RESURRECTION (RIBUS 7, #5)

by Shae Mills

  Terig laughed as he looked at Chelan. “It seems this is not good-bye at all,” he said, and he took her by the arm and ushered her inside.

  Chelan dashed for her room and sheathed Fremma’s knives in her boots. Then she donned her shroud, and in moments she was being accompanied by Terig as they hustled out into the bailey.

  Yanis was on the ground beside the fighter when they arrived. He addressed Terig. “My Lord. Korba has suggested—”

  Just then another fighter blew through the air before them. Yanis instinctively drew his lazgun and grabbed for Chelan at the same instant. As the second ship flashed cyphers, Yanis relaxed.

  The fighter began its descent, and Chelan stilled her pounding heart. “What just happened?”

  The cockpit slid back and the man inside vaulted over the edge, landing on the ground below in a crouched position like a black panther ready to strike. As he straightened, he ripped off his flight gear, and Chelan squeaked with glee. She tore out of Yanis’s clutches and bounded across the bailey, leaping into Korba’s arms. She hugged his neck with superhuman strength as she surrounded his waist with her legs, locking her ankles behind him. “Oh my god! I have missed you so much.”

  Korba clung to her, squeezing her as tightly as he dared. He buried his face in her silken hair. “My Lady. I was so tempted to blast that bloody star just to stop the storm so I could get to you, I almost did!”

  Chelan pulled back and looked into his gorgeous azure eyes. Then she took his mouth with a fervor, devouring him with a ravenous need.

  Terig looked at Yanis. “I thought you were supposed to retrieve her?”

  “I was, but apparently, he could not wait.” And both men chuckled.

  When finally they parted enough to catch their breaths, Chelan unhooked her legs and slipped down Korba’s body till her feet touched the ground. Forehead to forehead, they breathed one another in. Chelan wet her lips. “I thought the storm would never end.”

  Korba pressed her to him. “If not for all eyes upon us, I would lay you on the ground right here and take you so deep and hard neither of us would survive.”

  Chelan gasped, the feel of his rigid organ against her stomach clouding her senses. “I almost don’t care about the eyes around us.”

  Korba moaned... and took her mouth again, aggressively. Then he straightened and threw his head back, his mind striving to control the beast within. When he looked back down at her, she was grinning. “What is it?” he asked.

  “I think you should quit kissing me and get me the hell back on that ship before we both burst and do something right here and now that I will live to be embarrassed about for the rest of my life.”

  Korba laughed. “Ah, the voice of reason,” and he released her completely. “Yanis!” he shouted.

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  “You will take Terig with you.”

  “Yes, Sire.”

  Then Korba nodded at Terig. “I need you right away. The Telesians are here, and a Cleosan delegation is one its way shortly now that the storm has dissipated. I know you also wish to tend to your grounds, but you will be with me for the duration of this retrofit, and especially while we deal with our mystery material. Therefore, the men I have here with me now, and many more on their way, will be here to assist in the cleanup by monitoring the rain and wind machines. It should be back to its former glory well before you are done with me.”

  Terig bowed. “I appreciate that, my Lord. But I do not want to take away from your manpower.”

  “Nonsense. There are three battleships here with over six million hands at my disposal right now. I will not even miss the contingent I have set aside for this. And once on board RIBUS 1, I will let you have a look at the enhanced aerial shots of this portion of the planet as it stands right now. Believe me, you want the help.”

  “That bad, is it?”

  Korba frowned. “You have no idea.”

  “Well then,” said Terig. “On to other things. I am ready when you are.”

  Korba signed, and Yanis tossed Terig a uniform and a helmet. Then Korba looked to Chelan and brushed her windswept hair from her face. “My Lady,” he whispered with adoration. And he helped her into the cockpit of the fighter.

  THE TRIP TO RIBUS 1 seemed but a flash, and then as suddenly as they had been launched from Cleos, they nestled into the private hangar. Things on the flight deck were hectic as the ebony birds of prey piloted by all Korba’s security landed.

  Just as Chelan’s feet hit the floor, Terig came running up to them, followed closely by Yanis. Korba acknowledged them. “Both of you head to the main conference hall. The Cleosans should be here momentarily. I will join you all soon.”

  The men nodded and were off. Korba grabbed Chelan by the arm and whisked her through the security checks and into the main private Command Center. Chelan had hardly been able to draw her next breath when Korba disabled the Center and hoisted her onto the central control panel with a speed that defied the eye. His hands flowed over her, and he crushed her to him, his mouth capturing hers with wild abandon.

  Chelan clutched his shroud and wrenched him even closer. She felt his hand reach between them as he stepped back ever so slightly, and in a simple motion, her uniform pants were down and off, along with her boots. In the next instant he was between her legs again, his thick shaft impaling her to her core.

  Chelan gasped as she arched to him, her hands fisting his hair as he drove into her time and time again. She reached around his head and drew him to her, taking his mouth as aggressively with her tongue as he was taking her with his penis.

  Finally, he released her lips, his thrusts a little less urgent. He breathed into her neck. “I have needed you so badly. I dreamed day and night of taking you, making love to you, ravishing you until neither of us could move.”

  She pulled on his hair and drew his head back so she could look into his eyes. “Oh god, my Lord. The lovemaking will come tonight. Right now, I just want you to possess me completely as only you can.”

  Korba growled. And then he pulled out of her, causing her to wince. With an ease that belied his strength, he scooped her from the console and flipped her back to him. He pushed her facedown across the panels as he spread her legs wide. His hand swept through her folds once, her moisture filling his senses and driving him wild. He looked down at her heart-shaped bum and pressed his penis into her again... entering deep.

  Chelan cried out... pushing back against the console and toward him... urging him to take her deeper still. He held her hips as he drove into her wet heat, claiming her body and her soul.

  Suddenly, he shuddered as he came, and he hunched over her, forehead on her back, his pent-up need infusing into her through her pores.

  Chelan remained very still, listening to him pant for air as he came down from his peak, his organ still pulsing within her. He was all steel, power, and strength. He was divine.

  Korba calmed himself. Then he frowned. “I am sorry, my love. I took you harshly with no consideration for you.”

  Chelan smiled as she pulled herself forward and slipped away from him. “Shut up. You took me as I wanted to be taken.” She looked down at his glistening organ, slick and shiny with her cream. Then she bit her lip coyly as she sat back on the consoles and raised her legs, spreading herself wide. She reached for his shroud and yanked him forward and then drew him down to his knees before her. “You were first. Now it is my time.” And her mouth watered with anticipation.

  Korba looked at what was offered to him, her femininity swollen with desire... her valleys wet, her clit hard... and he lost it. He grabbed her hips again and buried his face in her folds, his tongue and lips taking all of her. She was all softness and silk, and he could never get enough.

  Chelan collapsed back, writhing as he feasted. She was in paradise, and she was never going anywhere without him again.

  Chapter 25

  CHELAN ADJUSTED HER uniform and looked up at Korba. “You are going straight to the meeting now?”

&nb
sp; “Yes, and you are more than welcome to attend.”

  “I would love to, but I want to see our children first. If the meeting is still going on after I have spent some time with them, I will come and catch what remains. If not, I can look over the reports after.”

  Korba nodded. “I am sorry all this comes so quickly upon our reunion, but the storm has delayed all work in this area of the ship, and I really need all the factions working on this to be together at this meeting and get this sorted out.”

  “I more than understand. And tonight, if I decide I need or want to hear every little detail discussed, I will tap into the recordings and watch the whole meeting for myself.”

  Korba smiled and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Then I am off. Marri was advised of our arrival, and both she and the children are right across the hall.”

  Chelan nodded, and he left. Running her fingers through her hair to settle her tresses, she headed directly for the suite. As soon as the doors parted, her heart melted.

  “Mom!” yelled Jason, and he ran for her.

  She sank to her knees to capture him and hugged him with all her strength. “I missed you so much, my precious boy.”

  He hugged her tight. “I missed you too.” And then he pulled back and stood a little taller. “Next week, Dad says I can begin practicing with lazguns. You will have to come watch.”

  Chelan’s eyes grew large. “That is wonderful. How about while you are being instructed, I actually partake also?”

  “Oh, that would be great! Then we can do target practice together!”

  “I agree. The great Commander Fremma, he taught me well with knives, but you know, I have never used a lazgun.”

  Jason’s eyes widened. “Never? Wow! Why not?”

  Chelan sat back on her heels, suddenly perplexed. “Actually, I have no idea why not. So obviously, it is high time I learned.”

  “Great! Uh, Auntie Marri says I have to go back to my classes now, but I will return for dinner.”

  Chelan smiled and hugged him again. “Well, thank you for taking some time out of your studies to see me, and I will see you again tonight.”

  He beamed, glanced back at Marri, and then bolted for the door.

  Chelan stood and looked at Marri, Shanna in her arms, the young child sizing up her mother.

  Marri nodded. “It is good to have you back, my Lady.”

  Chelan walked up to them and smiled at Shanna as her daughter reached for her. “It is so good to be back. There was a time where I thought I would be there forever.”

  Marri chuckled. “From what I have heard of Cleosan storms, you could have been.”

  Chelan bounced Shanna as the little girl cooed and grabbed onto Chelan’s hair. Chelan walked over to a chair and sat down, as did Marri. As Chelan settled Shanna in her lap, she glanced at the warrior. “Once again, I am indebted to you, Marri. I do not know what any of us would do without you.”

  “It has been my pleasure, my Lady.”

  Chelan looked down as Shanna began trying to undo Chelan’s uniform top. Chelan glanced frantically at Marri. “Oh no! What am I going to do? Though I was gone only two Iceanean weeks, that was nearly one whole Earth month. My milk has dried.”

  Marri smiled. “I know. She eats enough now that most of what she wants from us is just the closeness of the suckling. When she actually wants milk, she will figure out pretty fast that she needs to come to me.”

  Chelan felt only marginally better. She undid her uniform for Shanna, and the babe snuggled into her and latched on. Chelan glanced down at her. “I feel like I am cheating her.”

  “What happened was no one’s fault. I am just relieved that you managed to dry up without any infections. When you left here you were producing a lot.”

  Chelan smiled at her daughter as the little one pulled on her breast, her eyes getting heavy. Then Chelan looked at Marri. “No more relieved than I. It was a trial in the beginning, and not without significant worry and discomfort. But everything worked out.” Chelan furrowed her brow. “Could I get the milk back?”

  “Yes, you could. There are a couple of ways, but she is not taking much from me now, so I would let it go unless it is something you need to do for yourself.”

  Chelan took a moment to think. “No, it appears all is well with her. And right now, it looks like she is not going to displace me as her mom for not producing for her.”

  Mari chuckled. “May I ask your plans for today, my Lady?”

  “Nothing specific, Marri. Today has been taken one moment to the next right from the beginning. Waking up to unexpected silence first, the trip here, the meeting, the children—it has all just happened spontaneously, and will continue so.”

  “You do not wish to attend the meeting?”

  “I had planned to catch some of it, but now that I am back with the children, I have no desire to do so. Korba and Terig will feed me all the information later. If there is something you wish to do, by all means, please, do it.”

  Marri rose. “Thank you, my Lady. It has been a while since I had a good, long workout, so, if you are sure you do not mind, I shall attend to one.”

  “No. Do whatever you wish. I am fine here. In fact, take as much time as you wish.”

  Marri smiled. “I will return tonight to feed the little miss before her bedtime.”

  “Great! I will see you then.” And Chelan watched Marri leave. Then she leaned over her sleeping baby and inhaled her soft scent. She was truly home.

  THE DINNER HOUR CAME and Chelan was right in her element. Korba had invited Terig to dine with them, and since Korba had given Chelan some warning in advance that the man would be with them, Chelan in turn had contacted Cleos and had a very delighted Leeman ushered to the decks of RIBUS 1, along with a generous supply of food staples native to Earth.

  Chelan had greeted Leeman on the main receiving deck and then took her directly to the private kitchen, where she introduced her to Zeta. Menus were discussed, and the women set to work on creating the perfect evening meal.

  Now, with her family and Terig seated around a table in the private Command Center, Chelan percolated with excitement as the meal was about to be delivered.

  Korba stared at her. “What is with you? You look like you are about to come out of your skin.”

  Chelan smiled coyly as she shifted Shanna in her lap. “It is nothing, my Lord. I am just anxious to hear all about the meeting.”

  Terig spoke. “Well, a lot was discussed about the progress of RIBUS 7 in general, but then we all settled in to study the mystery areas in depth.”

  Jason piped up as he looked from Terig to Korba. “Mystery areas? Where? On the other ship?”

  Korba nodded. “Yes. We have found significant areas incorporating materials that are alien and would not have been used in the original construction of the ship. Shortly, we will find out if these aberrations were instituted before or after the ship was bombed.”

  Jason’s eyes lit. “Whoa! Can I see?”

  Korba frowned and glanced at Chelan. Then he stared hard at Jason. “The short answer would be, no. It is too dangerous. The long answer is, I have had a hard enough time keeping your mother off her decks. I am not going to start with you. You may ask as much as you wish, you may review all the pictures and data we acquire, but you are not going on her decks... ever.”

  Jason seemed to mull over a rebuttal but then thought better of it. Chelan glanced at Korba and just shrugged.

  Korba cleared his throat and looked at everyone seated. “In fact, I think the discussion of the issue is better left for after the meal, when more impressionable ears have taken their leave.”

  Jason frowned. “That is hardly fair.”

  Korba leveled his gaze at his son. “I know what runs through your thoughts, young sir, and a brilliant problem solver you are indeed. But I also know what stimulates your fertile mind...” He paused and looked at Chelan. “And your mother’s, for that matter. And I will not have the two of you conspiring against me.”

>   Jason leaned toward Chelan and whispered to her. “You can fill me in on all the details later.”

  Chelan almost burst out laughing, and Korba’s eyes narrowed, but all were saved from any potential wrath forthcoming from the Emperor as the main doors parted, and Zeta filed in with a full entourage behind her.

  Terig leapt to his feet as Leeman entered, carrying the main course. “My word! How did you get here?”

  Chelan and Leeman smiled at each other. Then Chelan looked up at Terig. “When I found out you would be attending our dinner, I decided that we could all use some flavorful food to fill our bellies, so I had a ship fetch Leeman along with some supplies.”

  Terig looked at Korba as all the aromatic food was spread out before them. He smiled. “You knew of this, my Lord?”

  Korba chuckled. “Hardly. My Lady does as she chooses for the most part, even when under the threat of corporal punishment.”

  Chelan wrinkled her nose at him. “Feel free to punish me tonight for whatever I may have done, after the guests have gone.”

  Everyone laughed and then Zeta stepped up to Chelan. “It was a delight to work with Leeman, and she has left with us many fine ideas. I hope to put them to use in the future for you and his Majesty.”

  Chelan smiled up at Leeman and then back to Zeta. “I would love that, Zeta.”

  The old woman bowed. “Is there anything else I can do?”

  “No, that is fine for now. Leeman will be dining with us, and after the meal, the three of us can discuss future plans for special Earthly meal preparations.”

  Zeta smiled and then bowed again. “I look forward to that, my Lady.” And she and the rest of the servants departed.

  Terig brought over another chair and seated Leeman while Chelan uncovered an additional place setting, and the meal began.

  THE DINNER WAS WONDROUS, and even Korba was impressed beyond words. Marri skirted in later and took the children while Leeman and Chelan had another brief conference with Zeta. After that, Leeman was invited to stay in one of the suites for the night before an early shuttle would return her to Cleos.