by Erin Tate
His right hand ached, throbbed in time with his pulse, and he noticed he’d somehow snatched Resane’s ceremonial blades from the wall. He did not recall doing so. However, they would be useful.
A medico gave them up when he took his oath, but they always remained near to remind a healer of his past and why the present was so important to Dosha.
Kede now clutched that history, fingers gripping so hard he knew it would not be long before he bled.
He raised his gaze from Joyce and scanned the room for his friend. He noted the medico stood firmly against the opposite wall, hands at his side and no hint of aggression in his stance.
Good. Kede would hate to kill his childhood friend.
“Kede,” Joyce whispered his name and he focused on her once again.
What he saw enraged him even further. “Who struck you, my harae?”
She did not correct him and he held the small victory close to his heart.
“I’m fine. I said that.”
He shook his head and lowered to the ground beside her. The bruise on her cheek worried him. The ones on her arms infuriated him. He could only imagine the condition of her leg. If a warrior snatched her and ended up bleeding all over her due to her struggles… The soon-to-be dead man had been very close, indeed.
Kede relinquished his hold on the blade, his heart now urging him to care for Joyce rather than begin his hunt. They were on a starship. Her attacker could not hide for long.
“Come. Let me assist you now.” He did not allow her to tell him no. He could not take her denial now.
She weighed nothing in his arms, light and soft against him as he carried her toward the biobed. Resane’s systems could assure him of her well-being.
Joyce gasped when he placed her on the smooth surface, but she also did her best to suppress the whimper.
It did not work.
“Joyce…” She had lied and now he would hunt and—
“I want you to stay with me, Kede. You can take your Ginsu knives out later.”
He did not know the term, Ginsu, but he imagined she tried to distract him with her native language and unknown words. He narrowed his eyes, searching for any hint of deception and found none. “Very well. I will postpone the Kerosa until your injuries are examined. It will allow me to determine how long your attackers live and how much they shall suffer.”
Joyce shook her head and sighed, mumbling about asshole males.
“Are you speaking of me, my harae? I have an asshole, but I am not an asshole. I do not understand.” He needed to speak with Hassee. The male seemed more familiar with Terran slang and curses despite his inability to pronounce the words correctly.
“Nothing.” She plucked at her pants, the fabric drying and sticking to her skin. “Resane? Is there something else I can wear? Nothing’s broken, I swear. I just don’t want his blood on me any longer.” She shuddered and Kede did not give a bit of darkness if Resane agreed or not.
His harae would have alternate clothing or the male would die.
When Resane brought forward a medico uniform, Kede decided Resane could live.
Kede took the small bundle from his friend. “Turn your back,” he snarled.
The sound was cut off when Joyce snagged the fabric from him. “You turn your back.”
“I will assist you.”
“I know how to get dressed.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You have been injured. I shall ensure—”
“I can do it myself.” Joyce edged to the rim of the bed and kicked her feet, hopping to the ground.
Except she continued to collapse, body folding beneath her weight, and he was quick to snatch her to him. “You are weaker than a newborn youngling.” He breathed deeply, enjoying her scent so close. “I assisted you once before, Joyce. Allow me to do so again.”
A small shudder racked her and he wondered if it was due to fear or excitement. Knowing the mistakes he’d made, he was sure it was truly due to anger.
He could not blame her.
“Fine,” she gritted her teeth and he remained still. “Don’t watch.”
“Of course.” Those were the two words he voiced. Silently, he added three others. I will try.
The top was simple to replace and he pretended not to notice the bruises marring her Doshan skin. The deep hue hid much, but it could not cloud the swaths of purple defacing her body.
She clutched him tightly as she removed her shoes and tugged the bottoms free. Blood still stained her skin, but that was simple enough to wash away. At least the soiled fabric would not cling to her flesh any longer.
She tossed the pants aside and with his help, she carefully donned the new pair.
All the while he drank in the vision of her curved body with his eyes.
She was Doshan, and yet not.
Where their females were hard and strong, built for a rough life on their home planet, Joyce was small and curved, a lush armful even though he had not held her very often.
The moment she tugged everything in place, he lifted her onto the bed, laying her gently atop the equipment. “One moment, my harae.”
“I’m not—”
He turned his back to her, unwilling to hear the words fall from her lips yet again.
She might not be his at that moment, but he refused to lose her. Consequences for failure be damned to the darkness. He wanted Joyce. Not because of what their mating could do for his career, but what it would mean for the rest of his life.
He wanted to die with her at his side.
He could not do that if she would not remain there.
Mainly because kidnapping was still illegal.
“Resane, you may return,” he called to his friend and gathered the soiled clothing, taking it to a nearby station.
The blood would be analyzed and the attackers identified. Those with the most biological material marring the fabric would be first to taste Kede’s blade. By the time he made it to the end of the list, he may be merciful and merely cut off an arm rather than take the male’s life.
He could be a kind, merciful warrior.
Resane quickly returned. He did not glance at Kede as the medico began his work. The machines whirred and beeped, hovering over Joyce for a brief moment before moving on.
A holo of her body appeared before the scanner, circles gently pulsing along the projected image. Kede knew enough to see that the red circles meant locations of her injuries.
“You are not injured badly,” Resane murmured.
“She should not have been injured at all!” Kede roared and then sucked in a harsh breath. He must control his anger for fear of frightening Joyce.
He risked a glance at her and noted the rolling of her eyes. She was annoyed then. Not scared.
He was not sure if that was better.
Fighting for calm, he returned his attention to Resane. “How long will it take to heal the damage? What damage is there?”
The chief medico shot him a glare, but returned to his task.
“Resane,” he snapped.
Finally his friend focused on him and then on Joyce. “It is your choice if you let him stay. You know my vow of silence extends to him as well.”
Joyce finally turned her gaze to Kede. “You won’t leave, will you?”
“No. You may not like me, I know you do not love me, and I know you deny my claim, but I will fight to stay at your side.” He kept his attention on her so she could see the depths of his feelings.
She sighed and looked to Resane. “I don’t agree with half of what he said, but I just want him gone. The sooner you tell us both what’s wrong, the sooner he gets gone.”
The medico glared at him once again.
Kede did not care. The male could glare until the bright light took him and still he would stay at Joyce’s side.
“Very well.” Resane manipulated the holo of Joyce’s body, moving his fingers and circling certain areas. The machine responded to his movements, sliding and hovering over different parts of her until only
a single, pulsing red circle remained.
It was then that the medico stopped and rested his hands on the biobed. “All done. You will ache a little for one day, maybe two, but everything is healed.”
Kede furrowed his brow in confusion and stepped forward. He pointed at the red area, not penetrating the holo but making sure he directed Resane’s attention to the appropriate spot. “What about there? That still persists. Repair it.”
Resane looked like he would happily choke Kede.
Kede did not care.
“Fix it.” He punctuated his statement with a forceful poke. He came close to disturbing the holo, but kept himself in check.
“Joyce requested it remain in place at this time.”
“What is ‘it’? ‘It’ should be repaired. I order it.”
Resane took a deep breath. “It remains as my patient demands. It is not harmful.”
“The biobed disagrees. Take it out.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I order it.” He growled the words at his friend.
“If you had jurisdiction over a patient’s healthcare, I would follow your order. You do not. So, I do not.”
“I am Commander Kede Tria-se,” he glared at Joyce and dared her to correct him. She did not, so he continued. “Commander of the Vehly and Holder of House Tria. I demand it be removed from my harae.”
Tension filled the woman resting on the biobed between them and he accepted he may have gone a little too far. The harae portion of his demand was what probably caused her stiffening.
“Kede?” Her voice was too calm. His mother used the same tone on his father and the outcome was never good. They did have many long hours of mating after his appropriate apology so perhaps this was not a bad thing. “It’s staying. Period. End of story. Resane and I have discussed its presence and, at this time, it needs to remain in place.”
He pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes. “What is ‘it’?” He tore his stare from her to Resane and back again. “I demand an explanation.”
“Is that an order from my master?” She spat the words and he mentally groaned.
“That is not what happened and you know this, Joyce. Your designation meant nothing to anyone on the Vehly. Were you not given free access to the ship? Were you not able to do whatever you desired?” He sighed and stared at her wounded eyes. “I cannot change the laws, my Joyce. I can only work within them and try to make you happy.” He shrugged. “I am only one male in a galaxy of trillions.”
Some of her anger drained away, but he dare not hope he would be forgiven. He had done research on Terran history and learned the meaning of slave and property. He could not deny that Terran past mirrored their present. It did not sit well with him, but he could not change it. At least, not yet.
“Joyce, I have made many mistakes. I would like to fix them. But no matter what has transpired, it does not mean I do not worry for you. I care for you. Now,” he tilted his head toward the still pulsing ring, “what is wrong?”
She rolled her eyes, telling him once again he’d annoyed her. Annoyed was better than furious and disgusted. “It’s not a big deal. It’s an IUD. I had it implanted when I first started,” she blushed, her cheeks adopting a hint of pink. “Resane?”
Kede frowned and turned to his friend.
“Terran females go through a Needing every turning. This device ceases the ability to carry offspring during that time.” Resane’s grim tone told Kede more than words could convey. To deny the bright light its choice in creating life…
Blasphemous.
“You must remove it at once!” He did not care that he shouted.
Joyce did though. “Look, it’s my body. And it’s not a Needing or whatever you call it. Terran women menstruate once a month. This device has kept that from happening. It acts as a pregnancy blocker. That’s it. It’s not hurting anything.”
“The biobed disagrees since it is recommending removal.” Kede shook his head. “Joyce, it should not be present. Even if you do not wish to sate your Needing and risk pregnancy, you cannot allow that thing to remain inside you.”
“I want it there,” she hissed at him. “I didn’t choose to come here, I didn’t choose to be drafted as some alien ambassador, and I didn’t ask to become Doshan. I have not controlled a single thing since I met you, Kede. This, this is my decision.”
Kede winced and grimaced, unable to fight her words since they were nothing but the truth. “I understand. It would be best, though, Joyce. Resane?”
He silently begged the male to help him.
Resane nodded. “I have said this many times, Joyce. The device was meant for Terran physiology. Doshans are similar but not exact matches. I cannot tell you what will happen if it remains.”
“I know.”
“It may damage you so you cannot…”
“So I cannot carry young. I know.”
Kede felt as if he were struck in the chest. Joyce not have young? Impossible. She was fierce and passionate and strong. She should pass those traits on to sons and daughters. The Doshans could have no better female adding to their numbers.
Kede could have no better female adding to his House. He ached to see her heavy with his offspring, to have her cuddling their child.
“Joyce,” he whispered her name, unable to breathe past the lump in his throat. “Please. I beg of you. If you do not consent to be my harae, I will live by your decision. I will give you anything you desire. I will bow to your every whim. But for the love of the light, have this device removed.” She opened her mouth to speak and he imagined all manner of curses she ached to rain down on him. He did not refute that they were deserved. “The galaxy deserves to have young with your strength, with your fire. They will destroy any enemy with a single look, just as you crush me. All should witness and revel in that passion. I do not ask it for me, but for the rest of us. Please.”
Joyce sniffled and he recognized the shininess of her eyes, which meant she would soon be leaking. He’d become familiar with the process. “Hit a girl while she’s down, huh?”
He opened his mouth to assure her he had not struck her when medical’s doors parted, admitting several crewmembers. Easily a dozen males spilled from the lift. They were bloody and bruised, a few cradling arms or hands to their chests while others limped. At least one had a bloody nose that still dribbled the liquid down their uniform.
Disgusting.
And against his orders.
He squared off against the approaching males, ignoring their feminine whines and complaints. Joyce endured their rough treatment and still managed to cut him with her tongue.
Weaklings.
“How dare you enter while the female you abused is undergoing treatment!”
“Commander…” One of the males dared speak up and Kede was across the room in a moment. He had the warrior by the neck between one breath and the next. It took no strength to press him against the wall, fingers crushing his throat.
“You do not speak in her presence,” he hissed.
No one spoke. Not a single Doshan. It was easy to see he rode the killing edge. It would not take much to slide over the side and destroy every male in the room. Only Joyce would be safe. His Joyce, his harae.
Adrenaline, the fire of battle, pummeled him and urged him to eliminate the warriors. They were a threat to his joining with Joyce. They would demand they sate her Needing once Resane removed the device.
That would not happen.
No. Wait. His thoughts were rolling and splitting, but the thing he craved above all was to be alone with his harae.
“Kede?” Her voice was soft. “I don’t think you’re allowed to kill him because he stumbled into a room.”
He believed that was an appropriate reason. However, she was correct. Command would not look favorably upon his actions.
Accepting his defeat by logic, he dropped the male, allowing him to crumble to his knees. Without another look, he moved toward Joyce, intent on keeping the others back. Regardless of their injuries, sh
e was first.
“Resane?”
His friend tore his worried gaze from the gathered males and focused on Kede. “Yes, Commander?”
“May she be released into my care?”
Joyce opened her mouth, probably to tell him to go to the darkness, but she snapped her teeth together.
“Yes. She must stay in bed for the remainder of the day.” Resane nodded.
“And the other?” He let his gaze flick to the still visible holo of her body.
“The other must be decided by Joyce.” The medico’s voice was firm and unbreakable.
“As you wish.” He tilted his head in acknowledgement. It simply meant he must be very convincing.
He reached for Joyce, but a male’s voice had him halting. “Her clothing, Commander?”
He gave the male a suspicious look, wondering how he knew the fabric belonged to his harae. Though he had to admit the uniform was that of an ambassador. Since the only Terran ambassador on the Vehly was Joyce, he imagined it was simple deduction.
He did not, however, like others touching her clothing. Especially since it represented a list of challengers.
“Thank you,” he glanced at the male’s rank designation. “Second Engineer.”
He held the small bundle and turned toward his harae. Resane could provide a bag. The last thing he wished was for Joyce to have the blood of another on her skin. He glanced for an appropriate place for the pile while he assisted Joyce, but she took the choice from him.
“Here, give me this stuff.” She reached for the clothing, he tried to snatch it away, and the only thing accomplished was for the bundle to fall to the ground.
Or rather, it would have fallen had a flare not been activated at that moment.
One second, the fabric was within the ship and the next, it was not.
Just like Joyce would not have been.
Kede released an echoing roar, one that he was sure could be heard at the command bridge, and spun to face the males now pressed against the wall. He scanned each face, intent on venting his rage on the unfortunate souls who disobeyed his order to stay away from medical. Which of them threatened yet again to take her from him. He was unsure if the male lingered in the group, but the dozen men seemed like excellent targets.