ettie,” Nico said. “Then, there are other things she will require of you.” Whispering so that I could hear, Nico said, “I had a threesome with Drex.”

  “Well, would you look at that. Good job, Phillip. Now, that scary thing in your shorts won’t scare the female. What happened to it?” Yukihyo asked. He gri
nned at the look of betrayal Phillip cast his way. “Prepare for some retribution, brother.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Yukihyo said, “I recall much teasing from you when I courted Teagan.”

  “That wasn’t just me. Hiroshi was in on it, too. All of you, stay away from my goddess.”

  Kane said, “I don’t need to be close to give her some of this. It will reach.” He gave a thrust of his hips.

  “One little dose from an injector, and it won’t be a problem.”

  “One little thrust with this is all she’ll need. She’ll be screaming my name and forget she ever heard yours,” Kane teased.

  Ignoring them, I kissed Peter’s cheek. He lifted his little face to the wind and sniffed at the air. Joy filled my heart, and I cuddled him closer, my fingers splayed out across his little back. Warm water washed over my toes.

  “Look. Do it like this,” Nico said as he showed Niklos how to fill his toy.

  Neema was stomping the water while giggling. That stopped when Niklos started squirting her and everyone else. The giggles progressed into loud, boisterous laughter. “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”

  “Yes, Neema. Here. Sink it under the water,” Yukihyo said as he demonstrated.

  I waded into the water with Peter. The pink and orange sky, clear blue water, gentle breeze, sound of rushing waves, and baby in my arms combined to melt away any remaining vestiges of tension within me. An expression of wonder came over Peter’s face. He spread his arms wide and trilled with laughter as the waves tickled his patagium along his sides. He splashed his little clawed hands in the water. I grinned up at Yukihyo and Nico. The children were sitting on their shoulders. The kids were trying to shoot each other with water, but kept hitting their daddies in their faces instead.

  Fitz and Drex ran through the surf to join me. Quaid was deep in conversation with Phillip and Eric, hopefully giving him some advice. I watched as Terre swam for a while parallel to the shore before striding out to lay beside Ember to bake in the sun. The Talpan Ambassador seemed to be comfortable for the first time since arriving in the Empire. I decided to ask Papa if we shouldn’t offer to let her remain in the house next to ours that he was renting for her. In the distance, I could see Momma with her arms wrapped around Papa’s neck.