Upon the Threshold (26 page)

Lukkis stepped back and, taking her hands, helped her off the table. “We should go before they begin to get antsy. It has been a while since some of the crew has been home. They will likely be most anxious to see their family units and become reacquainted.”

“Yes, I’m sure that they will.” Elisabeth’s face went scarlet at that. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hold up anyone.”

“We must be the first ones off.” He touched her cheek. “Do not worry though. They will understand, and they like you, so there will be no hard feelings. But we do need to go. The inspectors will wish to begin, and we need to let the others go formally or they might just revolt because their loved ones are waiting for them and we are holding them up by standing here. Once we have all left the ship, Parker will be led into custody so that you do not have to see him or deal with him at all.”

“Okay, I will follow wherever you lead me. Come on, take me and show me my new homeworld.” She was nervous, excited, and terrified, all rolled up in one. Their care for her psyche was well appreciated.

“There is no reason to be worried.” Kraven put his hand on her back as Lukkis drew her out of the room. Kraven was right on their heels as they headed down to the entrance to the vessel.

Eli kept looking back at Kraven. She wanted him to be at her side as well. She felt safer, whole when both men were touching her. “How long until you can hold my hand as well? I don’t mean to sound needy, but I guess I am. I really and truly need for you to both be touching me.”

“As soon as we are outside. I need to sign off to allow the inspectors on board. After that I will hold your hand as long as you wish.” Rubbing his hand over her shoulder, he let it slide off as they reached the main hatch.

Moving around her, Kraven released the hatch and walked down the ramp. Nodding to a small group of males, he took a data pad and spoke to them while he worked on it. After a few moments, he passed it back and waved her and Lukkis to join him. Apparently the signal for the ship to be vacated, because the crew was right on her heels as she exited.

Once they were walking shoulder to shoulder, Eli took both men’s hands in hers and smiled. “Thank you. I needed this,” she assured Kraven. “I needed to have you holding my hand. Now then, we should do what we have to, right?” She had no clue what was next, but she would do whatever it was in order to make it happen.

“We need to make it through the crowds first,” Lukkis said. He tipped his chin ahead of them when she looked his way. Following the gesture, she saw a lot of people, some calling out names that caused a crew person to race past them. Others just calling out to the males of the ship and showing… Well, they were showing a lot of skin. More than should ever be permissible in any society. Those were obviously the ones whom Danykia had warned Eli about.

“I take it that they are the dock floozies, right?” she asked as she watched the women and their nearly naked selves tossing their hair and moving closer to the men. “If one of them dares to touch either of you, I will not be held accountable for my actions.”

“Tell them to back off and they will,” Lukkis said. “We usually just ignore them and keep moving so they give up for easier prey. But if you want to ensure they stay away for life, speak up. Just remember, watch the language here, little mate.”

Eli nodded, and when one of the women moved to touch Lukkis, Eli narrowed her gaze and shook her head. “I would appreciate if you would please never, ever touch my mates again. Lukkis and Kraven are my mates and are forever off the menu.” She hoped she did it right and didn’t offend with her words.

Kraven snorted as the female quickly drew back. “Well done, Elisabeth. Forceful and yet so very polite.” He squeezed her fingers gently and tugged her toward a gap in the fencing that surrounded the landing fields. The men led her through the throngs of people; they finally broke free, and she had her very first look at her new homeworld.

The lands were lush and green, and the sky had an odd orange-red tint to it. Large mountains seemed so very close, and yet she knew they were a great distance away. The capital, to her right, comprised neat little buildings with a center of larger structures. Nothing, though, seemed to be over four stories in height. And it was clean, very clean. No trash, no dirt, nothing to mar the simple perfection of the planet.

“Beautiful,” she whispered and inhaled the sweet scent of the air. “Berries,” she said with a smile. “Your air. It smells like berries and wild rapids.” The scent that could only come from water rushing quickly over rocks. She loved it. The air was clean; it was pure. She was in paradise. “And thank you. I am happy that I was able to ensure that the point was made the right way.”

“You are our mate,” Kraven said. “You would only do what was best for all of us. Now, let’s go to the capital so you can see it. Plus, that is where we need to meet everyone for the formal introductions and the mating ceremony once more.”

“I can’t wait.” She couldn’t wait for it to be all over and done with. She wanted to have her men alone with her. She needed to have them naked with her, and the sooner, the better. “I can’t wait to see the capital. If it is as beautiful as the landing area, I’m sure I’m going to be stunned by it. I can’t believe your universe thinks you are all savages. It’s stunning to me that they can’t see the truth.” Her men might have Beasts inside of them, a dual nature, but they were all amazing and incredible in their own right.

“Well,” Lukkis drawled slowly. “We might have done something to assist with that outlook toward us. Plus, once on the battlefield, we are savages. We aren’t big on taking prisoners when the attacking forces are more interested in our heads than talking.”

“Which is a very good thing. I would rather you be ruthless, brutal with the ones attacking you, than you taking tea with them and allowing them to do you harm.” She didn’t believe in violence, but thinking of her men in a dangerous or deadly situation made her see red.

“I don’t believe I’ve ever had tea,” Lukkis said, frowning. “I’ve read about it in your history logs, but we don’t have anything that is close. I suppose we could. There are plants that would likely make a good beverage. But I’m a little vague on why one would want to drink it in such a manner.”

“It’s supposed to be soothing,” Kraven commented. “If you’d read all the way through instead of falling asleep, you would have noticed there are even teas with healing properties in their history.”

“Truly?” Lukkis asked. At Kraven’s nod, he shook his head. “Most interesting. I will have to actually read the full article when I’m not so exhausted by our mate’s sexual demands.”

“There were even teas that apparently gave energy to the one drinking them,” Kraven said. “Perhaps you should start there so we could find you something, since you apparently do not have the adequate stamina for our mate and her delightful needs.”

“Oh, lord, that is too funny. You are both a hoot.” She knew they were being serious, but that was why she enjoyed it so much—the fact that they were so serious on a topic that was honestly so funny.

Lukkis shot her a look and winked, his lips curling slightly. Squeezing her fingers, he looked ahead of them again as they continued their walk. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles gently. “We’re almost there,” he said quietly. “Just up the stairs, around the corner, and then we’ll enter the main meeting hall.”

Taking a deep breath, Eli nodded. “Okay.” She began to get nervous again. Giving both of them a smile, she squeezed their hands. “I think that I am as ready for this as I am going to get.” She just hoped it would be fast.

“Relax,” Kraven told her. Both he and Lukkis had on their “masks” as she called them. The indifferent and cold, expressionless faces she detested. But when either looked her way, their eyes warmed, letting her know they were still there, just playing their parts.

Winding through the capital, they reached an impressive building. She was guessing it was the meeting hall Lukkis had mentioned. There were large males at the door, two on either side, with massive swords strapped to their backs. And she meant massive. Two pulled the doors open to allow them to pass into the building.

Which, surprisingly, was airy and had a very open feel to it. It even had a large chunk of the ceiling that was just latticework that gave it a softer feel and made it slightly whimsical too. She was tugged to a halt when her mates stopped, forcing her attention to the men who were waiting there for them.

Both bowed their heads and gave that salute of theirs to those before them. Kraven stepped forward after they’d been greeted the same way. “Governing Administrator, may we present our mate, Elisabeth Washington, formerly of the human world known as Earth.”

The thin male in the center stepped forward. He was muscular but in an understated manner compared to her mates, making him appear almost frail next to them. “Welcome to Droushanian Prime, Elisabeth Washington.”

Elisabeth bowed her head to the man and smiled. “Thank you for the welcome. Your world is incredibly beautiful,” she praised softly. “I am honored to be a member of the Droushanian race with my mating with Kraven and Lukkis.” She spoke to the governing administrator in the language and tone she had been taught so she could hopefully put her best foot forward, so to speak.

“They have explained to you that we will be recreating the mating ceremony here?” he asked. At her nod, he tipped his head. “Excellent. If you would go with these females, they will assist you into the robe and we will proceed soon. I only need a few moments with your mates to discuss some business before we can begin.” He signaled to the side, and two large Droushanian females stepped forward and bowed to Elisabeth slightly.

Eli nodded and looked to Kraven and then Lukkis. Giving their hands another squeeze, she moved away from her mates and followed the women quietly. She wasn’t certain what she should say to these women, so she simply followed them.

Kraven caught up to her and pulled her to a stop. Leaning in, he put his mouth to her ear. “Relax, they will just get you dressed. It will be a much quicker affair than the original preparations as you only need to dress. If you need us, send one of them to come and get us.” Lifting his head, he gave her a look, his face flat, but his eyes showing her a smile.

“Thank you,” Eli said with a smile and leaned in closer. “I love you, Kraven. I will see you soon at our unofficial joining ceremony. At least this time I won’t be bathed in oils that make me attack you, right?”

“Right,” he said softly. Leaning his forehead to hers he winked. “I love you as well, Elisabeth. Go with the females, and we will see you very soon. We won’t be held up very long by the governing administrator. When they lead you back out, keep your face relaxed. The less emotion you show, the happier they will all be.”

“I will try.” She was learning to wear the masks that her mates wore, and had spent a great deal of time before a looking glass, practicing the mask of indifference. Sadly it never seemed to work when she was facing her mates. They never failed to make her smile. “I will be fine, my mate. I will see you soon,” she assured him and dropped the facade over her face, her eyes still holding the love she had for him even if her features were relaxed and calm.

“Very good,” he said, lifting his head. Nodding, he waved her toward where the females were waiting by a doorway. Then he turned and walked off, not before giving her fingers a little squeeze though. Support and comfort all in one.

Chapter Eighteen

Their bonding ceremony for the governing administrator thankfully went off without a hitch. The dinner, however, seemed to drag on and on forever until finally Eli looked up at Kraven.

Leaning in, she whispered, “Can we please get out of here? I am ready to go to our home.” She was ready for their lives to truly begin on this, their new homeworld. “We have satisfied everyone’s needs and wants, haven’t we?” She hoped so at least.

Standing, he looked toward the table of officials. “We wish to thank you for this great honor, Governing Administrator. While we would like to remain, sadly our day is catching up to us. So, if you will excuse us, we wish to bid everyone a pleasant darkening.” Tipping his head, he held out a hand to her. He helped her to her feet.

Eli stood smoothly, a smile touching her lips as she linked her hands with each of her mates. She didn’t speak, simply left with Kraven and Lukkis, the trio a solid unit as they departed. Their souls as in sync with each other as the planets that moved around the suns.

Once they were out of the meeting hall, she felt her men relax. Their expressions didn’t change, but she could feel the tension leaching off them. They took her a different route and to a building that looked a lot like Earth’s old train stations. Walking through the quiet building, they stepped out onto a platform and came to a stop.

“We will take transportation farther into the interior. But there will still be a walk at the end,” Lukkis told her. “Not very long, but it’s necessary since transportation on the planet is limited to the hover system.”

“I don’t mind a walk. It’s an incredibly beautiful night. I have the two most amazing and handsome men at each side of me. How could I mind a walk? It just means that I get to hold your hands all the longer—something I appreciate a great deal.”

“That is very true.” He nodded. A low hum started and steadily grew in sound. “The transport is coming in. If you ever take one on your own, stay well back from the edge. The pull of the air it displaces can pull you into its path if the operator isn’t slowing as they should for a stop.”

“Right, got it.” She hoped she wouldn’t be going anywhere alone for a very, very long time but didn’t voice that aloud. “Where is it we are going? I know you have told me, but my brain has shut down, and for the life of me I can’t think of where we are going now.”

“Kraven’s personal home,” Lukkis said, squeezing her hand. “I hold a place here in the capital for when we have time off between our missions. But Kraven prefers the quiet of the countryside, far away from civilization.” He smiled and looked past her. “Says that he has to put up with us every day on mission, so a little quiet time without a crew pulling him every direction every moment is needed. Otherwise…” He trailed off, clearly prodding Kraven.