Queen Of Twilight: Dauur Mates Book One

by Octavia Kore

  There is something in his voice that sends shivers down my spine. “What happened to his mother?”

  Ayku removes a white liquid from the pod, filling a cup that he has stuck a small length of the silky material into. “The Tachin killed his mama and my twin-”

  “I knew the Tachin lied when they said they used only one male,” Doxal growled.

  Eyes flashing red, Ayku glares at the Darkborn male, but his quills remain quiet when he looks down at the baby in my arms. “They told you no lie. My brother was the only one of us to mate the human female.”

  “How is this possible?” Ettrian shakes his head in confusion. “I have never known a Dauur male to produce a kit without a bondmate participating. This does not make any sense.”

  “Just because you haven’t heard of it, doesn’t mean it isn’t possible, Ettrian.” I roll my eyes. “I’m assuming your brother was your twin?”

  “He was. We were indistinguishable, so much alike that our mama had to tie different colored fabric around our ankles to tell us apart as kits.” He chuckles sadly, swirling the liquid within the cup.

  “It sounds like human identical twins. I remember watching a documentary where they presented research showing that some twins were so similar that they literally shared the same or very similar DNA code. I’m not anywhere close to being a scientist, but maybe something similar can happen with Dauur? Maybe your DNA code was so similar that it didn’t matter if you both mated with her or not?”

  “Akai and I had not anticipated this. We believed that when they had him mate the female nothing would come of it. Like your male, we had never heard of a lone male fathering a kit.” He pauses, holding his hands out for the baby. I gently slip my curl from the firm grasp of the little hand as Ayku lifts him from my arms. “It is obvious we were wrong and both my brother and the female paid for that with their lives.”

  “Why would the Tachin kill them if they were successful?” This isn’t making sense to me at all.

  “There is a bond that a child forms with his or her parents and the Tachin sought to prevent this by killing the mamas and papas after they were born. What they failed to realize is that I am his papa as well. We have always shared a bond.” Taking the damp cloth he has had soaking in the white liquid, Ayku brings it to the baby’s mouth and sighs when he gently begins to suckle.

  “What about all of the other aliens that were in the cells?” Doxal asks as if he is reading my mind.

  “They are all dead. Once they were sure they had succeeded and a viable kit was born the Tachin disposed of them.”

  “I’m sorry you lost your brother and that your son lost two of his parents.” The thought that this baby is going to grow up never knowing his human mother or his other father breaks my heart and I feel the sting of tears at the back of my eyes. A second later I hear the familiar pitter-patter of my girl’s feet as she races down the hall. She flies into the room, blonde curls flying all around her face as she comes to a dead stop. Her pretty blue eyes are locked on me, chest rising and falling quickly. As I watch, her face crumbles and she lets loose the most pitiful wail I’ve ever heard before she barrels into me.

  “I thought you were gonna die!” Tears stream down her face as she squeezes my leg.

  “Oh, baby.” My hands run over her tangled hair, tugging out tiny twigs and pieces of grass. Of course my kid has been rolling in nature. The thought that she is mine makes me smile and crouch down, tugging her into my arms for a tight hug. “I’m not going to leave you.” She’s already lost one mother and I’m sure she thought she was losing me too. I can’t imagine how scary that was for her. “I promise I’m not going to leave you.” Pressing my lips to her head, I look at Aquilian and Ettrian. I’m not leaving any of them.

  “Good!” With a sniffle, she wipes at her wet cheeks as she pulls away to look at me.

  “Off to bed with you, Kareen. We need to leave early tomorrow morning and a tired kit is a grumpy one.” Ettrian nods to Ayku and begins to herd us from the room.

  “Will the other babies be in the village already?” Her face lights up and she hops around excitedly when he nods his head.

  “Other babies?” My brow arches at Ettrian.

  “Later.” He replies, bending to scoop Kareen up so that she can press a sweet kiss to his cheek before she goes happily into his brother’s arms. “Go with your Papa Quilian for a moment.”

  As I watch the two of them walk down the hall, Kareen’s little hand waving to me, I get a strange feeling. “Hey, I think I should go with her. We always sleep-” but the sudden press of Ettrian’s lips against mine effectively cuts me off.

  His fingers are immediately buried in my hair, tangling in the mess of untamed curls as we press close together. As if he’s my first shot of dark coffee on a Monday morning, I feel my entire body come to life. The sound of my heartbeat pounds out a rhythm in my ears as I part my lips, welcoming his tongue into my mouth. Our breaths mingle as our tongues dance, twisting and exploring. A pained whimper fights its way up my throat and I moan softly against him.

  He pulls back so suddenly that I fall forward, my face smacking into his hard chest. “Ouch!”

  “My apologies! I hurt you. I - I did not mean to.” His hands brush my face softly like he’s checking me over.

  “Ettrian.” He stops his fussing, but his eyes don’t meet mine. “You didn’t hurt me. I’m fine.” Slowly I slide my hands up to grasp his quills, a shiver running through my body as I pull him down. “Kiss me again.” I plead when his breath tickles my lips, moaning again when his mouth meets mine gently. The hard outer shell of his quills are cool beneath my fingers and I trap his bottom lip between my teeth, tugging softly.

  He kisses me back with such passion that it feels like I am going to lose myself within him, and I shudder in anticipation. There has always been a need between the two of us, but our situation was less than ideal. An inferno has been lit inside of me, trying to consume me in its blaze, but before it can he pulls back. “I am sorry for the things I have done, Xia.” He mumbles against my lips.

  “For what?”

  “For trying… to force you. It is unforgivable.”

  The shame I see in his eyes breaks my heart, but the reminder is like a bucket of cold water over the head. “I wish you would have just told me.”

  “I tried, but that is not an excuse.”

  “I forgive you.”

  Ettrian goes still, his hands frozen on my face. “I do not deserve it.”

  I shrug my shoulders, stepping out of his embrace to collect myself. “Maybe you don’t, but this is my choice and I’m choosing to forgive you.”

  “Thank you.”

  His jaw clenches tightly and I press my hand to his chest for a moment before I take another step back. “I’m going to find Kareen and lay down for a little bit. I missed her and I’m sure these last couple days have scared her.” It occurs to me as I walk away that this is the first time I’ve ever heard him speak out loud. I know there will be more moments to catch up with Ettrian, to show him that I don’t blame him, but right now I just want the comfort of my little girl resting in my arms.

  As we near the village, I start to realize that this is nothing like I had imagined. Although I’ve been living in a tree for the last two weeks and Ettrian and Aquilian have told me stories of their people during our journey, I’m still amazed by what I see when we stop within a few yards of the archway. There is a massive network of huge trees just like the ones I’ve been living inside of and I try to get a better view as we wait for the Venium to gather up the babies and the injured that have been on the ship. Lief told us that they waited for us to arrive before approaching. Even though the villagers were familiar with the male, this situation was different.

  “Allow Ettrian to do the talking when we greet the tribe. There will be a lot for them all to take in between the kits and the Tachin’s deeds.” Aquilian tells us quietly as we draw closer.

  Before we can even reach the path that leads us
to the archway, our group finds itself surrounded by a small band of Dauur males, each one rattles out a warning as if they are ready to attack at the slightest threat. I pull Kareen close to me and duck behind Aquilian’s body when the males part for a small group of older Dauur. Their colors are duller and most of them are bent slightly with age. “Hey there.” I wave, hoping I don’t come off as a threat. “We, uh, we come in peace?”

  Aquilian shoots me a look over his shoulder that is definitely an ‘I told you to let Ettrian do the talking’ look and has me pinching my mouth shut quickly. I still haven’t received my punishment and now I’m sure this is going to be tacked onto it.

  “Ettrian. Aquilian.” The old male speaks along the bond.

  “Elder,” Ettrian bows as his quills puff at the back of his head. “We apologize for the sudden arrival, but there are urgent matters we need to discuss with you.”

  A soft cry from one of the babies goes up, and though I know they cannot hear it, I’ve learned from Aquilian that the infants produce an alarming vibration. “Who have you brought?”

  “There are kits and wounded. They are the survivors of abduction.”

  “They are aliens.” The elder says as if this is something we should be ashamed of.

  “These kits were born here. They have nowhere else to go.” Ettrian argues.

  The elders huddle close and speak together for a moment before turning with a nod. “The kits may stay. That which is born on Dimosia, remains on Dimosia.” She gestures to those of us that are not Dauur. “The rest of the aliens are free to leave. Gather the kits.” The elder gestures for the Dauur males gathered around us to retrieve the babies, but Lief snarls menacingly.

  “You may take the others, but the Venium pup comes with us,” Lief growls. While I know for a fact that I would never even attempt to take a twinkie from this guy, one brave, or perhaps stupid, Dauur male marches forward and attempts to pluck the baby from his arms. Although Ettrian is translating everything the Venium says along the bond, a translation for what happens next is not needed. Before our eyes, the already large male seems to grow and the Dauur stumbles backward as Luz, Lief’s brother, wraps his arms around his chest and tries to calm him.

  “This is his kit. You cannot separate them.” Ettrian is trying to remain calm, but I see him starting to lose control. “I will not allow my mate to be taken either.” A few astonished glances fly our way and I’m pulled forward. “This is Inoxia. She is mated to my brother and I.”

  “And they’re my daddies!” Kareen pokes her head out from behind Aquilian, smiling her toothy grin that has even the bravest Dauur taking a step backward.

  “By the Sun Father! Move out of the way!” A shout goes out along the bond and the crowd that has gathered begins to part, whispered words reach me, ‘Darkborn Tarnov’ is all that I’m able to make out though.

  A dark female finally emerges at the front, her long strides eating up the ground as she walks purposefully toward us. Her eyes are red and swirling as her gaze sweeps across the elders. “What is the meaning of this?”

  “Safia!”

  The relief is evident in Ettrian’s voice and I shove away the prickles of jealousy that begin to rise up. Don’t jump to conclusions, Xia. Not everyone is Trent. Female friends are not a threat.

  Before the elder can speak up another shout goes up and this time there is more of a commotion. “They have been blessed! Let them pass.” A path is created through the crowd and a light Dauur female, even whiter than Ettrian, practically glides through. There is a far more welcoming tone where this female is concerned, but she doesn’t seem to feel the same way about the dark female as the others did. She comes to a stop beside Safia, placing her hand on the dark female’s shoulder.

  “That is Lirseas, a Lightborn Taenov. They have the ability to speak directly to the Sun Father himself.” Aquilian tells me.

  “The Sun Father has spoken and they are all welcome among us, elder. If the Venium male wishes to depart with his kit, then he may. They are not our captives.”

  One of the male elders rattles angrily as he glares at Luz and Lief. “What is born on Dimosia should stay on Dimosia! This is nonsense!”

  “The Sun Father has spoken.” Safia snarls, pressing her palm into the elder’s chest when he steps toward us. “You would go against the word of the Lightborn Taenov?” A murmur goes through the crowd at her words.

  The elder male is obviously unhappy, but instead of continuing to argue he turns on his heel and rushes away with a couple of the other older members close behind. I’m not sure exactly who Safia is, but I think I like her. As the other hybrid babies find comforting arms to nestle into I reach down for Kareen, thankful that we have one another.

  Ettrian and Aquilian have been away most of the afternoon making sure the babies are settled into their new homes and the elders have been caught up on all of the recent events that led to a bunch of aliens being stranded on their planet. For the most part, Kareen and I have stayed close to Yasi, Doxal, Yssig, and Ayku since none of us actually have a place in this tribe yet. We are all outsiders here even though we’ve been welcomed.

  Yasi and Kareen are huddled in the corner with Bunnyfly who is learning that being a pet sometimes means you get dressed up in the pretty silk fabrics and carried around like a baby. My girl leans down and kisses the creature on the nose and tells her new best friend, “One day my mom is gonna have a baby and I’ll get to hold it just like this!”

  The water I’m sipping comes out of my nose and sprays out of my mouth like I’m some sort of fountain. Where in the world is she getting this from? A gentle breeze flows through the main room as the tree opens up to reveal Lief. In his arms is the injured human he mentioned he was going to retrieve from the ship. The person is so tiny, not just by Venium standards, but human ones as well. As he walks by me I’m shocked to realize I know this human.

  “Mina?” The cup slips from my hand, shattering against the floor, and I rush forward. Taking her hand in mine, I brush the short, matted hair from her face. “Oh gods, is she ok? What the hell happened to her?”

  “She is in a coma. I suspect it is medically induced, but we aren’t sure why. We did what we could on the ship, now it is time to see if the seed pod can help her like it did you.”

  “How the hell is she even here? I know she wasn’t in the cells where we were.”

  Lief shrugs a shoulder and nudges me out of the way. “She was in the room with the little ones. The Tachin had her sedated and she was being monitored, but for what I am not sure.”

  “What did the elders have to say about another alien coming into the village?” I wonder aloud.

  With a snort, Lief shakes his head. “Safia did not give them a choice. That female is a force of nature.”

  Doxal jumps up when we enter the room where the pod resides and takes Mina from Lief, cradling her gently against his body, rattling the same way my guys do when they are trying to soothe Kareen or myself. Something about him seems different, but I can’t figure it out.

  “Why did you not tell me?” Yssig asks from the doorway, his eyes swirling a milky white as he stares at my best friend.

  “There was so much going on.” His gaze hasn’t left Mina’s face since he took her and with a sigh he runs a finger over her cheek. “She may not even make it, Yssig. If something happens… Yasi will need you still.”

  “She is my mate as well!” The light male growls, his quills rattling in anger.

  “Your mate?” My head whips around and I stare at Doxal, noticing for the first that his quills, which have been colorless like Yssig’s, are now a beautiful green. “Holy hell.”

  “Yasi needs at least one of us-”

  “You do not get to decide for me!” It’s obvious Yssig is upset, and I completely understand why, but Mina is looking far too pale for my liking.

  “Guys, can we do this later? Mina is-”

  “We cannot risk having both of us mated to her yet, brother.”

  “Are you
going to put her in the seed or are you going to argue until she dies?” The little voice from the doorway silences the room and we all turn to see Yasi with her hands fisted on her hips, quills flaring out angrily. Definitely something she has learned from Kareen.

  With a sigh, Doxal turns and lays Mina into the partially opened seed, gently straightening her legs and folding her arms over her stomach. “Do you think it will take her long to recover?”

  “Only the Sun Father can say. It is different for each one of us.” Yssig tells me, reaching out to touch her hand.

  Before he can make contact Doxal stops him, blue eyes watching his twin as he shakes his head. “Yasi.” He reminds him.

  This feels like an incredibly intimate moment and while I love Mina dearly, this isn’t my place right now. I follow Lief, shooing the girls out of the doorway and back into the main room so that the twins can have some privacy.

  The big Venium warrior looks at me awkwardly and scrubs his hand over the back of his neck. “This is an odd situation.”

  I can’t contain my anxious laughter at the uncertain look on his face. “I guess it is.”

  “I can take you and your daughter back to Earth if you wish.”

  Ah, our ticket off of this planet. He is offering us a way back home, but I find the thought of leaving Ettrian and Aquilian behind so heartbreaking that I’m shaking my head before I can even form the words. “I miss my parents so much and I wish more than anything that they were here, but I can’t go back. My family is here and so is Mina for now. I appreciate the offer though.”

  “I understand.” With a soft smile and a nod, Lief heads for the opening in the tree. “Please pass along my well wishes to your mates. Until we meet again.”

  Chapter 25