Mine to Take (16 page)

Jenise shrugged. It was no concern of hers. Not anymore.

For the man also had a great deal of feline sensuality in him that could apparently be fueled by the oddest occurrences. The terrible storm had since abated; it would be safe to leave now.

Or as safe as it was likely to get on a world full of itinerant miners.

She sighed.

She would have preferred to wait until the next world to part company. A small lump formed in her throat. That was not quite true, either.

Nonetheless, Jenise was a realist. They were going to have to part company sooner or later. The man was a Familiar, wild and free. As far as she knew, Familiars were never serious in their sexual relationships. Even if he was—though she assured herself he wasn’t—she had waited her
entire life to escape Ganakari so that she might develop her own true nature. The Frensi nature.

He had overwhelmed her this eve. His actions, his lovemaking, his passion, his boldness.

Gian Ren, she discovered, was like the Hlix River on Ganakari: ever-changing, completely unfathomable. A mysterious adventure that would never be solved. It was good she was leaving.

She kept repeating that to herself as she started to get dressed.

Pulling her gown on, she bent to pick up the clasp
and bumped into something very solid.
She jumped and whirled around.

Gian was standing directly behind her. The gown she had just put on but had not clasped slithered to the floor.

Like a true feline, Guardian of the Mist watched her silently, going over his options. As he saw it, he had three choices. He could be aggressive. He could be enraged, as was his right. Or he could show her his kindness and understanding.

Another Familiar, in the same circumstances, would have chosen one of the first two options; Guardian of the Mist chose the latter.

“You are leaving me without saying good-bye, Jenise?” He
was
genuinely hurt.

Her gaze dropped. She could not look him in the eye. The way he had phrased his question combined with the disappointed tone in his voice made her feel terrible. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I—Yes, I must.”

He examined her features. Her jaw had a set, determined appearance but the slight tremble of her lips told the whole story. He needed to be very careful. Much stealth was called for and he planned to tread cautiously.

“I would worry for you if you left now,” he said softly,
beguilingly. “It is the middle of the night. Come back to bed. You can leave on the morrow, when it is safer.”

She chewed her lower lip. “You will let me leave?”

“Of course. It is your choice. Come back to bed now.” He held out his hand to her, coaxing her to take it.

He was right—it was too dangerous to leave now. And he did say she could leave on the morrow. She swallowed again as moisture filled her eyes.

Gingerly she took the proffered hand. He led her back to bed. When they were lying down again, he hugged her to him. “I should not have…I have shocked you.” He kissed her forehead tenderly. “I keep forgetting that you have not—no, that is not true. I do not forget that for a moment, you are such a rarity, Jenise. It is simply that I…” He stopped, not sure how to continue.

Familiars did not generally apologize for their sexual activities. On the contrary, sensuality was always encouraged. Gian knew that it would not be the last time he experienced something new with her. She was different—not Familiar.

Gian was an experienced man in all ways of life. He knew he would have to bend in some areas for her, and he was prepared to do just that. He wanted her that much.

He tried again. “I am…”

“What?” she whispered.

He stroked her hair. “I am sorry. Truly sorry. I never meant to upset you like this. Not to the point that you felt you had to leave in the middle of the night.”

When she burst into tears and hugged him to her, he was more sorry than he could say. Above all, Familiars had kind hearts. Predatory but kind. They played the game to win, but for fun. They never intentionally hurt women, for they loved them too well.

“Gian, oh, Gian, I do not want to leave; it is just that—”

“Shh, shh. I know. I know.” He began kissing her face,
her nose, her forehead, her eyelids and lashes. A litany of small kisses.

Jenise was hardly aware of returning his tiny kisses. She, too, pressed her lips to his chin, his nose, his lashes.

He slipped inside her naturally, as he gently loved her. Showing her that he could.

She pressed her tear-streaked face to his, kissing him sweetly. Her middle finger glided down the centerline of his chest.

Gian shivered and purred appreciatively. She had found one of those special spots on him.

He paused to gaze down at her in a most innocent way.

She reached up, cupping his incredibly handsome face. “You can be so sweet, Gian.”

He had beguiled her back into his bed. Where she would remain.

He smiled at her.

And took her.

There is an old Familiar saying: Just because the cat is not in sight—it does not mean he is not there.

Jenise stretched out against a warm body.

The Familiar was lying on top of her, wrapped around her in one of his usual tangled positions.

It was time they got up. She nudged the sleeping man with a roll of her hip.

He was too cozy to move. Gian gave her shoulder a little bite in his sleep and burrowed his face deeper into her neck.

Jenise grabbed a hank of his hair, trying to lift his face. “We have to leave.”

Without opening his eyes, he sleepily sought out her lips. Gian started to kiss her but fell back asleep before he could finish. He slid off her mouth and back into the nice warm nook in the curve of her neck.

They had been up long into the night making love. Between outrunning the
valdt,
getting burned to a crisp, and everything else he had gone through on Ganakari, Gian was happy to be in a nice soft bed with a nice soft woman. A sheer lassitude of feline comfort overtook him and he just wanted to stay where he was, in total bliss.

Jenise kicked him. “Get up!”

He snarled softly but got up. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he yawned, stretching sinuously. Then he mussed up his already tousled hair by rubbing at his scalp with splayed fingers.

Jenise’s lips twitched. He looked adorable. She had never seen him look adorable before. Breathtakingly handsome, yes. Sizzlingly sensual, definitely. But not adorable.

Putting her hand to her mouth, she attempted to hide her smile.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “What?”

“Oh, nothing.” She grinned at him. Adorable.

“Mmm…” He stood up slowly, stretched again, and lumbered in the direction of the pool.

Full of energy, Jenise mischievously jumped out of bed. Passing him, she reached the small bathing area first. He frowned.

Waving her fingers at him, she got into the tiny pool and started to wash.

Crossing his arms, Gian leaned against the smooth part of the crystal wall. Jenise cupped some water in her hands and, lifting them, let the warm water trickle down her arms and chest.

“Ahhh—that feels good.”

He arched his brow.

She did it again. “So relaxing!”

No response.

A third time. “Completely…EEEE!” Gian had bent over and scooped two large handfuls of water at her.

Leaning on the edge of the pool, she flipped a sodden strand of hair out of her eyes. She gazed up his impressive length. “It still feels wonderful.” Her grin dimpled her face.

Gian roared with laughter, shaking his finger at her. She laughed.

He got down on his haunches beside the pool, leaning close to her face. “And why are you in such a good mood this day?” he whispered.

Coyly, her lashes shielded her aqua eyes. A becoming blush bloomed on her cheeks.

“I see.”

She raised her lashes for an instant, sending him a smoldering glance, then quickly lowered them. She crooked her finger, beckoning him closer.

Gian leaned in farther, entranced by the seductive look she had given him. He had never seen such a look on her before; he was not even aware she was capable of such a look. His blood thickened.

“Gian?”

“Mmmm,” he purred near her lips.

“How long does it take to get to the next Tunnel?”

He paused, green/gold eyes flashing with amusement. Clever as a kitten.
“Whhhhy?”
he mouthed, letting his lips barely touch the corner of her mouth.

“Because I wish to reach it before dark.”

“Ummmm—It will take
us
about half a day.” The tip of his tongue touched the tiny indentation in the curve of her upper lip.

She tested him. “You did say that—”

“So I did. But
my
choice is to accompany you.” He licked her lips.

She shivered at the delicious contact. “I suppose you are entitled to your choice.”

“Yes.”

She smiled, nipping his mouth.

“Come with me to Aviara, Jenise. I know you will be safe there.”

“Very well. I will start my journeys from there. I believe you are right about staying in Alliance space. From what I have seen thus far, it is probably better for the single traveler.”

Not much better in some quarters. She was naive to think so. And even more naive to think he would ever let her travel unescorted anywhere but on M’yan. “Good choice,” he purred.

Once on Aviara, it would be an easy thing to bring her to his homeworld.

And he felt not the slightest twinge of remorse at his scheme.

Gian Ren never denied his nature. He was Guardian of the Mist; a full-blooded male Familiar who played with her in all seriousness.

The dust had died down with the wind.

Jenise and Gian made their way along a crude red dirt path which they were told led to the next encampment and Tunnel.

The winding path led them through numerous crystalline structures, their odd, twisted shapes starkly beautiful. When the wind blew, a whirring sound ensued, humming to the very ground. Jenise thought it wonderfully alien. Gian smiled at her delight. He enjoyed the experience with her, sensing the joy of her first impressions.

The journey was pleasant until they reached a flat plain. In front of them, not too far in the distance, stood a towering crystalline structure.

Jenise began relating to him an incident from her childhood. She had found a small, clear crystal. Thinking the pretty sliver was magical, she had lovingly treasured it. Somehow, Karpon had found out. He had asked her why she would like a piece of rock and not him. Jenise had answered that the face of the crystal told no lies. He took the stone from her and crushed it under his boot heel. From that day on she had hated him.

Gian listened to her story thoughtfully. Suddenly, he stopped her forward step. He scanned the structure in front of them, a concerned look on his face.

“What is it?” she asked worriedly.

“There are beings concealing themselves within the large crystal structure ahead.”

“Is it a danger?”

“I believe it is,
taja.”

He had no sooner finished saying that than a voice called out to them. “We
want the stones the woman has in her cloak. Give them to us and we will let you live!”

The being was lying, of course. Gian could tell that.

Jenise began untying her cloak.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving them the stones, naturally. You were right, it was foolish of me to show them.”

“Do not take off the cloak, Jenise.”

“Do not be foolish! A few stones are not worth dying over.”

“They have no intention of letting us go. Once they have the stones, they will kill us.”

She blanched. “But they will kill us—”

“Regardless,” he finished, letting her know the truth. Checking their position, he saw at once that they had no defense to speak of—they were out in the open with nowhere to hide.

Something whizzed through the air. Gian’s hand snapped out and caught a long crystal shard in midair, not a hand’s length from Jenise’s face. She sucked in her breath.

A voice called out,
“That was a warning. Give up the stones.”

“If what you say is true, why do they not simply kill us? Why pretend?”

A muscle flexed in his cheek. “You are a beautiful woman…” He let her draw the only conclusion.

She gazed out towards the crystal formation. A veil of fear crossed her features.

“I will not let that happen,” he said.

Her head whipped to him. “What do you mean?”

“Stand behind me,” was all he would say.

She did as he bade. The man called out once more, “What is your answer?”

“I will give you an answer,” Gian yelled back. He hurled the shard in a powerful arc towards the structure. Unerringly, it found its way into a narrow space in the wall. A scream issued forth, followed by silence.

Four shards were hurled at them at once.

Gian caught the shards one after another, immediately sending them back the way they came. Every one hit its mark cleanly, ending its deadly trajectory with the final cry of its victim.

“We
are done playing, Familiar! It is over for you both!”

Gian pulled Jenise up against him. Even with his incredible reflexes, there was no way he could fend off fifteen or twenty shards at once. The situation was grave, to say the least. He would try his best to fight off the attack, but he doubted he could. Ultimately, he would protect Jenise. Rather than let her fall into their clutches, he would disintegrate them both by dispersion. Such a thing could occur during a metamorphosis, if he did not take form.

{Put your hands upon my back, Creamcat, so I may feel them.}
She would have to be in contact with him at the exact moment.

“Yes,” she whispered shakily; doing as he bade. She did not understand his request fully, but she trusted him.

A barrage of shards came hissing through the air at them. Gian stood tall, making himself a broader target. He circled one arm back around Jenise.

His senses told him thirteen spears were coming directly at him. Too many, he acknowledged resignedly.
{Jenise, I
—
}

A flash of light singed the air in front of his chest. Instantly thirteen shards exploded, pulverized in a crackling explosion. The Aviaran light blade arced through the air in a blur of movement.

“Taj
Gian.” Traed inclined his head in greeting as he stepped protectively in front of the couple. His incredibly
adept blade continued to connect with the deadly missiles being hurled at them.

“Traed,” Gian responded wryly. “Good to see you again.” Gian feinted left, taking Jenise with him as he dodged several shards. “And I mean that most sincerely.”

Traed’s enigmatic lips curved. “How many are there behind the barricade?” The warrior knew Gian’s Familiar senses would tell him how many he faced.

“I have taken down five already, so seventeen.” He threw another shard he had caught. A scream followed. “Sixteen.”

Traed nodded in acknowledgment, never taking his eyes from the lethal weapons being thrown at them.

“You do realize we have a problem here.” Gian spoke matter-of-factly as he deflected yet another spear.

“Yes, I do.” Traed answered just as blandly. Jenise marveled that the two men could speak so calmly. As if they weren’t fighting for their lives!

Both men did their best to fend off the attack. However, there were too many marauders; Gian and Traed could not keep this up indefinitely.

Traed pulverized seven shards in a lightning-fast display of swordsmanship. The explosion of the crystal for some reason made him think of the crystal point Yaniff always wore in his ear. The symbol of the ever-changing facets of Charl power…

Crystal can transmute energy,
a voice whispered in his head. Traed raised his brows at the sudden idea. “Stand back from me,
taj
Gian.”

Gathering Jenise to his side, Gian carefully moved a few paces back from the Aviaran warrior. While Traed’s left arm plied his blade in lightning-fast maneuvers, he stretched out his other hand—five fingers splayed—in the direction of the crystal formations to his right.

He called forth his latent power.

It rose up in him as it always did, greedily.

Arcs of light traveled up his body, circling around him, growing in strength and number. The sky above them, which had been clear just an instant before, now darkened ominously. A rumble of thunder sounded overhead.

Jenise stared in wonder at the chiseled features of the Aviaran warrior who had saved their lives. His green eyes were sparking with his power! She had heard of this, but had never seen it. It was often said that the Charl carried a light within them and therefore could endure any darkness that surrounded them. Looking at this tall, contained man, she could well believe it.

Five jagged bolts crackled from his widespread fingers, aimed precisely at the crystalline structure to his right. The bolts hit their mark, illuminating the facets of the crystal. It almost seemed as if they were absorbed into it.

At first nothing happened.

Suddenly star bursts began to appear in random patterns throughout the crystal, gaining in strength and number. Traed’s power bolts were changing the internal structure of the crystal, causing it to generate a strong piezoelectric field.

Five deadly arcs came back, aimed directly at them.

“We will be scorched to cinders!” Terrified, Jenise hugged Gian tightly to her.

Just as the bolts were almost upon them, Traed lifted his light blade straight out, capturing the killer bolts on it. The arcs hissed and snapped as they circled hungrily around the blade.

In a smooth action, Traed pivoted the pulsing blade, aiming it directly at the outcropping in front of him.

The augmented power bolts zinged from the blade, pulverizing a section of the outcropping in a shower of red dust.

The bandits began to yell as they attempted to run for shelter, “He
is a Charl warrior!”

In a calm manner, Traed sent out another five bolts to the crystal, repeating the procedure. The bandits scurried about like insects. The second blast took off half of the front facade of the barricade they hid behind.

“You do not waste time, I see.” Gian spoke approvingly as he watched the beings who would have destroyed him and Jenise meet their own fate.

The corners of Traed’s lips curled. “It was becoming tedious.”

A final BOOOM! rent the air, decimating what was left of the barricade. He lowered his weapon as the last of the bandits scurried off.

Someone was running up on them from behind…

Gian whipped Jenise behind him and crouched low, preparing to attack.

An odd-looking alien was huffing and puffing to reach them.

Traed’s arm on Gian’s shoulder forestalled him. “It is my guide, Gruntel—he is harmless, if a bit slow.”

“Wait for Gruntel to fight!” the guide called out. As if the bandits would have the courtesy to begin fighting on his arrival.

“It is already finished, Gruntel.” Traed folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head as the Wiggamabob lumbered toward them. Traed rolled his eyes. Well, at least his heart was in the right place.

When the Wiggamabob finally reached them, Gian stared at the alien in a piercing way. The guide looked familiar to him. Then he recalled that he had seen him just as Jenise and he had entered the first Tunnel on Ganakari. The Familiar attempted to use his special senses to ascertain what he could about the strange alien.

Gruntel, not understanding the Familiar’s action, responded by sniffing the proud Familiar in a meddlesome way.

“Stop that at once!” Gian brushed the snuffling snout away.

Jenise giggled behind her hand.

Traed glanced aside, eyes twinkling with mirth. An unusual occurrence for him.

“So Traed, how did you find me?” Gian ignored the guide, who was still sniffing at him from a distance.

“Yaniff sent me.”

Gian grinned. “Yaniff, my old friend. I will have to thank him for coming to my aid, and you as well, Traed. You saved our lives. I will not forget it.”

Uncomfortable with praise, Traed shrugged off the valiant deed he had performed as if it were a mundane thing.

“One who smells tasty is correct,” Gruntel chimed in.

Gian frowned at the odd guide, but Gruntel was oblivious. He leaned on his crooked little staff, catching his breath.

Jenise stepped forward. “I am Jenise.” She held out her hand to the Aviaran. “I, too, thank you.”

“Forgive me,
taja;
in all the excitement, I have not introduced you. This is Traed ta’al Yaniff. He is a member of my extended family.”

Traed’s eyes flicked to Gian. He had heard him call the woman
taja.
And she was not a Familiar woman. Was this the princess the Ganakari claimed he had stolen?

{She does not know.}
Gian sent the thought only to Traed.

Traed raised an eyebrow, looking questioningly at Gian over Jenise’s head.
{It is complicated. Leave it for now.}

Traed inclined his head at Gian, taking Jenise’s proffered hand. “There is no need to thank me.”

“Of course there is.” She smiled prettily at him. Traed
could tell at once why Gian would abscond with such a woman. She was captivatingly beautiful in a unique way. While they had been fighting, she had stood her ground bravely. She was exactly the kind of woman Traed admired. Unusual and bold.

His admiration must have been apparent. Gian sent him a
flicker-warning.
Traed smiled ever so slightly. Familiars were extremely possessive of what they considered theirs. He acknowledged Gian’s right with a respectful nod.

In fact, Gian was one of the few men that Traed did respect. Guardian of the Mist was universally admired throughout the Alliance and especially on Aviara. He had the reputation of a man who was cunning yet fair. A courageous and honorable Familiar, whose word in all things was his bond. Among his own people, he was well loved.

“Jenise is accompanying me to Aviara.” Gian met Traed’s eyes. A wealth of subtlety lay in that statement.

“Then our journey will be all the more—”

Gian raised his brow.

“Enchanting,” Traed finished diplomatically.

Jenise smiled. “What a lovely thing to say. If you are an example of all Aviarans, then I must confess I look forward to visiting your homeworld.”

Gian immediately bristled with feline jealousy. “I am afraid, Creamcat, that you will find that Traed is
unlike
most Aviarans.”

“Really?” She examined the strong, controlled warrior speculatively—from his waist-length dark hair to his sparking jade eyes. “In what way?” she asked curiously.

Hands on hips, Gian turned to Traed, daring him to answer
that
question. Traed actually smiled.

It wasn’t until much later that Traed wondered if the voice he heard in his head reminding him that crystals transmute power was actually his own.

The rest of the journey to the mining camp was uneventful except for Gruntel constantly snuffling at Gian and Gian shooing the Wiggamabob away in irritation.

They reached the Tunnel point before nightfall, grateful to leave this world behind.

This mining camp was completely deserted. Gian told the group that he had heard this was not unusual when a strike had been found. Though they were glad not to have to come in contact with any more of the disreputable inhabitants of this place, they would have liked the opportunity to question the locals about the next world.

Jenise took a deep breath. “I wonder what we will find on the other side.” So far they had not had much luck with the planets connecting through this line of Tunnels.

Gian squeezed her hand, offering her his support. “I will be right by you,
taja.”