The talk tapered off as everyone ate their food. Cali had to admit it was very tasty. She wasn’t sure what she was eating, and in her classes at the Academy, it was taught that you might not want to know. The bolvian chocolate crème cake that Alda presented for dessert was a masterpiece. Cali couldn’t believe how exceptionally good it tasted. She would be sure to get the recipe so she could make it.
After dessert was finished Drake stood, “I hate to eat and run, but it’s been a long day. I think it’s time for Cali and me to get home.” Drawing her into his side he continued, “I’m very happy to see everyone, and the food was superb. Would you thank Alda for me, mother?”
“Of course.” His mother stood as well as the rest of his family. “Your house has been kept clean, and I had Alda stock it while you were showing Cali around the estate.”
There were a few titters around the table and Cali blushed hotly. Everyone knew Drake hadn’t been showing her the estate.
“Thank you.” Drake urged her from the room with a hand on her back. “Father, I’ll see you tomorrow at the Council meeting.”
“You can use our pod. Just send it back when you get home.” His father and the rest of the family were walking with them to the door.
Drake stopped to embrace his mother, father, sister and brothers. Cali was drawn into the group and went the rounds as well.
“It’s nice to meet you, Cali if you need anything just send a message via the telecom.” His mother stepped back so the others could get to her.
“I’ll be at school for another month.” Nevir gave her a warm hug, “I’ll send you tons of telecoms and visit when I can.”
“Nice to meet you.” Nallan and Lathan said almost at once.
“Cali.” Varian bowed to her and moved back.
“Good-night. It’s been so nice to meet all of you.” Cali thanked Essdey and moved with Drake out the front doors. The entrance to the home looked as she pictured it would. A sweeping driveway, with grass and plants along the front of the building. In front of her was obviously the pod his father had mentioned. It was tear-drop shaped and very sleek looking. The material looked identical to the material used in the stasis pods and The Maxon. Cali couldn’t make out any form of tires, or rolling apparatus on the bottom, it was perfectly smooth.
“How does it move?” she asked as they stepped up to the vehicle.
“The road system and driveways of all the clans are built with a magnetic strip in the ground. The pods not only use that strip for navigation but to build up speed. Since all of the vehicles are interconnected by an advanced communication system, no two pods can collide.”
“That is very ingenious.” Cali had to admit that it beat the mode of transportation on Cestori even.
“Do these pods travel all the way to the other clans?” Cali stepped up as Drake gestured her to. Inside the pod was very luxurious. There were four captain’s chairs upholstered in some type of soft cream colored leather material.
“This is a short range pod for travel within clan boundaries. They come with two, four and six seats. As you can see my parents have the four-seater. There are even larger transport pods if you are looking for a longer, leisurely trip through the countryside. Those have sleeping quarters and small bathrooms. Most clan members use the teleportation system to get to their destinations faster and use the complimentary pod system at the other end.”
“So there are pods just sitting around for people to use while in a new clan area?”
“Yes.”
Cali sat down in one of the chairs and adjusted the restraint. “Why the need for protective restraints if the pods don’t crash?”
“You can never be too safe,” Drake smiled and adjusted his strap. “Computer. Take us to the residence of Chan’ Drake.”
“Confirmed.”
Cali recognized the male voice from The Maxon.
“With current traffic arrival time will be ten minutes.”
Cali watched in awe as the door she had come through slid shut. There was a slight humming from the pod and then they were moving. Outside the window on her side of the pod, Cali could see landscaping and homes had dotted the area.
In less time than she would have thought, they were slowing down in another driveway. The landscaping was similar to his parent’s home. The only difference Cali could detect so far were the additional trees closer to the main house. The one story home looked similar to his parents’.
“Welcome home.” Drake took her hand and she stepped carefully out of the pod. “All of the homes built here in Renari use similar floor plans. It’s easier to fabricate the walls and interiors that way.”
“Is that what you call this community? Renari?” Cali had been wondering about that.
“Yes, all of the communities are named after their clan. It made it easier when programming the computer systems for transportation and telecom.” Drake explained. Upon making it to the doorway he stopped at a console on the wall. “Computer, allow access to Chan’ Drake.”
“Voice authorization confirmed. Access granted.” There was a chirping sound and Drake opened the door.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“If there is anything you don’t like we can change it.” Drake walked in behind her.
The interior of their home was the same as his parents. An archway on the left, a large fireplace with mantel, couches, chairs and end tables. The only difference was the table in the middle of the great room was smaller, and more variety of colors. Where his parent’s had been purple exclusively in the materials, Drake mixed his up with reds, green, and blue cushions. Along with some very ornate and colorful wall decorations.
Cali’s eyes flared wide…and a totally naked woman lounging provocatively on one of the couches.
“Drake!” The black-haired woman was exceptionally pretty. Tall and slim with legs that went on forever. “Darling—” she sat up where she was laying and spotted Cali first. Her brow furrowed and her eyes looked over questioningly.
“Uh…ahem.” Cali cleared her throat and turned toward Drake. Seeing the shocked look on his face made her burst into laughter. “A few ideas on what to change are coming to me.”
“Angeline,” Drake couldn’t be clearer that he wasn’t amused. His stiff frame moved protectively closer and his arms drew her into his chest. “What are you doing here?!”
“I heard you were found.”
Cali couldn’t see the woman with her face buried in Drake’s chest, but her voice was coming nearer.
“I wanted to welcome you home.”
“You must leave,” Drake was furious and Cali could only laugh harder.
“Why are you protecting that child?” Angeline was right behind her.
“This is not a child,” Drake snapped. “She is my chosen mate.” At those words, the air started to crackle with energy.
“Impossible. You can’t mean to have this small creature for your mate.” The formerly seductive note to Angeline’s voice shifted to anger. “We were—”
“Both aware of my intentions towards you.” Drake interrupted her rant. “I never led you to believe that we would be anything more.”
“Not in so many words.”
Angeline wasn’t giving up and Cali was getting irritated.
“You didn’t have to say anything when we fit so well together.”
Cali had stopped laughing. She didn’t want to be rude, but this was her home with Drake now, and Angeline had overstayed her welcome. Stiffening in Drake’s arms Cali turned to look up into the flashing eyes of his former lover.
“I don’t want to be rude, but I think it’s time for you to leave.”
With a scream of rage, Angeline lifted her arm to strike out. Cali knew from seeing how strong the people of Titus were that she wouldn’t survive a hit from one of them. Even if it was a woman doing the striking.
Drake spun her away just in time, the blow landing on his back. Twisting her away from him, and drawing Angeline toward the door at the same time, they en
ded up in reverse position. Drake was now holding a flailing Angeline, and she was closer to the middle of the room.
“You would dare strike my chosen?” Drake was enraged. “Why Angeline? It could mean banishment?”
Angeline was raging and screaming. Drake didn’t look like he was expending very much energy, but she knew it wasn’t because Angeline wasn’t strong…Drake was simply stronger.
“You’re mine, I won’t let that shriveled, child-woman have you. Remember what we had together.”
Drake had maneuvered Angeline to the doorway. Pressing his hand against a console the door opened. “Computer restrict access to my home to only Chan’ Drake or Chan’ Cali.”
“Confirmed. Access restricted.”
“No Drake. Don’t—”
Cali couldn’t hear what she said as Drake moved out of the doorway and the closing doors silenced her yells. It was amazing really how much the house insulated the noise from outside. She knew Angeline must still be screaming, but she couldn’t hear any of it.
Standing in the middle of the room, she waited. Whatever Drake had done it didn’t take long. Moments later he returned.
“Cali, I’m sorry.” Drake’s long legs ate the distance between them. His worried blue eyes swept over her. “Are you harmed?” His hands moved along her arms and torso in a quick inspection for damage.
“No, she didn’t hit me. You took the force of her punch to your back.” Cali moved her hands along his sides.
“I worried in my haste to move you that I had damaged you.” Drake inspected her arms and groaned, “You are bruised.”
Cali looked at her upper arms. There were very faint red marks where Drake had grabbed her. Smiling over his exaggeration she assured him. “You didn’t hurt me. Those marks are barely there. Why are you overreacting so badly? We’ve marked each other much worse during sex.”
“I never considered you would be in danger here on Titus,” Drake shook his head, his expression guarded.
“It won’t happen again.” Cali wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. “Angeline was surprised by the news of you taking me for your chosen mate. The news will have spread soon enough, and won’t be such a shock to your other…uh…women.” Cali started giggling again as the experience played out in her mind. The look on Drake’s face, Angeline getting tossed out, in her birthday suit. Wait, her birthday suit?
“Won’t Angeline be needing her clothes?” Cali looked around and spotted a dress draped on a chair.
“I put her in my parents’ pod. It is taking her to a detention center where she will be dressed. She has tonight to think about her actions, and then she will be transported to Jataci in the morning.”
“She has to go to the Justice Center?” Cali was shocked. Angeline hadn’t even touched her.
“Yes, she attempted to strike you, knowing you were my chosen mate. Fighting is allowed, it is one way to showcase your abilities to a potential mate. Fighting once a chosen has been declared is prohibited, however.”
“So if Angeline had tried to fight with me before knowing I was your chosen it would have been allowed. Since you told her I was your chosen mate, that’s why she’s in trouble?”
“Yes,” Drake sighed.
“I’m sorry Drake.” She rubbed her hands along his arms. “If I’d been from Titus you wouldn’t have this problem.”
“If you were anyone but Cali from Cestori, I wouldn’t be happily mated.” Drake insisted and Cali’s heart swelled with love for her mate. She knew he meant what he said. He was happy with her just as she was, even if it meant added concerns over her safety. Cali didn’t delude herself, if a woman of Titus wanted to hurt her, it wouldn’t take much. They had the abilities of their men and she knew what that meant. She had to hope that their sense of honor would keep them in line.
“Why don’t you give me a tour of our home,” Cali turned the topic.
Drake kissed the top of her head and then pulled her in front of him. “The archway on the left leads to the kitchen, just as in my parents’ home. I don’t have a chef since I like to do the cooking for myself. Denary has the best cooks if you want to hire one. I also have a garden off the kitchen. It’s not on the same scale as what you saw with my parents, but it is similar. The grounds of our home is more wooded, less grassy. Our bedroom is this way.” Drake pulled her through an archway on the right, and down a hallway. After passing three other doorways, at the end of the hall, there were two giant doors. Drake pushed them open and drew her inside.
The first thing Cali couldn’t help but notice was the giant bed. It was against one wall, flanked by end tables and windows. She hadn’t seen anything that large before. The color of his bedding surprised her. It was pale ivory, with a small band of embellishment at the bottom. She had envisioned him with bold colors in the bedroom. She might have to add a splash of sexy red to the room. Perhaps some pillows and a throw. Against the opposite wall there was another fireplace, with a smaller, but just as intricate mantel.
“Through here is the bathroom.” Drake had stopped to watch her looking the room over. “As you can see there is a shower, bathtub, and separate toilet area.”
The bathroom was exactly as he described. Walking through the double doors, on her right was an open door showing the toilet. On her left were a set of tall cabinets, broken in the middle by a double sink and mirrors. Straight ahead was a giant bathtub that appeared as if it could hold two or three people. Next to the tub was a walk-in shower, complete with a number of strange pipes coming out of the wall. Cali wasn’t sure what the whole purpose of those might be. A solar shower usually didn’t have them hanging overhead. With a shrug, she figured the old saying, “to each their own”, came into play here. There was a long seat against one wall and a nice smell coming from the various bottles in a built in shelve system. Perhaps his solar shower added a scent to its cycle? The idea was very interesting.
With the walls and flooring in a mix of green, blue, and gray, it seemed to drag the colors of the outdoors, inside. The overall effect was very pleasing, and she knew she wouldn’t be making any changes in here.
“This is very nice.” Cali was suddenly very sleepy. It had been a very long day and she was exhausted. Without warning, just thinking of how tired she was caused her to yawn hugely.
“Would you like a shower before bed?” Drake offered.
“That sounds nice,” Cali smiled.
“I’ll be right back, I want to check on Horace and Bella. I didn’t unlock the canine door. They will be stuck outside until I open it.”
Drake hurried from the room and Cali laughed. She didn’t need help in taking a solar shower. Turning and walking into the shower, she hit a few buttons. The settings on this shower were unlike anything she had seen before. Tapping a few more times, she was totally unprepared when water started soaking her from all angles. Shrieking and flailing her arms, she tried to find the controls to stop the spray.
“What happened?” Drake was suddenly in the water with her. Struggling to hold back the two canines and help her at the same time.
“I was going to take a solar shower,” The water finally stopped and Cali looked up to see Drake standing there looking soaking wet and sexy. Water beads were hanging on his lashes, and his eyes were flashing with humor. His shirt was stuck to his impressive chest, and she could see the outline of his nipples. Trailing her eyes lower, she caught her breath. The material of his pants was clinging in an indecent way to his lower body, and she could make out every line of his…growing arousal?!
Her eyes instantly returned to his. They were the now familiar glowing blue and her body reacted instantly to the pleasure she knew was coming.
“Horace, Bella go to bed.”
The two canines moved away making complaining sounds as they went.
“Now. To put us to bed.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Cali, wake up.”
Cali groaned and snuggled deeper into the blankets. She didn’t want to
move. The bed was so comfortable, and the covers so warm. Over the last three days, she had learned an appreciation for this bed, and not just for sleeping.
“Cali. It’s important,” Drake insisted and pulled the covers down her body.
“Drake,” she protested feebly. “Just a few more minutes.”
“I’m leaving a dress and sandals at the bottom of the bed,” Drake spoke softly next to her ear. “Get up.” He smacked her bottom through the blanket.
Cali felt the answering thill run down her body. His lips were so close to her neck, if she moved just a bit, he would be caressing her. Tilting her head, she tried to get him to brush his lips closer only to have him move away.
“We don’t have time this morning sweetheart.” Drake pulled open the curtains by the bed and sunlight flooded the room. “I was at the Council with my father when we heard, I have to hurry and get to Jataci.”
“Jataci.” Cali murmured sleepily. “Why do you have to go to the justice clan?”
“Others were found and brought to the Jataci for trial.” Drake sat at the bottom of the bed.
Others were the unaffiliated, or rogue men on the planet. Why did Drake think she would want to see them?
“I have to go as a Renari representative to break the tie vote. I thought you might want to join me.”
He just wanted her to come along so they’d be together. How sweet. “I’ll take a quick shower and be right out.” Cali jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. She knew how the shower worked and made sure to grab a towel so she could dry off. It was going to take getting used to, and she didn’t know if she would ever be taking a “bath” as Drake called it.
Scrubbing her hair and body with the nice smelling soaps, Cali thought about The Reliant and her friends. It felt like a lifetime ago that they had entered the Buffer Zone.
Cali rushed a comb through her hair, drew on the clothing Drake had left and was ready ten minutes after he had woken her up.
“The pod can take us to the Teleporting Center, from there we will get a complimentary travel pod to take us to the detention center.”
Cali & Drake (The Alliance Book 1) Page 13