Fenturi Fate (Spacestalker Saga Book 1) (33 page)

Thela watched them leave and turned to find Mikhel watching her speculatively.
“What?”

“And you want to marry that man?”

“I do,” she said quietly and saw a faint smile on his lips before he nodded and turned to speak with the twins.

Thela moved purposefully through the palace.
The sun had faded, and now the Bylaran moons shone down over the grounds with a fantastic glow.

She had a moment of indecision about her sudden temerity.
Then she stiffened her spine and knocked on his chamber door.
She was a Fenturi born and raised, and she could no longer ignore what her heart told her.

Koneru answered the door and gave her a rare grin.
Then his face lost all expression, the man once again a stoic guard, and he announced her to his king.

Zebram rushed to the doorway.
“Thela?
Is something wrong?”

Of course he would think something was wrong rather than that she wanted to be with him.
She’d been sending him so many hands-off signals that he must have thought she wanted to marry him solely to protect her people, and for no other reason.

“Koneru, you may go.”

The Rovi nodded and left, closing the door behind Thela and Zebram.

Zebram watched her, and she grew nervous.

“I,” she paused, not sure what to say.
When she l
icked her dry lips, he followed the movement, his gaze darkening with lust, his breathing raspy.

Thela’s uncertainty dissipated under the heady power of her femininity.
She let go of her self-imposed boundaries and dropped her cloak from her shoulders.
Then she moved her fingers to the fastening at the back of her simple dress.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Zebram stammered and flushed at his clumsiness.

“I’m trying to make peace with the King of Bylar,” she said in a husky voice and dropped her dress to the floor. She stood proudly bared before him, pleased when he clenched his hands by his sides.

“Make peace?” he parroted her words, staring at her all over.

“How about make love?” she offered before she pulled him to her and showed him how things
should
be when real love flowed between their people.

***

Dare sighed and stretched, feeling better than she had in weeks.
Something held her down though. That’s when she saw Ren’s large arm across her abdomen.

She stroked his soft hair, noting the shadows that lingered under his eyes.
Poor Ren.
He’d looked so confused when he’d shed a simple tear, and so moved by the love flowing between them. She gently removed his arm and saw him frown before she kissed it away.

A few minutes later, she left the lav fresh and clean and donned the uniform hung on the wall.
It seemed the thing to do considering her other clothes had disappeared.
She looked around and saw Ren’s clothes missing too.

She wondered how long they’d been sleeping.
Had to be no more than an
hour or two at the most. But when she looked at the now functioning clock on the front panel in the control room, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

They had lost over
a day and a half
.
She looked out at nothing but water and the occasional passing sea creature. Before she could worry, the Thrax filled her with information. A song of knowledge she could listen to all day long.

She placed her hand once again on the rectangular pad before her.
This time, instead of thinking about the need to make things right, she thought about love.
She pictured Ren in her arms and remembered the incredible intimacy they’d shared.
A bright blue nimbus flowed from her into the panel, and the ship left the oceans of Ocaia into space in an instant.

Dare laughed and joined the ship’s joy in flying through the air, delighting in the freedom of space around its glistening body.
This the Thrax had forgotten
—
the feeling of soaring amidst the stars with love in its heart.

“What in the hell is going on?” Ren grumbled behind her, looking enticing without clothes.

“The good news is that I know how to get the Thrax to move now.
The bad news is that we lost a day and a half.”

Ren’s eyes widened, but instead of speaking he crossed to kiss her long and deep.
The ship’s walls shimmered again, and the ship sped up.
Ren chuckled and drew Dare back with him toward the solar bath.

“I can see we’ll need to use the clothes the ship put out for us.
But I was thinking, maybe we could make the ship move a little faster if you joined me in the lav?”

An hour later, Dare and Ren finished the surprisingly tasty rations in the small galley off the main control room.
The food had been fresh and substantial, and Dare marveled at the power wrought so many years ago in this vessel.

“I think we need to call Bylar and see how things fare,” Ren said.
“I don’t want to bring a close to our private time so soon, but we have to.”

They moved to the control panel, and Dare showed Ren how to use the ship’s complex communications device.
“I can’t explain to you how to manually do it, but if you ask the Thrax, she will do it for you.”

Ren looked at Dare with surprise.
“
She?
Since when is the Thrax a she?”

Dare smiled and patted the ship.
“I don’t know.
But the Thrax is definitely alive, and her interest in love and life makes me think she’s female.
After all, she
is
vastly superior.”

Ren grinned and requested communication with Zebram.
After some time, Castor picked up the comm link, and Dare could see Castor’s surprise.

“Castor?” he asked, confused.

“Ren!” Castor said before Jace joined him.

“Hi, Jace.” Dare waved.

“Where is my brother?” Ren asked.

Dare stood by his side for support.
 

“He’s, ah, occupied at the moment. Why?” Castor stared at Dare’s hand on Ren’s shoulder with a smugness that amused her.

“We’re hovering right near Deni, but we can’t see any sign of the Horde.
Have you reports they’ve moved?” Ren asked.

“No, but here comes your brother now.”
Castor stepped back and Zebram approached, looking tired but happy.

“Garen,” Zebram exclaimed.
“Where are you?
Do you have the Thrax?
How is the Mari?”

“We’re calling you from the Thrax. It’s a ship.”

“She,” Dare murmured.

He gave her warning glance she ignored. “And the Mari has a name. It’s Dare.”

“Hello, Dare.”

“King Zebram.” She nodded.

“Enough pleasantries,” Ren growled. “How are you and the kingdom faring?”

“Well enough, I suppose.
But—” Zebram stopped as something drew his attention.
“Oh no.” He turned back to the vid screen.
“Ren, Dare, we’re under attack.
The Horde has arrived. We’ve got to evacuate the palace.”

The screen went dead.

Dare and Ren stared at each other in shock before Dare mentally commanded the Thrax to find the Horde mothership.
In the blink of an eye, they found themselves staring through the front of the ship at a large, seething monstrosity.
Even at this distance, Dare could feel the raw chaos and hatred bleeding toward the Thrax’s golden-blue skin.

Without thought, Dare and Ren joined hands and urged the Thrax to unleash her mighty power upon the enemy.

 Gasping at the energy that flowed through and out of them, they watched as the mothership appeared entirely encased in a bright blue light.
From that light, streams bolted like chained lightning through space to envelop the three large ships surrounding the Horde mothership.

The Thrax sat steady while a horrendous explosion lit up the black of space all around them.
The blue light over the ships turned to flame.
But without an explosion or scattered debris, the ships burned—without oxygen no less—for a few moments until nothing more remained.

Dare and Ren stumbled, weakened by the exchange.
The Thrax appeared unscathed by any of it, and Dare marveled at the sheer power of so small a vessel.

“Ren,” she said breathlessly.
“We just destroyed the Horde.”

Ren paled.
“Not all of them.”

And she remembered the palace’s cut communication.

The Year 4043, FenBy

“Are you sure about this?” Ren asked and ran a hand over Dare’s large belly.
Their babe was due any day now, and he couldn’t help his nervous excitement at thoughts of his child coming into the world.

“I’m positive.” Dare leaned forward to kiss her mate on the lips.

Ren still couldn’t believe she was his, now and forever.
She only grew more beautiful every time he looked at her.
He nearly tripped when Mra suddenly appeared and twined around his legs, begging attention.

“Nice for you to finally show yourself,” he muttered even as he stroked the soft brown fur.
It had taken a while, but Mra had finally succumbed to the attentions of Thela’s guidecat.
Ren expected Mra would soon have a litter of her own, as soon as she saw to Dare’s and his young one.

“I just want to make sure you’re doing it because you want to, and not because I want you to,” Ren said again.

“Really, Ren.
I love you, but you have to know I would never give up the
SpaceStalker
unless I was completely sure it was the right thing to do.
Besides, Jace needs it now.”

Ren was amazed at how things had turned out on this newly named planet.
It hadn’t been easy, and lives had been lost in the war with the Ragil Horde, despite the Thrax doing its job.

The Horde had shuttled hundreds of their dark kind to Bylar and managed enough carnage to rock the world for a long time to come.
Exhausted by their trial in space, Dare and Ren had done their best to fire at the Horde from the sky while their Fenturi and Bylaran brethren fought the vile creatures on the ground.

Black and scaly with long teeth and a thirst for blood, the Ragil Horde had fought to their last dying breath.
They had used blades as weapons, made from an alien yet powerful source.
Lasers bounced off their armor. Only blades thrust in the right angle and hand-to-hand fighting had overcome them.

Fenturi and Bylaran alike had fallen.
Much to the sadness of them all, Rorn and Herm had given their lives, as had Nedham.
For months, Nesham had been inconsolable.

Surprisingly, Jace had helped him to accept, if not overcome, his grief.
And soon Nesham would be only one of several new crewmates on the
SpaceStalker
.
 

Nesham, Castor, Mikhel and Koneru had decided to join Jace and the
SpaceStalker
on its next mission, whatever that might be.
With Castor on board, Ren figured the Legion might take a little time off from going after the
SpaceStalker
. If anyone could keep Dare’s Second in line, it was Castor.

Mikhel, having been assured of the Fenturi’s fate under his sister’s and the king’s leadership, had finally given in to his desire to live for himself.
He longed to see the wonders of space.

Koneru had left his position as the king’s guard in the capable hands of Roc.
The two had become fast friends, and since Roc had shackled Shea to his side and in a few months would look forward to the birth of his first child, he needed an appropriate line of work.

“Uh oh, Ren?”
Dare clutched at her belly.

Panic ran through him faster than the Thrax could move through space, and he shouted at Mra to get help as he led Dare to the cottage they shared just outside of the village.

The palace still held too many unhappy memories for Ren, and he’d never felt right there.
But in the Fentra forest with Dare, he felt at home.
Other Fenturi had slowly moved near them, some even moving into the village after making deep friendships as a result of the Horde battle.

Ren held Dare’s hand as his mind raced.

“Zebram did a good thing renaming the planet, don’t you think?” he chattered inanely.
If any of his warriors could see him now, they’d never believe it.

With Rorn’s death, a large void had been created.
Zebram had solved that neatly by introducing
his brother
—Garen—as the new Master of the Legionnaires.
The move had been both intelligent and from the heart.
In so doing, Zebram had sealed his brother into the Vinopol history he had not previously been a part of.

“FenBy is not a bad name.”
Dare gave a weak smile before another pain hit her.
“But Fentra would have been better,” she gasped.

Mra soon returned with Myla in tow.
They surprised Ren when they removed Dare from the cottage to a pallet laid out carefully, deeper into the woods.
But as the bright blue light of the Mari moon shone upon the four of them, Ren understood.

He waited the next few hours on edge, pushed out of the small clearing by Mra.

You’re annoying me as well.
Go be a human male somewhere else.
She’d frowned at him.

“Did she have it yet?” Jace asked from the shadows, his hands at his sides while Ren reached for the blade always on his body.

Seeing Jace, Ren relaxed.

“Yeah, we’re getting tired of waiting.”
Castor joined Jace by the tree.

Amazingly, Jace and Castor had become fast friends.
B
efore he knew it, Ren found himself tied to the large blond man not only through Dare, but through Castor as well.

“You look a little nervous. You okay?” Jace tried to sound solicitous, but Castor didn’t even try to hide his grin.

“Just wait until you have one of your own.”
Ren continued to pace.

Suddenly Jace cocked his head, at the same time Ren felt a new presence in the world.
“He’s here,” Jace said and they moved toward the woods.

Ren found Myla handing his newborn son over to his mate.
Dare smiled tenderly down at the dark-haired infant.

Ren felt his vision blur as he kneeled down next to his wife and child.
“I love you,” he said and took his son into his arms. “My two treasures.”

“So beautiful, like his father.”
Dare looked exhausted but beautiful and held tight to his arm as he cradled his babe.

“Congratulations, Darel and Garen N’alen,” Jace said softly.
As was the custom of the Mari, which Myla had told them, Ren had assumed Dare’s surname.
He liked it much better than Vinopol anyway, a name Thela and his brother now shared.

“Thank you, Jace.” Dare held out her hand for her best friend.
He joined them and laid a finger on the child’s forehead.

He closed his eyes, and when they opened, shining like a rainbow, he grinned.

“He’s a little fighter, just like the both of you.”

You’re going to have to tell Castor that you’re a Psi, you know
, Dare said mentally, including Ren in the conversation.

I will, just not yet.
I have things to do before my destiny draws me near.
I only hope things will turn out half as well for me as they did for you two
.

Then Jace bent and kissed Dare on the forehead.
He patted Ren on the shoulder.

Ren nodded.
Go and best of luck.
K
now that if you need us, we will come.
We’ll be here…

Dare had explained Jace’s unique gifts to him a few months back, and he was astonished at yet another gift the System had to offer. A real, true Psi had been walking under his nose for over a year and he’d not known it.
Ren wondered what other myths and rumored in the System would prove true.

Castor clapped him on the back. “Congratulations, Ren. Dare. He’s beautiful.”

“With any luck he’ll have her temperament and looks.”

“No joke,” Castor teased.

Ren glanced over his shoulder in the direction Jace had gone. “Don’t let him think he’s the boss all the time.”

“I didn’t do that with you, so why would I do that with him?” Castor asked gruffly.
He grinned down at the small child in Ren’s arms.
“I hope to see you three again before he gets any sisters and brothers.”

Dare took the baby back in her arms and motioned for Ren to go.
The
SpaceStalker
had delayed only to wait for the birth of Dare’s child. According to Jace, they could wait no longer.

Ren promised to return momentarily and moved to the side with Castor.

“This trip is shrouded in mystery, and I have a feeling it’s going to be dangerous.” Castor’s
feelings
usually came true. “But I still find myself too excited to leave off.
If something should happen to me, give this to my folks, eh?”

Ren pocketed the note Castor handed him.
“I will. How’s Nesh doing?” He hadn’t seen the male in a few days.

“Nesham’s still down but is getting better.
Jace is really good with him, and Mikhel’s presence helps.
That Fenturi rebel may be a hell of a warrior, but he’s a novice in the sky.”
Castor shook his head.
“I’ll look out for Nesh.
You look out for that wife and son.
So you going to call him Castor like we agreed?”
Castor laughed.

Ren punched him in the arm and chuckled.
“Dare and I were preparing for a girl, but now I guess ‘Mari’ is out.
I’ll let you know when you vid screen me in a few days, okay?”

“I will. I’ll miss you, Ren.”

They hugged, and Ren felt an odd pang of sadness.
He’d miss the brawny warrior, a man he’d counted as a brother for many years.
“You take care. Send word as soon as you need help.
I mean it.”

“Sure thing…Mom.”

They ribbed each other before Castor left.

Ren returned to the woods to his wife and child lying dreamily under the moon.
Mra purred and left the couple when he arrived. Always watching out for the Mari, he thought. Their own semi-invisible guardian.

“Thela and Zebram just stopped by,” Dare said with a tired smile.
“I told Zebram to come back tomorrow to visit his nephew.
I don’t think Thela will be joining him, though.
Myla told me she’ll be too busy giving birth to twin girls.”

Ren laughed in surprised and kissed his mate.
“I love you so much.”

“And I love you. Now what are we going to name this boy?”

Ren smiled.
“Anything as long as it’s not Mari. He’ll never be able to go anywhere without someone picking a fight with him.”

Dare laughed and watched with her husband as the light of the moon blanketed them in peace, and the song of the Thrax lingered in their minds in welcome and joy.