CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Vorik
I press a soft kiss to Cassie's forehead and slip out of bed.
I made love to her again before we both drifted off to sleep, and I think I have exhausted her. She is sleeping soundly now, and I force myself to leave the chamber so that I won't take her again.
My hunger for her is insatiable. I want to imprint myself on her, make her want me, crave me and hunger for me like I hunger for her.
With my thoughts still on Cassie, I reach the pantry and see Kazran, Yul and Renwal huddled at the narrow, pull-out table. They are eating and talking furiously, gesturing with their utensils.
“Shh! He's here!”
As I approach them, they shush one another and sneak glances at me as they shovel food into their mouths.
I press the buttons on the dispenser and select two trays of mashed vegetables. I take the trays to the table and sit down.
“No meat?” Renwal asks, staring at me in disbelief and disgust.
“You turning vegetarian?” Kazran frowns.
Yul squints worriedly at me. “Did she...” He jerks his head towards the direction of my chamber. “...infect you with some sort of meat-fearing disease?”
Before I can reply, the door of my chamber bangs open and Cassie staggers out. She looks lost and scared.
“Vorik!” she calls out in panic.
“I'm here. I'm here, Cassie.” I go to her and take her hand.
“Ah, I woke up and I didn't see you. I thought...” She gulps and takes deep, calming breaths. She starts when she turns around and sees the guys eyeing her silently.
“Oh, hi,” Cassie says, recovering quickly. I realize that Cassie only allows herself to be vulnerable around me. To everyone else, she maintains a tough, nonchalant facade.
“Good morning. I think,” Cassie says in a bright, cheerful voice. “I have no idea if it's night or day now. I've lost all track of time. So much has happened. I keep pinching myself to make sure that this isn't a dream.” She lets out a nervous giggle.
The three of them gape at her.
“What?” Cassie asks, running her fingers through her hair. “I know, I look like shit in the mornings. So...what's for breakfast? I'm starving!” I know she is trying to hide her nervousness by keeping up a stream of upbeat banter. The guys are gawking at her but she doesn't seem to notice.
I give her hand a reassuring squeeze and lead her to the table.
Cassie takes a seat next to me and opens the lid on her tray. “Oh, this smells good!” She takes a mouthful and sighs. “You know, I'll kill for a cup of coffee right now,” she says with her mouth full.
She is halfway through her meal when she finally notices Renwal, Yul and Kazran staring at her with their mouths hanging wide open.
“Okay, what's the matter?” she demands, glaring at them.
“You.” Kazran points at her.
She raises a brow at him.
“You...you are speaking our language!” Kazran squawks.
“Oh! Well...yeah.” Her cheeks color a little.
“Does that mean...” Yul begins, looking from Cassie to me.
Renwal jumps up and slaps me on the back. “She is your mate! You claimed her! Yes! I win! Okay, pay up guys.” He smirks triumphantly at Yul and Kazran.
“Pay up?” Cassie narrows her eyes at them. “You guys were betting...”
“We thought Vorik just wanted you for sex,” Yul says sheepishly.
“Yeah. It's been a long, long, long time since he had any,” Kazran supplies. “So we figured it was just sex, not mating sex.”
Renwal shakes his head. “I told you there's something different about her. She...she's like Tuie.”
“Tuie?” Cassie asks, her eyes bouncing rapidly between the three men.
“Tuie is...was, Rhekk's mate,” Renwal answers. “Tuie was from another world too. Like you. But she was Rhekk's mate. And she gave him two precious dragonlings...”
“Dragonlings?” Cassie sputters.
The guys throw quizzical glances my way. They know that Cassie is my mate, and if I have claimed her and exchanged blood with her, Cassie would be able to access all my memories and knowledge. I return their curious, busybody glances with a stern glare. I don't need to explain anything to them. This is between Cassie and me. If Cassie doesn't feel comfortable rooting around my mind for information, then I will simply volunteer the information to her, verbally.
“Plo and Kaynna are twins. They were born about seven Earth years ago,” I tell Cassie. “Rhekk is their Pa.”
“So are we. All of us help raise Plo and Kaynna,” Kazran declares proudly. “Kaynna is the only girl on Svaata.”
Cassie quirks a brow at me. “So Kaynna is that sassy little female on Svaata who is going to give me a run for my money, eh?”
I chuckle. “She is smart and tough, like you.”
Cassie tries to hide her smile as she mutters, “Flattery will get you nowhere, big guy.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Cassie
I see smiles spread across the guys' faces and I release the breath I have been holding. When I woke up alone in Vorik's bed, I just felt so lost. It's weird, because I'm used to sleeping alone. But now, I just want to see and touch Vorik all the time.
Sitting at the narrow table with four burly storm dragons is a little unnerving. But the tension and awkwardness is gradually draining away.
Vorik's men grin at me, and I know that they have erased all their doubts and suspicions about me. To them, I am no longer a strange, suspicious alien from Earth. I am Vorik's mate, and that is all that matters to them. It doesn't matter at all that I am not from their world.
They resume eating and give me big, friendly smiles. But they don't seem to know what to say to me.
“Tell me about Tuie,” I say.
Kazran gives Vorik a funny look and opens his mouth. But Vorik kicks him under the table and speaks up. “Tuie was Rhekk's mate,” Vorik says. “What do you want to know about her?”
“Start at the beginning,” I say. “Tell me how Rhekk found her.”
“I can do that.” Kazran puffs up his chest importantly. “I was there. I was on patrol with Rhekk when we came across a small space pod drifting near Svaata. We found Tuie, her parents and younger brothers in the pod. We towed their pod back to Svaata, and we tried to save Tuie's family but her parents and siblings succumbed to the disease that had wiped out her entire race. Tuie was escaping from her dead planet with her family but they ran out of fuel.”
“And Tuie?” I whisper.
“For a while, she seemed healthy. She turned out to be Rhekk's mate, and all of us were so happy for him. We saw hope, and a future for us all. It means that there are mates out there for us. And our mates don't have to be storm dragons. When Tuie became pregnant, we celebrated. We celebrated for days.”
“But Tuie died soon after Pol and Kaynna were born. She succumbed to that disease that killed her people. We all thought she had beaten that deadly disease, but it was only in remission during her pregnancy. But giving birth to the twins, Tuie became severely ill. Our medics did everything they could, but she never recovered.”
“The twins...”
“The twins are fine. They are part storm dragon, so I think they are immune,” Yul replies.
“Those twins are our future,” Renwal says. “We have been living for our past, but now we have a future to fight for.”
“Pol and Kaynna,” I say softly.
“They are foremost in my thoughts,” Vorik says. “Go through my memories. You'll be able to see the twins growing up. They lost their mother, but we all try to make their childhood as happy and fun as possible.”
“I don't want to intrude...” I begin.
Vorik turns to face me. “Intrude? Why would you be intruding?”
I shrug. “Well, there might be some memories that you want to keep private, hidden, buried.”
“There is no need for me to hide anything from you, Cassie.”
I swallow and look down. “Some things aren't meant to be shared.”
“Like what?”
The three guys look awkwardly at me and Vorik and excuse themselves from the table. They dump their trays and utensils into an opening in the wall and almost trip over one another in their haste to leave the pantry.
“Cassie, I know that you are blocking your thoughts and memories from me,” Vorik says. “You don't want me to know what you are thinking and feeling.”
I wince.
“You think I will judge you.”
I look up with a start. And Vorik captures my face in his hands.
“I will never judge you, Cassie. You are my mate. I care for you, and I trust you.”
I blink rapidly. “You don't know me, Vorik.” You don't know how weak and broken I am.
“I do. I know you are brave and strong and good,” Vorik tells me with absolute conviction. “You don't have to hide from me, Cassie. Not ever.” He sighs and whispers, “I hope that one day, you will be able to trust me and love me without any reservation or fear.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Cassie
Now that I can speak their language, I am finding that Brogaan, Kazran, Yul and Renwal are really quite chatty. Well, maybe they were chatty before but I just couldn't understand them.
But now, they can't stop talking to me.
They want to know about my life on Earth, and I tell them as much as I can about the jobs I took on, and the people I came across. But I can't bring myself to talk about the abuse I suffered as a child. Those scars run deep, and I can't even bring myself to share those painful, shameful memories with Vorik.
I am afraid to open my mind to Vorik despite his assurances. He doesn't force me, but I can tell he is not happy that I am hiding myself from him.
He tells me repeatedly, firmly that he will always have my back. We still make love and he is gentle with me. It is as if he can sense the wound that I carry deep inside me, and he is so afraid of hurting me.
We are nearing Svaata now. I know that they named the planet after their last king, King Svaata.
“King Svaata died fighting for us,” Brogaan told me when I was having a meal with him in the pantry. “It was our duty to protect him. Instead, he protected us. We are alive because of him. He knew his blood and flesh was prized by the red dragons above all else, so he sacrificed himself and distracted them so we could have a chance to escape.”
It is clear that the storm dragons hold their late king in the highest regard and King Svaata lives on in their hearts. They remain King Svaata's soldiers and they never forgot what their king did for them.
The journey to Svaata takes five days, but I feel as though a lifetime has passed.
As I gaze out at the distant stars and planets, I wonder if there are aliens or monsters living there. I discovered at a very early age that there are monsters with human faces. But there are monsters out here too. Those red dragons who killed Vorik's king and people are murderous, cannibalistic monsters. And I hate them. I feel Vorik's anguish and regret through his nightmares, and I hate his enemies for taking so much away from him.
I have come to care deeply for Vorik and his people in such a short time. I have never known love, but maybe, just maybe, I have fallen in love with Vorik. And this has nothing to do with the mate bond. I am connected to him, and I know his mind and his heart. But the feelings are entirely my own. I feel for him, and ache for him.
“Cassie,” Vorik says softly, putting his arms around my waist. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I just can't believe how far away I am from Earth,” I answer.
“We are going home, Cassie. Svaata is our home,” Vorik says.
I sigh. “This feels almost unreal.”
“This is real. Everything between us is real, Cassie.”
“I am not doubting you, Vorik.” I bite my lip. “I just...”
“I love you, Cassie.”
I forget to breathe. I stare at Vorik, and see the truth in his eyes. He does love me.
“Vorik...”
He kisses me and smiles. “I know how you feel. You won't let me into your mind, but you have given me your heart.”
Before I can reply, he steers me away from the window and pushes me into a seat. He pulls the safety harness down and straps me in.
“Buckle up. We're about to land.”
“Really? We have reached Svaata?” My pulse speeds up and I can hear my heart hammering wildly in my chest.
I am about to land on an alien planet on the other side of the universe.
I don't know what to expect, what to feel. I am excited, apprehensive, exhilarated and nervous.
I grip Vorik's hand and stutter, “I...”
“Fifteen soldiers and two seven-year-olds are waiting to welcome you. They're already standing in position at the landing bay,” Vorik says with a grin.
He presses his forehead to mine and smiles. “You already know all their names. Just look into our memories,” he says softly.
Our memories. His memories are mine. His people are now mine.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Cassie
I gulp loudly as we finally land on Svaata. Vorik comes to unstrap me from my seat and take my clammy hand. “Don't be nervous.” He rubs my cold hands and presses a kiss lightly over my knuckles. “Everyone is so excited to meet you,” he says encouragingly.
That makes me even more nervous. The thought that there are fifteen alien storm dragons waiting eagerly outside the spaceship makes me break out in a cold sweat.
“I told them all about you,” Kazran announces as we stand in front of the door, waiting for it to open. “I told them you threw up all over our newest ship.”
I wrinkle my nose at him. “Thanks.”
“It's no trouble at all,” he says happily.
I roll my eyes. “I was being sarcastic.”
“I don't understand sarcasm, so I don't know what you mean,” Kazran answers with a straight face. I scowl at him. I'm pretty sure he does.
But my exchange with Kazran has calmed my nerves somewhat. I blow out a breath as the door opens slowly with a hiss.
Vorik leads me down the steps and I see two rows of tall, tanned, fierce-looking soldiers standing at attention in front of the ship. They are all very tall and muscular with bronze skin and they are all dressed in metal armor, like Vorik and his crew.
They stamp their boots and shout out a greeting in unison once all of us have stepped off the ship.
Vorik and his crew return the greeting, stamping their boots in salute.
Unsure what to do, I snap to attention as well. I look down the row of masculine faces and exhale slowly. I do know all their names.
Vorik has pushed that information to the front of his mind, allowing me to tap into it easily without searching through all his memories.
“Pa, who is that pretty lady beside Vorik?” a small voice pipes up.
Standing near the front is a young girl of about six or seven years old.
“Hi, Kaynna,” I smile at her.
She gasps and tugs at her father's hand. “Pa, she knows my name!”
I glance at Vorik, and he nods once. His emerald eyes are shining with pride and joy.
I walk towards Kaynna and Rhekk. “My name is Cassie. I am Vorik's mate.”
Kaynna giggles and touches my face. “Your skin is a funny color.”
“Kaynna,” her father admonishes sternly.
“That's okay,” I say. “I know I'm kind of pale. Where I come from, people have different colored skin. Brown, black, olive, white, but no one has beautiful green skin like you.”
Kaynna beams and points at a boy standing beside another soldier. “My mother had green skin. Pol has green skin too. He's my twin.”
Pol makes a face at his sister and eyes me warily. “Are you a storm dragon?”
“No. I'm human.”
Pol points at himself. “I'm half storm dragon, half Yorman. My mother was Yorman.”
/> “I know. Her name was Tuie,” I say.
Pol's eyes widen and he turns to look at Rhekk and Kaynna. “Is she like Ma?” Pol asks. “Is she from Yorma?”
“No, Cassie is from Earth, not Yorma,” Rhekk says.
“Oh.” Pol looks disappointed. I realize that Rhekk has kept the memory of their mother alive for them all these years. Pol and Kaynna have a clear mental picture of what their mother looked like and they seem to know the history of their mother's people well.
The soldiers start to crowd around. Brogaan, Kazran, Yul and Renwal are talking and laughing with their comrades, clearly glad to be home. Vorik hovers at my side, answering questions and ruffling Pol's hair but he keeps one hand on the small of my back.
The soldiers introduce themselves to me and watch me with curiosity and amazement. Someone asks me if I would like to take a look around Svaata.
Pol brightens up. “We can give you a tour!”
“Yeah! We can show you where to hunt…” Kaynna squeals.
“...and fish...”
“...and pick the juiciest fruits!”
Their enthusiasm is infectious. Vorik protests on my behalf, saying that I need to rest. “I'm fine,” I assure Vorik. “I want to see Svaata. My new home.”
My last three words silence him.
Kaynna holds my hand and skips beside me as we walk towards a heavy door at the back of the landing bay.
I look around and see that there are three other spaceships docked in the landing bay. The landing bay is actually a gigantic cave, and I see lights and machines all over the cave. The storm dragons have converted the humongous cave into a control center of sorts. I don't think I can even guess what some of those bizarre-looking electronic equipment are used for.
Vorik and his men have adapted the technology which they copied from the various worlds they have discovered for their own defense and use.
Vorik: A Scifi Storm Dragon Romance Page 6