by Lia Davis
“I’m there!” Lucas thrust into her, embedding himself as deep as possible.
“Me too.” Talbot lifted his hips and pushed her down.
Both her males cried out and throbbed inside her, and then her core shuddered in the most unbelievable ecstasy around them both. It was nothing she ever experienced.
“Kenna!” Lucas held her. “Oh, my stars.”
Talbot wrapped his arms around both of them, and the three of them undulated together as the ripples pulsed through them.
Lucas gasped and let go again.
Slowly they came down, their breathing evened out, but she lacked the strength to move.
“Are you all right?” Lucas combed his fingers through her hair.
“I’ve never known anything like that.” She hid her face in Talbot’s chest. “This is why we are meant to be three.”
“I know. When you finally climaxed, you drew me in so deep that I let go a second time. It was as if my whole body released and I was completely fulfilled,” he whispered.
She managed to nod. Lucas managed to express everything she wanted to say.
“All I can say is that I love you both. I want you to always know that.” Talbot kept hold of them and turned them to their side.
Again, she shut her eyes. Now they were bonded, a true triad in every sense of the word, no one could take that from them.
Chapter Twelve
“I think you made the right decision wearing the Mersennean outfit.” In the government office, waiting for the administration, Lucas smoothed down Talbot’s tunic.
“I think our centresse made that decision, but it was the correct one.” Talbot crossed his arms.
Kenna stood at the window looking out at the sky, no doubt looking to see if Femkat might make a midday appearance.
Only because of her position were they even able to get an audience with the Judges of the Ritual, also known as Kenna’s superiors. The cargo ship scheduled to take Talbot away was leaving by Helia set, and they didn’t have much time.
Though they all decided to fight for what they wanted, Lucas could already see the toll it was taking on Kenna as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders and shook her head as if she were waging some inner argument with herself. Once they bonded, there was no turning back, they all knew it.
The door to the office finally slid open, and two males entered and took their seats at a long table.
Kenna scurried between him and Talbot, taking her rightful position, and they all bowed their heads.
“Lucas Kerr and Kenna Poller-Madson, you requested an audience with us to discuss the departure of one Talbot Savita of Kinjani?” The first male got right down to business.
“Yes.” In a normal triad situation, Talbot would have started speaking, but being that they were not recognized yet, Lucas stepped forward and glanced down at the notes on the tablet Kenna gave him. “We would like to petition to have Mr. Savita remain on Mersenne.”
The second male lifted his own tablet and shook his head. “We don’t see any grounds for keeping Mr. Savita on our planet. His business is concluded and with the sensitive nature of his landing, it is best he get back to Kinjani.”
Kenna tightened her hold on his hand, Talbot let out a grunt.
Lucas cleared his throat. “With all due respect, during the time that Mr. Savita has been with us, we have grown to care for him deeply, and we are requesting he stay as part of our triad.” His voice shook as the words exited his mouth. Technically, the acts they committed for the last two days were illegal, or at least in a grey area of the law.
“Triads between Mersenneans and anyone of another planet is strictly prohibited. That has been the law of the planet since the first interplanetary species was discovered thousands of Helia cycles ago,” the male explained.
“Perhaps it is time the rule is changed.” Lucas fought to kept his voice even.
“There is no precedent for such a union,” one of the males stated.
“That is untrue. Through history there have been rumors of those who mated from other planets. It is highly researched that our unique DNA requiring three beings rather than two came initially from an alien pairing.” Lucas scanned through the research he collected the night before. “Additionally, it has been speculated that over two thousand Helia cycles ago the meridian of our own royalty was indeed from another planet.”
The two males looked at each other and then back to them. “We don’t think we need to tell someone of Ms. Poller-Madson’s status, or yours for that matter, that not only are those merely stories, but that such a triad is impossible.”
“I don’t think you understand.” Talbot stepped forward and put his hands on his hips. “We want to be together, we need to be together.”
The males sat up straighter.
Kenna grabbed Talbot’s arm and pulled him back.
To calm the already tense situation, Lucas lifted his hand. “As you can see in our records, we lost the one destined to be our Vertex many Helia cycles ago and we have never found another third. We were blessed to have found Talbot. Our feelings are true, and again, we are asking for special consideration in keeping Mr. Savita here with us.”
The officials faced each other, leaned in together and pointed out things on their tablet.
Lucas’ heart beat hard enough that it wracked his whole body, but he could only remain hopeful their pause was a good sign.
“We are sorry for your loss of your Vertex. However, Mr. Savita will not be allowed to remain on Mersenne.” The first male didn’t even glance at them as he let out the verdict.
“No,” Kenna gasped.
“Then they are coming with me!” Talbot burst forward and pounded his fist into the table.
“Talbot!” Kenna flung herself at him, grabbed his arm and pulled on him.
Unsure what to do, Lucas rushed to his other side. “I am asking you to reconsider. As you can see, we are very attached already.”
“Are you all insane?” Talbot strained against Kenna’s hold. “Kenna, Lucas, you will now be Kinjani.”
“This is impossible.” One of the males stood and shook his head. “Since the Great Space Disaster five hundred and twenty three helia cycles ago, females are not permitted off Mersenne. It’s for their own protection and to preserve the bloodline with which we procreate.”
“Please, I’m begging you to let him stay.” With her words, Kenna’s voice broke.
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Savita will be escorted to the space station. The best solution is to end this right here.” The second male typed something into his tablet.
Once more, Talbot rushed forward. “I am not going anywhere without the rest of my triad!”
“Please no, please.” Kenna collapsed to her knees.
The night Sandros passed, Lucas saw Kenna in the exact same position, on her knees begging anyone or anything for the impossible. Not again, not this time. Without knowing what overcame him, he charged forward.
Rather than stopping Talbot, holding him back and telling him to calm down, Lucas pushed past the male who no matter what, would always be his Vertex. Lucas snatched the first male within reach and shook him.
Kenna screamed.
Talbot came to his side and held his arms out, keeping the second male at bay. “Lucas.”
“You listen to me. We are sentient beings, not vegetation, and we have the right to choose who we want to be with, who we love, what happens in our life.” He pulled Talbot’s dagger out of its sheath on his waistband and held it up. For the first time, he was going to act, not analyze and accept. “What do I have to do to get you to understand?”
“Lucas, no!” Kenna crawled across the floor.
Before she reached him, or he could finish the job, the door slid open and several uniformed males ran inside. Two took hold of Lucas, twisting his arms behind his back, and three took hold of Talbot.
From the floor, Kenna sobbed. “No please, you don’t understand.”
“Mr. Kerr, drop the
weapon now.” One of the males growled in his ear.
If he didn’t comply, Kenna would lose him as well, and he let the dagger fall to the floor and attempted to catch his breath.
“These actions right here is precisely why we cannot allow this to take place.” The male Lucas initially attacked smoothed his tunic out. “I think it’s time we get Mr. Savita to his ship and this can end peacefully.”
Without further pause, the three men surrounding Talbot dragged him through the room.
“You can’t do this!” Lucas strained against those who held him.
Talbot looked back. “Remember the words you read.”
Then Talbot was gone.
Kenna let out a wail, and the sound of sorrow and loss echoed off the walls.
“I think we need to go question Mr. Kerr and give Miss Poller-Madson some time to collect herself.” The male pointed toward the exit.
Lucas didn’t dare resist as they hustled him out of the room.
He turned back to see Kenna with her face in her hands, rocking and sobbing on the floor of the meeting room. While he wanted to call to her, say something, anything to make it better, he had nothing. He left her there alone without him, without Talbot and he nearly doubled over.
They lost the fight and nothing would ever be the same.
Chapter Thirteen
Out of the corner of her eye, Kenna saw a sparkle.
They took her loves away, and still there was a sparkle.
All she had at the moment was the light glittering off on Talbot’s dagger. That and his words that hung in the air reminding her about what they read at the pools.
Lucas tried, but now it was her turn to fight.
“Miss Poller-Madson, why don’t you take a seat? We will get you something cool to drink,” one of the males said.
She crawled across the floor and picked up the dagger.
“Kenna.” The other male stepped over. “Come, relax, I understand how hard this is.”
“No.” She tightened, her fist around the handle of the weapon.
“Here, let me help you.” As if to help her up, the male held his hand out.
“No.” Rather than take the aid, she forced herself up, braced against the table and took a breath. “No, I don’t want to take a seat. No, I don’t want something cool to drink. No, I don’t want your help and no, you don’t understand.”
The two male officials left in the room stared at her with wide eyes as if scared to touch the fragile female who only moments before sobbed on the floor.
“Perhaps we should call your family.” One of the males lifted his tablet.
“You took my family away.” Dagger still in hand, she stepped toward the males. “You dragged off my meridian to calm down. Maybe you should consider that of all times to be emotional, it is when his triad is being torn apart. Then you took my vertex because he came from the wrong planet. In fact, as I now see it you have left me completely without a family, and I demand to know why.”
“As a Keeper of the Rituals you know why we had to make that difficult decision.” The male put his tablet down.
“I think the difficulty lies in consequences of your decision. Yes, you need to protect your females. The two to one ratio on this planet doesn’t allow for any outsiders. It has always been done this way. It is part of tradition.” Now, out of the corner of her eye, she spied something else, not a sparkle, but an audience in the form of male and female workers gathered around the open door to the office.
She straightened up and squared her shoulders. “Yes, I am a Keeper of the Ritual and I understand how important it is, but I also understand when there is a need for the tradition to change.”
One of the males opened his mouth, but she did the unthinkable and held up her hand. “If we are going strictly by tradition, in the Book of Passages it blatantly states that one must fight for their triad first, and that is what I will do until you drag me away as well.”
Now the male stood. “You weren’t in an official triad.”
“I wasn’t?” Rather than look at the males she faced the audience. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but all that is necessary to be in an official triad is to have bonded with your mates. The paperwork can be filed after.”
Those gathered mumbled among themselves, and both the judges stared at her with wide eyes.
Her next move was either going to get her arrested or get her liberated. “Lucas Kerr and I bonded with the Kinjani. For all I know, right at this moment, I may be carrying their offspring.” She put her hand over her stomach. If there was life in there, that life, that being or beings needed their whole family.
Neither judge said a word and several in the audience gasped.
“I am asking for Lucas Kerr and I to be allowed to go to Kinjani, or I ask that you reconsider your decision to allow Talbot Sevita to remain here.” She paced over to the people gathered around the door. “Before you decide, I am going to ask you to reconsider our traditions, to open our planet. I know preserving our way of life is paramount, but like everything, change must happen.”
With all eyes on her, she walked over to the window and pointed out at Femkat making a daytime appearance. “We look out at Femkat and assume the rings were always there, but we know they were not, just as we know that the rings won’t always be there. Everything changes. Isn’t it better that that change begin with love rather than fighting?” Giving due reverence, she bowed her head.
The audience around her clapped.
“Miss Poller-Madson.”
At her name being said, she lifted her head.
“We need to take this up to the high counsel. Sit and have a cool drink. Perhaps you need to think about a career in politics.” Both judges stood and left the room.
She hugged Talbot’s dagger to her chest. If she was blessed with an offspring from all this, at least she could tell him or her that she fought. Her offspring would be warriors.
Chapter Forteen
Experts in space travel and technology, the Mersenneans hurried Talbot through the pre-flight check in, suited him up and took his vitals. For fear he would be sedated and unable to act, he went along with everything they wanted like a good little alien. At least until they made it onto the tarmac.
The official he met when he landed met him at the top of the stairwell. Ahead of him was the entrance to the space craft. Behind him lay his life, his world. He searched for a way to flee, but those escorting him stayed close by his side. Once he entered, there would be no turning back. He would have walked away from the ones he loved, he would have given up.
In essence, he wouldn’t have acted like a warrior.
Part of being a warrior was knowing when to fight with force and when to fight with brains—a lesson he wished he would have remembered in the office. The Mersenneans were known for their compassion, so maybe he could play off that.
“Your ship has been put in the cargo hold as has all the trade merchandise.” The male held out a tablet.
“I need one more thing from you.” Copying a move from Kenna, he bowed his head. “Please.”
The official sighed. “What is it?”
“I already lost much on this trip. I am asking for the opportunity to at least say goodbye to Kenna and Lucas.” He stared into the male’s eyes. “I am begging you.”
“This is all out of my authority. I have strict orders to make sure you get on this cargo ship.” The male shook his head.
“Is there something I can do here? Let me stay on Mersenne. Even if it isn’t as part of a triad, at least I can stay.” He took off his belt containing his sword and his one dagger and held them out to the official. “Please, you can’t put me in that suspended animation. It’s like death. All that is in my mind are thoughts of the ones I am leaving behind. I need to see them.”
Before the male could answer, a siren went off through the space station. Everyone turned, and Talbot saw his opportunity. He dropped his belt and jumped off the side of the stairwell, falling with a thud. As h
e scurried to stand and keep going, he was surrounded by guards. He lowered his head. “I tried.” No doubt they would knock him out now.
Screams resonated over the sirens. The cries sounded like his name, the same way that Kenna cried as he was dragged away.
“Talbot stop!”
Wait, they weren’t screams, it was his name being called, and he lifted his head.
There, running on the tarmac was the most magnificent sight in the world in the form of Lucas and Kenna coming toward him.
His heart filled, and he scrambled to his feet then dashed toward them.
“Get away from him!” Lucas flailed a tablet over his head, shoving it at a guard and swooping up Kenna sprinting the last few yards toward him.
One second, he was alone being whisked away on a ship to take him away. The next, he held his arms open and the two beings that meant life to him were there, filling his embrace and his heart. “What is going on?” With them here, he never let go. They were all staying, or they were all leaving. His heart swelled and beat hard enough to wrack his entire body. “I never thought I would see you again.”
“We fought and won.” Kenna took his face in her hands and kissed him. “We are a triad. You can stay, you are a Mersennean.”
Lucas kissed him. “You are going to turn our female into a warrior. Let it be said she bucked tradition, and now we get to go live our lives together.”
Those gathered at the space station applauded.
“We didn’t buck tradition.” In keeping with the Mersennean ways, he put Kenna in between them. “We just started a new one.”
Epilogue
“We have some anxious males outside the door.” The nurse at the medical facility smiled.
Kenna Savita-Kerr sat up in bed, smoothed down her hair and nodded. “Please let them in.”