Taken (Warriors of Karal Book 3) (16 page)
The green plains stretched out before them and he followed an old road, taking his time as he drove, pointing out odd landmarks or stopping to let her see the animals that roamed freely. Young and carefree, she had never known this feeling before: all her life lay ahead of her, the sadness of her life on Earth, when the Saviour Programme had been shut down, and all thoughts of Mr. Murgrove now such a dim, distant memory. She was so detached from her old self, it might have happened to another person.
Malik turned off the road onto a side track, and they headed towards a low mountain range in the distance. After about a mile, he switched the cruiser to flight mode and they took off, steadily climbing, but not going so high that she couldn’t see the landscape below. And what a landscape it was, filled with forests in the distance, and great lakes which shimmered in the afternoon sun. Then they rose higher to crest the mountain peaks, and before them was the glittering sea, shining, welcoming them home.
Tipping the control lever forward, they began their descent, the landscape below coming into sharper focus.
“This is amazing,” she said. “It’s all so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you approve. This is my home, the sea, the beaches, it’s where I grew up and where I want our child to grow up,” he said.
“He, and she, will be blessed to grow up in such a playground,” Chrissi said.
“Shall we go to the house, or do you want to look at the beach first?” Malik asked.
“The house. And then maybe we could go out on your boat—you promised to show me how to navigate by the stars,” she said.
“I did, and I intend to keep my promise.” He looked out of the window and up at the sky. “Tonight should be perfect.”
“Then let’s go and unpack and then maybe take a picnic with us. Spend the night out at sea,” she said.
“You are incredible,” he said. “I’m sure most women would be happy to have their feet back on the ground, but you want to swap one vessel for another.”
“For me it will be nice to be outside. The cruiser got a little bit claustrophobic at times, so being out in the open air will chase away all the cobwebs,” she said.
“Cobwebs?” he asked.
“An old, dusty spider web,” she said.
“Ahh, I can see I might need some training in these human terms,” he said. They came in low across the beach, and in the distance a small house could be seen, perched on a low cliff above the sea. This was where he took her.
“This is where you live?” she asked.
“Where
we
live,” he corrected. “The garden stretches way back. You can help me harvest the late summer fruits.”
“I never took you for a gardener,” she said. “But I like it.”
“All Karalians grow their own food.”
“Then that is another thing I will enjoy learning. And when our children are old enough, we can teach them together.” She sighed contently as she looked at the little house. She could be happy here, with Malik and their children. She hoped to go into space again one day, but for now her need to fly amongst the stars was gone. But to sail under them, that was something she longed to do.
Malik let down the exit ramp and they went down together, carrying their luggage. Malik had said he would go back to his rooms in a day or two and bring the rest of his things back, but for now they had everything they needed.
The little gate squeaked as Malik opened it for her. “I’ll oil it tomorrow,” he said, and while they walked around the garden she could see him mentally making a list of all the small jobs that needed doing, all the things that needed his attention. But right now, she needed his attention.
“Show me inside.”
He led her to the front door, and opened it into a small hallway, with four rooms leading of it and a staircase. Going from room to room, he showed her around, and Chrissi began to imagine their life here. It would need a woman’s touch, just little things to soften the maleness of the rooms. Some cushions, a rug, now it was her turn to make a mental list.
When she looked up, he was smiling at her in that way that made her stomach flip over.
“Come,” he said and he took her upstairs. At first she thought it was because he wanted sex, to make love to her in his bed for the first time. But instead he led her past the bed and out onto a small balcony. From there they could see all around the small bay, and right out to sea.
“Wow,” was all she could say.
“There is the little boat,” he said,
“Can we go out on the sea now? It looks so calm, so inviting,” she said.
“Let’s get some food packed, and water.” They went back downstairs to the kitchen and he took down a basket, which he filled with some of the food they had brought with them and also some dried fruit from his cupboards.
Taking her hand, he led her along the path, which took them down to a small jetty. There, bobbing up and down leisurely, was a small wooden boat. Malik climbed aboard, and helped her to do the same. Then he taught her how to raise the mast.
“There, the wind is in our favour. But we have the oars in case we have to row back,” he said.
“I might let you do all the work on this ship,” she said, sitting down at one end out of the way as he sorted out the rigging. “I learn best by watching.”
“Soon you will be able to sail and navigate by the stars. In the summer, we can even take a longer trip, sleep on the beaches, watch the stars come out one by one by the light of a camp fire,” he said, and then added, “We are ready to sail.”
He pushed off from the jetty as the two suns began to head towards the horizon. Chrissi lay back, looking up at the sky. It was a beautiful shade of violet, and she was sure if she closed her eyes, she would wake up and find this whole adventure had been a dream. Or was her father really watching over her? Would the first star to appear in the Karalian sky be him, looking down on her?
She smiled, feeling happy, and at peace. This was real, Malik was real and their baby, growing in her womb, was real. It was her old life that was a dream, and she never wanted to go back to it. Silently, she thanked the girl who was probably still sitting at her cash register asking every woman whom she served if she wanted to enter the lottery.
Trailing her fingers in the cold ocean, Chrissi said to Malik, “I love you.”
“I love you too, Chrissi. And I was thinking, when we get to the reef, I will dive for
welans
; they have a beautiful stone in their shell.”
“Like an oyster,” she said.
“When I find one, the perfect one, I will have it made into a ring. We might not marry on Karal, but you can still wear my ring as a promise.”
“If you do, I will wear it forever, Malik.”
“And one day on our anniversary, I will bring you flowers.” He smiled down at her. “We will be like husband and wife.”
We already are
, she thought. And they sailed into their future in his little boat.
“Lytril,” Vanessa said, approaching him, as he stood in the Council Chambers. The other members of the Hier Council had just left, their meeting running on for hours as they discussed what was to be done about the Hrokili.
“Yes, Vanessa,” he said wearily. He loved her, and the child that grew inside her, more than he thought he was capable of loving another being. There were times when he cursed the trouble humans had brought with them, but when he saw Vanessa and thought of the new life growing inside her, all those troubles seemed trivial. His love did not encompass the whole human race, though; that was the difference between the Hierarchy and a Karalian like Okil.
“I have something to show you,” she said and as she drew nearer her saw she was carrying a child in her arms. “Darl said you have not been to see her, so I thought I would bring her to see you.”
“Vanessa, it was not necessary. I would have gone to look at the child when I had time,” Lytril said.
“As the Hier Ruler, you could make time,” she chastised, knowing his words were an excuse. Even when he had his colours completely under control, she could still see through his lies. He had been avoiding the child; he found her disturbing.
Not what she was, but what she symbolised. Her very existence made the Karal different, and it was his job to advise his people and guide them through this change. A difficult task when he felt rudderless.
Vanessa held the child out to him, offering him the chance to hold the very thing that was to be the catalyst which would change his species forever. Reluctantly, he took the small bundle, feeling her weight in his arms, so light for something with such heavy consequences.
Lytril looked down at the sleeping child, her face so innocent, so sweet. “What am I supposed to do, Vanessa?”
As the Hier Ruler, he never asked for advice, but as Vanessa’s mate, he could.
“I think you know. You fight it, but it is wasted energy,” she said, stroking the child’s face. He watched in wonder as colours swept across the baby’s skin. It was real; they had a female Karalian.
“I would rather take what we need and seal us in,” he said.
“No you wouldn’t. You are the Hierarchy, the Hier Ruler, you would never back away from a challenge, and this is a challenge. But it has to be done.” Vanessa moved her hand to stroke his hand and he felt his colours surge. “You are about to make history, Lytril. You will be the first Hier Ruler to work with other species. The Karal pull together for the common good. Now let that encompass other species.”
He handed the child back to her. “We don’t stand a chance once you Earth females have raised Karalian daughters.”
“You mean the next Hier Ruler will be a girl?” Vanessa asked.
“The firstborn is traditionally the heir to the title,” Lytril said.
“I think our daughter will grow up to break traditions. Just like her father.”
“I will join you later, Vanessa,” he said, enjoying her flattery but also knowing it was said with honesty.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To tell the engineers to begin assembling two more defence systems, One for Earth and one for Lilith.”
“And the Hrokili?”
“We aim to destroy them,” he said and then left the chambers, his mind made up. Now was the time for action. Now was the time for war.
Don’t miss
Warriors of Karal
Part Four
(February 2016)
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suggested reading order
(each can be read as a standalone)
Rescued by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book One)
Finding Her Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Two)
Tamed by the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Three)
Snowbound With The Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Four)
Biker Bear Billionaire (Bear Creek Clan Book Five)
Bound To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book One)
Doctor Bear (Bear Bluff Clan Book Two)
Stranded With Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Three)
A Bride for the Bear (Bear Creek Clan Book Six)
Home Or Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Four)
Fated To Her Bear (Bear Bluff Book Five)
Lonely Bear (Bear Bluff Book Six)
Forbidden Bear (Biker Bears Book One)
Secret Bear (Biker Bears Book Two)
Wolf Valley Raiders
Chosen by the Karal
Taken
Sleeping Lions
Bound To The Flame - A Virgin For The Dragon
When the dragon egg hatches for Trinity she becomes the Dragon Princess and must remain pure until the dragon comes back to claim her as his mate on her twenty first birthday.