His eyes slid away. “There is much about me that you do not know.”
“Then you definitely chose the right queen. I love a good mystery more than most women. Figuring out all the little things you like to keep hidden will be the adventure of a lifetime for me.” Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him into a warm embrace.
His choked reply caught her off guard. “I have never felt truly accepted by anyone except my father and my young. To find that with you is a blessing from the gods.”
Pulling back, she smiled. “Come on, sweet stuff, if we stay here we’re just going to get distracted by having more sex.”
Pulling her down more securely on his rod, Arac replied seductively. “Would that be such a terrible way to spend the morning, my new queen?”
“No, but daylight is burning. If we do all the things we don’t want to during the day, then at night we can make reward ourselves with pleasure.”
“You will stay another night?”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
Resting his cheek on her chest, he hugged her tight. “I really don’t want another queen.” Tara’s heart broke a little for her damaged drone. His words had been but a whisper, sounding hollow and distant.
Stroking his hair, she murmured, “You keep telling yourself that, baby.”
Looking up he asked, “You don’t hate me for saying that?”
“We can both say whatever we like. It doesn’t change what we feel for each other.”
The relief on his face told her that she’d given that little bit of emotional space he needed to sort things out.
“Come, let’s cleanse and help make the morning meal.”
“Whatever you say, my Tara.”
As they climbed into the mister, she reminded him of the promise he’d made the preceding night. “You’re teaching me to make bread, right?”
“I am a drone of my word.”
Giggling she worked the mist into a lather on his chest. “You promised me many things last night in the heat of passion. I’m going to hold you to all of them.”
Fighting the urge to lure him into sex again, they managed to make it downstairs before anyone else.
Arac got out the ingredients for his bread and showed her how to mix the dough properly.
As Tara watched him moving around, it occurred to her how nice it was just spend time with him. “I don’t know why I take such pleasure in the small things in life. Learning to make Maruvian food with you seems intimate and right to me.”
A slight curve of Arac’s lips bespoke his happiness at hearing her words. “I honestly thought that being around me and my young would prove boring for a woman who proclaimed to love adventure so much.”
“Well, now you know my issue is more about needing to feel like I have options. I hate feeling trapped.”
“You feel the expectation for you to mate a drone gives you few options. Perhaps you would prefer to visit the Sylon home world, for there are three species of male to choose from on that world.”
“One night in your bed and you’re already trying to get rid of me. That’s not very nice, Arac.”
Smirking a bit, he responded teasingly. “I would not wish you to feel trapped by me.”
Grabbing one of his antennas, she pulled him down for a kiss. “Some traps seem almost bearable. Yours feels like heaven.”
Smiling hotly, he responded, “I have no wish for another queen.” Strangely, the look in his eyes and the way he accentuated the word queen, communicated something entirely different from his words. He seemed to be saying that he wanted her but didn’t want the control that Maruvian queens lorded over their drones. It was bizarre that they both fully understood what he meant.
Gently rubbing his antenna, she murmured, “And I have no use for a simple drone.”
Proving they were on totally on the same page, he responded quietly, “I think you will find I am much more than simply a drone.”
Never breaking eye contact, Tara responded sincerely, “And you will find that I am nothing like the queens you have known.”
Taking her hands in his, he shoved them into a huge bowl of bright green dough. His antics made her laugh. His son flew into the room, landing on the counter. Tara did a double take. “Who is this?”
Without looking up, Arac responded matter-of-factly. “My son. I am the only drone here with young.”
“Then you have two sons. Where is Helec?”
Looking at the little one, Tara saw he was standing on the counter with his arms out, carefully rolling a nut along the back of one arm, over his back and down the other arm. It appeared to be a children’s game.
“I am astounded that you can tell a difference between the two. I have to look carefully myself at times. This is Malik.”
Reaching out, she tapped the little under his chin, causing him to stop and look up at her. “He’s missing the tiny spot Helec has on the tip of his chin. Plus the spots on his head are all wrong. You can’t possibly mistake one for the other, Arac.” Tara could hear the indignant tone of her own voice, but it seemed to amuse Arac.
“I will get Helec, but it will take both of us to keep them out of trouble this morning.”
The moment she touched him, the little one tried to climb onto her arm. Tara picked him up, scarcely realizing that Arac had left the room. “Malik is a really nice name.”
She cradled him in her arms. “You and your brother sure do like to play with those nuts.” Sitting him down, she picked up what appeared to be some kind of thin bread stick or maybe cookie stick. It was about the size of a straw and a little hard from siting out overnight. Giving one to Malik and pulling out one for herself, she taught him the en garde position for fencing.
They were busy sparring when Arac entered. They both immediately dropped their breadsticks like guilty children. “Sorry about that. I don’t know what made me think that was a good idea. We just got bored…”
Arac cut her off with a screeching sound of amusement. “Go ahead and teach him to fight. His training will begin in earnest soon enough.”
Helec flew over and nuzzled her face. Freezing, he drew back and looked her over carefully. Skimming over her neck and arms with his face, Tara got the impression he was smelling her. Before she could process exactly why the child was doing that, he looked back and forth between her and his father several times before screeching a word. His voice was small and squeaky but the translation bacteria translated the word as ours.
Arac nodded and repeated the word. When the little one had spoken it sounded almost like a question. However, when Arac answered, the word sounded decidedly possessive. Scampering over to the other Malik, they whispered back and forth. Picking up breadsticks they poked at each other as they continued to speak.
“Do you have any idea what they’re talking about?”
Arac let out a wheezy laugh. “You do not want to know, my Tara.”
Vraden’s disapproving voice came from the doorway. “The little ones think you are made of candy and wonder if you’re edible. Even now, they dare each other to lick you in an effort to verify their suspicious one way or another.”
A shocked laugh escaped her lips. “Jesus, are you kidding?”
Pulling out a carafe, Vraden heated them a drink. “We have a candy we make once a year by pulling until it forms a soft rubbery paste. It is shaped into the form of our queens and eaten during a prayer to the goddess of fertility.”
“Let me guess, this taffy-like candy is pale like me?”
“You are a clever little queen. I, for one, am happy you are not made of candy. You would not last long in this domicile if you were.”
Taking the drink he offered, she bit her bottom lip for a moment before responding. “I’ll bet that candy is really good stuff. If I were made of taffy, I wouldn’t trust me not to nibble myself every now and then either.”
The two little ones guffawed, reminding her that they could understand, even though full multi-language speech still e
luded them. As the dough chilled, Arac and Tara sat across from each other drinking their hot drinks, while the little ones dueled on the counter between them. Arac seemed as relaxed as she’d ever seen him.
Vraden stopped at the end of the counter. “Is my nose correct in telling me that our family has a new queen?”
Smiling slightly behind his cup, Arac murmured, “I have no wish for a queen.”
Tara picked up an extra breadstick and held it to his lips. He took a small nibble, as she looked into his beautifully expressive eyes.
“And I have no wish for a drone.” The perfect understanding flowing back and forth between them totally escaped Vraden’s notice.
“You are both insufferable. I’m sorry to say this but I’ve never met two people who were more difficult in my entire life.”
Tara leaned over and planted a kiss on Arac’s left antenna. “Humans think that sometimes when people are shattered, the broken pieces of their soul fit together to create a perfect whole.”
Arac murmured knowingly, “And they heal each other, right?”
Nodding, Tara wasn’t surprised when his large hand came out to cup the back of her head, drawing her over for a kiss. She went willing and enjoyed his tender kisses.
“I am very confused.” Vraden’s exasperated voice pulled them right out of their bubble.
“My Tara and I are together. That is all you need to know, father. She will be at my side until we have no further use for each other.”
“You no longer use her title?”
“I have no use for another queen and my Tara has no use for a mere drone. We are each other’s more.”
“Ah, you are together but object to societal roles. Congratulations on securing a mate, my son. Queen Tara…”
“I prefer to be called Miss. Tara.”
Dipping his head in acceptance of her preference, Vraden corrected himself. “Miss. Tara, welcome to our family. It is a pleasure to have you among us.”
“The pleasure is entirely mine. I’m lucky to have a fabulous guy with two adorable sons.”
Vraden’s eyes became perfectly round. “You have much to learn about your mate, Miss. Tara.”
Rubbing her hands together, she responded, “Arac is a bit of mystery. I’m looking forward to uncovering all his secrets.”
Biting his lip, Tara suspected the older man was trying to keep from laughing. Finally, he spoke in a choked voice. “I wish you well with that particular quest, my new daughter.”
“Let’s see, you have eleven sons on this planet and with me that makes three of them mated. Am I correct?”
“Yes. With the exception of Arac, Raec and Drale, all of my sons have joined into family units. I believe they feel this will make it easier for them to lure a queen.”
“Well, if any of them are even half as wonderful as Arac, I’m certain they will be the deciding factor for the women choosing their family groups.”
Vraden’s eyes went all soft and adoring. “You were always so sweet and complimentary. It’s what I liked best about you.”
“I can see a lot of you in your son. Arac’s very intelligent and compassionate, like his father.”
Chapter 16
~ Arac ~
Music Mix
The trader droned on and on, outlining each and every feature on over thirty pieces of equipment. At first Arac had been fascinated, but as the microns ticked by he began to feel a certain level of anxiety churning in his stomach. His palms began perspiring as his heart rate ticked up.
Reaching for his handheld, he hit the panic button. That quick and decisive action would summon his brothers. Turning from the trader, he ignored his entreats to return to the negotiating table. He picked up his pace as he bounded down the disembarkment blank and onto the tarmac. Instinctively he found himself running across the pavement to an empty space. Something was terribly wrong and he could feel it in his bones. Unsure what he was running to or from, he covered the distance quickly. That’s when he saw it. Jax was lying motionless on the pavement, his dark body blending into the black tarmac.
The last piece of the puzzle clicked into place. His Tara was moving away from him at an accelerated rate. The sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach was their bond, being stretched thin. Several of his eleven brothers landed on the pavement. “Someone has killed Tara’s sentinel and taken her from this planet.”
“We must go. Time is of the essence, brother.”
Drale was correct of course. “Come, we will commandeer a ship.” Eyeing the choices, Arac boarded a fast freighter with weapons mounted on the exterior hull. More of his brothers flew in just before the door was slammed shut.
The stunned trader stepped out to greet them. “One hundred thousand credits for your cooperation. Another freighter has taken my mate.”
The Terillian’s shocked expression turned to disgust. Spinning on his three legs, his tail whipped angrily back and forth. “A strange ship just broke orbit. It was welded together from garbage. We’ll catch it.”
Following the man to the bridge, his brothers fanned about behind him. Arac paid close attention to the sickening feeling twisting in his gut. It felt like he’d been drugged or something and suddenly a chill creeped up his spin. Drale must have seen him stiffen because his hand came out hard and fast gripping Arac’s arm.
“What is it, brother?”
“I think she’s been drugged. I can feel it in my gut. We have to get to her fast.”
The captain turned. “We’re coming up on that piece of space junk now. It looks like they have seven women onboard, all in a tightly confined space.”
Arac spoke. “Let me guess, they are being held in the cargo hold.”
Nodding the confused man muttered, “Who would do something like that?” Gasping the captain answered his own question. “Human males, I’m showing nine of them.”
“We rescued the females from one of their ships. The one who hurt my Tara said he would track her down and she would never get away from him.”
Drale screeched his anger. “Today he dies.”
“Since they will clearly never stop, today they all die.” Arac choked the words out even as he steeled himself for the confrontation that was to come. One of the captain’s crew opened a storage cabinet and began handing out weapons. Arac took two without looking, already familiar with them from trading with the Terillians.
Images ran through his mind of his Tara. The thought of her beautiful curvy body lying on the cold metal floor infuriated him. He wondered if the man’s hastily spoken threat had preyed on the back of her mind all this time. Had his little love been living in fear while she put on a brave face? The thought sickened him.
Quickly attaching their ship to the side of the hull near where the women were being kept, the captain’s men sealed the two sections with a spray foam that hardened immediately, preserving atmosphere.
Arac spoke angrily to the assembled males. “Find the human men and secure the ship. Drale and I will see to the females.” Stalking down the corridor, Arac stopped in front of the door leading to the loading bay.
Drale quickly pulled open the plate covering the hand scanner and reprogramed it to open. The door slid open to a sight that chilled Arac’s soul. Several women were tethered to large metal bar running along the side of the wall, but a human male with soiled, sweat-stained clothing held his sweet Tara in front of him like a shield. Standing around were four other human men with weapons. Stepping through the door Arac walked slowly to the middle of the room with Drale at his back.
“Throw your weapons down, we have you surrounded.”
Without conscious thought, Arac raised both weapons, pulling the trigger on each laser pistol; he swung his body around and squeezed off two more. After the tiny flashes of bright light dimmed, leaving behind only an acidic smell as evidence of it dark deed, it took the man holding his Tara a minute to realize Arac had taken out all four of his comrades with a clean head shot and now had his weapon trained directly on him.
“You crazy fucker, killing four men over a fistful of scruffs is a waste.”
“You will release my Tara.”
“This little bitch was mine before she was yours…”
Having exactly zero tolerance for the human’s ramblings, Arac looked into her frightened blue eyes and warned her with a single word. “Move.”
She dropped and rolled to the side, the same moment Arac squeezed off his shot. Sitting up she looked from the man with a hole in his head to Arac. He stuffed his weapons into his uniform and held out one hand as he approached. Worry quickly replaced the anger that had been constricting his chest when she was slow to move.
“Are you well, my Tara?”
Letting him pull her to her feet, he expected her to fall apart or to express gratitude. However, her initial reaction took him totally by surprise. Thumping him on the chest with two small fists, she glowered at him. “Are you out of your mind? You came strolling in here with no body armor, carrying laser pistols. You could have been killed.”
Rubbing his chest, Arac smiled down at his little love mate. “You are welcome, my queen.”
The insult was not lost on her, for she flung herself into his arms murmuring her apologies. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to act like a bitch. Seeing you walk in here and thinking they were going to kill you sent me off the rails.”
Wrapping her in his arms, he murmured. “I am more difficult to kill than you can possibly imagine. I would love to comfort you, but we need to get you and the other queens to safety.”
Drale had already unchained the remaining queens and was in the process of herding them towards the door. Arac wrapped his wing around his Tara and fell in behind them. They had almost made it through the doorway into the freighter when a blast caught Arac in the back.
He roared for his brother. “Drale. Get my Tara to safety.”
Shock tore through him when she rummaged around in his uniform, palming both his guns. Crouching in front of his massive form, she began shooting. Trying to grab her, she edged further away and stood her ground. Arac tried to sit up but his body wouldn’t cooperate. Watching his female out in the open, trading shots with the human males gave him a very good taste of what had made her so angry before. Microns that felt like an eternity clicked by. One of the men fell, but two more kept popping up to exchange fire.
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