Wrapping her up in a towel Angr had brought her to her living room and provided her with drinks. She didn’t realise he was dressed until he was standing in front of her. Blake looked up at her tall magnificent male. “I have to go. My men need me. You are safe here and I will be back.”
He didn’t want to leave her but he had work to do. Men depended on him. Blake gazed at him. It made it harder to leave.
“I’ll be fine. I have enough weapons in here to kill an army. If you can make dinner that would be good but don’t sweat it. Father will have to stew.” She shrugged.
Angr leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “If someone dares to try, leave some for me to kill.” He told her, she grinned back at him. His chest clenched. He stood and strode from the room while he could.
***
Angr entered the detention centre to find Blake’s father standing with Dare. Through the glass he could see Reve working Cliff. It was getting bloody. Blake’s father moving towards him caught his eye. He held out his hand to him. Angr took it. “We were not formally introduced. My apologises but my daughter is ……. difficult with me. Jim Baccana. My brother John you know. A word of warning, he holds a special place in her heart, one I encouraged.” Angr could see he looked uncomfortable. “I couldn’t show her affection. Her life was often in danger as it was.”
Angr could see the male wasn’t lying. He was angry and spoke, like a man who had been deprived of what he wanted. Cliff cried out as Reve hit him again.
Angr focused on him. “I will be honest with you out of respect for Blake, I want the information this male knows. If it means breaking him we will. Do you understand that? He is your son.” Angr watched as the male Jim shook his head.
“He has not been my son for a very long time. I should have done things differently. I might have saved him. Rather than let him get out of control. I’m lucky I still have Blake, his jealousy nearly killed her more than once.”
Angr stilled, as his rage ignited through him. He couldn’t pull it back. He was losing control, then an image of Blake laughing and kissing him fleeted across his mind and the rage subdued. She was here and she was alive.
“She doesn’t know that does she?” Anger asked. Jim shook his head sadly. “No, it had to look real or he would have seen through it.”
“I cannot help this male. His death is certain. Here, would be better than going to the Empire. He has admitted breaking the law.” There was no other way to say it but by the truth.
Even now, Angr could sense Blakes father’s conflict. Cliff was his son after all. For a moment, Angr wondered what he would do for his son in the same situation. His son? He like the sound of that. It had a fine ring to it. “Can you have children General?” Blake’s father asked him.
Angr gave him a nod. “Good my daughter will love them. She has a lot of love to give. The reason my father put a no Cyborg rule into our contracts, was because he believed they deserved to life free. He joined the wars in an act of good faith and the only honour he saw, was from your brethren. He often told me of their sacrifice. Their honour. They saved his life many times.” Jim looked over once again through the glass and then started to walk away. “Get the information you need.”
***
Blake walked down the stairs, her image generator doing its job. Only in the privacy of her own room and alone, now with Angr she smiled, did she leave it off. The Cyborgs and Kim would never tell on her. And if thinking of her brought her through the door, Kim came to her and hugged her. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
Blake wasn’t sure if it really was a course for celebration. “Well, I got promoted that’s for sure.” Kim linked her arm.
“Your family now. We face shit together.” Blake laughed freer than she’d felt in years.
“Come on, Dad hates us being late for dinner.” Blake told her leading her to the dining room.
“Don’t you worry about that.” Kim told her patting her hand. “I’ve got my spoon.”
Angr walked into the dining room as drinks were being served. The empty laid seat next to Blake told him where to sit, he gave a nod to Kim. John and Jim were both talking. It had been a long time since he’d sat at a formal dinner. He looked around the room. It was full of old world antiques that were worth a small fortune, including the table and chairs they were using. The silver ware and crystal glasses were a wonder in themselves. How had they survived?
John and Jim joined those at the table. “Before we start dinner, there are a couple of things I should disclose.” Angr told them. He turned to Blake, “Firstly I have struggled with my emotions since being free. That is no secret. My men know well my anger. I was named for it. The only time I feel able to think clearly is when I am with you. My senses are bombarded with your very being, with protecting you, giving you everything you need, for you to be happy. I am told, this is a sign that I care more for you than for my own history. I do not understand this, but I accept it. It is true and any history I have in front of me, I want you included.
“I recorded our mating with the Cyborg Empire, you are now a citizen of it and under its protection. This is a human tradition I believe?” He placed a box in front of Blake. She looked at him and he saw a little fear in her eyes. She turned her attention back to the small box, leaned forward and opened it. Inside was a simple gold band. He leaned over and took it from the box, lifted her left hand and slipped on the ring.
Blake couldn’t believe what this male had just done. He’d opened himself up and brought a human tradition to mean something to him. She threw herself at him and hugged him to her. He was being human. She’d done that. Kim whistled and clapped, so did her uncle John and her father. That surprised her. He rarely showed her any emotion. She let Angr go to watch as he pulled a larger ring from his pocket and put it on a similar finger on his left hand. She really liked seeing that. It was ownership. Hers. Tears came to her eyes and she reached out and squeezed his arm. She was unsure where this was going and didn’t care. She didn’t need to be in control. She was with the man she wanted.
“Secondly, I have the duty to inform you that Cliff is dead. The body has been preserved for any rites you wish to complete. He gave us the information regarding his business dealings and Cyborgs. We will be going after them to find our people. I am sorry it came to that.” The words slipped out and Angr was surprised that he meant them. No matter what, this family had lost a son, brother and nephew.
“Thank you.” Blakes father answered. “I’m sure each of us will grieve in our own way. I should have dealt with Cliff when he was a child, when he first tried to kill you Blake. He was never a normal child and I can’t just blame his mother for that. I knew something was wrong with him, but I hoped he would come around. That was a mistake. There were many crimes he needed to answer for, things I covered up to save this Corporation. That was wrong too. I will be forever grateful that in the end, his life may save others.
“For now, we should eat and discuss what we will do next. I want Cyborg warriors on all our ships. They can help search and protect at the same time. I also want a presence here. A base would be useful to the Empire, I have the land, the Council here will approve it. I have gifted it to Blake as a wedding present. We are on the other side of Cyborg space and it would be a good defensive position from which to launch into other areas and as Blake will have to be here to run this Corporation from next month, you might consider leading this endeavour?”
Blake slammed her hand down on the table. Her usual frustration with her father taking hold. “You’re doing it again. Taking over, making decisions for everyone.”
“Agreed.” Came from her right. Angr was seriously starting to piss her off where her father was concerned, she was the one that knew how he worked. Kim caught her eye she was smiling.
Peeved she turned to Angr. “Are you going to keep agreeing with him?” She pointed at her father.
Angr looked over at her father and then back to her. “It is possible. I told you Blake. I’m
not letting you go. You belong to me. Together. Whatever it takes.” Yet again she didn’t know whether to kiss him or hit him. Frustratingly she realised he’d never give up. And suddenly, that was it. He would never let her down. He would always put her first. Always be there for her. To love her. She smiled. She’d got what she didn’t know she needed. Angr. Bring it on…..
The end ……… bonus thank you up next!
Jessie …. Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed this novel and look out for the next one! In the meantime, I give you an extra chapter from my Bataari New World Series. The Awaking. Enjoy!
A New World Series. Book 1. The Awaking. Bataari
Chapter One.
Four weeks earlier.
Tah had trouble holding onto his temper. He’d been summoned to the Kings ship. His Rama. Highly respected by all. The voice of his people for many many years. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Tah had not expected this. It was beyond his understanding. Several elders had already left the conference room at the confrontation.
“You will do this boy because I ask it of you”. An angry Tah confronted his King.
“I’m no diplomat, this is a job for one of the elders, not a warrior. I don’t know what I’m doing. What if I say or do the wrong thing and we end up in a war”.
His King rose from his seat. “You know only too well how important this is to us, you will go, I demand this of you”. Tah barely held on to his temper. Near far from the surface. He stalked out murmuring, “I’m a warrior not a dam diplomat”. He was used to fighting not talking. He wasn’t known for his finesse. He was known for killing their enemies.
His men waited on him. He would not talk to them on this matter and kept on walking. He would be no fit company tonight. What the hell was his King thinking? This had disaster written all over it! He’d fought tooth and nail since his youngling days to stay alive and keep his comrade’s safe with him. This mission, he spat out, he would have to do alone.
***
“It is done”. The King turned to face his advisor Kar’ti. “Are you sure of the visions Kar, he is right, I have tried but he is no diplomat and we have much ridding on this”. Kar’ti nodded solemnly,
“I am as sure as this new planet, Tah, needs to be first”. Acknowledging his wise friend, his King nodded.
“So be it”.
***
Now…..
“Hay Alex, who said a morning by the sea was a bad idea? Cos I gotta tell ya girl, I’m loving it”. Alex turned and laughed at the antics of Bromwyn. Her team senior and subordinate, dancing on the sands like it was the Bahamas and not Southend on Sea on a semi shinny day, with the tinkering of gaming machines, smells of popcorn and fish and chips in the air.
“Err Brom, you do realise that this is a busman’s holiday right, we work here remember, by the sea.” Bromwyn stopped and turned her nose up,
“o please, your spoiling the mood girl, don’t remind me, if I squint and think those lights are palm trees and that water is crystal clear with the sounds of the Caribbean playing instead of slot machines, I’m soooooo there”!
Alex burst out laughing. “Ok, you go girl, when you find that cabana let me know, I’m on board!”
It was hard to not keep smiling Alex thought. It was a lovely day. The sun was shining between the clouds, with a soft breeze coming from the water and the beach not in holiday season, not too crowded. Cool drinks and ice cream was exactly what the team needed for a couple of team building hours away from the office and work reality. Down time for a couple of hours, a reminder of life outside of work and then back to the desks. Not perfect but hopefully good enough.
She felt content. The sounds of the sea lapping the shore were soothing. The holiday atmosphere surrounding them of slot machines, music, laughter, joy, the smells of fish and chips and donuts, where a strong reminder of life and fun and her own childhood. She stared out to what was considered the sea, although really just part of the coastal river and reflected. She would be the first to acknowledge that her life was far from perfect. In reality, far too many long work hours and not enough work life balance but who had perfect anyway, right?
No one she knew. Sighing she dug her toes into the sand. The job, too much knowledge and understanding of lives and what makes us tick was not always a good thing. Knowing all too well, what people are capable of doing to each other and others, had left her empty when it came to relationships. She snorted, a relationship. What the hell was that anyway? In her experience, it was painful. It was unrewarding. And, it still made her sick when she thought of being gutted yet again. No. As a species, she knew, we sucked at relationships and it was no different for her.
Part of her clenched at that thought. Was reality so negative? This can’t be it she thought to herself. Her grandparents had loved each other dearly. As a people, we had to do better than this surely? she asked herself looking around her. “I’m not sure that’s even possible,” slipped past her lips as she took in the world around her and watched the world go by.
***
Since Tah had arrived at his destination, he’d been grateful time and again for the translation device embedded within his cortex as he listened to the latest information the computer displayed. Tah was pissed. That’s all he seemed to be over the last few weeks. Angry. Displaced. Not sure what he was doing. What was he doing here? He asked himself yet again. This was not a job for a warrior. Give him an enemy to cut down and he would do it, no questions asked.
Tah’s ship swiftly moved from one continent to another on its planned path, downloading valuable local information on tribes and traditions and their social media allowing his computer network to learn as much as possible, then moving on. The trouble was, this wasn’t going as expected. He became more and more concerned at what he’d found. This planet was full of contradictions and adversary. He was not equipped to deal with this ‘crap’ he told himself and it unnerved him. He was a warrior who knew his place. His destiny mapped out for him.
His ship continued on, unobserved and unseen. Tah smiled at the beauty of his ship. This, is what he knew. Steel, hard work, sweat and blood. It was the best ship they had and undetectable to Earth. Made in their space ports along with all their equipment since being space travellers for over 300 years. It held the latest of their technology and the fastest engines. The cloaking technology alone was a masterpiece in speed and camouflage. Tah smiled, he was grateful that a similar camouflage device was used on each warrior for their personal protection. Tah had first-hand experience on how important this was to them, it saved countless lives.
Alerted to another completed download. Tah moved across the console and checked the latest information flooding the computers. The ship had recently arrived at a coastal town from mainland Europe following the flight paths of Earth. He had already gathered much information on the different populations of this world. And Tah had already dismissed parts of it as too difficult or unknowledgeable to be useful in the early days. Shockingly, some cultures were almost ancient in their knowledge and mysticism and ‘magic’.
Tah shook his head in disbelief. Faith was one thing but that, something else. Others were so entrenched in war, animalistic behaviour and domination that it reminded him or his own peoples ancient history, and would be hard to see how they could be reasoned with and be allies and bridge worlds. Tah seethed. What was he meant to do with this? It was also likely that the military of this world who were multiple aggressors, were going to be the biggest challenge to overcome. They had expected that. Re-calling what he had observed from their own history, it was clear their natural sense of protection made them cautious and tended towards instigators of aggression. Strike first, ask questions later.
Tah smiled, he knew all about that, his own history was littered with such actions. His people having advanced passed their animalistic early development to a more reasoned people. Although Earth’s fire power was nowhere close to the Bataarian’s and the use of it he reasoned. Antiquated in methods
and materials, it still packed a punch and some, were so barbaric, that they would end worlds if used. Tah shook his head again. It was clear from the electronic information, that Humans were a determined people, a force to be reckoned with and it was imperative that his mission of co-operation and exchange was accepted. The Bataarian’s had much to offer Earth as did Earth, to the Bataari. Tah wondered again, how the ‘batac’ he was going to do this?
“How had this world developed and fractured so differently?” He pondered aloud, not used to seeing such huge differences in cultures and behaviours in peoples. He knew it had shocked him. The Bataarian’s all held the same beliefs and social systems. Tah thought back to his learning days. In Liandara their home world, all were equal and added to its culture and welfare. The historic records on board the Bilaara, the Kings ship, were open for all and were used in education of the young. Tah did not know if he’s people were prepared for this. It seemed a backward step to him in so many ways. Yet, it held all their futures.
It would take time, maybe more time than he had and Tah thought, only the learned elders would really understand how different things were on this new world compared with their own. Most of their own people barely remembered the home world or what it was like. That didn’t help their cause that it had been so long since they last stood on their home world. Many had placed it so high on a pedestal that nowhere was likely to mirror it. This situation was going to take a lot more planning than any of them had anticipated he realised. Yes, they had considered a world not as advanced as them or even a world that surpassed them but this, such diversity and division within each other, so much anger and hostility, so little evolved in many ways and the level of self-destruction, they had not expected.
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