"Gods, she's going to fucking kill me with that soft heart of hers." Rav was rubbing his chest, trying to alleviate the sharp, stabbing ache I knew he must be feeling, because Amanda's pain was our pain, and she was truly broken-hearted for Mara and Myntar and little Lan.
"We didn't have a heart before her," I said.
"Agreed." Rav twisted and turned his head on his shoulders, cracking his spine to relieve some tension. "I've got to get to medical and prepare the body." He turned to me. "You sure about this?"
"Yes. And so is she."
Rav nodded, patting me on the shoulder as he walked past. "I'll see you down there."
I followed behind and waited patiently beside him for the crowd to clear so we could reach the small family at its center.
"I'm sorry, my friends." I patted the captain on the shoulder and bowed to Lady Myntar as Rav came up next to me, his sorrow clearly etched on his face. He'd spoken to the couple the night before, when he'd had to explain to them exactly what had happened. Rav had come back to our room looking ragged and raw and crawled into Amanda's arms.
Mara released my mate and wiped the tears from her eyes to look at us. "We know there was nothing to be done, but thank you all." She looked at the faces surrounding her, offering support, led by their new Lady, the new heart of the battle group. "Thank you. I'm proud to be a Prillon bride." Her gaze drifted to Amanda as she continued, "And happy to call you friend."
Amanda squeezed her hand one last time and walked to us, her mates, where we waited for her and I realized I would always wait for her, always protect her, always love her. I took her hand as we followed Rav from the room and thanked the gods for the matching protocols that had brought her to me, my perfect match, my mate.
Amanda
I waited silently at the front of the meeting room Grigg told me was normally used for meetings of the battle wings before a mission. Twelve long tables with three chairs behind them in classroom style faced the front of the room where a giant communications monitor was imbedded in the wall.
When I was ready, all I had to do was ask to be patched through to Robert and Allen back on Earth. I had no idea how their communications worked across such vast expanses of space, and I didn't care. All I knew was I could talk to them in real time and try to make them see reason.
I'd warned Grigg that they wouldn't listen, that their focus was solely on Earth and the bickering there, so he'd suggested I make contact with the Coalition's Planetary Induction teams and explain to them Earth's subterfuge. I'd sat beside him this morning on my first deep-space version of a teleconference and explained the fears and doubts of the people I worked for to a council of mixed races and strange beings I could barely comprehend. They'd listened attentively, from light years away, and were on standby to relieve the much more diplomatic representatives of the Coalition that were now trying, in vain, to deal with Earth's hard-headed leaders.
I told them everything I knew, trusting Grigg and these strangers who held the fate of all humanity in the palms of their hands. If I doubted, all I need do was recall the memory of Myntar's bubbling flesh, his cries of pain as the Hive implants in his body killed him. When I thought of that happening to all the innocent citizens of Earth, I straightened my spine and squared my shoulders. I had to protect my people, even if they didn't understand what I was doing.
The door slid open and Grigg walked in, Rav directly behind him and immediately I went to my mates, grateful as their arms wrapped around me, enclosing me so that I felt safe and loved, stronger with them beside me.
"Are they here?" I asked.
Grigg sighed. "Yes. They are going through processing now. Then we'll take them to medical, and they'll be all yours."
"How long will that take?"
"About twenty minutes. We aren't giving them the full exam, just making sure they're healthy enough to survive their return trip."
Grigg had ensured the transporter was ready to send them back. He was willing for me to meet with the Earth soldiers, but refused to allow them to remain. They would learn the truth, see Myntar's body, the recording of his death, then go back and report what they'd seen. They would serve the Coalition better in this task alone than fighting the Hive for their two-year service time.
I nodded, pulling from their arms. I wiped my clammy palms on the thighs of my dark blue uniform, proud to be wearing the color of my family, and prouder still of the new insignia on my left shoulder. Grigg had officially named me Lady Zakar and updated the ship's systems to allow me access to everything, including ship's systems, weapons, histories, medical information. Everything I could possibly need to betray him. His trust in me, in us, was substantial. He'd done it, then kissed me senseless. I could now issue orders to everyone in the battle group, everyone but him.
Which was just fine with me. His dominant, bossy ways made me shiver with anticipation, for as soon as this was done, as soon as the Earthmen learned the truth and were sent back, we would complete the mating ceremony. I'd told them I was ready, that while we'd told each other of our love, felt it through the collar, the bonding ceremony would make it official. I wanted my collar the color of theirs. I wanted to belong to them forever, just as my mates would belong to me.
"Let's get this over with so I can claim you." I purposely reminded them of what was to come and was rewarded with a flood of heat through my collar. Both men glanced at me with heated stares, stares that were promises of their own need to finalize their claim.
"Commander Zakar?" The communications officer's voice filled the room.
"Yes?"
"General Zakar is requesting to speak to you, Sir."
Grigg sighed, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck and Rav's eyes narrowed in irritation. Curious now, I was glad when Grigg gave the order to patch his father through to the monitor at the front of the room.
"Commander?"
"Yes, General?" Grigg stepped forward, to the center of the room so his father could easily see him as I studied the much older Prillon warrior on the screen. His features were similar to Grigg's, but the general's coloring was much darker, his skin a burnished gold that was almost copper in color, his hair a dark shade of burnt orange. The uniform he wore was one I recognized, the armor of a warrior, but no longer black, but the same blue hue of mine, Zakar blue.
"How dare you keep your mate a secret from me. I had to hear about her from the medical staff."
Grigg's jaw tightened and I felt the tension pouring from him in waves, the anger. "My mate was never a secret, Father, I simply didn't realize you'd care."
The general leaned forward, squinting to get a good look at me where I stood near the back of the room. I looked at Rav, who shrugged and spoke to me low enough so that the monitors wouldn't pick up his voice. "Go ahead if you want, but he's an asshole."
That sealed it for me. I wasn't going to allow my Grigg to stand alone. Not anymore. I walked forward, head held high and slipped my hand into Grigg's much larger one. The general inspected me and I looked back. He was nothing to me, and if he hurt my mate, he was my enemy. Still, this was my father-in-law. Manners required I attempt to be polite. "General. It's a pleasure to meet you."
He took his time looking me over, as if he were inspecting a breeding mare for his prize stallion. "She'll do, although I wish you had chosen a Prillon mate."
"She was matched to me through the Bride Program. I assume you acknowledge their success rate. That should be enough to satisfy you. To me, she's my matched mate. I would have no other."
His father crossed his arms with a harrumph and scowled. "Fine, Commander. Fuck whomever you want. I don't care as long as she breeds. I will transport immediately for the claiming ceremony."
Behind me, Rav growled.
Um, yeah. No. There was no way my father-in-law was going to watch the claiming ceremony. Gross and altogether creepy.
His protest fell on deaf ears as Grigg's rage boiled over. Gently, too gently, he stepped forward and used his arm to move me behind his back, out of his father's sight. "No."
"What did you say to me?"
Grigg's entire body tensed with rage and I stayed where he wanted me, content to lean against him, to press my forehead to the center of his back so he'd know I was there, that I was with him. "I said no, Father. No more."
I heard a rustling and felt Rav's approach as he walked to Grigg's side, standing with Grigg as he refused his father.
"What are you talking about? No more? What the fuck kind of game are you playing with me, boy?"
I expected Grigg to explode in wild rage, was shocked when the opposite occurred. It was like all the anger drained out of him, leaving him calm and relaxed. "Amanda is my mate and I will not subject her to your presence. I am done with you. I'm your blood, and I will always honor our family. But I am not your son, and you are not welcome on my ship. If you have need to communicate with me again, you may send a message via my communications officer. I have no desire to speak with you ever again."
The general raged, but Grigg simply lifted walked forward and placed his palm on a small command pad. The room went blessedly silent.
I followed him, wrapping my arms around Grigg from behind as Rav's sense of satisfaction mingled with Grigg's resignation. "About fucking time."