Van, Becca - Help Me Fly Again (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (11 page)

Once the meeting was done, Sandi was feeling restless. She felt the need for some daylight and some fresh air. She climbed from Erup’s lap and headed up the surface tunnel.

Chapter Ten

Two months had passed since Dreab and Erup had taken her to their real home. She had never been so content and happy. She loved her mates, and they loved her. They spent each night making love and the days dealing with their people’s problems and grievances. She still feared that IDSE would find her, but she had pushed that worry aside and just enjoyed being with her men.

She let her now-developed wings out of their hidden cavity near her shoulder blades, ran, and jumped over the edge of the cliff. She laughed out loud at the freedom she had having her own wings. Sandi flapped her large, strong wings, lifted her face to the setting sun, and soared up into the sky on an air current. She soared higher and higher then folded her wings back, plummeting through the air at an incredible speed. She spread her wings once more and soared along parallel with the ground. Her mates joined her, and they smiled at her as they flew beside her. Who needed to fix a spaceship with broken wings when she had wings of her own?

Sandi and her mates landed back on the rock outcropping in front of the hidden entrance to the cave tunnel. She heard a loud noise above her and looked up to see three spaceships flying over the area. She retracted her wings and covered the child growing in her womb as she stared in horror at the three IDSE ships landing in the valley below. She turned and rushed into the tunnel, not stopping until she was safely back in her home. She felt a wrenching pain in her heart and knew she was going to have to face her colleagues eventually. What the hell was she going to do? She knew they were here looking for her and would want to take her back home to Earth with them.

She looked up when she heard Dreab and Erup enter the door, and she could see the fear on their faces. She rose from the plush leather sofa and ran into their arms. She hugged them tight and didn’t want to let go now that she felt safe and protected, surrounded by their body heat.

Erup eased her back and looked into her face then leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

“You are going to have to speak with them, Sandi. They will search for you, and we cannot have them finding the entrance to our home. If they do, the whole of our clan could be in danger,” Erup stated.

“I know, but they are going to want me to go home. I don’t want to leave here. They will see I am pregnant with your child, and they will want to meet you and Dreab. God, what am I going to do?. I don’t know what to do,” Sandi wailed, turned back over to the sofa and flopped down.

Dreab and Erup joined her on the sofa, sitting on either side of her.

“As leaders to the Reap Clan, our first priority is to keep our people safe. Their needs must come before our own, Sandi,” Dreab said.

“Don’t you think I know that?” Sandi asked shrilly. “But you should know a mother’s first priority is to protect her baby.”

“I think we should wait until sunrise and then go and meet your people. We will keep our wings hidden and walk down the mountain with you. You can still wear the top of your spacesuit to cover your breasts and stomach. That way your belly will be hidden,” Dreab explained.

“I don’t think that will cover the fact that I’m pregnant.” Sandi looked down at her bulging stomach.

“We can’t just ignore your people and hope they will go away, Sandi. They will search for you until they find you,” Erup reiterated.

“I know,” Sandi replied with a sigh. She leaned her head back on the sofa and closed her eyes. She had known this day was coming, but had hoped by ignoring the possibility it wouldn’t eventuate. “All right, first thing in the morning we can go and talk with them. Hopefully they will be happy with what I have to say and leave.”

“Come on, love, let’s get you something to eat and then you can get some rest. I can see that you’re tired,” Dreab said.

Dreab helped Sandi up from the sofa and led her into the kitchen. He saw her seated and moved to the food simulator. Seconds later, he placed a plate of steaming food in front of her. Sandi ate, not really tasting her food. She was still too upset and anxious about the coming confrontation in the morning. She finally pushed her plate away and headed for the bathing pool.

Sandi loved the large pool. There was enough room for her to swim, which helped ease her tired, aching muscles. She removed her skirt and slid into the fragrant, warm water. She sighed as the warmth enveloped her. She swam to the far side where the molded bench seats were and reclined back, letting the water relax her tense muscles. She opened her eyes to slits when she heard her mates enter the water. They surrounded her in moments, and she relished the sensation of having their hands on her as they washed her with the sweet-smelling bath gel. When they were done, she watched as her men washed themselves, and then Dreab scooped her up into his arms. He carried her through the water and up the steps of the pool. He steadied her until her feet were on the floor, then he and Erup began to pat her dry.

Erup swung her up into his arms and walked out of the bathing room toward their bedchamber. She was surprised when he lay her down on the bed and crawled in next to her. She snuggled up with her back against his front and closed her eyes. She sighed with contentment when Dreab slid in beside her and cuddled up to her front. She knew she was where she was meant to be and vowed then and there that no one was going to tell her otherwise. That was her last thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Sandi woke the next morning with a heavy heart. She had a job to do, and she didn’t want her mates to get caught in the verbal crossfire. The last thing she wanted was for her men to get hurt because of her. She eased her way out from between her men and dressed in her spacesuit. She took one last look at her men and left the house.

All the way up the tunnel, she prepared herself for the speech she was about to give. This wasn’t a life-or-death situation, but it certainly felt like it to Sandi. She knew if she couldn’t convince her colleagues to leave her behind where she was happy and had made a life for herself with her two mates, her heart was going to be ripped from her chest.

Sandi pushed her thoughts away and began a cautious descent down the mountainside. She could see the tents her colleagues had erected in the distance and knew they would have enough supplies to survive for six long months if necessary. She just hoped she could get them to see reason and leave.

Sandi was nearly at the tents when she heard a shout echo across the air. She turned to see two specks standing up on the rocky outcrop and knew Dreab and Erup were watching her. She turned back and moved faster. The last thing she wanted was for her mates to be in danger. She was at the largest tent just as the flap opened. Her eyes connected with her commander, and she gave him the prerequisite salute.

“Sandi, thank God, you’re alive,” her commanding officer said then hugged her to him. She didn’t hug him back. She was too surprised by the show of emotion.

She looked up at him curiously and saw the concern in his eyes. She had never seen that look before and didn’t know what to make of it, so she ignored it.

“Sir,” Sandi greeted.

“You’re looking well, Sandi. You skin is glowing,” Commander Tim Schneider said.

“I am well. In fact, I’ve never been better.” Sandi watched as his eyes slid over her body once more and snagged on her large belly. He looked up at her again.

“Are you pregnant, Sandi?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, hell. How did this happen?” Sandi saw him blush when he realized what he’d said. “You don’t need to answer that.”

“No, sir.”

“Come and sit in my tent out of the sun, and you can tell me what’s been going on.” Tim held the tent flap open for her.

Sandi entered and took a seat. She watched her commanding officer get them some drinks, and he handed her a cup. She took a sip of water and eyed Tim cautiously as he sat beside her.

“Where do you want me to begin, sir?”

“At the start would be appropriate, don’t you think?”

“Okay. The electronics on the ship began to go haywire not far from this planet. I tried everything I could to get it back on line, but nothing seemed to work. I even shut everything down and tried to reboot, but still nothing. I called in a Mayday, but had no idea if the call got out. The only control I had over the ship was the flight stick. I glided into this planet’s atmosphere and crash-landed. One of the wings had sheared off, and the ship was a mess. I knew there was no way I would be able to get back home without any of the appropriate parts and equipment needed to fix the ship.

“I was lucky enough to meet two native males of this planet, and they were kind enough to take me into their home. We fell in love, and I got pregnant. It seems the contraceptive does not work against these people.”

“You have been missing for nearly three months now, yet you look like you are six months pregnant. What sort of beings have you been with, Sandi? How could you let strangers touch you?”

“What sort of question is that? I already told you I fell in love. How can you sit there in judgment of me when you have no idea what you’re talking about, sir?”

“Look, I’m sorry if I have insulted you. It’s just, you’re the last person I expected to find in this predicament. You don’t want to go back, do you?”

“No. I can’t go back, sir. I have made a life for myself here. The men I love are here. I can’t leave them behind. I won’t,” Sandi said quietly.

“You’ve put me in a tenuous position, Sandi. I am expected to go back with you in tow. What the hell am I going to tell the powers that be at IDSE?”

“I don’t know. Wait. Tell them I died, that way no one else will come looking for me again.”

A noise outside drew her attention to the tent flap. She gasped when Dreab and Erup walked in and stood at her back, placing their hands on her shoulders. She watched as her commanding officer sized them up and then looked back at her. Sandi sighed and introduced the men.

“Sir, these two men are Dreab and Erup Reyrd, my mates. Dreab, Erup, this is my commanding officer, Tim Schneider.”

Sandi felt the tension in the air, but was thankful when her commanding officer offered his hand in greeting. She looked over her shoulder and nearly smiled at the puzzled looks on her mates’ faces.

“You’re supposed to shake his hand in greeting,” Sandi explained. Then she did laugh out loud as both her men shook Tim’s hand with exuberance. Dreab and Erup moved to her sides, and they each sat down on the ground next to her. She hoped they wouldn’t become too arrogant and aggressive as she talked with her commanding officer.

“What is the name of the planet we are on?” Tim asked.

“Eagron,” Dreab replied.

“You’re species is just like us, human beings,” Tim stated.

“Yes, we are with only one difference,” Erup replied.

Sandi turned to him and gave him a quelling stare, but he either didn’t get the hint or chose to ignore her. His wings slid out of his shoulder cavity to fill the room, and her commanding officer jumped in his seat, toppling back in his chair. Sandi couldn’t help the nervous giggle that erupted from her mouth.

She saw Dreab rise to his feet to help Tim up from the ground. Tim walked around behind Erup and then back to stand in front of her. She suddenly realized that her commanding officer could understand her men.

“How is it you can understand them? When I first arrived, they had to put a spell on me so I could comprehend what they were saying.”

“Our scientists have been working on a universal translator. We were all implanted with the device before we come looking for you. It only takes a few words from the species for the translator to begin working.”

“Well, that’s good. I’m not sure you would have liked their way of be-spelling you,” Sandi said with a smile. She knew she had confused her commander by the puzzled look on his face, but she didn’t elaborate.

“You will be leaving now that you know Sandi is safe,” Dreab stated more than asked.