“I am happy that my mate has no cares. She may not have endured the horrors of force-mating on Agraadax, but do not think for a moment that she hasn’t known pain. This is not common knowledge among my clan because our family does not wish it to be, but I met Reggie when she was brought to my clinic to be implanted with a translator and given mandatory vaccinations. The Kampi who brought her in had hurt her and would have taken her to his family compound, where she would have been mated by numerous males to breed offspring. She was spared from that fate. I am happy that she doesn’t know the sorrow that you do, but don’t think that she hasn’t sacrificed something to gain her happiness on Vora.”
Vadal slid ahead through a door, but Jenn drew back and closed her eyes as a wave of guilt crashed over her. Eyuul had made Reggie’s time with her mates seem like one big, fun adventure. She hadn’t realized that there was more to it, but then according to Vadal, Eyuul hadn’t known either. She opened her eyes to find said male looking down at her with understanding.
“You couldn’t have known,” came his quiet reply at her side.
Her lips twisted into an expression that she was certain lay somewhere between a grimace and smile.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t make it any better. I just took one look at her and made an assumption. All because I was jealous of what she’d found so easily.”
A tentative hand touched her chin and tilted her face upward. She met Eyuul’s warm gaze. “You could have it. I would give you anything, all of my hearts devoted to you if only you wanted them.”
He was so heartbreakingly earnest, and to her surprise, she wanted to choose him. More than anything, she wanted that kind of love with him. How could she choose him over her family? Instead of responding, she wrapped her fingers around his and pulled his hand down until his fingers entwined with hers as their conjoined hands dropped to their side. She looked down at their hands. It felt so right.
She swallowed and looked toward the door that Vadal had disappeared through. “We should probably go in before Vadal wonders what happened to us.”
His hand dropped away and he bowed in acceptance, not meeting her eyes when she looked over at him. Jenn’s eyes stung with unshed tears. She wasn’t going to cry over this. She had responsibilities to her family and to others who were depending on her.
She couldn’t afford to get caught up in romance and a happily ever after, no matter how much she wanted to.
The room was small. It barely seemed to fit the two large Vori, much less the huge comm system screen that took up most of one wall. A small chair was the only piece of furniture in the room, likely because Reggie used it for her long chats. At Vadal’s gesture, she sat down and shot back up when it began shifting. Eyuul scowled at his brother, but Vadal smiled.
“I apologize—I should have warned you. It adjusts to your frame. Don’t be concerned. Reggie jumped the first time she sat in it too. Please, sit.”
Casting a wary glare at the chair, she gingerly sat back down. This time, she was prepared when it began to adjust. Once she got used to it, it was surprisingly comfortable. She smirked up at the male.
“That was some kind of revenge for making terrible assumptions, wasn’t it?”
Vadal chuckled and shook his head. “Truly, it was not. I admit the look on your face was amusing, but I had simply forgotten how new some of this technology is to those of your species.”
Jenn moved a bit and smothered a laugh when the chair tried to follow the movement of her ass. Lifting her feet up, the chair extended and reshaped until it fit her like a recliner. She was impressed.
“This is great! My mother would kill for one. Not literally,” she amended at the look of horror on their faces. These guys weren’t big on figures of speech. “I just mean, she would really love it. She works hard, and a comfortable chair is a luxury for anyone who spends most of their day on their feet.”
“Vori are not built the same and our weight distribution is unlike that of humans, but medically I can appreciate the discomfort that bipedal species can suffer. Reggie often complained of her feet aching when she carried our young.” Vadal tilted his head to the side and regarded her thoughtfully. “Would you like to comm your family first?”
Jenn shook her head. “No. My family doesn’t have anything like this, I doubt I would be able to get through to them. Besides, I think something like that should be done in person.”
Vadal exchanged a look with Eyuul but didn’t comment. Instead, he turned his attention to the comm system.
“Abby, open communications with the Intergalactic Space Station, coded to be received by the Intergalactic Council.”
“Who’s Abby?”
“It is the name Reggie gave to the comm system’s AI.”
Jenn leaned forward as the screen began to flash, an unfamiliar geometric symbol in the center spinning in time to the blinks. Suddenly, a finely-scaled gold female with a crest of soft feathers was staring at them with the look of boredom that came with customer service positions.
“This is Imaye Orknoree. You have reached the chancellor’s office. How may I be of assistance?”
“This is Vadal es’Etale of Vora.”
The female blinked, and her demeanor changed to one of pleasure as she recognized the male.
“Vadal, of course! You were the medic here. I recall you saw my nestling for the theriupush virus revolutions ago. What may the chancellor do for you this rotation?”
“I need to be put through to the chancellor on a matter of importance. This female beside me has information pertaining to the Agraak breeding facility and mating program on Agraadax from which she escaped.”
Imaye’s crest fluffed with surprise and she swept a sympathetic gaze over Jenn. “Oh—oh! This is important indeed. I will transfer you immediately. Please hold.”
The screen flipped to what Jenn recognized to be its transferring signal and they waited several minutes for the connection to go through. When it did, Jenn felt a wave of anxiety at the sight of the giant male facing her. Although a similar color to Eyuul’s familiar hue, the numerous horns and ridges of his face made him look severe. The rows of sharp teeth he presented when he smiled at her didn’t help.
She jumped when Eyuul’s tail draped over her thighs. Gratefully, she clutched the tip of his tail and met the kindly gaze of the chancellor. Once she got past his frightening appearance, she noticed the steady, comforting faded eyes of the elderly male. He promptly closed his mouth and offered a gentler close-lipped smile.
“My apologies. I forget at times that humans are often unfamiliar with other species. I hope I didn’t alarm you too much with my eager greeting. I am sure you understand that the information you have is of great value to the council.”
Jenn forced herself to relax and met his smile with one of her own.
“Thank you, Chancellor. I was just caught off-guard.”
“Who might I have the pleasure of speaking to?”
“I am Jennifer Stacey of Earth.”
The male nodded and made a note on a small comm pad. He seemed to be flicking through notes, the ridges of his brow pulling down as he frowned in concentration.
“I am told that you are one of the one hundred females illegally sold to the Agraak on Dorok. From there, you were transported to Agraadax as a breeder. Is this correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
His lips twitched at the polite human title, but he kept his gaze locked on his pad. Finally, he set it down and looked at her solemnly, his hands folding in front of him on the desk at which he sat.
“Are you willing to testify before the council regarding the conditions of your status and your treatment as an Agraak mate?”
“On Earth, it’s required that testimony must be given before the accused. Is that the case here as well?”
The chancellor shook his head, his horns swinging in a manner that reminded her a little of a triceratops. That correlation with something familiar and beloved from her childhood eased her anxiety and she relaxe
d by degrees.
“Not in this case. The Agraak have already faced charges and we are in the midst of our inquest before sentencing. We only need more direct evidence in order to formalize our ruling. Our mating laws prohibit the council from speaking to mated humans on Agraadax and we have yet to locate the breeding facility.”
“I know the location of the facility. I was sentenced to termination there, for failure to carry Agraak young to term, so I’m familiar with how to get there. But I cannot guarantee that they wouldn’t have moved it since then.”
“That is to be expected. However, it will give us a place to start and your testimony will be invaluable to our effort to remove humans from Agraak households. We will need your testimony as well as to document any medical evidence of mistreatment that may still exist.”
“I have some terrible scarring, but I am not sure what more I can offer beyond that,” Jenn said.
“That will be satisfactory. Are you in agreement then?”
“Yes, I will come.”
His teeth flashed in an obvious show of relief before he took up his pad and pressed his thick finger over its surface. “Most excellent news. I shall arrange a transport to arrive at the port of Evath in five days’ time. Please meet the authorities there to be received by your escort. I will arrange to have a human team among them for your comfort.”
“There is one other thing you should be aware of.”
The chancellor leaned forward, setting his pad down and giving her his full attention.
“Continue.”
“I’m being pursued by an Agraak bounty hunter who refers to himself as the Ashier. He has with him a small number of aliens called Arobi who have expressed to us that they’re an enslaved species implanted with a sort of control chip. Although they don’t wish to harm me, and the Ashier is currently injured and has retreated to recover, I’m worried that they won’t give up their pursuit. The Arobi are exceptional hunters, from what I can tell.”
A heavy frown settled over the chancellor’s brow, the claws of one hand drumming thoughtfully before him.
“They are sentient?”
“Yes, absolutely!”
“This is grave news, indeed. Agraadax is, as I am sure you are aware, having been there yourself, a very insular planet. The council rarely receives news of what goes on from their planet or star system, but up until now we have trusted them to behave with decorum in alignment with our regulations and conditions as a member of the Union. To learn that they are engaging in multiple illegal activities is disturbing. That they are utilizing a dangerous sentient predator to further their own agenda is even more alarming for what it could mean for other planets that may come into conflict with Agraadax. I will give orders for the Arobi to be retrieved if they can be separated at all from their handler. In the meantime, I will be awaiting your arrival.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll be ready.”
“I look forward to meeting such a courageous female.”
The comm flicked and then went dark. Jenn sat back in her chair, her heart pounding both with anxiety and happiness. Eyuul gently tugged his tail from her grip and grasped her hands in his. She looked up into his smiling face, unable to ignore the shadow of sadness in his eyes.
Now there was no way to ignore the fact that she was leaving.
Her heart fell. Foolish of her to develop feelings when she knew that her time was short on Vora.
“This is wonderful news, Jenn. Soon you will have accomplished all that you set out to do.”
Vadal nodded, though Jenn did not miss the look of sympathy he shot his younger brother. Eyuul was ready to accept the reality of their situation, and it was obvious that Vadal hurt for his sibling. His dark blue tail twitched on the floor of the nest before he turned away to occupy himself with his own comm that he pulled out of his vest. He slid his finger over it, paused, and then frowned.
“I have informed our mother of the situation. She has extended her permission for you to accompany the female to Evath. She is also sending Shaagra for added protection.” Vadal muttered something under his breath, likely unkind to his mother. “I will have to inform him. He will not be happy being away from the nest when Reggie is so close to her time, but it cannot be helped. He is one of our better hunters.”
Jenn didn’t miss Eyuul’s whispered words. “At least she isn’t sending along another unmated male.”
Poor Eyuul. His mother tried so hard to make sure her son would be happy—a little too hard by Jenn’s reckoning. She understood a mother’s drive to protect and ensure the wellbeing of her children. Her own mother worked herself to the bone and always had a minute to spare for her children if any of them needed it. It just seemed like his mother tried a little too hard, if Eyuul’s expression was anything to go by. He clearly saw it more as interfering than helping.
“There is more. Mother wants to have a feast in Jenn’s honor before she leaves us. She says that the females of our clan should celebrate hosting one who would bring down such defilers as the Agraak.”
Jenn’s face fell. She would have to sit among a number of strangers and pretend to be some sort of heroine, one she didn’t feel herself to be. Her self-esteem had improved considerably since arriving on Vora but seeing herself in that light when she wasn’t motivated by what she considered heroic reasons sat ill with her.
The tip of Eyuul’s tail brushed her cheek. “You don’t need to be anything more than you are now, Jenn. No one will expect it. Just enjoy the food and rest. My clan may celebrate you and admire you, but I will keep them from getting close and becoming overbearing.”
She didn’t know how Eyuul anticipated her need so accurately, but she smiled up at him and leaned into his touch to show her appreciation. She said nothing when he slid back and extended a hand and helped her to her feet. Standing tucked into his side, all she could think of was that she needed to make the next few days with Eyuul count so she would have enough happy memories for a lifetime if it came to that.
The Ashier, however, was a shadow over their time together.
Jenn had a feeling that they would be forced to deal with him before long.
Chapter 19
It didn’t take Jenn long to notice that the Vori really loved a good party. Everyone appeared to be dressed in their finest vests, some made of luxurious leather and others of the finest weave, all decorated with exquisite embroidery. Jenn was grateful that Reggie had insisted on giving her one of her dresses, or else she would have been woefully underdressed in her tattered Agraak gown. Instead, she wore a rose-pink wrap dress that seemed more like a robe than a gown, embroidered with delicate flower vines.
It was perhaps the most feminine thing that Jenn had ever worn since she was a child, and she loved it. She felt just as festive as everyone else, and she was treated as one of them. Many well-meaning relatives were all too happy to compliment her attire as they shoved fruit drinks and food into her hands. Not that there wasn’t a massive assortment for to choose from for herself.
Everywhere, food was piled on tall tables, and though there wasn’t alcohol, the atmosphere was jovial as they wandered about and socialized. The clan was large enough on its own, but its numbers for the occasion were increased by Vori from other clans that were visiting in hope to find nestmates. Several members of the clan took out instruments and before long Jenn was treated to the sight of males twining their bodies in an evocative dance. Jenn’s mouth dropped open at the exaggerated sexuality of their movements.
Reggie, who’d already forgiven Jenn’s brusque attitude, leaned in to whisper in her ear. “They’re all unmated, dancing to draw in the mates. They hope to find nestmates who would appreciate their strength for their nest, and if they are fortunate... to attract a female.”
Jenn frowned as a pale milky-white male looked at her suggestively as he dipped and swayed in time to the music. Her eyes immediately sought out Eyuul. Reggie chuckled at her side.
“A little overeager, aren’t they?”
“Ye
ah, they aren’t too subtle. Being an unmated female—and trust me, they can smell it—is like wearing a sign spelling out fresh meat.”
Jenn spared a glance toward Reggie. “Were they this bad when you arrived?”
“Nope,” she admitted cheerfully. “I was mated by deed if not in fact to my guys. I guess you can almost call it a shotgun mating. Esfalee was none too happy that her son wasn’t properly mated.”
“No doubt,” Jenn said. As the male twisted nearer to her, Jenn gave him her best ‘eat shit and die’ glare and stepped back. “All right, nice moves but back off.” The male gave her an unoffended grin. Relief shot through her when she caught sight of Eyuul. Nothing deterred the unwanted attentions of a guy like another one. Eyuul raised his brow in confusion as she waved him over, but as he got closer and caught sight of the dancing male, his face drew into a scowl.
“Uh-oh. Orith is about to get his tail busted. He should know better than to mess with someone that Eyuul is interested in... but you know how brothers are. Some things never seem to change, regardless of what planet you’re on.”
Jenn’s eyes widened. “They are brothers.”
“Oh yes, Orith is the baby of the family and probably the most deserving of an ass-whooping if ever there was one who needed it. He never takes anything seriously, and has more often than not been a complete thorn in my mate’s side.” Reggie rubbed her hands gleefully as her eyes bounced back and forth between the two males.
Eyuul slid between her and the offending male, slapping his tail against the earth, his rattles flaring loudly in warning as he hissed. The white male slid back a pace, his laughter clear. Eyuul’s voice was undoubtedly menacing, but Orith’s smile didn’t wilt even slightly. If anything, it got wider.
“Orith, you dare?”
“Dare what, brother? I am merely showing off my particular prowess to a beautiful female. Certainly this,” he gestured to himself, “is far finer to look upon, so why should I deprive her?”
The words were barely out of Orith’s mouth when Eyuul lunged, the full weight of his body slamming into his brother. The other males who’d been dancing scattered, watching from a safe distance as the brothers wrestled each other for dominance. Back and forth they surged over the ground, dirt kicking up around them in the course of their struggle. Jenn didn’t miss the shouts of encouragement from some of the onlookers. She was about to step forward and attempt to end the fight when the matriarch’s sharp voice broke through the noise of the crowd. Vori moved aside to allow Esfalee through.
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