by Octavia Kore
“Hurry,” Erusha said, ushering them all forward as he shoved the pod toward the wall. “We need to leave before we’re discovered.”
Esme held tight to their baby as Xuvri stepped into the loading tunnel.
“You told me you could fly!” someone was saying as they approached the hatch.
“An airplane, not a spaceship, pendejo. I can’t even read any of this!” another voice, this one more feminine, retorted just before the sound of something being smashed reached them.
“Do not hit the controls! You are going to accidentally engage a weapon and destroy the glecking ship with us still attached!”
“Then you fly the damn thing!”
“How about you both vacate my chair and let me fly us out of here before we’re caught?” Xuvri growled as they stepped inside.
The human woman at the controls spun around and stared at them with big brown eyes set into a pretty round face. Dark brown hair was pulled up into a disheveled bun atop her head, and she wore the plain, ugly gowns Esme remembered from her own time in the cells. Her tanned skin flushed beneath the smattering of freckles on her cheeks and she jumped out of the chair. “Hijo de puta.”
Erusha stepped past them and eyed the taller, leaner male. “This is what you were up to? I assume you’re fleeing as well?”
“Yes, sir,” the Grutex said, glancing at the human female as she shifted closer to him.
Esme recognized the look on her face. It was the one that said she’d rather go out fighting than ever be taken captive again. Xuvri transferred Esme into Ky’s waiting arms before he stalked to the front of the ship. “Staying or going, it doesn’t matter to me. Just keep out of the way.”
“I have you,” Ky whispered, placing Esme in one of the empty seats along the back wall. She bent down to kiss Eina’s head before taking the neighboring seat.
The flight down to the surface of the Tachin planet was blessedly quick, but the journey to the site of the portal was another story. Xuvri flew them in circles for a bit, hoping to lose anyone who might have followed them from the Kaia’s ship or even from the small outpost where they’d snuck on board the ship.
When Eina became restless, Esme lowered the top of her dress, not caring that she had an audience or that she and her daughter were both covered in filth at that point. It wasn’t just about feeding her baby; it was comforting for both of them. She was safe in her arms. Eina was with her parents where she belonged and they were going home.
“We should see to his wounds soon,” Esme whispered to Ky, watching Xuvri as he navigated.
“My wounds will heal,” Xuvri said, glancing back at her with a grin. “It’s not safe to walk around yet. Once we’re back in the temple, you can fuss over them all you want.”
“Safety first,” the other human quipped.
Esme stared down at Eina, running the tips of her fingers over her jaw as she nursed. Ky’s hand moved to cup the infant’s head, and Esme thought of her son. She wished she could have met him, wished Ky and Xuvri could have known him. Eina would have had a brother to grow with—a lifelong friend.
A tear slipped down Esme’s cheek and landed on her chest. “You are safe now,” Ky told her, drying Esme’s face with the back of her hand before dropping a kiss on her head.
“His name was Alexander,” Esme whispered, turning her face toward her female.
“Who?” Xuvri asked from the pilot’s seat.
“My son…” her voice faltered, stumbling over the words. “My son’s name was Alexander, after my grandfather who passed away.”
Xuvri mumbled something to Erusha, who sat next to him, before releasing the controls and spinning around the chair so that he could face her. The ship swayed as Xuvri reached out to take Esme’s hand, and he narrowed his eyes on the scientist. “Try not to crash,” her mate growled.
The older male visibly bristled. “I’ll do my best.”
“I think that Alexander is a good strong name for our son,” Xuvri said, squeezing her hand.
Ky made a sound of agreement at her side. “Our little Alexander. A beautiful tribute to your grandsire.”
Esme’s lower lip trembled as Ky’s tail wrapped around her leg, and she sighed, drawing strength from where they touched. That her mates saw her baby as their own, that they were feeling his absence with her, brought more tears to her eyes. She would mourn the loss of her son, of their son, while celebrating the safe return of their daughter. Her little boy would have a place inside of her, and there would never be a day when she didn’t miss him. He would live in her heart, wrapped in the arms of her love forever.
Chapter 29
Kythea
The remnants of the portal’s magic swirled around Ky, the tingle it induced lingering on her skin as she stepped onto the stone floor of the temple. Esme was right behind her, and she guided her away from the opening as the others came through.
“Goddess, close the portal,” she commanded.
“Closing portal.”
They watched as the swirling light began to shrink before finally blinking out of existence between the statue’s hands. They’d made it. They were safe. Ky turned to see a small group of males in the doorway, their weapons readied and their eyes on the Grutex behind her. Trakseer stood in front of them and next to him, his big arms folded over his chest, was Gulzar.
Her feet were moving before her mind had time to process what was happening, and a moment later she was wrapped up in her brother’s embrace with his warm, familiar scent surrounding her.
“I did not think I would ever see you here again,” she whispered, ignoring Xuvri’s growl.
“I did not think I would ever come here again,” Gulzar said, pulling back to look down at her. “And I did not think I would have to learn about your mating and your offspring from Amanda. You know she cannot keep a secret for long.”
Ky felt the flush crawl across her face as she glanced back at her family. “I am sorry I did not tell you myself, but it has been… hectic.”
Seeing her brother like this, so happy and at ease, even in the temple where some of his worst memories had taken place under the evil presence of the elders, gave her hope for the future. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until then.
“Who is this?” Oshen asked, his eyes narrowing on the other Grutex males they’d brought through the portal.
Nuzal seemed to bristle at the venom in Oshen’s voice. “This is Erusha, my former superior, the one who aided us in our escape from the Kaia’s ship. This male here,” he said, gesturing to the younger male they’d discovered on the cargo ship, “is Qrien. He was one of my assistants.”
“He rescued me from that lab,” the dark-haired human female said, crossing her arms over her chest as she stepped in front of him.
“Wonderful. We’ll take them all into custody. Him as well,” Oshen said, his lip pulling into a snarl as he turned toward Xuvri. “They can all answer to the council for their part in breaking the Galactic Law.”
Chaos broke out as everyone began speaking at once.
The other human female turned to wrap herself around Qrien, her eyes narrowed as she let loose a torrent of curses, telling Oshen he could take the Grutex over her dead body. Esme looked at Xuvri, whose eyes were fixed to the floor of the temple. Eina lay sleeping against his chest, one of her favorite spots with his xine clutched in one hand.
“Just wait a moment, Oshen,” Nuzal was saying, his big hand raised in the air as he frowned.
Oshen shook his head. “They have broken the law, Nuzal. The council will decide what should be done about them.”
“I broke that law as well, and your sire fought tooth and claw to free me.”
Oshen scoffed. “You are Brin and Jun’s mate—”
“That’s bullshit!” the human yelled.
“This one,” Oshen sneered, his fushori pulsing as he pointed a clawed finger at Xuvri, “shouldn’t even be alive. I knew I should have gone back to make sure you were dead. I should have torn you limb
from limb and rid this world of you when I had the chance.”
Not for the first time that day, Ky wondered what in the world came over her as she shoved her palms against Oshen’s chest. The surprise attack stunned the larger male enough that he stumbled backward, his golden eyes going wide as he stared at her. “How dare you! You may be the brother of my heart, Gulzar and Amanda’s mate, but you keep your glecking tongue civil in this temple! You threaten my male again and I will be forced to do something that may anger Amanda.”
“That is enough from all of you.” Silence fell at Gulzar’s words, and Ky turned to look at her brother. His violet eyes were fixed on Oshen, and she saw some of the rage dissipate when the Venium met his bondmate’s gaze. “Amanda made her wishes very clear before we departed the dome.”
“She expects me to forgive him for the things he did to her—for the fear he put in all of us? Do you not remember what it felt like to find out she was missing?” Oshen glared at Ky. “Do you not remember what it was like to realize your own brother’s pregnant mate had been abducted from your home?”
Ky remembered that day well, remembered the fear and the uncertainty of not knowing whether Amanda would return to them. She’d been heartbroken for Gulzar, but now she knew the other side of the story, and while she didn’t think the explanation meant Xuvri was completely free of guilt, she did think that it bore resolution on Oshen’s part.
“You’re standing by the male who tried to force himself on Amanda, who abducted her and brought her to the same place where that mutilated human female was being kept.”
“Hey! You know nothing about Laurie!” Esme snapped, her face flushed and her eyes bright. “Xuvri didn’t do that to her, and you might know that if you took the time to listen.”
Frustration welled up within Ky. “There are so many things you do not understand about—”
“I understand that he abducted my mate!”
Gulzar placed a hand on his bondmate’s chest and began a rattling purr. “Amanda does not expect you to forgive him. She told you already that your anger is yours alone. If you had set aside your rage for even a moment, you might be able to listen and find out why she has chosen to forgive the Grutex.”
“There is no excuse for the pain I caused her, and you as well, as her mates,” Xuvri said. “I was under the assumption that what I was doing was correct, that it was right.”
“You were being poisoned by the injections!” Esme argued. “Tell him!”
Xuvri placed his hand on Eina’s back, brushing her wings as she began to stir against his chest. “If I were in your place, I would have done the same. I did do the same.”
Esme shook her head as tears welled up in her eyes. “You are nothing like Vodk. Don’t you ever even compare what he did to me with what those injections turned you into. He knew full well what he was doing to me.”
Something flashed in their male’s eyes, and Ky felt the surprise radiate from him at Esme’s words. She’d struggled for so long to separate them, to keep Vodk’s memory from tainting what they had, and to hear her say that was undoubtedly shocking.
“There were rumors about them, but I didn’t know for sure until I spoke with Esme after she recovered,” Nuzal said. “Xuvri has already agreed to testing.”
Erusha’s tail slapped the ground, and he huffed. “I had samples in my office, but I didn’t think to bring them. Whatever concoction they’ve come up with isn’t something they want getting out.”
“They wouldn’t even let us run tests on the warriors in the lab,” Qrien told them. “I can’t imagine it was anything good.”
“I saw for myself what the poison did to him.” Trakseer stepped forward, speaking for the first time since their return. “I knew him as overprotective and rude, but he cares for his females, loves them, and yet the poison still turned him against Esme. If it could make him do that with his own female, what else could it make him capable of?” The chieftain shook his head. “He has worked hard here in the village to rid himself of its effects and to be a better mate and a sire. Xuvri has become a valued member of the tribe.”
Oshen crossed his arms over his chest. “Valued member or not, what he did to Amanda was—”
“Forgiven,” Gulzar growled. “Amanda forgave him for what happened between them. Our female does not expect you to forgive or to like him, but she does expect you to respect her decision.” Ky watched as something unsaid passed between her brother and his bondmate. The muscle in Oshen’s jaw twitched, and his tail snapped through the air behind him as Gulzar reached out to touch his face. “Do not hold onto something that does not belong to you.”
“There is still the issue of Galactic Law,” Oshen said, evading Gulzar’s hand. “I cannot speak for the council on that matter. They will need to be brought in for questioning at the very least.”
“The Venium are more than welcome to question Xuvri here, but as a member of this tribe, he is protected under the agreement we have established with your people. As the chief, I will take personal responsibility and ensure he remains here within our boundaries until his duty has been fulfilled.”
The irritation on Oshen’s face made it obvious that he wasn’t satisfied with this, but Ky had heard enough about the talks between her village and the Venium to know Trakseer was the only one with the authority to punish her male.
“I will return within the next day or so to collect samples and run tests,” Nuzal said. “The sooner we know what we are dealing with and what effects it has on the warriors, the better.”
“Oshen?” Xuvri took a step closer, adjusting a wriggling Eina in his arms as he looked up at the Venium male. “I’m not sure that I deserve to be forgiven or that I am worthy of the second chance that was presented to me when Ky and Esme found me.” Oshen grunted, but said nothing. “I know my words mean little to you and that there is nothing I can do to show you that I am doing my best to right the wrongs I have committed, but I will continue to try.” Xuvri reached into the pocket of his pants, and when he pulled out one of the vials filled with the familiar black liquid, Ky felt her stomach plummet.
The poison. They’d been on that ship for such a short amount of time. How had he managed to find more? Ky glanced at Esme, noting the shock on her face as she stared down at the vial.
“I don’t know what is left of the injections within me, but I took this from Erusha’s office. My apologies for not saying anything,” he said to Erusha. “But I want to help my female’s people and I want to make sure whoever is behind the distribution of this is stopped.” Xuvri held out his hand toward Nuzal, placing the vial in the other male’s palm before stepping back.
Oshen watched as Nuzal turned the poison over in his hands. “This doesn’t mean I forgive you.”
“I didn’t imagine it would.”
The Venium nodded at Nuzal. “We’ll take the others with us to find out what they know, and you,” he said, looking back at Xuvri, “I wouldn’t leave the boundaries of the village.”
Gulzar grimaced as he watched his bondmate leave the temple. “Amanda said she only got to speak with you for a moment and she expects to hear the full story as soon as you are able to speak with her.”
Ky smiled, stepping into his open arms. “Of course.” She sighed as she burrowed into her brother’s chest. “I miss you so much, Amanda too, and I cannot believe I missed the birth of three younglings. I wish I could have been there for your mate and for Mitera.”
“You will come visit them soon?” Gulzar asked before seeming to remember the complexity of their situation. “Well, maybe just you at first?”
“I am not sure that I could leave Eina again so soon.”
“I understand.” Gulzar pulled back and looked down at her. “You are my sister, Kythea, my first friend. I want you to be happy, safe, and loved the way you deserve. You know I am never more than a ping away.”
Ky soaked up the few minutes Gulzar was able to spend with her, introducing him to Eina and Esme, and promising to ping him soon.
Erusha, Qrien, and the human female departed the temple with Nuzal, and Ky wondered what would happen to them once they reached the dome.
“What happened to the ones who took Eina?” Trakseer asked when they were alone in the temple. “Were you able to find them?”
“They’re dead,” Xuvri told him.
The chieftain nodded. “I will come by once I have received word from the Venium about when they wish to schedule the testing. Until then, clean up and get some rest. Welcome home.”
Chapter 30
Esme
Nighttime in the village was always cool, and tonight was no different. A breeze blew through the open parts of their home, and Esme closed her eyes, rocking Eina from side to side as the wind tousled her hair. Their baby was fast asleep, and after the exciting day she’d had, Esme wasn’t surprised that not even the happy, cheering crowds in the street had been enough to rouse Eina. Ky walked in as Esme carefully placed their daughter in the crib. They both stood there, watching the rise and fall of Eina’s chest.
Esme glanced up at her from under her lashes, letting her gaze roam over the female’s face. They could have lost Xuvri today. He could have died on board the ship, and Esme would have been forced to live with so many regrets. She’d never told either of them that she loved them or ever truly and completely accepted him as her mate. Sure, she called him her male, her mate, but she’d been holding back this whole time, and for what? Esme wanted him to know that she cared for him, that she wanted him just as badly as she wanted Ky.
Vodk was gone, and even though she’d been the one pulling the trigger, Xuvri was the one who ended his reign of terror over her. The male that haunted her dreams was gone. Esme felt goosebumps erupt over her skin when she realized Ky was watching her with that brilliant aqua gaze. Did she know what she was thinking, what she was feeling, what she wanted?