Cathian stood on the bridge in front of the screen displaying his father. Rex stood next to Beltsen Vellar. Both Tryleskians were furious.
He understood—and felt the same way. “You will not arrest Nara.”
“She assaulted Vis. A female from the Nooton House.”
He inwardly flinched. That family had some power, but not nearly enough to compare to the Vellars. “Nara could be carrying my litter. Did either of you consider that?”
His father paled. “She’s human!” He curled his lip in disgust. “That isn’t acceptable. You are my firstborn, Cathian.”
“The choice is mine. Not yours. Who I breed with won’t be decided by you.”
“We demand the human!” Rex replied.
Cathian glared at him. “You’re an assistant. Heed your place. This is a discussion between my father and me.”
Rex’s face flushed and he dropped his gaze.
It was a dick move, but Cathian didn’t care. Sometimes Rex overstepped his boundaries, and considering the man had tried to steal Nara away by arresting her, Cathian wasn’t feeling any guilt.
He gave his full attention to his father. “Nara is mine.”
“Cathian…” His father sat hard in the captain’s chair of the military vessel he was currently on. “What are you saying?”
“I love her. She loves me.”
His father snarled. “Love is a myth for fools.”
“Are you happy, Father? Because I am.” Cathian sighed, letting his temper go. “Do you know how I spent my morning, Father?”
His father glared at him.
“Laughing and playing with my Nara. We enjoy spending time together. She’s still sore from getting me through my heat, and I’m unable to have sex with her for a few days. But it doesn’t matter. It was a wonderful morning for us both because we were together. I’ve invited her to stay on The Vorge with me. It’s done.”
Beltsen Vellar growled. “But you’re my firstborn. Your litters will be tainted by her human blood!”
Cathian’s anger returned. “You have plenty of sons who will breed with Tryleskian females. And I’m the ambassador for our planet. Have you considered that? What better way to convince other races I’m trustworthy and open to their cultures than to life-lock to an alien woman and breed with her?”
His father seemed to consider that for long moments. He finally grinned. “That’s why you want to keep her? I’m impressed.”
“Don’t be. I love Nara. That was my only motivation. But I knew you’d see the appeal of that argument.”
That didn’t make his father happy. “You’re not returning to our planet with her?”
“No, Father. Part of the trust issues we’ve always had are due to switching ambassadors every few years, and the bonds we’ve formed with other races have to start anew. I plan to remain on The Vorge for a very long time.”
“You can’t raise children on a vessel.”
“Lots of races do it.”
“Not us!”
“It’s time for change.”
His father sighed and shook his head. “You were always difficult, never acting the way you should.”
Cathian tensed, fearing another lecture on how he was such a disappointment. It wasn’t something he enjoyed but it happened occasionally.
Beltsen stood, holding his gaze. “What if I continue to track The Vorge and take the female by force? She did break the law when she shot Vis and interfered with your heat. I’m sure I could persuade the medical staff to end any pregnancy under those circumstances. Don’t let this be about pride, son. I understand the protective instincts in regards to your young, but humans are a weak race. Think of the possible flaws in those children.”
Cathian’s hands fisted, and he wanted to hit his father. “Try to take her. I’ll use every weapon on this ship to stop you.”
“You’d threaten me?”
“Nara is my life-lock.”
His father gasped, eyes wide. “NO!”
“What do you think I’ve been telling you by explaining that I love her? That she’s staying with me and probably carrying my litter?”
“She’s human! You can’t life-lock to one. It might not even be possible!”
“The bond is there. I feel it. That’s all that matters.”
“Does she?” Rex leaned close to the screen.
Cathian wanted to ignore him but knew his father would just repeat the question. “I believe so. She went to extreme effort to be with me during my heat, despite knowing it risked her life.”
His father sagged back into the chair. “Only you, Cathian. Always so rebellious.”
“You’ll leave Nara alone. It’s not up for debate. She’s mine.”
His father waved his hand. “Fine. Perhaps this will be a good thing. I’ve viewed footage of humans. They are pathetic…seeing one on your arm while you take meetings will show others we have compassion.”
Cathian bit back a snarl.
“Hopefully they won’t view us as pathetic.” His father’s eyes narrowed suddenly. “What if they do, Cathian? Think that because you’re life-locked to something so weak, our planet is ripe for war?” He shook his head. “We can’t risk that. I’m ordering you home with this female. Dax is onboard with me. He’ll take over.”
Cathian filled with fury. “No!”
Dovis suddenly stormed up next to him. He glanced at his friend, surprised that he’d interrupt instead of staying out of view.
Dovis snarled, showing his fangs. “He has me at his side. No one would be that stupid. The Pods can also read minds. If anyone thinks such a thing, I’ll be happy to show them the error of their ways.”
Beltsen scoffed. “You? You’ll snarl at them and show them your teeth? How is that supposed to frighten anyone?”
Dovis shook his head. “Not just me. York is a Parri. Any race that is a threat, the Pods will warn us. We’re a fierce crew—and Raff is onboard too.”
Both men on the screen paled.
Cathian knew the reason why. So did Dovis. His friend spoke to Beltsen again before he could.
“Your brother abandoned his firstborn son to a planet of thieves and mutants, as you call them. Raff survived by learning how to kill anyone who became a threat. And he was so good at it, the Gluttren Four government made him their number one assassin. His body count is near legendary.”
Beltsen paled. “We do not speak of such things.”
Cathian jumped on that opportunity. “I will—if you forced me to quit and return home with Nara.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Rex broke out in a sweat. “You’d harm the Vellar name!”
“I don’t care,” Cathian stated, meaning his words. He glared at his father. “You covered it up. When your brother got a female pregnant, instead of life-locking to her, he abandoned her on that hellhole of a planet. I went and found Raff. He’s a part of my crew now. Do you think if I’m forced to come home, he might return with me?”
His father broke into a sweat now.
Cathian had to resist flat-out grinning. Dovis was a genius to bring up Raff. It was exactly the bargaining chip they needed. “Never threaten Nara, Father. Never force me to return to our planet. I’m doing an excellent job representing our race. No one will see us as weak with the crew I’ve acquired. Having a human on my arm will only make other races envious of her beauty, and think we’re capable of compassion. It’s never a bad thing.”
“You’re threatening me.” His father shook his head, looking angry now. “How dare you?”
“You threaten my life-lock. My future and happiness. I won’t stand for it.” Cathian glared at him. “Understood?”
The two men on screen consulted each other, whispering.
Dovis leaned in closer and snorted. Cathian met his gaze, grateful that they were friends. The crew stuck together. They were a family, always having each other’s backs.
The whispering stopped. Cathian turned back to Beltsen. “I’m keeping Nara, Father. I’ll defend her with my life. You can either continue to meet The Vorge, and start the biggest scandal in our planet’s history, or congratulate me.”
Rex whispered furiously in his father’s ear.
“Fine, Cathian. I won’t have everyone talking about how our ambassador used our own ship to fire on our military. I think you’ve lost your mind though.”
“No. You fear the Vellar name will be tarnished by what you and your brother once did, more than anything else. And I haven’t lost my mind, I just refuse to be miserable the way you are. Any children I have with Nara will know happiness. They won’t grow up watching us playing cruel games with each other.”
His father glared but gave a sharp nod. “I hope you’re right. We’ll return to our planet.” He paused. “I do plan to send Dax to your ship at some point. Not to take over your job, but to get him out of my hair. He’s as annoying as you were at that age.”
Cathian grinned. “That’s fine. I’ll find something for him to do.”
The screen went blank. Dovis marched across the room, bent to check a monitor, and seconds passed before he said, “They’re turning around and changing course.”
“That went better than I thought it would. Thank you for reminding me that we had the upper hand.”
Dovis straightened and faced him. “Your father did have a point. Your children could turn out more human. Are you prepared for that?”
“I remember when you were poisoned on that backward planet we visited, and you couldn’t keep your fur on.” It had shocked him when he’d first seen Dovis shift into another form, one with skin. “I didn’t think less of you. I felt honored that you trusted me to care for you when your defenses were down. Even then, without your claws and fangs, you were fierce. No one else survived the poison you were shot with. Pure willpower alone kept you alive until it was out of your system. Nara is stronger than you think, Dovis.”
Dovis nodded. “She stole my stunner. Her reflexes are definitely faster than I estimated.”
“She took me on when I was mindless in my heat, knowing I could kill her. She’s very brave.”
“I’ll try to like her.”
Cathian grinned. “Good. She’s staying.”
“Do you think she can carry your litters safely?”
That quickly killed his good mood. “I hope so. I’ve read a lot about humans. Sometimes they carry twins and triplets. I’ve ordered our medical android to download every program available on her race. I’m taking her for an exam now. I wanted to deal with my father first.”
“Do you want her to be pregnant?”
“I’d be thrilled.”
“I thought you didn’t want to have children yet.” Dovis frowned.
“I didn’t, but things change. I hadn’t met Nara yet.”
“I’ve got the bridge. Go be with her.”
“Thanks again.”
Nara was nervous as Cathian took her into their medical facility on The Vorge. An android waited. It was white, with four limbs shaped like those of a humanoid.
A table lifted from the floor and she climbed on it, as instructed.
“Scanning the female from Earth now,” the android stated.
“Did you upload everything you could find on her race?” Cathian stayed close to her.
“Affirmative.” The android paused. “She is not carrying your young. There’s an implant.”
Nara was stunned. “I don’t have an implant.”
A holo-image appeared over her stomach, displaying her insides, along with a foreign object.
“It has been registered to the Orits.”
Cathian sighed.
“Who? What?” Nara was confused.
“The auction house is owned by them. They must have implanted you before the sale to prevent you from getting pregnant.”
That upset her. Not only was she disappointed not to be pregnant, but those alien asshats had done something to her body without telling her! She blinked back tears. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
Cathian smiled at her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s fine. In three years, we’ll be better ready to become parents. This will give us some alone time. Maybe it’s for the best.”
“You’re disappointed.”
“A little, but it’s a good thing, Nara. I like the idea of having a few years with just you.”
She couldn’t argue that.
Cathian turned to the android. “Can you safely remove the implant?”
“Yes.”
He looked back at her. “I can’t get you pregnant until my next heat. Do you want the implant removed?”
“Yes.” She wanted it out. Some foreign object had been installed in her uterus without her permission. For all she knew it could have a tracking device on it, or something worse.
“Do it,” Cathian ordered. “I’m right here.”
The android gave her a shot, and in seconds, she passed out.
When she came around, Cathian was there, still with his hand on her shoulder.
She reached down, exploring her stomach with her fingers. She didn’t feel any bandages.
“It didn’t have to cut it out?”
“It did but the wound has sealed and healed.”
She sat up, looking at her belly. “I don’t see anything.”
“You won’t. We have good medical technology. The implant has been removed.”
She looked at the android in the corner. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” it stated.
Cathian helped her off the table. “Let’s go to our cabin.”
“I feel great.”
“The android gave you something to progress your healing. Your planet is generous with their information sharing. He had access to all their records on all medical procedures and human biology. He can treat you for anything now.”
They reached his cabin, and Cathian ushered her in first. She came to stop when she saw what waited. Someone had come in since they’d left and laid out a feast on their bed.
She turned, looking at him.
Cathian grinned. “Romantic?”
“Very. Thank you.” She blinked back tears. “This was to celebrate my pregnancy though, wasn’t it? I’m so sorry.”
“I called York while you were being operated on to bring us food. Don’t apologize again for that, Nara. Never. The more I think of it, I’m glad we get to wait three years. Babies are a wonderful thing, but they put a strain on romance and bonding. Especially since there would be at least two to five of them. Caring for that many infants would tire us out.” He smiled. “Now we can concentrate on each other. Not a bad thing.”
She nodded. “I agree.”
He took her hand and led her to the bed. She went to sit but he suddenly pulled her close, staring into her eyes. “Before we dig in, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Okay.”
He took a deep breath and lowered his head, his face inches from hers. “I’d like to life-lock to you. Would you agree to that?”
“Yes!” She didn’t even have to think about it.
He smiled wide and hugged her. “Good.”
“What do we need to do?”
“It’s what you would consider a medical procedure.”
“Okay.”
He waited.
She just stared back at him. Finally, he frowned.
“Aren’t you going to ask what kind? What is involved?”
“I don’t care. I’m willing to do it. It doesn’t matter.”
He smiled again. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Male Tryleskians have a secondary small heart in our chests. When we life-lock to a female, it is implanted in her chest. It links us by scent. The android feels it would be safe for humans. It’s never been done before.” He lifted his hand, curving his finger to his thumb, demonstrating a small round shape the size of a small coin. “It’s about this size.”
She let that information settle. “Okay.”
“That doesn’t frighten you?”
“No. I was willing to have your litters. What’s a tiny piece of you inside my body?” She smiled. “I like that. I’ll be the keeper of your other heart. That’s romantic.”
He chuckled. “Humans are strange but I’m grateful.”
“You should have asked me while we were with the medical android. Can he do it for us now?”
“Tomorrow. Now, we eat and celebrate. We are to be life-locked. I’m glad you came into my life, Nara.”
“Me too.” She already couldn’t imagine life without him.