Jo's Journey

by S. E. Smith

  “Simple,” Walter said with a grin. “We stage the perfect place for this guy to come in with his men to kill you only to trap him. You planned on using the girls as bait. I propose using all of you, only in a more controlled environment. An environment this guy Tai Tek has no experience with – the magic of the circus.”

  Torak shook his head in confusion. “How do you propose to trap him and his men?”

  “With magic, my dear man. The art of illusion is what we do best. You want to capture him then we give him what he wants. All of you inside of the Big Top,” Walter said. “Jarmen, you said this guy has close to three hundred men, didn’t you?” Walter asked.

  Jarmen nodded. “Yes.”

  “That many warriors would wreak havoc on the civilian population. But, if this guy thought he could kill all of you in a small area he would come in with a smaller group of warriors because he wouldn’t need as many.”

  “Manota, you have the markers with everyone’s DNA to show who they are, don’t you?” Jo asked softly. “He doesn’t know about that. We can control who is in the Big Top. Anyone there that is not with us is against us. If you have a defense shield set up like you do for the Royal Houses, it can be turned on after everyone is inside.”

  “We can publicize it as a special performance for the Grand Ruler and the Royal family,” Ricki added. “A very high profile show with a special section of seating for just those members. The others invited can be your selected warriors and members of the crew.”

  “There are enough women within the crew to act as mates,” Star said sitting forward. “Even some of the guys can dress up as women. In the dark, it would be hard to tell. Hell, even Jon Paul and Luc can help give the impression of it being a regular performance.”

  “Gods forbid,” Jazin muttered under his breath with a look to Jarmen as they both remembered the two Frenchmen and their lack of experience in a fight.

  “Gril and Madas Tal Mod will be here as well,” Ajaska said grimly.

  “I can coordinate with his second in command to have squadrons ready to attack the warships and ground troops that Tai Tek will have with him,” Dakar said quietly. “I think it best if Armet and Kev remain with the ground forces. They are more familiar with the warriors and area than I am. I know Tai Tek’s tactics when it comes to attacking. He will try to take out the Spaceport. I will coordinate the attack from space.”

  Manota nodded to Dakar before he turned to Walter. “What do you have in mind?”

  “We invite your Grand Ruler, the Royal House of Kassis, this Gril and Madas and anyone else Tai Tek wants to kill to a performance of the Magik de Circus the night before the ceremony. Ricki can create a publicity blitz for you to send out. You remember the performance with Sunny and K’tar?” Walter asked with a grin. “There isn’t much that Marcus can’t make look like it was there then make it disappear. It will look like all of you are sitting in the bleachers enjoying the show - out in the open - only you will be in the background waiting for him to make his move. I can have the Big Top locked down so tight that a roach wouldn’t be able to sneak in or out. Tai Tek and his ruffians come in and we spring the trap on them. What do you think?”

  Manota thought about the performance where K’tar had disappeared. It was such a crazy plan that it just might work. He turned when he felt a delicate hand on his arm.

  His intense eyes collided with Jo’s softer blue ones. “It will work. It is a type of Trojan Horse. He will never expect it,” she said.

  “Trojan Horse?” He asked with a frown.

  “Trust me; it works great on men who think they are invincible,” she assured him.

  Manota’s eyes softened as he gazed down at her. He looked at the others in the room. A sense of calm came over him as he realized that the plan was brilliant in its simplicity.

  “Let’s do it,” he said. “Jazin, I will need your help setting up the defense system. Armet, I need you and Kev to get an elite group of warriors together to attend the performance. Dakar, take the Seeker. The cloaking device will help you remain hidden. You can let us know as soon as they deploy. Walter, I’ll need you and Ricki to work your magic with your people. Explain this is very dangerous. If any wish to seek safety elsewhere, they will not be looked down on.”

  “Hell, it isn’t like we haven’t experienced danger before,” Walter said, sliding out of the chair. “Ricki, we have a lot of work to do, darling. Let’s get the crew informed.”

  Manota watched as the commanding ringmaster and his quiet daughter exited the room. He turned and looked at his father who was sitting back with a smile curling the corners of his lips. Pride gleamed in the dark depths of his eyes.

  “I’ll coordinate with Gril and Ristéard,” Ajaska said with a nod. “I’ll also inform the other council members. If we all hit at once, we can smash those trying to destroy the Alliance. In eight days we strike back,” he added as he stood up. “To victory!”

  Manota’s face broke into a huge smile. “To victory,” he responded.

  “To victory,” Jazin and Torak said coming to stand next to Manota.

  “To victory,” Jo said looking up at her mate, her heart shining in her eyes.

  Chapter 24

  “Daddy, do you have the guides set up?” Jo asked Alan Strauss as he slid down the long length of rope hanging from the ceiling.

  “Yes, your mom just finished testing them,” Alan responded.

  He walked over to where Jo was covering a stash of weapons under a false floor. He waited until she was finished and had stood up before he reached out and pulled her into his arms for a fierce hug. He breathed in a sigh as he felt her arms wrap around him.

  “I’m so proud of you and your sister,” he murmured. “When the police came to tell us….” His voice faded for a moment before he continued. “When the police told us you both had disappeared and they suspected foul play, I have never been so frightened in my life. Now, I can’t think of a time when I have never been so proud.”

  Jo pulled back and smiled up at her dad, tears in her eyes. “I was scared too but you always told us to look at the bright side, to look for the good. Manota is more than a good man. I love him so much, daddy.”

  Alan brushed a strand of hair from Jo’s forehead and wrapped it behind her ear before tweaking her on the tip of her nose like he used to do when she was little. Both of his daughters had grown into beautiful, confident young women. A part of him missed watching them running around, giggling and prancing in their little costumes.

  “When this is over, I expect a double wedding,” he said gruffly. “I always dreamed of giving my girls away to the men they loved.”

  Jo buried her face in her father’s chest, sniffling as she nodded her head. “I’d like that,” she whispered in a muffled voice. “I’d like that a lot.”

  Alan stood still in the center circle of the Big Top, holding his daughter against his heart as he had the first time after they brought her home from the hospital. He looked around where men and women worked quietly preparing for the upcoming battle. Not a single member of the crew had backed down from the danger. This was their world now, their family in danger and they would do everything in their power to make sure it was successful. The thought that they or someone close to them might be killed was pushed to the back of their minds. The only sign of fear was in the meticulous attention they were giving to every rope, line, and set of special effects.

  Alan thought of how close he had come to losing his girls, not once but twice now. First when they were taken from Earth and again by the man they were going to catch. He thought of the man he had killed back on the warship and knew he would do it again. The rules hadn’t really changed. No matter where you were in the universe, survival of the fittest still applied. Alan had no doubt that he and his daughters’ mates were at the very top. They all had something to live for – family.

  That is a very powerful force, he thought as he reluctantly let Jo slip from his arms and turn as her mom called out. Yes, a very,
very powerful force, he thought again as he watched his tiny wife reach out for Jo’s hand.

  *.*.*

  “They are good people,” Ajaska said quietly from where he came to stand next to Manota who had been watching Jo and her father. “I am glad you brought them back.”

  Manota briefly glanced at his father before turning back to watch as Jo and her mother laughed about something Tony said. He still felt jealous of the human male but it wasn’t with the murderous rage he had before. He knew the human male cared deeply for his mate but he knew Jo’s heart belonged to him. He nodded to Tony when the male looked up at where he was standing on the bleachers that would be ‘reserved’ for the Royal family and their guests. Tony’s lips curved in a self-mocking smile before he turned to answer Tami Strauss when she asked him a question.

  Jo glanced up to see who Tony was looking at. Her face broke into a huge grin when she saw Manota and Ajaska. She raised her hand and gave them a shy wave before turning back to listen to her mom.

  “I’m glad I brought them back as well,” Manota replied with a sigh. “Have you talked with Roald and the rest of the council?”

  Ajaska nodded. “Yes, the council has agreed to wait before they strike. They have been meeting with only their most trusted security staff. They will strike at the same time as we do. In the meantime, they have taken extra precautions to ensure their safety.”

  “What of Roald? We do not know much about the Elpidios. How did he handle the information you gave him?” Manota asked looking with concern at his father.

  Ajaska’s lips curved into a rueful smile. “He is a cold, calculating bastard,” Ajaska replied. “He has his own elite security guard and I’m not sure if he trusts them fully. He was already aware of the assassins and has agreed to hold off killing them until the night of the performance. He will be coming a day earlier. He said he needed to take care of some unfinished business while he was here. I am not sure I like the sound of that. I will post a guard to monitor him, just in case his ‘unfinished business’ is to harm anyone. I am hoping he just wants more information from the scientists about crystal production or to satisfy his curiosity about the humans.”

  “You don’t think he will try to attack us, thinking it might be easy with our forces already distracted, do you?” Manota asked darkly. “I’ll kill the bastard myself first.”

  “No,” Ajaska chuckled. “He may be a cold, ruthless leader but I feel he is honorable. He was fascinated with Star’s hair. I think he is more curious about coming to see the humans, especially when he was informed there were more females with the same color hair. If this alliance between our worlds works, we will be much stronger than before.”

  “I’ll bow to your judgment but the bastard better keep his hands off my Jo or I’ll remove them,” Manota said. “I think it is time to see how some of this ‘magic’ works.”

  Ajaska nodded as he saw Walter walk into the arena with Ricki by his side. “I am looking forward to it after just watching them practicing.”

  *.*.*

  Jo released a sigh of relief as Manota walked through the door of their living quarters back in the East House. She grinned as his eyes darkened when he saw her wearing another silky wrap. This one was a dark royal blue.

  She had taken her mom to the market during a break earlier in the day. Her mom had loved dressing up in the native clothes worn by the young boys. The baggy white pants, colorful tunics, and floppy hats helped them blend in as nothing more than a couple of youths roaming the many shops. Of course, the shopkeeper at the shop where Jo had found the most delicious materials had recognized her. The older woman had been delighted to meet Tami and they had chatted as if they had known each other their whole life. Jo had picked out several new pieces and the shopkeeper promised to have the gowns made within the hour. Jo had then taken her mom to a wonderful little café near the waterfront for a light lunch.

  They had stopped back by to pick up the items they had ordered before returning to the circus compound. She and Manota had been so busy over the past week they had barely seen each other except for the brief glimpses as they moved around.

  She spent her time practicing the routines she and her family would be doing and Manota spent his working with his brother on setting up the defense system and organizing their attack on Tai Tek and his men. All the weapons the crew would need to fight were hidden strategically around the Big Top. Bombing Bill had set up his pyrotechnics to help provide cover and maximize confusion among the attacking forces. Marcus had set up the needed projection equipment and had tested it over and over with members of the crew.

  The Royal family and their guests would be seated in the bleachers but when the lights went out, the bleachers would descend and be replaced with ‘images’ of them still sitting when the lights came back on. Jade and Shannon, the two FBI agents from Earth, had agreed to help Curly with the security. Mattie and her dogs would work with the clowns to sniff out any explosives not set up by Bill. Bill had marked each of his carefully placed explosives with a scent pack that the dogs would be able to recognize as being okay. They had used the same technique back on Earth, especially after receiving several threats during some of their tours.

  “You are beautiful,” Manota murmured as he slowly walked toward her. “I have not seen that gown before.”

  Jo chuckled as his hands immediately moved to the tie at her waist holding the robe on. “I just got it today so you can’t damage it,” she teased him before sobering as she noticed the lines of tension around his mouth. She reached up and touched the corner with tender fingers. “Everything will be alright. This is going to work.”

  Manota turned his head enough to brush his lips across her fingers. “It has too,” he said gruffly. “I don’t remember being this uptight before any battle or mission during the war but the thought of you and your family being in danger….”

  “Shush!” Jo whispered. “We know what to do,” she murmured against his lips. “Love me, Manota. Let’s not think of anything but each other for tonight.”

  Manota heard the slight plea in her voice and realized she had the same fear for him and his family. He sealed his lips over hers in a passionate kiss. He wanted her, needed her like the breath he drew. He wanted to become lost in the magic she created whenever he was near her. He swore he could feel her light winding its way through his soul as his hands touched her.

  “Are you hungry? I had some food delivered earlier. I wasn’t sure when you would be back or if you had eaten yet,” she whispered as she draw back a little.

  Manota shook his head as he wrapped his arms around her. “The only thing I am hungry for is you,” he replied. “I do need to bathe,” he added ruefully as he noticed he had left a slight smudge of dirt along her cheek where he had caressed it with the back of his hand.

  “I think I can help you with that,” she responded lightly as her fingers began working on the clasps holding his shirt closed. “With total pleasure,” she added huskily as more of his dark skin was revealed as she parted the edges.

  “Gods Jo, I love you so much,” Manota said as he closed his eyes as her hands slowly pulled his clothing off.

  “I love you too, big guy,” she murmured brushing her lips over one taut nipple before she pushed his shirt off his shoulders. “Come with me.” She threaded her fingers through his and pulled him towards the bathroom.

  *.*.*

  Manota shivered with need as the longing in Jo’s voice washed over him. Tomorrow was the night of the performance. Throughout the star systems, squadrons were preparing to attack the rebels who wanted to overthrow the Alliance. His father had updated him and his brothers before they agreed there was nothing else to be done. The core leaders of the rebellion, including Tai Tek, would be targeted for termination once and for all. The remaining council, including the Dramentics, had agreed that a harsh and decisive attack needed to be done in order to prevent it happening again.

  He followed Jo into the ‘bathroom’ as she liked to call it.
Sitting on the stool, he was humbled when she sank to the floor in front of him and began removing his boots. Once she was done, she carefully set them to the side of the stool. She rose gracefully, bending over him as she unbuckled the thick belt around his waist. She rolled it up and placed that with care next to his boots.

  He breathed in her sweet scent, a mixture of the sunlight that he craved and arousal. His lips brushed her temple as she began unbuttoning his pants. He stood so she could pull them down his long legs. Never had he been so affected by the respect and reverence that she was showing him as she slowly undressed him. He clenched his fists as he lifted first one foot then the other so she could pull his pants the rest of the way off. He wanted more than anything to reach out and rip her gown off her lush body and take her hard and fast – to chase away the fear building inside him. Instead, he forced himself to stay still knowing she needed to do this, that she needed to remain in control.

  His eyes followed her as she carefully folded his pants and set them on the floor next to the other items she had removed. Her eyes gleamed shyly up at him as her hands moved to the tie at her waist. He reached out and stilled them by covering them with his own.

  “Let me,” he asked huskily.

  Jo let her hands fall to her side as she waited for him. Her heart pounded fiercely as he slowly pulled the tie before tenderly removing her robe. They had made love many times over the past few months but tonight, there was something different about it. It was almost like a sacred ritual was being performed. A part of her wondered if it was because of their fear of losing each other. That in the back of their minds they knew tonight could be their last night together.

  “You are mine, Jo,” Manota said quietly.

  He folded her robe and set it on the stool before turning back around and tenderly pushing the straps of her gown down. He watched as the silky material fell to lie like a dark mist around her slender ankles. His hands trembled as he bent and picked it up as she lifted first one foot then the other. He couldn’t resist running his fingers along the delicate bones of her ankles and arch before he stood and folded the gown and set it on top of her robe.