Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
About the Author
Additional Books
Treyvon
By M.K. Eidem
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank my family for all their support during this exciting time of my life. I couldn’t have done it without you. I’d also like to thank all my friends that have been there for me, answering questions, and helping guide me: Reese, Julie, Fern, Beth, and Narelle. Thanks, ladies!
Treyvon: Kaliszian Series
By
M.K. Eidem
Copyright © 2017 by Michelle K. Eidem
Cover Design by Judy Bullard
Edited by:
[email protected] All rights reserved: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the author.
• • • • • •
All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is strictly coincidental.
License Statement
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Synopsis
General Treyvon Rayner is the Supreme Commander of the Kaliszian Defenses. He is the cousin and trusted friend of the Kaliszian Emperor, Emperor Liron Kalinin, in spite of Treyvon’s ancestor being one of the causes of the Great Infection so many centuries ago. It is never far from Treyvon's mind, and he vowed he'd spend his entire life trying to make things right.
• • • • • •
Chef Jennifer Neibaur dreamed of traveling to exotic places, of experiencing different cuisines, and learning how to prepare them. Her dream came true, but at a high price. She lost her sister. Her husband died. She was severely injured. All that was enough for her to welcome death. However, for a chef to end up in a place where food was just sustenance, and never something enjoyed, was the ultimate punishment.
• • • • • •
Two strong, honorable people are both trying to find forgiveness and redemption for things that were out of their control. Neither is looking for love. Nevertheless, if they can accept it, the forgiveness they find might be for more than just themselves.
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
About the Author
Additional Books
• • • • • •
Chapter One
General Treyvon Rayner was the Supreme Commander of the Kaliszian Defenses. He was a seasoned Warrior that had been in hundreds of battles and had seen and delivered more than his share of violence and death. He was strong and feared, but right now he had never felt more helpless in his entire existence.
It had been two weeks since the Zaludians attacked his base on Pontus. During the battle it was discovered that another one of the human survivors was a female. Even with the injuries she had previously received she had fought the Zaludians to try and save her friends… it may have cost her her life. She had spent over eighteen hours in the deep repair unit, yet Luol, one of the most experienced healers in the Empire, wasn't sure if she would survive.
How was that possible?
No Warrior, even with the gravest of injuries, had ever needed so much time in the deep repair unit.
Looking down at the female, whose name he learned was Jennifer Neibaur, he couldn't help but wonder how one so tiny, so fragile, could have the courage to attack the larger and stronger Zaludian Captain.
Squad Leader Nikhil's Ashe and True Mate, Mackenzie, had told them how Jen had done it to save Mackenzie from the Zaludian that had been choking her. They'd even found one of the two blades Nikhil had given his Mackenzie embedded deeply in the Captain's back.
However, it had come at a significant cost to this female. Luol informed him that the repair unit had found she had a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, and a severe skull fracture. And those were just the injuries she received during this attack. The unit also found multiple, older, healed injuries. The most obvious and startling had been the savage scars that riddled the left side of her face. While they had healed, they still retained a raggedness that spoke to the brutality of the injury.
Treyvon had been grateful to learn that Tornian steel had not caused the injuries and that the unit could eventually repair them, as it could the other scars that riddled her pale, thin body. Her worst injury, though, a shattered ankle that hadn't healed properly, the unit could do nothing for, and that infuriated him.
No female should ever suffer, especially not like this. Treyvon knew Warriors that could never have survived what she had. And others that weren't brave enough to attack a Zaludian Captain with the small blades that she had held.
The spikes the Zaludians embedded in their gloves were kept razor sharp and they could eviscerate a male if he didn't know how to protect himself. Mackenzie admitted to them
that the spikes were what had caused the injuries to Jennifer's face.
Treyvon found he had to restrain himself not to reach down and touch her. It had been this way ever since he had carried her into the medical unit.
Treyvon had been working non-stop since the Zaludian attack that severely damaged a portion of the old base. It had been a strategic strike. One meant to kill as many of the survivors as possible while causing mass chaos.
It had succeeded in its goal. However, it would have been much worse if not for Warrior Gulzar's routine action of informing Treyvon of an approaching ship. If not for that, all might have been lost.
The approaching ship hadn't been the Fenton, as Gulzar was informed. Treyvon had realized this because he'd talked to the Fenton's Captain Darzi earlier in the day. Darzi advised him that they would be late in arriving due to problems with their orders.
Treyvon, and the majority of his Elite Warriors, had been away from the base at the time. Drawn away due to a transmission from the mine where they found the human survivors. It was then he realized they were deceived so the base could be attacked. But that realization had come too late. Particularly for the female lying so still and silent before him. She'd had to protect herself, and her friend, when he should have been protecting them. It didn't matter that he hadn't known about her. She was still his responsibility, and females were always protected.
They had yet to discover who gave the codes to the Zaludians that allowed them to enter Pontus's atmosphere under the guise of the Fenton. The Emperor was demanding answers, and Treyvon was unable to supply them. All they knew was the transmission was activated remotely, and they couldn't track where it originated from, even though Gryf had been working tirelessly to try and find out.
Then there was the rebuilding of the compound and the transport of the survivors back to their home worlds. They'd lost the surviving Jerboaians during the attack on the base; something Treyvon found inexcusable. They were under his care, his protection, and he had failed them.
Just as he had this female.
Just as he had Nikhil's Mackenzie, who had also been injured during the attack.
He had to find a way to make it up to all of them.
With all that going on, he'd still wake in the middle of the night with the unexplainable need to check on this female. Before he even knew what he was doing, he would find himself at her side.
Mackenzie spent every waking moment she wasn't with Nikhil at the female's side. She had cleansed the blood and dirt from her friend's skin and hair, combing the thick, white mass until it glowed. Treyvon had never seen hair that color before, and it seemed to call for him to touch it.
If Mackenzie wasn't at Jennifer's side, then one of the male human survivors was. While the males took turns sitting with her, it seemed the ones called Paul or Eric were here most often.
He struggled every time he saw one of them close to her. Holding her hand or leaning in close to talk to her, trying to get her to respond. He also knew he had no right to feel that way. She wasn't his female. He didn't even know her.
So why was he so drawn to her?
• • • • • •
"General."
Treyvon ignored the startled jerk from the male sleeping in the chair next to Jennifer and turned to see Healer Luol enter the room.
"Luol," Treyvon responded.
"Craig, how are you doing this day?" Luol asked the human male that he had once again startled awake. Luol didn't like this Craig Collins, who seemed to be the leader of the humans, although Luol struggled to understand why. He was the only male that allowed himself to sleep when he was supposed to be caring for Jennifer. If he couldn't do the duty assigned to him, then he should pass it on to one that could. What if Jennifer woke while he was sleeping?
"What?" Craig asked, looking around groggily. "Is it morning already?"
"No, it will still be several hours before the sun rises," Luol told him.
"Then why did you wake me?" Craig demanded.
"My apologies," Luol said even though he wasn't sorry at all. "I thought you were here to make sure that when Jennifer woke, she saw a familiar face."
"I am," Craig immediately answered.
"I see." Luol moved past Craig to the other side of the bed so he could examine Jennifer. After a few moments he spoke, but it was to Treyvon. "There have been no changes, General."
"Why?" Treyvon demanded. "Why isn't she waking?"
"I do not know, General. There is no biological reason for her not to."
"You're saying she's in a coma?" Craig asked.
"Coma?" Luol frowned at Craig. "What is a coma?"
"A coma is the state in which Jen seems to be. She can't hear, think, or see. For most, it means they never wake up. On Earth, when people are in this state, they are hooked up to tubes to make sure they survive."
"What do you mean tubes? What do they use the tubes for?" Luol demanded.
"To make sure a person gets the fluids and nutrients they need."
"Why would you need tubes to do that?" Luol demanded.
"What do you mean?" Craig gave him a confused look. "How else are you supposed to make sure they survive?"
"You put them in the deep repair unit, and it will supply everything they need. Without tubes."
"Then why hasn't Jen been back in it?" Craig challenged.
"She has been. Once every day. Apparently, you have never been here when she was moved. Or perhaps you were just sleeping!" Luol spat out. "Obviously, our medical treatment is far superior to yours."
"If it were, then why is she still in a coma?" Craig demanded smugly, giving Luol a superior look.
"She wouldn't be if you had informed us of her existence before the attack," Treyvon accused, glaring at Craig.
"That was Jen's decision," Craig fired back, refusing to take responsibility for it.
"You are supposed to be their leader! You are the one in charge! It is your duty to make sure they are cared for and protected whether they want it or not!" While Treyvon's voice never rose, there was no doubting the rage in it.
"Do you think I don't know that?" Craig rose angrily to confront Treyvon. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have never doubted your place in society? Your worth in it or what you could handle? I never did. Not until the Ganglians!" The anger that had filled him quickly faded. Slowly he sank back down and stared at Jen. "Everything I thought I was, everything I thought I would and wouldn't do changed because of them. They stripped it all away, and for the first time in my life, I saw myself for who and what I was. And I didn't like what I found. I'm not strong. I'm not a leader, and if it hadn't been for those Ganglians putting their educator on me first, no one would have thought so either. Jen and Mac, they were our real leaders. The ones that held us together. They took care of us, treated every injury. They fed us. They even fed us if we were too tired to feed ourselves."
"Yet you didn't do the same for them," Treyvon growled.
Craig opened his mouth to deny it as he would have before they were captured. But this wasn't before, this was after, and now he was a different man. "No, I didn't, and nothing I will ever do can make up for that."
"That is truth," Treyvon agreed.
"No, it’s not!" Three heads turned as Mackenzie entered the room, Nikhil following close behind. She wore a green covering with hints of amber in it. It was one of the coverings Maysa, Luol's Ashe, had sent on the Fenton for her. It fit her perfectly, making her eyes sparkle, and the True Mate and Ashe beads she wore stand out.
"Mackenzie, what are you doing in here so early?" Luol asked. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, I just couldn't sleep," she told Luol then turned her angry brown gaze to Treyvon. "It's not Craig's fault. It's not anyone's fault. I told them to let the Zaludians take me. And if you are going to blame them for Jen's injuries, then you have to blame me too, because I didn't do anything to prevent it either."
"Mackenzie…" Nikhil growled, knowing how guilty his Mackenzie felt about it.
Mac ignored them all. Craig stood, moving aside as Mac walked up taking his place.
Looking down at Jen, Mac had to fight back her tears. They would do no one any good. Taking the chair Craig had vacated, she reached out, lifting Jen's hand to her cheek.
"Hey, Jen. Don't you think it’s time you wake up and talk to me?" Mac spoke to her silent friend in English, not wanting Jen to have to struggle to understand her. Jen hadn't used the Kaliszian educator yet because they were unsure what it would do to her in this condition. The only alien languages she understood were Ganglian and Zaludian, the languages of the species that had kidnapped and imprisoned them. Mac didn't want to remind Jen of any of those experiences, so she spoke to Jen in English. Something Craig hadn't been doing when she arrived.
"You need to wake up, Jen, because I need your help. Nikhil has been taking me to what they call Last Meal here, and honestly, it tastes like the last meal I ever want to eat. I have to force myself to smile as I choke down these gray, tough, tasteless chunks of meat they serve. For a Kaliszian, it is a great honor to be able to eat this fresh food. They think it’s good, Jen. But God, it is so bad. I need you to wake up so you can show them how food should taste. If you do, I bet they'll make you a General." Mac found herself smiling at the thought.
"Is it really that bad?" Craig asked.
"Is what bad?" Nikhil demanded, and Mac gave Craig a hard glare since he had spoken in Kaliszian.
"I was telling Jen how bad it is not being able to talk to her," Mac quickly spoke, switching back to Kaliszian so Nikhil would understand. "Isn't that right, Craig?" she challenged.
"Umm, yeah. Sure, that's what you said," Craig replied, knowing he would be in trouble if he didn't agree.
"I was speaking to Jen in English hoping she would respond," Mac said pulling Nikhil's frowning gaze from Craig's unconvincing response. There was no way she would hurt Nikhil by telling him she could barely tolerate something that he took great pride in being able to provide for her.
Few Kaliszians received fresh food stores, only those holding high or vital positions such as Elite Warriors. When the real Fenton had finally arrived later on the day of the attack, it had been carrying those fresh supplies.