Engulf

by C. L. Scholey

  “All right. But I like wow.”

  Raiden’s armor absorbed back into his body. He collapsed on his side. Abri moved close and put her head on his chest.

  “Why do I feel like I’ve known you forever?” she asked.

  “Because we are one. Our essence flows together. You are as important to my existence as breathing.”

  As he spoke, she lifted her head from his chest. Raiden sighed. She was still deaf in her right ear. He still couldn’t hear from his left. Their joining hadn’t cured them as he had hoped. He was a little disappointed, but gazing at her he still felt the sacrifice was worth it—she was worth it.

  “I would like to see your world, Raiden. Um, do you have something for me to wear? Your pool ate my clothes.”

  “It’s healing water. It destroys foreign things like…”

  “My hair is gone. What the hell!”

  Abri was now sitting with her legs spread. Raiden cocked his head to get a better view of the area she was examining. He didn’t know why she looked so stunned. She looked somewhat amazed there wasn’t any covering over her mound that really should be bare and accessible to him.

  “Did it serve a useful purpose?”

  “That’s not the point. First you brand me then your water shaves me.”

  Abri lifted both hands and felt the hair on her head and breathed a sigh of relief. Raiden strolled to the console and waved a hand. He returned to Abri with a shirt that would leave her shoulders and midriff bare. A Castian needed to see if a female was carrying for his own safety. Not that it mattered now, must was over, but there were numerous females in late pregnancy. A warrior could sense a woman’s pregnancy, their smell was intoxicating, it meant they would have sex and could breed—very desirable. But it was easier on everyone if he could see a visual aid from a distance. A female who carried was indestructible and could toss a warrior on his ass with her shield if he got too close. She couldn’t hurt a warrior—but it was certainly embarrassing.

  Abri slipped into the knee high flexible pants he gave her. The fewer encumbrances on her body suited his armor better. She was frowning down at her shirt, trying to tug it lower.

  “All the females wear what you are,” Raiden said.

  “Is everything here designed to control women?”

  “It has nothing to do with control. It’s for a warrior’s safety.”

  “A warrior’s safety.” She practically snorted the words and her gaze travelled over the height of him as he donned the standard skin tight black pants the console produced for him.

  “When a female carries a babe she also carries part of her mate’s shield. A pregnant female is almost irresistible to a male with her spiked pheromones. In order to keep her and the child safe she is gifted with a small but exceptionally strong piece of armor. No one but another female or her mate and his male warrior mate or relative males can go near her unless she allows it.”

  “Must be some kickass shield. Does she hide behind it?”

  “It engulfs her when she is frightened or in danger. It’s not something she can take off—like my armor, it comes from within.”

  “Now that I would love to see.”

  “I hope you don’t or you’ll no doubt be admiring it from your ass a distance away.”

  “Can we go out now?”

  The clothes fit her body like a glove. Her long strawberry-blond hair flowed down her back and big green eyes looked up at him expectantly. Raiden resisted the urge to frown. He was going to take her outside. Into a new world where only half his hearing worked. He was about to find out just how vulnerable he had become. But Raiden hadn’t lied. He was incapable of a lie. There was nothing more important than Abri. Not even his hearing.

  Chapter 7

  Bagron looked a lot like the world Abri had recently left. The trees were massive around the trunk and hundreds of feet high. The ground was sponge-like and pleasant under her feet. Leaves as tall as her fluttered in the air. The atmosphere was warm, not too hot or dry. In the distance, Abri could see mammoths. She knew they were holograms, but they were stunning nonetheless.

  A great many animals on the planet were comprised of holograms. She was charmed to see a small round wood structure not unlike a beaver dam. Moon creatures were also on this planet. Raiden called them Moonway—because they went the way of the moon. So were the foot-high butterflies. The other planet had, for the most part, lacked animals. This planet seemed lush with them. Some were real; she saw a herd of horses in the distance. A massive black stallion stood guard. Raiden explained the herd belonged to Doss’s mate, Zoe. The big black was named Caveat. It seemed appropriate and suited him.

  In the distance, Abri saw rain falling in heavy sheets. Where they stood was sunny and dry. Raiden explained the climate was controlled. Long ago, his people learned to regulate the amount of clouds and rain. A Castian needed the suns to regenerate their armor. As they advanced so did their technology. Raiden said at one time—very long ago—females weren’t given pieces of their shield when pregnant; the Castian warriors needed all of it.

  When Abri asked him how he knew, Raiden said it was in his scent memories. He only needed to catch a whiff of the clouds to call up the memory that at one time there had been many more clouds—the dark could be a danger if the shields couldn’t regenerate. He went on to explain the cone-shaped objects she pointed out earlier held much needed rays in concentrated amounts. At night, the armor could regenerate throughout the domed structure. Raiden said even he didn’t know how far back his memories went. But the time he spoke of was hundreds of thousands of years ago, back when there were no Tonans. Abri was amazed he could call up memories. It would be wonderful to think back to older times and recall what her ancestors had seen.

  “Raiden?”

  Both Raiden and Abri watched as Sam and Cace approached. Abri was in Sam’s arms in seconds. She had missed her friend and was delighted to be reunited. Abri had learned Tasha was doing well and was flirting outrageously with several warriors. The other women were fine as well and settling in. Cace and Sam were followed by another man, Cobra. Abri wasn’t certain she liked the look he gave her.

  “You’ve joined successfully?” Cobra asked. Then, to Abri’s embarrassment, he sniffed at her.

  Castian warriors had no concept of personal space. When he trailed a finger down her bare arm, Abri had the urge to smack him and demand he keep his paws to himself. Cobra stared hard at her for a second then chuckled.

  “Go ahead little one—but you’d hurt yourself.”

  Mortified, Abri realized Cobra knew what she was thinking. Did he read minds? It was hard to think a man could know what she was feeling by simply sniffing her like a dog. A dog’s sense of scent was what? A thousand times or more than a human. Was it possible a Castian’s sense of scent could be higher?

  Raiden had mentioned a warrior could calm a female with a touch. Was that what Cobra was trying to do? Did he scent her apprehension of him? If Castian males scented things through touch they should have learned by now not all human women were thrilled to have a man’s hands on her all the time.

  “Father, you said we could ride a horse.”

  Abri was captivated by a little girl who rushed up to Cobra. It had been so long since she had seen children. She was perhaps seven or eight years of age. She was a beautiful child. Cobra smiled at the youngster and his dark features lit. It was apparent he held great affection for the girl. But Raiden said human females had only been coming to his planet for over a year. Yet she had called Cobra father.

  “You mean you want to ride the horses, Maddy,” Cobra said.

  Abri thought he had a point. There was no way a horse could hold such a heavy man. Cobra was huge and well-muscled. His hair was as dark as Raiden’s was blond. His brown eyes filled with tenderness as he looked at the eager young face of the child who had stepped close enough to rest her chin on his belly while she looked way up into his eyes. Cobra’s gruff exterior lifted as he lightly trailed a hand down the girl�
��s hair.

  “I will be over to see the horses in a moment, little one,” Cobra said. “Pick out a mare—the stallion is off limits.”

  Maddy raced off in the direction of her desire, giggling while pointing at each mare in turn. Abri continued to smile at the child until she gazed at Cobra. Once more Cobra was scowling at Raiden and Abri.

  “I scent the circumstances haven’t changed. There is still an anomaly about you.” Cobra’s tone was hard. He wasn’t happy—that was more than apparent. Abri became angry.

  “This is not my fault.” She scowled and stomped her foot. “Raiden saved my life. I wouldn’t repay him by hurting him on purpose.”

  “I’m not staying partially deaf for a reason, Cobra. At least not any I can control. We tried the healing waters. We joined. We have bonded, I can feel it,” Raiden said.

  Raiden didn’t sound happy either. Once more Abri’s mouth filled with the taste of Raiden’s sadness. She hated his hurt. It was her fault. She hadn’t meant to. Really, how could she have known he would forfeit half his hearing? She hadn’t asked for him to mate her. Abri felt bad. It hurt thinking he was again disappointed he had chosen her. Abri reminded herself it didn’t matter. She wasn’t in love with him. She turned to walk away. Sam stopped her.

  “I for one am happy you can finally hear my voice—even if it’s with only one ear. I was always so worried for you on that planet.”

  “No matter what happens, Abri will be protected,” Cobra said sharply. “It is my duty to make certain any female on this planet is kept safe from harm.”

  “You think I’m an inferior warrior now that half my hearing is gone.” Raiden’s words were tight. Abri didn’t need scent to know Cobra had wounded him.

  “It doesn’t matter what I think,” Cobra said. Both men turned to Cace.

  Cace gave Cobra a hard stare. “Raiden and I became warrior mates at twelve. I won’t abandon him. He is the same warrior I have always known. Nothing changes.”

  “It means you will have to listen for the both of you,” Cobra said as though explaining to a small child. “It means you will both need to change your fighting style. Cace, you will always need to be on Raiden’s left to protect him. I’m also responsible for the well-being of all of my warriors.”

  Abri had learned from Raiden that Cobra was three thousand years old, one of the oldest warriors left, as many had perished with their mates four hundred years ago. She supposed even a four-hundred-year-old man would seem like a child compared to someone so old. Though Cobra hadn’t mated earlier, he did have a son, Rask, who was one of the first Castians to ever see a female human. He had since mated with a human female. Cobra was a formidable man. Abri thought him to be hard and cold. Raiden spoke of him with respect. He was afraid losing half his hearing would make him a lesser warrior in Cobra’s eyes. Raiden didn’t want to disappoint his leader.

  The idea made Abri furious. Just because someone lost their hearing or half their hearing didn’t make them less noble, less helpful or less anything. If anything it made them realize just how important a sense is. That was why other senses heightened—because you appreciated what you had left.

  “This will require further discussion. I want both of you to take your mates home and meet me in my headquarters,” Cobra demanded.

  Raiden suddenly looked up, distracted. Cobra looked at him annoyed. Cobra opened his mouth—obviously prepared to repeat what he assumed Raiden hadn’t heard. Raiden was frowning at the sky. He cocked his head for a moment. Raiden looked at Abri. Abri had been so angry with Cobra she had only been concentrating on her irritation. She now felt what Raiden felt. The same feeling she had when she knew she was being watched the day Raiden came into her life. The same feeling she had right before the Tonan war vessel de-cloaked when they were aboard the shuttle.

  The sensation grew stronger. Abri clutched Raiden’s hand and felt him shudder with his response to her. His hand became saturated in sweat. It immediately seeped into Abri trying to calm her. She couldn’t be calmed. Something bad was going to happen. Her teeth clicked together as the emotion became overwhelming. She wanted to hide—she needed to hide. What was happening? Her entire body seemed to call to Raiden, his reaction was instantaneous.

  “Get your mate, Cace. Now. Cobra, get Maddy. Hurry!”

  “What? Why?” Cobra spluttered.

  Abri was tucked into Raiden’s armor with him. Cace didn’t ask questions. The look on Raiden’s face before he was concealed sent a shiver down Abri’s spine. As she watched, a horrifying sight came into view. A gray bird of prey de-cloaked and fired. Abri had never seen Raiden move so fast. Raiden had her into his armor and the second it closed over her, he was on the move. He leapt into the air as a blue streak of light lit the sky. For a split second, the front of his armor dropped and the child, Maddy, was crushed to his chest as he once again became engulfed in armor.

  Abri caught her breath. Blue light crashed around them. Abri could see it as Raiden’s shield closed around her. For a moment, a painful searing burning sensation had washed over her—then it was gone. Raiden curled around them as the blast hit the exact spot the child had been. They took the full extent of it. Raiden’s armor held against the full extent of the blast. A hole and charred remains of the ground were all Abri could see when the fire light dissipated.

  All hell broke loose in the sky. Abri struggled to look up. Only her eyes were able to move up and side to side—she was fused to Raiden. Three black warships closed in on the Tonan vessel. The gray vessel was hit from every angle. The assault was ceaseless. Blast after blast obliterated sections of the ship nonstop. The Tonans lost their fire power. There was a mass explosion and the air filled with falling gray-armored beasts.

  Abri was thunderstruck. The gray beasts picked themselves up as though they had only stumbled down a single step—not fallen hundreds of feet and crashed to the ground. Many landed cat style, with their tales adding to their stability. Their bodies were in attack motion. It was phenomenal. Could Raiden do that? Abri knew he could.

  “Maddy?” Abri heard Cobra yell.

  Cace was soon standing next to Raiden as was Cobra. Raiden was struggling to gain his feet. It took him a moment then he seemed to recover.

  “I have her,” Raiden said.

  The way Cobra attacked a Tonan, it was clear to see the rage he had. If not for Raiden’s heightened awareness of his surroundings, the child would be dead. It was the first time in a year Abri thought her hearing loss was a good thing.

  Abri’s other senses had grown over the year to compensate. The way Raiden was moving in battle made her aware she had passed her gift on to him. The Tonan who was attacking was getting nowhere with Raiden. No matter what direction the enemy came at Raiden, he was ready. Fury added to his anger. These monsters could have killed his mate, his warrior mate’s mate—or Cobra’s child. Abri didn’t envy the Tonans his wrath.

  For a second, Abri became confused. More Tonans appeared, only these Tonans were fighting the renegade Tonans. The Tonans were calling them traitors. Raiden had warned her there were Tonans on this planet. But these Tonans had no tails. Abri tried to turn when she heard a scream then wished she couldn’t see. Doss was there, and a Tonan lay dead on the ground. The Tonan’s strange armor squealed as though in pain and rusted. It blew away on a small gust of wind.

  Three of the Tonans were killed. The battle was over. The enemy was surrounded by at least a hundred men in both black and gray armor. Abri heard Maddy whimper. Both she and Maddy were pressed tight to Raiden. Abri wasn’t able to look at the child but knew she must be terrified. That was until she remembered Raiden’s armor would control her fear. Abri wondered at that. She was feeling a bit scared. Perhaps Raiden’s armor had been working too hard to keep them all safe.

  “Father?”

  “Soon little one,” Raiden soothed. “Cobra, I’ll take Maddy to her mother.”

  “Give her over to me,” Cobra commanded. Abri saw his armor absorb. The look he wore on his face
was a cross between panic and relief. Yes, he very much loved the child.

  “No,” Raiden said and shocked Abri. He was adamant. “The fire singed my mate.”

  Abri blinked in surprise. She had felt a searing pain but was fine now. She tried to explain that to Raiden. His armor must have healed her.

  “Did your armor not heal her? The blast was bad, a direct hit, and I know shielding the three of you would have stretched your armor to its limits—then battling,” Cobra sounded worried. “Maddy?”

  “The child is fine, Cobra. So is Abri. The suns have already regenerated my armor, but the fire was enough to singe Abri’s clothes off,” Raiden explained.

  Singed my clothes? “You mean I’m naked in here,” Abri demanded.

  She didn’t feel cold. Abri looked around as best as she could. She was naked and surrounded by over a hundred men. Many had dropped their armor and there was a sea of interested faces. It was like one of those awful nude dreams you have of showing up at work buck naked. Oh—My—God.

  “Then I suppose it would be best to hand my daughter over to her mother.” Abri went beet red. She could hear the humor in Cobra’s words. The man was lucky he couldn’t scent her emotions in here. “Is Maddy all right?”

  “The flame never touched her,” Raiden said.

  Abri knew all male Castians were overprotective of female children. Any warrior could shield a female child. It was not only to keep the females safe, it was the way nature urged a female to seek a mate when she hit her twenty-first birthday. A warrior could no longer shield a female after that age unless he was mated to her, related to her, or her mate’s warrior mate.

  “We will talk later,” Cobra said. Raiden turned around. “Raiden?” Raiden stopped and faced Cobra. “Thank you for my child’s life.”

  Abri felt Raiden nod curtly. From his straight posture, Abri could tell Raiden was feeling very full of himself. Abri was feeling pretty damned smug herself.

  * * * *

  “What are they doing?”

  Sam and Abri were sitting at a low table in her and Raiden’s home. They had been talking for a while catching up. It was still hard for Abri to believe she was mated. After Raiden had dropped Abri off at their apartment he had taken Maddy home. Skeptical at first, Abri had done what Raiden told her—she ran her hand across the console and watched as short pants appeared. The material was soft and like nothing she had ever worn before. Abri tried three times to make a t-shirt longer but the panel refused. Anything dealing with a warrior’s safety came foremost. It had her wondering again about this baby shield Raiden had mentioned. How strong could a teeny baby shield be anyway?