Cali & Drake (The Alliance Book 1)

by Stormy McKnight

  Cali recognized the threat behind the softly spoken words. If Drake’s father didn’t like what he heard about her, then he had the authority to make this unpleasant.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Drake took her hand and squeezed. “Father, I would like to introduce you to Calinae Edal. Cali my father, Chan’ Virrel.”

  Cali knew they’d been warned about Cestori, so she expected a bad reaction to her name, and she wasn’t disappointed.

  “Calinae Edal? Not the crazy one?” His father burst out.

  “The one from Cestori?” His mother looked horrified.

  The other two just sat quietly, which Cali appreciated.

  “Before anyone says anything they’ll regret later, let me explain.” Drake stopped the conversation before it became more embarrassing. “What we were told about the people of Cestori isn’t entirely accurate.”

  “They aren’t ruled by a power-mad woman named Aicen Edal?” His father questioned.

  “Well, yes. That part is true.” Drake admitted.

  “This Cali isn’t their leader’s daughter? The one being trained to take over for her mother?” his mother asked hopefully.

  “Well, no. She is Aicen Edal’s daughter.” Drake sighed. Before anyone else could interrupt, he hurried to explain everything. “Cali was being forced by her mother, into mate status with a male not of her choosing. To escape, she hijacked a spacecraft and fled into the Buffer Zone. It was there that she found me in stasis, along with Dak, Tae, Arik, and Mica.”

  “I thought you said The Maxon found the survivors?” His mother questioned Varian.

  “We did, our scans picked up traces of trianium in a spacecraft captained by Cali.” His brother smiled warmly at her. “They were already on course to arrive at Titus, but we intercepted them to ascertain their intentions.”

  “Where is this ship now?” Virrel asked.

  “Returning to Cestori.” Varian supplied when Drake remained silent. “Cali is the only one who stayed, at Drake’s insistence.”

  “Why?” his father looked at her again more assessingly.

  “The only reason a male would keep a female of another world.” Drake offered cryptically.

  “As his chosen mate?” Virrel and Essdey asked at the same time.

  “Yes,” Drake’s thumb rubbed against hers. “I have chosen Cali.”

  There was dead silence in the room. Finally, after what felt like agonizing minutes his father spoke.

  “I see,” His eyes flashed over her for a moment and Cali forced herself to remain calm. “Congratulations are in order then. Essdey, you might want to advise cook to make tonight extra special.”

  “Of course.” Essdey stood from her seat. “Cali, would you like a tour of the kitchens, while the others talk further?”

  “That sounds nice.” Cali stood from her place on the couch, and when she went to walk away, she had to pull her hand harder to get Drake to release her fingers. Looking back at him, she smiled at his mischievous grin.

  “I’m going to visit with some friends since I’m already here. I’ll be back in time for dinner.” Nevir stood and kissed Virrel on one cheek and then Essdey before she swept out the front door.

  “This way Cali.”

  She hurried to keep up with Essdey’s longer stride. They went through the same archway she had used earlier, entered a short hallway and then exited into a large kitchen area. There was a massive stove in the center of the room. A large pipe funneled smoke up and out of the room through the ceiling. Cabinets took up almost every wall space, and a large copper colored sink stood against one wall. There were food items, pots, pans and mixing spoons spread all over the counters.

  “Alda,” Essdey called as she entered the room.

  “In here.” A voice called from a large walk in pantry. Cali watched as a round, elderly woman, with her silvered hair tucked in a bun lumbered into sight. Her arms were full of items she placed on the counter. Revealing an apron covered in a white powder and other stain marks.

  “What can I do for you dear?” The woman’s kindly brown eyes were large in her round face.

  “We need something extra special with dinner. Perhaps a dessert?” Essdey spoke warmly to the cook.

  “I know Drake has returned, is there another occasion?” the woman asked coyly.

  “I know you were listening in the doorway Alda, and you know that Drake has chosen a mate. This is Calinae Edal.” Essdey gestured at her. “We want to make her welcome to the family.”

  Alda’s eyes flashed to her, “Of course. Of course. What about a salarian soufflé?”

  “No. That’s an acquired taste and I don’t want to shock Cali’s system with it on her first night. How about bolvian chocolate crème cake?”

  Alda rubbed her chin and Cali smiled when a white streak got left behind. “I think I can manage that. I might have to run to Denary for supplies. I can be back and have it ready in time for dinner.”

  “Thank you, Alda. You are a gift from the moons.” Essdey entwined her arm in Cali’s. “On with the tour. Out this set of doors is the garden.” Essdey pulled her along as she talked. “We cultivate a minimal amount of herbs that Alda needs for cooking, along with some plants that I just like the way they look.” His mother laughed sheepishly.

  Walking through the doorway they entered a garden paradise. If this was Essdey’s idea of minimal she didn’t want to know what extensive would be to her. There had to be an acre or more of vegetation. At the entrance of the garden, the plants were all in rows, marked with the strange symbols they used for writing. As they walked along a cobbled path, the plants, flowers, and grass spread out. She didn’t recognize any of the species, but she inhaled deeply taking in the rich scent of dirt and flowers.

  “Essdey, can I ask you something while we are out here?” Cali had been wondering how to approach the question she had.

  “Of course.” His mother maneuvered them to a bench under a nice shade tree. “Would you prefer to sit?”

  “This spot is very lovely. I wouldn’t mind sitting here all day.” Cali smiled and took a seat on the bench. Drake’s mother sat next to her.

  “Now, what’s bothering you?” Essdey gave her a questioning look.

  “I don’t want to appear ignorant.” Cali began. She was an intelligent woman. Graduated at the top of her class, and still she didn’t know some of what they kept talking about here on Titus. “I think I have an idea what the words mean, but I need you to clarify for me. What are brothers and sisters?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  After asking, Cali bit her lip.

  “What?” The shocked look on Essdey’s face made her feel worse.

  Seeing her distress Essdey patted her hand. “I’m sorry Cali, I was momentarily surprised. Let me explain. Males that share the same parent, be that a mother, father or both, are referred to as brothers. Drake’s father and I have four sons. Drake, Varian whom you have met, Nallan and Lathan. Those two should arrive any moment now. A girl who shares the same parent is called a sister. Nevis is our only daughter. We make up a family unit. There are also extended family members. Aunts, children call their parents sisters this title. Uncles, children call their parents brothers this title. Finally, we have cousins. Your parents’ brother or sister’s children are this.”

  “Drake has all of these things? Aunts, Uncles, and cousins?!” Cali was speechless. She hadn’t ever imagined a person could have that many members of their genetic line.

  “Yes.” Essdey looked at her closely, “You won’t meet all of them right away, but we do have certain celebrations where all family members attend.”

  “All of them?” Cali’s eyebrows rose in amazement.

  “Yes.” Essdey laughed, “as many as possible. Why didn’t Drake tell you any of this?”

  Cali blushed guiltily. “I didn’t get the chance to ask. I didn’t pick up on the terms brother and sister until we met up with The Maxon. There hasn’t been time for us to speak privately since then.” Time for
other things like lovemaking, yes. Asking him word terminology, no.

  “I understand,” Essdey assured her and Cali knew the woman meant it. Her tone and body language was open and friendly. “It must be a very difficult time for you, and I’m sorry we haven’t exactly been warm in our welcome. It was just a surprise that Drake had taken a chosen one and that you were not of Titus.”

  “Is that going to be an issue?” Cali was nervous that she might not be welcome because of her home world.

  “I won’t lie to you and say there won’t be some resistance.” Essdey warned her, “Drake had many females trying to catch his eye, and they’ll not take kindly to an outsider winning his attention. On Drake’s part, I think there was always the worry at the back of his mind, that they wanted him for his position. Not for himself.”

  “His position?” Cali knew that Drake had captained The Maxon, was that a position of extreme importance here on Titus?

  “As the first son of the ruling Chan’…?” His mother smiled softly. “I can see that he didn’t tell you that either. Drake will assume this clan’s seat on the council when his father abdicates the position. Unless Virrel’s line is challenged and the rule shifts to another family. ”

  Cali blushed again. “Ahh,” Cali let this information sink in. “I can see why he didn’t say anything. I understand exactly how he feels. You see, on Cestori, I had the exact same problem. Only intensified by my mother trying to partner me to Vathral, he’s a friend of mine from the Academy. His mother is also on the council, so our partnership would connect two genetic lines.”

  “I can see where your mother might find that advantageous,” Essdey murmured.

  “Since partners on Cestori are only allowed one child—”

  “Only one?! That is why you didn’t understand the terms for extended family,” Essdey burst out.

  “Yes, I imagine your science labs work overtime, but on Cestori only one child is permitted, and the sex of that child cannot be chosen in advance. That is why my mother is so frantic to use me as a pawn, there are no other options for her. That’s another reason I’ve got to return to Cestori, and soon. She may use my friends in her attempts to get me to capitulate.”

  “Science labs? Choosing the sex of offspring?” Essdey looked confused and then coughed. “My dear, you and Drake really need to sit down and discuss matters. I will, of course, help in any way possible. Bring up what you’ve spoken about with me, to Drake. I’m sure you two will work it out. I see the way he looks at you. He’s chosen well.”

  Cali wasn’t sure what she’d said that his mother thought needed to be discussed with Drake. He already knew she wanted to go back. As for the other things, she swore they’d already talked about them…or had they? She would take his mother’s advice and speak with him tonight.

  Her heart swelled with happiness that his mother thought they were a good match. It would be imperative to have his families support if they were to make things work. Especially now that she knew they were such a tight knit unit. She didn’t want Drake to have to choose between her and his family. It wasn’t arrogance that she knew he would pick her, she just felt it to be true. If he had to choose her, that would create a rift she didn’t want to think about.

  “Brace yourself,” Essdey blurted out. “Bella and Horace have arrived.”

  “Bella? Horace?” Cali had no idea what Essdey was talking about until she heard an unholy, ground shaking growling noise.

  Turning in the direction of the sound, her breath froze in her chest and the sudden urge to climb a nearby tree swept over her. Bounding toward where she sat were two of the largest, hairiest, meanest looking beasts she had ever seen. Their snapping jaws, razor sharp teeth, and fangs were apparent, even from this distance.

  “W-what are those?” Cali whispered.

  “Those two belong to Drake. They probably smelled him and have escaped from his brother’s home where they were being kept.” Essdey took mercy on her, “They are completely domesticated and would never harm you.”

  Yeah right! Cali wanted to snort in derision, but the animals were on them. With what she knew was going to be her death, one of the animals planted his/her feet against her shoulders, knocking her back against the bench. Its face was inches from hers, it’s mouth open to…swipe her with its slobbering tongue? Okay. That isn’t what she had expected. Another swipe and Cali’s entire face was now coated with slobber.

  “I’m sorry Cali, it’s best that they get a good sense of you from the beginning. The slobber will wash off, but a bad impression will last with them.”

  Cali turned her head to the side to avoid opening her mouth to talk while the animal licked away at her face. “It’s okay,” She assured Essdey. “I don’t mind.”

  She’d never in her life been around an animal that was domesticated for a pet. It wasn’t a logical thing to do, and on Cestori, the process had been prohibited a very long time ago.

  “I’ll go get Drake and check on the preparations for dinner. Alda should be back by now,” Essdey shooed the beast away and stood up.

  “How could Alda be back already?” Cali asked. “She did say she was going to Denary for supplies.”

  “Each clan has a main teleportation center to reach the other clans. To travel quickly within clan boundaries we use the pod transportation system. It makes travel much more expedient.”

  Cali couldn’t believe they were so advanced and said so. “We were totally wrong about Titus and its people.” Cali shook her head. If they were this wrong about Titus, could it be that they were also wrong about Atheon?

  “I think there has been a lot of misinformation on everyone’s part,” Essdey conceded. “I will see you for dinner Cali. I’m sure you have much to discuss with Drake.” Essdey moved off and the beasts remained with her. Sitting on the ground, watching her with interest.

  Cali held out a hand and each animal sniffed her fingers, their hairy noses causing her to laugh. “Bella and Horace is it?” She gathered her nerve and brushed her fingers into the hair at their necks. It was very soft and thick. Wondering what pets like this did for fun she went to stand up. “What do you want to play?” she asked the dogs. “Where are your toys?”

  With an excited bark, the larger of the animals ran off, and the other just sat watching her. Before she could look around for something to do, the larger one came back. It was carrying a branch in its mouth, which it proceeded to drop at her feet.

  “What do I do with that?” Cali wondered out loud. Seeing the excited movement of the animal’s tail, she figured maybe she was supposed to pick it up. Wrapping both hands around the branch she lifted it off the ground. Holding it aloft she saw that both animals were now standing as well.

  “What?” Cali wavered under the weight of the wood she was holding. The animals tracked the movement of her hands with their eyes, as Cali waved the branch from side to side. The animals increased their excited yelps. When the larger one jumped toward her, Cali threw the branch in reflex. Both animals instantly took off after the wood, wrestled each other for supremacy and ended up carrying an end in each of their mouths.

  When they made it back to her, they dropped it at her feet again. So this was some kind of game they played? The animals liked to run after a thrown object and bring it back. Cali bent and picked up the branch again, this time, she threw it as far as she could, not that it was very far. Both animals took off after it again. This is kind of fun.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Drake’s mother had just left for the kitchen with Cali when he spoke to his father. “Varian told me what happened with The Maxon. I understand that the engineers figure the cloaking device wavered, and the computer mistook it for an impending meltdown.”

  “Yes, that flaw has been fixed and won’t happen again. When the crew used the escape pods they were found by The Cariyel. It was hypothesized that you, Dak, Tae, Arik and Mica waited until the end to deploy your pods. By then the cloaking device had stabilized and you sort of ricochet a different
direction,” His father didn’t look happy.

  “So it wasn’t an explosion that sent the five of us in a different direction, it was the cloaking device that repelled us. Interesting.” Drake rubbed his chin in thought. “Varian said The Cariyel helped gain control of The Maxon while it sat idly in space. Very honorable of Atheon to help.”

  “Yes, without their assistance, The Maxon might still be un-manned.” His father turned the topic, “About Calinae Edal. Are you sure she is your chosen?”

  “Without a doubt, I was found first,” Drake offered the information he knew his father needed to understand his attachment to Cali. “I woke up on Cali’s ship, The Reliant. I was in their medical unit, surrounded by guards and Cali. Without her presence, I would’ve attacked as Dak, Tae, Arik and Mica did.”

  “Ahh,” His father nodded, “She is the one then. Now we just need to figure out what to do about it.”

  “What do you mean?” Drake didn’t think there was anything to talk about. Cali was his, and he was hers.

  “You know it isn’t that simple Drake.” His father admonished, “There is her family to consider, her home world…”

  “There is no family, except perhaps her father. She speaks fondly of him, other than that, there are no brothers or sisters, only her mother.”

  “She has no other family?” His brother burst out, “How is that possible?”

  “I haven’t asked her the details,” Drake sighed, “I didn’t think it was important.”

  “You didn’t think it might be a major difference in your expectations that you have such a large family and she has none?” his father raised the question.

  “No, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll do anything to make Cali happy,” Drake insisted firmly.

  “What are your plans then? I’ll help if I can.”

  Drake knew his father understood that a mate had an obligation to his partner, and was offering the help of his clan and Council if necessary.