9781631055577NiKohsChosenMichaelsNC (9 page)

“One
of the
dogas
has come down with an illness and if
RaKel cannot cure it, we will have to put it to sleep.”

NiKoh
felt her sorrow.
“I take it this animal has special
meaning to you? Is there anything I can help with?”
Whoa….where
did
that
come from? Me? Care about a lowly dogas?

“Yes.
SkiRee is the smallest and sometimes does not get the nourishment as the
others. I try to feed him e
xtra, but even then the
others push him away from his bowl. I cannot be with him all the time, and now
he just lies there in a corner of the pen. I wish I could bring him home and
nurse him back to health.” She turned beseeching eyes. “If you would allow i
t, NiKoh, I could make a pen outside and bring him here, so
he gains weight and grows stronger.”

“GiNae!
It is not proper to ask that.”

NiKoh
held up his hand. “BeSai never wanted animals in the garden or the house.
However, if you say it is only for a whi
le, and the
animal stays outside—”

“He
would, NiKoh. He does not chew on things and I would keep him in my room until
a shelter is built.” GiNae’s voice rose in eagerness.

NiKoh
flinched at the thought of a
dogas
anywhere in his house, but squelched
his mi
sgivings. “You may bring him home tomorrow, and
I will see about hiring some men to build a suitable shelter for him.”

“Oh
thank you, NiKoh.” GiNae’s voice was choked with tears. She ran in and threw
her arms around his neck, catching him off guard. “Thank
you so much.” He felt tears on his neck and awkwardly put his arms
around her slender waist.

Mistake.

He
felt his body respond to her innocent gesture and tried to tamp it down as he
patted her back. NiKoh inhaled her unusual scent, a mixture of sweet
grass, animal dung, and musty hay. He shifted, the pressure
in his groin causing discomfort. Thankful the table hid his lap, he
nevertheless felt her young breasts against his torso, causing a war between
his body and emotions. He cleared his throat, and G
iNae
released him. She backed away, wiped her flushed face, and returned to her
stool.

NiKoh
reached out to her mentally.
GiNae? We will talk later.

There is nothing further to discuss.
Thank you for your kindness.

Rebuffed,
NiKoh turned his attention to
the rest of his meal.

“If
SkiRee is going to be here tomorrow, we need to get a box for him, so he can
have a bed.” ViShe’s comment brought him back to the present. NiKoh looked up
to see GiNae at the sink.

“I
can bring one home from the shelter. RaKel alw
ays has
plenty.” GiNae rinsed her plate, then hugged her mother. “Are there any old
towels or an old blanket I can use?”

“I
will get one after I have cleaned up for the night.” ViShe patted her
daughter’s arm.

“Thank
you. I will go clear a place in my roo
m. Thank you
again, NiKoh.” GiNae’s vivid blue eyes met his.

A
vision clouded NiKoh’s sight.
He watched another man cup her face in
his hands and place a gentle kiss on her full lips. The man’s fingers slid into
her pale blue locks as she pressed closer, t
he sight
of the her breasts against the man’s chest sent an ache directly to his

“Oh!”
GiNae’s gasp cut through the haze. He shook his head, the vision gone. She spun
on her heel and hurried from the room.

ViShe
looked bewildered, turning her head to look
from her
daughter’s abrupt exit back to him.

“NiKoh?”
She pressed her hand to her lips. “Oh no…”

“I
am afraid so.”

“How
will you tell her?” ViShe’s eyes filled with tears. “She has not even reached
Maturity yet. How did this happen?”

NiKoh
stood and pushed
back his chair, taking GiNae’s place
at the table. “I do not know. I was not even aware of it until just now.”

“I
have not felt anything from her. A mother senses when her daughter has met her
Chosen, but she has not said one word to me, nor have I felt a
nything out of the ordinary until I witnessed the way you
two were looking at each other.” ViShe took a napkin and wiped the corners of
her eyes. “Can I—is it too indelicate to ask what you saw?” Her silvery skin
grew mottled.

“ViShe,
I’m not even sure of
what I saw. I can’t explain it,
but rest assured, it was completely innocent. In the past fifteen years, the
only time I have held her in my arms was just now, when she was thanking me,
and the time she fell off the swing while playing with OkVei. I have n
ever felt anything for her, other than paternal affection,
so believe me, this is not something I would have willingly chosen.” He rubbed
his temples, trying to make sense of it. “I have not even had the dreams I had
when I met BeSai. I do not know if this
will pass, or
if there is going to be something between us. I promise you, ViShe, with all my
heart, if she is meant to be mine, I will not hurt her.”

ViShe
nodded. “You are a good, honorable man, NiKoh.” Her voice choked with emotion.
“The fact you are a
llowing her to bring an animal
into your home proves that.”

He
laughed. “I never thought I would ever do that. Once again, it seems even an
old man like myself can change.”

“Thirty-six
is not old,” she chastised him. “There is seventeen years between you.
GiNae’s father was twenty years my senior, and we had seven
wonderful years together, before the accident took his life.” ViShe withdrew
her hands from his and stood up. “You are still master of the house and should
go enjoy your evening. Do you want me to
talk to
her?”

NiKoh
shook his head. “There is plenty of time. I am in no rush, and I sense she is
fighting it. Just let nature take its course.”

“Very
wise.” ViShe nodded. “Now, please leave my kitchen.”

Laughing,
NiKoh rose to his feet. “As you wish. I w
ill see you
in the morning.”

*
* * *

GiNae
moved the stack of papers to the drawer in her desk, then stepped back and
looked at her now clean room—papers organized instead of in piles on the floor,
books on the shelves. It still held a hint of the adoles
cent clutter, but at the same time she felt it reflected her changing
life.
I will soon be twenty. If the dreams are
any indication, I will soon be learning all about my
Chosen
and
how to be Mistress of the Home.
She made a face.
Bleh.
What if my Chosen re
fuses to let me continue at the
shelter? Train panneis, dogas, and catois?
Panic gripped her chest.
But
if it is NiKoh, I do not think he will forbid it. As repulsive as it sounds, I
would not have to technically leave home. Just move upstairs.
GiNae wrapp
ed
her arms around herself. Upstairs. To the master chamber he had shared with
BeSai? Or would they continue to use the guest room, where she knew he slept.
She shook her head.
Why am I even thinking about this? I am
not ready to be mated!
Mated. The very
thought both
thrilled and scared her. Mated women were boring, always talking of decorating
the home or raising children.
I cannot even picture
myself having a baby yet. There is so much I want to do! I love working with
the animals, and to be able to prov
ide a safe place
for them. Maybe we do not have to mate? After all, NiKoh lost BeSai only months
ago. He probably will not desire any intimate companionship for a while, and
maybe this…this…whatever this is, will go away.

GiNae
sighed and put the matter out of her mind as she walked into the washroom. She
undressed and showered, then wrapped herself in a warm fleece robe and sat on
her bed while combing the snarls out of her light blue hair. Plaiting the long
tresses, she w
orried her bottom lip, hoping SkiRee
would like his new home.
I hope the little
scamp does not turn out to be one of those dogas that chews everything in
sight. That sweet catoi who was returned to us last week had clawed the owner’s
furniture, when it did
not do anything of the sort at
the shelter. I hope I am not abusing NiKoh’s hospitality.

Just
thinking about NiKoh brought a warm glow to her body. GiNae frowned and pulled
on her nightwear, then snuggled under the covers, and snapped off her light.
Will
I have the dream again?
She yawned and closed her eyes.

A single finger traced the contours of
her face before following the line of her neck. Feather soft kisses brushed her
forehead, eyelids, and cheekbones.

Roll to your back, gi’chu’lo’vey.

She obeyed, keeping her eyes closed as
the finger slipped beneath the collar of her nightdress. GiNae shivered as she
felt him touching her collarbone.

So soft. The kisses traveled to her ear
and she let out an involuntary moan as he suckled a sensitive s
pot beneath the lobe. GiNae arched her back.

A hand palmed her right breast. Alarmed,
she gasped with the realization her nightgown was unbuttoned. She felt his
fingers draw lazy circles around her nipple, getting closer with each pass.
Curious, she arched
her back again, hearing him
chuckle in her ear.

My sweet, innocent, GiNae. His fingers
brushed her nipple and she sighed. His hand cupped her breast and coaxed her
nipple to bead. GiNae felt his lips leave her neck, then a damp warmth engulfed
her breast.
His tongue lapped at her nipple.

“Oh…do not stop.” GiNae’s breath caught
in her throat as she felt his hand move to her other breast, repeating the same
process, and nearly wept when he lapped at it as well. Her breath expelled with
a hiss. “Yes…yes…oh, d
on’t leave…” She moaned in
protest when cool air brushed over her wet breasts.

“Shhhh…I am going to make things a
little more comfortable. Patience.” He kissed her lips, tangling her tongue
with his.

GiNae threw her arms around his neck,
then started when
her bare chest touched springy hair
against a hard, naked male chest. “Oh!”

GiNae’s
eyes popped open. She was alone in her bed, clutching her pillow tight against
her. Panting, she thrust the pillow away from her and sat up, pushing her
disheveled hair aw
ay from her forehead. The dream had
seemed so real. She checked her nightgown. Yes, it was unbuttoned again, and
her breasts felt unusually tight. What was going on? She buttoned the garment,
then lay back down. Maybe if she laid on the other side, she wou
ld get some sleep? GiNae remembered that advice from her
childhood nightmares and rolled over. Within minutes, she was sound asleep
again.

Chapter Four

“Father,
I have exciting news.” OkVei’s holographic image wavered.

“Hold
on, my son. Adjust your
settings.” NiKoh checked his
own and soon he could see his teenage offspring clearly. “That’s better. Tell
me your news.”

“The
professors announced the finalists for the space station recruits, and I’m one
of them!” OkVei’s adolescent voice cracked. “They
are
choosing ten candidates in each category and will choose only three at the end
of the year. I am entered in Linguistics, with a possible alternative in either
Security, Maintenance, or Engineering.” A scowl crossed his face. “I’m not
thrilled with the
possibility of designing aircraft
or other issues. You know I still hope to get my pilot’s license.”

NiKoh
laughed. “Patience, OkVei. You are only fifteen. I did not receive my license
until I was nearly twenty-two. I am so happy for you! I know you were h
oping to be chosen for the station’s personnel.”

His
son’s face turned animated again. “This means we get special studies, and may
even get to stay aboard the station for several weeks. My studies begin next
week, and some forms may need filling out, since
parental permission is needed.”

“I
will check for any communiqués from the Academy and fill out what needs to be
sent in. How are you doing otherwise?”

“Fine,
Father.” OkVei launched into a description of some of his favorite courses, and
other activities
he had been involved in. “More
importantly, how is everything at home? I spoke to Grandmother yesterday.”

NiKoh
registered surprise. “She did not mention it to me.”

“She
mentioned you cleaned out Mother’s clothing.” There was a catch to his voice.
“Grandm
other said she has also set aside some
mementos for me.”

“I’m
not surprised at that.” NiKoh felt a lump in his throat and swallowed. “I asked
Vishe to do it, so thank her and GiNae next time you’re home.”

“Is
GiNae happier now, working at the animal shelte
r?”

NiKoh
smiled. “Yes. She has been entertaining her mother and I every evening with
stories. Did you know she wasn’t happy with her Placement results?”

“She
told me. I encouraged her to return home.” OkVei’s face turned apologetic. “She
wasn’t happy here
.”

“You
encouraged her?”

“Yes.
Even though she’s several years ahead of me, I could tell she was happier
around the animals. She was hoping her Placement would show that aptitude.”
OkVei shook his head. “What is wrong with those tests, Father? I’m happy I’
m good with languages, but shouldn’t there be another test
for what a person is interested in?”

NiKoh
chuckled. “My generation asked that same question. Apparently, they used to
allow people to follow their interests, but sometimes they proved to be bad at
their jobs. The test is designed—”

“To
match the skills with the preferred job. Yes, I know.” OkVei heaved a sigh.
“That doesn’t make it right.”

“It’s
not a perfect system but it’s what we have.” NiKoh’s communicator chirped. “Is
there anything else, son?
I have another incoming
call.”

“Blessings,
Father. I will speak to you again soon.” OkVei’s image flickered, then went
out.

NiKoh
touched the button on his communicator. “Yes?”

“NaKar
is requesting your presence in the conference room. I knew you were spe
aking with your son, but he is growing impatient.” LyDie,
his secretary, sounded calm. “He has contacted me twice now.”

“I’m
on my way. Thanks, LyDie.” NiKoh tapped the button and stood, then exited the
office and strode down the hallway, where he found hi
s
superior and several other men gathered. “Forgive me, my son has told me he is
now a finalist for the space station recruits.”

“How
wonderful, NiKoh. I will add a letter of recommendation for him. My daughter
tried for one of the counseling slots, but wh
en she
learned it meant actually traveling to the station, she had her name removed.”
NaKar smiled. “Not quite ready to leave the nest after all.”

Polite
laughter filled the air.

“Gentleman,
we have an issue with two Xaxonians. NiKoh, I understand you have
a relative who knows JeWal and DuKah?”

NiKoh
set his jaw. “Yes. My sister SaLie informs me they are seeking entertainment
for the Xaxonian half of the station. I have not heard of further issues.”

NaKar
activated a panel and each man’s computer pad glowed
with images. “Women are reporting JeWal has made overtures, including a
reporter who interviewed him for a local column. This needs to stop.” He looked
at each man in turn. “In the interest of planetary diplomacy, I say we not only
continue our surveillan
ce of the pair, but also place
a team to follow them covertly in order to diffuse any situation which might
arise. If the reporter’s friend hadn’t arrived to help her out, who knows what
those two would have done to her.”

One
man raised his hand. “How many
men would be needed to
tail him?”

NiKoh
cleared his throat. “I believe two per shift could handle it, TaTur. Three
pairs, rotating every eight hours at first, until we establish a pattern of
behavior. Obviously, we wouldn’t need eyes on them during their
sleep cycle.”

“And
if a situation arises where action is needed?”

“Then
we act with discretion. The last thing we need is a provocation, when our joint
space station is nearly complete. These two men are high ranking officials on
Xaxa, so the officers need
to be skilled in diplomacy
and tact. Any ideas?”

TaTur
tapped his pad. “Sending over a list of men I think would be suitable.”

NiKoh’s
pad chimed and he accessed the file. “All good men—no. Remove ViTra. He is not
trained enough. While I was gone, LyDie r
eported
various complaints against him. I am having him reassigned to a less hazardous
sector.”

TaTur’s
shaggy bronze eyebrows rose. “So noted. Are there any other concerns?”

NaKar
looked around. “I think it’s settled. TaTur, call the men in and assign
them to shift. Dismissed.”

Closing
his computer pad, NiKoh rose to his feet as the others left the room.

“NiKoh,
I would have a word with you.”

Chastened,
NiKoh paused as his superior closed the door then approached him.

“NaKar,
I can assure you I will not
be tardy again for a
meeting,” he began.

NaKar
waved his hand. “That is not my concern. I fully understand your situation with
your son, and find it admirable he consults with you. No, this is a far more
serious matter than mere tardiness.”

Anxiety
grippe
d him. NiKoh sank back down onto his chair.
“What is it?”

“How
long has it been since you’ve seen your sister SaLie?”

“I
saw her only last week. She has been staying at my mother’s dwelling since her
return.” Confused by the question, NiKoh felt his stomac
h churn. “What has she done now?”

NaKar
placed three photographs in front of him. “She may be involved on a deeper
level. Look.”

The
first photo showed the side view of a naked SaLie, spread-eagled and lashed to
a wooden frame while DuKah’s lower body join
ed with
hers, a look of satisfaction on his stern face. Another man’s hands caressed
her backside.

NiKoh
felt bile rise in his throat and forced it back. “This was taken during the
Bond Test of my brother BaRok.”

“No,
this was taken only a few months ago,
after your
brother and his mate were Bonded.” NaKar pointed to the timestamp. “Keep
looking. I know it’s painful.”

The
second photo showed SaLie standing off to the side, watching while the two men
did the same to another young woman. The final photo showe
d Salie with the two men—

“She’s
with child,” NiKoh gasped, tracing the obvious bulge in his sister’s
silhouette. “But with whose?” He pushed the photos away, sickened. “I wonder if
my mother knows.”

“NiKoh.”
His superior’s tone was gentle. “I am relieving
you
of this responsibility. I do not need anyone with emotional ties; I only sought
information.”

“But
it’s my sister,” NiKoh protested, getting to his feet. He paced the length of
the table. “SaLie has always been headstrong, even influencing our younger
sister. You can’t shut me out now. I’m the only one who
can really keep tabs on her.”

“Fine.
Your responsibility will be to her, and only her.” NaKar’s voice grew stern.
“Monitor her whereabouts, confront her if you must, but do not let her know we
are ta
iling the men. The last thing we need is her
tipping them off and helping them lose the surveillance team. Do I make myself
clear?”

NiKoh
nodded. “Yes, sir. I am going to notify RiKar, then call a family meeting.” He
gathered his computer pad and the last
photo, then
headed toward the door. “I’ll be in touch.”

She has gone too far this time
. He seethed all the way back to his
office. “LyDie, do I have anything pressing this afternoon?”

“No.
Just some paperwork, and you had told me you were going to patrol
the Agricultural District.” His secretary frowned. “Is
everything all right?”

“I
don’t know. Forward everything to my home office, and I’ll let you know if I
have time to patrol this afternoon. I may have to put it off until tomorrow. I
was informed of an
unpleasant family matter, so I may
have to work from home the rest of the week.” NiKoh sighed. “If it’s not one
thing, it’s another.”

LyDie
nodded. “I understand. I’ll take care of things here. Go, do what needs to be
done. I’ll contact you if anything imp
ortant needs
your attention.”

“Thank
you. I’m expecting a form from the academy, concerning OkVei. I need to fill it
out the day it arrives, so make sure you mark it as urgent.” NiKoh turned, then
faced his secretary and grinned. “They are all marked urgen
t, aren’t they?”

LyDie
smiled. “I will flag it as ‘extremely urgent’, NiKoh. Now go away and let me
get back to work. Make them purple this time.”

NiKoh
laughed at the private joke he shared with her. Every time he worked from home,
he sent her flowers as
an apology, and she humored
him by telling him what color she wanted.
LyDie
knows me too well.
It’s
a good thing her mate is understanding.

He
reached out to his mother.
Are you home?

Of course. Do you need something?

We need to call a family meeting. Is
SaLie home?

Yes. I assume you will inform RiKar?

I’m on my way there now.
He ended the link and teleported to the
Council of Elders and requested an audience with RiKar.

NiKoh
tapped his fingers on his hips while he waited. Soon he heard his name being
cal
led. He turned and saw RiKar’s bearded face
smiling at him.

“What
brings you here my friend?” The two men clasped hands. “I spoke to KiRah the
other day. She is settling down at the House of WiLeh and is very happy.”

“Good
for her.” NiKoh walked beside him
down the long
corridor. “It is still hard to believe in less than a year, my little sister
will be Bonded.”

“Young
KiRah is growing up. Pretty soon I will have to stop referring to her as
‘young’.” RiKar paused beside a doorway and indicated NiKoh was to
enter first. “I will close the door. I sense your
distress.”