Gateway to HeVan (9 page)

Kylan then took a minute to contact Addie and give her the news.  He was happy to see her visibly relax when she heard Natalie was going to be okay.
  He could see that she was preparing to nap.  Hopefully, now she would be able to rest.

Natalie was having a really strange dream.  Bruce Lee had taken over from her regular sensei and he was trying to teach her a new technique.  She kept getting distracted by the row of men and women doing high kicks like the Rockettes, in white tanks and blue jeans, while the choreographer was yelling at them for wearing the wrong clothes. 

Then there was someone crying. 

The images faded to black but the sound of crying didn’t go away. 

“Don’t cry,” she said and was surprised when her voice came out thready and weak.

“Natalie!  You’re awake!” said Jennifer.

“Well, I wasn’t but I am now.  Why are you crying?” she asked.

“Because you were stabbed!” said Jennifer.  “And―and you wouldn’t wake up!  I’ve been so worried,” she said as she sniffled and tried to take deep breaths to stop crying.

When Jennifer said the word
stabbed
, it all came flooding back and Natalie tried to sit up. 

“There was a bomb!  Did they find the bomb?” she cried out.

“Relax, my love,” said a voice to her right.  She had been curled up on her left side so she tried to roll over, and gasped when she felt the skin pulling on her abdomen. 

“Go slowly―let me help,” said the voice again, which she now was able to recognize as Peet, one of her
Ankida
.  She let him help her roll onto her back and then Jennifer used the controls to raise the back of the bed into a comfortable position.  When Natalie realized she was naked under the sheet, she grabbed it and stuck it under her arms.

“The medical placed a healing patch over the wound but it’s going to take another day or two for you
r skin to knit completely and heal,” Peet said.

Natalie barely paid any attention to what he was saying.  He wasn’t wearing a shirt; she could see his wings jutting out over the top of his shoulders.

“Your wings―they came in!  Or is it out?  Anyway, can I see them?” she asked.

Ready to do anything to put a light in her eyes, Peet turned around as his brother Reeko rushed into the room.  “She’s awake?” he asked.

“Yes, she’s awake and admiring her
Ankida’s
beautiful wings.  Ooh―what is that wonderful smell?” Natalie asked.

“Our wings let off a pheromone that’s designed to lure our mate into
joining
with us.  Since you can smell it, it just proves once more you are perfect for us,” said Reeko.

Natalie felt warmth invade her body and dampness
beginning to flow between her legs. 

Oh, yeah, she was ready to
join!

“
Hmm, I really like it,” she said, shifting her hips a little until she felt another sharp pain. 
Well, maybe not right this second,
she thought.

“Well, I don’t really smell anything,” said Jennifer, “which is probably a good thing. 
Even though you’re probably going to get a swelled head about it, you need to prepare yourself for some major adoration.  You saved Addie and the ship.  You’re a total hero, Nat,” she said.

Natalie pulled her attention from her men and let herself listen to what
Jennifer was saying.  She was glad everyone was okay.  Now she was worried about her friend; no one had mentioned how she was—if she were even alive.

“Did th
at asshole, the duke, kill BianCa?” Natalie wanted to know.

“
BianCa’s brother, the king, came on board with their personal physician.  She’s hanging on but her injuries were really severe.  They don’t think her heart will hold out.  They’re growing a new one for her as quickly as they can.  If necessary, they’ll put her in stasis until it is ready,” Jennifer explained.

“How did he get a bomb and two weapons past our screening
?  That’s what I want to know.  Am I going to have to start carrying a stun stick just to greet visitors to the ship?” Natalie asked everyone in the room.

“If you must continue this duty
, then you will do so with us to protect you,” said Peet with Reeko nodding his agreement.

“My
heroes,” she said looking back over at them.

The scent of her
Ankida
was getting really distracting to Natalie.  Her nipples had tightened into tight buds and she was so wet she was sure the sheet underneath her must be getting damp.  She tried to concentrate on what Jennifer was saying but her eyes kept wandering to her two men.  The sight of their wings was hypnotizing.  She forced herself to pay attention.

“
The duke was shooting at me.  BianCa jumped in between us and took the hit meant for me.  I hope she makes it,” she said.

Jennifer caught on to the way Natalie kept looking over at Peet and Reeko.  She knew they deserved some time together.

“I know everyone is wondering exactly what happened.  I’ll go and let them know you’re awake and feeling better.  See you later, okay?  I’m really glad you’re not dead.  Do me a favor, okay?  Next time, wait for the warriors.  I only have one best friend.  I’d be really pissed and have to kick your ass if you went dead on me,” Jennifer said as she leaned over to give Natalie a hug. 

She still had a catch in her
voice.  Natalie could tell she was on the verge of tears.  “Okay, it’s a deal.  And don’t forget you owe me a lasagna dinner,” said Natalie, as she watched her friend leave the room.  She saw Jennifer wave and grab her handkerchief as she left.

As soon as Jennifer left the room, Natalie let out the moan she was trying so hard to hold in.  Instantly, her two
Ankida
stepped closer, bending over her.

“What is it; are you
in pain?” asked Peet with a worried look on his face.

They were so tall
; their hips came to the edge of the bed.  She noticed they were as turned on as she was.  Without saying anything, she reached out with both hands and ran them over the front of their pants.  This, of course, allowed the sheet to fall and pool at her hips.

“Your scent―I really need you to do something
,” said Natalie.

She tried moving her hips again and grimaced at the pain.  But she was willing to put up with some pain if they made this ache go away.

She ran her hands over her breasts.  Reeko and Peet leaned closer, completely entranced.  The need to
join
was upon them.  Her musky scent rose up from the bed to entice them.

She grabbed their hands next, placing one on her aching breasts and the other between her legs.  “Feel what you’re doing to me.  I’m so wet, I feel so strange, I need you inside me.  I need you both inside me,” she said. 

She felt a moist dampness leak from her rear and she began to swallow over and over as the sex organs in her throat swelled and her second breathing tube opened.

Peet couldn’t help it; he pushed two fingers inside her and used his thumb to flick over her clit.  A small orgasm rolled over her and she began moving her head from side to side as the sensations grew and grew. 

“More—I need more.  Harder,” she cried out.

Reeko bent and
, massaging one breast with his hand, took the other in his mouth, sucking deeply on her tight, extended nipple.

The wings of both brothers spread and began to move gently up and down.  Luckily, the spread of their wings hid her completely from view when the medicals rushed into the room.  Stopping suddenly, they turned their backs to the bed.

“You need to stop,” said Delpha.  “Lady Natalie can’t handle any exertion until she is completely healed.  Her heart rate and breathing are increasing.  Remember her internal organs were damaged.  She needs to remain calm in order to recover quickly.”

Peet and Reeko slowly stood.  Reeko gave Natalie a swift kiss while Peet removed his hand and brought his fingers to his mouth, licking her essence from them. 
He pulled up the sheet and helped her tuck it under her arms.  He and his brother turned to the medicals.

“You can turn now
,” Peet said. He waited until both Delpha and his brother, Zephyr, turned to face them.

“The need to complete the
joining
is upon all of us.  We cannot control the urges from the pheromones we’re secreting.  We don’t want to harm our mate.  Help us,” said Peet.

“My brother speaks for me also.  We do not wish to cause Natalie further injury.  You were correct; the urge to
join
overrode our control,” said Reeko.

“You are not the first to be overcome by the need.  Thank you for making the right decision. 
We will put you in stasis until Natalie is completely healed.  Go with Zephyr and he will assist you,” said Delpha.

Both brothers turned back to Natalie, “I love you, Natalie Warner.  We will see you again in two days,” said Peet.

“I love you as well, Natalie,” said Reeko.

“I love you guys, too.  You are so getting lucky when I get out of here,” she said.

“Third base?” asked Reeko with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Home run, my loves―it’s time to go all the way,” she said, using the old baseball analogy she had taught them. 

As they were leaving the room, she thought,
funny how almost dying can clear things up
.  She no longer wanted a slow courtship; she was ready to start her new life.

Delpha came over and handed her a large cup of water.  “You need to replenish your fluids.  You lost a lot of blood,” he said, trying to distract her from her arousal. 

He walked over to the panel and increased the air circulation to remove any lingering pheromones from the room.  He knew how strong the urge to
join
was.  When he returned to the bed, he was happy to see her vitals were getting back to normal.

“They’re going to be okay, right?” she asked
, as she tried to think non-sexy thoughts. 
Stabbing, bombs—I need to concentrate on that.  Oh, God, I killed a man!
 

“They will be fine
; stasis is just that.  They will awaken just as they are now.  They will be ready and able to complete the
joining
with you.  Are you well?” he asked, in a concerned voice, as he noticed the sad expression on her face.

“I just realize
d―I killed him, didn’t I?  I’ve trained for years, but I thought of it mostly as exercise.  I actually killed him,” she said.  Before he could respond, she straightened her shoulders.  “I’m not going to feel bad about it.  He needed killing.  He was going to kill BianCa and then blow up the ship.  He wanted the king to blame us for BianCa’s death and then have his own people blame BianCa and her brother for killing us.  He wanted to start a war and usurp the throne.”

“That is very good information to have,” said a voice behind Delpha. 

The medical moved out of the way and Kylan Azazyel, consort to the queen, entered the room. 

“We were hoping you could fill us in on the details.  How did you learn of his plans?”
Kylan asked.

Natalie, who was holding up the sheet in one hand and the cup of water in the other, looked over at Kylan. 

“I’m sure Natalie would be pleased to answer your questions, Lord Kylan.  However, if I may be allowed to check her wound first?  Also, she should finish her cup of water before she speaks for any length of time,” said Delpha.

Before he could say anything more, Natalie interrupted.  “I need a
t-shirt or a sports bra or something.  I know you need to look at me, but my girls here aren’t included in the invitation.  I’d like some loose pants or something, too,” she said in a rush. 

No way was she letting this sheet drop again.

Delpha didn’t think this was a good time to tell her they’d had to remove all of her clothing before surgery.  Or to point out that he was a medical.  He would allow her to preserve her modesty; it obviously was important to her.  If this helped her to calm, it was a small thing.

“
What if I send Jennifer and Marta in to assist you?  Lord Kylan and I will wait in the corridor and give you a few minutes to take care of things,” Delpha said.

She could see Kylan didn’t really want to wait but when he realized how uncomfortable she was, he agreed with Delpha’s suggestion.

A much more collected Jennifer came back into the room.  Natalie confessed to fooling around a little with her
Ankida
so they changed the sheets, in addition to helping her into the bathroom to wash up a little and get dressed.  Marta had come up with some loose yoga pants which hugged her hips and didn’t cover the healing patch on her abdomen.  Jennifer brought her a bikini top similar to a sports bra.  She could put it on like a bra and it zipped up the front.  Then they gave her one of her sleep shirts to have for later.

“Thanks for the help
—especially with the pants.  The whole bendy-twisty motion is not my friend right now,” she said to Jennifer and Marta.

“Anytime, I’m just really happy to see you’re going to be alright,” said Marta
.