She calms down enough that Ruarc can set her down in front of him, but he still gently holds onto her arm. Both sides are armed with weapons as Murgul smiles eerily, just wanting Bikar to stepoff his tail so that he can attack the fiery one who has not taken his eyes off him.
“If it will make you feel better Ginger, ask your questions, but calm yourself.”
Her words come out so fast that it takes a second for me to process them … “YouSaidYouSavedSomeOtherHumansLikeMe,WasMyHusbandAmongThem??”
SCOUT steps forward, “Please state your name, Miss.”
“Ginger Mueller. My husband Ricky and I were both launched at the same time from Earth, but I ended up here alone. Did you find others? Is he alive? Please tell me.”
The shield hiding SCOUT’s face rises and an oddly human-like face appears before us with a small smile. “I am pleased to be the one to inform you, Miss Ginger, that he is alive and well and has never stopped looking for you. I have spent many rotations scanning the heavens in the hopes that we could find and reunite the two of you. This news will bring joy not only to your husband but also to others. Ricky, along with many of your kind, are in the process of rebuilding your lost world. There is never a rising that he does not ask me if I have located you.”
“Can I talk to him? Are you going back there? Will you please take me with you?”
“You, as well as any other of your kind are welcome to return with us. Unfortunately, we cannot connect with Ethra at this time due to an anomaly moving through the galaxy. But because of the new upgrades Destiny has received, she can now make the trip in record time instead of orbital rotations like before.”
“I have to go tell the others.” Ginger darts between us, heading back into the mountain fortress.
Slavic snarls … “You will not be taking anyone that is not willing to leave with you, and I require proof that you are who you say. The Void has taught us that there is always more to things than meets the eye.”
This entire time I have been watching the fiery one as he seems to be sizing all of us up. When he speaks, it is like molten lava has melted his voice into a permanent growl. “You act as though you have a human mate of your own, Ruk.”
“My mate, as well as my brothers, are human and I would die before allowing you to take any of them from us.”
I can see the fire running through his veins when he raises his arm and motions toward something in the shuttle. A few moments later, two human females walk down the ramp, a youngling between them. They split up, one heading to the captain. The other, with the young one, walks calmly up to ViN, who takes the child out of her arms. Suddenly, I hear the fortress’ main doors opening and voices behind us. Before I can react, Atasha is already around us and almost upon the fiery one they call ViN.
“Hi, what’s your name? I’m Atasha, you wanna play?”
“Yaay, new play friend! I’m Ami Lynn. You gots any cool rocks? Me down, Daddy … go play rocks.”
The closer I look at the child, the more I see that she is not fully human. ViN sets her down gently and nods. The next thing you know, Atasha and this, Ami Lynn are holding hands like they have been friends for rotations, running around picking up rocks.
“Out of the mouth of younglings,” I hear mam say as many gather around us. “Welcome to Deapra and the Void, Captain. I am the mother of the six standing before you, and we have just recently been reunited ourselves. You will have to excuse my son’s wariness. The Void is governed by survivors and the unfortunate, and our knowledge is not as great as the ones on the other side of the Veil. Please bring your obvious mates in for refreshments, and we will discuss things in a much calmer area. I do not know your father personally, as he is just a myth in the Void, but you have the bearing and manners of one well raised, and I will credit that to your life giver.”
I am shocked to see ViN remain outside while his mate joins EvO and SCOUT as they walk inside with mam. Slavic nods toward Bikar and me, and we both stay within sight of Atasha as she plays with the other youngling as if they have always known each other. We keep to ourselves, as does ViN. His human mate comes out of the fortress several times unaccompanied, and her ease of action around him, along with a few heated glances show how strong their mate bond is.
Half a rising passes and my thoughts are torn between guarding Atasha or hunting down the little human female who just triggered my mate bond before we were rudely interrupted.
Until I see Laura and Tracy walking toward the shuttle with their few belongings in their arms, it never occurred to me that they would so quickly uproot the human females that had been with my people the last few orbital rotations. Turning back toward the fortress, I find Ginger hugging mam’s neck just inside the door, tears in her eyes.
“I’m going to miss you. Thank you for all you’ve done for me, Mam. If I can contact you, I promise I will.”
I don’t hear what mam says because my eyes are caught on my own human standing behind Ginger. Suddenly, I find myself in front of her without realizing I had moved. She jerks back, startled.
“Where are you going?” I practically roar out the words.
“That’s none of your business, and I’m leaving with the others. Excuse me, I need to speak to your mother.”
I grab her arm, pulling her flush up against me. “I forbid it!”I snarl down into her face.
“Take your hands off the female before I make you.” I find a very angry SCOUT standing over me, and it takes a large male to make me feel small.
“Stay out of this, metal man. She is my mate and this does not concern you.”
“This female has plainly stated that she is not mated to anyone here and has asked for our assistance in reuniting her with her own kind. You are mistaken.”
When I turn back, she is already halfway to the shuttle, and I find myself running after her. I step in front of her once again, but this time I try to gentle my words.
“Please do not go … I will die without you.”
