Upon the Threshold (3 page)

Marcus was frowning but nodding as if in understanding. “We call that serving a term and then parole. The term part is when they must repay the debt they owe, and parole is when they are set free but with restrictions on what they can do and where they can go.”

“Yes.” Phalea smiled. “That is it exactly. I must apologize. It will take the Intercessors some time to learn the language you speak. While very similar to ours, it has many words that are unknown and strange to us.”

“Please, do not apologize. We’re the ones intruding into your world. A few minor miscommunications are bound to happen as we learn about one another. Are there any other laws we have to know about?” he asked.

“Only one other. If a Droushanian is ever insulted in such a manner that he or she feels the need for retribution, they will take a member of the community, preferably a member of the insulter’s family, to hold. They will go before the Grand Intercessor, my superior, and plead the case along with the person who originally insulted them. The Grand Intercessor will pass down judgment that can range from a payment to the insulted to the right to keep their prize, the person they took, for a set amount of time. That person, the prize, has all rights stripped and they are under the Droushanian’s full control to do with as the Droushanian sees fit.”

“That seems extremely harsh,” one of the other males said. His face was pale and it was clear he was sweating slightly.

“Droushanian males and females are very large people. They also have inherent strengths that many other people do not. While they could fight it out, it would only result in death of the other people, and that is not necessary. This was a way to ensure that there were no unnecessary deaths and that the insulted party received some sort of satisfaction from a properly resolved trouble.”

All the males were sizing Kraven and Lukkis up now. If the humans could have moved away, they likely would have. Very quickly if they could.

“Understood. Is there anything else?” Marcus asked, sounding ill.

“There are a few other things but mainly about land and such. We will get you a copy of all the laws so you may pass them out to your people. They must know them and abide by them while you all live in the Droushanian sector. There are some specific ones that pertain only to Droushanian Prime, should you ever visit there. The rules must never be broken or the penalties are very strict.”

“Thank you,” Marcus said softly.

“No, thank you, Marcus.” Phalea got to her feet. Dusting off her leggings, she gave a little bow and touched her forehead with three fingers. Sweeping her arm out and down, she straightened. “I will have the laws sent to you by the next dawning. Some of the Droushanian Keepers will remain to help you keep watch and protect you from any other people of our sector who may discover you before you are ready for them.”

“Okay.” Marcus had gotten to his feet quickly and nodded.

“This is Sect Leader Kraven. He is in charge of all the men here. This is Weapons Master Lukkis. He is second only to Sect Leader Kraven. They will remain to keep watch with some of the Keepers. They will not intrude into your village, but they will be close should you need them.”

“Okay.” Marcus nodded again, but he was watching both males warily.

“We will speak again soon, I am sure, Marcus. Pleasant dawning to you,” she said before turning.

Falling in behind her, Kraven shot Lukkis a look and got one that reflected his thoughts back. They were in for a very long shift with these humans in the sector.

Chapter Three

Since landing on their new home many days ago, life had been hectic for the humans. It had taken all of them working together in order to ensure their lives would continue as they hoped when they left Earth. Life was hard on their new world, but it was worth it. The air was clean, the water crystal clear, and there was once more hope for the human race. Something that they hadn’t had in a very, very long time.

Until
they
came. Eli hadn’t heard about the visit to the camp until her dad came back to talk to all of the scientists and their leaders about the new rules that they had to live by, but rules that were pretty simple overall.

Life went on as it was wont to do in all cases. Many weeks passed without incident, and then finally the time came for the humans to give thanks—thanks to the universe for simply being alive. It was during this celebration that Eli was selected to take tribute to the beings who helped watch over them. The massive men and women who all seemed to be simply waiting for humanity to fuck up, and honestly, so was she.

With that in mind she carried the massive tray that held many small gifts of food and drink upon it. Giving a nod to the sentry at the gate, she walked out of the home she had known since waking from cryo-sleep and approached the camp they all knew the Droushanian had set up to watch over their settlement.

Elisabeth was nervous. She wouldn’t lie about that, but her dad trusted these men and women, so she would as well. Eli called out when she was at the midpoint between her new home and the Droushanian camp so as not to anger the Droushanians by simply walking up to them.

Pausing on the path, Eli swore she felt time stopping and standing still. She could almost feel every beat of her heart being her last, or worse, she worried she would offend and have to become a slave for these beings. That was something she could not and would not do. She was a scientist, for heaven’s sakes. Granted, she was only a chemist, but still she was not someone’s slave.

Once more she called out, a little louder this time. Her voice shook slightly. “Hello? I am Elisabeth Washington. My dad, Marcus, sent me to bring you gifts to celebrate our thanks to the universe for bringing us here to this home. Is there anyone there?”

“WELL?”

“Considering it.”

“So we’re just going to leave her standing there?”

Rolling his eyes, Kraven shot Lukkis a look. Like he’d do that to a female. “Anyone else out there with her?”

“No, they let her pass through without stopping her and walk right up to us without an escort,” Lukkis said softly.

Strange people these humans. “Stay here and keep watch. And let the others know to continue their normal rounds. No sense letting them become as lazy as these humans can be.”

“They are all already out patrolling,” Lukkis assured him. “Whatever she has smells interesting at least. Bring me something, will you?”

“Go. I’ll find you in a bit,” Kraven muttered. Shaking his head, he watched his friend head off before he stepped out of the trees and brush to walk up behind the female. A few strides from her, he moved around and into her peripheral view, knowing she’d spotted him when the tray in her hands rattled.

Stopping in front her, no more than a couple of his arm lengths away, he tucked his hands at his back and lifted an eyebrow. “Rather late for one of you to be visiting us, isn’t it?”

ELISABETH SMILED UP at the massive—by the Mother Goddess!—massive man and gulped. “We had just finished our celebration giving thanks to the universe for bringing us to this land. For bringing us to a people that we will be able to live in harmony and unity with.” She put the tray out. “We didn’t know how many of you there were, so we made up as many of the gifts for you as we did for our own people. The gifts hold small foods that we have made while living here. They are for you and your men and women who protect us and keep us safe.”

He moved closer, causing her to crane her head back a little more, and took the tray from her. Balancing it on one very large hand, he bowed his head. “We will ensure those here are all given a fair share of what you’ve brought to us. Is there anything here we need to be aware of for those who might have sensitivity to foods?” he asked.

She noticed he didn’t look anywhere but at her, didn’t glance around, didn’t look to the tray he held, just stared down at her.

What was it about this man that she was swimming in his eyes? Eating up his attention and gaze? “Uhm.” She licked her lower lip, wetting it so she could speak. “There is a larger bag with the contents of what we used in all the foods. We have named them and tagged them with what we named them. We don’t know what you would call them, which is why I thought it best to send the ingredients as well. That way you would be able to easily look at them and see what there is that might be harmful to one of your people. That’s the last thing we would want to do, harm another. We are here in peace and hope to remain so.”

He nodded, though he still hadn’t moved his gaze from her. “That will work,” he said softly. “I will have our people look at everything, and if something is of a nature that would cause reaction in someone, we will let your people know. What is your name, little female?” His lashes were a slow sweep as he blinked.

Wetting her lips again, a nervous gesture she had never shaken, she began, but her voice broke so she started once more. “I am Elisabeth. Elisabeth Washington. My dad is Marcus. He is the elder who came to visit you when we first met you and your Intercessor, Phalea.” Unlike her dad, she said the woman’s name without flaw. “What name do you go by?”

“I was given the name of Kraven,” he said, his voice deeper, she was sure, than previously. “Why are you nervous, Elisabeth Washington, daughter of Marcus? Is something amiss we need to know of?” he asked, his eyebrow lifting again in question.

“No.” She shook her head, eyes wide with shock. “It’s just that you are so…” She wanted to fan herself. It was getting warmer standing there before him. She felt as if she were in another being’s body, because in that moment, she was feeling things that she never, ever had felt before.

Squeezing her thighs together as she stood there, she nearly moaned at the sensations that the action caused against her clit, and bit her lower lip instead. “No, there is nothing wrong. It’s just that you are so big.” And so handsome, rugged, sexy, and damn, she was seriously attracted to him. “Eli,” she whispered. “My friends call me Eli, and since I hope that our people will be friends, you should call me Eli as well.”

“I am actually average,” he said. “Though with how small your people are, I can see why you would say I was big. You should know that we will not harm your people. It is not our way unless harm comes to us first. We much prefer to let everyone live their lives. While we prepare and are always at the ready for trouble, we too just wish to peacefully exist in our way.”

“It sounds as if our people are both in accordance with that. We only want peace. That’s why we brought you the gifts. They are a thank-you for protecting us, as well as a hope for peace in our future for all time. And yes, I know that you and your team are protecting us even if some of the males of my group don’t see it. They are idiots, however, and thankfully they typically do as they are told.”

“There is discord among your people?” he asked, his voice sounding a little sharper and harder. “I would have thought that all were of mutual agreement. How can you live together in such a small community without there being a unity among you? Especially when it comes to something as important as the security of all of you.”

“No,” She was messing this up big time! “It’s not that there is discord so much as…” Well, how did she explain to this man that sometimes the males of her world were more about
size
than they were about brain? “We are all in agreement. It’s just sometimes some of the males like to brag or whatever. Goodness. I’m making this worse than it really is by trying to explain it. There is nothing bad, and we are all thankful that you are here.” Oh boy, was she ever thankful that this man was here. “Thank you for giving me your name, Kraven. It’s a lovely name.”
Topic change!

His lips twitched; she was sure his lips twitched. Then his gaze moved from her for the first time and gave her a moment to breathe. “Lukkis, come and meet Elisabeth Washington, daughter to Marcus.” Another large male, this one a blond, walked out of the shadows to stand next to Kraven. “Elisabeth, this is Lukkis, our weapons master. Lukkis, this is Elisabeth, and she brought us this tray of gifts from their celebration as a thank-you for us being here to watch over them.”

Lukkis’s light hazel-colored eyes met hers, and he tipped his head. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Elisabeth Washington.” Then he looked to Kraven. “Shall I take that and pass it out among our members?”

“Yes, but take the bag to Braeden first. It holds all the same items as are in the gifts, to ensure we have no adverse reactions to anything brought. He can go over it all and then deem who can have what.” Kraven handed the large tray to Lukkis. “Ensure those patrolling are given theirs before the others, as they have been on duty longest.”

“Of course.” The big blond looked to her again. This time it was like he was looking for something.

Elisabeth looked up to the other large man, Lukkis, and felt her whole being seize up. Seeing these two men side by side like they were? Crap on a cracker, she was so screwed. Thankfully, however, they weren’t like animals and likely couldn’t smell her desire for them. “Thank you for taking the tray, and it was nice to meet you, Lukkis,” she told the weapons master with a bow of her head.

Giving a soft snort, Lukkis leaned into Kraven and said something very softly. Kraven gave a nod, and again there was the smallest twitch of his lips. Nodding to her, Lukkis turned with military precision and headed off…somewhere.

“Would you like a tour? It will not be much since there are only a few of us here, but it might settle your mind and those of your people to see where we are situated. If you do not have to return immediately, of course,” Kraven said.

That shocked her. She hadn’t expected a tour at all. “No,” she said with a slight smile. “I’m not expected back right away. Dad wasn’t certain how long you would keep me, so as long as I am back before the end of the day?” She watched Lukkis walking away and then looked up at Kraven and the tattoos on his arms. “What are the stars for? Why the different colors and number of them? Is it just a preferential thing?”

He glanced down at his arm and turned so she could see the whole piece. “This piece was done the first day I was judged to be an adult male by our society’s standards. Each year that followed, another piece was added until I reached the age to join our military.” Pointing to each portion down his arm before he indicated the last of the stars that rested at the base of the piece. “The stars mark my rank within our military. The rest was done at key periods during my transition from child to adult. The shoulder was done first, the day I was judged to be an adult male by our standards, and each year another section was added until I began in the military, at which time it was finished and the last star was put on. The blue color denotes the part of the military in which I was groomed. Blue is for the ones who are chosen to lead. Green is for those who are found to have an aptitude with weaponry. Red is for those who prefer to be in the thick of a battle on the ground. And black with a small white border is for those who are trained to fly, from the small crafts to the large space vessels between worlds. The larger the star at the center of their markings, the more important their positions, pilots holding the largest while technicians and mechanics hold smaller stars with more white.” He explained all of the colors even though his were blue stars.