“They’re lonely, homesick, and many agreed to this because they are afraid of what we’ll find when we get back.” Eva added this quietly, her previous amusement wiped away.
“That makes no sense,” Nala interrupted.
“It does when they explain what they’re frightened of,” Maggie disagreed. “It’s not the warriors, or of mating, or of starting a new life far from home. They worry about their friends and family, the ones they took on this assignment to protect in the first place. They see Max Kerr and what the Primarians are offering as an expeditious means to an end, that through their knowledge, resources, and advancements our people will have a real chance at survival.”
“So they martyr themselves for our cause,” Eryn murmured, still staring off.
“Most of us haven’t found it so bad as all that,” Eva said quietly.
“What about you, Lockwood?” This came from Rebecca. “Your mate isn’t in the fleet. Will you be able to watch a third of us go, while you remain?”
“I’m not staying,” she answered flatly.
“What do you mean?” Eva asked in disbelief.
“Ram is joining the fleet?” Maggie queried next. “I thought he was the general’s man through and through. Roth will be thrilled I’m sure, but—”
“He’s not leaving the army,” Eryn clarified. “We’re going our separate ways.”
“What? You can’t,” Eva insisted, a tremor of distress in her voice. “You’ll both sicken.”
“That won’t happen,” Eryn replied without inflection, meeting her gaze directly. “We didn’t bond.”
“I didn’t think I did either,” the Prima reminded her. “Then, when I left, I became ill, and Kerr nearly died. You can’t chance it.”
“Ram isn’t one to take chances. He insisted we be retested when...” her voice trailed off and she shook her head. “The reason doesn’t matter, except to say he suspected something wasn’t right. We went to Jarlan and discovered that the initial tests were wrong.”
“Oh, honey,” Eva whispered.
As if she hadn’t heard the murmured words of sympathy, Eryn went on in a bitter tone. “He didn’t waste a second, jumping at the chance to unload me as soon as it was confirmed. Within the hour, he was before the council, begging to be free of the traitorous bitch he’d been wrongly saddled with as a mate.” She fell silent after that and wouldn’t look at any of them.
“I’d like to kick his ass.”
“Not an easy task, Nala, my friend,” Eryn replied with a humorless laugh. “Believe me, I tried.”
“You didn’t,” Eva and Maggie whispered in horror together.
She shrugged. “Obedience and docility have never been my strong points.”
“I don’t understand how this could happen,” Eva reflected in surprise. “I was told the tests were foolproof. In nearly twenty years, they’ve haven’t ever been wrong.”
“Leave it to Lockwood to break a two-decade long winning streak,” Rebecca teased, but got an unexpected reaction from Eryn.
She nodded. “I come from a long line of losers at games of chance. My grandfather lost his house betting on a horse because he liked the name. It must be in my blood.”
“Wait, if a false positive happened, it could still be incorrect. What about the pains you were having on board the ship when we escaped? They doubled you over. I had the same thing.”
“You had a hot appendix, Maggie.”
“But I had them too,” Eva confirmed.
“Cramps,” Eryn said dismissively. “I’ve suffered for years and take medication. I went for weeks without it after the capture, so when the time came, they were ten times worse.”
Eva frowned and Maggie was doubtful.
“It’s a fact,” Eryn stated with annoyance. “I don’t know what it will take to convince you? Ram and I aren’t mates. That’s why I am the same: my hair is still red, my eyes the same blue, and I don’t bear any visible or non-visible tattoos.”
“Markings,” Mailynn and Brenna who had been listening quietly, corrected simultaneously.
“Whatever,” Eryn continued. “One of the elders came to tell me that Ram’s request was approved and I would be put back in the database for a better suited mate. This treaty will save me from that dire fate. This is my chance to leave this awful place and the bad memories behind. I’m snatching it up with both hands, believe me.” Her gaze leveled on Maggie. “Count me as a no in your survey, Captain.”
In her haste to leave the room, she stood up fast, sending the chair careening into the wall. Before the echo of the loud bang had faded, she was out the door. Eight pairs of worried eyes ranging from gold, to teal, to Maggie’s blue-violet, stared after her. Each had seen the transformation take a different course, but never one that didn’t take.
Eva broke the silence first. “She lived with him for weeks. That he could reject her so...”
“You saw the tension between them,” Mailynn replied. “He fought her constantly. Remember that awful silencing collar? That she wouldn’t bend to him was a blow to his warrior’s ego, and her pride and sense of duty wouldn’t allow her to concede and let her captor win. It was a disaster in the making.”
“What if they’re wrong in this too? If she leaves and something happens days out, it could be late too to help her. To help them both,” Eva whispered, giving voice to the serious concerns they all had for their friend and teammate. “I’d like to speak to Jarlan about this myself,” she concluded.
“Good idea,” Maggie replied. “In the meantime, she will bear close watching before and after we leave.”
20
Strong hands lifted her and set her on her feet. She gazed up at Roth thinking he was very tactile, always touching, caressing, or simply guiding her with a hand on her back. And he carried her, a lot. She hadn’t experienced that before. Being of average height and weight, it wasn’t that Earth men couldn’t, just that the men she was with before didn’t try. And it wouldn’t have been the same. With Roth, she wasn’t afraid he’d drop her; his strength obvious in the broadness of his chest and thickness of his arms. He made her feel like his neighbor’s big cat that day, handling her easily, as well as making her feel loved and cared for, precious, like the golden purrada.
“Thank you for coming in for more testing, Commander, and Maggie.”
She offered a smile to the kindly older man as she snapped out of her daydreams. “If you think it will help the others, we’re happy to help.”
“I’m sure it will. Each new mating brings something different. If I could find two that followed the same progression, I could do some side by side comparisons, identify similarities and variables, and perhaps…”
As Jarlan went off on one of his scientific soliloquies, Maggie’s eyes started to glaze over, scientific analytics not really being her thing. Still, she didn’t want to offend and nodded politely, throwing in a few mm-hms now and then as she straightened her sleeve where it had been rolled up to obtain the blood sample. A gentle nudge in her side had her looking up. It was Roth. His eyes got big as he shook his head, having noticed her distraction and sympathized with it, evidently. With a wink to her, he cleared his throat, stopping the physics’ mind-numbing, jargon-filled ramble.
“We have another appointment, Jarlan, and really can’t stay since we depart tomorrow. Perhaps when we return, you’ll share your findings.”
“Oh, yes, of course. I’d be happy to. Hopefully, in that time, I’ll have this all figured out.”
“Maker willing,” Roth replied as he led Maggie through the door. Beyond it, he chuckled. “I thought you were going to fall asleep on your feet from abject boredom.”
“Did it show? How rude of me.” She whirled to go back, but Roth caught her around the waist.
“Where are you going?”
“To apologize.”
“No need, little captain. The man was so into variables and constants that he didn’t notice at all.”
“Are you certain? He’s so nice and
I wouldn’t want him to think me disrespectful.”
“I’m certain.” A door slammed down the hall. When they looked up, Lana was rushing toward them, so deep in thought she didn’t notice either of them there until she was on top of them.
“Lana,” Maggie said both in greeting and as a warning in hopes of avoiding a head-on collision.
“Pardon me!” she exclaimed, skidding to a halt just as Roth hauled Maggie out of the way. “My fault entirely.
“Is everything all right?” Maggie asked.
“Yes,” Lana answered snappishly, which wasn’t at all like her. “Why do you ask? Did someone say something?”
“No, but you seem preoccupied. Were you here to see the doctor?”
“Yes, only for a routine check, though,” she offered quickly. “They have been doing extra tests on the new mates.”
Maggie couldn’t doubt that when it was the same reason she and Roth were there. Her eyes narrowed with suspicion when Lana flushed crimson. She wasn’t being entirely forthcoming; Maggie would bet on it.
Suddenly, the young geologist blurted out, “I need to get back. Trask will be expecting me.”
Roth promptly shot that excuse down. “I spoke to the general earlier today. He didn’t think he would be finished at the mine site until near dark tomorrow. Didn’t he advise you of that, Trask’s mate?”
“Her name is Lana, Roth.”
He responded with a brief nod. “I’m surprised Trask was lax in letting you know his schedule; among mates, that is very important.”
“Oh, but Trask and I aren’t fated, like you and Maggie, or Eva and the Princep. We’ve been apart for several days without any effect.”
She watched as Lana shifted from side to side, almost nervously, then peer sadly up at Roth, before switching to Maggie. When she realized she had garnered her captain’s attention, her gaze flitted away.
“Are you certain something isn’t amiss, Lana? The doctors didn’t find anything, did they?”
“Not a thing,” she replied, almost too quickly. She also smiled cheerily, which Maggie saw through straightaway. Something was off about her.
“So, you leave for Earth tomorrow, isn’t that right, Commander?”
“Yes, Lana, we leave at dawn.”
She nodded, glancing back at Maggie, whose frown didn’t stop her from questioning Roth further. “And you’re taking two ships, leaving only one to guard all of Primaria?”
“That is correct. But if you are worried, Trask and his army have sufficient ground forces and advanced weapons to ward off any threats, as well as scores of fighter craft who patrol constantly, in addition to a fully capable battle cruiser. We can launch fighters from the air or from the ground, both of which can be airborne in a matter of seconds. You won’t be left unprotected.”
“Thank you, sir. I was a bit concerned when I heard the other ship, the In—um… something or other. I don’t recall the name, and yet another is in for repairs.”
“The Reliant returned to full service this morning or we wouldn’t be leaving tomorrow, I assure you. Under no circumstances would we leave our planet and people so vulnerable. And the Intrepid should arrive home in about a week, which will double your protection.”
“Good to know,” she replied with a forced smile.
“Lana...” Maggie began, still unconvinced, but she brushed aside any other concerns her captain might have brought up. “I won’t see you for quite a while. Can I have a hug?”
Before she could reply, the younger woman had enveloped her and was squeezing her tight. “If only I could go too,” she whispered. As she pulled away, Maggie could see a sheen of tears in her eyes, and she could swear she hadn’t meant her to hear her words. When she started to ask her to explain, Lana suddenly took off in a rush. “Bon voyage,” she called as she went. “I hate to run, but I remembered I’m late for something. Best of luck with negotiations, Commander, and Captain.
“She’s a bit odd,” Roth observed.
“No, she’s not, although she’s certainly acting that way. That’s why I worried something is wrong. She doesn’t snap, or fidget, or worry about protection, or hug!”
“Hm…. You think she was seeing Jarlan about an illness?”
“I don’t know, but something isn’t right. Are she and Trask happy, do you think?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“Her comment about not being fated and being able to separate for so long.”
“That is the norm, Maggie. As I’ve explained, this increase in fated mate pairings and the unusual transformation cycles are unique to Earth females. Perhaps that is it.”
“Maybe….”
“I’ll alert Trask when I talk to him next. It warrants watching.”
“What if I’m wrong and you upset him, or her? Never mind. It’s probably best if you don’t say anything.”
He took her arm and began moving them down the hall. “That isn’t your call, Maggie. I’ll alert Trask.”
And that quickly, the master and commander emerged. “Just when I think you’re human, you morph into Commander My-Way-Is-the-Only-Way Roth.”
“There are several things wrong with that statement. First, I am not human, so why would you think that I would be. Second, I do not morph into the commander. That is who I am every day, rain or shine. And third, my way is the only way when it comes to rules and the right thing to do, which includes alerting my friend, a fellow warrior, and my superior that something could be physically wrong with his mate. Omitting that possibility and having her afflicted by some odd Earth anomaly that could be treated is definitely the wrong thing to do. And lastly, that tone reemerges just when I think you have learned your lesson. Do you need another when we get home, mate?”
She couldn’t argue with his logic in any of that, except number four. Her tone was both subjective and directly related to the outrageous and narrow-minded things that he said, darn him.
“Maggie.” He stopped suddenly and with his hand caressing the line of her jaw, tipped her face up to his. “I require an answer. Is a lesson over my knee required?”
“No, you’re right,” she conceded, the intensity of his lavender gaze stirring her more than his scolding. “If something happened to Lana, and not alerting Trask made things worse, I would feel awful.”
“Not as bad as the general if he could do something to help and we kept it from him.”
“That too.”
“Very good,” he replied, his expression softening. “What else?”
“Pardon?”
“I addressed four wrongs and received only one acknowledgement.”
Her lips parted. “You’re going to make me apologize for each one?”
“No,” he answered softly, his thumb sweeping across her lower lip, as he did so. The stirring ramped up into a sultry heat gathering between her thighs. “One should cover the other three,” he went on to say, as he leaned down a bit, his gorgeous mouth drawing nearer. “If said in a respectful tone, that is.”
“I’m sorry, Roth,” she replied softly. “You are the commander, all the time, and the crack about being human was simply that, and my tone was sharp and disrespectful, which I’m sorry for as well.”
“Ah, Maggie, you did well, love.” A disarming smile seconded his approval. “You gave me three for three when one would have sufficed.”
She sighed audibly and her eyes rolled up toward the ceiling before she could think to stop herself.
He was tender, his embrace sure, as he took her lips with his own. The warmth and delicious taste of him lingered when he lifted his head all too soon.
“When we get home, however, you are still getting a lesson.”
“What? Why?”
“Those eye rolls you do,” he shook his head, adding, “very impertinent. That alone would earn you a lesson. Though I have forgiven it until now because it is also incredibly arousing since you bite your lip and your lungs fill with an air of exasperation. As such, your tempting breasts rise and fall, w
hich never fails to catch my eye. Though not much about you fails to catch my eye, purrada.”
Her eyes narrowed as she peered up at him. “Are you teasing me, Commander?”
“Yes and no.” The enigmatic grin was back.
“I don’t understand.”
“No, in that I do have a lesson to teach, and yes, because I plan to tease you, making you squirm over my lap and beg me to take you as I deliver it.”
“Roth.”
“That’s another thing. When you say my name in that breathy whisper I get hard and can’t think of much else other than baring you, bending you over the nearest raised surface, and expanding your education with the length and breadth of my cock.” He gave her one more quick but achingly thorough kiss before he released her body and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
“Stalling only prolongs the anxiety, little one. Do as I say, now.” His command was softly spoken, yet held a steely edge of authority.
Trembling inwardly, she crawled forward on her hands and knees and draped her naked form over his thighs where he sat in the middle of the bed with his broad shoulders resting against the headboard. She turned her head toward him as she lowered her cheek to the mattress. Purple eyes blazing with heat locked onto hers.
“That’s my good mate,” he murmured as a big hand slid up the length of one leg, over her upraised backside, slowing as his palm surveyed every hollow and curve, before sliding down the other leg, coming to rest slightly above her knee.
“Why are you in this position once more, Maggie?”
“Actually, I’ve never been over your lap in the middle of the bed, before.” She yelped as he pinched a goodly portion of butt cheek. Not hard, yet enough to tweak and startle her.
“You know I was referring to a spanking position. Try again.”
“I haven’t learned a respectful tone of voice with my mate yet, sir.”
“Yes. I am patient, however, and am happy to repeat this lesson as frequently and often as needs be.”
Immediately, she looked to the ceiling, unable to help it in the face of his sheer arrogance.
His By Command (Primarian Mates Book 2) Page 21