I pick her up in my arms as my mating vines start wrapping around us both. Walking through the middle of the living ship, a slit opens in the interior bark to a room few know exists. Inside lays the packed soil of my home world and the nutrients needed for Vedece’s successful change. Within moments of my lower limbs touching the soil, we both become completely cocooned and entangled not only physically but also mentally.
Lowering my lips, I capture the smile she is wearing and save it as a precious memory to be held for all time as my mouth takes her last full human breath. My legs root deep in the soil as I watch her close her eyes, fighting against the sleep that is tryingto pull her in. I stand tall and strong as her body starts to reform right before my eyes.
As my mating vine twirls and sinks deeper within her body, new buds and small limbs twirl within the curls of her hair, her skin takes on a pale green tint that will shimmer in the sun’s light as it graces her ebony coloring. This new version of Vedece simply accentuates her earthy beauty with the dryads of their past. I will enjoy watching her through the seasons as she blooms fully, walking among the fauna as one of them, knowing that our bond has given her this happiness. We will grow in this world together and be stronger for it.
I push the outside world away, even though I can feel the atmosphere warming and the thawing that will have the animals emerging from their burrows. Soon this peacefulness will be broken, and I will have to share her with the others. But for now, I stand here in peace, watching my future and holding a true blessing I will never feel worthy of.
CHAPTER 5
FALON
When the drop shuttle finally lands, I am not sure who is more anxious, the females or me. ANDI was a pleasure, and if my fingers had not still been so sensitive, I would have loved to sync up with him, but my usual attachments do not seem to be cooperating. Even though the Aynar marked me as a failed experiment, I have grown used to the upgrades they inserted into me and the information they can effortlessly provide.
Edie has been talking to the others around us, leaning up against my chest as we wait for the ramp to open. And even though I am slightly nervous about meeting the Commander in person, the feel of her in my arms helps anchor me, as she is really all I need. The one they call Ginger looks like she is ready to crawl out of her own skin, but the tic the ramp is on the ground, she hesitates to step forward.
I look out the doorway, only seeing the Commander and a few others standing nearby. When it looks safe, I motion for the others to go around Ginger. She will come when she’s ready.
The females practically run down the ramp, all of them excited to be around their own kind as they search through faces, hopingto find possible family or friends who might have survived. The Commander stands at the end of the ramp, meeting each one of them and frack, he is a big male. Einar is the largest of us and still, the Commander has an inch on him. In all my rotations, I have never been intimidated by another like I am the Commander. It is not just his size, but the power that seems to radiate all around him. He is absolutely terrifying, standing there with a small smile on his face.
Walking beside Edie, her hand is safe in my own as we head toward the others. The moment I am before the Commander, I hit one knee, and my head bows. “It is an honor to be in your presence, Commander.”
Instantly, his massive hands are on my upper arms, pulling me up, and it is a good thing he is holding onto me because my legs are so weak I can barely stand.
“You bow for no male Falon! You are one of mine now, and we hit our knees for no one but the Lord of Light, or in your case, the God of Ruk. Come, join my Kira and I here for a moment. I need to witness this joining.”
Stepping beside him, I pull Edie up against my chest, needing her quiet strength as I quietly try to pull myself together while all eyes are upon Ginger as she stands halfway down the ramp. Everyone gets quiet, just as a human male, the first one of his kind I have ever seen until we arrived here sees her standing there. Edie leans back against me, and I feel her small frame start to tremble. When I glance down, she has tears running down her cheeks and is holding onto my arm wrapped around her waist, as if it’s a lifeline.
When I peer back up, Ginger is in the male’s arms, and there is not a dry eye in the place. Everyone, including the Commander,seems to be leaking. I knew this was a highly anticipated reunion, but the fact that it is upsetting my mate is unacceptable to me. Quickly, I pick her up, tucking her face into my neck as I hold her up by her luscious ass cheeks, pulling her close until I feel her tears lessen. By this time, the male has physically carried Ginger off. The others start returning to their previous duties. Suddenly, I am at a loss as to what to do next.
“I’m alright, Falon. You can put me down, honey.”
I pull her back gently so that I can see her face. “Why did the leaking occur?”
“Ginger has been searching for Ricky since the moment she landed on Deapra. I could feel their love … and the heartache it caused from being separated for so long. These were happy tears mixed with sad ones for all who witnessed their reunion. There are not a lot ofhappily ever after’sin real life, honey. So anytime you get to witness one, it pulls at the heartstrings.”
The voice of another female has me turning and she is quite stunning in a whole other way. I knew human females varied in coloring and height, but some are so extreme that you would think their god was simply having fun when putting them all together.
“Hi, I’m Kira … DaR’s other half. We didn’t have time to talk before. Things got crazy there for a few days with that rock floating around, but I’ve put together a light lunch for us so that we can discuss the settlement and other stuff with you guys. I know all this must be a little overwhelming.”
“I am beginning to think that overwhelming is the norm. What about the other girls? Should they come?”
“Carla and James are going to take them to their dwelling pod so they can get settled. We’ll have several other pods ready shortly according to MeK. So hopefully one of them will be in a location you and Edie prefer as I’m sure you’d like a place of your own. Come, we have much to discuss. SAGE worked hard on what she calls human chicken salad, and she also made some new chips I’m excited to try.”
DaR is a few steps away, speaking to a male with a white bandage around his arm. Once they stop talking, he turns back to us, and I can see his eyes evaluating me as he walks forward. I am a large male, especially compared to the small human males around here, but he need not worry, as I have no grievances against this race.
“If you all are ready, Falon. We have your futures to discuss, and since it is still quite chilly out here for our human mates, let’s head into my personal shuttle so that we can talk in comfort.”
I can tell he is trying not to be intimidating, but I am out of my element here. This world and all that is in it is strange. At least in the Void, you knew most of the others around you were in the same mess you were. Here, I am more than likely the only criminal planetside.
Edie and I follow behind them, but my eyes do not miss a thing as we walk through the shuttle area. Several of these I know I could infiltrate if things go bad, but none look as if they could burst through the Veil. I need to hurry up and heal so that I can familiarize myself with this side of the Veil. I have no idea whether there is a hidden corner, unknown to the Commander or his sons, where we could hide if need be. I shake my head at those thoughts. I have been a pirate for so long that it is hard not to look at the opportunities around me.
The Commander’s shuttle is like no other here. It is sleek and shiny, as if just commissioned. Instead of a ramp, the front of the ship tilts down slightly, and the entire front slides open as we approach. We walk into a lavishly decorated space in which I instantly feel out of place, as I have spent most of my rotations in ships that were merely patched together. The Commander’s mate turns towards mine.
“Edie, I’m going to grab some drinks if you’d like to come with me. I want you to meet SAGE. She’s in the kitchen area. You two boys have a seat. We’ll return in a minute.”
The Commander must have seen my puzzlement at her calling us younglings. “You will get used to their terminology in time. Word of advice … just go with it. It appears we are easier to train in languages than they are, or our females are simply too stubborn to learn, but either way, it’s not worth mentioning. Sit, let us get to know each other better so that we can figure out the next steps and your place here.”
Looking around, I sit down awkwardly on a half-round, soft platform while the Commander sits across from me in a single chair. I know I look like a youngling peering all around, but I had no idea a shuttle could be this nice. ANDI was clean and shiny, but this is like a space-worthy floating dwelling.
