Prime Salvation (Katieran Prime Book Six)

by K. D. Jones

  He had completed eight sessions. He wasn’t sure how many more they would require him to do. He did not like them. That had not change but now that he knew what to expect, it became easier to endure it.

  The warrior training was coming along. Not as fast as he wanted, but after years of captivity, it was going to take a while to build his strength back up. Medic SydEL had inserted several more nanos that repaired the internal damages and redirected nourishment to where his body needed it.

  ConEL had seen his family a few times at the Meal Room. He wanted to go to them. But something always prevented him from doing so. This was brought up during one of his counseling sessions. The homework she had given him was the next time he saw a family member he was to force himself to go over to them and say something, anything. He hated to admit it even to himself, but the thought of doing that made him feel…fear inside. He couldn’t understand it. It was irrational. Why would he fear his family? He shook his head to clear his thoughts.

  Lieutenant Daniels was still deployed to the Southside. He thought about the beautiful dark skinned beauty on so many nights, too many. He hated it, but she invaded his dreams. Maybe he was just feeling guilty about her being punished for saving him. That was probably it.

  His training was done for the day. He headed to the suite he shared with some of the other warriors. He took a shower and stared at his face. There was facial hair that covered most of his face. His body was still too slim but he could see some muscle definition developing. He was put on a strict eating regimen that included lots of protein. He didn’t recognize himself at all. In fact, he hadn’t seen his own image in years. It was hard to look at it.

  He rubbed his beard with frustration. It was really prickly and thick. He used the laser hair-removal blade. His intent was just to trim his beard, but he ended up shaving the beard off altogether. He wiped his face one more time. He looked at himself again and was stunned. It was as if ten years had been removed from his face. The man staring back at him looked more familiar to him now.

  He dressed and headed down to the Meal Room. The Katieran people liked to share meals at the same time. They usually had a Morning Meal, a Midday Meal, and an Evening Meal. However, each suite had a small kitchenette so if he needed something to eat or drink, he could keep those items there any time.

  He got his food and sat down by himself. He usually ate alone, a habit that was hard for him to break. He was halfway finished when he felt like someone was watching him. He glanced up and saw his daughter, AriELa sitting at a table across the room with TarAK, TorEL, SandELa and her new mate, Leo. He looked down at his empty tray. He wasn’t sure what to do. However, he had homework and it was time he proved to himself and to the counselor that he could do this.

  He stood and walked across the room to AriELa’s table. He stopped there and waited for all of them to look up. It didn’t take long. SandELa noticed him first.

  “ConEL. It is so good to see you. You are looking well.”

  ConEL smiled at his ex-sister-in-law. She was always a kind woman. She had been heartbroken when his brother was killed in a battle. To see her happy now with a new mate and a young on the way, it gave him hope.

  “Good evening. It is good to see you again, SandELa.” He greeted Leo as well. When he looked at his children, he could see their shocked faces at his changed appearance.

  “AriELa, TarAK, TorEL…I am pleased to see all of you.” Kitana, he sounded like a complete stranger. These were his young, his family. Why was this so hard?

  “Father. You are looking…healthier.” AriELa couldn’t take her eyes off her father. She could see the man that he once was, the one that she remembered, except for the gray hair, which added to his attractiveness. TorEL said nothing but just stared at him.

  “I wanted you to know that I am making progress.”

  “Good. That’s really good.” AriELa didn’t know what to say.

  There was a silent moment and everyone seemed to struggle with what to do next. “Well, I need to go. I hope that you all have a good evening.” He turned and left the room. That was so uncomfortable.

  “Father!” AriELa called out. She had followed him.

  He turned to face her. “Yes?”

  “I wanted to say…I am glad you stopped to talk to us. You are welcome to join us the next time, too.”

  He smiled at her. “Thanks. Perhaps next time then.” He watched her head back to the Meal Room. It would take time still, but for the first time since his return, he had a sliver of hope.

  *****

  The male grabbed Lucy’s arm. She pushed away using her foot to kick back and surprise him. His grip loosened enough for her to slam her elbow into his midsection.

  “Ouch!” AtOM rubbed his stomach. “Female, you are rough.”

  She smiled at AtOM. “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

  They circled one another as they practiced fighting moves. “What does that mean? We are not inside the kitchen.”

  She laughed. “It’s just a saying. It means, if you can’t take it, the aches and pains of fighting, then get out or in this case, stop fighting if you can’t take it.”

  He stopped to look at her still confused. “But what does that have to do with a fire in the kitchen?”

  She laughed again shaking her head. “Never mind. I think we should stop for the day. I’m starving.” She turned to find about a dozen males surrounding them. They had come out to watch her and AtOM practicing on the beach.

  “You are quite the thing around here,” AtOM remarked.

  “That’s me, a regular show for all to watch.” She actually hated it when they all stared at her like this. After spending a month training with these men, she would have thought they would all be used to her by now. Evidently not. Even the trainers were there watching her and they had a gleam in their eyes. These guys needed to get laid and bad. Unfortunately, she was not up to the task.

  “Let me walk you back to your room.”

  “Thanks, AtOM.” She was actually grateful that he came along with her to Southside. With him around, the other men kept their distance. They still watched her with lust-filled eyes, but at least they observed from a distance with her because they thought AtOM had a claim on her.

  “Do you want me to call for your dinner?” Atom asked.

  She had to stop going to the Meal Room where everyone shared their meals. The last time she went, two males decided to fight over who got to approach her. It was just chaos. No one told her to take her meals in her room, but she decided it was just easier to do that. However, she always declined whenever AtOM asked to share the meal with her. She didn’t understand why she would turn down his offer for company. He had been nothing but kind and helpful. It had been a pretty lonely existence on Southside for her. A little conversation wouldn’t hurt.

  “Would you like to share the meal with me here?”

  His entire face lit up and he answered immediately, “Yes.” He went to order their meal while Lucy went to take a quick shower and changed her clothes.

  He took the trays when they arrived and placed them on the table. He looked up to have his breath catch. “You look beautiful.”

  She was wearing a white sheath dress. It set off the difference with her beautiful dark skin. Her dark eyes looked almost black. He was completely trapped in her gaze.

  “Are you okay?” She walked over to him and looked up into his face.

  He couldn’t take it any more. Being around her everyday, feeling the way he did about her, and never doing anything about it. He grabbed her waist and pulled her against his body. He didn’t give her time to refuse. He claimed her mouth in a heated kiss.

  Holly hell!

  AtOM sure could kiss. Lucy couldn’t help but respond to him. It had been a while since she had kissed a man. She closed her eyes and let herself feel for just a few minutes. She enjoyed being in his arms and liked his firm lips. When his tongue sought out hers, the heat level went up a few notches. It was
n’t until images of ConEL came into her mind that she had to put an end to things.

  “Whoa! Slow it down.” She pushed herself away from him. She was a little dizzy. The man had sucked all the oxygen from her lungs and her brain cells had gone on hiatus. She looked over at AtOM and he had a very pleased look on his face, full of male pride. He also looked slightly dazed. She grasped hold of the chair to the small dining table and lowered herself into her seat with a shaky plop.

  “That was…” What did you say to such a spectacular kiss? Thanks and it was great?

  “It definitely was.” He smiled at her as he made his way to the chair opposite of hers and sat down, too.

  She blushed and didn’t look him in the eyes. The sexual tension was high. Minutes passed by as they sat there, neither looking at each other until finally AtOM broke the silence.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  She shook her head. “No, of course not.” She still refused to look at him.

  For some reason, she felt guilty being there with him while ConEL was back at the Prime city going through therapy. Lucy barely knew the Prime, but she had not been able to stop thinking about him. His eyes were haunting her. They were such beautiful eyes with the gold pupils, but they held such sadness. She found herself calling Jaxon on the digital tablet daily to check on things, and on him.

  ConEL wasn’t her responsibility. She shouldn’t feel bad for sharing a meal with another man or for kissing another man—but she did. And didn’t AtOM deserve more?

  “You seem distracted,” AtOM told her as he took a sip of his Katieran juice.

  “Do I?”

  He stared at her until she finally looked his way. “What is bothering you?”

  “I can’t…” Why was this so hard for her?

  He watched her struggle for words. “You have feelings for another male?”

  “Yes…no…maybe. Damn it!” She rubbed her forehead with her fingers.

  “Is it someone here on Southside?” AtOM did not remember her spending much time with anyone else but him.

  She shook her head. “No. It’s not that I am…he doesn’t even want me. It’s complicated.”

  “Prime ConEL?”

  She looked away without saying anything. Was it that obvious?

  “He’s not the right male for you.”

  She looked at him then. “Why? Because he’s a Prime and I am just a lowly warrior?” That was bull crap because Jaxon mated the Prime Commander.

  “No, that is not the reason. He’s not the male for you because he is a broken male. He has lost his mate and most males do not get past a lost like that.”

  She sighed. She understood this all too well. “Then we are a perfect match. I lost my husband, too, many years ago. I guess I am broken, too.”

  “Is that why you needed this counseling?”

  She nodded her head. “Part of the reason.”

  “Did you try to end your life like the Prime did?”

  She placed her right wrist on the table and turned it so he could see the inside of her wrist. “I cut myself and tried to bleed out. That was the first time. Then I took an overdose of medication that almost killed me.”

  He grabbed her wrist gently and rubbed the puckered marks. “How did you get help?”

  “Jaxon. Prima Captain Jaxon had come by to check on me. She found me in the bathroom with my wrists slashed. She rushed me to the ER. The second time I didn’t show up for training and she came looking for me again. I was in my car that time. I had locked the doors. She had to break a window to get to me. She called for help again and they got there just in time to revive me. A few minutes longer and I would have died. I was admitted to a suicide risk recover center where I received therapy.”

  “You did this to yourself because your husband died?”

  She pulled her wrist away from him. “I don’t want to talk about my husband.”

  AtOM looked at his hand that had caressed her wrist. He longed for the warmth of her hand again. Her skin was so soft. He had never felt anything like it before. Wooing the prickly female was much more difficult than he anticipated.

  “Did you have any young?”

  “Do you think I would leave them behind if we had?” She felt herself getting angry from his intrusive questions.

  “I apologize. I know that you would never leave your young behind.” He was sincere. It was hard for her to stay mad.

  “No, I’m sorry for overreacting. My husband and I did not have children. We put our military careers first because we had thought that we would have plenty of time. Then a mission had gone badly and something horrific had happened to Stephen. When he returned home, he could not cope with the things that had been done to him. He committed suicide.”

  “You both attempted to end your lives?”

  “Yes, but he succeeded—where I failed.”

  “I am glad that Prima Captain Jaxon found you.”

  She smiled at him. “I am, too. But back then, I wasn’t so grateful.” She laughed. “At one time I told Jaxon I hated her guts.”

  He looked at her shocked which made her laugh even harder. “You told the Prima you hated her guts?”

  “Remember, she wasn’t a Prima back then. She was a bossy Lieutenant who was on my case all the time trying to get me to talk about my feelings. I hated it and I hated her when she had the EWG Military force me to take counseling.”

  He was silent as he thought about what she had revealed about herself. “Then you really do understand what the Prime is going through.”

  She nodded her head. “I do. I really do.”

  They began to eat their meal and talk about the training they had had that day. Lucy didn’t talk anymore about her husband or about her suicide attempt. She was grateful that AtOM didn’t push the topics. He was such a kind man. She wished she could have felt more for him. He was good looking, sexy, and a fantastic kisser.

  “Thank you for a great evening.” She kissed AtOM on the cheek.

  AtOM sighed with disappointment. He had hoped they might take their relationship to another level. It didn’t happen and the female seemed to be pulling away from him.

  “I will come by tomorrow with the Morning Meal.”

  “See you then.”

  * * *

  Chapter Six

  The Morin Leader Krosis stood over him watching as the Medics took their samples. They didn’t even give him anything to dull the pain from all the tests. ConEL didn’t fight them. They had promised to let him see his mate if he cooperated. She was close to giving birth and he hadn’t been allowed to see her thus far during their capture.

  “Well?” Krosis asked his head Medic.

  “We won’t know until we implant his seed. It may take—it may not. The few females we have that are still fertile are producing eggs at a slow rate. We may not be compatible with the Katierans.”

  Krosis frowned. This was not what he wanted to hear. It also meant that he was going to have to keep both the male and the female Katierans alive in case they can only reproduce with one another. The young was going to be a whole other matter.

  “You said that I could see my mate,” ConEL said to him.

  Krosis nodded to one of his warriors. The warrior left and a few minutes later returned dragging the Katieran female.

  “ConEL!” MariELa screamed with tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “MariELa!” ConEL tried to get up but the warriors kicked him back down. He glared at Krosis before turning back to his mate. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded her head. She looked worriedly at Krosis.

  ConEL growled when he saw how the Morin Leader leered at his mate. “Can we not have any privacy?”

  “No. I promised you could see her. That is enough for now.” He jerked his head and MariELa was dragged out of the room.

  “No! MariELa!”

  ConEL woke from his dream completely drenched. He was sweating so badly that he soaked his bed sheets. Damn it! He hated having those dreams. He actual
ly seemed to have more of them since he started his counseling.

  He pulled his sheets off his bed and put them in the dirty bin for someone to come and do the laundry. Then he went to the bathing room and stepped into the shower. He let the water run down over his taut body. He lathered up the rag and soaped up his body.

  He rubbed his neck, shoulders, and arms, and then he rubbed his chest, his abdomen, and six-pack. When he got to his cock, it sprang to life. As soon as he stiffened up, the vision of Lucy, the dark beauty came to his mind. He let go of the rag to grasp his member. He closed his eyes and let his imagination bring her to life for him.

  He imagined her standing in the shower stall with him, completely bare for his view. Her body glistened as the water ran over it and he trailed the path down to her luscious breasts with taught brown tips. He lower his head down to take a nipple into his mouth and suckled her, making her moan with desire.

  He used his other hand, moving it down her taunt stomach and between her legs until he reached the heat of her pussy. Taking one finger he rubbed back and forth over her clit until it hardened, protruding from its hood and her knees began to tremble. He felt the cream leaking from her pussy.

  “ConEL,” she moaned his name.

  She was hot, wet, and ready for him as he slid two finger through her cream and pushed inside, moving the in and out, scissoring them to widen her passage. She was so tight; he had to be inside her. He growled with need, releasing her nipple and claimed her plump lips. He pulled his fingers out of her and clasped her ass within his hands, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he pushed her against the wall and rubbed his cock up and down between her pussy lips. All the while continuing to kiss her, his tongue dueling with hers. As she pulled back she bit and sucked his lower lip into her mouth and that was his undoing.

  ConEL moved back until the tip of his cock touched her lower lips, then eased into her, stopping just after the bulbous head of his cock entered. Oh…merciful Goddess. She felt so good. He pushed into her slowly, inch by inch.