Citun’s Storm (15 page)

“I love you, Citun.”

“Welcome home, Storm.”

* * * *

Citun watched the play of emotion on Storm’s face as the ship hovered over his planet. Much of the time, north Zargonnii territory was covered in snow, but it was time for the Holiday. The jungle surroundings were warm and bright with color. Citun was glad. He wanted Storm’s first impression to be good.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“It certainly looks busy.”

Seeing his world through another’s eyes was enlightening. There were bangor, hairy annoyances roughly Storm’s size. She wouldn’t need to worry about the snot-nosed creatures because she could mind-battle. A little further and they saw a cyron, then watched it shredded alive by three female Zargonnii. Storm’s face was pressed to the window.

“Oh my God, that beast is as big as a mammoth, and those warriors pummeled it to death in moments.”

“Female Zargonnii mean business when they Holiday. They want nothing to come between them and an offspring.”

“Those are
female
Zargonnii?” Her eyes were wide as flying saucers.

“Yes.”

“They’re massive. You fight these females expecting to win?”

“I do win, well I did. I won’t ever Holiday again. Well, maybe to the beach or at a cottage if I can find a few beers.”

Storm offered him a wry grin. “Do you remember everything I say?”

“Yep.”

“So, I can stop telling you I love you because you already heard me say it?”

“Maybe you should tell me more often. I hear some males have selective hearing and need to be reminded occasionally about the important stuff.”

Storm moved into his arms. “I love you. When do we land?”

“I’m debating whether or not to send us directly to where I live. Some males and females are already together. Males and females are very protective of their partner once dominance is established. I wouldn’t want a female thinking you want her mate. Females want a daughter, with every fiber of their being, if a female thinks for a second you might stand in her way…well…”

Storm took a step back and spread her arms wide. “How many of your females would consider me a threat?”

She had a point. Citun figured if a Zargonnii female came across her they might laugh. But there was a bigger threat.

“There are warriors who might challenge me for you. It’s rare, but it has happened to other warriors. It’s obvious you can be dominated, in a heartbeat.” She punched him. “Then again, it’s suicide to challenge a male for a female who belongs to him.”

“I belong to you?” Her tone was dripping in sarcasm.

“Relax, for a male Zargonnii, possession of a female means mostly I would kill to keep you safe and with me.”

“So, aside from certain death, what other treasures does your planet hold?”

“Our planet is beautiful. Maybe I should show instead of tell.”

Citun pulled her into his arms. He ordered Jari to send them to the surface. With a wink Jari nodded.

“After we’re down, send the other warriors in twos at ten minute intervals. Some are going batty with the need to Holiday. I want to make sure I get Storm away. Something tells me the females on the planet will have their hands full with our males.”

“Of course, Citun.”

“Will you be joining the other warriors?” Citun asked Jari.

“No. Taft and I will be busy here for a while. Right now, the planet would scare Lano. She’s not disappearing anywhere for a long time. Except to my quarters. I’m sure Taft feels the same way about Ashala.”

Citun chuckled. He gazed down at Storm as the tug of the planet called. “Ready or not, here we come.”

Storm was certain she was gazing at a jungle on steroids.
Wild, wacky, weird.
She listed the words off in her thoughts. The sky was vividly colored with a few black holes. Creepy vulture-like birds glared at her, their comical cartoonish beaks resting on their chests. Citun was watching her reaction. She tried to smile at him, but the expression he returned made her wonder if she appeared constipated.

Citun wrapped an arm around her shoulders. They were in a small clearing, and a path to her left was visible. The ground beneath her feet crackled in her moccasins, she preferred her own to the replicators, when she took her first step. As they walked, her heart began to pound until she wondered if Citun could hear it. A number of tiny ponds were scattered about, each covered in a layer of smelly scum surrounded by various brush. Citun informed her the scum was deadly and never to drink from anywhere except the replicated liquid. She remembered he made her promise to stay clear of them.

The air was warm; a gentle breeze ruffled her hair. There was a strange scent in the air. Her surroundings were charged; she could feel the tension mount the further into the jungle they went. Massive trees made her do a double take when she was positive long vines crept along the ground reaching for her. She narrowed her eyes, certain she heard whispering. The trees were talking.

Straining, she heard in an ancient language a female was about, a human. A warrior was with her, a dominant to her submissive. Soon an answering voice rumbled up under her feet far from within the ground as roots carried a message. She wasn’t to be harmed. Storm gazed up at Citun he was oblivious to the conversation. She swore the trees chuckled and called her silly. Soon enough, she would understand the trees may one day be her best friends. They were a female secret, one she needed to keep, and Storm knew she would. Who would believe her?

A scream made her hair stand on end, and Storm was hard pressed not to jump into Citun’s arms. A massive creature, nine feet tall jumped from the foliage to snarl at them. Storm knew if her mouth hung open any farther, it would be on the ground. The female Zargonnii was built with curves. Warriors had broad chests, the female didn’t. Storm had no doubt if Citun and the female engaged in battle, there was no telling who would win.

“Do not fear, human,” the Zargonnii said. “I am Citun’s sister. I was hoping he would find a female of his own. The females here tire of his dominance.”

“I’m sorry I’m staring, but it’s hard to wrap my head around the idea of anything, warrior included, dominating females such as you.”

The female chuckled and tossed her head, long white beautiful hair fell until the tips touched the ground. Her red eyes blazed for a moment. “Citun would never dominate me. But he’s family and we do not mate family. He’s my
little
brother. And a fine leader.”

She wasn’t speaking with contempt, but fondness and Storm could tell she was proud of him.

“Citun, your sister is beautiful.” Storm gazed at Citun, his expression made it appear he was smelling a year-old dead fish. “What’s wrong?”

“Family gives off a noxious odor to keep us from mating one another. What does she want? How did she know we were here? Hell. Tell her I say hi.”

“Citun says hi.”
Awkward.
“He’s wondering if there is anything you’d like to ask during this visit? And how did you know he was here, or did you?”

“You know how I knew.” She gave a conspirator nod to the trees. “Only females hear the trees. Our secret, now yours. Listen to them and they will aid you here. They knew who you were the second they saw Citun and informed me to your whereabouts. I’ll follow you from a distance. My brother stinks. There are warriors who have your scent. As many as five. If Citun has to fight them all off you might accidently be hurt. I won’t allow that. We are family after all. One day, I hope to have nieces I can see him hold. I am Citun’s only family. Other females have born little female offspring I see, but yours will be special. He isn’t allowed near the other children. No male is welcome in the female area. I hope to be able to visit when Citun isn’t around. Females come and go as we please, anywhere. I am Amma.”

It took a second for Storm to digest the information. Big bad warriors,
huh
. Girls ruled, that was for certain. For some reason she found the idea amusing; it might have been Amma’s grin.

“Amma says we’re being followed by five warriors. I thought your warriors listened to you?”

“Mine do, yes. A Holiday is a grey area, tempers and testosterone run high. There could be visiting southern Zargonnii who answer to Titus. My sister is trying to protect me? That’s embarrassing.”

“She’s here to protect me and any future offspring. If you need to engage in battle, she’s worried something else might sneak up on me while you’re busy.”

“Oh well, that’s all right then.”

Storm rolled her eyes, and Amma laughed. “My brother has said something stupid, yes?”

“He’s male; they all do eventually, if you let them talk long enough.”

“True. I often wonder if we can’t understand each other because they would talk us into killing them with stupid.”

Storm chuckled then gasped. Three warriors burst through the foliage. Amma hissed and she grabbed one and tossed his howling ass over the trees before Storm could blink, she was again standing mouth agape. Not to be outdone by his sister Citun smashed the remaining two together, head first. Both sank to the ground. Amma strolled to one and hefted him over her shoulder. She glanced back at Storm.

“Tell my brother there are two left; he should be able to handle them alone. I’ve been looking for this warrior. He gave me a beautiful daughter last time. I would like another. We will talk soon.”

“It was nice meeting you, Amma. Thank you.”

Amma waved as she faded into the jungle. Storm took Citun by the hand. “Two are left.”

“I think the warriors were curious, nothing more. The scent of two females in one place would draw attention,” Citun said.

The farther they walked, Storm was certain they were being watched. She heard the voices and wondered why Citun couldn’t hear them, before she saw the males. Citun stiffened and sniffed the air. When the warriors stepped in front of them, Citun pulled her behind him. He didn’t appear surprised to see them. She wondered if he had a certain scent he searched for instead of sound.

“Go home. This is
north
Zargonnii territory. Mate on your own hemisphere.” Citun was growling.

“Human females are hard to come by. Some don’t necessarily want the warrior who steals them.” Both warriors’ fighting stance was undeniable.

“This is my mate. Storm chooses to be with me. Do not make me fight you. You will lose.”

Storm was worried. This confrontation was scaring her. The warriors acted as though they might actually kill. Zargonnii didn’t hurt Zargonnii. At least they didn’t kill one another. Storm didn’t want to hurt anyone. This confrontation was a huge mistake. Her fear turned to anger. Warriors were belligerent and crude. They had no right to assume who she should be with, she had a mind of her own. She knew what was in her best interest. Rage began to build. After that thought her arms almost hit the ground with the weight of the baby boy who suddenly appeared.

Zell was glaring at the two warriors. Green eyes sparked. A warrior yelped when zapped. Zell yelled a warning. The threat was unmistakable. Zell gazed into Storm’s eyes, she could see his worry but she was confused.

“Titus would be furious to find you warriors here in north Zargonnii territory, Citun’s territory. How dare you even think to battle, especially a leader for his mate?”

The woman who appeared was obviously Zell’s mother. She was tall and beautiful, and pissed. Her green eyes flashed daggers as her ebony hair swayed. Her stride was hurried as she charged into their midst.

“Human females are special,” one of the warriors said. “Why do only some warriors get them while others Holiday and are left with nothing most often?”

“I don’t know. But know this, Zell took off so fast from his dinner I knew there was danger. There is, I can tell. Neither of you have any clue how close to death you are.”

The woman was gazing at Storm when she declared her threat. Citun scowled.

“What are you talking about?” Citun demanded.

“My name is Zabbie, Titus’s mate. Zell isn’t here to protect the female; he’s here to save the warriors.”

Storm was dumbfounded. “I wouldn’t kill.”

“Not on purpose,” Zabbie said. “You have a weapon in your thoughts. Something deadly. I can see it through Zell’s eyes but he can’t explain the substance to me. I’ve never seen it before. Something that could slice these warriors in two with a simple thought in reaction to your anger.”

“The material on the other planet. The one your son said was omnipotent. I broke it.” Storm was thoughtful. “But I’d only ever hurt someone to save Citun. I, I felt the anger growing, but I would never want to kill anyone. Especially a warrior.”

Zabbie commanded the warriors to leave. Telling them Titus would deal with them and because she and Zell took off so fast she had no doubt Titus was on the move and fueled by worry. She took Zell into her arms. Zell cast a few more glowing green lasers to the warriors’ asses to hasten their departure.

“I was informed you met my son and Ryker. Storm, right?” Storm nodded. “The Gorgano fucks us women up something awful sometimes. Go with Citun. After the Holiday, we can meet. We need to get that power of yours under control. Zell has shown me what the substance looks like; maybe Titus knows what it’s made from, and I’ll see what I can do. If you need me think of Zell and he can tell me. His aptitude grows daily. But I can tell you’re connected to me and the other females who encountered the Gorgano. It’s why Zell can find you so easily. I can sense you, but Zell can feel you in his thoughts.”

“He really is powerful,” Citun said.

Zabbie chuckled. “You have no idea.”

The two vanished. Citun was chuckling but Storm was worried. The boy thought she might kill, could she? Storm didn’t want to. She gripped Citun to her.

“What if I hurt you by accident?”

“You won’t. Something I learned about females. Yes, you get angry; yes, you have crazy obnoxious emotions. But when you love, boundaries on your fury expand in a way that restricts you from harming someone accidently.”

A wild red furry creature came flying out of the jungle straight toward Citun’s back. Storm screamed. The beast stopped moving and slid apart into two separate piles; Storm had cut it right down the middle, from head to crotch, with her razor thoughts. She threw up. The idea she might have done that to the warriors was terrifying.