Mating Flight

by Mating Flight (lit)

  Sheleigh grabbed the precious moments alone with her mate. "Kleet, I didn't lie. I love you. I found out yesterday when I held your bloody body in my arms. You've got to believe me."

  "Please stop it, Sheleigh," he said in a tired voice. "What you're saying isn't possible. You didn't love me when we left home yesterday morning. Then I didn't fly you. So I couldn't have made you love me."

  "You loved me before you flew me," she argued.

  "That's different. I wanted you for a long time. I knew you were right for me. You don't have that knowledge."

  "I held out for thirty years before I met you. Don't tell me I didn't know you were different from other men. Besides, love grows. It's what you wanted to happen. A man and woman share their home and their life. They mate and they give each other parts of their hearts. That's what we've done. That's what I did little by little. I gave you my heart."

  His face twisted with hope, but then it hardened. "It's too late. I'm crippled. I can't be a mate to you anymore."

  Her heart clenched. No! "Your ability to fly doesn't have anything to do with your ability to love. I can't fly, but I can love."

  "You're not Averan. Flying is part of who I am. I'm only half alive now. What good am I? I'm as bad as the non-winged."

  She sucked in her breath at his intolerance of the non-winged. His attitude was why Avera had a growing problem on its hands. "I'm non-winged."

  "You're human. There's a difference. You're the way you're supposed to be, you're complete. The non-winged are incomplete."

  "According to you, wings are being phased out of your species by a process of natural selection. Theirs is the preferred state. Evolution says so."

  "What has that got to do with us?" he demanded.

  Obviously, she had scored a point in their argument, but at what cost? "What will you tell our non-winged children? Will you tell them they're less than whole? If they have two eyes, two ears, two hands and two feet will you tell them they're incomplete because they can't fly? Will you love them less?" His face contorted in emotional pain, but this was too important to stop because it hurt him. "Will they love their father less, even if he loves them with all his heart, simply because he can't fly?"

  "Sheleigh ..."

  She bulled on determinedly. "Should I stop loving you because you can't fly? Would you stop loving me if I was hurt and couldn't walk, or lost an arm or an eye? Would you love me less if I wasn't perfect in your eyes?"

  "I'm crippled!"

  "Only in your own mind." Dr. Rotairn returned with a number of staff. She had only moments left. "Kleet, don't send me away."

  There was pain in his eyes as he stared at her. She hoped she'd reached him. Then he looked down and she knew she'd failed. "I need to be alone, Shel."

  As they wheeled her bed out of the room she had one last look at her mate. It was a heart-wrenching look at a strong man felled by a terrible blow. He was a pitiable, hopeless wretch. But she loved him. She began to cry as they turned the corner and he was lost from her sight.

  She cried most of the day and would not be comforted. Her hormones were changing with pregnancy and she still felt the lingering aftereffects of the fight with the anesthetic. She was lonely for her mate, she was in pain and her emotions ricocheted from despair to anger to bewilderment. Why would Kleet go to the extreme of tearing her world apart in order to make her his mate, only to discard her a month later? Now they were bonded and in love, so discarding her would be almost impossible. Why would he do this to her?

  Her mate was in physical and emotional pain. She needed to be with him to give him love, support and strength. But he'd rebuffed her, refused her, relegated her to the status of expendable. She railed at her physical condition, that at a time when she needed to fight for her man she couldn't. She would be helpless for weeks, important weeks during which Kleet would withdraw from her and grow used to living without her. No! She couldn't let that happen.

  Kleet had dragged her kicking and screaming into Averan society, where she hadn't wanted to be. But by God, she was here and used to the idea, and she was staying!

  That thought stopped the tears finally, giving her the strength to face the week alone in the medical center. Lefair was with her and Kleet most of each day. Kelfer came in the evenings. Still, she felt very much alone.

  On the second day she called Dr. Barazi and asked for work to do. He was relieved to hear from her, since no one had bothered to give him updates on her condition after her 'accident.' He was appalled to hear that she and Kleet had been attacked by radicals. She encouraged him to warn their group to be extra careful. She promised to keep him updated and to see if her group could visit her in the Kryszan residence.

  The week dragged by until she was released to go home. On the landing pad she saw her mate for the first time in a week. Her heart lurched, and then sped up. He was on his feet, unlike her. His right arm was in a sling bound to his chest, probably to protect the wound in his side. He had color in his face once again. He looked much better than the last time she'd seen him.

  She held out her hand to him and he took it. His touch was thrilling and mate-bond recognition roared through her. It was almost painful, it had been so long.

  "How do you feel, Shel?" His eyes flickered as emotions raced through him.

  "If you hadn't sent me away, you'd know. Don't I get a kiss hello?"

  He hesitated, while she held her breath. Then he leaned down, giving her no more than an obligatory peck. She tried to curb her disappointment in order to enjoy the small crumb he'd given her.

  "I've missed you. I was lonely in my exile."

  "Shel," he cautioned.

  "Don't think you can silence me. You're not going to be the first Averan to set aside an unbreakable mate bond. So get it through your thick head. I'm your mate and I'm always going to be your mate."

  His face grew stony and she felt him retreat behind a wall of anger. He released her hand, severing all connection to him, and she was bereft once more.

  Then her stretcher was loaded into the transport, and all her concentration became focused on breathing. Her surgical scar was healing beautifully, the doctors told her, but it had only been a week. The incision was still painful and the jostling it had just received shot new daggers into her belly. She closed her eyes.

  "Be careful with her!" Kleet's harsh demand broke through the haze of pain. At least he cared what happened to her on some level, if only as a living being.

  The flight home was swift and smooth, but then came being moved from the transport into her bedroom. At some point as she wallowed in pain she felt Kleet's hand hold hers. She clutched it, wanting the mate-bond to drive the pain from her mind. Then she felt the soft bed beneath her back and blessed the lack of movement. Lefair stood beside the bed as she dabbed Sheleigh's face with a cool, damp cloth.

  "It was too soon for you to be released from the medical center," Kleet accused. "You're in no condition to be home. We can't take care of you here. As soon as you're ready, I'll have you transported back there. They'll hear my opinion about letting you come home."

  Sheleigh finally caught her breath. "I'm not going back there."

  "You will if I say so."

  "There's nothing they can do for me at the medical center that can't be done here. I just need to lie in bed until I heal. It won't hurt this bad much longer."

  Kleet gestured to her prone figure. "You're helpless right now. You can't even move. There's no one here to take care of you during the day. I can't help you right now. No, you can't stay here."

  Lefair turned to him. "I can take care of Sheleigh."

  "You have your own life, Mother. I don't expect you to cancel your appointments to wait on us. Besides, Sheleigh is too heavy for you to move or carry. No, she's going back to the medical center until she can at least walk on her own."

  Sheleigh's temper flared. She pointed at Kleet. "You're trying to get me out of your home, not for my sake but for your own. You don't want to have to look at me. You
might realize you've made a mistake if you see me once too often, that the separation between us is wrong."

  His face became stony. He crossed his arms on his chest. "I won't change my mind."

  "I won't either. I'm staying where I am. If you try to exert authority over me, I'll demand my rights as your mate." Kleet flinched. "Ah, I thought that might persuade you. Your authority over me is all or nothing. You'd better keep that in mind."

  Kleet's cheeks reddened. "I'll do that." He gave a stiff bow and stalked away. The room seemed less colorful after he left.

  "Why did you push him away, Sheleigh?" Lefair asked.

  "I didn't. He set the boundaries. I just reminded him what those boundaries were." She looked at her mother-in-law's concerned face and reached for her hand. Lefair squeezed it. "Don't worry, Lefair. I'll give Kleet the space he needs to be angry about his condition. But when I'm well I'm going to fight for him."

  "I hope so. You haven't been mated very long. Kelfer and I are worried this hardship has come too soon."

  "I think both of us need time to heal. Love isn't something you can turn off, like a water faucet. When Kleet's less angry he'll remember that he loves me. I'll be on my feet by then. There's nothing more I can do right now." She yawned, feeling drained of energy from the transfer home.

  Lefair patted her arm. "Go to sleep, dear."

  Sheleigh closed her eyes and snuggled into the thick mattress. She felt Lefair cover her with a soft blanket. She had to get well to fight for Kleet.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ten days later Kleet went back to work, taking his dark coldness with him. Sheleigh was riddled with guilt at the relief she felt over his absence, but in those ten days his anger and gloom had permeated the residence. When he spoke to her, if at all, his words were short and curt. Gone was the tender loving husband, the ardent amour, the dedicated pursuer. In his place was a shell of a man consumed by grief.

  Sheleigh slept alone every night in her lonely bed. Her recovery eliminated any sexual desire she might have felt for Kleet, but her heart writhed with the need just to be held in loving arms. Having a husband had occurred so suddenly, like a surprise storm that drenched a person to the skin. This pseudo widowhood had happened just as suddenly and with just as devastating an effect. On the day Kleet returned to work, it occurred to her that this must be what shell-shock felt like.

  At dinner two nights later, Sheleigh got her first indication that the atmosphere outside the residence was just as unsettled as it was inside. Kleet ate his meal quietly, being his usual uncommunicative self, and didn't look at her.

  Kelfer took hold of Lefair's hand. "There's been another attack. On Councilman Jaundar. A metal projectile crippled the engine of his transport. Luckily the pilot is a seasoned one and she was able to land the transport. Jaundar's bruised and shaken up. He's also demanding to know what I plan to do about these radicals."

  He caressed Lefair's hand. "I want you to use caution when you go out. Have your guard with you at all times."

  Sheleigh spoke up. "It sounds like you expect more violence. Are we safe here in the residence?"

  Kelfer turned to her. "So far the attacks have been on airborne targets." His eyes slid to Kleet and back. Kleet stopped eating but remained stonily silent. "You know that Averans have historically been vulnerable in flight. The radicals are using our own history against us."

  Sheleigh frowned. "It may only be a single individual, because there have been only two attacks in two months."

  Kelfer shook his head. "I didn't want to frighten you while you were recovering, but this is the third attack on a council member this week."

  Sheleigh jerked. Fear and unpleasant surprise ran circles through her body. "So many. How many last week?"

  Kelfer looked at Kleet. "One last week. Sabotage to Councilwoman Bereau's transport."

  "They're targeting the power structure," Sheleigh mused. "Do you think they'll target you and Kleet? They've already tried to kill Kleet once and failed." Her heart clenched at the reminder.

  Kelfer squeezed Lefair's hand and she placed her other hand over his. "If they're targeting the power structure, as you say, then Kleet and I would be the likeliest targets. I've more than doubled security. But the council members who've been attacked haven't been the most powerful."

  "Maybe they've been the most vulnerable," Sheleigh guessed. "Like Kleet and I were." Kleet's face darkened at the reminder of his wounding.

  "We have too many points of vulnerability," Kelfer agreed. "As soon as you're well, you'll have a squad of guards assigned to you."

  Sheleigh squawked. "I don't need to be surrounded by armed guards. I'm not Averan."

  "You're the heir's mate and you carry the future heirs. You're a point of vulnerability."

  "I disagree. We've all heard the rumors that I'm not bound to Kleet. He's left me here every day this week, which surely enhanced that rumor. When I return to work I'll go back to my old office, then no one will doubt the rumor. I won't attract attention from the radicals."

  "But the heirs you carry ..." Kelfer argued.

  "Are non-winged. As I am."

  The Kryszans were silent, perhaps regretting their son's choice of mate. Kelfer and Lefair had never said a word about non-winged grandchildren. They were too gracious to do something like that. But it had to be in their minds--how could it not be? Thousands of years of Kryszans made from the same mold would come to an end with the babies she carried. Even if her babies married Averans, her children and their descendants would still carry her genes, genes that contained the potential for red hair, green eyes and flightlessness.

  "I don't think I'm at risk," she reiterated.

  * * * *

  Sheleigh returned to work two weeks later. It was poignant to return to the office she'd left two months ago, and to the people she hadn't seen in a month. Because of tightened security, the Kryszan residence was off limits to many people, including the humans.

  Sarnia Dorf was the first member of her team to greet her, enveloping her in a motherly hug. Sarnia held Sheleigh at arm's length. "You've lost weight. Don't they feed you in that big home?"

  Sheleigh smiled weakly. "I haven't felt like eating much. I have morning sickness on top of everything else."

  Sarnia's face took on a maternal, knowing look and she clucked. "Crackers and tea. I'll bring some to you later. Are you really all right?"

  "I'm physically recovered. The surgical incision is healed. I don't move fast yet, and the pregnancy hormones make me tired. But I'm alive."

  "Thank God for that. Here, I'm hogging you to myself and Amin wants his turn." Sarnia handed Sheleigh off to the head of their team.

  Dr. Barazi's hair and attire looked perfectly in place, as usual. He hesitated, as though unsure what action was proper for the director to take.

  "You can hug me if you wish, or shake my hand," Sheleigh prompted.

  Dr. Barazi placed his arms around her and patted her back. Sheleigh almost laughed at the stiffness in his body. The man was not a natural hugger.

  "I'm glad you're well, Sheleigh. We hear accounts of the violence from the guards. That one yesterday was a tragedy. I wonder how long we'll stay here if it continues to escalate." He released her and stepped back.

  "What happened yesterday?" she asked.

  His swarthy face paled. He looked quickly at Sarnia and the others. Sheleigh's gut went cold with dread. "I thought you'd know because of where you live."

  "I don't know. Tell me."

  Dr. Barazi swallowed. "One of the council members was attacked. He was making a routine visit to a toy manufacturer in his district. A projectile hit his transport as he left the factory and the transport exploded. He was injured. His little daughter, who'd come with him unexpectedly, was hit in the head by flying debris and killed. I believe she was four. A tragedy."

  "Oh, God." Sheleigh felt cold all over. Sarnia grabbed her right arm, Dr. Barazi her left.

  "Amin," Sarnia hissed. "Why'd you have to be so graphic?"r />
  Sheleigh moaned. "Why are they doing this to each other?"

  "What are they fighting over?" Dr. Barazi asked.

  Sheleigh shook her head. She was sworn to secrecy about the wings. "Some of the young people want change. They don't like the way things are."

  "But that doesn't explain the violence," he argued.

  "It does. Look at Earth's history. How many times did unrest and violence begin with the young people?"

  "What do they want changed?" Rahwen Suresh's voice came from behind Dr. Barazi.

  Sheleigh took a deep breath and shook off the supporting arms of her colleagues. The initial horror of the child's death subsided. "I can't tell you what they're fighting about. It's an internal matter right now. The Averans don't want others interfering in their internal politics. I do believe that none of you are at risk, because you're not Averans."

  Sarnia touched Sheleigh's arm. "Are you at risk?"

  "I don't believe so. There's a rumor that my marriage isn't real, that I'm not Kleet's mate. Because of that rumor, I'm not a target."

  "What?" Sarnia gasped.

  "Is there any truth to the rumor?" Amin demanded.

  "No," Sheleigh assured him. "There are certain ... rituals here," her cheeks warmed, "attached to being a mate. When the rituals cease, a mate bond is publicized to others. My mate bond was publicized, but the rituals continued between me and Kleet. A number of people assumed that because I'm human the mate bond wouldn't attach to me. It's a widespread rumor and widely thought to be true. Remember, Averans don't have positive thoughts about aliens."

  A grating voice jeered from behind Rahwen. "So your reputation among the natives isn't sterling, Sheleigh. Surprise, surprise. What'd you expect when you married their golden boy?"

  "Marne!" Sarnia snapped.

  Dr. Barazi turned around. "Dr. Vorndran, that's uncalled for."

  "I've got a right to my opinion. Why don't you ask her what kind of 'rituals' she and the heir are performing that make her face turn red. Perversions, I'd say."

  "Shut up, Marne!" Sarnia's words flew past Sheleigh like well aimed stilettos.