“The French Foreign Legion is made up of many nationalities, isn't it?” Star asked as she clung to Jazin who was braced against the table.
“Can we discuss this later?” Jazin bit out. “Jarmen, tap into their system and see if there is anything you can do to keep us from being blown apart. You,” Jazin said pointing to Jon Paul. “You will make contact and find out what is going on. Tell him you have what he wants and try to get him to board.”
“What about me?” Luc said as Jon Paul scooted out from behind the table and headed for the bridge. “What should I do?”
Jazin fought the urge to tell the man what he really wanted to tell him. The first suggestion was for the strange human to take an escape pod so it could be used as target practice instead of the freighter. Instead, he told the man to secure any items that might cause damage to the freighter, hoping that should keep him busy for a while. The man left followed closely by the tall service bot.
“The freighter’s shields are holding at seventy percent,” Jarmen said looking at Jazin. “There are two laser gun ports mounted. One on top, the other is down below. No power to either one so they are useless.”
Jazin nodded even as he listened to the sound of voices coming from the front. “Can you monitor the conversation from here?”
“Of course,” Jarmen said tilting his head to the side and enhancing his hearing. “It is Tai Tek. He picked up the distress signal that little warrior sent out. The one named Jon Paul is telling him that they opened the box and found a human female,” Jar’s mouth tilted up at the corner. “The human male is cursing Tai Tek out in a combination of languages. I am not able to completely translate what he is saying but I think it safe to say he is calling Tai Tek a cowardly bastard and challenging him to a duel.”
“What the hell is a duel?” Jazin asked in exasperation. He didn’t think this situation could get any worse.
“A duel is when a man defends his honor by challenging someone who has insulted it to fight, usually to the death,” Star said as she gripped Jazin’s arm tightly. “You aren’t going to let him fight Tai Tek, are you? I don’t want Jon Paul to get hurt.”
Jazin gritted his teeth as he stared down into the worried eyes of his mate. This is why he wanted to lock her up. She was far to tender-hearted! He couldn’t help but wonder which God or Goddess he had insulted in his previous lives. Only his mate could get kidnapped, ejected into space, and end up on a dilapidated freighter with no weapons systems and a crew of four, two of who were totally clueless to any type of survival skills. The only two who could probably fight were the service bots!
A curse burst from his lips as the freighter rocked again. “Armet! Where in the hell are you?” Jazin barked out. “Dakar, how long until the Blue Star’s engines are back online?”
“Ten minutes out,” Armet answered tightly.
“They are coming online now,” Dakar responded. “The Blue Star can be there in twenty minutes.”
“We may not have ten minutes much less twenty,” Jazin bit out. “This rusted pile of scrap has no defense systems.”
“Gods!” Armet cursed. “I’m pushing the starship. I can cut a few extra minutes off.”
Jazin could hear Dakar ordering engineering to get the Blue Star up to full power immediately. He looked down at Star. She was staring at him with total trust in her eyes. His heart thudded heavily. She was magnificent.
“I love you, my Star,” he said huskily. “Now, sit your ass down until we can get out of here.”
“Jazin, they are sending a boarding party,” Jarmen warned. “Expect company, they are attaching to the emergency hatch now.”
“We have an emergency hatch?” Luc asked as he hurried back into the small kitchen area.
Jazin just shook his head and nodded to Jarmen. “You will stay here and protect my mate with your life,” he growled out.
“Oui, oui, with my life,” Luc said as Jon Paul and IQ came down from the bridge.
Jazin took one more look at the man with his two black eyes and his broken nose and groaned. “Go!” He snapped out to Jarmen.
*.*.*
Tai Tek yelled out orders to the Commander of the Tearnat warship he was on. They only had minutes before they would need to disappear. The commander warned him that a Kassian warship was less than fifteen minutes out. He had ordered the group of mercenaries to kill the human males and capture the female. He needed the female. It was obvious from the young Kassian lord’s resistance when he had been held at the fortress that the male would not break. He needed the technology the young lord had on the defense systems. He was running out of resources and the technology would not only give him the tools he needed to defeat the House of Kassis but he could also sell some of it to help finance his rebellion since the middle lord, Manota, had found some of his hidden accounts and seized the credits in them. He was growing desperate and desperate men did what was necessary to win.
Besides, he owed the little white haired warrior. The knife the dark haired female threw ended up in his shoulder but the little warrior’s crossbow had not missed either. He thought of the body it had struck. His lover had been standing next to him. The only thing he cared about beyond the power of ruling Kassis. It had been his plan to have his bodyguard and lover by his side when he ruled. Now, Narus was dead. Fury and the need for revenge burned through him as he thought of the male who had stood beside him since they were children. He wanted to kill the female slowly so she could feel his pain and he wanted the young lord to see and hear her as he did.
“Tell your men they have two minutes to grab the female,” Tai Tek snapped out.
“Sir, they are encountering resistance,” the commander responded.
Tai Tek turned on the commander in fury. “How can two weak human males with no weapons resist ten of your mercenaries?” He asked coldly.
The commander of the Tearnat warship turned with a stony face. “That is how.”
Tai Tek turned as a familiar voice came over the communication’s console. “Tai Tek, you are a dead man,” Jazin said coldly. “The men you sent are dead and you will be joining them shortly. You will never touch my mate.”
Tai Tek stepped back as the icy voice washed over him. A shiver of dread racked his body briefly as he listened to the deep promise in the words. He motioned for the commander to get them out of there even as the ship rocked from a blast to its shields. He cursed silently at having been defeated again.
“I am not dead yet, Lord Jazin,” Tai Tek responded furiously. “You cannot keep her safe forever. When you least expect it, I will be there to warm your spot by her side.”
“Not in this lifetime, you miserable prick!” Star called out. “You want a piece of me, you little twerp, bring it on!”
Tai Tek cut communications to the freighter and turned toward the commander of the Tearnat ship Trolis had given him. “Open fire on the freighter then get us out of here!” Tai Tek snapped to the commander. “I should have known he wouldn't be so brave if he did not have re-enforcements close by,” he snarled as another blast rocked the warship.
“What of my men?” The commander asked.
“They are already dead,” Tai Tek said turning and leaving the bridge.
*.*.*
Jazin grabbed Star around the waist with one arm and placed his hand over her mouth with the other. Her muffled curses and threats could still be heard. He let go of her mouth when she swing her arm around almost clobbering him in the head. His hand gripped her wrist and he looked pointedly at the pan she held in her hand.
“Luc wouldn’t give me the laser pistol,” she muttered. “He said he needed it to protect me if the bad guys got past you and Jarmen and made it into the kitchen.”
“Where is he now?” Jazin asked.
“Jon Paul is with him,” she said turning in his arms and dropping the pan to the floor where it bounced with a loud clatter against the metal floor. “I was so scared,” she whispered before she pulled his lips down to hers in a desperate kiss fueled
by fear and relief.
Jar came onto the bridge followed by IQ. Jazin looked up in warning even as he deepened the kiss. He could feel his brave little warrior’s body shaking as she pressed up against him. The fight had been short but fierce. There had been ten men. They had cut them down as they entered the storage bay. Things had gotten hairy when one of the men tried to blow the hatch they had entered through. The storage bay had decompressed, shutting the automatic seals. Both he and Jar would have been swept out into space if not for the large service bot. It had grabbed both of them by their arms, activated the magnetic grips in its feet and pulled them out while Jar held the door open just long enough for them to get through.
Jazin pulled back with a sigh as alarms began sounding as the blast from the Tearnat warship burst through the shields. “We are all going to die!” IQ wailed as he came rolling up to Jarmen.
“We are not going to die,” Jazin said in exasperation. “Jar, how long do we have?”
“A minute, maybe two,” Jar responded. “If we don’t find a way off this thing, we are all going to die.”
Star tiredly rested her head against Jazin’s chest. “What next?”
Jon Paul and Luc came scrambling into the bridge carrying a large box between them that clanked and clattered as glass knocked against each other. Both men had a huge grin on their face. Jazin looked at the ceiling briefly before he looked back at Jar in resignation.
“We are packed and ready to go,” Luc said excitedly.
“Armet, where are you? We could use a way off this thing before it explodes,” Jazin said moving toward the emergency hatch they had entered.
“I’m docking under the freighter now. I hope you weren’t attached to that maintenance shuttle,” Armet said calmly. “You better put a move on. This bucket of bolts doesn’t look too good.”
Chapter 20
They had escaped the freighter with not a second to spare. Jon Paul and Luc had toasted their goodbye to the freighter cheerfully while IQ kept trying to snuggle up to Jarmen. Jar had finally shut the little service bot down. Star didn’t know if it was because he was embarrassed or so he could get some peace and quiet. Numbnuts had promptly requested permission to recharge and shut down on his own. By the time they were safely back on board the Blue Star, Tai Tek had pulled another disappearing act. She knew that all the men were frustrated but they also felt more confident than ever that it was just a matter of time before he was caught.
Jazin told Star that Manota and Jo had returned along with Star’s parents and an wide assortment of other characters. He didn’t tell her that Manota swore that half of their new passengers must have been from a dozen or more bizarre different species! His normally quiet brother looked extremely agitated.
“What is wrong?” Jazin had asked once Dakar, Armet, and Jarmen had left to get some much needed rest. “Did you encounter problems returning to our mate’s world?”
“Yes,” Manota admitted reluctantly. “We had to bring a few additional passengers that were not a part of Jo and Star’s family or the circus. There were two members of their world’s security force that followed us. I was left with no choice but to bring them with us.”
“Who else?” Jazin asked concern.
“The one called Walter found a young female who had been beaten the night we were to leave. She needed immediate medical care,” Manota said quietly. “I had no choice but to bring her with us. I am not sure if she will heal, at least mentally. She still had not spoken. Jo, her parents, and a few of the others spend time with her.”
Jazin felt a wave of unease. “How did our mates’ parents react to you?” He asked hesitantly.
“Jazin, these creatures….,” Manota drew in a deep breath before he looked over his shoulder to make sure he was alone. “They are some of the most unusual I have ever seen.”
“What happened?” Jazin asked bluntly.
He wanted to get back to his mate. He didn't have time to try to decipher what Manota was reluctant to share. He was too damn tired anyway. Personally, he could care less if Star’s parents accepted him. She was his and he would never let her go. He leaned forward, rubbing his brow tiredly, and looked at his brother. He had never seen him look so uncertain before.
“Tell me,” Jazin said impatiently.
“Her parents were so happy to see Jo and know that their daughters were safe they did not question who I was at first. Of course, that changed after they discovered where I planned to take her and them. The next thing I knew, I have a hundred different beings, supposedly humans, their mobile homes, and their wide variety of pets on my warship. I don’t think I will ever understand the ones they call clowns. They are downright scary!” Manota admitted quietly. “You will see when you get home. Father has set them up not far outside of the city. He felt it would be better for them to slowly assimilate into our society so they do not cause a panic among our people. When will you be home?”
“In a few days,” Jazin answered as he leaned back and ran his hands through his hair. “You know Tai Tek has disappeared again, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Manota growled out before he smiled cruelly. “But he is in for a surprise. I have located another stash of his credits. Not only that, he has made another enemy. Ristéard Roald is not happy at being used. He has sent some of his own men after Tai Tek. The star systems have just gotten a little smaller. Even the mercenaries he has hired will not want to cross Ristéard. The Grand Ruler is not known as a forgiving man.”
Jazin let out a deep breath. The one good thing about Tai Tek’s treachery was the alliance between Kassis and Elpidios. That star system had never welcomed others before. Now, they could build upon a mutual need and perhaps bring another star system into the Alliance. Having the Elpidios as an allied would strengthen the Alliance even more and provide more protection to travelers.
Gods, he was tired. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. “Keep me posted of any changes,” Jazin said leaning forward again. “We’ll be home soon.”
Manota laughed uneasily. “You will see what I mean when you get here,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “There is one human male I may have to kill. If I do, things might get bad. I’ll tell you more about it later. Get some rest, brother. We are not as young as we used to be.”
Jazin laughed and nodded. “I am feeling it. Until we meet again brother, be safe.” Jazin signed off and stood up. It was time to go hold his little mate.
*.*.*
Star curled as close as she could get against Jazin's long form. Running her hand over his chest, she marveled that she had found someone so perfect for her. He had been so exhausted when he finally made it to their living quarters she was amazed he could even walk. She had wrapped her arm around him, murmuring tenderly to him to let her take care of him for once. His grumbling drew a chuckle from her but he didn’t resist as she guided him into the bathroom and tenderly washed the sweat and grime from his exhausted body. He had practically been asleep standing up by the time she finished. She seriously doubted he even remembered her drying him or helping him into the bed. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow. That had been almost fifteen hours ago. The only reason she had woken was because Armet had become worried and come to check on them. She had risen when she heard the request at the door two hours ago. After assuring Armet that Jazin was fine, just catching up on some desperate needed rest, she had used the restroom before crawling back in bed with him.
“I want to give you my child,” Jazin’s deep voice murmured softly into the dim light of their room. “Will you let me?”
Star’s heart started in surprise. She had always dreamed of being a mother one day but that was all it had ever been was a dream. She felt a shiver of need and desire sweep through her as his calloused palm feathered over her flat stomach.
“I want to see you rounded with our child,” his voice thickened and deepened as his hand moved lower to cover the soft curls of her mound. “Will you let me give you my seed?” He gro
aned out as he rolled over to cage her under him.
Star looked up into his dark eyes. The silver highlights flaming with love and passion. Star smiled up at the beautiful face above her. Her hands moved up his side scraping his skin lightly with her fingernails before she wrapped them tightly around his neck.
“Yes,” she whispered pulling his head down. “Yes.”
Jazin’s fierce groan sounded loudly in the quiet room. His body reacted to the simple word. He ran his hand down along her hip before dipping into her hot channel to see if she was ready for him. He was more than ready for her. It was as if she ignited a torch inside of him with just a look, a touch, a scent of her delicate skin. His fingers trembled as he tested her slick core. He reached between them and aligned his throbbing cock against her hot core. His eyes closed briefly at her heated gasp in his ear before he gripped her hip and pushed forward, ruthlessly stretching her as his control began to slip.
“Star,” he gasped out as he embedded his cock to the hilt, the tip brushing up against her womb.
“Take me,” she whispered back. “Forever, Jazin.”
Jazin crushed his lips to hers as he began to rock harder and faster. He would take her over and over. His control disappearing as the fear of almost losing her and the adrenaline of battle broke loose. His arms tightened around her to the point he knew he must be crushing her but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He pushed deeper and harder as the tingling in his spine built and exploded outward. His loud cry echoed as he strained above her. He could feel her explode around his cock as he pulsed his seed deep into her. The feel of her milking him pulled another hoarse moan from him as her vaginal muscles gripped his cock, massaging it and pulling even more of his essence into her.
Their heavy pants were the only sound in the room for several minutes. Jazin ran his lips up and down along Star’s neck sending shivers up and down her body in reaction to his tongue and teeth nipping her. The scent of her arousal combined with his was an aphrodisiac.