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“Yes, but one more tiny favor won’t hurt,” the woman beside him teased, and Stacey hid a smile against Varik’s chest. The small, dark-haired human certainly had her mates’ number and they clearly doted on her. As if remembering their presence, Crystal turned to smile warmly at all of them. “Welcome aboardDegleth Dena—or as we say, Freedom.”
“About time,” Quin sighed, leaning into the male beside her and Stacey couldn’t agree more.
Suddenly the future seemed a lot brighter now that she was being whisked away from a seven-year nightmare into freedom and nothing ever felt so good. Especially not with her mate’s arms wrapped around her. She was so very tired but at the same time a spark was lit deep within her, revitalizing her with hope for what was to come for them all.
ChapterTwenty-Three
Varik stood on the flight deck, his mate wrapped in a large blanket at his side as she stared at the impressive sight ofAcasai Horinthidrawing closer in the viewing screen in front of them. Pride in his starship filled him. There was a reason it was called King’s Glory. Its size and superiority were well known in the Calysii Empire. And he was about to abscond with the entire ship with the help of a data-specialist, or hacker as Lerix called her. The female’s data-lens glowed softly over her left eye and the tiny nanos of her gloves emitted the same faint light as she worked her fingers through the air in front of her.
They had exited Kaidava’s atmosphere without incident and Varik knew that was in no small part due the ingenuity and skill of the female seated in front of the operations panel. Grish and Borth, the two brutish Terils mated to the little human sat smugly behind their own operational stations but were turned toward her as they watched her work. At the same time, Varik was distinctly aware of the fact that males were also watching every male on the flight deck as pride over their mate’s skill warred with their natural protectiveness.
It was clear that they were as infatuated and possessive of their female as he felt toward Stacey, though he had a difficult time imagining how such a small female took not one but two Terils. He did not want to know either. He had seen his mate’s cunt stretched tightly around his own shaft and he did not want to even picture what two large cocks would do to his female’s little body. Even the thought of it sent something sour bleeding through him, spiking his aggression in the close confines of the ship.
He detested this, having his mate so exposed after mating so soon. It was not the ship itself because he knew that he would be fine if they were in his own personal quarters where he knew that she was safe, and it would satisfy his instinct to nest with his new mate. ButDegleth Denawas not his ship. It did not have a familiar scent to calm or even any privacy with all the fleeing humans crowded within its small confines with the ship’s crew and one miscreant Kadesh.
Grish looked over. The male’s placid expression demonstrated that he was clearly unruffled by the aggression coming off of him. “Are you good, captain?”
“Fine,” he replied through his teeth.
The male inclined his head sympathetically. “As you say. If so, you are doing better than us. It may not look it, but I do not do well with my female around other large males in small confines. Borth even less so. But it gets easier to control the reaction with time… and then when you are alone, you will both enjoy satisfying your need to dominate and mark,” he added, a broad grin stretching over his hard face.
Varik nodded, he was somewhat doubtful that it would be that easy but seeing that the Teril males were in control of themselves and appeared to be generally at ease helped a little. He expelled his breath slowly, fighting for control. Just a little longer and if all went well he would be back in his domain. Crystal assured him that she would be able to open a line directly to the flight deck and bypass any potential barriers if the communications officer’s loyalty rested with Caysta. He approved that plan and waited anxiously as tension wound tighter through his frame and along his tail with every passing minute. What would he do if Jornesh was wrong and the crew fought him for control ofAcasai Horinthi?Although he was certain that Grish would see to it that they got somewhere safe within rebellion space, he would be fleeing with no provisions or safety in place for his mate. And that was unacceptable.
The unfortunate truth was that upon abandoning his post for the rebellion, he would have nothing but some credits that he had managed to siphon into an account in another sector in small amounts that would not make anyone suspicious, and his skills as a captain that could very well be useless without a ship of his own. What if he could not care for his mate?
A tremor ran through him and felt like he was on the brink of snapping when a warm, soft body pressed against him, his mate’s familiar scent filling his nose. Just that quickly, something within him shifted and the terrible weight that had crushing him suddenly lifted as she raised her head on the muscle just below his chest. Petting his torso lovingly, Stacey angled her head to look up at him and smiled.
“Hey, everything is going to be okay. No matter what happens, if this doesn’t work, we have each other and that is worth more than any kind of promise of security.”
He peered down at her uncertainly. “You will not feel that way when we are trying to scrape a living at the edges of the Intergalactic Union and trying to evade the wrath of the Calysii Empire. You will not be pleased when we have younglings that we cannot provide little luxuries for once my credits are spent.”
His mate’s soft chuckle filled his ears. “And if that happens, we will figure it out together. You don’t have to take the weight of everything alone. We are more than lovers, we are mates… and we will carve out our future however we must. I don’t need wealth and luxury—I’ve been there and done that, Varik. All I need is you and a home that we willchoosetogether. And it will be better than the last seven years of my life have been because I will be with you and we will be free of the control of Calysii Empire… and before long, Gaix will be a distant memory.”
“Speaking of—I have intercepted a comm transmission from Kaidava. It seems that worm managed to get out of his hole… or found his comm.”
Lerix sighed from where he reclined, his feet kicked up at an unoccupied station. “I suspect the latter. He seems the sort to sleep with it on it so if it had not come loose we would have likely heard from him long before this—or blown to space to dust byAcasai Horinthiby now. Sadly, while the bottom of the well is dark and of good size, he has been down there long enough to find it. He certainly is a determined bastard. I should have let Old Betsy have a taste of him while we had the chance.”
“Actually, this is perfect,” Stacey said, straightening. Glancing over at Crystal, she gave the female an uncertain smile. “Can you call the other women up here? I think most of them are going to enjoy this.”
Crystal gave her knowing smile and flicked a switch on the panel in front of her before leaning forward to speak.
“Calling all ladies who came close to being murderer by your insane mate and are now feel betrayed and a bit homicidally inclined, please come up to the flight deck.”
Varik huffed with amusement, but he did not protest when she pulled away from him. As much as he wanted to cling to her, he trusted her words and found more comfort in them than he had of those of the Teril. They had what the needed in each other… beyond that they would explore that adventure together. And that would begin with taking his place by her side and supporting her as she closed to final link to Gaix. Taking her hand in his, he smiled down at his blossom when she lifted her gaze to his curiously. Lifting her hand to his lips, he brushed a kiss against her palm.
“I am here for whatever support you need,” he whispered.
She smiled gratefully but then turned to greet the other females as they pressed into the already too-small confines of the flight deck. Turning to Crystal, she gave a short nod of her head.
“Patch Gaix through, Crystal.”
“You got it,” the pilot replied cheerfully as she opened the comm. “Good morning, this isDegleth Dena,how may I be of assistance?”
“Degleth Dena?” The hoarse voice rasped uncertainly, and Varik’s smile widened in response. The prince must have been shouting for some time. Gaix growled with a high-pitched whine of frustration. “I did not comm you.”
“No? Idoapologize for that, but it seems that your transmission was picked up by my ship’s systems. Perhaps whomever you were comming has left without you?”
“Impossible,” he croaked. “They would never leave without me. They have their orders. Something is wrong. You must rescue me. My gonsi was murdered and I was left for dead by my companions. I am quite certain that my mates have also been murdered. And something is wrong… there are strange sounds coming from everywhere.”
