by Y. M. Roger
“Of what were you murmuring with Jaylis here, shioliah?”
Chiyoto’s eyes quickly darted away, and she tried to pull back from Rafal as she almost silently muttered, “Self-inflicted.”
Rafal’s grip on her jawline tightened only enough to prevent her pulling backward. He increased the pressure on her thigh as a vindictive smile tried to breech his inviting lips.
And, still, Chiyoto’s body clinched and heated and wanted him in ways she was having trouble envisioning right now.
Oh, Makers! Everything about him did nothing but make her want him more …
Rafal suspected his conversationally deceptive mate had some knowledge of the ailment of the guard Jaylis described – he knew the soldier in question had been one of the two posted outside his suite this morning – knew there had been an exchange of sorts between the two of them. And his Chiyoto’s arousal scent grew stronger as Rafal leaned forward another measure and a satisfied male chuckle escaped him.
“He must have really made you mad, yes, my dangerous beauty?”
The blush rose again and her eyes flashed as a growl rose up from both Runa and his beast. Rafal pressed himself closer to his heated female, his hand on her thigh moving up so that his fingers could stroke her moistened area between her legs. She caught her breath and dropped her fork – eyes widening and then closing almost tightly as she struggled to control her body.
“If we were properly mated, shioliah,” Rafal’s gaze captured her entire being as her hands rose, unbidden, to his chest and upper arm, “I would have you right here. Right now.”
Chiyoto gripped him, skin and shirt together, as her eyes fluttered at his words.
She cocked her head just slightly in Rafal’s grip as she tried to suppress a smile yet still bit that lower lip.
Rafal smiled at the action to which he had grown accustomed now. By the Gods! but she was beautiful …
“Is that truly what it is you both want, Rafal?” Chiyoto’s gaze was intense as she nuzzled into his hand that now gently palmed her cheek – the dining area seeming to fade to a gray haze – as if the two of them were the only beings in existence onboard this shuttle and beyond, “To mate?”
That same noise as earlier in the day began to emanate from Rafal’s beast and Runa wanted nothing more than to find out the source of the comforting and, yes, almost arousing melody.
“It is what will be between us, shioliah,” Rafal’s self-assured statement did nothing but pull her into him further – and elicit another threatening growl from her now almost confused Runa. Rafal grinned knowingly – his grip on her body tightening once again as he continued, “You are ours, and we will never let you go.”
She leaned forward to taste him again – saw his eyes flutter at her slight advance – until she stopped herself.
“But, Rafal, I … and you … are you prepared for …,” Chiyoto froze – true realization of that to which she was about to commit hitting hard as her words caught in her throat.
The question is, Chiyoto heard her entranced altre whisper defiantly inside of her, are we prepared, my Treasure?
But before she had time to re-think this whole thing – before she could stop her body from taking over and running headfirst into disaster, Rafal pulled her to him so that his mouth met her ear.
“We are prepared to pay any price to have you at our side always, Chiyoto,” he slid his hand from her thighs along her heated abdomen, his thumb and forefinger brushing ever so slightly on the firm underside of her breast, to grip her mane down her back, “We would rather die than be without our mate for even one more night.”
Rafal’s beast roared in agreement – its vocalization breaching the veil and settling across Runa’s skin as comforting as the evening breezes back in Haven. She needed to know what the water beast was – why he affected her so.
Chiyoto closed her eyes tightly, a tear eeking out of the tightly clinched lids, her grip on Rafal increasing substantially.
“Runa? Is this the right thing? Is the Empire ready for this? We can not just think of ourself here, but … yet … he is everything …,” Chiyoto appealed inwardly – she simply needed an answer from the only being in the universe she fully trusted.
And Runa planted her four feet and spread her powerful wings, her roar of desire mixed with trepidation practically deafening to Chiyoto. A warning to Rafal and to his beast that, although she would not prevent this, to hurt her Treasure would mean instant death.
For them both.
Rafal heard the muffled roar rumble from inside of his Chiyoto, and he pulled back to look into her eyes.
The sight with which he was greeted was stunning – instead of being replaced as he had expected, the translucent pink of his Chiyoto’s eyes was now haloed by the bright magenta that usually accompanied Runa’s voice such that he knew they both were present even though only Chiyoto clung to him.
And Rafal caught his breath at the sight, his grip tightening on both her mane and her cheek as he brushed away her tear with his thumb.
When she spoke, even her intonation seemed different … not just her usual proper speech, it seemed more projected … more … regal.
Just as it had at their first meeting.
“My desirable Prince Rafal,” her words laced with Runa’s gruff voice reached inside of him and brought both him and his beast to attention – she had called them ‘my’ – as Chiyoto continued, “You must know that we–”
Suddenly, the entire ship was rocked with a concussion that jolted their chairs and sent the entire room to list at a dangerous angle. Objects, furniture, and, yes, even beings were thrown with the blast.
But Rafal had a firm hold on his Chiyoto as the movement ceased and the expected panic set in. He grabbed her face and ordered both stridently and without room left for argument.
“I must get you back to our suite, shioliah.”
But Chiyoto stood firm and pushed away from him.
“No, Rafal!” she took another step backward from his hold.
She could see the anger appear across her handsome Prince’s face, only to realize that it was worry, not true anger.
He lunged forward and grabbed her arm tightly.
“Chiyoto! I must see to this mess, and we must have you safe! I can not …”
But Chiyoto only growled at him as she yanked her arm from his grip, and he felt the angry burning across his skin once again.
“We will not run and hide for safety, Rafal! Not if you and I are … no! There has been too much hiding for too long!”
Chiyoto! Silence! No More!
Although Runa knew in her uncivilized heart that her Treasure was right, now was no time to broadcast such.
Rafal looked perplexed if only for an instant – of what hiding did she speak? He would ponder that question at a later time.
When his Chiyoto was safe.
Rafal lunged forward again so quickly she did not have time to react fully as he pulled her against him – his beast growling prominently in his own voice.
But Chiyoto was adamant and did not cower at the threatening growls nor his hold or intense gaze.
“We must see to them, Rafal,” her face hardened and the anger shown forth in a voice that was both her and Runa, “Because your kind will not!”
They both stood staring at each other – each knowing the other would not give in on this – each knowing that, true and hard as her words were, Chiyoto was right.
But why, Rafal wondered to himself, did she suddenly feel so responsible for those she did not know? Their isolation should not have bred such a devotion …
I think it is us that have done that.
Decades of anger boiled inside of Rafal at the state of his Empire – how no matter the work he seemed to put into healing, it would never be enough. He gritted his teeth and swallowed hard – was this where she had been
headed with her ‘you must know-’ statement that never finished. That Crimson and Blood-borne could not …?
Stop. Let go. They are powerful. You know she is ours – it was there in her moisture for you.
Reluctantly, Rafal loosed his grip only in the slightest, and Chiyoto took a step toward him instead of away. She reached a hand out to caress his beard – his eyes softening ever so slightly with their contact – as she looked at him through her own pale pink eyes.
“We will meet you in our suite afterwards, my Prince.”
The shuttle claxons began sounding as orders from the crew began blaring over the intercom.
Once again and without warning, Rafal pulled her body flush with his and kissed her hard and aggressively, as if he would have her for a meal.
Rafal’s treatment of her body only fueled that heat that had started earlier and turned up the volume substantially even amidst that chaotic noise and activity that now reigned. As he pulled almost contentiously on her mane and clawed her buttocks to rub her against him, initially Chiyoto could do nothing but melt into him and moan his name … giving his mouth and hands full access to whatever they demanded … . . until Runa pulled her back from this passionate brink.
Many need us, my Treasure. And you are correct, it is time we come out of hiding … . or at least participated in life if you are serious about your Rafal.
Feeling her begin to pull back slightly, Rafal broke their kiss and spoke across her face – his beast ever-present in his voice.
“Your promise, shioliah?”
Chiyoto both blushed and smiled as she reached up and stole one last kiss.
“Our promise, my Rafal,” she nipped his lower lip, hearing his beast growl in approval at the action, “We are yours.”
Rafal felt his entire world click readily into place as they watched their mate stumble away due to the strange angle at which the shuttle hung, unmoving, in space.
“Gods protect her,” Rafal whispered to himself.
They will, Rafal.
Rafal shook his head at the real? imagined? yet needed response from his beast as he immediately activated the comm he had set-up to Sila.
“Tehlike Sila! Forward sections! She intends to help the injured – find her, assist her, and bring her back safely to our suite, understood?”
Sila’s voice seemed rough but alert.
“Understood, my lord,” and, after a slight hiss of acknowledgement that was evidently that of his chestryl, “She will be protected.”
After a brief check-in comm to Dalis, Rafal let out a roar that was both Prince and beast.
Because both of them doubted this would turn out to be an accidental incident.
Chapter 19
Kilgar woke to the sound of the demercriere’s tranquil snoring within – the almost imagined vibrations of the beast’s chest welcoming his conscious back to reality.
A very painful reality.
The pounding headache certainly made him want to go back to sleep – made him want to shake his head to clear those kahrolasi spikes that seem to pierce and tug the inside of his ears. But, as the real world broke through the haze, he realized his head was held fast – immovable – no matter the effort he put into it. And, as he tried to raise a hand to get a better “visual” on the restraints, it was clear that his arms were tightly bound as well.
But just as the panic of entrapment tried to settle on both him and his beast, he felt the gentle touch and recognizable scent of two pair of small but firm little hands – one pair on his cheeks as a warm breath blew across his forehead and one pair on his abdomen – wait, no, now they were on his chest – as Matin’s bright, cerulean eyes arose from the direction of his chin. The blonde twin’s stern face of concern was almost immediately followed by the appearance of his brother, Erol, whose piercing midnight eyes in that same concerned scowl – the exact one that their patè, Hondo, often wore – materialized in an upside-down position from over Kilgar’s forehead.
Kilgar’s entire body immediately relaxed – save the fact that he had instinctively crossed his legs in defense of a wrong move by Matin who seemed to be intent on creeping up his torso to get a look at his Amca Kilgar’s face.
Kilgar smiled at the two and opened his mouth to speak when Matin’s little hand was immediately placed over his entire mouth and Erol held three fingers across his own sealed lips while both of them slowly shook their heads – clearly indicating that Kilgar was not to speak.
Kilgar initially raised his eyebrows in surprise, but then relaxed when, instead of the usual verbal and even physical banter between them, Matin stroked Kilgar’s cheek softly with one hand and, raising those blue eyes to Erol, jerked his head in a direction away from them. Initially, Erol’s eyes shown with defiance as he, too, stroked Kilgar’s cheek – albeit the other one from Matin – and jerked his head toward that same direction. It was clear that each wanted the other to go do … . something.
But the demercriere – who had awakened with Kilgar’s initial wave of panic – simply melted and purred in relaxation with all of the physical attention – especially when Erol ran his other little hand through Kilgar’s somewhat nappy yet motley-colored hair.
And the injured Guard Captain had no choice but to completely soften and breathe easy along with his beast – even the uncharacteristic quiet of the twins’ – okay, so they were still arguing, just silently – had a calming effect on him. His arms and neck even relaxed into the restraints for a good long while.
Suddenly, the door opened and the entire room was filled with Hondo and that unbelievable and, in Kilgar’s present state, nearly over-whelming presence his birader, the Prince, always possessed.
The demercriere within sniffed the air and huffed almost silently in friendly greeting as he languidly rustled back and forth to scratch his back.
Before Kilgar managed to pull himself to full wakefulness again, his Prince had effortlessly lifted Matin from his chest, nipped the young male’s scowling brow and nuzzled him almost forcefully before reaching over and doing the same to Erol. He then bowed to them both – not mockingly, but definitely sincerely – and clearly mouthed “Teşekkür ederim” before motioning for them to leave.
At least Kilgar hoped to the gods that Hondo had mouthed those words and not spoken them because the suspicious Guard Captain could hear nothing with respect to any noise whatsoever. Although he found himself somewhat calmed by the fact that his demercriere remained placid and unphased – in fact, his beast groomed himself almost languidly as Hondo smiled at Kilgar and brushed his injured friend’s forehead, breathing heavily across his face in the silent greeting used among brothers on the battlefield.
It was a greeting to both cognate and alter-being.
Kilgar smiled – although even that slight use of facial muscles elicited a response from the piercing spikes just inside both the right and the left sides of his head – and nipped Hondo’s thumb in affectionate response.
As Kilgar smiled up at him – the relief and warmth clearly displayed on his face – Hondo’s hand moved to the either side of Kilgar’s head – one and then the other – as Kilgar felt rather than heard a muffled rustling and tugging of the bandages and restraints and such.
And the two males’ eyes never left their lock with each other – Kilgar out of waiting to learn some of the worst news a Bohrean soldier could ever expect to learn about an injury such as this and Hondo out of reassurance to his obviously over-whelmed brother.
After raising the head of Kilgar’s bed only in the slightest – Kilgar tried not to wince at the subtle shifting pains that continued shooting spikes through his upper body – Hondo ran his fingers through Kilgar’s hair to keep a sense of calm through both his brother and his demercriere as he positioned a vid-screen mounted on an adjustable arm so that Kilgar could comfortably view it even in his reclined and restrained position.
Grasp
ing the Voice-To-Screen microphone and raising it to speak, Hondo’s lips began to move and words began to crawl across the screen for Kilgar to read – the Guard Captain could not hear even the slightest sound from Hondo’s speech.
The creatures are dead, and we lost three. Crontiar, Frarire, and Shellzan. Huntmaster Tazirr said your thinking on how to take them down was what saved as many as we did.
Kilgar nodded with his eyes even as both he and his beast mourned their fallen. At least two of them would be difficult to replace – and their loyalty had been unquestionable. And Frarire had been their field hakim – kahrolasi godsfall! He finally looked up at Hondo to indicate he could continue.
You will hear again, Birader.
Kilgar let out a seemingly forever-held breath, a smile of relief over-taking his deeply scarred face as his demercriere returned to grooming. Then Kilgar raised an eyebrow in question.
Another full day of silence in here then a few more taking it slowly and quietly. The majority of your auditory ability will return in the next day or so although it will take two maybe three for the multiple layers of damage inside to be up to full capability again.
Kilgar opened and closed his mouth with the same raised eyebrow.
Your speech was unaffected, but the vibrations of your voice will hinder the initial healing process – whisper. And then only if it is absolutely necessary.
Kilgar’s eyes went wide with disbelief as he huffed in aggravation and frowned exaggeratedly. Hondo could not help himself but to chuckle a bit.
You must remain almost completely immobile for another fifteen to twenty hurs, birader. For your quiet time after that, Ornico is fashioning a sound-proof ear-band for you to wear until you are healed so, no presence for your beast until the healing time is finished.
Kilgar’s eyes rolled up into his head, chuffing again – his demercriere stopped grooming and curled sulkingly into a ball, and Kilgar actually felt both of their stomachs growl. So, Kilgar licked his lips to indicate his hunger, his eyes again looking to Hondo in question.