"True, but maybe these Kaliszians will be."
"Seriously? They carry swords, Jen, and it looks like they rely on brute strength. We haven't been like that since the middle ages."
"True, but I can't say automatic weapons and nuclear bombs are that much better. At least theirs seem to take some strength and skill to use. While all ours require is some idiot willing to either pull a trigger or push a button."
"That's true too." Paul looked up and smiled as Eric moved to sit on the other side of her.
"Hey, beautiful, how you holding up?" Eric asked.
"Eric..." Jen felt her eyes fill again. She knew she was no longer beautiful, especially not on the side where Eric was sitting.
"Shhh. You will always be beautiful to me. To us. Now," Eric put his arm around her thin shoulders, pulling her close and her head shifted to his shoulder. "Rest."
Knowing arguing would do no good, Jen settled deeper into Eric's embrace and felt Paul move in closer, putting his arm around her as he gripped Eric's waist. Knowing she was safe in their embrace, she let sleep claim her.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Mac rolled onto her back, stretching her arms up over her head and yawned. God, she felt good. The sound of water shutting off had her eyes opening and her head turning to see Nikhil walking out of the cleansing room. A towel was wrapped low around his hips while he used another one to remove the moisture from his hair. His hands stilled seeing her watching him and he was immediately moving to the bed.
"You're awake," he said moving to sit down next to her.
"I am."
"How are you feeling?"
"I feel good. Really good." Reaching up, she cupped his cheek. "I suppose I should get up so we can go to last meal." She frowned at the strange look Nikhil gave her. "Nikhil? What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong, Mackenzie. It is just that it is morning."
"Morning? I slept through the night?"
"Yes. I thought to wake you for last meal, but Luol said if you were hungry you would wake on your own."
"You contacted Luol?"
"Yes. I was concerned. I..." He looked away.
"It's alright, Nikhil." She pulled his face back to her. "He's right. I've eaten so much in the last few days that all I needed was sleep. But what about you? Tell me you didn't skip last meal."
"You think I would leave you unprotected? That because of my size, food would be more important to me than you!??"
"Nikhil?" Mac flinched back, her eyes widening at the venom in his voice. "That's not what I was implying. I just... I don't want you to do without because of me."
Nikhil forced himself to relax the fists he hadn't realized he'd clenched. Where had that come from? It had been years since he'd let what someone else thought about his size bother him, but this wasn't someone else. This was his Mackenzie.
"I'm sorry, Mackenzie, I shouldn't have spoken to you like that." When he would have risen from the bed, her hand on his arm stopped him.
"I take it that's a sensitive subject for you." Sitting up, she caught the sheet, keeping it from falling and held it across her chest.
"Yes... growing up it was. I am sorry, Mackenzie, I should not have reacted like that."
"You were bullied." Mac couldn't believe anyone would be brave enough to do something like that to Nikhil. It just went to show that anyone could be bullied.
"I do not know this word, but when I was a great deal younger, others would comment that I must be receiving more than my fair share of the food stores to reach such a size." He felt his face flushing at the remembered taunts. "It was an untruth," he growled.
"Of course, it was an untruth," she immediately agreed.
Reaching out, he touched the bead she wore, and was humbled by the absolute belief she had in him, but he still found himself asking. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because I know you, Nikhil. I don't need you to wear my bead, to have to touch it, to know you would never do such a thing." Her fingers tightened on his arm. "It must have hurt to have others think something like that about you."
"It was long ago," he said quietly.
"But it still affects you, just like my mother's abandonment still affects me."
"How does it affect you, my Mackenzie?" He reached out to run a gentle finger along the curve of her breast that was pressing up because of the way she held the sheet. "When I see you, all I see is a strong, confident female."
"Who deep inside always fears that everyone she loves will leave her and never return."
Nikhil just stared at his Mackenzie. He wanted to vow to her that he would always return to her, but he knew he couldn't. He was an Elite Warrior. A Squad Leader. What he did was dangerous and he would never lie to her, so he gave her what he could.
"I can only vow that I will fight with my last breath to return to you, my Mackenzie. I will never abandon you."
Mac's gaze searched Nikhil's, and she knew he was telling her the truth. His truth. He wasn't going to give her a false promise, but he also wasn't going to abandon her willingly. "Alright, I can live with that."
Her stomach growled, stopping her from saying anything else.
"I will get you first meal," he said immediately getting up.
"I could eat, but first I need to use the cleansing room." She blushed as she told him that.
"Alright, I will help you." He held out a hand to her.
"I can handle it myself," she told him, but still took the hand he held out.
"You are sure?" he asked helping her up, frowning as she tried to keep the sheet wrapped around her.
"Yes, but first." Reaching up, she pulled his head down for a deep kiss. "Good morning."
Nikhil's response was instantaneous as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet to capture her lips for another kiss. Goddess, he would never get enough of her. He felt his shaft rising as she wrapped her arms around his head pulling him even closer. He moved to lay her back down on the bed when her stomach made its desires known again. Reluctantly he broke off the kiss and put her back on her feet.
"Use the cleansing room," he told her gruffly. "I will have first meal ready for you when you return."
"Alright, but make sure you get some for yourself too," she said and lifting the sheet so she wouldn't trip on it, made her way to the cleansing room.
Nikhil watched her hurry away and waited until the cleansing room door closed before moving to dress. His shaft was still extremely hard and it wasn't happy at being confined inside his pants. If it had to be confined, it wanted to be inside her tight channel, not his uniform. Ignoring the discomfort closing his pants caused him, he went to get his Mackenzie's first meal, stopping only long enough to lean down and pick up her covering from the floor, placing it on the bed where she would see it.
Mac stared at her reflection in the mirror and couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her hair was flowing in waves around her face, and she knew she had Nikhil to thank for that, vaguely remembering him running his fingers through it during the night. Her lips were puffy and swollen, again thanks to Nikhil, this time from his kisses that had rocked her world.
Smiling, she touched the crystal revealing the tankless toilet and hurried to complete what she needed to do so she could get back to Nikhil. Wrapping the sheet tighter around her, she exited the cleansing room. Meaning to find Nikhil, she paused seeing the shirt she had been wearing lying on the bed. Quickly, she put it on and went to find him.
She found him frowning, putting his comm back on his belt as she walked into the room. She felt her breath catch and her heart beat a little faster at the stunning specimen of male. He was standing there in just his pants, and he was all hers. Smiling, she walked up to him.
"Is everything alright?" she asked.
"Yes, but I need to report to duty."
"Right now?"
"Not until after we have first meal. Come," he gestured to the couch where he had placed two meal packets.
"Are these always the same?" she ask
ed after heating and opening hers.
"They can vary, it all depends on what the Tornians send," he told her.
"The Tornians?" she asked looking at him as she took a bite.
"Yes, the majority of our food comes from Vesta in the Tornian Empire," Nikhil frowned as he spoke. "Wasn't that in the educator?"
"It was. I mean I knew that's where you got the majority of your food, but not that there was so little variety."
"It is all taken to Crurn where it is processed before being distributed."
"I see."
"Is it not this way on Earth?"
"No. We have a large variety of food, and everyone chooses what they want and cooks their own."
"Truth?" Nikhil's eyes widened at the thought.
"Truth. Packets like these," she lifted what was in her hand, "are normally reserved for military, survivalists, or disaster areas."
"It is not something you eat every day?"
"No. These are the only ones I've ever had."
"I see." Nikhil silently ate his meal and wondered for the first time if what he would be able to provide for his Mackenzie would be enough to satisfy her. It seemed his world offered so little compared to what she was used to.
"Nikhil?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think you can get me one of those gray capes that the other survivors have?"
"What? Why?" he asked frowning at her. Those capes weren't meant for one such as his Mackenzie. They were made from an inexpensive, coarse fabric that could be rough on the skin. It was something that should never touch his Ashe's soft skin.
"Well... as much as I like wearing your shirt," she gave him a small smile, "it doesn't cover all that much. And since I don't have any underwear..."
"Underwear?"
"Small coverings worn under outer coverings. They make it so if this pulls up," she indicated the bottom of the cover, "no one sees anything they shouldn't."
"I see."
"Do your females wear coverings this short?" she asked.
"No, they typically reach the floor. What do you normally wear?"
"Pants mostly, like what you wear." She gestured to his.
"Your females like to wear pants?"
"I guess most do. It depends on what they are doing; where they are going. I normally only wear a dress on special occasions."
"I see."
"What's wrong, Nikhil."
"I... when I spoke to Luol about waking you, I also talked to him about your lack of coverings."
"You did? Why?"
"Luol's Ashe resides on Crurn and in four days our resupply ship will arrive from there. He is going to have her select proper coverings for you and have them sent along with it."
"I... you did this for me?" she asked, and felt her eyes start to fill.
"I wanted you to have something more, something better, than just my storm shirt," he admitted.
"I... thank you, Nikhil."
"They will be dresses, Mackenzie. Long dresses."
"That's okay," she reassured him.
"But..."
"Nikhil, I'm not on Earth anymore, and while I admit I am more comfortable in pants, I can adjust."
"I will arrange it so that there are pants included for you on the next supply ship. My vow. That way you will have a choice."
"Thank you." Reaching over, she put a hand on his leg.
"I want to give you everything you desire, Mackenzie. So you never regret having me as your True Mate."
"Nikhil." She set her food packet aside then rose to her knees, so she was eye to eye with him. "Don't you know all I desire is you? You don't have to give me things for that to happen, and I could never regret having you as my True Mate."
"You say that now..."
"I will always say it, Nikhil. I may be new to your world, to your universe, but I know I'm getting the best it has to offer."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Nikhil wasn't happy as he led his Mackenzie into the area housing the survivors. A gray cape, that he had altered with his blade so it fit her better, was wrapped around her. He had wanted her to remain in his quarters while he attended to his duties, but she insisted on being brought here. She wanted to check on her friends and answer any more questions they might have. He knew he was being irrational, but the thought of her being around so many other males without him there raised every protective instinct inside him.
It didn't matter to him that she had already spent a great deal of time alone with these males. It didn't matter to him that none of them were her True Mate and that he was. They had failed to protect her from the Zaludians, and that was something he would never forget or forgive.
"I will be fine, Nikhil," she said, turning to face him as she sensed his growing tension.
"They allowed you to be harmed once, Mackenzie," he said through gritted teeth, his glowing green eyes hard and piercing as they traveled over the males standing behind her.
"That wasn't their fault, Nikhil. There was nothing they could have done."
"They could have fought for you," he growled.
Knowing there was no way she would ever change her mate's mind on this, she changed the subject. "Will I see you for midday meal?"
"I will be here," Nikhil promised.
Putting a hand behind her head, he tipped her face up to his and captured her lips for a deep, hard kiss that left no doubt in the minds of the males in the room that she was his female. Giving the males behind them one last look, he spun on his heel and forced himself to leave her.
"Onp," he growled, looking at the warrior standing by the door who was in charge of the survivors.
"With my life, Squad Leader," he vowed then watched Nikhil leave after giving his True Mate one last long look.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Mac turned and immediately felt the weight of her friends' eyes on her, especially Craig who was glaring at her.
"What the hell is going on with you?!!" he demanded angrily in English, grabbing her arm. "Have they brainwashed you?"
While Mac knew only their group understood Craig's words, she realized the others in the room understood the tone behind them especially the Kaliszians by the sound of them drawing their swords.
"It's fine," she said in Kaliszian, looking over her shoulder to see she was right and ordered, "Sheath your swords."
"No male should be touching you," Onp growled angrily.
"Craig, let her go!" Jen's quiet but cutting order from the back of the group had him immediately dropping his hand.
"He's not touching me now, Warrior Onp, so sheath your sword." When he didn't immediately, she continued. "We are a species that touches. He wasn't attacking me. Were you, Craig?" she turned her gaze back to him and realized he didn't understand what she was saying. "Shake your head, Craig," she hissed, "unless you want a blade at your throat."
Craig vigorously began to shake his head from side to side and slowly Onp replaced his sword.
"To answer your questions Craig. I was kissing my True Mate goodbye, and no, I haven't been brainwashed. Now," she looked over the group. "We need to talk because I think I've come up with a way to figure out how long ago the Ganglians took us."
"What? How?" Craig demanded, and while he kept his voice down, his eyes shot to Onp who was still watching him closely.
"Where's Paul?" she asked.
"Here," Paul's voice came from the back of the group.
Mac was about to ask Paul her question when she saw Jen shifting her weight. "Come on, let's all sit down and I'll tell you what I'm thinking."
Jen gave Mac an irritated look. She knew what her friend was doing. She didn't need to be coddled.
"Come on, Jen," Mac put an arm around her shoulders pulling her back, her brown eyes pleading with blue. "I need to know what you think but I also need to know that you are okay."
With a heavy sigh, Jen nodded and let herself be led to a cot where she sat. "Okay, I'm sitting. Now tell me what you've learned from the Kaliszians."
"
I haven't learned anything from them, at least not concerning where Earth is or how long ago we were taken."
"But you just said," Craig started angrily.
"I said that I thought of something," Mac emphasized her gaze traveling over the shaggy, dull hair and scruffy beards on the faces looking at her. They had all been a well-groomed group when she first met them, with only Eric sporting a very short well- trimmed beard. "And that I need Paul to tell me if I could be right."
"What can I possibly tell you, Mac?" Paul asked.
"How fast does hair grow?" she replied.
"What?" Paul frowned at the question.
"Hair. You're a barber. You know hair." She lifted some of hers that thanks to Luol's treatment and Nikhil cleansing it was silky and shiny. "Mine has to be at least three inches longer than it was when we were first taken."
"It... it varies from a quarter to a half an inch a month," Paul told her.
"So if mine is three inches that means six months."
"I... yes." Paul's hand reached up to touch his own hair. Why hadn't he thought of that? His wasn't three inches longer but then his hair had always grown slower. Looking at Eric's, whose hair he knew had always grown faster, he saw it was at least three and a half inches. "Dear God, I think you’re right."
"Six months?" Jen whispered, her eyes filling with tears as she saw the shock and disbelief in everyone's eyes. "We've been gone six months..."
Mac was about to say something when she saw Luol enter the room and hearing what he was saying, she was up and across the room.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Luol walked into the survivors’ area greeting Onp as his gaze traveled around the room. "Warrior Onp."
"Healer Luol, you are ready to resume treating the Nekeok?" Onp knew only four of the Nekeok had been treated so far and that the eight Tafa and all the humans were still waiting, with the exception of Nikhil's True Mate.
"I will be taking one Nekeok and one human," Luol informed him.
"But there is only one deep-repair unit," Onp said frowning.
"The second has been brought down from the Defender to speed up the process."
"But..."
"Why only one?!!" Mac demanded and both males looked at her in shock.
"I'm sorry, Mackenzie?" Luol frowned down at her. He hadn't realized she was here. "Why only one what?"