Embrace the Romance

by S. E. Smith

"Truth."

  The girls looked at each other for a moment, then wiggled in Grim's arms to be released. And after each kissing one of his cheeks, they were gone.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "What kind?" The chef in Jennifer had to ask, and she found herself pinned by the powerful gazes of both the King and Queen of Luda.

  It was Lisa who finally answered. "The Tornian version of shortbread cookies."

  "Really? I'd love to get the recipe."

  "I forgot, you were a Chef back on Earth."

  "She is a Chef here also," Treyvon growled. "Her skills have enhanced the lives of our people. Her cookies and brownies are highly prized."

  Lisa put a gentle hand on Grim's arm, knowing he wasn't going to like the way the General was talking to her.

  "Of course she is, General," Lisa pacified and gestured to the sitting area, something that had been added to Grim's Command Room since her arrival. "I meant no offense. As I said, I had just forgotten."

  As they all sat, Lisa frowned at Jennifer. "Brownies?"

  "Yes." Jennifer’s hand mimicked Lisa's, soothing her own mate. "One of the Zaludian ships Treyvon intercepted was carrying chocolate from Earth."

  "Honestly?" Lisa's eyes widened in excitement, and for a moment she reminded Treyvon of her daughters.

  "Yes, they seemed to have cleared out an entire baking aisle."

  "So you have chocolate?"

  Grim frowned at the way his Lisa stressed the unknown word. Her tone was filled with such awe and desire that he'd only ever heard before when she was in his arms.

  "Yes. We have chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, chocolate bars, milk chocolate, bitter chocolate, dark chocolate, even white chocolate, and cocoa powder."

  "What is this... chocolate?" Grim demanded. If it were something his Lisa desired so greatly, he would make sure she had it.

  "It’s something incredible from Earth," Lisa told him, her eyes still fixed on Jennifer.

  "That is truth," Treyvon agreed. "My Warriors never miss last meal when my Jennifer prepares something with it. Empress Kim has even threatened your brother that she will give him no more offspring unless he has a supply of it on hand."

  "What?!!" It was Grim's eyes that widened this time.

  "Totally understandable," Lisa nodded, rubbing her baby bump then demanded. "What will it cost me to get some?"

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  "Cook?" Carly looked up from the bowl she was stirring to the old Warrior who was helping her sister.

  "What is it, little one?" Tagma asked, smiling down at Miki, letting her know she was doing a fine job even though he'd have to throw that mixture out, before turning his attention to Carly.

  He couldn't believe how life had changed in House Luanda since the arrival of these precious little females and their mother. He'd been a bitter, old Warrior who the Goddess hadn't seen fit to bless with a female or with the glory of dying in battle. Instead, as his skills had waned with age, he'd had to return to the kitchens and use the skills his manno had taught him before he'd begun his Warrior training.

  For years now he'd begrudged his position, seeing it as a stigma of his failings instead of a chance for a different, better life. And his life was better, thanks to these little ones. They looked at what he did with such awe and wonder that it filled him with pride that being a Warrior never had. They wanted to learn from him, and it made him see his position differently, made him a different male.

  "What do you know about the Great Raptor?" she asked, setting her bowl aside.

  "The Great Raptor?" he asked frowning slightly.

  "Uh-huh."

  "Doesn't Ki..." he broke off. He knew the little ones now called King Grim, manno. The news of this had spread faster than a solar storm through the Festival. It was yet another sign of how worthy these females found Grim. "Doesn’t your manno tell you about him?"

  "Oh, yes. Manno tells us a new story every night."

  "Really good stories," Miki added, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.

  "Then why do you want me to tell you one?"

  Carly just shrugged her little shoulders. "I just thought that maybe your manno told you different stories."

  "My manno did tell me tales of the Great Raptor."

  "Really?" Setting her bowl aside now, Miki plopped her elbows on the counter, her chin propped up on top of her hands, just like her sister had. "Did he tell you any about Prince?"

  "Prince?" he gave her a confused look.

  "Yeah, the Great Raptor's son," Carly replied as if it should be obvious.

  "We met him in the garden," Miki told him. "He was hurt, and we helped him."

  "What!?!" Tagma roared, startling the girls. The reflexes he thought had waned with age were never faster as he steadied them both on their stools. It also had Ion and Nairn rushing into the kitchen, swords drawn, until Tagma shook his head at them telling them that everything was fine.

  "I am sorry, little ones," he continued, his voice lowering as he dropped to his knees. "I did not mean to frighten you."

  "Wh... why were you upset?" Miki asked, her little voice trembling.

  "I was just surprised. That is all." Tagma's mind was racing to find a way to explain his terror at the thought of these precious, little ones being so close to such a dangerous creature. "It is a very rare thing to see the Great Raptor, let alone his... son."

  "Really?" Carly asked.

  "Yes. My manno told me that it is a great honor for one to see... Prince."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. You see while the Great Raptor is out protecting the people of Luda, Prince stays behind protecting the Great Raptor's mate, his mother. Although it is said that she is as deadly as her mate, especially when it comes to defending those she loves."

  "Like mommy is."

  "Yes, little one, just like your mommy."

  "They must have been so worried. Prince was in the garden for two days. Manno and Mommy would be if it were us."

  "They would be," Tagma said, his throat tightening at the thought and as his gaze rose to Ion’s and Nairn's. They all knew that the King and Queen of Luda wouldn't be just worried if their little ones were missing for two days. They would be heartsick and enraged! Grim would tear all of Luda apart to find them.

  "So others have met Prince?" Carly asked.

  "I only know of one other." Tagma thought of a story his manno had only told him once. "My manno told me that there was once a Warrior who did as the two of you have done."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. He found, protected, and healed an injured Raptor. Because of this, the Raptor gifted the Warrior a piece of himself."

  "What did he give him?" Miki whispered.

  "The Eye of the Raptor. Here." Tagma held open his hand and pointed to an unmarked spot in his palm between his thumb and forefinger where two lines met and faintly resembled a bird's head. "It allowed the Warrior to sense evil, and have the power to destroy it, protecting those under his care. As the Great Raptor does."

  "Wow..." the girls both whispered, then looked at their own palms that were as unmarked as Tagma's, and were disappointed.

  "Do not worry, little ones. The Eye of the Raptor has only been gifted once in all of known time, but you were still honored by meeting Prince. It has been hundreds of years since anyone has been given that honor. Don't you agree, Ion?" Tagma looked to the younger Warrior for help.

  "Many hundreds," Ion agreed. "So long ago that I cannot even recall the last Warrior's name."

  "Wow, so we are the first females to meet him?" Carly asked, her eyes going wide.

  "Yes."

  "That's so cool," the girls whispered looking at each other.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  “You believe this ‘recording’ will be enough?” Ull skeptically asked after Lisa had finished speaking.

  “It will be a start, at least for Trisha. I have no doubt she’s been trying to figure out what happened to the girls and me. The problem is going to be you getting clos
e enough to her to get her to listen to it, especially after the way the Ganglians took the last group of women.”

  “That won’t be a problem.”

  “You think you’ll be able to just ‘get close’ to the niece of the President of the United States? A female he considers his daughter? It would be like Grim allowing an unknown male close to any of our girls.”

  That had Ull snapping his mouth shut because he knew how carefully King Grim guarded his females. That he was even allowed to see them had surprised him.

  “So you are going to have to approach when she is alone and convince her to view the recording before her guards attack. And no!” Lisa gave him a sharp look. “You can’t just kill them. You are trying to build a relationship between the Tornian Empire and Earth. Your first act there can’t be killing people.”

  Ull growled his displeasure at that.

  “You also can’t force the educator on her,” Lisa told him in a hard voice and could see that had been his plan. “I won’t subject Trisha to what the rest of us have had to go through. Trisha will either do this or not.”

  “And if it’s not?” Ull growled.

  “Then we’ll have to find another way. I know I can get you enough time for Trisha to at least consider using the educator, but you and your actions will be the deciding factor.” Lisa turned concerned eyes to Grim who sat beside her on the couch. “Are you and Wray sure Warrior Ull is the best male for this? Maybe I...”

  Ull’s roar of outrage drowned out the rest of what she was going to say as Ull surged out of his chair. Grim was instantly on his feet and in front of his Lisa, his sword drawn and pointing at Ull. General Rayner did the same, standing protectively in front of his Jennifer, but ready to assist the King if needed.

  “You will not threaten my Queen, Warrior Ull. First male or not, I will end you if you take so much as a step toward her.”

  “She dares to question my worthiness in this!”

  “When you act like this, then yes, I do.” Lisa rose, and while she moved to where she could see Ull, she remained behind Grim. “This is too important, and not just for the Tornians, but also the Kaliszians and the people of Earth. Females are not possessions on Earth, Warrior Ull. They aren’t going to just obey you because you are male. We are independent creatures. We make our own decisions, choose how we want to live our lives, and speak our minds. You’ve shown time and time again that you have trouble accepting that. Something I find difficult to believe with a mother like Isis.”

  “My mother...”

  “Is a remarkable female." Lisa cut him off. "She stood up for what she believed in, for what she wanted, and for who she loved. That you can’t appreciate that is what makes me question that you are the right male for this task. Trisha has had to survive and deal with a great deal. She’s strong and independent. She isn’t going to put up with your bullshit attitude toward females. She’s dealt with enough assholes in her life.”

  “Assholes?” Ull questioned.

  “Unworthy and unfit males,” Lisa clarified for him. “Ones that only want to use her for their own gains.”

  “I am not an asshole,” Ull grumbled as he sat back down.

  “Maybe not to other males, but to Earth females... Jennifer?” Lisa looked to Rayner’s True Mate.

  “Total asshole,” Jennifer agreed.

  “Look, Ull,” Lisa’s voice softened as she moved to sit back down, and slowly Grim followed. “I know what happened at the Joining Ceremony still bothers you. That you see not being selected as a reflection of your worth, but it wasn’t. It had absolutely nothing to do with you. You could have been the worthiest male the Known Universes have ever seen, and still, you wouldn’t have been chosen.”

  “Ynyr was,” the words slipped passed his lips before he could stop them.

  “Truth,” Lisa gave him a sympathetic look.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  “Maybe I should be the one going to Earth,” Lisa whispered later that night as she lay in Grim’s arms, a hand absently caressing his chest as she gazed out the windows at the star-filled sky.

  “No.”

  “But, Grim...”

  “You are with offspring, Lisa.”

  “Truth, but that doesn’t mean...”

  “I would not let you go without me.”

  “I wouldn’t want to.”

  “What of the girls? The other females? Do we leave them behind? Who will help and protect them if we do?”

  Lisa’s heart clenched at the thought of being so far away from her babies if they happened to need her. She knew someday that time would come, but that wasn’t today. Then there were the other Earth females. The invited males had begun arriving, and she needed to be here to help supervise the meetings and calm fears. Releasing a deep sigh, she looked up at him. “You’re right. My place, our place is here on Luda, but Ull is still so angry, and I don’t understand why.”

  “He is the first male of a Lord, my Lisa. He was brought up to believe he would be the first, and most likely only male, in his bloodline to obtain a female.”

  “But why? He has three younger brothers.”

  “Which is unheard of. You know this, my Lisa. A female might stay with the same male long enough to give him two males, but four? It cast a stigma on House Rigel. No Kaliszian female would consider joining with anyone other than the future Lord.”

  “And then Abby chose Ynyr, a third male.”

  “Yes.”

  “But if he wants a female so badly, why didn’t he put in his application to meet any of the women?”

  “Pride. His younger brother is now the most powerful Lord in the Empire. He has a female, and she is already with offspring.”

  “Well, he’d better get over it before he gets to Earth.”

  “He is a Warrior. He will put his feelings aside and do what is required of him.”

  “He’d better,” Lisa said, then forgetting Ull, stretched up so her bare breasts barely brushed his chest as she teased. “Now there is something I require of the Warrior beneath me.”

  “What does my Queen require of me?” Grim asked, his shaft hardening as she shifted over him, her already slick channel brushing it.

  “For you to love me, my King.”

  “I do,” Grim growled as he slowly entered her and began to thrust. “I always will. For you are my Queen. My Lisa. My everything.”

  With every declaration, Grim thrust harder, deeper, and the passion that never took much to rekindle between them ignited into a solar storm.

  “Goddess yes, Grim!” Lisa cried out as she pressed her hands against his chest and arching her back, began to ride him. “You are mine. My King. My Grim. My everything.”

  “Then give me everything that is mine, my Lisa,” he ordered, knowing neither of them was going to last long. Not with the way she was already tightening around him. Capturing one of the lush breasts she was so readily offering, he sucked it deep into his mouth the way he knew always pushed her over the edge, especially now that she carried his offspring.

  “Grim!” she screamed as her release hit.

  “Lisa!” Grim roared as he followed, and together they experienced heaven.

  Six

  “Jen, I would like you to meet Rebecca Mines.” Lisa introduced the two females the next morning in the sun room, after she had her guards exit, closing the door behind them. “Dr. Rebecca Mines, OB/GYN. Rebecca, this is Jennifer Rayner, General Rayner’s True Mate, and Kim’s sister.”

  “Sister?” Rebecca’s eyes widened. “The one Kim was looking for when the Ganglians captured her?”

  “Yes,” Jen answered. “They’d taken me, and the group I was with, six months earlier.”

  “Wow. What are the chances of that?”

  ‘Probably better than you think,’ Jen thought but said nothing.

  “Come, let’s sit,” Lisa gestured to the conversation area that sat in front of the wall of windows that let sunshine stream into the room.

  “Wow, that’s really beautiful,
” Jen said moving to get a closer look at the suncatcher that hung in the window. It was a myriad of colors that made you think it was just haphazardly put together, but on closer inspection, she could see the pattern repeated, like in a kaleidoscope. The shards of color it gave off in the morning light were amazing.

  “Isn’t it?” Lisa agreed smiling. “Dagan made it for me for the Festival of the Goddess.”

  “Dagan?”

  “He’s our clothiers, Padma’s and Gossamer’s, second male. He’s very special.”

  “I’d say.” Finally taking a chair, Jen waited, and Lisa turned her gaze to Rebecca.

  “Rebecca, the reason I wanted you to meet us here is that there is something I need to talk to you about. And it can’t go any further than this room.”

  "Alright..." Rebecca's gaze traveled from Lisa to Jen and back again.

  "More women have been taken from Earth,” Lisa told her bluntly.

  "What?!!" She shot up stiffly in her chair. "Wray sent..."

  "No!" Lisa cut her off. "Wray vowed to Kim that he wouldn't, and he hasn't."

  "Then who?" Rebecca shot accusing eyes to Jen. "The Kaliszians?"

  "Wrong again," Jen told her, her gaze hard. "The Kaliszians saved them. It was the Ganglians."

  "The Ganglians..." Rebecca's words trailed off. "Oh, my God. How many survived?"

  "All of them," Jen informed her. "The Ganglians didn't take them to rape. They kidnapped them so they could sell them to Tornian warriors on Vesta."

  "What? No!" Rebecca denied, looking physically ill. "Callen would never..."

  "Of course he wouldn't," Lisa quickly reassured her. "This was done by Reeve."

  "Callen discovered this?" Rebecca asked, the color slowly returning to her face.

  "No, the Kaliszians did when they intercepted a Ganglian ship in their Empire.”

  "I don't understand."

  “Look, the Kaliszians have been intercepting Ganglian and Zaludian ships ever since Wray was shot down over Pontus,” Jen told her. “They’ve been trying to figure out why the two are working together and they think they might have figured it out.”

  “And that is?”