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Planet Lysara
The Royal Gardens
Xeus watched from the shadows as a Durn escorted Macera from the gardens, granting him a partial glimpse of her wealth of hair, curvaceous backside, and tiny ankles. Excitement swelled within him, rising and falling like the stormy waves of his beloved oceans. He lowered his gaze to his hand where it tingled from her touch. He’d met the female he fantasized about, had touched her, had pressed a kiss to her silky skin.
And her birdsong resonated and replayed in his mind.
Swiveling on a heel, he meandered to his chambers. In Sy-mar’s magnificent gardens, Xeus had hoped to have a moment of peace. Instead, his world had shifted.
He would comm Macera later today.
But how to keep his identity from her? She had asked for anonymity, and for the time being, it would be easy to please her. As soon as she reached Issneen, maybe then he could reveal who he was. He winced. Etterians did not deceive. There was no honor in it.
Cales wasn’t in his chambers when Xeus strode in. He circled the desk Sy-mar had installed for him and activated the tablet. First on his task list was the sec vids from Xan’s adventure. Thankfully, Xeus was planetside to mitigate any diplomatic consequences.
He stared at the tablet, his thoughts drifting to Macera. Raising his gaze, he imagined her seated before him, a wide smile on her dirty face. No... She would look different from the sec vids off the Yithian ship. Her hair had been lighter and glowing with good health. Would her eyes still be dark? Although, he had yet to learn of humans being able to change their eye color.
“What are you doing?” Cales dropped into a stuffed chair beside him to face the large display vid.
The twin suns were setting. How had time slipped away? Xeus’s had his finger hooked, about to select Xan’s sec vids. Xeus opened his mouth to declare he’d met Macera, but something silenced him. A part of him wanted to savor the memory, not share this with his battle-bond. Another part of him didn’t believe Cales would understand. Also, Xeus hadn’t mentioned how the image of Macera tormented him. He would’ve liked to see all of her, to confirm her bright smile to match her sweet voice.
“Just deep in thought.” Xeus cleared his throat and ignored his inner voice whispering that omittance was the same as lying.
“Good. Kuna Sy-mar is en route.”
Xeus curled his finger and formed a fist. “Where were you?”
“Strolling the grounds. I find the Lysaran air sweeter than ours.” Cales studied him. “And you?”
“The Royal Gardens, as usual.” ...meeting Macera. Xeus smothered a smile. How blessed was he? A few minutes too late, he would have missed her. “Did Sy-mar mention the reason behind the visit?”
Xeus had planned to leave Lysara this evening, their business concluded just that morning. Now he wanted to reach Issneen before Macera did. His scimitar, Celeeri, was faster than the battleship Phoenix. He’d be home for a day before she arrived.
His finger twitched. Yes, he was eager to comm her and hear her voice. Perhaps she would gift him with another birdsong.
At the knock, Cales hurried to open the door and ushered in a grinning Sy-mar.
Xeus rose to his feet, frowning at the exuberant Lysaran.
“They are breathtaking, these hoomans.” He splayed his hand across his chest. “On my soul, Xeus, their emotional range could save my world.”
“I am told there are billions on their Earth, my kuna.” Cales took up a position at a wall, clasping his twitching hands behind his back.
Sy-mar laughed. “Plenty for Etteria and Lysara.”
“They are not treasure to be divided between us.” Xeus scowled then sighed. “But yes, if they prove to be your salvation, then help me protect them.”
Sy-mar sank into a chair and rested his elbows on his knees. “They are in danger?”
“Yithians and possibly Maloidians seek to exploit them.” Xeus gritted his teeth, tempted to assassinate all on the Global Council who allowed this to continue.
“What do you need?”
“Support at the GC and soldiers. I have battleships circling their world. These are not fully staffed. I would also suggest you send ambassadors to work alongside mine.”
“I will dispatch males immediately.” Sy-mar settled back. “Have you watched the sec vids from the jungle?”
“Not yet.” Xeus spared him a glance before returning his attention to the display vid, which showed a frozen image of Etterian males and one human woman weaving through the Lysaran jungle. There was no audio, but it didn’t matter.
“Stationary research vids recorded their movement through the jungle. They miss large parts of their progress. They did, however, capture Supreme Commander Xan’s escape from a gracc.” Sy-mar steepled his fingers. “A brilliant strategy I will employ henceforth.”
“Truth?” Cales gasped and strode across to watch over Xeus’s shoulder.
Graccs were inescapable once their prey fell into their snare. The doomed creature would sink into the soil and the large gaping mouth beneath it. The graccs hid their gigantic bodies below the ground where they would lay in wait. Their mouths were rimmed with razor-sharp teeth, pointing inward to trap the prey. Once it ingests, it will paralyze and dissolve its meal over ten days. With a swipe of a finger, Xeus replayed the scene showing Xan’s escape.
“Alodon’s balls, that was ingenious,” Cales roared.
Xeus kept his gaze on the vid. It was choppy, as if only parts of the recording had been shared. The unit encountered wilanegy. The research vid’s angle was toward the watering pool where it caught Lady Quin dragging Warrior Lurz over the side. She rolled down the hill before diving into the pool with what appeared to be an injured arm. Lurz rescued then dropped her on the opposite embankment. She screamed something at him, which in turn had him reaching for his blaster to fire on the three approaching wilanegy males. Their deaths were quick. The blaster stunned the pool’s surface, killing them.
“Xan’s report was vague regarding these incidents. He stated that due to Lady Quin’s strategic skills they escaped the gracc and wilanegy,” Cales said. “But seeing it is so much better.”
Xeus hadn’t expected a more detailed report after what the male had endured this day. “He also documented that shortly after this, she became distraught over Medic Eira’s death. She collapsed over his body, Xan suspects, due to the trauma of the last day.”
“Such an emotional species,” Cales said. “When he commed me this evening to warn of the Lysaran violations, your presence here caught him by surprise. When I delved deeper, he revealed that Lady Quin’s recklessness and his uncontrollable reaction to her had distressed him.”
“It is as expected,” Xeus said.
Cales glanced at him, having replayed the gracc incident. “We do not handle emotion well, not within us, nor from others.”
Xeus grunted in response, trying not to remember what happened at his morning chore. Macera’s image appeared every time, despite his efforts otherwise. Refusing to attend to the chore had taught him that avoidance spilled his seed more than once when he succumbed to the need driving him.
“You are most welcome to remain here in Sosu to strategize.” Sy-mar rose to his feet.
“My thanks, Sy-mar, but I have duties I need to attend to.”
“Macee said the same.” Sy-mar paused at the door Cales had opened for him. “Please share the location of her homeworld.”
“Consider it done.” Xeus’s voice was hoarser than intended. Just at the mention of her name, his throat closed. “Also, I will send battleships past Lysara to collect your males.” He glanced at Cales. “Schedule this.”
“As you command, my king.”
Sy-mar grinned. “And I shall visit your Issneen. It has been too long.”
“Perhaps a sparring session like we used to?” Xeus smiled. “I have not forsaken my training.”
“Neither have I, old friend.”
After the door closed on Sy-mar, Cales faced Xeus and growled, “No.” Anger hardened his jaw. “Now we must share?”
“As you mentioned, there are billions of humans, Cales.”
His battle-bond scowled and slumped in a nearby chair, his expression that of a petulant damu.
“Regardless, we may need the Lysarans in the upcoming war. Data Officer Kemt indicated that the Maloidians shot down Xan’s kuta shuttle. It was in an attempt to gain access to our navigation charts, perhaps to kidnap Lady Quin, likely due to the price Citus paid for Lady Ava.” Mentioning Lady Ava had the expected result.
“Lady Ava’s skills as a hairstylist are what impresses me.” Cales chuckled. “I detest being the Enforcer, Xeus, as you are well aware.”
“It is a necessary chore and is traditionally performed by the king’s advisor.” Xeus’s lips twitched. “The Kushin arrives in Issneen soon bearing the new Dar Eths and the human children we have agreed to harbor. We will need to return to Etteria by then.”
“I would suggest we have our lima kuu build an appropriate building behind the palace.” Cales punched on his O.D.I. “Or we could house them in a vacant barracks, and with Lady Olivia’s input, construct their new home?”
“That may be preferable.” What did he know about damu? The raising of Enyl had been at the hands of the lima kuu, of Remi and Malo.
“We know nothing about the needs of human damu, and I suspect she would appreciate it if we included her in any decision that impacts her damu.”
“You have commed her?” Xeus arched a brow.
“Of course, in an attempt to pre-empt their needs.” Judging by Cales thunderous expression, he wasn’t pleased by the results of the communication.
“How was she?”
“Beautiful, as expected,” Cales said. “Stubborn, opinionated, and full of sweet smiles.”
“Then what has you so displeased?”
“She is not my Dar Eth.” Cales glanced away before meeting Xeus’s gaze.
“You are feeling it too?” Xeus rubbed his hand over his face. “When the Kushin docks, I need you and Citus to travel to Earth.”
“But—?”
“It is a command. Cales, you know how important Earth is to our survival. I send my most trusted males.”
“Yes, my king.” Cales frowned. “Who will attend to my tasks?”
“Warrior Kanzo. Since his Dar Eth is the new Enforcer, I foresee his role in court becoming more substantial.”
Cales relaxed. “He is an excellent choice, solid, reliable except for when the Yithians stole Lady Ava.”
“I have seen the vids. He behaved above reproach as I would expect from our warriors. He protected the damu. That pleases me.”
“I agree.”
“I will address this with him at the ceremony,” Xeus said.
“Thank you, my king. I shall leave you to organize our return journey.” Cales bounded up, now with a little more bounce in his step.
Xeus understood why. He was to visit Earth. Perhaps he would locate his Dar Eth before Xeus succumbed to the void.
As soon as the door closed, Xeus rose to his feet and crossed to the display vid. There he hesitated. Alodon’s balls, he didn’t know her full name. He couldn’t comm her without it. After a hasty scanning of his comms from the day his males first met her, he roared his joy when he found her name. Grinning like a fool, he spent a minute ensuring she would see a blank vid, then enunciated her name.
“Lady Macera?” He peered into empty chambers.
A squeal from afar preceded her face sliding into view. Damp tendrils fell around her face, and for the first time, he saw every feature, from her warm brown eyes to the dark brown wings of her eyebrows. Her perky nose cast her pert lips into shadow, and she had the most adorable little chin.
“Beautiful,” he whispered, then cursed himself, praying she hadn’t heard him.
“Zoo? Is that you?” She leaned closer, her nose almost touching the screen. Spots were sprinkled across her cheeks.
“It is. I apologize for disturbing you.”
“Nonsense.” She flicked a dismissive hand. “I was off to bed. Ate like a pig, and after a hot bath, I’m beat.”
“Beet?” His eyelashes flickered as his O.D.I. hurried to update him—a purple vegetable or exhausted? “I too am beat. Just wanted to hear your voice before I bid Lysara farewell.”
“You’re leaving?” She pouted. “Unfair. We’re stuck here for a night.”
“You do not like this world?” He considered this a good thing. Perhaps she would find his Etteria preferable?
“I do, but the Lysarans are...overwhelming.” She sidled closer and whispered, “Can they suck my emotions out of me?”
He pursed his lips, trying to smother a chuckle. “No.” He cleared his throat.
“Feels like they can. I’m so drained after talking to them.” She fanned her face with her hand. “And they make my brain fuzzy.”
“Fuzzy?” His eyelids fluttered again. “Why?”
“I swear they give off pheromones. I like making decisions without coercion.” She raised her hands and unraveled her damp hair.
His breath caught. In that one action, she had gone from adorable to sensual. His malehood twitched, growing harder the longer he gazed upon her.
“Zoo? Are you still there?”
“I am, Macera.”
She smiled. “Will you call me again?”
“Yes, and we shall meet in Issneen, ensa.”
“We will?” Her eyes widened with delight. She bounced, swaying her hair. “Best news ever,” she sang but garbled the end with a yawn. “Sweet dreams, Zoo, and thanks for the chat.”
“Good night, ensa.” He deactivated the vid and leaned against the wall beside it. Happiness engulfed him in warmth, and for the first time in a while, he didn’t care if it brought the void closer.
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