Intergalactic Loyalties

by Jessica Coulter Smith

  Lucie hadn’t really made many friends since coming aboard the Lynten 12. Ariana made it a point to speak with her each day, and two other women were somewhat friendly, but mostly she was ignored. She wasn’t sure if it was because they didn’t know how to interact with her or if they just didn’t like her for some reason. Cael still spent time with her, which made the Tarnans grumble. Apparently, the Keshpans had agreed that they would give up their slave women in exchange for life on Tarnan. Lucie didn’t really understand what was going on, and the unknown made her nervous, but she had to trust that Cael would take care of her. What else could she do?

  One of the Tarnans had spoken to her on several occasions, but they all scared her a little. They were huge compared to the Keshpans, and the Keshpans weren’t small by any means. If she had to guess, she’d say the Tarnans were at least six and a half feet tall, if not taller. Of course, the Tarnans had been very nice to everyone, even going so far as to make sure the women had food to eat from their own planet. But that didn’t allay Lucie’s fears. If Cael was no longer allowed to own her, what was to become of her? She wasn’t mate material like the others were, she wouldn’t be able to take care of a home, or a mate for that matter. And what if there were children? How could she watch over them and keep them safe if she couldn’t see them?

  Cael had taken her to the local physician on Keshpa many times, but Tyre had been unable to bring her eyesight back completely. At first, she’d been completely blind, so at least she’d improved. But no matter how many laser treatments she had, or solutions she used to wash out her eyes, her vision just wouldn’t come back. It was determined that she would never see again, not any more than she could already, that is. It had been a hard pill to swallow, knowing that her life would never be the same, but she’d had Cael to care for her. Now that was being taken away and she would be left on her own.

  Someone large came and sat beside her. From the long, dark hair, she guessed it was Ghel, one of the warriors who spoke to her often. He’d spoken to her on several occasions and had been very welcoming, even if his size was intimidating. She knew he would never harm her, or any other woman, as women were considered precious to Tarnans.

  The plate she’d pushed away half an hour ago slid closer to her.

  “You should eat,” Ghel said.

  “I find that I’m not hungry when I can’t tell what it is I’m eating.”

  “And how did you eat before this?” he asked.

  She looked down at her hands, which were twisting in her lap. “Cael would come and help me. I can feed myself, if I know what I’m eating and where everything is on the plate. But when Rebecca brought my plate to me, she just dropped it off and moved on.”

  Ghel snorted. “She’s jealous. Ignore her.”

  “Of what? A woman who can’t see?”

  “Of your beauty,” he answered softly. “Has it been so long that you’ve been without your sight that you don’t remember how beautiful you are?”

  Lucie felt her cheeks warm. “I’m sure the other women are just as beautiful, if not more so. There’s nothing special about me.”

  A large, rough hand took hers. “I think you’re special.”

  “What’s to become of me, Ghel?” she asked. “Cael has taken care of me for nearly two years now. I’ve undergone every treatment the Keshpan physician could think of to cure my eyesight and still I can’t see. How am I supposed to survive on your world?”

  “You can’t stay with Cael, Lucie. The Keshpans agreed to give up their slaves when we accepted them on board the Lynten 12 and agreed to take them to Tarnan to start new lives. When we reach Tarnan, you’ll go your separate ways, and if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay away from you.”

  Tears gathered in her eyes. “I’ll be lost without him.”

  Ghel squeezed her fingers. “Then let me guide you. You have to know I’m interested in you. For that matter, so are Zayne and Bynt. Just say the word and any one of us could be yours.”

  “Mine?”

  “We would do anything for you.”

  “Ghel, I would be a burden to you, or anyone who claimed me. Maybe… maybe I could stay with one of the women.”

  He moved closer, until their thighs were brushing against each other. “The women are going to pair off with warriors, Lucie. There’s no one for you to stay with. Your only hope is to find a warrior to protect you. Please understand, you would be cherished and taken care of. Any warrior would be proud to call you his own.”

  “I don’t know any of you well enough to choose someone.”

  “Then take the time to get to know us. We would love to spend time with you.”

  Lucie wasn’t sure what to say. He seemed earnest, truly wanting her attention. She still didn’t understand why he’d choose her over the other available women. Perhaps she was prettier than she remembered. It had been two years since she’d seen her face in a mirror. Even if she put her nose right up against it, she still couldn’t see clearly. Only well enough to tell the overall shape of her face, the length and color of her hair and that her eyes were blue.

  “I’ll leave you to think things over,” Ghel said as he rose. “Just remember, any of us would consider ourselves lucky to have you by our sides. If you want help with something, just ask. Don’t sit here and not eat, not when you have so many people willing to assist you.”

  “All right,” she said softly.

  “You have mashed potatoes at the top of the plate, chicken to the right and carrots at the bottom. It looks like they gave you water to drink.”

  “Thank you, Ghel.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She could hear the smile in his voice and wished she could see it for herself. What did he look like? His voice was deep and rich. Was he handsome? She’d heard the other women talking. The women outnumbered the Tarnans on board and one or two had mentioned Ghel’s name before. All of the Tarnans had been mentioned at one point or another, as potential mates, but some of the women wanted to wait until they landed on Tarnan to have more options. She couldn’t really blame them. They would, after all, have nearly the entire planet to choose from. If the attentions of the men on board were anything to go by, the women would be adored and worshiped when they reached Tarnan.

  Lucie had little doubt it would go to some of their heads, like Rebecca’s. That was one spiteful woman. She had no idea what she’d done to deserve Rebecca’s ire, but she seemed to have it. The woman had been mean to her from the moment they’d met. She knew Rebecca hadn’t belonged to Cael, so it couldn’t be jealousy. She’d been one of Arko’s slaves. Lucie had met all of Cael’s brothers, and had to say that she liked Bane the best. He and Ariana had been pleasant to her, always asking if she needed anything and stopping to speak to her if they saw her sitting here or in the halls. Not that she wandered much.

  Slowly, she began feeding herself, her food long cold. Her appetite wasn’t what it once was and she barely finished half the plate before she shoved it away again. As she sat, left on her own, she remembered bits and pieces of her life before she’d been captured on Earth. Her family hadn’t wanted much to do with her, but she’d had friends. No serious commitments as far as boyfriends went, but that’s the way she’d wanted it. She’d thought she had her whole life before her, plenty of time to settle down. Now she wished she’d done things differently.

  Lucie was tired of feeling lonely, and even worse, helpless. Maybe Cael had coddled her too much. She could walk from one room to another, as long as she knew the layout of the place, but she was mostly useless. She could barely feed herself, wouldn’t be able to get dressed if her clothes weren’t organized a certain way for her. Her hair was usually a mess because she could brush it, but couldn’t style it. There were no rubber bands to make a braid, and she wasn’t coordinated enough to tie a leather thong, not without being able to see it clearly.

  More than once, she’d wished that she’d died in that blast. She was no use to anyone, and while she’d been content as Ca
el’s slave, she hadn’t been happy. Secretly, she wanted someone to sweep her off her feet, see her for who she was and not see a blind woman. She knew her personality had changed some with her affliction, but deep down she hadn’t changed much. She was more dependent on people now, more than she liked, but she still liked to laugh and shop. Lucie would give anything to be able to read again! If she were on Earth, at least she’d have been able to listen to audio books.

  A vibration shook the ship and she braced herself. Her heart skipped in her chest and she listened intently, trying to figure out what was going on. A woman cried out near her and she heard the Tarnans racing down the hall. Had they been hit by something?

  Deciding the best place for her right then was probably her quarters, she got up and felt her way down the hall. She could still hear the men, but they sounded several halls away, probably near the ship’s docking station, an area she passed frequently. Had someone boarded them? A shiver raked her body. She only hoped they were friendly.

  Lucie inched her way down the hall, pausing when she saw someone large looming ahead of her. The clothing was wrong for a Tarnan. His hair was dark, like a Tarnan’s, but his skin shone a beautiful blue. Not dark blue, a medium blue-gray. His clothes were black and from the creak she heard, she assumed it was leather. She was close enough to tell his eyes were a light, silvery color. From the tales she’d heard while on the transport ship to Keshpa, she knew who stood in front of her. A Tourmalane warrior.

  She froze, not knowing what to do. She couldn’t very well run from him, and even if she tried he would probably catch her. Had the Tourmalanes overtaken the ship? She’d heard they weren’t necessarily a violent people, but their warriors were feared throughout the galaxies. Lucie stared at him, feeling like a trapped mouse, waiting to be the cat’s dinner.

  He moved closer and she felt a shudder rake her body. The heat emanating from him surrounded her, his scent teasing her nose. It reminded her of the piney woods in her Georgia home back on Earth. It was a clean, sweet scent that had her breathing deeper, wanting to take him into her lungs and hold him there. It had been a long time since she’d smelled something that reminded her of home, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to let go of it, even if she was scared half to death right then.

  Her body defied the logic of her mind, which was shouting for her to back away, to run. Lifting a hand toward him, she brushed her fingers over his torso, feeling the smooth leather of his vest beneath her fingertips. He seemed to be studying her, as if not quite sure what to make of her. Or maybe he was just afraid of frightening her. Slowly, he reached for her, his large hands settling on her waist. The press of his palms against her seared her, making her heat from the inside out. Liquid heat pooled low in her belly and she let out a startled gasp. She’d never had such an intense response to someone before, especially a stranger she couldn’t even see.

  “You’re not frightened of me?” he asked, his voice low and gravelly. It smoothed over her like warm honey, leaving goose bumps in its wake.

  “I’m terrified,” she admitted.

  His grip tightened on her waist, then he lifted a hand to her cheek, caressing her. “So soft.”

  Lucie heard the sounds of fighting not far away and wondered how this Tourmalane had slipped past the Tarnans. He hadn’t done anything to harm her, just arouse her. She wasn’t even sure that was intentional, just her traitorous body responding to someone it shouldn’t.

  He leaned down, his nose tracing her cheek before he pressed his lips to hers. It was the first time she’d been kissed in years, and exceeded all of her dreams. His lips were soft and gentle against hers, a contrast to the large hardened warrior standing before her. They moved with sensuous grace against her lips, coaxing her to join him. Of their own volition, her hands lifted and she placed her palms on either side of his face as she kissed him back.

  It felt like a hundred butterflies had taken flight in her stomach and were now swirling their way through her body, all of her senses coming alive. The rasp of his whiskers against her fingers, the scrape of that stubble against her skin as he kissed her, it sent a thrill racing through her. It sounded like war was being waged around them, and yet he cocooned her in his arms, his body lightly pressing against her curves.

  All too soon, he pulled away, spinning to face a group of men who had entered the hall. Tarnans. He reached behind him to wrap an arm around her waist, dragging her up against his body, as if he were shielding her from the group. Surely he didn’t think they would harm her? Placing her palms against his back, she felt his muscles tense and strain.

  “Let the woman go!”

  She recognized the voice as belonging to Bynt. The Tourmalane hadn’t done anything to hurt her. They wouldn’t injure him, would they? The thought of the powerful warrior in front of her getting hurt had her clenching her fists in his vest.

  “I claim this woman as my own,” her warrior declared.

  Wait, her warrior? And had he really just said he wanted her to belong to him? As what, a slave?

  Bynt growled at him. “She’s ours! Your crew has either been killed or detained. Hand her over if you want to keep your life.”

  She tried to move by the warrior, not wanting his blood to be shed on her account, but his arm tightened around her. Obviously whatever had affected her during the kiss, he’d felt as well. She couldn’t think of another reason he’d be so intent on hanging onto her.

  “The woman is ill. Don’t hurt her,” another voice said. This one she recognized as Ghel. Was that really how he saw her? As ill, because of her blindness? She was some feeble creature to him?

  She felt her warrior pause. “Ill?”

  “I’m not ill,” she said indignantly. “I’m blind.”

  He glanced at her over his shoulder before returning his gaze to the Tarnans.

  “You heard the woman,” he told them. “She isn’t ill.”

  “Let her go,” Bynt said. “Give her to us and we’ll let you go free. You can find another woman, one who is whole.”

  Lucie felt herself deflate inside. Of course that’s how people would see her. Wasn’t that how she saw herself most days? Feeble. Less than a woman. Useless to anyone and everyone. Why did the Tarnans try so hard to save her if their opinion of her was so low? They should be grateful to be rid of such a burden, she thought bitterly. “I can see a little. And my other senses work perfectly well, thank you,” she mumbled.

  The arm around her tightened a moment, as if he were reassuring her.

  “If you harm me, my father will destroy you and your people,” her warrior said. “You know what I say is true.”

  “Who you are is of little consequence to us. You’ve boarded our vessel without permission, intent on plundering like a common pirate. The law is on our side and you know it.” She heard the ice in Bynt’s voice and shivered.

  “This is your last warning,” Ghel said.

  “A blast from your weapon could go through me and harm the woman,” her warrior said. “If you value her at all, you won’t shoot me.”

  “There’s no escape,” another Tarnan said. She thought it might be Xan. “Turn yourself over to us and no one will be harmed.”

  Her warrior gave a bitter laugh. “Except for the men of mine you’ve already killed, you mean?”

  “Why did you board this ship?” Xan asked.

  Her warrior shrugged. “We were passing close to Keshpa and heard the news. Four Keshpans escaped with their slaves. Only three vessels were in orbit at the time. One was yours.”

  “And the other two?” Xan asked.

  “We checked them first. They were clean.”

  “Is there a bounty on them?” Bynt asked. “Is that what you’re after?”

  Her warrior gave a mirthless laugh. “Your planet isn’t the only one lacking in females. There are less than a dozen females left on my world. The plague that spread through Tourmalane twenty years ago wiped out almost the entire female population. Most who survived are past childbearing years.
If we wish to survive, we must claim women from other species. Everyone knows that Keshpa is known for abducting human women. They’re the most beautiful to us, the most coveted on my planet. I merely thought to lighten your load a bit.”

  Lucie felt her heart sink. If he truly wanted someone to raise a family with, it couldn’t be her. As much as she wanted to grab onto him and never let go, she knew she needed to step away. If they would let him go, he could find someone worthy of him. Her heart ached at the thought of him kissing another woman the way he’d kissed her. It was foolish, thinking he’d never been with a woman before, but it had been a nice thought that maybe she could have been the last woman in his life.

  She pushed at his back, trying to distance herself.

  He glanced her way. “Why are you struggling now?”

  “You need someone who can give you children. I’m a blind woman who can’t even take care of herself, much less a baby. I’m not what you need.”

  “Lucie!” Ghel sounded scandalized. “You were actually thinking of leaving with this barbarian?”

  “If I remain,” she said softly. “Will you let him go? Return him to his ship safely?”

  “No,” her warrior growled at her. “I don’t care about lack of sight. You’re mine.”

  Her heart thrilled at those words. The idea of belonging to someone who wanted her, who didn’t see her as a burden… It was wonderful, but she knew it couldn’t be. “They aren’t going to let you leave with me,” she tried to reason.

  “Then I’ll die protecting you,” he vowed.