“That feels soooo good,” Juniper moaned, rubbing her arms the closer they got towards the source of the delicious warmth.
K’hor quickened their pace at her words. “What was your other question?”
Juniper thought back a second before she recalled what she had asked. “You said planets as in plural. For some reason, I assumed that Djaromir was just one planet.”
K’hor shook his head. “Djaromir is made up of three planets although only one is habitable. We mine the others, but they are far too cold for us to occupy. Even below the surface. We shuttle back and forth to mine the ore in shifts, but time on those planets is limited. This planet is not all that welcoming either, but we have been able to adapt and live beneath the surface. Our people hunt during the warm season and store our food and supplies below to carry us through until the next cycle.”
“So, everyone stays underground all the time?” she asked. The mere idea of it sounded stifling to her. It was hard for Juniper to wrap her head around the idea of never going outside or seeing the sky again.
K’hor nodded, “For the most part. We do go out in gathering groups when the temperature allows us to. That helps us ensure we have enough to sustain us but other than shuttling back and forth to mines, most stay beneath the surface. It’s safer that way. The temperatures are deadly for those unprepared.”
“Wow.”
K’hor stopped at a large arched door and reached for the handle. Looking back at Juniper, he studied her for a moment. “I know it’s not what you were expecting but you could be happy here.”
Juniper didn’t say anything in reply as he opened the door, her attention now focused on the tables of women sitting and chatting as if their whole lives hadn’t just been turned upside down.
K’hor was right.
Djaromir wasn’t the planet she had prepared herself for, but then again, she hadn’t really thought about daily life as a bride of a Phaeton either. She knew the Phaetons were technologically advanced, much more so than Earth, but that hadn’t been what urged her to apply. No, she had signed up for the sole reason of starting fresh…leaving her old life behind.
There was nothing stopping her from doing it here.
Chapter Six
During the walk to the dining halls, K’hor watched Juniper out of the corner of his eye as she asked question after question about Djaromir. He was hopeful her curiosity meant she was leaning towards staying so he offered up answers to all of them with no hesitation. He knew that the brides were going to face a harsh reality when it came to their new surroundings, and it was better to meet those concerns head on with the knowledge they would need to stay safe.
There was nothing more important than their safety.
The miners under his rule would do everything in their power to keep the women from harm, and the first step to do that was educating the brides. They needed to understand the dangers that surrounded them to be able to survive. Their home was harsh, barren and potentially deadly. The women needed to understand from the start that even though his men were here to protect and care for them, they would not be allowed access to the surface. They’d all been witness to the struggles their people faced. Every single one of them mourned when, regardless of the protocols they had in place for their own safety, men died. Older miners unable to sustain themselves against the elements while working were more likely to perish as well as a few of the younger miners who got careless and underestimated the ferociousness of their planet. Fragile human females would have no chance at surviving if they tried to leave the tunnel city, which meant they would be confined during their stay on Djaromir for their own good.
The losses his people suffered were draining on a race already on the brink of extinction. For that reason, the last of their females were always kept safely tucked away in the tunnel city. They led full, yet protected lives, where they were cherished and nurtured to help breed the next generation in the cycle of life.
K’hor knew that whatever misgivings Juniper may have about life on Djaromir, he would help her come to terms with them. She may have expected to be living the rest of her life on one of the shiny Phaeton ships that patrolled the galaxy, but that was no longer an option. He couldn’t let her go.
It would be an adjustment, but he was determined to make it as easy as possible for her. And that began with teaching about her new home.
The miners used large fired ovens to prepare their meals, not a food replicator that you simply had to program with a what you desired. There were no fancy shower pods in the tunnels they lived in, instead they bathed in large stone tubs that were supplied with water from an intricate plumbing system that fed off the springs that flowed deep beneath their planet’s surface.
They may not have the technology that the Phaetons could offer, but on Djaromir things were real. K’hor could only hope that Juniper would see the difference and appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears his people had sacrificed to survive on their own.
Her life might have been easier with the Phaetons, especially considering the tech that they had available at their fingertips, but he hoped to outweigh those luxuries with the promise of being cherished by him for the rest of her life.
The question was, would that be enough? He had already heard grumblings from some of the other women who thought the miners around them were uncivilized. That wasn’t how he wanted her to see him and his people.
They were rough, not feral.
As miners, they were heavily muscled due to the work they did to survive and often unaware of their own strengths. Furniture and everyday items were made to be bulkier and heavier to put up with the abuse the large men heaped upon them. Their surroundings matched the miners who used them, miners he was proud to call his brothers when it came down to it. Even the roughest of them all though could be gentle when the situation called for it.
Watching Juniper smile shyly at the other brides filled K’hor with pride. Even though she was unsure of herself, she still looked at others with kindness and compassion. It took everything in him to stand back and watch her mingle when all he wanted to do was place himself at her side and shield her from the nervousness she felt.
Lost in thought, K’hor hadn’t realized Saber had called for silence until he was elbowed in the side. He nodded at Juniper before stepping up onto the dais that held the head table.
Turning to face the crowd, K’hor caught his breath. Seeing the mixture of so many females sprinkled in the room had caught him off guard. It was a welcome, yet odd, sight to behold as he watched his men shift anxiously as they awaited his announcement. From the looks of a few of them, they were just as ready to get this over with as he was.
“I’m Warlord K’hor, one of the three Warlords that govern Djaromir.” His voice boomed out over the hushed room. “As many of you may have heard, our shuttle rescued you from the Pleasure Sector. First, be assured, you are safe.” K’hor held up his hands when the room filled with murmurs at his words. “You will be well cared for as we wait for the solar storms to die down.”
“How long will that be?” The question was shouted out by one of the brides he’d not yet had a chance to meet since waking. He knew each from their file even if he had not yet met them in person. Even though he hadn’t had a chance to meet all of them, he had skimmed all of their files. K’hor tried to recall the female in question’s strange name as he studied her. Tall and tanned with a headful of spiral curls springing every which way, the human female was almost as glorious as the one he claimed for his own.
“Indigo?” K’hor said, finally matching the face to the name and picture on the file he’d glanced at earlier.
“Yes,” she nodded, smiling politely back at him.
From the edge of his vision, K’hor saw Juniper frown slightly at the exchange of smiles between him and the other bride. Realizing it was a show of jealousy, the same he felt when one of his men stared too long in her direction, made him irrationally happy.
“Tiny,” K’hor held out his han
d. When she moved to his side without hesitation, he knew the grin that split his face was one that his men had never seen.
“What’s going on?” Juniper whispered.
“I need you beside me,” he rumbled quietly back. He hoped the answer he had given her was enough since he wasn’t prepared to elaborate.
“Oh. Well—” Juniper’s eyes darted around the room before she gave him a shaky smile. “Okay.”
Facing the room once more, this time with his soul’s mate at his side, K’hor felt a sense of contentment. “As I was saying, while we wait for the solar storms to dissipate there is no need for worry. A message from the Phaetons has been received alerting us to their arrival as soon as they are able to clear the weather around our planets.”
“How long?” Indigo shouted out again, this time louder than before.
“The storms generally run for a standard Earth month,” K’hor answered.
The sound that came from the group of females before him was almost deafening as they all began talking at once.
“There is—” K’hor tried to speak over the squawking that was hurting his ears. He winced as the sound rose to an even higher pitch. Hoping to stop the ringing in his left ear, he tried again. “Please—”
A sharp whistle split the air, making K’hor wince before turning to look down at Tiny in shock.
“Listen up, ladies!” Juniper yelled after the room had fallen silent.
K’hor was awestruck.
How had she done that?
The dining halls had never fallen quiet so quickly before and even though he’d seen it for himself—he still wasn’t sure how she’d done it.
Juniper bumped her shoulder into his side, the prod jarring him back. Now that the room was quiet, they were waiting for him to speak.
“As I was saying, the Phaetons won’t be able to land until the storms clear. Once they arrive, you will be given a choice.” Taking in a deep breath, K’hor prepared himself for the questions he knew would come next.
“A choice?” one of the females asked. “What do you mean?”
“K’hor,” Juniper tugged on his hand. “Maybe I can help explain this part.”
K’hor nodded, curious to see what she planned to say.
“Ummm…” Juniper cleared her throat. “Hi, I’m Juniper.” Nodding at the women she gave a little wave to Charlotte who waved back at her. Clasping her hands at her waist she started, her voice quiet in the large room. “I know everyone is confused right now so I’m just gonna lay it all out, okay?”
“What’d she say?”
“I can’t hear.”
K’hor felt the bite of her nervousness rise through the link they shared.
“It’s okay, Tiny.” Placing a hand on the middle of her back, he offered his support. “I’m here if you need me.”
She nodded and did as he suggested.
“Our liaison tricked us all,” Juniper said loud enough to make K’hor jolt beside her.
“There were no matches for any of us. Eva sold us out. Literally. She sold us. There was some sort of auction and we were the big-ticket item.” Juniper paused to gesture to K’hor. “Warlord K’hor and his crew found out where they were keeping us and hijacked our shipment before we could be sold to—” She cleared her throat. “Well, I’m sure you can imagine where we were all heading.”
Her words ignited every bride in the room.
K’hor watched the array of emotions flash over the women’s faces ranging from sadness to fury. No particular one was the same as they responded to what his mate had said.
Strangely, the anxiousness that he’d felt pouring off Juniper earlier had eased. Anger had taken over where nervousness had previously been.
K’hor looked pointedly at a few of his men before jerking his chin toward the females that were crying. Within moments the rough miners had gently handed the women clean squares of cloth to dry their tears. Luckily the sweat rags his men used while mining hadn’t had a chance to be soiled yet.
Juniper gestured for everyone to quiet. “Believe me, I’m just as pissed as every single one of you but like K’hor said, we have a choice.”
“What do you mean?” Indigo stood up to ask, her hands propped on her curvy hips. K’hor could already tell that whoever ended up with the gorgeous brunette would definitely have their hands full.
“The men here need wives,” Juniper answered loud enough for everyone to hear over the whispers.
“Soul’s mates,” K’hor corrected over the noise her statement had caused.
“Sorry.” Juniper smiled up at him before clapping her hands to get the attention of the dining hall again. “Like I said, the men are looking for soulmates—”
“So, they won’t let us leave?” Charlotte asked from where she sat, the smile that was on her face earlier was completely gone now. She shot an unreadable look to Saber before her gaze moved back to Juniper.
“They will let us leave, just not until the storms clear for the Phaetons to pick us up.” Juniper nudged his side. “Tell them what you told me.”
“My planet is facing the same struggles as the Phaetons. I’m sure you have all noticed the lack of Djoramir females among you,” K’hor watched as the women in front of him looked around the room as if they hadn’t noticed the they were the only females present. “Our numbers dwindle year after year and soon we will die out without intervention. You’re our last hope for the future of our race.”
“We have been kidnapped,” one bride cried out in panic as the general hysteria in the room rose.
“You’ve not been kidnapped! You were saved!” He yelled over the noise, his patience dwindling as his head began to ache at the unfamiliar pitch of so many female voices.
Chapter Seven
Juniper cringed at the shitshow unfolding before her eyes.
When K’hor called her to the platform, she’d almost swallowed her tongue.
The last thing she’d wanted to do was stand in front of a crowd—any crowd—but with K’hor holding out his hand, she hadn’t been able to say no. After a few minutes standing next to him, she’d started to feel better. Now, she was pretty comfortable considering how many people were staring at her.
“It’s your choice if you stay here or go with the Phaetons,” he announced loudly. “Without matches you will most likely be shuttled back to Earth. My men are offering an alternative to that. Look around you. We may be rough but we’re strong and more than willing to provide everything you’d need to be happy here…with us.”
Juniper wanted to pat K’hor on the back when she saw some of the women look at the miners as if considering actually staying. The view was pretty spectacular when you took time to really look at it. There was no way to deny they were surrounded by gorgeous men and the point was driven home when a handful of them winked or flexed under the women’s appraising eyes. She knew the group had expected to be wooed by Phaetons but the miners in front of them were just as appealing as the pictures and media shots of the warriors they had prepared for.
“So…ya’ll want to date us?” A hesitant voice asked from one of the back benches.
Juniper tried not to laugh when K’hor looked down at her with a slightly confused expression on his face.
“Yes,” she murmured out of the corner of her mouth.
“Yes,” K’hor answered loudly for the rest of the room to hear. “We are asking for you to give us a chance to date you while you wait for the Phaetons to arrive.”
“And if we want to leave when they get here?” another bride shouted; her words barely intelligible over the increased volume of side conversations.
“Then you’re free to go.” K’hor’s voice sounded over the crowd without the slightest bit of hesitation. “No one will force you to stay. We simply want a chance to discover if any of our soul’s mates are among you.”
“Soulmates?” a few in the group parroted back.
“Yes, our soul’s mates.” When K’hor blindly reached for her hand, she was right there
. “On Djoramir we don’t use applications or pacts to find our mates. The stars guide us to the missing pieces of our souls.”
Juniper felt a glimmer of change come over the room as the women finally began to listen to what he was saying. Some of their faces were still skeptical but a few had smiles beginning to show. They were extremely shaky smiles, but they still counted.
“You think some of us might be the ones you’re looking for?”
“I don’t simply think so, I know so.” K’hor looked down at Juniper with a pointed glance. “A few of my men have also felt the pull of their own soul’s mates as well from some of those among you.”
“What exactly do you expect us to do?” Charlotte questioned, her eyes bouncing back and forth between both K’hor and Juniper.
“I’m asking that you give my men a chance. Give us a chance to convince you to stay.”
“Let’s be honest…what the men are offering isn’t that far off from what we signed up for. We would have had thirty days to figure out if we had wanted to stay with the other guys, so how about we give the men here the same chance? Talk to them. Mingle. Treat this like a free vacation at one of those singles resorts that none of us can afford,” Juniper urged, hoping the women would accept the comparison she made. “I know it’s a lot to take in with everything that’s happened, but I trust K’hor. Nobody is going to be forced to stay.”
“What about you? Are you staying?” The unexpected question came from the pretty woman that had annoyed her when she smiled at K’hor earlier.
“I…” Juniper paused, unsure how to answer. She wanted nothing more than to follow her instincts and trust in the connection she could feel tying them together, but it was a leap she wasn’t ready to take yet.
K’hor squeezed her hand, bringing her attention back to him and the understanding smile he was giving her.
“I’m going to do my best to convince her to stay with me,” he answered, never looking away from her face. “Just like my men will do if they find their own soul’s mates.”
Miners of Djaromir: K'hor Page 6