To Catch A Warrior [Unearthly World Book 5] (14 page)

“After my first Holiday an overwhelming need for me to make a safe place for my son engulfed me. It happens to all male Zargonnii after their first Holiday. I built this backyard years and years ago. Sometimes I look at it and cringe, other times I stare and hope.”

“Stare and hope,” Zabbie said. She smiled and placed his hand on her belly. “One day. Maybe one day you’ll look out there and see so many daughters you’ll crave a safe place of your own.”

Titus laughed. “I can’t wait to get started.”

“Well, maybe wait until we eat. I want to see the rest of your home too.”

“Our home, Zabbie. Stay with me for life. One of the reasons our females like to Holiday is because our seed keeps them young. Without us they age and grow old.”

“Is it the same for human females?” She was intrigued.

“Finn thinks so.”

“I hope so,” Zabbie said and wrapped her arms around his middle. “I’d like to get to know you and I’m thinking I’ll need a couple of hundred years.”

Her head rested against his warm chest. She loved the feel of his hand as he stroked her short hair. Her tummy rumbled and he led her to the kitchen. It was the barest room she had ever seen. No cupboards. A table with a single chair. A replicator.

“No plates?” she asked.

“We return our plates to the replicator. We do have some things you would consider cutlery, but I don’t need anything like that. I’m a bachelor, well I was at least. Our material is incredibly durable. Most warriors have the cup their father crafts them for life. They never need another. Most often they are placed in the replicator and filled, but I can get you water in a suitable container.”

“Where is it, the cup your father made you?”

“My office.” He looked sheepish. “It’s all I have of my father and I spend more time there than anywhere else.”

“Aw, I adore sentimental in a warrior.”

Titus replicated her food. “We’re getting better at programming things human females can eat. When the first few came all they could eat was baby food.”

“Charming.”

“The females said it was like yogurt and oatmeal.”

“That’s not so bad. I happen to love both.”

“I’m so happy you said that because I haven’t had time to program anything into this one yet so…”

Zabbie laughed when he handed her the baby food. “I guess I get to use my fingers?”

“Sorry about that. A father crafts a spoon for his son. After he reaches a certain age he doesn’t need it anymore. Zargonnii males are the kings of finger foods. Before you ask, my spoon is at the office.”

Titus offered her the single chair. The yogurt substance was creamy and cool to the touch. The food resembling oatmeal was warm and thick. Zabbie licked her fingers clean and watched as Titus ate a meat resembling an old shoe. It was no wonder the warriors had appreciated the shadow beast’s juicy morsels.

When finished, Titus took her into the backyard. Zabbie was amazed when he punched a few buttons on a panel at the side of what appeared to be a glass window in the house and they both stepped through. It was an odd sensation of stepping through a once hard substance. Not unlike going from season to season through the walls on the other planet.

“You are now programmed into the panel to go between home and yard. Nothing else can get through this substance, not even a cyron. It works strictly on DNA patterns and can’t be altered. This home is the safest place on the planet.”

“You are the safest place on this planet,” she corrected and stepped into his arms.

A cough sounded close and Titus and Zabbie turned to see Cy standing nearby. His appearance seemed to be normal to Titus, but Zabbie was annoyed. She wished he’d knock or something or go fly a kite in a hurricane. After having that thought, Cy was grabbed by tree vines, picked up bellowing and released on a huge gust of wind. He was deposited over the high fence and a thump was heard.

“
Damn it, Zabbie
,” Cy yelled.

She groaned. “It was a simple thought, Titus, wishing he would knock first to announce his presence, not just show up unannounced. And, well, maybe a small thought of a kite and a little wind. I swear.”

Titus merely chuckled. “Why don’t you go back inside? I’ll see what he wants and join you.”

Cy looked furious as he came over the high fence. He was covered in bits of vegetation. He looked hilarious still covered in pink.
Biggest fucking poodle ever.
He battled to release a long vine wrapped around an ankle.
Biggest kite ever too.
Zabbie put a quick hand to her mouth and retreated.

* * * *

“Damn it, Titus.”

“Don’t start, Cy. You’re fine, a little funny looking, but I’m used to that.”

“Very funny.”

“What are you doing here?”

Cy seemed surprised. “I came to check in. I just left the bridge. I always check in. I heard what happened at headquarters. Some of the warriors are ticked. It’ll be a while before the Holiday is here.”

“Cy, my friend. Zabbie isn’t dangerous.”

“That’s not what I heard. Apparently after you left, a bunch of warriors got drunk and Finn went home to his mate.”

“Oh, boo hoo. A bunch of warriors with a hard on won’t kill them. They may be uncomfortable for a while.”

“I know she’s your mate, but wouldn’t it be best if she were contained until we know the extent of her power. She has no control over her actions.”

“I know this is hard for you to understand, because you don’t have a human mate, but my mindset changed. Zabbie isn’t some female I Holidayed with and will leave. She’s my mate. She stays with me. Forever. It’s more than my need to protect her. She wants to be with me, I want to be with her. I’ve never felt this before, and I like what I’m feeling. She is mine forever. You are going to have to come to terms with that.”

“Who knows what is real in her mind. She says one thing and then another and each time we have to accept what she’s saying at face value?”

“I’m not a liar.”

Both warriors spun to see Zabbie fists clenched, red faced. Titus was alarmed. It was the first time he’d seen her this angry.

“I won’t apologize for being worried about my friend,” Cy snapped.

“I haven’t hurt anyone,” Zabbie said.

“Yet,” Cy said.

“What do you suggest? Should Titus take me back to that planet and leave me there, all alone again?”

Titus heard the hurt in her tone. “That’s not going to happen. Cy, it’s time for you to leave, now.”

Cy stood there with his mouth open for a moment. His shock apparent. “We’ve been friends for two hundred years, Titus.”

“I’d like to be friends for at least two hundred more,” Titus replied. “So, while you are walking home you need to change your frame of thought. Zabbie is my mate. Deal with it.”

“Well, at least
I
know how dangerous she is.”

Cy spun on his heels and left. Zabbie walked into Titus’s arms. “I’m so sorry.”

“He’ll get over it. I’m the only one Cy has ever let his defenses down with. I’m sorry he hurt your feelings.”

“He is right, about us not knowing my strength. Even furious with him, I never had a thought of hurting him. I don’t want to hurt anyone. Except maybe a few bangor.”

“I think we can live with that.”

Zabbie was feeling like a Guinea pig. For weeks she and Titus and Finn went to a quiet dwelling near the main hall where she was told prisoners were kept. The warriors almost never kept prisoners, but with the addition of a few human men they had felt the need arise to make a safe place where humans could be observed to make certain they were no threat. Zargonnii warriors didn’t fear human males, but children were vulnerable. Safety first.

A bangor was screaming from a cage in a corner. The beast rattled the bars but couldn’t budge or bend them. Titus stood with his arms crossed over his chest a foot away from her. Zabbie frowned.

“Okay, Zabbie, concentrate,” Finn said.

“You want me to kill a caged creature?”

“Well, it’s not coming out,” Titus said on a growl.

“I feel sorry for it,” Zabbie said.

“It eats babes and children. That one won’t be killing any of my daughters,” Titus said.

“Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse?” She couldn’t keep the drawl from her tone.

“I have no clue what either of those things is, but if you’re insinuating we have no children, it’s not from lack of trying.”

Zabbie felt her face flame. That was true. Zabbie hadn’t realized how much Titus liked sex. He sucked her boobs so often she complained he needed to leave something for their kids. He declared her irresistible when she did anything. Her licking the yogurt from a spoon he made her gave him a hard on. Zargonnii had popsicles for when a baby teethed. The first time she sucked on one in front of him had him scaling the couch, popsicle knocked from her grasp, crushed under her frozen ass and her legs spread. She loved his spontaneity, but it was the last popsicle she’d ever eat in front of him.

“This isn’t the time or place to discuss sex,” Zabbie said.

Finn put a hand over his eyes. “Can we get back to the task at hand?”

Titus turned to stare at Finn. The two engaged in a few heated words and they moved off to the side. A creek caught Zabbie’s attention. The cage door swung open. Neither warrior noticed. Zabbie wondered if she had set the creature free. She willed it to run. It did, directly at her. Zabbie shrieked. Both warriors spun to her defense but as the bangor reached her, claws poised to strike, it disappeared.

“Zabbie?” Titus asked.

“I, I don’t know what happened or where it went,” she stuttered. “Okay I’m a little creeped out now.” She spun in a tight circle wondering if it was somewhere in the room.

“Do you remember what you were thinking when it came at you?” Finn asked, he sounded worried. “Think Zabbie. Titus, if she transported that thing to a school, if she was thinking about children because we were just talking about children as well as…”

Zabbie was horrified. “No, I would never. I would never harm a child.”

“Titus, I know she is your mate; Zabbie, I have come to know you are sweet but we need to make certain.”

Titus nodded his head and Finn raced from the room. “I know you would never purposely hurt anyone. In fact, I know you would never hurt anyone period. I sent Finn off to comfort you. Nothing more.”

“I have come to think of Finn as a friend. I would like to be friends with his mate, but he keeps her away. None of the warriors will let me near their females and it hurts.”

“The females have little ones or are expecting little ones. Adan has incredible power but it’s apparent you have more. Blu will come around in time. So will Finn.”

“I hope so.” She pressed against his chest.

“Titus?”

The word came over the system in the room, it was Finn. Titus pushed Zabbie to arm’s length, smiling at her.

“Status report,” Titus said.

“The school is safe. In fact, we had sent a few warriors out to secure the perimeter earlier because of three bangors spotted. They’ve disappeared, the bangors near the school, without a trace. There is nothing anywhere near the school.”

“Hmm,” Titus said. “I suppose it would be too much to ask if all bangors were gone.”

“No, I was informed one was killed not a moment ago found in a backyard. No children were in danger, the warrior doesn’t have any.”

“Thanks for the update,” Titus said.

“Zabbie?” Finn sounded contrite. “I’m sorry. I should have known if you were thinking of children you would have thought to save them.”

The system clicked and Finn was gone. Titus pulled Zabbie closer.

“No one will ever fully trust me, will they?” She sadly asked.

“The warriors will come around. Even Cy is thawing.”

“Uhg, Titus that was uncalled for,” she groaned.

Cy had appeared in their living room while they were making love. Zabbie had been so startled at seeing him she doused him unintentionally with freezing water. She thought he’d blow a gasket as he shook ice chunks from his hair, at least the pink had finally faded. She wasn’t certain of every word he spouted when he stormed out, but she was certain she had added some new swear words to her vocabulary.

Titus went over and locked the door to the room. Zabbie wondered aloud why there would be a lock on the inside of a jail as well as outside.

“We learned humans have fears. The lock is more symbolic for their peace of mind while they’re in here. We haven’t used this place in a while before you came along. Humans are few and far between. Besides, the humans have no clue a warrior could smash through the door if needed.”

“Then why bother to lock it?”

“My warriors know where we are. I’m hoping it’s a deterrent to Cy.”

“I suppose he’ll figure out a way to make me seem like the bad guy, again.”

“I have heard my warriors talking. A few went from believing him, to getting annoyed with him. They are wondering why he continues to vent about a little warrior who hurts no one.”

Titus was stalking her as he approached, swaggering in a way she found deliciously predatory. Her warrior could make her tingle in all the right places.

“Aren’t you worried I’ll send us somewhere else?” she asked.

“Oh no.
I’m
taking us somewhere else.”

“We’re in a jail.”

Titus gripped her arms, curling her shoulders in. He dragged her close and nipped at her neck with his lips. His hand slipped into her pants and he squeezed her ass pressing her against his arousal.

“Does my making things disappear turn you on?” Zabbie teased.

“You turn me on. Your smile, your laugh, the way you giggle when I lick your toes. I know of a good place to make my cock disappear into delight.”

Titus yanked her t-shirt over her head. With her arms in the air he pulled her higher and sucked in a breast. When Zabbie tried to shrug the shirt off Titus shook his head and glanced around. He pulled her to the cage and turned her to face the bars. He tightened her wrists in the t-shirt and tied them to the bars after pushing her to her knees.

Her pants were gripped and tugged down and off. Titus slipped his hands around her to grasp each breast pulling her away from the hard bars. His thigh spread her legs and he thrust up, she was ready for him but gasped. He was taller and his action lifted her off her knees. He pulled her back, her ass resting against his thighs. Zabbie had never been tied before and her heart pounded. She wrapped her fingers around two bars and hung on.