Snow and the Shadows (Once Upon a Harem Book 2)

by Cara Carnes

  I didn’t ask what a ward of Rotera was. I knew. Deep down in the pit of my stomach I knew. Too many wars, too many deaths made the term common, even within deep space. I recalled Zelig’s admission. One of the many souls Marden carried was Zelig’s brother. The bond between the two men was far stronger than the others, one born of grief and a mutual love for the one they’d lost. I tried imagining a bond so strong but couldn’t.

  Only the one I was forming with the Shadows came close.

  “You’ve been together a long time?”

  “Yes. Future warriors are separated into their factions early on, placed into groups based on our skill sets. Dacian was our tactician and historian. Varik was medical. Ren was chief engineer. Slade and Zarik handled security. Zelig was the commander. Even from an early age we all looked to him for guidance. Even when he was only six he had an old, wise soul.”

  They were raised together. Mere children.

  I couldn’t fathom a people who sent their babies off to war.

  “And you?”

  “I am the bond. I seal the holes around the others, do whatever else must be done for us to function. At times, I aid them with their roles. Other times, I counsel. I do whatever must be done for us to all remain healthy, happy, and safe.”

  I sensed it was far more. I touched an etching on Ashan’s arm. The spirit roused, flexed beneath my touch. Images flashed through my mind, a whirlwind of endless emotion, none of it his or Ashan’s.

  Marden. The screams filled my mind, but it was Ashan’s steady, calm voice, that drew my focus.

  Ease, warrior, you are no longer alone. You are squadroned once more. You are not alone. Zelig is our commander. Remember him? Zarik’s older brother. I’m am the siphon. Give me your overload.

  No. Leave me. I bear my shame alone. I failed them.

  No. They live because of you. You did the impossible and salvaged every spirit. You survived so everyone could continue to fight. You are a true Roteran warrior, far greater than many will ever be. Give me your overload.

  Though I didn’t fully understand what I was being shown, I sensed the importance. “You are the siphon for the squadron, you take the worst emotions when they become too hard to manage.”

  “You got all that from a brief touch?”

  “Images mostly. You with Marden when he first arrived.” I looked up, tasted the unease and hesitation within his aura. “Who helps you?”

  “Snow,” he whispered as he cupped my face with his hands. I turned to where I lay against him.

  “Who helps you?” I repeated the inquiry even though I needed no answer. The spirits within him clamored, offered image after image of Ashan alone, screaming and writhing in pain.

  No one.

  He had no one to siphon what he took from them. He suffered so his squadron could thrive. I leaned down, bracketed my hands on each side of him and ran my mouth along his, like Dacian had done with me. Awareness arced between us, as if an immediate connection formed, one I felt on the physical and psychic plane. He deepened contact, flipped us over on the narrow surface with such ease it left me a bit startled.

  The kiss made me breathless. He pillaged, demanded my surrender to the onslaught of sensations drifting within me.

  I tore at his tunic, anxious to remove the material so I could touch his etchings, have his spirits with us on the psychic plane. I’d grown more brazen with my Shadows the deeper we went into the Meridian. They’d awakened a need, one I refused to ignore when I had no idea what awaited me. Connecting with him on all levels at once felt right, as if I was complete for the first time. I pulled the power bead Dacian taught me to wield and multiplied them, one for each of Ashan’s souls.

  One by one they drifted through my awareness as he and I kissed. I moaned as he broke away to trail hot kisses along my neck and throat. When had my tunic disappeared?

  Eyes closed, I followed his lead, relishing the fiery heat only skin-to-skin contact offered. Touch. I’d never realized how much I yearned for it until I met my Shadows.

  My Shadows. I’d laid mental claim to them after the Sagam run-in. Since then, they’d grown bolder with me. My alone time with each turned into sensual play, interactions which had yet to be anything more than foreplay.

  You will know when it’s time. Ren’s comment from the night before thundered through my thoughts. This felt so, so, right.

  Ashan kissed, suckled, and taunted my nipples and breasts. Need rippled through me. I writhed against him and groaned my frustration when he stopped. The chaste kiss to my forehead left my entire body throbbing with need.

  “If we do not stop, I will not be able to,” he whispered. “Come, we near the Meridian Station.”

  I blinked, unable to believe he was forming full words. A sexy smile spread on his handsome face.

  “You are so beautiful when you’re befuddled,” he commented.

  I spent more and more time befuddled around my Shadows. I smiled lamely, not bothering to hide my exposed torso as his gaze swept downward. An appreciative glint appeared in his eyes. I didn’t understand why they always pulled back. “Why does it always stop too soon?”

  “Because we will not rush you, Snow. You have been alone for many cycles. We will take our time building this bond with you because once it’s fully formed, you will be ours. Forever.”

  I liked forever. I liked being theirs forever even more. I couldn’t imagine anything better.

  I sighed as he rose. He helped me dress once more. I took his hand and headed toward my other Shadows. We’d face whatever awaited us on the Meridian Station together. A team.

  A family.

  Or, a family in progress.

  Ashan

  * * *

  “Let us see to repairs and be gone. I do not like this place,” Ashan said.

  He flicked his gaze back to Snow. Zelig had ordered her to remain with Marden and Slade. Although Ashan agreed with the decision, many of his souls didn’t wish to part with her, not so soon after the pleasure they’d shared.

  Meridian Station was a much larger outpost than they’d expected, at least twice as large as the Avaru Outpost. He didn’t recognize more than half the species prowling the docking port. Unease filled him, his spirits tensed. They had too many repairs to bypass the station. Supplies would be impossible to come by between their current location and Tezan. His ears rang from the volume and multitude of languages entering his translator chip. Too many came back unknown.

  “Greetings, travelers. I am Helos, an AI who assists Meridian newcomers.” The artificial intelligence robot was a circular, floating object no larger than his head. Ashan looked at his fellow Shadows.

  “I am Commander Zelig, this is my squadron. We have need of some supplies.”

  “Ah yes. Roterans. We haven’t had any of you before,” Helos said in a high-pitched voice. “Come, come. New species must check in with the Station Authority before receiving access to the trading arenas. Come, come.”

  The robot flitted off. Beeps, clicks, and occasional pops emanated from Helos as he headed toward a large gray and blue dome.

  Bodies pressed against Ashan. Assorted reptilian, fish, and tentacle-clad species interspersed with a multitude of other unknown species. He spotted an occasional Starth. More Crunan than he wanted and quite a few Skerons. He averted his gaze from the Sagam delegation to the right. A battle over what had gone down wasn’t on the day’s agenda.

  Helos halted before a set of double doors. He whirred and beeped. Pale orange light pulsated from small holes along his hull. “Please deposit all weapons and coms in the provided receptacle. While weapons are allowed on Meridian Station, none are allowed within Station Authority unless prior authorization is obtained. They will be returned upon your departure from the dome.”

  Marden growled.

  Slade pressed Snow deeper between him and Marden.

  “I’m afraid we cannot comply. It is against our regulations,” Zelig said.

  “Explain,” Helos ordered.

&n
bsp; “Roteran Shadows and Dark Guardians are not allowed to be unarmed when within a civilian populace,” Dacian said.

  “One moment please,” Helos returned.

  One turned into ten. Ashan, Ren, and Varik paced the area they’d remained within dutifully. Set apart from the thickest of the crowded spaceport arrival and departure bays, the location gave them an optimal opportunity to study the port and assess a strategy. Dacian and Slade huddled with Zelig near a map of Meridian Station.

  Marden sequestered himself nearer to the crowd, as if putting himself between the unknown species and Snow.

  Ashan smiled when Snow took his hand. Before he could comment, blackness engulfed him.

  Snow

  * * *

  I gasped as my seven Shadows all collapsed. Shock gave way to rage. I leaned down, took Ashan’s pulse with one hand as I pulled his plasma blaster with the other. Frack. They were too far apart to defend them all easily, but I would. Somehow.

  I fanned my aura outward until it encompassed them all. Whoever had downed them would not touch them again.

  “Well, that was unexpected,” Helos commented.

  The annoying zing in my head returned, again and again. I winced, aimed the blaster at Helos. “What did you do to them?”

  “Why are you not immobilized? I have never failed to immobilize a species. Explain.”

  “Revive them at once, or I will destroy you,” I warned.

  “One moment please.” The automated voice grated my nerves. I paced between the men, scanning the area.

  No one moved to intercept them or cause problems. We’d been taken to a remote area outside a large entry to a dome-shaped building. I pulled a Roteran blade from its sheath on Slade’s thigh. Why had I been unaffected by whatever the robot had done to them? Why had they been attacked? I tucked the blaster under my arm and leaned down, took the supply list Zelig gripped and shoved it into a pocket in my cargo pants. Then I grasped the blaster and looked around. I should have brought my own weapons, but Dacian explained that an armed female would offend many species within the farthest regions of Deep Space.

  “Well, this is awkward.” A woman with fiery red hair stepped out of the double doors, which swooshed closed behind her. Armored far more than even I could imagine, she stepped over Ren’s prone body.

  A feral growl rumbled from me. She froze.

  “Don’t get near them,” I warned.

  Hands raised, she looked back at the cluster of armed guards, weapons aimed in my direction. Drones flitted overhead. Red circles appeared on my torso and theirs. Rage gripped me as my mind sought an answer to the problem. What would Dacian do? Marden? Was there a Summoner’s Well here? Perhaps I could blast everyone like I did with the mercenaries.

  No. I’d promised Varik I wouldn’t ever do that again. He’d worry.

  Better a worried, pissed-off Shadow than a dead one.

  I was sick of people attacking me. My Shadows. They’d risked too much to help me. Now they were struck down by some unknown threat. Strange people clustered around me, their numbers growing larger and larger.

  The redhead held them at bay, however. She’d raised a hand at my order and none approached me, even though I had enough weapons trained on me to kill half a planet. My one plasma blaster and Roteran blade seemed foolish in comparison.

  “Can you even use that blade, female?” The curious question drew my focus to a tall, handsome Avaru warrior beside the redhead. Unlike everyone else, neither he nor she had drawn a weapon.

  “What is the meaning of this attack?” I demanded. “We arrived here to make fair trade to fix our ship. Give us what we need, and we will be gone. Attacking us is no way to seek future trade with the Roteran Empire.”

  “Ah yes. Helos mentioned Roteran Shadows,” the Avaru commented. Arms crossed, he looked down at them. “Who might you be? You are not Roteran. Otherwise you would be unconscious as well.”

  Whatever they’d used was set for Roteran physiology. I filed the information away, but it would do no good. I wasn’t Varik. He’d know how to use the data. “I am of no concern to you.”

  “I beg to differ.” The woman continued her step over Ren. “I am Nikki Warren. This is one of my mates, Xan. Sheath your weapons, and our guards will stand down. I’m afraid station security reacts immediately to a perceived threat. Helos should have contacted me before notifying them of their refusal to remove their weapons. You have my apologies. Our station protocols are not set to handle Roteran Shadows or Dark Guardians, but I am quite familiar with their culture, thanks to my mates.”

  “They are worthy warriors, fierce enough to take on our entire station security and win, had they intended us harm,” Xan commented. “A Roteran Dark Guardian squadron saved my mate’s life. For that alone Roterans will have my eternal gratitude and that of all Avaru warriors.”

  I took in the information and sheathed the plasma blaster. It wasn’t like one shot would do anything against so many. The knife was more difficult to part with, but I shoved it into a pocket along my thigh and waited. One by one the guards complied with Nikki’s command. I knelt before Varik and slapped his cheek.

  “They will be out for some time. Come, I will have the guards carry them. We will get them comfortable then we can discuss who you are and why you are here.” Xan’s voice lowered. “I do not like the increase in activity within this station. Too many bounty hunters are after you and these Shadows. The Corridor is not able to handle protecting you and them unless we know why you are being hunted.”

  I didn’t want strangers touching my Shadows. They wouldn’t want that, most especially Marden and Zelig. They wafted unease whenever physical contact with anyone was a possibility. I moved to Zelig, knelt. His forehead was cool beneath my palm, too cold for my taste. I wanted to rip Helos apart and fry every circuit in a tar vat for harming them.

  Please help me. Are any of you alert?

  It was a desperate plea met with silence.

  I crawled to Marden, repeated the touch, albeit a bit more hesitantly. Feral rage struck me. I gasped at its voracity. Whatever souls remained awake within Marden were more violent beast than logical warriors. Fear crawled up my throat when I recalled what the others had said about the Roteran Rage he’d endured, survived. What if he couldn’t retain control over the malevolent spirits within him again? Anger burned my eyes.

  Please help me. Are any of you alert?

  Do not allow skin-to-skin contact, female. Do not leave them alone with anyone. I am an Avaru warrior, Daxan of the G’Avaru Prime. The warrior before you will not harm your Shadows.

  Okay, thank you. Can you keep Marden safe from the others in him?

  I will try. The toxin weakened me. I must rest. Speaking like this takes much energy.

  Energy was something I could offer. Easily. I tracked the contact with the warrior to an etching along the back of Marden’s shoulder. Fortunately, he’d fallen on his side, leaving his back semi-open. I summoned the bead of healing light within my psychic pain, multiplied it and send them forward, into Marden’s body, fed the majority to the brave Avaru spirit who needed it most. Daxan.

  I didn’t sense a Well nearby but had enough energy within me to do this small bit to help the spirit. Keep Marden safe.

  Thank you, female. That is enough. Do no more. Trust the Avaru and his mate with your story, but share with no one else. I have heard of the Warrens. They are worthy allies.

  Thank you. I will check in with you soon, Daxan.

  Xan’s jaw twitched when I stood. Hand on his mate’s waist, he looked around at the guards. “Bring them with us.”

  “No skin-to-skin contact and they remain within my view at all times.” I boomed my voice, so everyone clustered around me would hear. “I will trust you with my story, Xan and Nikki, but no others. I would rather wait until my Shadows are awake, but the spirit within Marden says you are trustworthy. Saving them is more important than anything.”

  “So it is true. They are soul salvagers,” Xan said. “W
e have long suspected as much. Many Avaru warriors would be enraged at the thought of being caged, salvaged.”

  “They are revered and respected by the Shadow who offers them a second chance to continue as mighty warriors. Do not taint what you do not understand. That is disrespectful to the Roteran culture and the warrior who tries to help the Shadow he’s within. Your toxin will likely cause severe, irreparable harm to him.” Anger seeped from me in burning tears down my face. “Daxan of the G’Avaru Prime was more than okay until you attacked Marden.”

  The Avaru warrior paled. A few gasps rose around her.

  “Come, we will see what we can do to undo the damage we caused,” Nikki said.

  11

  Snow

  Slade woke first. I’d stretched out on the long resting surface where they put my Shadows alongside one another five deep. Ashan and Ren were on another surface nearby, which I also stretched out on. Exhaustion plagued me, but I didn’t stop giving the Shadows healing energy. I siphoned the energy Slade had within his Tezan spirits to help him and the others.

  Xan and Nikki sealed the room shut and remained, dutiful sentries who assured me none would bother me or the Shadows.

  “Slade.” I crawled over Marden and grasped his head. Confusion flashed in his gaze, but the lethal quiet was already in place around his aura. He sat up. I straddled him, not caring what the strangers watching thought. Arms around him, I whispered, “It was a mistake, a station defense system that Helos activated without their knowledge.”

  A grunt was the only response I got as he placed a protective arm around me and studied the room, his resting comrades.

  “The others are resting peacefully, give yourself time to come around.”

  Slade didn’t want time, though. He was off the surface and had Xan and Nikki both slammed against the wall before I processed his movement. Neither of the strangers offered resistance, but a low rumble came from the Avaru.