Scandalous Heroes Box Set (184 page)

The questions tumbled from her mouth and he could hear the anxiety in her words and her eyes were dark with concern. “Nothing. It may not be possible and that is something we will have to live with.”
As I will have to live with this damn collar.
She couldn’t be the one to get everything in this situation and him nothing.

She sprang to her feet, her hair a wild, wet cloud around her body. Water ran down her svelte nude form.

Even with the heavy conversation between them he could not resist taking in her beauty or the desire to lean forward and collect every drop from her body with his tongue.

“This cannot happen. Something must be done.”

“Why? There are times a couple cannot conceive or they lose their offspring maybe…it is the way of the galaxy gods.” What he said was truth, extremely rare on his planet but still situations had happened before.

In haste she stepped out of the bath, splashing water around the floor. “With the first sun rising I will take you to the med house. They can examine you…figure out what is going on.” She closed her eyes briefly and rubbed her hands down her body.

He watched as all the water on her skin dissipated instantly. Sorcery. 

Things were so different here than at home. They used magic in many of the ways his people used science.

“I will not be poked or prodded by anyone. I am a healthy male. And when the first sun rises we will go to see your queen so that I can visit my home,” he said following after her and looking around for something to dry his own form. On his planet he would have pressed a button for warm air that would have quickly dried his body.

Opening her eyes, she stared at him. There was a flicker of some emotion in her gaze, but it went away quickly as she moved to him and waved her hands over him, performing the same act on him that she had done to herself. “That is all you care about.”

“Yes.” He took her by the shoulders and held her gaze. He needed her, his mate, to understand how important this was to him. “I have broken my word and I have to make amends to my father. Just as you have your planetary honor, I have mine. Let’s off to sleep.”

She remained silent but gave him a firm nod before she turned and walked out.

~YH~

“Mother, something must be done.” Krysteena was in her parents’ private quarters.

Her parents didn’t move from their positions as they stood holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. Even with their daughter present they didn’t allow their connected moment to be interrupted.

To Krysteena they could afford to be bonded on a deep plane, together they had produced seven children.

Finally, they both turned to assess her.

“Good first sunrise to you, my daughter.” Her father crossed the floor to her.

“To you as well, father.” She met him in the middle and was gathered in a strong hug from him. She loved her father. On Argona it was custom that the male of the joined couple raise and tutor the offspring, so she had spent more time with him than her mother. With the anxiety she felt over her own mate it felt good to be held by the first male in her life.

“I can see that you have a lot on your mind that you need to discuss with your queen mother, so I will leave you two.”

Her father left and her mother moved across the floor with long regal strides. “What is it that must be done, Krysteena?”

“The male that I am joined to…I need to end it.”

Her mother’s brows tightened in a frown. “For what reason? What has brought about this decision?”

“I made an error in my selection. I thought he was the one, unfortunately I was mistaken.” Krysteena tried to ignore the ache in her heart as she strolled toward the large window that held a great view of the Cretian Falls. The queen’s dwelling was the highest and it was the only place on the planet with such a breathtaking view. Krysteena knew that one day her mother would crossover into the land of the Once Living to find her rest with the galaxy gods, something she didn’t look forward to. Upon that day, she, as the eldest daughter, would ascend to the position of High Priestess, Queen, and with that would acquire this living space.

The view was spectacular; however, Krysteena desired her mother with her for many galaxy millenniums over gaining the position.

Walking alongside her, her mother asked, “In what way do you believe you have erred? I, as all of the Argona inhabitants, witnessed you two in the arena. Citizens were even discussing the successful match all during the festival of goods. Did you not hear the murmurs?”

Oh, yes, she had heard the people talking. Exalting her for such a fine selection of a mate. Others were requesting her to hold an instructional session on how to acquire a worthy and superior mate. “That does not matter.” She looked at her mother directly. “How can I break this?”

Her mother assessed her for a moment. Her intense gaze, bold and unwavering.

Krysteena wanted to glance away, keep the astute majji from seeing into her soul and picking up on the deep feelings she already harbored for Rymingten.

“Were you unable to complete your joining?”

Feeling the heat rush up her body and into her face at the memory of all the pleasure and passion she and Rymingten had shared caused her to bow her head. Staring at the floor was much easier than meeting the eyes of her mother while such intimate thoughts rolled through her mind. “Yes, that part was as it should have been.” Raising her gaze, she confessed the crux of her visit. “However, it was and will always be unsuccessful.”

“Please, speak clearly, my daughter, I’m not understanding. How can your joining have been complete, yet unsuccessful. Have you already been to the majjis of motherhood, so soon?”

Shaking her head, she continued, “If I stay with Rymingten there will never be a reason for me to visit them. H-e.” Her voice broke and Krysteena had to swallow several times to get past the lump of emotion in her throat. All night her mind had been plagued with visions of smaller versions of her and Rymingten. Even her time of meditation when she rose was filled with it. It shattered her heart every time another image arose. “My mate releases no issue.”

Krysteena could count on one hand how many times she had seen the Queen frown, but the deep creases showing in her mother’s brow were very evident now.

“What is it that you say, my child? How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. But, it is the truth of the matter. I witness the absence of results before my eyes.” Krysteena sighed, her shoulders heavy with the weight of concern and emotions upon them. She truly enjoyed being around Rymingten. On Earth she had seen the wit of his character while he was a playful house cat. Since their return, she had fallen for his strength and his passion for her.

Her mother crossed the room and sat on a long chair. “This does pose a problem, Krysteena. It is something I could take to the council. It is unorthodox. Something we have never dealt with before. However I see no reason your wish cannot be granted and you allowed to release his adornment ring. There will be a place in the fields for him.”

A heaviness anchored her heart with the thought of Rymingten working in the harvesting fields, but the alternative was her being bound to a male who would not be able to gift her with offspring. If she was ever to take the mantle of Queen of the Argona people she would have to produce heirs or be a mockery. The females of her planet would whisper behind her back, and gaze upon her with shadows of pity in the depths of their eyes. She could not stand that.

“So, let him know that his trip to Kitcy is canceled. Honors of travel are only for those who are mated and since you are petitioning the council to end your joining, I cannot see a reason to allow it.”

Krysteena crossed the room to her mother. “This may crush him. Break his spirit. He longs to express his regrets to his King.”

“That is unfortunate. However, you cannot have it both ways, Krysteena. Do you desire for me to allow an unmated male to journey off planet? What would be his reason for return? Or who would accompany him to remind him of his responsibility to Argona?”

She didn’t consider all of the ramifications of her supplication. She thought about having to go into the social area of her parents dwelling, where Rymingten sat in company of her father, and telling him of all the changes. She knew he would be caught off guard. He believed they had come to the dwelling to get their launching orders confirmed. That had been part of her reason for coming, regardless of how things were going to pan out for the two of them. However, she had never guessed he would lose his voyage home.

“You’re correct, my Queen.” It was the only thing she could say.

Her mother rose. “So, I will call the council to session with all haste.” Stepping toward her, she placed a kiss on her cheek. “All will be right soon. We will plan and discuss another scouting mission for you.”

“Yes, mother.” A bitter taste filled Krysteena’s mouth and her stomach churned as she thought about another male with her, touching her, kissing her or holding her…and that male
not
being Rymingten.

With a nod, the queen turned toward the exit.

Something else in the back of Krysteena’s mind rose up. “Oh, mother, one more moment of your time please.”

Pausing before the door, her mother faced her again. “Yes.”

“I’m not all together sure what I am asking. It is also somewhat of a personal nature.”

“If you are unsure, you may consider it and approach me later.” A gentle smile stretched the queen’s mouth wide and warmth filled her gaze.

“No. It presses on me.”

“Then proceed.”

“During the final joining time with my mate something happened I don’t quite understand. Something beyond my training.”

“That is?” The queen tilted her head slightly, an indication she was fully engaged in the discussion.

Krysteena stroked the intricate weave of her braid. “My hair became streaked and glowed red. I don’t know if somehow in the midst of the coupling I had called out words of some incantation. If so…what…nothing else appeared to happ—”

“You glowed?” The queen’s eyes were wide and filled with a combination of awe and concern.

“Yes. Rymingten actually brought it to my attention. I was unsure of the reason behind the spectacle.”

She watched her mother move slowly back to the long chair and sit.

Rushing to her mother’s side, she settled beside her. “Mother, what is it?”

“I’m not fully sure. I would need to take some time to study the old scripts.” Her mother had a vacant faraway look.

That contemplative stare gave Krysteena an unsettled feeling. The Queen was always sure about everything. “I’m not understanding. And unease is growing in my stomach. Were the streaks in my hair an indication of something being wrong with me?”

Her mother must have picked up on the notes of concern in her voice because she took hold of her hand and looked at her, the queen’s eyes once again shined with confidence. “No. Nothing like that. You are well, my child.” The queen rose to her feet. “I think you should continue with your original plans and take Rymingten to make amends on his home planet.”

Krysteena stood also. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, yes. I gave my word to him, so I will see it fulfilled. I will consult the scripts and have more answers by the time you return. At that time we can meet with the counsel, there need not be any haste.”

Now, she was really out of sorts. Her mother never went back on a decision she had made. The fact that now the queen wanted her to wait to end her joining with Rymingten and continue to his planet caused a multitude of questions to flood her mind.

“All right, we will depart as soon as we have our launching orders.”

“I’ll see to declaring them.”

Krysteena was the first to move to the door this time. With each step she waited for her mother to call her back and say she had changed her mind. However, soon she was on the other side of the private area.

In the eating space she found her father and mate telling stories of past battles fought and won expressed in the goriest of fashions. Even though she had nothing to compare the camaraderie between the two males, since she was the first of her parents’ offspring to join, she still could see they got along well. From her vantage point at the opening, the view warmed her within even as she attempted to shield her heart from feeling anything more toward Rymingten.

“Come daughter. Breakfast with us.” Her father waved her in. “There should be a moment of time before you two have to prepare for departure.”

Her father didn’t know that if she’d not brought up the hair changing to her mother a few moments ago, she would have been entering the room with an entirely different agenda. “I will always make time for you.”

Strolling toward him, she placed a kiss on her father’s cheek and claimed the seat on the other side of him, across from Rymingten.

She had kept her gaze from him until that moment.

The look in Rymingten’s eyes was intense, passionate. It reminded her of the things they had done to each other in their dwelling. That memory brought forth the fact that the male across the table from her would never provide her with offspring. The echoing sadness that swelled up from her core helped to extinguish any growing lust she felt for him. In his features she also recognized the joy radiating around his countenance, proof of his excitement about going home. In a way she was glad she was not crushing his hopes.

Chapter Five

“Pod 12 you are cleared for planetary departure.”

Rymingten watched a redheaded Argona female take the signed form from Krysteena that the queen had given them earlier.

He was anxious, ready to get on board the small vessel and travel to his home planet. It seemed like ten galaxy decades since he’d seen his family or run along the mountains and fields of Kitcy. Reaching up, he touched the collar around his neck. With this thing on there would be no running for his cat. The weight in his gut began to swell through his body, but he gritted his teeth swallowing his angst. Right now he just needed to be focused on getting home.